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!
—Sprint this week announced the expansion of LTE services into 70 new markets, including Green Bay, Wis; Orlando, Fla; San Diego; and St. Louis. The carrier said the expansion boosts its total coverage to 300 markets. There was no word from the carrier on previous plans to hit 200 million potential customers covered with LTE services by the end of the year.
Sprint’s current LTE deployment relies on its 1.9 GHz spectrum, though the carrier is aggressively moving to add support in the 2.5 GHz and 800 MHz band as part of its recently announced Spark program.
–Ericsson reported that Japanese operator KDDI has selected the infrastructure provider as “the prime vendor” to deploy its LTE system and evolved packet core network. The deal is the first radio access network agreement between the two parties.
KDDI earlier this year signed an agreement with Ericsson to supply an IP multimedia subsystem platform for the carrier, scheduled to begin deployment in the second half of this year. KDDI noted at the time that the deployment will allow it to move forward with plans to “launch additional services such as rich communications suite, HD voice over LTE and video calling over LTE.”
–Ericsson also announced that it had been named the “main supplier” for Taiwan-based Chunghwa Telecom’s LTE network. Ericsson noted that it would supply radio access network equipment and will be the sole supplier for the EPC, which includes its Mobility Management Entity and Evolved Packet Gateway on SSR 8020, as well as IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem).
–Speaking of contract wins, Nokia Solutions and Networks said it won a contract from China Telecom to supply network equipment for the carrier’s LTE deployment. The contract calls for NSN to provide its Flexi Multiradio 10 Base Stations, provide network launch optimization, implementation supervision and care services and NSN’s intelligent network management system.
China Telecom was recently awarded 40 megahertz of spectrum in the 2370-2390 MHz and 2635-2655 MHz bands to deploy LTE services.
–Regional wireless operator C Spire announced plans to acquire Mobile, Ala.-based Callis Communications, which provides cloud-based unified communications-as-a-service for enterprise customers. C Spire noted the transaction shows its growing focus on wireless and customer support services. Financial terms of the deal were not released.
—AT&T announced this week that it has closed on the $4.8 billion sale of lease agreements on 9,000 cell sites and full sale of 600 towers to Crown Castle. The deal, which was announced in October, calls for Crown Castle to have the exclusive right to lease and operate the towers for an average term of 28 years, with Crown Castle then having the option to purchase the towers for $4.2 billion.
AT&T will remain the primary tenant on the sites as it has contracted to maintain its facilities at the locations for a minimum of 10 years with monthly rent of $1,900 per site and a fixed annual rent escalator of 2%. The carrier will also have access to additional space on the towers for its future use, which will likely include the densification of its LTE network.
–Rural wireless operator Pioneer Cellular announced that customers will now be required to use 10-digit dialing when placing phone calls and sending messages from their mobile device. This will require the inclusion of an area code before the phone number even if calls or messages are placed within the same area code.
Oklahoma-based Pioneer announced earlier this year that it had expanded LTE services to five new markets across the state tied to its agreement with Verizon Wireless and the carrier’s LTE in Rural America program, which it joined in late 2010. As part of that program, Pioneer customers will have nationwide roaming access to Verizon Wireless’s LTE network, which is on track to cover that carrier’s cellular footprint by mid-year.
Pioneer said that as part of its LTE plans it will cover more than 260,000 potential customers across 21 counties and 17,000 miles in central and western Oklahoma. Pioneer currently provides CDMA2000 1x EV-DO Revision A services in 37 counties across Oklahoma and 14 counties in southern Kansas.
Additional carrier news can be found on the RCR Wireless News “Carriers” page.
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