Editor’s Note: Wireless operators are a busy bunch, and as such RCR Wireless News will attempt to gather some of the important announcements that may slip through the cracks from the world’s largest carriers in a weekly wrap-up. Enjoy!
—Vodafone Spain said it has launched LTE services in 7 markets, including Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Seville and Valencia. The launch was conducted using the carrier’s 1.8 GHz and 2.6 GHz spectrum holdings, with plans to add 800 MHz spectrum once it become available.
Vodafone Spain claims the service covers 55% of each market’s population at launch, focused on urban centers and business districts. The carrier said it plans to have 1,000 base stations across the seven markets supporting the LTE service by the end of summer, at which time outdoor coverage will hit 85% of each market’s population and 60% indoor coverage.
—Verizon Wireless is reportedly set to add LTE support in the 1.7/2.1 GHz spectrum band to the recently launched Samsung Galaxy S4 device. The carrier told Bloomberg that the device will be the first from the carrier to support its planned roll out of LTE service in the so-called advanced wireless services (AWS) band. That roll out is set to bolster the carrier’s initial LTE launch using the 700 MHz band that has allowed the carrier to provide broad coverage set to match its legacy CDMA network by mid-year.
Verizon Wireless strengthened its AWS spectrum holdings last year with the acquisition of spectrum licenses from a handful of cable operators.
—NII Holdings, which operates cellular networks across Latin America under the Nextel brand, announced plans to separate the positions of chairman and CEO in what it termed the “best interests of the company.” As part of that move, NII named telecom industry veteran Kevin Beebe to serve as its “independent, non-executive chairman.” Beebe previously served as group president of operations at Alltel and EVP of operations at 360 Communications.
Steve Shindler, who previously served as chairman and CEO, has retained the title of CEO and will continue to have a seat on NII’s board of directors.
Other moves included Carolyn Katz losing her position as lead independent director, but continuing as director and chair of NII’s audit committee. Ricardo Knoepfelmacher was also elected to NII’s board. The carrier also announced it will begin holding annual elections of its directors.
–United Arab Emirates-based telecom operator Etisalat reported that its shareholders have approved a board of director recommendation to raise “external funding in excess of the corporation’s capital.” The company said the move will help fund its pending acquisition of a 53% stake in Maroc Telecom from Vivendi.
—AT&T Mobility announced new rate plans for its cruise ship and international messaging offerings. The carrier is now offering three packages for customers looking to use their mobile device aboard cruise ships, beginning with 50 voice minutes for $30 per month; 50 voice minutes and 100 sent messages for $60 per month; and 50 voice minutes, 100 sent messages and 100 megabytes of data for $120 per month. The packages are available on select cruise ships operated by Royal Caribbean International, Azamara Club Cruises and Celebrity Cruises.
For its international messaging offer, AT&T Mobility is now offering 1,000 sent messages from the United States to mobile numbers in more than 120 countries for $15 per month.
–Regional wireless operator C Spire said it plans to expand LTE coverage across portions of its home-state Mississippi this summer, and into portions of Alabama and Florida in the fall.
The Mississippi expansion is set for August and is scheduled to include 71 cities covering just under a half-million potential customers across nearly 6,000 square miles. The coverage will build on C Spire’s initial Mississippi launch that included seven markets, 1.2 million pops and 2,700 square miles using 388 cell sites.
C Spire also said it plans to launch LTE services in south Alabama and northwest Florida later this year. That launch will include 21 markets covering nearly 3,000 square miles and 687,000 pops using more than 145 cell sites.
C Spire’s LTE plans were at first expected to take advantage of C Spire’s 700 MHz spectrum licenses, but challenges in gaining access to equipment to support that band forced the carrier to alter the blueprint and instead rollout services using its 1.9 GHz spectrum holdings. The carrier noted that the 1.9 GHz band, known to equipment makers as Band Class 25, was already seeing an ecosystem form thanks to Sprint Nextel’s decision to rollout its LTE network using its G-Band, 1.9 GHz spectrum.
C Spire has since built on its relationship with Sprint Nextel having recently announced the first of its kind LTE roaming agreement between the two operators. Eric Graham, SVP of strategic relations with C Spire, spoke with RCR Wireless News at last month’s Competitive Carriers Association event in New Orleans to provide an update on the carrier’s LTE plans.
Graham also provided additional comments on the roaming agreement with Sprint Nextel and the importance of the deal for both C Spire and rural carriers.
Additional carrier news can be found on the RCR Wireless News “Carriers” page.
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