The Competitive Carrier Association’s fall event is just around the corner, with wireless operators big and small set to descend on Las Vegas to compare notes on the current competitive and operational environment.
According to CCA President and CEO Steve Berry, three big issues continue to be at the forefront of the trade organization’s efforts, and are sure to be at the top of conversations for many at the upcoming event. Those issues include: 700 MHz interoperability; rulemaking for the upcoming 600 MHz incentive auction; and the IP transition initiative.
Looking to tackle those issues, CCA has a number of regulatory panels on tap for the event, as well as a scheduled keynote address from current Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Mignon L. Clyburn, which Berry noted was the first by an active head of the FCC.
“This is a huge plus for us,” Berry explained. “It gives our members a chance to meet, see and talk to the people running the FCC.”
Clyburn’s tenure as head of the FCC is expected to come to a close later this year as Congress moves on President Obama’s nomination of wireless industry veteran Tom Wheeler to permanently replace recently departed FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski.
As for the expected chatter around spectrum auctions, Berry hinted that CCA expected a decision on the 700 MHz interoperability issue in the next 30 to 45 days, while he hoped similar issues are ironed out in rulemaking for the 600 MHZ incentive auction.
You could also assume that there will be a lot of conversation regarding the continued domination of the domestic market’s two largest wireless carriers – Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility, both of which are two of the few carriers not part of CCA – and how to battle for market share. Some of that talk could center on recent strong showings by CCA member and No. 4 operator T-Mobile US, which managed to beat all operators in the growth game during the second quarter. That conversation will be bolstered by a scheduled keynote address by T-Mobile US CTO Neville Ray that is sure to be full of information on the carrier’s rapidly expanding LTE roll out. T-Mobile US CEO John Legere was initially set to handle keynote duties, but a scheduling conflict will prevent his appearance and has allowed CCA to reduce the ratings on the keynote session from an “R” to a more family friendly “PG.”
While Sprint, which is CCA’s largest carrier member has not shown quite the growth as that experienced by its rivals in recent quarters, the carrier is becoming very important to rural operators looking to roll out LTE services. While many smaller carriers are still struggling with gaining access to equipment and roaming deals for their 700 MHz spectrum licenses, Sprint has opened up the possibility of using existing 1.9 GHz spectrum licenses to enable LTE services. The carrier announced at the CCA event earlier this year that it had opened up LTE roaming across that spectrum band and was looking to further enable roaming across the lower 700 MHz, 850 MHz and 1.9 GHz bands.
CCA is further attempting to open up the roaming opportunities with its recently announced roaming hub initiative that will enable more operators to tap into LTE roaming capabilities. Berry noted that Sprint was currently in testing through the roaming hub with regional carrier U.S. Cellular, and that there were eight or nine more operators waiting to join the testing.
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