Wireless Telecommunications

After Harsh Criticism, Facebook Quietly Pulls Services From Developing Countries

A sizeable portion of the nearly 100 million users who have come online through Internet.org live in Myanmar, where Facebook partnered with local telecommunication company Myanma Posts and Telecommunications for the program in mid-2016. Facebook went on to serve as an accelerant to violence and ethnic cleansing-related hate speech. Cost-free access to Facebook’s services has seen Facebook’s own user base in the country skyrocket from two million in 2014 to 30 million in 2017.

Letting Sprint and T-Mobile Merge Is a Terrible Idea

[Commentary] The merits of some mergers make for a close case, but the proposed merger between the mobile carriers Sprint and T-Mobile, which would create a new telecommunications behemoth, is not one of them. Basic economics strongly suggests the proposed combination should be dead on arrival, at least if the nation’s antitrust law still stands for competition and lower prices for consumers.

Delaware Is Dead Set on Putting Your State’s Broadband to Shame

Delaware is a national leader in broadband adoption and speed. However, the state is not resting on its laurels, and the chief information officer has a plan to bring broadband connectivity to rural areas using high-speed wireless technologies. “My hope is in the next 24 months, we’re going to eradicate this rural broadband issue,” said James Collins, state chief information officer. “We’ve made a conscious decision that we don’t think it’s the government’s business to be in competition with the private sector as it relates to broadband and other things,” Collins explained.

An obscure 2017 telecom deal explains why T-Mobile and Sprint agreed to merge

An obscure wireless industry deal from 2017 can help explain why T-Mobile and Sprint finally agreed to merge after years of flirting with a deal.

T-Mobile/Sprint Reaction from Near and Far

After the announcement T-Mobile would swallow Sprint, here's the reaction.

Sens Klobuchar, Wicker Bipartisan Bill to Promote Precision Agriculture, Rural Broadband Passes Senate Commerce Committee

Sens Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) announced the passage of their legislation, the Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act of 2018, by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. The bill would direct the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish a task force to identify gaps in broadband connectivity for the nation’s cropland and ranchland. The measure also instructs the agency to develop ways to help encourage broadband adoption and precision agriculture in areas where it is currently unavailable.

How AT&T's antitrust battle looms over the Sprint/T-Mobile deal

The outcome of AT&T's fight with the Justice Department over its bid for Time Warner could shape the regulatory review of the long-anticipated union of Sprint and T-Mobile. 

Massive MIMO to play role in T-Mobile/Sprint 5G readiness

One of the things that will enable T-Mobile and Sprint to move fast with their 5G integration is a not-so-little thing called Massive multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO). Of course, it’s business as usual for each company while they make their case before regulators, but Sprint CTO John Saw said one of the things that will make for a faster integration is Massive MIMO, something Sprint has been working on for some time.  “With Massive MIMO we are able to actually upgrade existing towers,” Saw said.

Blocking T-Mobile’s last big merger turned out great for U.S. consumers. So what’s different now?

Why would the US government want to reduce competitiveness now by letting T-Mobile and Sprint merge? It’s not as if there are many up-and-coming challengers in the market — even Google’s attempts seem half-hearted. (Also, given the Department of Justice’s lawsuit against the AT&T-Time Warner merger, it’ll want to eye this deal with the same scrutiny.)

Will regulators approve the massive T-Mobile-Sprint merger?

As the two smaller players in a wireless industry dominated by four companies, T-Mobile and Sprint argue that they need to link up to effectively challenge Verizon and AT&T, and the creation of a new wireless behemoth — with nearly 100 million customers — will allow them to build out a national 5G network. T-Mobile CEO John Legere has already raised the specter of Chinese competition on the next-generation network technology. And although that argument will be thoroughly questioned by critics, it’s one that could get some play in the Trump administration.

Will The Sprint T-Mobile Merger Pass Regulatory Muster?

Although there is a view that the regulatory environment for large mergers may have softened with the current government, a deal could still face considerable hurdles. The stance of the current administration on telecommunication mergers has been somewhat unpredictable. For instance, the Justice Department sued AT&T November 2017 to block its $85 billion take-over of media behemoth Time Warner. There is a possibility that the DoJ could remain averse to a deal this time around as well.

Sprint, T-Mobile Agree to $26 Billion Merger

The boards of Sprint and T-Mobile US struck a $26 billion merger that, if allowed by antitrust enforcers, would leave the US wireless market dominated by three national players. Under the terms of the deal, T-Mobile will exchange 9.75 Sprint shares for each T-Mobile share. T-Mobile parent Deutsche Telekom will own 42% of the combined company and Sprint parent SoftBank Group will own 27%. The remaining 31% will be held by the public. Deutsche Telekom would also control voting rights over 69% of the new company and appoint nine of its 14 directors.

New Data on Pole Prices Power 5G Debate

As part of the working group efforts within the Federal Communications Commission's Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee (BDAC), one subcommittee has collected data on telecommunication pole attachment rates and published the information along with some very early data analysis.

Santa Fe aims to improve broadband, cell coverage

A wave of new telecom infrastructure is en route, and in a city where famously spotty cellular and internet service has long bedeviled 21st century businesses, residents and tourists alike, there’s optimism Santa Fe (NM) will soon turn the great connectivity corner.

More wireless broadband coverage coming to San Jose via light poles

The City of San Jose (CA) announced it has reached a tentative $5 million agreement with AT&T to deploy small cell technology on city-owned light poles. The non exclusive, 15-year agreement provides funding to help bolster the city's first responder communications network in addition to paying $1,500 per year for each of the projected 750 light poles to be used. The agreement still needs to be approved by the City Council at its May 1 meeting.

American Cities Are Fighting Big Business Over Wireless Internet, and They’re Losing

Big business is quietly trouncing cities in the fight over the future of the internet. The results of an obscure, bureaucratic battle inside the U.S. communications regulator could decide not only which Americans get ultra-fast internet but how much it’ll cost and even what city streetlights will look like.

Microsoft Airband Project Gains Another Partner, Targets Rural Virginia Fixed Wireless Project

Microsoft and Declaration Networks Group are partnering on a project to bring fixed wireless broadband to 65,000 people on Virginia’s eastern shore over the next three years. The Microsoft Declaration Networks deal is part of Microsoft’s Rural Airband initiative, which aims to bring broadband to unserved areas of the U.S. within five years using a mixture of wireless and wireline technology. Declaration Networks Group specialized in bringing broadband to rural areas using fixed wireless broadband.

Telecom standards group puts new technology on hold in wake of U.S. probe

A telecommunications standards organization - GSMA - said it is delaying implementation of a new cellphone technology due to a US government probe of alleged coordination between the group, AT&T and Verizon to hinder consumers from easily switching wireless carriers. At issue is a technology that could make carriers’ business more volatile. ESIM allows consumers to switch wireless providers without having to insert a new physical SIM card, an identifying microchip. That makes it easier to compare wireless networks and easily select a new service when desired.

AT&T and Verizon are again being investigated for collusion. Here’s what happened the first time.

The Justice Department is investigating whether AT&T and Verizon may have colluded to thwart a technology that could allow wireless customers to switch network providers more easily.

U.S. Investigating AT&T and Verizon Over Wireless Collusion Claim

Apparently, the Justice Department has opened an antitrust investigation into potential coordination by AT&T, Verizon and a telecommunications standards organization to hinder consumers from easily switching wireless carriers. In Feb, the Justice Department issued demands to AT&T, Verizon and the GSMA, a mobile industry standards-setting group, for information on potential collusion to thwart a technology known as eSIM, apparently. 

Comcast and Charter Partner to Take on Mobile Industry, Form Mobile Operating Unit

Comcast and Charter announced a joint venture that will fuel both cable company's' continued move into the mobile broadband ecosystem. The partnership will focus on developing and operating backend systems that support both Xfinity Mobile and Spectrum Mobile, signaling a more committed effort for cable MSO-based mobile offerings. Each company will continue to operate their own mobile brands and their own customer-facing sales and marketing operations.

Remarks of FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr at CTIA's Race to 5G Summit

As a policymaker, I am committed to seeing the US win the 5G race. As with 4G, we have to focus on two things: spectrum and infrastructure. At the Federal Communications Commission, we have already assigned more high-band spectrum for 5G than any country in the world—we’re more than four gigahertz ahead of second-place China.  Cutting regulatory red tape is a big deal because it can flip the business case for thousands of communities. Communities that might have been uneconomical for the private sector to serve, will now get their shot at next-gen networks.

 

 

Remarks of FCC Commissioner O'Rielly Before the American Enterprise Institute

[Speech] Over the last three-plus years, the Commission has rightly focused its time and energy to ensure that next-generation, or 5G, networks come to fruition. Why is this so important? It’s about a global race to be the first among many competing nations to 5G. Leading the world in 5G will allow U.S. companies to help shape its future growth, standards, and capabilities – all of which have a tremendous impact on our future economic success.

FCC Proposes Prohibiting Universal Service Spending On Equipment And Services From Companies That Pose National Security Threats

The Federal Communications Commission is proposing to help protect the security of the nation’s communications networks through its stewardship of the over $8.5 billion a year Universal Service Fund (USF). The FCC is seeking comment on a proposal to prohibit use of USF funds on the purchase of equipment or services from any company that poses a national security threat to the integrity of US communications networks or the communications supply chain. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking also seeks comment on a number of issues, including: