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!
—AT&T announced an agreement with Disney Parks to become the official wireless provider for Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort. The deal includes marketing and branding across various Disney events and properties as well as providing Disney employees with devices running across AT&T Mobility’s network.
As for its network initiatives, AT&T said it will be deploying more than 25 distributed antenna systems across Disney properties to handle increased data usage; more than 350 small cells to further extend coverage and capacity; 10 macro cell sites across the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida; and more than 40 repeaters.
In addition to its deal with Disney, AT&T also announced the expansion of its Digital Life home security and automation service to six new markets. The offering, which was initially announced early last year, will be available beginning July 26 in Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio; Indianapolis; San Diego and San Jose, Calif.; and Tampa, Fla. The new markets will bring to a total of 33 markets where the offering is available, with plans to reach 50 markets by the end of the year.
—Sprint announced a deal with Transit Wireless to provide Sprint cellular coverage across the New York City subway system. The deal includes all 277 underground subway stations across the line by early 2014. The deployment will include installing Sprint equipment in Transit Wireless’ base station hotel facilities.
Sprint also announced that its LTE service would be officially available across portions of the Bronx and Brooklyn boroughs of New York City beginning July 30. The carrier, which has been upgrading its network as part of a $5 billion Network Vision initiative, said it expects its LTE service to cover 200 million potential customers by the end of the year.
–Canadian telecommunications provider Rogers Communications launched its Rogers Wireless Home Phone service, targeting small businesses in regions across Canada where the company’s home and small business landline services are not offered. The carrier said the service uses an electrically powered adapter with an active SIM card that a customer then plugs an existing cordless or corded phone into to begin making calls.
The service is priced at $10 per month for new and existing Rogers wireless customers, $25 per month for non-Rogers wireless customers and requires a one-time $30 activation fee for all customers. The service includes unlimited Canada-wide calling, voicemail and caller identification. Customers can also subscribe to additional services including call waiting, conference calling, call forwarding and international long distance packages.
—China Mobile Motion, which is owned by VelaTel Global Communications, said it has begun offering its mobile virtual network operator service in Macau. The CMM offering, which VelaTel said currently serves more than 100,000 customers, allows subscribers to acquire local GSM phone numbers across multiple countries or regions, integrating those numbers into a single GSM SIM card that will operate in a variety of unlocked GSM phones. The company noted that customers traveling between China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau can avoid international roaming charges without the need to configure VoIP applications, swap SIM cards or configure call-forwarding options.
–Regional wireless operator C Spire Wireless reported that customers would soon be eligible to receive free location-based notifications under a new national public safety warning system designed to alert consumers during emergencies. The alerts can be set up to be sent to select compatible devices.
C Spire said it recently received final Federal Emergency Management Agency approval to begin broadcasting the 90-character messages designed to warn consumers about severe weather threats, missing persons or Presidential alerts during national emergencies. Customers can opt out of weather and missing person alerts by adjusting their device notification settings, but Presidential alerts are mandatory.
Additional carrier news can be found on the RCR Wireless News “Carriers” page.
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