Sprint exec bonuses impacted by 4G growth, while Verizon hypes impending LTE launch, 6 years ago this week
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!
’4G’ growth to impact Sprint Nextel exec bonuses
Sprint Nextel Corp., which posted improved, though still troubled fourth quarter results, is looking to more closely tie company performance with executive compensation. In an 8-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday, Sprint Nextel noted that its executive compensation committee has set out new guidelines for 2010 executive bonuses tied to four operating metrics. Those metrics include first half 2010 performance of net service revenues (weighted at 45%), adjusted operating income before depreciation and amortization (weighted at 25%), postpaid customer churn (weighted at 20%) and subscriber additions to the carrier’s WiMAX-based “4G” service (weighted at 10%). … Read More
VZW continues LTE hype ahead of launch
Verizon Wireless continued to hype its soon-to-launch LTE network today, noting trials in Boston and Seattle have produced download speeds of up to 50 megabits per second and upload speeds up to 25 Mbps. Average data rates in “real-world” environments have been between 5 and 12 Mbps on the downlink and between 2 and 5 Mbps on the uplink. The carrier noted the network speeds are far greater than traditional 3G networks, including Verizon Wireless’ current CDMA2000 1x EV-DO Revision A network that typically top at out at just over 1 Mbps on the downlink and 500 kilobits per second on the uplink in real-world conditions. Verizon Wireless’ LTE claims are also slightly faster than what Clearwire Corp. is reporting on its WiMAX-based Clear service, which the carrier said is providing download speeds of between 3 and 6 Mbps with bursts up to 10 Mbps. … Read More
T-Mobile USA’s Q4 results impacted by prepaid
T-Mobile USA Inc. posted surprisingly strong fourth quarter 2009 results today bolstered by the carrier’s continued appeal to prepaid customers. The industry’s No. 4 operator said it added 371,000 customers to its network during the final three months of 2009, which was down from the 621,000 it added during the fourth quarter of 2008, but a vast improvement compared with the 77,000 customers it lost during the third quarter of last year. T-Mobile USA noted the growth was solely based on its prepaid and wholesale operations, which combined added 488,000 new customers to the carrier’s network and was offset by the loss of 117,000 contract customers during the quarter. … Read More
Leap pockets Pocket in south Texas JV
Leap Wireless International Inc. expanded its presence in southern Texas with an agreement to form a Leap-controlled and managed joint venture with regional operator Pocket Communications. The agreement will call for Leap to control 76% of the venture and will result in the Pocket brand disappearing from its south Texas markets. The deal does not impact Pocket’s operations in the New England region. If approved by regulators, the deal calls for the JV to gain control of nearly all of Pocket and Leap’s wireless and operating assets in the south Texas area. … Read More
Nokia remains No. 1 in device sales, Symbian in OS
Nokia Corp. remained the wireless industry’s No. 1 handset vendor worldwide in 2009, but its lead over rivals continued to shrink, while LG Electronics Co. Ltd. overtook Motorola Inc. as the third largest handset vendor. According to a report from Gartner Inc., Nokia sold nearly 441 million devices in 2009, which was down from the 472.3 million the company sold in 2008. Overall, Nokia’s share of the handset market, which was down nearly 1% year-over-year, sunk from 38.6% in 2008 to 36.4% in 2009. Much of that share loss appeared to go to Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., which saw its device sales jump from 199.3 million in 2008, or 16.3% market share, to 235.8 million in 2009, or 19.5% market share. … Read More
Intel leads Invest in America Alliance, pledges to increase jobs: $3.5M initiative promises to add 10,000+positions in 2010
Intel Corp. pledged $3.5 million to help create jobs for college graduates in high-growth industry sectors, including wireless infrastructure. The company is leading a new group called The Invest in America Alliance, which aims to “further anchor the nation’s competitiveness on the global stage. It serves as the private sector’s complement to existing state and federal job creation programs through long-term investment in industries and talent poised to produce the next breakthroughs in technology innovation,” according to a news release announcing the venture. Seventeen corporations have joined the alliance to date, committing to increase hiring in 2010, collectively adding 10,500 jobs for college graduates. Twenty-four venture capital firms have joined the alliance as well and other companies are expected to join later. … Read More
FCC previews public safety plans
As the Federal Communications Commission prepares to present its National Broadband Plan to Congress March 17, the agency released details of its plans to create an interoperable wireless network for first responders. The lack of such a network has been a point of contention in the public safety community for years, and underscored during man made and natural disasters like the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina in 2005. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has been on a media tour recently as he promotes the agency’s plan and releases some details on the initiative. … Read More
AT&T Mobility details network upgrade plans for the year
Amid complaints about its 3G coverage, an advertising challenge from competitor Verizon Wireless and a last-minute push before the federal government on network neutrality rules, AT&T Mobility detailed investment plans for 2010 for several of its markets. The nation’s No. 2 carrier, which already said it plans to spend between $18 billion and $19 billion in capital expenses this year, said it plans to add 30 cell sites in the New York City metro areas, as well as upgrade another 70 sites to 3G capabilities. In addition, the carrier said it plans to upgrade hundreds of sites in the region to better accommodate backhaul. Interestingly, the carrier hinted at planned government regulations in its press release detailing its plans. … Read More
Cellphone signal booster comments point fingers at carriers, manufacturers
Reply comments on the Federal Communications Commission’s notice of proposed rulemaking on cellphone signal boosters produced some finger-pointing between carriers and equipment manufacturers as well as renewed calls on both sides for the government agency to take action on the issue. The Federal Communications Commission is considering implementing a law that would make cellphone boosters illegal unless they are deployed by a wireless operator or with the consent of a wireless operator, a move that could impact thousands of end users already owning such devices. Perhaps one of the angrier responses came from YMax Corp., which is building the magicJack femtocell that it says could operate under Part 15 rules of low-power devices. … Read More
Infrastructure builds to be strong for next few years
LTE and WiMAX buildouts, as well as an increased attention on distributed antenna systems, should keep equipment manufacturers, site acquisition companies and others in the tower-siting business busy in the next few years, according to panelists at the Colorado Wireless Association educational and social event Thursday evening at Invesco Field. Meanwhile, new estimates from research firm Visant Strategies support those expectations. Even as panelists acknowledged that wireless carriers can no longer site large towers in crowded urban locations, increased traffic on networks –which is only going to continue to explode — is going to force carriers to address capacity issues. As such, carriers are beginning to embrace DAS solutions and including them in their network planning, said Greg Watson, regional sales manager, Wireless Network Solutions at ADC Telecommunications. … Read More
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