Verizon Wireless said CDMA to continue supporting IoT, connected devices
While LTE is the network of now and the future at Verizon Wireless, the carrier expects to continue supporting its legacy CDMA operations for the foreseeable future to handle connected devices as part of the...
This was a very active week in telecom, with AT&T extending its termination date on its DirecTV merger to the end of June; Charlie Ergen making headlines defending the designated entity structure for the latest wireless auction (CNBC interview here); Google releasing its self-driving car on California...
AT&T remains confident of midyear close
Despite countless delays, AT&T’s pending $48.5 billion acquisition of DirecTV looks to remain on track as the companies filed extensions on the “termination date” of the planned deal as it has now passed the one-year mark since it was...
Sprint changes exclusive to Wal-Mart distribution
Sprint over the weekend updated pricing for its Virgin Mobile USA brand, cutting prices and adding data exclusively for service activated through Wal-Mart locations.
The changed include the Data Done Right Single Line offer, which cuts prices by $5 per...
Current state of 5G trends
What is "5G?" Many organizations and entities with a stake in the outcome are attempting to answer that question. A useful example is the push by the GSMA for international, industrywide agreement on a 5G definition and a set of...
Verizon Wireless prepaid customers can snag 1 GB of extra data
Verizon Wireless is looking to attract prepaid customers to its automatic payment program by offering extra data access.
The carrier said that for a “limited time” prepaid customers signing up for its auto pay service...
Hello! And welcome to our Friday column, Worst of the Week. There’s a lot of nutty stuff that goes on in this industry, so this column is a chance for us at RCRWireless.com to rant and rave about whatever rubs us the wrong way....
T-Mobile US plans for 2015 show it’s not content to just be No. 3, looks at cable as partners
T-Mobile US this week reported robust first-quarter results with customer growth numbers that are set to lead the industry as well as propel the carrier into...
In the world of wireless, generations of technology come and go in what seems like the blink of an eye. As much as this rate of progress is wonderful, there are certain aspects of how quickly we change technology that are worrying.
Let’s quickly recap
The...
Last week I attended the inaugural 5G Forum event that was organized by Informa in sunny Palo Alto, Calif. The location for this new event was interesting, especially considering that most of the discussions centered around what “5G” will be and what it will...
The need to be connected to the “smarter world” is ever increasing with the rise in the number of mobile devices. LTE is now a global reality for millions of subscribers and the age of the “Internet of Things” is well and truly upon...
Hello! And welcome to our Friday column, Worst of the Week. There’s a lot of nutty stuff that goes on in this industry, so this column is a chance for us at RCRWireless.com to rant and rave about whatever rubs us the wrong way....
DEL MAR, Calif. – The continued evolution of LTE is providing fertile ground for the testing industry, and features including carrier aggregation and Voice over LTE were the focus of the first day of this week's LTE Innovation Summit.
Olga Shapiro, program director for the...
Google launched its Project Fi MVNO service, tapping Sprint, T-Mobile US and Wi-Fi
Following recent rumors, Google today unveiled the commercial launch of its Project Fi service, which taps cellular operators, Wi-Fi and the Motorola Nexus 6 device to offer mobile communication services. The move...
Hello! And welcome to our Friday column, Worst of the Week. There’s a lot of nutty stuff that goes on in this industry, so this column is a chance for us at RCRWireless.com to rant and rave about whatever rubs us the wrong way....
T-Mobile US bolsters 1.9 GHz license portfolio, as Ntelos moves to close eastern markets
T-Mobile US closed on its $56 million acquisition of 1.9 GHz spectrum licenses covering around 55 million potential customers from regional operator Ntelos.
The deal, which was initially announced last December, begins...
Canada’s 2.5 GHz spectrum auction latest attempt to increase competition
Canada’s quest for deeper mobile competition continues today as the country’s telecom regulator begins what is expected to be a short auction of spectrum licenses in the 2.5 GHz band.
The auction is set to include...
Is virtualized VoLTE the answer to fighting OTT challengers?
It’s quite clear that mobile telecommunication operators are being redefined by LTE and the transition to all-IP communications. The transition of telephony services from circuit-switched legacy to voice over LTE now seems a certainty. However, Ovum has...
MVNO FreedomPop unveils app to solve cellular/Wi-Fi handoff challenge
FreedomPop continues to enhance its mobile virtual network operator-based service, this week launching its Premium Voice technology that it claims solves the handoff challenge between cellular and Wi-Fi networks.
The MVNO said the software platform allows for...
South Korean authorities also investigating Qualcomm for antitrust issues
WASHINGTON – Qualcomm is looking to reestablish its importance in China following a $975 million fine imposed by China’s National Development and Reform Commission.
Qualcomm President Derek Aberle told the Financial Times during the Boao Economic Forum...
One of the very first lessons taught to telecommunications students is that radio frequency spectrum is a scarce resource. This limitation forces governments and other market players to seek alternatives aimed at maximizing its efficient use with the purpose of promoting wider coverage and...
AT&T strikes connected car deals with Autonet, Voxx tapping into LTE capabilities
AT&T is looking to expand its already strong position in the domestic telematics space, announcing a pair of new initiatives designed to further its connected car business. The initiatives, which were announced in...
U.S. Cellular LTE expansion plans look to cover 98% of customer base
Regional wireless provider U.S. Cellular said it plans to add more than 600 LTE cell sites this year as it looks to expand coverage to 98% of its customer base across 10 states.
The...
Sprint LTE-A deployment part of $45 million investment
Sprint is set to add LTE-Advanced technology and more than 300 jobs by the end of next year as part of a $45 million network investment project in Chicago. The program, dubbed Sprint for Chicago, was announced...
