Digitization is key for operators in facing down growing competition
Times are tough for traditional communication service providers. Competition has traditionally been between telcos of a similar ilk, but with so much of the competition diversifying to exploit alternative revenue streams and the arrival of...
Mobile network operators will have to be nimble in 2016
Editor’s Note: With 2016 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 no secret mobile network operators are...
18th FCC mobile competition report cites broad choices in not drawing conclusion
Despite its stated goal of ensuring a competitive domestic mobile telecom market, the Federal Communications Commission’s latest annual report on the subject did not provide any definitive conclusion as to whether the...
According to a study by Vasona Networks, smartphone users in the United Kingdom believe their mobile operators are not meeting their mobile data expectations and they are willing to go elsewhere to get the coverage they expect.
The survey found two-thirds of broadband users in...
It is common wisdom these days to say that there is a “spectrum crunch.” That is, that we, the consuming public, are consuming more and more wireless data, and that the companies that provide us access to this data (the mobile operators) are running...
For years, telecom operators have watched as over-the-top services utilize their networks to deliver revenue-generating services at the expense of operators’ traditional revenue sources, such as voice and text messaging. Verizon Communication’s recent acquisition of AOL sent shock waves through the industry, raising many...
If there’s one thing that is constant in the mobile industry, it’s the lofty predictions that come with the emergence of new services. Perhaps no other offerings are stirring more intrigue than those born from the “Internet of Things” and machine-to-machine services.
Industry heavyweights like...
Sprint loses appeal against claims it failed to collect taxes from NY customers
Sprint looks to be open to a $300 million lawsuit from the state of New York, which claims the wireless carrier did not collect taxes from customers on their wireless service over...
IHS predicts robust carrier SDN and NFV investments, though deployment challenges remain
The financial implications for telecom operators as they size up their virtualization plans are still somewhat nebulous, though most agree they will be vast. The migration towards increased use of software to control...
AT&T taps SDN and NFV to further control for enterprises, adds new partners
AT&T is continuing to expand its software-defined networking-based Network on Demand platform, adding support for new services and bringing on new technology partners.
The telecom giant said the SDN NoD platform is now...
UK telcos to pay almost £200 million per year to use 900 MHz, 1800 MHz bands
U.K. telecom regulator Ofcom has published revised annual fees for mobile operators, which determine the amount of money they must pay to use certain parts of the mobile spectrum.
In 2010, the...
With all the challenges facing mobile network operators around the world – increasing competition, diminishing average revenue per user, network management costs, demanding customers who want more bandwidth – it’s no surprise that mobile virtual network operators are taking flight. Indeed, even big names...
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....
IDC forecasts that the installed base of the “Internet of Things” will be approximately 212 billion “things” globally by the end of 2020, and that these Internet-connected devices will generate nearly $9 trillion in annual sales.
Make no mistake; IoT is here and it’s here...
Editor’s Note: RCR Wireless News goes all in for “Throwback Thursdays,” tapping into our archives to resuscitate the top headlines from the past. Fire up the time machine, put on the sepia-tinted shades, set the date for #TBT and enjoy the memories!
FCC fines Sprint...
Since 2009, there has been a significant push to encrypt all Web traffic in order to protect Internet users against surveillance of the content of their communications. The goal was to transition from HTTP, which is notorious for being easy to manipulate, to the...
The “Internet of Things” is growing at a phenomenal pace. Estimates about how many connected devices will be in operation by 2020 range from 25 billion to 75 billion. Even conservative analysts expect the amount of connected devices to quintuple over the next five...
FCC sets aside 30 megahertz for auction set to begin March 29, 2016
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.
The rules include confirmation that...
Deutsche Telekom is taking the "Internet of Things" to the cloud, solving what I believe is a key challenge to more widespread adoption. We’ve all seen the huge prediction for IoT usage over the next five years; but what you don’t see very often...
A new report from IHS predicts the NFV market is set to explode 5-fold beginning this year
Analyst firms continue to report data backing growing demand for network functions virtualization across the telecom space.
The latest comes from IHS, which this week noted the global market...
MVNO Republic Wireless credits cash for unused cellular data
Following up on a trial earlier this year, mobile virtual network operator Republic Wireless expanded the availability of new rate plans that refund costs associated with unused cellular data as a credit on a customer’s bill.
Republic...
Editor’s Note: RCR Wireless News goes all in for “Throwback Thursdays,” tapping into our archives to resuscitate the top headlines from the past. Fire up the time machine, put on the sepia-tinted shades, set the date for #TBT and enjoy the memories!
Nokia, Siemens...
The role of mobile phones today has evolved beyond a general-purpose communications tool to become an extension of a user’s persona and everyday routine. New revenue opportunities for mobile operators will only increase as customers want and expect more services from their phones –...
WebRTC-based white-label voice, video, messaging platform core to Fring Alliance plans
ORLANDO, Fla. – One of the biggest challenges facing telecom operators are over-the-top services that compete against what the operator is providing to consumers – sometimes at a cheaper price – and running over...
