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 those sepia-tinted shades, set the date for #TBT and enjoy the memories!
Sprint shuts down WiMAX
Sprint is set to complete the shutdown of its WiMAX network today, as service at sites in 10 states is discontinued. Sprint had originally planned on shutting down its WiMAX network last November, before a court ruled Sprint had to maintain the network for at least another 90 days in support of more than 300,000 customers still using the network to access the Internet. That decision was based on a lawsuit filed by firms Mobile Citizen and Mobile Beacon, which claim to provide affordable broadband service to 300,000 customers, including 429 schools, 61 libraries and 1,820 nonprofit organizations. Mobile Beacon and Mobile Citizen claim to have migrated approximately 40% of its customers to Sprint’s LTE network. The two nonprofit firms are part of larger education groups leasing the 2.5 GHz spectrum assets to Sprint, which is being used to power the WiMAX network and portions of Sprint’s LTE network. … Read more
600 MHz auction kicks off
The Federal Communications Commission’s highly anticipated 600 MHz incentive auction kicked off this week in what is expected to be a complicated process running well into the second half of the year. The process began with television broadcasters making their initial bid commitments by end of day on March 29, which the FCC will then use to begin the reverse auction aspect of the proceedings. The reverse auction will determine the price at which broadcasters will voluntarily relinquish their spectrum usage rights in the 600 MHz band. Television broadcasters interested in giving up some of their current spectrum holdings in the 600 MHz band had until Jan. 12 to file an application with the FCC, with a statement from the National Association of Broadcasters indicating “robust” participation from television broadcasters. “The FCC’s staff has done a remarkable amount of work to get us to this point,” explained NAB EVP of communications Dennis Wharton, in a statement. “NAB expects robust broadcaster participation in the reverse auction, and we hope to see similarly robust participation from wireless bidders in the forward auction. While we’ve expressed our concerns, we hope that the rules and systems the FCC has in place will ensure that this voluntary auction goes off without a hitch, and we look forward to the close of a successful auction.” … Read more
T-Mo puts funding in place for big 600 MHz spectrum buy
T-Mobile US is looking to add a cool $1 billion to its spectrum funds, highlighting an expected aggressive posture leading into the Federal Communications Commission’s 600 MHz incentive auction proceedings. The carrier said it plans to raise the funds through a senior notes offering, with proceeds earmarked for “the purchase of 700 MHz A-Block spectrum and other spectrum purchases.” Deutsche Bank Securities, Citigroup Global Markets, J.P. Morgan Securities, Barclays Capital Inc. and Goldman Sachs are the joint book-running managers for the notes offering, with Credit Suisse Securities, Morgan Stanley & Co. and RBC Capital Markets down as co-managers. T-Mobile US is expected to be a significant participant in the 600 MHz auction proceedings, which kicked off this week with the beginning of the reverse auction process where television broadcasters offer to sell their current spectrum holdings to the FCC. Once completed, the FCC will begin the forward auction process, which will see those interested in using the newly available spectrum bid for packaged licenses. Analysts have predicted T-Mobile US could bid as much as $10 billion in the proceedings, though there is some uncertainty due to the carrier being able to bid on reserved licenses that in many locations are outside the reach of deep-pocketed rivals AT&T and Verizon Communications. T-Mobile CEO John Legere has publicly stated the carrier plans to bid aggressively in the auction. … Read more
T-Mo’s John Legere as Twitter emoji
T-Mobile US CEO John Legere, an avid social media user, this week joined Pope Francis on the incredibly short list of individuals turned into an emoji by Twitter. Under Legere’s leadership, T-Mobile US has surpassed Sprint to become the nation’s No. 3 wireless carriers; he’s known for using Twitter and other social platforms to dialogue with subscribers, as well as making pointed comments – followed by marketing actions – about rivals. In an interview with CNN Money, Legere said his focus on customers has aided in the carrier’s growth. “I have a much more precise pulse on what’s happening, even with individual customers,” Legere said. “I’ll have an interaction with an anonymous person and their mind is blown that I’m handling this issue.” … Read more
Dell sells Perot Systems subsidiary to NTT Data
Dell is selling its IT services subsidiary, Perot Systems, to NTT Data of Japan for $3.1 billion, according to reports. The Dell holding provides IT services to the medical, government and other vertical markets. The deal was disclosed in an NTT filing with the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Dell purchased Perot Systems, founded by former presidential candidate and businessman Ross Perot, in 2009, for about $4 billion. Dell, based in Austin, Texas, is in the process of taking over EMC, which it agreed to buy last year in a deal worth upwards of $60 billion. Dell Founder Michael Dell said the combined companies will be well positioned to serve enterprise customers in six key areas: digital transformation, software-defined data centers, converged infrastructure, hybrid cloud, mobile and security. … Read more
AT&T plans 2G shutdown
AT&T says network data traffic grew 100,000% between Jan. 2007 and Dec. 2014, and, as such, the carrier needs to shutdown its GSM-based 2G network to shift spectrum capacity to its 3G and LTE networks. The planned shutdown date is Jan. 1, 2017. According to AT&T, the company “expects to fully discontinue service on our 2G network by approximately Jan. 1, 2017. As AT&T progressively frees up valuable spectrum for our mobile broadband network, we may conclude that some markets or territories need to turn down 2G service prior to the nationwide turn down. In cases where we’re turning down AT&T’s owned and operated 2G network, we’ll communicate with specific details regarding impacted subscribers well in advance of turning down the network and work hard to ensure their mobile communications needs are met throughout the process. We’re committed to working closely with customers to make this process as easy as possible.” AT&T initially announced plans to shut down its 2G network in mid-2012, noting at the time the move would allow the carrier to free-up vital spectrum assets in the 850 MHz and 1.9 GHz bands to support its current HSPA-based 3G and LTE-based services. … Read more
Check out the RCR Wireless News Archives for more stories from the past.
