BROWSING: Policy

United Kingdom regulatory body Ofcom today approved Everything Everywhere’s request to use its existing 1.8 GHz spectrum holdings to offer LTE or WiMAX services. That spectrum band was initially required to house GSM-based 2G and 3G services. In its decision, Ofcom noted that by...

The Chilean government announced that  it will soon accept bids for the installation of 1,000 Wi-Fi hotspots in locations across Arica and Punta Arenas. It is part of a program named the Digital Agenda under which the government is working to build a public...

The Brazilian government has great ambitions for its information technology (IT) sector. Yesterday, the government unveiled a vast investment program totaling U.S.$247.65 million (R$500 million) over the 2012-2015 period, which aims to improve and increase software development, boosting both the software and IT service...

AT&T late last week reiterated its opposition to a government mandate that the carrier include lower A-Block support to its 700 MHz plans, citing continued interference concerns and currently available devices and equipment already supporting that spectrum band. A number of regional operators and trade...

Due to the rapid adoption of tablets and new bandwidth intensive applications, mobile data traffic doubled in 2011 and user demand is expected to increase 18-times by 2016. This tremendous capacity growth

Spain's Telefónica faces a major challenge to its Peru-based Movistar operations as the government is evaluating the renewal of three of its operating licenses. Movistar is the largest telecom group in the country, holding about 60% of country’s wireless market share. Follow RCR Wireless News—Americas...

Colombia’s Ministry of Information Technology and Communications (Mintic) and the Spectrum Agency (ANE) have once again postponed the auction of spectrum licenses set to support LTE services. The delay was announced during the International Spectrum Congress held this week, when officials presented a document...

I believe I have mentioned before that I would rather get punched in the stomach than give a wireless carrier a compliment, but this week it looks like I am going to have to toughen up and take one in the gut.

To the surprise of few, Verizon Wireless and a handful of cable operators will need to make changes to their current spectrum deal in order to gain government approval. However, those changes appear to be modest and set the stage for government approval of...

Published reports indicate that Verizon Wireless’ plans to acquire wireless spectrum from a handful of cable companies is on the verge of government approval, with conditions. The Wall Street Journal reported this morning that anti-trust regulators were set to approve Verizon Wireless’ $3.9 billion transaction...

AT&T’s aggressive moves in the spectrum space are set to include some internal adjustments as the carrier noted in a recent government filing that it expects to have its current 2G-based GSM/EDGE network shuttered by the end of 2016. The move would allow the...

AT&T’s lust for wireless spectrum knows no bounds as the carrier today filed petitions with the Federal Communications Commission seeking various 700 MHz licenses from a handful of small license owners. The moves follow the announcement earlier today that AT&T was looking to acquire...

AT&T’s desire for wireless spectrum sent them back in time today as the nation’s No. 2 carrier announced plans to acquire NextWave Wireless (yes, that NextWave) for $650 million. The deal will supply AT&T’s wireless operations with spectrum in the 1.7/2.1 GHz and 2.3...

Verizon Wireless has agreed to make a $1.25 million “voluntary” payment to the United Stated Treasury in connection with an investigation by the Federal Communications Commission into the carrier not complying with licensing requirements associated with its 700 MHz C-Block spectrum. The requirements in...

There is no deadline set for ending the suspension of three Brazilian carriers that have been prohibited from selling new mobile services since July 23. Both the minister of communication (Minicom), Paulo Bernardo, and the president of Brazilian telecom regulator agency Anatel, João Rezende,...

Clearwire reported second quarter financial results highlighted by drastic cost-cutting measures as the carrier continues to de-emphasize its current WiMAX operations in favor of its planned roll out of TD-LTE services expected next year. These moves seemed to enthuse investors as Clearwire’s stock (CLWR)...

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...

The much-anticipated LTE spectrum auction in the United Kingdom is scheduled to begin this year, but there won't be any bidding until 2013. The United Kingdom's telecom regulating authority, Ofcom, announced the details of the plan today that aims to provide nearly the entire population...

Clearwire continued closing ties with the world’s largest wireless operator around the TD-LTE standard, announcing today the signing of an agreement with China Mobile to provide for international TD-LTE roaming between China and the United States. The agreement, officially entitled a “non-binding memorandum of understanding,”...

Russian telecommunications giant Mobile TeleSystems said it was one of four companies to have been allocated spectrum licenses designed for the rollout of LTE services across the country. MTS noted that The Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Communications, Information Technologies and Mass...

Verizon Wireless could be on the verge of garnering government approval for a haul of spectrum acquisitions, according to a story from Reuters citing “people with knowledge of the situation.” According to Reuters, the deal is still dependent on the parties involved convincing the Department...

The Federal Communications Commission is looking to keep its review of proposed spectrum deals by Verizon Wireless on track, announcing late last week that it would not extend the comment period in light of a new deal announced late last month with T-Mobile USA. Verizon...

AT&T CMO Cathy Couglin says the company is looking at pricing changes and spectrum acquisitions in this exclusive interview with RCR Wireless News.

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...