Softbank

Sprint is supporting tests of LTE connectivity at 1.9 GHz and 2.5 GHz via a solar-powered, drone-based high-altitude platform system (HAPS) in Hawaii, partnering with fellow SoftBank company HAPS Mobile. HAPS Mobile is a joint venture formed in late 2017 …

  Japanese operator Rakuten Mobile, a unit of e-commerce giant Rakuten, is likely to limit the scope of its mobile launch in October due to delays in the installation of wireless base stations across Japan, according to a report by …

Indian telecommunications operator Reliance Jio expects to connect at least a billion connected IoT devices to its Internet of Things (IoT) platform within the next two years, Indian newspaper The Economic Times reported the company’s Chairman Mukesh Ambani as saying. “Jio has developed an innovative …

  Japanese operators KDDI and SoftBank have reached an agreement for the shared use of their base station assets to jointly promote the rapid deployment of 5G networks in Japan’s rural areas, the carriers said in a statement. Since 5G …

  The Japanese government announced it will allow the country’s four mobile carriers to deploy 5G base stations on traffic signals, the Nikkei Asian Review reported. The main aim of the initiative is to reduce the cost and times necessary to …

  Japanese operator SoftBank has selected Nordic vendors Ericsson and Nokia for the deployment of a 5G network in Japan, the vendors said in separate statements. Ericsson said it has been selected by SoftBank as a primary 5G vendor for …

Japanese operator KDDI expects to launch pre-5G services in September 2019, the company’s president, Makoto Takahashi, said on a conference call with investors. The executive said that KDDI will start to sell 5G phones in March 2020. Takahashi said that …

Alphabet spin-off Loon, which relies on high-altitude balloons and drones to provide wireless internet service to terrestrial users, has snagged $125 million in investment from Softbank joint venture HAPSMobile. The companies say that they are “actively exploring commercial collaborations to …

Japan’s government has approved plans by the country’s four mobile carriers to build 5G wireless networks with investment set to reach JPY 1.6 trillion ($14.4 billion) over the next five years, the Nikkei Asian Review reported. Applications submitted by NTT …

$5 billion investment will be allocated over four- to five-year timeframe, SoftBank COO says In 2016, SoftBank’s legendary Founder and CEO Masayoshi Son announced the Japanese conglomerate would make a staggering $100 billion in tech-related investments through its Vision Fund. …

Cisco inks deals with Verizon, Sprint, KT, Rakuten, Softbank and Airtel BARCELONA–Cisco kicked off Mobile World Congress by touting its 5G prowess, both in terms of technology and operator contract wins. Cisco said it has 40 service providers actively trialing …

Sequans Communications has introduced a new version of its Monarch chip platform, combining LTE-M and NB-IoT connectivity. The backward-compatible Monarch 2 chip brings a new secure element, a 60-percent boost in power efficiency, higher levels of integration, and lower costs. …

CFIUS, DoD, DoJ and DHS all OK Sprint, T-Mobile US merger Working to close the mega-merger in the first half of 2019, Sprint and T-Mobile US this week gained key approvals from a number of federal oversight bodies. The $26 …

Should telecoms operators stick to airtime provision, honing their networks and eking out business, or should they reinvent themselves with 5G as content and services providers for a new digital age? This was the start point for The Great Telco …

IPO will give SoftBank more capital to invest in tech, startups, sharing economy With approval from Japanese financial regulators in hand, SoftBank is working toward a $21.04 billion initial public offering of its telecom business. SoftBank plans to keep around …

Sprint/T-Mobile US merger could open up US to Chinese “ecosystem,” according to former House Intelligence Committee chairman As federal regulator review the proposed mega-merger between carriers Sprint and T-Mobile US, criticism has largely come in the form of concerns about …

  The Japanese operator plans to hire Goldman Sachs, Nomura and Deutsche Bank to lead the IPO process Japanese telecommunications group SoftBank has appointed three banks to lead the planned listing of its Japanese mobile business, international press reported. According …

  NTT DoComo, KDDI and SoftBank aim to launch full 5G services in 2020 Japanese mobile carriers have confirmed plans to launch 5G commercial services in 2019, a year ahead of schedule, local press reported. NTT DoCoMo, KDDI and Softbank …

  The JV, dubbed MONET, aims to create a mobility-as-a-service business unit in 2020   Japanese firms Toyota and SoftBank have agreed to form a strategic partnership to facilitate the creation of new mobility services, and plan to establish a …

  The new technology enables users to transmit data to IoT devices without the need of an IP address   Japanese carrier SoftBank announced that it has successfully completed what it claims to be the world’s first connection test in …

Ericsson will have completed construction of Sprint’s new IoT core network and operating system (OS) by next month, it has said. The US carrier will be able to offer ‘internet of things’ (IoT) connectivity and applications on the new infrastructure …

Operators Sprint and Vodafone have backed Arm’s integrated SIM (iSIM) technology to help the internet-of-things (IoT) market reach scale. Sprint confirmed it is working with fellow Softbank companies Arm and Packet on its new IoT platform, announced last week. Swedish …

Juniper Research said NTT DoComo, SK Telecom, LG U+, KT and Softbank will be at the forefront of 5G development Japan and South Korea will lead the development of 5G technology, with the two markets accounting for 43% of global …

Investor confidence in the burgeoning industrial ‘internet-of-things’ (IIoT) market is up, reckon industry commentators. A slew of enterprise funds and venture capital has been staked on the sector’s growth in recent months, as vendors have got a better grasp of …

  SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son said the group is working towards a listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Japanese telecommunications group SoftBank is considering seeking a valuation of about $90 billion for its domestic wireless business in a planned initial …