Before we turn the page on 2015, we thought we would take a look back at the past 12 months by highlighting what we felt were the top 100 stories of 2015 across the mobile space. Since it would be foolish to rank these in order of “importance,” we have instead laid them out in chronological order.
Check back tomorrow for Pt. 4 of the stories that shaped the wireless world in 2015, as well as our previously posted Pt. 1 and Pt. 2.
Also, make sure to check back beginning Jan. 4 as we begin posting predictions for 2016 from executives across various channels of the mobile space.
July 2:
Alcatel-Lucent scores NFV, SDN, cloud deals with China Mobile, China Unicom
Alcatel-Lucent signed a pair of contracts with China’s largest mobile operators to support the rollout of network functions virtualization, software-defined networking and cloud technology. The one-year deals are valued at $727 million with China Mobile and $576 million with China Unicom. The agreements call for Alcatel-Lucent to provide its mobile and fixed “ultra-broadband access,” IP routing, optical networking, NFV capabilities and SDN technology from its Nuage Networks division. … Read More
July 8:
Microsoft to restructure phone business, cut 7,800 jobs
Microsoft announced it will layoff 7,800 employees as it restructures its phone business to accommodate the $7.6 billion acquisition of Nokia Devices and Services. In an e-mail to employees, Microsoft CEO Sataya Nadella said the move was in effort to “focus our talent and investments in areas where we have differentiation and potential for growth, as well as how we’ll partner to drive better scale and results.” … Read More
July 23:
Qualcomm to cut roughly 4,500 jobs and restructure
Pressured by Chinese competitors and domestic investors, Qualcomm has decided to undertake a “strategic realignment” that will include roughly 4,500 layoffs. Qualcomm said it will streamline its engineering operations and consolidate some offices. … Read More
ExteNet Systems acquired by Digital Bridge
ExteNet Systems, a builder and operator of DAS and small cell systems, is set to become part of Digital Bridge Holdings, the investment group that owns Vertical Bridge and Mexico Tower Partners. Along with Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners, Digital Bridge is set to acquire ExteNet’s current investors, including SBA Communications. The purchase price is expected to be more than $1 billion, but the companies did not specify the exact amount. … Read More
As strike looms, new app lets Verizon monitor union workers
Continuing to prepare for a potential strike, Verizon Communications has been distributing an app to its non-union employees that will allow them to document bad behavior by union workers in the event of a work stoppage. … Read More
July 24:
AT&T purchase of DirecTV garners FCC approval
AT&T finally received official approval from the Federal Communications Commission on its $48.5 billion acquisition of DirecTV, ending more than a year of consideration by the government regulator. … Read More
July 31:
Cell Tower News: Accident claims 5 tower climbers
Five tower climbers from Wingate Communications were driving in a pickup truck in Brooksville, Fla., this week when a box truck ran a stop sign, hitting the truck full force. After impact, a large amount of transmission fluid, gear oil and motor oil leaked into a drainage area causing the truck to catch fire. The fire claimed the lives of all five tower climbers in the truck, while the two occupants of the box truck were fortunate to only have serious injuries, being airlifted to area hospitals. … Read More
Aug. 3:
EMEA: Here is on the move
The buzz has finally come to fruition with the announcement of the sale of Nokia’s Here to an automotive industry consortium made up of Audi AG, BMW Group and Daimler AG for $3.07 billion (EUR 2.8 billion). … Read More
Sprint management team revamped with naming of new CFO, COO and CTO
In a strange move just hours ahead of its latest quarterly results, Sprint announced a major revamp of its leadership, including a new CFO, COO and CTO. … Read More
Aug. 4:
Sprint loses No. 3 position to T-Mobile US; investors happy with results
On the heels of a massive management shakeup, Sprint posted mixed first fiscal quarter financial results with just enough positive to get investors excited. … Read More
Aug. 6:
FCC releases 600 MHz auction rules, stomps T-Mobile increased reserve request
The Federal Communications Commission released its highly anticipated bidding rules for the planned 600 MHz incentive auction, which is officially on the docket to begin March 29, 2016. … Read More
Aug. 10:
Verizon follows T-Mobile, dumps device contracts on new rate plans
Verizon Wireless is set to adjust its more popular shared data plans to a new naming scheme as well as put a greater emphasis on its previously labeled Edge device-financing program. … Read More
Sprint affiliates Shentel and Ntelos set to merge
The regional telecommunications market is set to lose one of its players as Shenandoah Telecommunications announced plans to acquire Ntelos Holdings for approximately $640 million. … Read More
Aug. 13:
Softbank buys deeper into Sprint following reported failure to sell
Softbank bolstered its backing of U.S. operator Sprint, purchasing $87 million of outstanding stock in the company and increasing its ownership control to 80%. … Read More
Aug. 17:
Verizon trumps AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile nationwide in latest RootMetrics report
Verizon Wireless was yet again tops in RootMetrics ranking of carrier performance across the U.S., scoring first-place results in five of the six separate categories through the first half of 2015, though the analytics firm noted a tightening of the overall spread among the four nationwide operators. … Read More
Aug. 18:
FirstNet approves $126M budget, reorganizes leadership
The board of the First Responders Network Authority has approved its budget, putting $126 million in play for acquisition, consultation and spectrum relocation in the next fiscal year as the FirstNet national network moves closer to reality. … Read More
FCC revokes Dish Network’s $3B DE bidding credits
The Federal Communications Commission voted in favor of denying Dish Network $3 billion in bidding credits it garnered during a recent spectrum auction. … Read More
Aug. 20:
Sprint confirms network upgrade plans
Sprint confirmed its network upgrade plans, saying it will deploy thousands of new macro sites and tens of thousands of small cells. CTO John Saw said in a blog post that small cells will enable Sprint to “add capacity in targeted high-traffic areas, as well as extend better service in hard to reach locations and indoor sites.” … Read More
Sept. 1:
Apple partners with Cisco
Just 13 months after announcing a partnership with IBM, Apple has teamed up with Cisco to continue pushing its iOS operating system into the enterprise. Both collaborations are meant to tailor enterprise offerings for Apple devices. In this case, Cisco has pledged to optimize its networks for iOS devices and to provide “unique collaboration on iPhone and iPad.” … Read More
Sept. 9:
Verizon 5G push set for trials in 2016
Verizon Wireless is moving aggressively into the “5G” space, announcing plans for field trials of the still un-defined network standard beginning next year with a number of key vendor partners. … Read More
Verizon Go90 mobile video platform launches beta trial
Verizon Wireless began initial trials of its mobile-first Go90 video service, rolling out a teaser website claiming a game-changing service. … Read More
Apple launches iPhone 6s, 6s Plus and iPad Pro
Apple launched new features and devices today, along with highlighting its partnerships and ecosystem in a wide-ranging event in San Francisco that included the introduction of the company’s largest tablet to date in the form of the new iPad Pro. … Read More
Sept. 11:
Verizon partners with Cisco on SDN platform
Verizon Communications continues to integrate software solutions into its platform, announcing the launch of a software-defined WAN service using Cisco Systems’ Intelligent WAN technology and targeting enterprise customers. … Read More
Sept. 16:
HP to cut 30,000 more jobs ahead of split
Following more than 50,000 job cuts already announced this year, Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman this week announced that the hardware giant plans to cut between 25,000 and 30,000 more employees as the company prepares to split. … Read More
Sept. 27:
Sprint dumps 600 MHz auction plans
Sprint yanked its name from bidders in the Federal Communications Commission’s planned 600 MHz incentive auction. … Read More
