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  • PCMag Releases Fastest Mobile Networks 2020 Test

    PCMag Releases Fastest Mobile Networks 2020 Test

    PCMag has released its 11th annual testing data of US wireless networks, and it doesn’t paint a pretty picture for the state of 5G.

    Each of the three major carriers are rushing to get on the 5G bandwagon, although each of them are taking different approaches. Verizon has been focused almost exclusively on high-band, mmWave spectrum. This is the fastest variety of 5G, with speeds measured in gigabits. Unfortunately, it has very limited range and building penetration, making it hard to find.

    T-Mobile and AT&T have both rolled out mmWave networks in urban areas, much like Verizon. Both of them, however, have also rolled out low-band nationwide 5G networks. This variety of 5G is only marginally faster than 4G LTE, but has excellent range and penetration.

    Mid-band spectrum promises to offer the best of both worlds, with decent range and penetration, combined with speeds in the 700 Mbps range. T-Mobile has a wealth of this spectrum, thanks to its merge with Sprint, but has yet to fully repurpose it.

    PCMag’s report falls largely inline with what one would expect, given the technologies in use. Of the three, PCMag’s Sascha Segan says “Verizon’s 5G is often mind-blowing, but very difficult to find.” This is exactly what one would expect from a 5G rollout focused exclusively on mmWave.

    T-Mobile, on the other hand, has the largest nationwide, low-band 5G network. At the same time, its speeds have not increased as fast as either AT&T or Verizon. This is believed to be the result of T-Mobile absorbing millions of Sprint customers post-merger, resulting in added congestion on the network. T-Mobile says it will be able to deal with the congestion once it finished integrating Sprint’s spectrum.

    On the other hand, Segan said, “AT&T 5G right now appears to be essentially worthless.” This is largely because of how AT&T has chosen to roll out its nationwide 5G. As Sagan explains:

    ”AT&T’s 5G slices off a narrow bit of the old 850MHz cellular band and assigns it to 5G, to give phones a valid 5G icon without increasing performance. And because of the way current 5G phones work, it often reduces performance. At locations with both 4G and 5G, our 5G phone was slower than our 4G phone in 21 out of 22 cities.”

    In many ways, this is reminiscent of how AT&T labeled souped up 4G LTE as “5G Evolution,” a claim the BBB’s National Advertising Review Board (NARB) and National Advertising Division (NAD) found misleading. Similarly, in the transition from 3G to 4G, AT&T drew criticism for labeling souped up 3G as 4G.

    While offering some nuggets of hope for the state of the US 5G market, PCMag’s report illustrates that it still has a long way to go before it reaches the level of maturity needed to compete with existing 4G networks.

     

    Image Credit: PCMag

  • Verizon Future-Proofs Network With Quantum Key Distribution

    Verizon Future-Proofs Network With Quantum Key Distribution

    Verizon has become the first wireless carrier to pilot the use of quantum key distribution (QKD) to help secure its network.

    Quantum key distribution is a type of cryptography that relies on the principles involved in quantum mechanics, and specifically quantum entanglement. As a result, because information is transmitted in a quantum state, it’s impossible for a third-party to snoop on the transmission without being detected. This makes QKD one of the only types of encryption that is future-proofed in a world where quantum computing will render other forms of encryption obsolete.

    Verizon has now demonstrated how QKD can be used to protect its network. Quantum keys were created and exchanged over a QKD network and used to encrypt video streams. The recipient was able to watch the videos in real-time, while any hackers would be instantly detected.

    “We continue to innovate and discover new ways to ensure safe networks and communications down the road for both consumers and enterprises,” said Nicki Palmer, chief product development officer at Verizon. “In testing advanced security technologies, our QKD trial demonstrates how quantum-based technology can strengthen data security today and in the future.”

    “The use of quantum mechanics is a great step forward in data security,” said Christina Richmond, analyst at IDC. “Verizon’s own tests, as well other industry testing, have shown that deriving “secret keys” between two entities via light photons effectively blocks perfect cloning by an eavesdropper if a key intercept is attempted. Current technological breakthroughs have proven that both the quantum channel and encrypted data channel can be sent over a single optical fiber. Verizon has demonstrated this streamlined approach brings greater efficiency for practical large-scale implementation allowing keys to be securely shared over wide-ranging networks.”

  • Intel CEO: Tiger Lake Will Deliver 20% More Performance

    Intel CEO: Tiger Lake Will Deliver 20% More Performance

    Intel launched their 10nm Tiger Lake CPU today increasing product performance by 20 percent. “Our 10-nanometer process that our Tiger Lake product will run on today is a step function improvement from the 10-nanometer process we launched just last year,” says Intel CEO Bob Swan. “Its process will deliver 15 to 20 percent more performance in the products that we are launching. At the end of the day, product performance is what matters most to our customers.”

    Bob Swan, CEO of Intel, discusses the launch of their 10nm Tiger Lake CPU which provides a significant improvement in product performance:

    Product Performance Is What Matters

    The PC is a more and more an essential ingredient of our everyday lives. Whether you are studying from home, working from home, and trying to stay connected from home, it’s just more important. The Tiger Lake product that we are launching today, in essence, addresses those activities that we are doing. Whether it’s content creation, inherent productivity, or connectivity, it addresses those key things that are becoming more relevant in terms of how we engage with our PC and how we engage with each other.

    At the end of the day, product performance is what matters most to our customers. Under that umbrella, there are multiple things that have evolved over time. Process continues to be very important. Packaging becomes more relevant as we pull different technologies together. Software plays an increasingly important role. The technologies required to build a computer today are much different than they used to be. With Tiger Lake, it’s not just about the CPU or the microprocessor, it’s about the WiFi. Connectivity is so important, upgrading WiFi, and upgrading graphics capabilities, The nature of the PC today and how it’s evolved incorporates more technology. Where process continues to be important, it’s not relatively as important as it once was.

    Tiger Lake Will Deliver 20 Percent More Performance

    The naming convention over time has lost its relevance. It’s become less of a technical articulation of capabilities and a little bit more of a marketing articulation. Our 10-nanometer process that our Tiger Lake product will run on today is a step function improvement from the 10-nanometer process we launched just last year. Its process will deliver 15 to 20 percent more performance in the products that we are launching. It’s a very exciting time not just because of the Tiger Lake product (the CPU) but how we’ve coupled it with other technologies to address the most top of mind experiences with advanced processing technology that we refer to as SuperFin.

    The relative importance of graphics and the role that it plays, not just in gaming but in communications today is so much higher. That’s why with this product launch the enhanced capabilities of our integrated graphics is a real big bump in overall performance. It’s also an increasingly relevant technology and capability in today’s PC. In essence, the use of the PC and what the graphics technology we’ve built into this product does is rising the role that the PC will play as it become more and more an essential ingredient in our everyday lives.

    There Will Be Significant Demand For Tiger Lake

    Over the last several years we’ve added $20 billion in revenue to the size of the company. From our PC, our internet of things, our communication, and from our cloud businesses, we’ve experienced dramatic growth. It was critical for us to keep pace in ensuring that we have the capacity and the supply to deal with that growth. We’ve made tremendous progress at the end of last year and through the first six months of this year getting that capacity in place.

    For both 14-nanometer, which today is the lion’s share of the products we are shipping, but increasingly we are adding capacity. We expect there will be significant demand for the new product that we announced today but also the new products that we have coming in the second half of this year, particularly in the server Xeon chip.

    https://youtu.be/PMAi5lXMkXA
    Intel CEO Bob Swan: Tiger Lake Will Deliver 20% More Performance
  • T-Mobile Adds Mid-Band 5G In Over 80 Cities; Verizon Calls ‘Foul’

    T-Mobile Adds Mid-Band 5G In Over 80 Cities; Verizon Calls ‘Foul’

    T-Mobile has rolled out high-speed, mid-band 5G in over 80 cities as it continues to utilize the spectrum it acquired with Sprint.

    Mid-band 5G is widely considered to be the sweet spot for 5G spectrum. It provides faster performance than T-Mobile’s low-band nationwide 5G network, reaching speeds up to 1 Gbps. At the same time, it offers better range and penetration than high-band 5G, which requires repeaters and base stations every couple of hundred meters.

    One of the driving factors in T-Mobile’s acquisition of Sprint was the wealth of mid-band, 2.5 GHz spectrum Sprint had. Since the acquisition was completed, T-Mobile has been integrating the spectrum as fast as possible, with today’s news being the biggest gain yet.

    “T-Mobile has the competition in the rear-view mirror on 5G, and they’re only getting farther behind. While the other guys are playing catch-up, we’ve had nationwide 5G since last year, and we’re now adding faster speeds across the country with mid-band 5G,” said Neville Ray, President of Technology at T-Mobile. “This is our 5G strategy in action. Mid-band is the 5G spectrum, and T-Mobile has more of it than anyone. We have nearly twice as much low and mid-band spectrum as AT&T and nearly triple that of Verizon. And that means T-Mobile is the only one capable of making the world’s best 5G network a reality.”

    At this pace, T-Mobile’s competitors will be playing catch-up for some time. This is likely why Verizon has recently appealed to the FCC to prevent T-Mobile from gaining access to additional 600 MHz spectrum. Never mind the fact that Verizon chose not to bid on any 600 MHz spectrum when it was up for auction, believing they didn’t need the additional spectrum.

    Suddenly Verizon is changing its tune:

    “As shown above, it is T-Mobile that has the most substantial total low- and mid-band spectrum holdings of any provider at the national level,” Verizon stated in its appeal.

    Verizon goes on to quote T-Mobile’s Neville Ray on the status of the company’s advantage:

    “T-Mobile’s President of Technology, Neville Ray, recently boasted that, even before these arrangements take effect, T-Mobile’s low- and mid-band spectrum holdings give it such a ‘material advantage’ in the marketplace that its ‘competition doesn’t have a path to match [it] for some time.’ Indeed, Mr. Ray claimed that T-Mobile has a ‘2x’ or ‘3x multiple’ in the ‘mid- and low-bands’ over AT&T and Verizon.”

    It appears Verizon may now be regretting its decision to not purchase more spectrum when it had the opportunity.

  • Qualcomm Doubles Range of mmWave 5G to 2.36 Miles

    Qualcomm Doubles Range of mmWave 5G to 2.36 Miles

    Qualcomm and Ericsson have successfully doubled the range of mmWave 5G, completing a phone call over data 2.36 miles away.

    mmWave is the fastest variety of 5G available, with speeds measured in gigabits. Its Achilles heel, however, has been its poor range and building penetration. In most applications, it requires base stations and repeaters to be placed every couple of hundred yards in order to provide stable coverage.

    Qualcomm’s latest test, however, has extended that range, specifically in the context of fixed wireless access (FWA). Because of its speed and low latency, 5G shows promise as a broadband replacement in areas where it would be cost prohibitive to run fiber. FWA equipment can have far more powerful antennas and radios than the average smartphone, helping to extend mmWave’s range.

    “With the introduction of the Qualcomm QTM527 mmWave antenna module as part of the Snapdragon X55 5G Modem-RF System, we are empowering operators and OEMs to offer high-performance, extended-range multi-gigabit 5G broadband to their customers – which is both flexible and cost-effective, as they can leverage existing 5G network infrastructure,” said Gautam Sheoran, senior director, product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “With this major milestone being the first step in utilizing mmWave for an extended-range 5G data transfer, our collaboration with Casa Systems and Ericsson is paving the way to implement fixed broadband services for broad coverage in urban, suburban and rural environments.”

    This is a big step forward for Qualcomm and the 5G industry in general, and should help further its adoption.

  • France Decides Not to Ban Huawei, But Will Favor European Companies

    France Decides Not to Ban Huawei, But Will Favor European Companies

    France has announced it will not ban Huawei from its networks, unlike the US and its closest allies.

    The US has engaged in an all-out war against Huawei, claiming the company represents a critical threat to national security. US officials have pressured allies to follow suit, with the UK, Australia and New Zealand issuing bans of their own. Only Canada remains undecided, among the ‘Five Eyes’ countries.

    France has been undecided until now, although it appears it will not ban the Chinese firm. According to The Seattle Times, French President Emmanuel Macron indicated that Huawei will be able to participate in France’s 5G networks, but that European companies would be the preferred choice, due to security concerns.

    “It’s normal that … we want a European solution [because of] the security of our communication,” Macron said.

    This will be a blow to US-led efforts to isolate Huawei, but should help preserve French-Chinese trade relations.

  • US Among Countries With Slowest 5G

    US Among Countries With Slowest 5G

    OpenSignal has analyzed the wold’s 12 leading 5G markets, and the US is nearly dead-last, in terms of 5G speed.

    The United Kingdom took the spot as the country with the slowest 5G, averaging a mere 32.6 Mbps download. The US was second-worst, clocking in at 33.4 Mbps average download. Meanwhile, the top three countries were Saudi Arabia, Canada and South Korea, with 144.5, 90.4 and 75.6 Mbps download respectively.

    In spite of taking the second-worst spot for speed, it wasn’t all bad news for the US. In terms of coverage, the US came in fifth place, behind Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Hong Kong and South Korea. The fact the US scored so high on coverage is even more impressive given the land mass of the US compared with the top four countries.

    In fact, the reason for the impressive coverage the US enjoys is tied to its slower speed.

    “The modest 5G Download Speeds in the U.S. are due to a combination of the limited amount of new mid-band 5G spectrum that is available and the popularity of low-band spectrum – T-Mobile’s 600MHz and AT&T’s 850MHz – which offer excellent availability and reach but lower average speeds than the 3.5GHz mid-band spectrum used as the main 5G band in every country outside of the U.S,” writes OpenSignal’s Ian Fogg.

    As we have pointed out many times on WPN, low-band spectrum travels much farther and has better building penetration, compared to mid or high-band spectrum. The trade-off is speed that is only marginally better than 4G.

    “The U.S. is much higher ranked on 5G Availability than on average download speed because the low-band spectrum is ideally suited to enable great 5G reach and allow users to spend more time connected than in countries with higher frequency 5G spectrum,” continues Fogg. “In the US the low-band 5G services of T-Mobile and AT&T have helped drive a high 5G Availability result. T-Mobile U.S.’s very recent launch of standalone access 5G — where a phone no longer needs to connect to 4G in order for 5G to work — should help 5G services in future.”

  • By 2030 The iPhone Will Be A Billion Times More Powerful

    By 2030 The iPhone Will Be A Billion Times More Powerful

    “The iPhone is not going away in the decade of the 2020s,” says former Apple CEO John Sculley. “In fact, if you look at the microprocessor technology that Apple has invested in, some people have estimated that by 2030 the iPhone will be a billion times more powerful than the original iPhone that Steve Jobs introduced.”

    John Sculley, the former CEO of Apple, discusses the ‘long runway’ that he believes Apple has, predicting that Apple will be worth more than $2.5 trillion by 2025:

    By 2030 The iPhone Will Be A Billion Times More Powerful

    Service is really the biggest part of the story for Apple through this decade. I’ve seen estimates as high for services reaching $50 billion of profits by 2025. I look at it in terms of what are the things that Apple can control? One of them is the terrific technology that they now have with their vertical integration into the iPhone.

    The iPhone is not going away in the decade of the 2020s. In fact, if you look at the microprocessor technology that Apple has invested in, some people have estimated that by 2030 the iPhone will be a billion times more powerful than the original iPhone that Steve Jobs introduced.

    By 2025 Apple Will Have a $2.5 Trillion Market Cap

    Think about what that means for services and the types of things you will be able to do. Think about when 5G is fully deployed around the world. Apple has a great runway ahead of them. It’s the most competent company in the world in terms of its ability to run operations and execute. Many people have said, why isn’t it more innovative? It actually is very innovative in the things that are important in building its ecosystem.

    For example, the app library that Apple announced this year. It only makes it easier for people to add more apps and to be able to upgrade apps. That’s the engine of profitability for Apple – in the services, particularly the app store. I’m very bullish on Apple. I think they will hit a $2 trillion market cap before the end of this year. By 2025 we will be talking about will Apple hit $2.5 trillion. This is clearly a company that is in for a long run.

    By 2030 The iPhone Will Be A Billion Times More Powerful, Says Former Apple CEO John Sculley
  • There Are No People In Headquarters Right Now, Says Cisco CEO

    There Are No People In Headquarters Right Now, Says Cisco CEO

    “We have a significant business that is related to corporate headquarter facilities and there are no people in those headquarters right now,” says Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins. “So there is a lot of discussion around what does corporate real estate look like? I personally believe that once we get through the vaccine period that people will want to get back to the offices in general. It’s going to be fine.”

    Chuck Robbins, CEO of Cisco Systems discusses the impact of COVID on their business strategy considering Q4 earnings and how this will impact their future:

    There Are No People In Headquarters Right Now

    It doesn’t feel much different today than it did 90 days ago. We have a significant business that is related to corporate headquarter facilities and there are no people in those headquarters right now. So there is a lot of discussion around what does corporate real estate look like? I personally believe that once we get through the vaccine period that people will want to get back to the offices in general. It’s going to be fine.

    We are going to use this opportunity to actually shift our investments and prepare for that moment. I think that when we get to the other side of this thing that with the strategy and the portfolio we have we are going to be fine.

    Why Webex Didn’t Carry The Day For Us

    I heard several comments that are questioning why Webex didn’t carry the day for us today. Webex grew double digits so we had good success with it. But in the context of our almost $50 business, it’s a small percentage. It’s a very small number in that context. We had success, it’s still growing and the teams are doing a great job.

    There is a whole lot of innovation that is planned over the coming months for that platform. We’re excited about what’s going on. As we’ve talked about, it is secure and enterprise-grade and that’s where it shines.

    There Are No People In Headquarters Right Now, Says Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins
  • T-Mobile Passes AT&T to Become Nation’s Second-Largest Carrier

    T-Mobile Passes AT&T to Become Nation’s Second-Largest Carrier

    Following its merger with Sprint and a strong second quarter, T-Mobile has passed AT&T to become the nation’s second-largest wireless carrier.

    T-Mobile closed its merger with Sprint on April 1 and has been chalking up one milestone after another. It’s worked hard to integrate Sprint’s spectrum into its own network, rolled out mid-band 5G in major cities and unveiled the world’s first nationwide standalone 5G network.

    With its second quarter report, T-Mobile has added some 1,245,000 total net additions, including 1,112,000 postpaid net additions. This represents the 22nd consecutive quarter where T-Mobile has led the industry in net custom additions.

    Even more impressive, T-Mobile has managed to overtake AT&T as the second-largest wireless carrier in the US.

    “Surpassing AT&T to become #2 was a huge milestone to kick off Q2, but that was only the beginning! In our first quarter as a combined company, T-Mobile led the industry in total branded customer adds – even in a challenging environment – and there is no doubt that we are THE leading growth company in wireless,” said Mike Sievert, T-Mobile CEO. “Now we’re setting our sights on #1 – in customer choice and customers’ hearts – and we’ll get there by doing ONLY what the Un-carrier can do: offering customers the most advanced 5G network AND the best value while continuing to make big moves that fix customer pain points and disrupt this industry. I’m excited about what’s to come in this new T-Mobile era – we’re just getting started!”

    This is a major milestone for a company that, just a few years ago, was the fourth largest carrier in the US.

  • DOJ Takes Another Shot At State-Level Net Neutrality

    DOJ Takes Another Shot At State-Level Net Neutrality

    The DOJ is asking a federal judge to overturn California’s net neutrality law, arguing that federal law should take precedence.

    The FCC voted to undo Obama-era net neutrality laws, a move that was challenged in court. Although the appeals court upheld the FCC’s right to repeal the law, it did hand a victory to proponents of net neutrality. The FCC had ruled that states had no right to implement their own versions of the law. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, however, ruled that the FCC could not stop individual states from implementing net neutrality on a state level.

    Despite that ruling, it appears the DOJ is still fighting to prevent states from implementing their own laws, specifically targeting California. Following the appeals court ruling, California implemented its own rules, very similar to the rules the FCC overturned. California’s law has been welcomed and supported by tech companies and consumer groups alike.

    Reuters is reporting the DOJ “is seeking a preliminary injunction to block California from being able to enforce its law.” The DOJ evidently believes the federal law preempts California’s, despite the appeals court specifically ruling to the contrary.

    Needless to say, whichever way the court rules on this latest challenge will have profound repercussions.

  • T-Mobile Hits Major Milestone: First Nationwide Standalone 5G Network

    T-Mobile Hits Major Milestone: First Nationwide Standalone 5G Network

    After teasing a major network announcement Monday, T-Mobile has announced a world first: a standalone nationwide 5G network.

    The first 5G implementations have been built on non-standalone technology. That means the backbone of the network is based on 4G LTE tech. The benefit is that compatible devices can connect to LTE or 5G simultaneously. This provides faster performance than traditional 4G networks, especially when it comes to data speeds. A true standalone 5G network, where all components are based on 5G tech, offers opportunities that can’t be achieved with a non-standalone network.

    The potential of standalone 5G makes T-Mobile’s milestone all that much more significant.

    “In the near-term, SA allows T-Mobile to unleash its entire 600 MHz footprint for 5G. With non-standalone network architecture (NSA), 600 MHz 5G is combined with mid-band LTE to access the core network, but without SA the 5G signal only goes as far as mid-band LTE,” says the company blog. “With today’s launch, 600 MHz 5G can go beyond the mid-band signal, covering hundreds of square miles from a single tower and going deeper into buildings than before. Thanks to T-Mobile’s ongoing 5G build, and by flipping the switch on SA, the Un-carrier has immediately increased its 5G footprint by 30 percent — now covering 1.3 million square miles in more than 7,500 cities and towns across the country.”

    According to T-Mobile, it’s 5G network is now two times larger than AT&T’s and 10,000 times bigger than Verizon’s.

  • Verizon the First US Wireless Company to Offer International 5G

    Verizon the First US Wireless Company to Offer International 5G

    Verizon has become the first US wireless carrier to strike an international 5G roaming deal.

    All three US carriers are racing to deploy 5G networks, and are eager to tout their milestones and advantages. T-Mobile has the widest 5G coverage, while Verizon’s 5G network has the fastest speeds. Verizon can now add another feather to its cap, being the first US wireless company to offer 5G international roaming—albeit in a single country.

    The company has inked a deal to offer 5G roaming service in South Korea. Verizon conducted tests using a dual frequency device that can access the company’s mmWave service in the US and Korea’s 3.5 GHz mid-band spectrum when roaming. Speeds in Korea averaged 252 Mbps down and 119 Mbps up. Despite the rather humble beginnings, Verizon promises more countries will soon be included in its international roaming agreements.

    “We are in the early phases of global roaming partnerships with other countries and will continue to look for strategic partnerships with international providers who, like Verizon, are leading the 5G evolution. This roaming service with South Korea will serve as a model as we engage with 5G providers in other countries to provide our customers who travel globally with more options,” said Kyle Malady, Chief Technology Officer.

  • T-Mobile and Sprint Officially Unified Under T-Mobile Brand

    T-Mobile and Sprint Officially Unified Under T-Mobile Brand

    Four months after completing a merger years in the making, T-Mobile has officially shut down the Sprint brand.

    T-Mobile and Sprint pursued a merger for several years before finally coming to an agreement and receiving FCC and DOJ approval. Despite federal backing, a coalition of states filed a lawsuit to block the merger. After a judge ruled in T-Mobile’s favor, the merger moved forward with T-Mobile quickly integrating Sprint’s spectrum into its own network.

    Now the company has officially retired the Sprint brand, unifying the two under the T-Mobile brand.

    ”Our team has been working night and day to combine our storefronts – and this is SO much more than just rebranding thousands of Sprint locations with a fresh coat of magenta paint,” writes CEO Mike Sievert. “This is about giving customers even MORE access to our expanded retail footprint, (one of the largest in the United States) and making it even easier and more convenient for them to safely drop in, chat with a Mobile Expert, make upgrades, get the latest deals, and reap the benefits from all that new T-Mobile has to offer! It was no small feat and is a testament to incredible teamwork all around the country. Today truly marks the beginning of a new era for T-Mobile, and for our customers.”

    Sievert also took the opportunity to tout the company’s 5G plans, especially in comparison to the competition.

    ”It all starts with our people and of course our integration work – with major milestones like this one marking our way – and then it really comes to life with our 5G network that will surpass anything that anyone (yes, including Verizon) will deliver to the market for years! (Spoiler alert: we have another important network milestone coming up really soon… because Neville and his team are truly firing on all cylinders to bring 5G to even more people in more places, so stay tuned!). Trust me, we are going to bring new and better connectivity options to everything from major metros and urban cities to small towns and rural America!”

    It remains to be seen what the network milestone is that Sievert is referring to. Given the amount of spectrum T-Mobile acquired with the merger, it’s a safe bet it’s probably something big.

  • US Warns Brazil Over Looming Huawei Decision

    US Warns Brazil Over Looming Huawei Decision

    US officials are not letting up on their campaign to isolate Huawei, as they are now threatening Brazil with “consequences” if the country chooses Huawei.

    The US has been engaging in a campaign to isolate and contain Huawei, a firm believed to represent a security threat. While all Chinese firms are required to cooperate with the government, Huawei is seen as having unusually strong ties to Beijing and Chinese intelligence. As a result, US officials believe the company could serve as a means for Beijing to spy on governments and companies around the world.

    The US’ efforts recently forced the UK to reconsider its decision to include Huawei in its 5G plans. Australia and New Zealand have both already instituted bans, after deeming Huawei a threat. That leaves Canada as the sole member of the ‘Five Eyes’ countries that has not yet made a final decision on whether to include or ban Huawei.

    Now the US is ramping up pressure on other countries, including Brazil.

    “I wouldn’t say there would be retaliation, but there would be consequences” said Ambassador Todd Chapman, according to The International Business Times when speaking of a possible decision to include Huawei.

  • Google Announces New Undersea Cable Connecting US & Europe

    Google Announces New Undersea Cable Connecting US & Europe

    Google has announced it is installing a new undersea cable that will link the US, UK and Spain.

    The vast majority of international internet traffic, as much as 98%, is carried via undersea cables. Google already has three other private undersea cables, connecting the US to Chile, the US to France and Portugal to South Africa.

    The latest cable, the Grace Hopper, will connect the UK and Spain with the US. According to Google, this is one of the first private cables connecting the UK and US since 2003. The cable while help increase bandwidth to power Google’s cloud services.

    “Grace Hopper will incorporate novel optical fiber switching that allows for increased reliability in global communications, enabling us to better move traffic around outages,” said Bikash Koley, VP, Google Global Network. “Google and SubCom engineers collaborated on incorporating this innovative switching architecture into the system. Grace Hopper is the world’s first submarine cable to use this technology, and we look forward to deploying the technology on other systems in the future.”

    Once completed, the cable should help Google keep up with the increased demand of companies switching to the cloud in record numbers.

  • U.S. Cellular Turns to Nokia For mmWave 5G Equipment

    U.S. Cellular Turns to Nokia For mmWave 5G Equipment

    U.S. Cellular is working with Nokia to acquire the equipment needed for its 5G rollout.

    U.S. Cellular is the fourth largest wireless carrier in the US. Unlike T-Mobile, Verizon or AT&T, however, U.S. Cellular is a regional carrier. It currently operates in 23 states. Despite its regional status, the company is working to deploy mmWave 5G in its markets.

    mmWave is the fastest variety of 5G available, with speeds measured in gigabits. As such, it promises to be a revolutionary upgrade, upending what is normally possible with a cellular connection.

    U.S. Cellular is working with Nokia on its multi-year 5G deployment, with commercial availability beginning in 2021.

    “U.S. Cellular and Nokia are taking bold steps forward together in the realm of 5G modernization and connectivity,” said Mike Irizarry, CTO, U.S. Cellular. “With 5G mmWave technology from Nokia, we can provide our customers with the leading-edge capabilities of high performance, ultra-low latency 5G. By readying our network with these key foundational network elements, we can offer an even wider range of communications services that enhance our customers’ wireless experience.”

  • Ericsson Delivers First US Manufactured 5G Basestation to Verizon

    Ericsson Delivers First US Manufactured 5G Basestation to Verizon

    Verizon is the first company to receive Ericsson’s US manufactured, 5G commercial basestation.

    5G promises to be one of the most transformative networking upgrades in history. The fastest variety of 5G, mmWave, delivers speeds measured in gigabits rather than megabits. In addition, 5G latency is usually in the single digits. As a result, 5G holds potential to be a viable replacement for traditional types of internet access, such as DSL, cable or fiber.

    Despite the benefits of mmWave 5G, it has notoriously short range and even worse building penetration. In order to provide coverage, carriers must place basestations every couple of hundred meters, making basestations a high-demand component for 5G rollouts.

    Ericsson has been working to meet demand, including ramping up a smart factory in Texas to manufacture the equipment.

    “Ericsson’s smart factory is a cornerstone of our collaboration as we work together to bring 5G to our consumer, enterprise and public safety customers,” said Kyle Malady, Chief Technology Officer of Verizon. “Together these types of innovation will accelerate our 5G deployments, as we expand our 5G leadership in technology and continue to rapidly build the ecosystem with our partners.”

    “As the most advanced platform for innovation, 5G will enable a transformation across enterprises – as we’re now experiencing in our own smart factories,” said Fredrik Jejdling, Ericsson Executive Vice President and Head of Networks. “Automation and remote operations have become more important, and we’re working with our customers to make them available for the benefit of industries. From producing the first 5G base stations at our 5G USA Smart Factory earlier this year, we’ve made our first commercial delivery to Verizon. That’s just the beginning.”

    The US has been working to bring more high-tech manufacturing in-country in an effort to better insulate the tech industry from the kind of setbacks it suffered as a result of the pandemic. Ericsson’s announcement is another significant step in that direction.

  • Verizon CEO: We Are Building A Transformative 5G

    Verizon CEO: We Are Building A Transformative 5G

    “What’s important is that we are building a transformative 5G,” says Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg. “It will have the ultra-wideband that nobody else has with the highest speeds in the world on 5G. Then we are going to have 5G nationwide in the second half. We are also going to have the best 4G network. Our customers are going to feel how transformative our 5G is. It is not an incremental improvement from our 4G, it is transformative.”

    Hans Vestberg, CEO of Verizon, discusses their planned nationwide launch of their “transformative” Verizon 5G in the second half of 2020:

    We Are Building A Transformative 5G

    I’m really excited because we have so many launches coming in the second half of 2020. We are on-plan or ahead of all the things we have committed to. What’s important is that we are building a transformative 5G. It will have the ultra-wideband that nobody else has with the highest speeds in the world on 5G. Then we are going to have 5G nationwide in the second half. We are also going to have the best 4G network. Our customers are going to get a great opportunity here. 

    We will also have a high penetration with IoS (Apple) and the Verizon customer base. Of course, it is going to be more important even when Apple comes out with a 5G phone. We have a great network all the way to the ultra-wideband to 5G nationwide on top of having the best 4G network. Our customers are going to feel how transformative our 5G is. It is not an incremental improvement from our 4G, it is transformative. 

    Everyone Wants To Beat Us But We Will Not Let Them

    We are well-positioned in terms of the competitive landscape. We have worked on our network for three years now to put us in the best position for 5G now. We also have worked on our mix and match that are customers have asked for. In this quarter, we had a record uptake on our premium unlimited. Our customers are moving up the ladder to be part of our services. 

    Ronan Dunne, who runs the Verizon Consumer Group has a really good plan on how we are going to compete. This is nothing new for us. We have been leading this market for a long time and of course, everyone wants to beat us. We will not let them beat us. We will just execute on the plans we have.

    Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg: We Are Building A Transformative 5G
  • FCC Opens Auction for Mid-Band 5G Spectrum

    FCC Opens Auction for Mid-Band 5G Spectrum

    The FCC has started its auction for 3.5 GHz mid-band spectrum for 5G.

    Many experts consider mid-band spectrum to be the sweet spot for 5G, offering the best compromise between speed and building penetration. Many international carriers have focused primarily on mid-band spectrum as they have rolled out their own 5G networks.

    In the US, however, carriers’ efforts have largely focused on the low and high-band (mmWave) varieties. All three carriers have deployed some mmWave offerings in cities, but mmWave requires repeaters and base stations every couple hundred meters and has very poor penetration. These factors mean it will likely never be used as a nationwide option.

    As a result, T-Mobile and AT&T have both rolled out low-band networks to provide nationwide 5G coverage. Low-band, while offering excellent range and penetration, is only marginally faster than 4G. Verizon, on the other hand, does not have enough low-band spectrum to roll out a dedicated, nationwide 5G network and will have to rely on switching technology to allow 4G and 5G to be served from the same towers, using the same spectrum.

    T-Mobile currently is the only one of the three carriers that has a wealth of mid-band spectrum, thanks to its Sprint acquisition. T-Mobile’s spectrum is in the 2.5 GHz range, and should offer speeds in the 600 – 700Mbps range.

    The FCC is auctioning spectrum in the 3.55 to 3.65 GHz range, which should offer slightly higher speeds than T-Mobile’s mid-band, although slightly less range and penetration as well.

    “5G is critical to America’s global economic and technological leadership, and the start of the 3.5 GHz auction today is a key milestone in our work advancing this national priority,” said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.

    It’s a safe bet this will be one of the most important spectrum auctions in recent years, with Verizon and AT&T eager to flesh out their 5G networks. It remains to be seen if T-Mobile will purchase some of the spectrum, or if they are content with the mid-band they already have.

  • T-Mobile Soon Will Require VoLTE Phones

    T-Mobile Soon Will Require VoLTE Phones

    T-Mobile will soon require all phones on its network to support 4G Voice over LTE (VoLTE) in an effort to free up spectrum.

    Some US carriers still support older protocols, such as 3G, despite how ubiquitous 4G has become. Supporting those older protocols, however, ties up valuable spectrum that can be used to enhance 4G coverage, as well as help with 5G rollouts.

    In an effort to free up some of that spectrum, T-Mobile plans on requiring all new phones activated on its network to support VoLTE by August 4. A document Android Police obtained also indicates that older devices will no longer work on the magenta carrier by January 2021.

    While T-Mobile did not confirm the dates listed in the document, they did give the following statement to Android Police:

    ”We’re making great progress building a truly transformative nationwide 5G network. As part of that, we will be phasing out some older technologies over time to free up even more capacity for LTE and 5G. In preparation for that and to give customers the best experience, those activating new lines at T-Mobile will need a VoLTE capable device, which is all we’ve offered for years now and represents the overwhelming majority of devices on the network.”

    Verizon and AT&T are both taking similar measures to retire their older networks. In the race to 5G, spectrum is the most valuable commodity, and retiring older technologies will help the carriers and their customers move forward.