BROWSING: Policy

Verizon Wireless set for nationwide VoLTE launch later this year

Just days after rival AT&T Mobility announced immediate plans to rollout voice over LTE services, Verizon Wireless threw out a reminder that it too was on track to offer VoLTE later this year. The carrier said its VoLTE plans will include a nationwide rollout of...

Time Trippin’: Attempts to limit 700 MHz auction bidding; prepaid set for growth … 9 years ago this week

Editor’s Note: The RCR Wireless News Time Machine is a way to take advantage of our extensive history in covering the wireless space to fire up the DeLorean and take a trip back in time to re-visit some of the more interesting headlines from...

Policy: May 15 FCC meeting to loom large; Sprint fined in ‘do-not-call’ settlement

The Federal Communications Commission’s recent open meeting tackled a number of significant topics set to impact the telecommunications space. Two of the topics were very specific to the wireless telecommunications space in the FCC laying out rules for the 600 MHz incentive auction and...

Reality Check: Taking an optimized approach to mobile data

If limited spectrum and cost-prohibitive expansion of infrastructure is inevitable, then operators need to find additional ways to enhance their existing networks and make the most out of the capacity that they have.

Reality Check: FCC’s plans and free AT&T broadband

While it would be impossible to cover the entirety of the meeting in the remaining space of this brief, suffice it to say that the tone of this meeting was more passion-filled than all of this year’s previous meetings – combined.

Verizon Wireless super-sizes LTE under 'XLTE' banner

Verizon Wireless unveiled the “XLTE” brand for its LTE service boosted by the inclusion of its 1.7/2.1 GHz (advanced wireless services) spectrum assets. The move followed rumors last week of a potential XLTE launch. The carrier said the enhanced service will provide faster network speeds...

AT&T re-launches Cricket brand

AT&T solidified its no-contract ambitions, announcing the combination of its recently acquired Leap Wireless business with its Aio Wireless platform that will operate under the Cricket Wireless brand. The new offering will take advantage of AT&T Mobility’s nationwide network, which the carrier claims offers LTE...

AT&T offers $48.5B for DirecTV, commits $9B to incentive auction

Following weeks of rumors, AT&T over the weekend announced plans to acquire satellite television provider DirecTV for nearly $49 billion in stock and cash – and the assumption of more than $15 billion of debt. The move, if approved by regulators, would bolster the...

Worst of the Week: 600 MHz auction rules: milk or beer?

Depending on which team you play for, you either laughed so hard milk came out of your nose, or you were left crying in your beer.

Spectrum screen reset to Sprint’s dismay

In addition to auction plans, the Federal Communications Commission today adjusted its spectrum screen rules, noting that it will place increased emphasis on deals involving sub-1 GHz spectrum as well as include a wider range of spectrum bands in decision making. The sub-1 GHz emphasis...

FCC lays out 600 MHz auction rules, unleashes AWS-3

The Federal Communications Commission today laid out several decisions set to impact the upcoming 600 MHz spectrum incentive auction and how the government agency views participation in that event. Those entities lobbying their case over the past several months in front of the FCC...

Editorial Webinar: Tower & Antenna Technology Review

RCR Wireless News takes stock of the latest in tower and antenna technologies. We will look at fiber to the antenna (FTTA) and remote radio head (RRH) use, as well as backhaul trends, including millimeter, microwave, LOS/NLOS, fiber and the small cell backhaul dilemma.This...

Telstra shows LTE-A skills with 450 Mbps network trial

Australia’s Telstra has thrown its hat into the speed game, announcing today that it has demonstrated a live network using LTE-Advanced technology with carrier aggregation to produce downlink speeds of 450 megabits per second. The carrier said the FDD-LTE demonstration, which was run with network...

Verizon Wireless rumored to tout AWS LTE support under 'XLTE' brand

Verizon Wireless could be set to play up its ongoing rollout of 1.7/2.1 GHz spectrum support for LTE services, with rumors suggesting the carrier will market the upgrades under the “XLTE” moniker. According to a story from DroidLife, Verizon Wireless could rollout the brand as...

AT&T reportedly eyeing $50B DirecTV acquisition

AT&T’s quest for growth reportedly has the telecommunications giant eyeing a potential acquisition of DirecTV in a deal that could reach $50 billion. According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, AT&T could be looking to make an offer on the satellite television provider...

Report: Small cells vital to LTE deployments

Wireless carriers are scrambling to acquire and free up new spectrum resources in an attempt to feed consumer desire for mobile data services. This quest for spectrum along with the deployment of more efficient LTE services could meet those short-term needs, but a recent...

Policy: Net neutrality, 600 MHz spectrum auction rules set for FCC meeting

Net neutrality and spectrum auctions continue to dominate telecom-related policy news as the Federal Communications Commission this week has both subjects on the docket. The FCC’s planned May 15 open meeting is sure to provide significant insight into what direction those two topics are...

Reality Check: Why May 15 matters to telecom

There are few larger convergence points between broadcasters, wireless service providers, public safety providers and Internet businesses than the Federal Communications Commission.

Reality Check: Defining the future of 5G wireless

What is 5G? That seems to be the big industry question discussed in recent months. For those of us in mobile broadband, we may not know exactly what it will be,

Judge rejects LightSquared plan

Neither LightSquared nor Charlie Ergen received what they wanted from the latest bankruptcy court ruling in New York. U.S. Judge Shelley Chapman did not approve LightSquared's latest reorganization proposal, saying it is unfair to Ergen. But at the same time, she said that Ergen...

Report: Wheeler to alter net neutrality proposal

The Federal Communications Commission this week is expected to alter its stance on net neutrality, with FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler bowing to pressure in preventing Internet service providers from hobbling network speeds in connection to data traffic. The Wall Street Journal over the weekend reported...

An in-depth look at LTE-Advanced: What it is and how operators are transitioning toward it

What is LTE-Advanced and how it is being implemented today?

SaskTel, Koodo Mobile dominate J.D. Power Canadian carrier survey

Canada’s regional operators, mobile virtual network operators and sub-brands scored highest in customer satisfaction according to a new survey released by J.D. Power and Associates. The survey of more than 12,000 wireless customers found that among “full-service” carriers, or those that own and operate their...

Carrier Wrap: China carriers look to form infrastructure JV; UAE’s Etisalat sells African operations

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! China’s three dominate wireless operators –...