Editor’s Note: The RCR Wireless News Time Machine is a way to take advantage of our extensive history in covering the wireless space to fire up the DeLorean and take a trip back in time to re-visit some of the more interesting headlines from this week in history. Enjoy the ride!
Sprint Nextel lists first 4 of 10 LTE markets, clarifies spectrum plans
Sprint Nextel’s LTE plans received some clarity as CEO Dan Hesse announced the first four markets to receive the carrier’s new network offering scheduled to launch later this year, with plans for 10 markets in its initial launch. Hesse, speaking at the Citigroup Entertainment, Media and Telecommunications Conference, said that Dallas, Atlanta, Houston and San Antonio would lead the carrier’s LTE network rollout. The carrier originally announced its LTE plans last October, noting it planned to begin deploying the technology using the 10 megahertz of G-Band, 1.9 GHz spectrum it controls and updating about 22,000 cell sites. The initial deployment will rely on a somewhat limited 5 megahertz by 5 megahertz channel plan (5×5) that is roughly half the 10×10 spectrum plan Verizon Wireless is using for its LTE service operating in the 700 MHz band. … Read More
AT&T Mobility adds 11 LTE markets, expects complete rollout in 2013
AT&T Mobility has expanded its LTE network to 11 new markets, pushing the network to 26 total markets covering 74 million potential customers. The newly launched markets include: New York; Austin, Texas; Chapel Hill and Raleigh, N.C.; Los Angeles, Oakland, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose, Calif.; Orlando, Fla.; and Phoenix. Consumers are also to be warned that the “4G” marketing used for the LTE service is different than the “4G” marketing AT&T Mobility has been using for its HSPA+-based offering, which while slower does have a much larger footprint. … Read More
Walmart acquires makers of Obama, Starbucks apps to remake mobile commerce
Walmart has acquired Portland, Ore.-based Small Society, a mobile application development firm that has created apps for the 2008 Obama campaign, Starbucks, Zipcar, Amazon.com, Whole Foods, Live Nation and others. It’s one of a number of high-profile recent acquisitions of small startups as Walmart builds out its Mobile Labs with a team of developers. Walmart believes it can create mobile apps that radically change how shopping both in and outside of stores is experienced. Walmart’s Mobile Labs have been bolstered by recent acquisitions of Kosmix, OneRiot and Grabble and its hiring of former Yahoo technical standards community leader Eran Hammer-Lahav, all led by power-nerds Ben Galbraith and Dion Almaer. … Read More
American Tower shares higher after REIT conversion
American Tower Corp. hopes its decision to reorganize as a real estate investment trust will help its stock continue its upward trend, and the company has already picked up new support on Wall Street. Within the past month, Wedbush Securities, Stifel Nicolaus and Macquarie Securities have all initiated coverage of AMT with “buy” or “outperform” ratings. … Read More
Apple to launch iPhone 4S in China Jan. 13
Apple said its recently launched iPhone 4S model will be available in China and 21 additional countries beginning Jan. 13. Following the launches, the iPhone 4S will be available in more than 90 countries. There was no word from Apple if the device would expand beyond its current Chinese partner China Unicom, which has been offering Apple’s mobile phone since late 2009. However, there are reportedly millions of iPhone devices that have been modified to run on various networks in China on an unofficial level. … Read More
LightSquared hires M&A specialist as CFO
In a move that could indicate future plans, LightSquared announced that it has hired Marc Montager as chief financial officer. Montager was previously with SkyTerra, a company absorbed into LightSquared’s current operations, and has an extensive history in mergers and acquisitions. Montagner will report to LightSquared Chairman and CEO Sanjiv Ahuja and oversee the company’s daily financial operations as well as investor and bondholder relations. … Read More
Verizon Wireless tries to explain LTE issues
Verizon Wireless shed some light on recent issues impacting its LTE network in a move that looks to placate a growing online call that maybe the carrier is not quite the gold standard of network reliability it makes itself out to be. In a statement, Verizon Wireless acknowledged that its LTE service has had a few hiccups and that some of its efforts to restore data connectivity also affected the ability to access 3G services for some customers. … Read More
Fourth quarter expected to be iPhone-dependent for domestic carriers
With the fourth quarter just about at an end, analysts at Wells Fargo Securities updated their forecasts for what they expect the nation’s top four carriers to report for the final three months of 2011. The firm said it expects Verizon Wireless to again lead the market in share gains during the quarter thanks to an industry leading 1.3 million postpaid net customer additions. The nation’s largest carrier is expected to see a strong boost from iPhone sales, with Wells Fargo estimating 3.5 million sales during the quarter, which might put some pressure on the carrier’s margins as the device typically requires a higher subsidy. … Read More
AT&T closes on Qualcomm 700 MHz spectrum deal
AT&T closed on its $1.925 billion acquisition of 700 MHz spectrum licenses covering 300 million potential customers from Qualcomm. The deal gained regulatory approval late last week, having been announced initially in late 2010. The process was delayed as it was eventually rolled into AT&T’s failed attempt to acquire T-Mobile USA. … Read More
Verizon Wireless set to enact ‘convenience fee’ for some payments
Verizon Wireless is warning customers that beginning Jan. 15 they may begin incurring a $2 “convenience fee” when making a one-time payment online or by telephone. Verizon Wireless notes that the fee “will help allow us to continue to support these single bill payment options in these channels and is designed to address costs incurred by us for only those customers who choose to make single bill payments in alternate payment channels (online, mobile, telephone).” … Read More
