We all love Wi-Fi networks, but security on Wi-Fi is a serious issue. Their open nature makes them targets of abuse. According to a recent roundup of “23 Disturbing Statistics on Mobile Security,” Wi-Fi networks with “free” in the name are responsible for nearly...
Tying together IoT and predictive analytics
The public’s desire – indeed demand – to be connected at all times and in all aspects of work and play means that “off” is no longer an option for most businesses. For telecommunications carriers this creates a tremendous...
Congratulations, Sprint. In 2015 you are the most-improved network provider in quality, speed and reach in a growing number of areas from coast to coast. While there is still quite a bit of work to do, if Sprint stays on track, it could become one...
This has turned out to be a banner year for wireless charging.
If you doubt that claim, peer into any one of 200 Starbucks coffee shops in San Francisco and around the United Kingdom where you will find customers wirelessly charging their smartphones and other...
The importance of service assurance for NFV deployments
So far, 2015 has been a big year for network functions virtualization. A recent report from IHS suggests this sector is set to grow five-fold by 2019 as operators look to shift from hardware to software environments....
Wireless and telecom bills have historically been large and confusing. So much so that it created an entire cottage industry of bill auditors. However, over the last few years we have seen carriers move to simplify their plans. I am not sure whether this...
Is Sprint device leasing arrangement a competitive advantage?
Last Friday, Sprint announced a new leasing structure, which could provide the company with a global competitive advantage. Here’re the highlights of the structure:
1. Customers lease the latest and greatest phones from Sprint. Depending...
For years, telecom operators have watched as over-the-top services utilize their networks to deliver revenue-generating services at the expense of operators’ traditional revenue sources, such as voice and text messaging. Verizon Communication’s recent acquisition of AOL sent shock waves through the industry, raising many...
Mobile testing keys for better performance
Every year, the number of mobile personal devices continues to grow steadily. Various mobile brands struggle for annual leadership. It is a common belief that mobile applications testing is simple, and therefore mobile testers do not need to have...
Hello! And welcome to our Friday column, Worst of the Week. There’s a lot of nutty stuff that goes on in this industry, so this column is a chance for us at RCRWireless.com to rant and rave about whatever rubs us the wrong way....
The “Internet of Things” vendor ecosystem is a mess. According to MachNation, it takes four to six IoT suppliers to create one solution for an enterprise customer. Why? Because the technology components – devices, networks, platforms, middleware and apps – are still uniquely provided...
T-Mobile US announced is new Binge On wireless TV service. With that news, there seems to be concerned voices from a variety of people in the industry wondering whether the T-Mobile US network can handle the expected usage surge. So what can we expect to see?...
This week, we are focusing on the state of wireline connectivity through the lens of one of the largest U.S. providers, CenturyLink. We’ll also provide some initial thoughts on T-Mobile US’ inclusion of video streaming services in the majority of their plans.
Verizon’s...
The number of traditional “pure-play” mobile operators is in decline as global consolidation continues at pace. Despite declining operator numbers, competition has never been so fierce – it’s just coming from non-traditional players in the market. The battle between operators and over-the-top players is...
With the rampant adoption of smartphones and growth in mobile Internet, communications service providers have access to unprecedented amounts of data, including customer profiles, device data, network data, customer usage patterns, location data, apps downloaded, clickstream data and so forth. CSPs are sitting on...
Hello! And welcome to our Friday column, Worst of the Week. There’s a lot of nutty stuff that goes on in this industry, so this column is a chance for us at RCRWireless.com to rant and rave about whatever rubs us the wrong way....
Although specifications for "5G" do not yet exist, aspects are crystallizing, including the ability to exploit frequencies never before used for cellular access; far greater capacity than today’s networks support; data rates faster than 1 gigabit per second; and super-low latency. All of these...
We all know that mobile operators are constantly trying to find an advertising tagline that works, one that resonates with consumers so much that it becomes part of everyday vocabulary. The most successful tagline in telecom was probably “pin drop” all those years ago...
Technology is often viewed as an extra set of costs in organizations – from new software programs to hardware devices, there are always budgeting and training concerns associated with any changes or updates.
The past few years have shown a changing trend in the...
This week, we’ll explore Verizon Communications’ announcement that it might shed $10 billion worth of assets to further focus on wireless and media, and take a look at Sprint’s mixed earnings release.
Verizon: no backbone?
On Friday afternoon, Reuters reported that Verizon is considering the sale of...
The brand-new BlackBerry Priv has been launched on the AT&T Mobility network. The next question is: Will it succeed in the smartphone marketplace against the Apple iPhone and Android competitors? Let’s take a closer look at the Priv, at BlackBerry and at what they...
After World War I, the French built a series of entrenched border fortifications called the Maginot Line. They expected the next war to be a defensive one, like the previous one. At the same time, the U.S. focused on building battleships, expecting the next...
Who dares follow the Google MVNO path?
Earlier this year there was a great deal of buzz going around that Apple would unveil its own mobile service offering through a mobile virtual network operator approach. The buzz followed the Google MVNO launch of its Project...
Hello! And welcome to our Friday column, Worst of the Week. There’s a lot of nutty stuff that goes on in this industry, so this column is a chance for us at RCRWireless.com to rant and rave about whatever rubs us the wrong way....
