Editor’s Note: Wireless operators are a busy bunch, and as such RCR Wireless News will attempt to gather some of the important announcements that may slip through the cracks from the world’s largest carriers in a weekly wrap-up. Enjoy!
—Sprint Nextel again hogged the headlines over the past week as the carrier seemed to have finally found some future certainty as shareholders voted in favor of Softbank’s $21.6 billion acquisition of a 78% stake in the carrier, a deal that followed months of fiscal wrangling. Shareholders were tempted by a competing offer from Dish Network that called for a 68% stake for $25.5 billion, though Sprint Nextel executives noted that details of that offering were never provided.
In addition to securing its future with Softbank, Sprint Nextel looks to be on track to pick up a significant portion of Clearwire that it does not currently own, further solidifying its spectrum and LTE network plans. That deal gained support from Clearwire’s board following Sprint Nextel raising its purchasing price to $5 per share, which trumped a $4.40 per share offer from Dish Network.
Dish Network officially backed away from the Clearwire deal by mid-week, announcing it was withdrawing its proposed acquisition attempt.
–While Sprint Nextel was busy working out its ownership structure, larger rivals Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility continue to aggressively expand their LTE network leadership.
AT&T Mobility announced the expansion of its LTE service into more than a dozen new markets over the past week, including Florence and Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Gallup, N.M.; Brownsville, Texas; Tri-Cities, Wash.; Hot Springs, Ark.; Visalia, Calif.; Brainerd Lake and Grand Rapids, Minn.; Jackson County, Ga.; Mount Vernon, Ohio; and Minot, N.D.
AT&T Mobility’s LTE network now covers more than 200 million potential customers.
—AT&T Mobility also reported that its recently launched Aio Wireless prepaid service would be able to access the carrier’s LTE network through an over-the-air software update to SIM cards allowing LTE-compatible devices to now access the higher-speed service. Previously, the Aio service limited customers to data services running across AT&T Mobility’s HSPA+-based network.
Pricing for the service remains the same, with smartphone rate plans beginning at $55 per month for unlimited voice calling, messaging un-throttled data amount to 2 gigabytes, or for $70 per month un-throttled data speeds are available for up to 7 GB of usage. For tablets, Aio provides for 250 Mb of un-throttled data speeds at $15 per month, with no allotment for voice or messaging.
In addition to the LTE access, AT&T Mobility also expanded the Aio Wireless offering to Ft. Myers and Naples, Fla., having launched last month in Houston; Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville and Gainesville, Fla.
The update for the Aio service following a similar move for AT&T Mobility’s GoPhone prepaid offering, which recently was granted access to the LTE network. The GoPhone LTE service is priced at $30 per month for 250 calling minutes, unlimited messaging and 50 megabytes of data; ratchet up to $40 per month for 500 calling minutes and 200 Mb of data; topping out at $60 per month for unlimited calling, messaging and 2 gigabytes of data. All plans include unlimited messaging to Mexico, Canada and 100 other countries.
–While AT&T Mobility was expanding the scope and availability to its LTE network, Verizon Wireless announced it was nearing the completion of its initial nationwide LTE deployment, claiming to now cover 95% of the U.S. population and 99% of its legacy 3G coverage.
–Spain-based Telefonica announced plans to boost marketing efforts behind Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 smartphone operating system across its operations in the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Mexico, Brazil and Chile. The carrier said the effort was designed to “boost the sales of Windows Phone 8 devices,” and provide support for a third OS outside the current dominance of Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android OS.
“In this way, the Spanish multinational is reinforcing its commitment to pave the way for a much more competitive market,” Telefonica noted in a statement. “Promoting the use of Windows Phone 8 will benefit customers, as there will be more options to choose from while diluting the polarization of installed base in operating platforms.”
Telefonica said the effort will include working with handset makers to ensure the availability of “high-quality devices,” and that it would be working with those manufacturers to “make their commercial offering available throughout the duration of this enhanced marketing effort with Microsoft.”
A recent report from Canalys showed that iOS and Android posted near-domination in the market at the of 2012, with Microsoft and BlackBerry accounting for just 10% market share.
—Range Networks announced a partnership with non-profit Rhizomatica to provide a cellular network for a rural community outside of Oaxaca, Mexico. The GSM-based network will be community-owned and cover an area with approximately 2,500 residents.
The network can handle voice and messaging services, with the community managing the network’s billing and operations. Voice calls are charged at a flat fee of $1.20 per user, per month, with international calls charged at 2 cents per minute.
Range Networks said it provided its open-source software and 5150 base station to operate as a self-contained network replacing the need for traditional core network infrastructure costs. As there is no need to support roaming at this time, the network functions as its own MSC, VLR and HLR.
RCR Wireless News recently spoke with Range Networks CEO David Burgess about the company’s plans.
–Japan’s KDDI launched a new application platform targeted at the youth market providing access to “educational apps in a safe and protected environment.” The platform, dubbed Kodomo Park, is being offered through a collaboration with U.S.-based Fuhu.
KDDI noted the platform contains more than 50 applications authorized as “safe and sound” by an internal audit process and geared towards children up to the age of six.
Additional carrier news can be found on the RCR Wireless News “Carriers” page.
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