BROWSING: LTE

BT agrees to buy EE in $19B deal

Fourteen years after selling its mobile business, BT is back in a big way – the carrier has agreed to purchase EE for $19 billion. BT currently offers wireless service through a mobile virtual network operator agreement with EE. BT will buy the EE shares owned...

Sprint revenue flat, earnings hit by one-time charge

One-time charge linked to value of Sprint brand Sprint earlier this year trumpeted strong customer growth during the final three months of 2014, which included nearly 1 million direct customer net additions that was nearly double what it managed the previous year. However, we have...

EMEA: Amdocs state of the RAN

Amdocs has released its annual State of the RAN report this week, which looks at the implications of increasing data usage growth and LTE as a solution to that challenge. The methodology for the report takes a global view on those topics with a focus on busy city locations....

Analyst Angle: The realities of a Google wireless play

Much has been written in the last week or so about Google's “rumored” upcoming mobile virtual network operator play, including the reasons it will not be successful and the challenges Google will face challenging the incumbent mobile operators. As we read each developing story,...

Carrier Wrap: Ntelos expands LTE; GCI completes Alaska consolidation

Regional telecom operator Ntelos expanded the reach of its LTE network to more than 81,000 potential wireless customers in portions of Roanoke, Va., and Charleston, W.Va. The expansion included enabling LTE services on 26 cell sites. The service expansion is part of Ntelos’ recently announced...

Reality Check: Verizon’s ‘highest common denominator’ problem

Verizon Communications reported earnings last week. Without going through every detail of their 1.99 million wireless retail postpaid net additions – 1.4 million of which were tablets – let’s focus on two of the most important figures: postpaid churn and broadband (FiOS + DSL)...

2015 Predictions: VoLTE set to transform UC market

In 2015, voice over LTE will shake up the marketplace in a variety of ways. For example, some mobile operators will use VoLTE-powered unified communication to compete with over-the-top UC providers, particularly in the enterprise market, where customers will value – and pay for...

2015 Predictions: Service providers set to capitalize on LTE to transform the subscriber experience

In 2014, the rollout of LTE was a major focus for communication service providers, with more than 300 LTE networks now in operation globally. But, super-fast data speeds and data-hungry consumers have brought their share of challenges for CSPs and simply offering fast data...

DAS and small cells from AT&T connect Super Bowl

Glendale-area stadium, hotels, convention centers get new hardware for big game In the run-up to the biggest football game of the year, international telco AT&T has upgraded the distributed antenna system at the University of Phoenix stadium in Glendale, Ariz., while also dropping some 23...

T-Mobile US lures legacy MetroPCS customers with new promotion

Unlimited LTE plan tied to T-Mobile US’ LTE network T-Mobile US announced a new promotion for its MetroPCS prepaid brand that looks to ramp up its efforts in nudging legacy MetroPCS customers to give up their CDMA devices and hop aboard the carrier’s GSM/LTE network. Through...

Carrier Wrap: Sprint ties new Virgin Mobile plans to Wal-Mart

Sprint’s Virgin Mobile USA brand recently launched new data plans exclusive to big-box retailer Wal-Mart that include both single- and multi-line plans with shared data. The single-line plans include unlimited text messaging, 300 domestic calling minutes and 2.5 gigabytes of unthrottled data for $35 per...

2015 Predictions: Mobility in 2015 and beyond

Wi-Fi/LTE integration, security, cloud set to impact mobility in 2015 Subscribers are using 4G LTE networks and consuming wireless data 14-times more than on non-4G networks, according to a recent Cisco Systems study. Today, a multitude of applications and devices are available to consume the...

2015 Predictions: The ‘API-fication’ of the mobile network

The mobile industry is constantly evolving. Each new year brings new trends and developments in services, functionality and market dynamics. 2015 will be no different in this regard. One of the developments that will be trending in 2015 is the increasingly important role of...

AT&T closes Iusacell deal, names Arroyo CEO

$2.5B deal bolsters AT&T’s North America plans AT&T said it has closed on its $2.5 billion acquisition of Mexico wireless operator Iusacell, just over two months after announcing the deal. AT&T purchased the carrier from Grupo Salinas, which last week closed on its acquisition from Televisa...

2015 Predictions: Evolving network demands, capabilities to alter telecom landscape

The past year was an exciting time in the wireless world. Mobile innovations brought us the early days of wearable devices and the beginnings of the connected home. Apple and Samsung continued to push the size limits of mobile devices. Mobile consolidation efforts continued with...

2015 Predictions: C-RAN small cells set to take center stage in 2015

Cloud RAN, sometimes abbreviated C-RAN, has been a topic in macro mobile networks for several years now. Wikipedia describes C-RAN as “a centralized, cloud computing-based new radio access network architecture.” Vendors began actively promoting macro C-RAN products this year, and a new company, Altiostar,...

T-Mobile US to update prepaid with price cut

Pricing move realigns prepaid service below Simple Choice postpaid T-Mobile US is set to slash pricing on its prepaid rate plans and eliminate the unlimited data offering in a move the carrier claims will bolster its position as the domestic market’s largest prepaid wireless provider. The...

Analyst Angle: Can a family of 4 use 30 GB of mobile data in 1 month?

Editor’s Note: Welcome to Analyst Angle. We’ve collected a group of the industry’s leading analysts to give their outlook on the hot topics in the wireless industry. Let’s cut to the chase and give you the answer: Yes. Now to the explanation. I have discussed in...

FCC spectrum auction continues to chug along

FCC spectrum auction receives speed boost, although weather forces delay The Federal Communications Commission’s Auction 97 made it to another week, although activity was postponed in the spectrum auction due to inclement weather. The FCC announced this morning that today’s bidding activity would begin at 1:30...

2015 Predictions: A networkwide inflection point

Editor’s Note: With 2015 now upon us, RCR Wireless News has gathered predictions from leading industry analysts and executives on what they expect to see in the new year. in·flec·tion point (noun) 1. Mathematics: a point of a curve at which a change in the direction...

2015 Predictions: 5 predictions on the future of 5G

Editor’s Note: With 2015 now upon us, RCR Wireless News has gathered predictions from leading industry analysts and executives on what they expect to see in the new year. It’s the beginning of a new year again: the time when we all look back to...

AT&T to trial LTE broadcast at upcoming college football championship

Trial is AT&T’s first with LTE-based streaming video service LTE Broadcast technology is set to receive a collegiate boost as AT&T announced plans to tap into the streaming technology during the upcoming College Football Playoff Championship scheduled for Jan. 12 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. AT&T...

Sprint scores $2.1B in financing tied to 2.5 GHz plans

Vendor financing deals total $1.8B, include Nokia Networks, Samsung and Alcatel-Lucent More than a year after announcing its 2.5 GHz-powered Spark initiative, Sprint today announced it had signed $1.8 billion in vendor financing agreements with three equipment vendors and added $300 million in credit with...

2015 Predictions: OSS/BSS, NFV, SDN set for transformation

Editor’s Note: With 2015 now upon us, RCR Wireless News has gathered predictions from leading industry analysts and executives on what they expect to see in the new year. If we’re honest, perspectives are mainly self-serving; you can trust vendors to anticipate a surge in...