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 and Nokia Solutions and Networks claimed a TD-LTE speed record, reporting that the pair managed to record network speeds up to 2.6 gigabits per second using 120 megahertz of spectrum.
The companies noted the speed was recorded over a single sector using NSN’s Flexi Multiradio 10 base station at the NSN facilities in Mountain View, Calif. The test tapped into Sprint’s significant 2.5 GHz spectrum holdings, which are a key piece to the carrier’s Spark network initiative announced last year. Sprint claims that when fully operational, customers will see network speeds of up to 60 megabits per second using its Spark service.
Clearwire, which Sprint acquired full control of last summer, reported back in late 2010 that network testing using 40 megahertz of 2.5 GHz spectrum and the TD-LTE standard produced downlink speeds in excess of 90 Mbps</a.
Sprint has tapped Samsung, NSN and Alcatel-Lucent to implement its Spark initiative, with each provider handling roughly one-third of the deployment. That lineup is somewhat interesting in that NSN has replaced Ericsson on the vendor list compared with Sprint’s network-wide Network Vision program. Ericsson is still involved in the process through its managed network services agreement with the carrier.
–Cellular coverage at airports across the country were recently put to the test by Root Metrics, with AT&T Mobility coming out either on top or tied for the No. 1 spot at 36 of the 50 busiest locations.
According to Root Metrics, AT&T scored highest in coverage at the nation’s three busiest airports: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Chicago O’hare International and Los Angeles International. The carrier also tied for the No. 1 spot with Verizon Wireless at the No. 4 airport Dallas/Fort Worth International.
Verizon Wireless scored a top or tied for top rating at 19 locations, including Dallas/Fort Worth; Denver International (No. 5); and John F. Kennedy International, New York City (No. 6). T-Mobile US scored top marks at nine locations, including a tie with AT&T Mobility at Phoenix Sky Harbor International (No. 9); and ties with Verizon Wireless at Newark Liberty International (No. 14) and New York’s LaGuardia (No. 20).
Sprint was shut out of a top ranking.
–Regional wireless operator U.S. Cellular unveiled a promotional no-contract rate plan providing unlimited calling, messaging and data services for $50 per month. The plan is compatible with smartphones and includes up to 500 megabytes of un-throttled data access before the carrier reigns in speed and does not charge for data overages.
The new offering slots in at the same price point as the carrier’s unlimited calling, messaging and one gigabyte of un-throttled data access available for “basic phones.”
–Looking to get a better visual grasp of LTE and WiMAX coverage across the United States from a source other than television commercials? The map makers at Mosaik Solutions unveiled new interactive maps showing how coverage for LTE services has grown since the end of 2010, when the first commercial services came online; as well as the growing, then shrinking, nature of WiMAX coverage.
The LTE coverage map shows population coverage rising from just 7.5% during the third quarter of 2010 (thanks MetroPCS!); to nearly 40% coverage by the end of that year thanks to Verizon Wireless’ commercial launch; to more than two-thirds of the country’s population by the end of 2011; 90% by the end of 2012; and more than 98% by the end of last year.
The WiMAX map has a bit more runway, but shows the falling support for the technology. From its beginnings in late 2008 through Sprint Nextel’s initial launch in the Baltimore area covering just .2% of the nation’s population; the technology hit 11% coverage by the end of 2009; hit 26% coverage at the end of 2010, where it had already lost its coverage lead to LTE; just over one-third total coverage by the end of 2011, where it has since stayed nearly flat.
—Oracle recently announced it has supplied its Unified Session Manager to deliver a multi-service IMS network core on a single common infrastructure to support next-generation hosted business services for Canadian telecommunications provider SaskTel. Oracle noted the move will allow SaskTel to rollout next-generation IP services and “develop new wireless and wireline services and applications for consumer and business customers.”
SaskTel will reportedly initially leverage the Oracle solution to roll out hosted businesses services to its enterprise customers, with plans to offer expanded voice over LTE, rich communications services, session initiation protocol trunking and consumer voice services.
Additional carrier news can be found on the RCR Wireless News “Carriers” page.
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