China Unicom stock hits eight-month low
China Unicom witnessed its stock price hit an eight-month low following reports that a company official is being investigated for potential discipline violations.
According to Bloomberg, a deputy GM of China Unicom’s network division was being investigated by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and Ministry of Supervision. Along with that investigation, China Unicom’s stock price had dropped to 10.20 Hong Kong dollars ($1.32) per share.
China Unicom is the country’s second-largest mobile operator, supporting more than 297 million customers on its network at the end of the third quarter.
• AT&T Mobility’s Cricket prepaid brand is handing out $100 credits to current Boost Mobile, Cincinnati Bell, MetroPCS, Sprint, T-Mobile US and Virgin Mobile USA customers who port their numbers to Cricket. The offer is available for customers who start service on a Basic, Smart or Pro rate plan.
AT&T Mobility earlier this year relaunched its prepaid services under the Cricket brand that it acquired when it purchased Leap Wireless. The transition has so far been a bit of a challenge as AT&T Mobility reported it had lost 140,000 prepaid customers during the third quarter.
• T-Mobile US continued to expand its “wideband LTE” service, noting the recent launch of additional spectrum support for LTE services in a handful of markets, including New York City, San Diego and Miami.
The carrier noted the additional spectrum support is able to boost network speeds by up to 50% in some markets, with claims of customers in New York witnessing download speeds up to 100 megabits per second. T-Mobile US added that its spectrum-enhanced LTE services are now available in 27 “major markets” or 120 metropolitan statistical areas.
T-Mobile US’ “wideband” LTE claim is based on it adding more spectrum to support LTE services, which had initially run across 20 megahertz of spectrum in the 1.7/2.1 GHz band. Following its acquisition of MetroPCS last year, T-Mobile US has aggressively refarmed that carrier’s 1.7/2.1 GHz spectrum to support LTE services, which in some markets has allowed T-Mobile US to throw up to 40 megahertz of spectrum behind its LTE service.
T-Mobile US has said that all LTE-equipped devices will see a speed increase, with those supporting category four LTE technology able to tap into the full amount of spectrum and thus the greatest benefit.
• Verizon Wireless reported that more than 2 billion points have been redeemed through its controversial Smart Rewards Program. That program, which was launched in July, allows customers to accumulate “rewards in exchange for points customers earn for their everyday activities and interactions with Verizon Wireless.”
When launched, the carrier said that customers “may be required” to enroll in its controversial Verizon Selects program, which the carrier announced in late 2012. That program allows the carrier to “use location, Web browsing and mobile application usage data, as well as other information including customer demographic and interest data, to create specific insights.” Verizon said it then uses this information to either directly market offers to customers or offers the data to third-party vendors for marketing purposes.
• Canadian telecom operator Telus said it has launched the country’s first “Internet of Things” marketplace for business, an online channel providing “turn-key IoT solutions” from technology partners.
Telus noted that in addition to providing enterprise customers with access to potential IoT solutions, developers will have access to “an instant sales channel, with lead generation, the support of Telus’ sales and marketing teams, and integrated billing.”
The platform launched with 38 offerings, including fleet management solutions; oil and gas solutions designed to monitor and improve pipeline safety; and retail solutions designed to optimize store traffic and increase sales. Telus said it was looking to expand its IoT presence through agreements with a number of partners, including Accenture, IBM, Cisco and Intel.
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