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Tag: 5G

  • Apple Already Working On 6G Tech

    Apple Already Working On 6G Tech

    5G may just be ramping up, but Apple already has its sights set on the future and 6G.

    6G is still years away, with no specification or concrete guidelines. Nonetheless, Apple seems intent on getting started sooner rather than later. The company has long been reliant on Qualcomm for its modems, no doubt a sore point given their history of litigation.

    Apple has already taken steps to end its dependence on Qualcomm, buying Intel’s failed modem business. Early reportssuggested the company may be planning to begin using its own modems as early as 2022.

    According to job postings on Apple’s site, using its own 5G modems is just the beginning. In a posting entitled “Wireless Research Systems Engineer – 5G/6G”, Apple outlines its vision for the job:

    We are looking for expert and highly self-motivated communication systems engineers who have a deep understanding of wireless technology used in state of the art indoor and outdoor wireless networks. In this role you will be at the center of a cutting-edge research group responsible for creating next generation disruptive radio access technologies over the next decade. You will work on defining system level concepts, proposing and researching innovative ideas & algorithms, performing complex system simulations, defining rapid prototyping platforms to help prove your ideas and specifying RAN protocols and for next generation (5G/6G) cellular systems.

    Similarly, another posting, “RAN1/RAN4 Standards Engineer”, has the following line:

    You will be part of a team defining and doing research of next generation standards like 6G.

    Apple clearly wants to be at the forefront of 6G development and is wasting no time getting started.

  • Dish Network Moves Ahead With 5G, Signing Seven New Tower Deals

    Dish Network Moves Ahead With 5G, Signing Seven New Tower Deals

    Dish Network has signed seven new wireless tower deals, as it moves ahead to become the fourth largest carrier in the US.

    Dish Network has primarily been known for satellite TV service. Under current leadership, however, the company has been working to become a wireless carrier. When T-Mobile bought out Sprint, one of the government’s conditions of the merger was selling off some of their prepaid assets, which Dish bought as well as licensing spectrum to the company. Regulators were worried about the implications of the market going to three carriers, and wanted Dish to become a viable fourth option.

    Dish has been been moving full-steam-ahead as it works to build a wireless network from scratch. In its latest efforts, it has signed tower deals with Harmoni Towers, Mobilitie, Parallel Infrastructure, Phoenix Tower International (PTI), Tillman Infrastructure, Tower Ventures and Vogue Towers. This will provide Dish with access to over 4,000 towers and wireless sites, coast-to-coast, in addition to its spectrum agreements with T-Mobile.

    “Securing strong tower partners is a key component of any network expansion, and is tremendously important for DISH’s rapid roll-out of a new, nationwide 5G network,” said Dave Mayo, DISH Executive Vice President of Network Development. “Each of these new tower partners will play an important role in bringing our network to life, connecting next-generation wireless service to American consumers and enterprises.”

    “We are excited to partner with DISH and look forward to being a part of their nationwide 5G network deployment,” stated Lawrence Gleason, President, Harmoni Towers. “We believe our growing portfolio of newly constructed towers provides a unique opportunity to quickly and efficiently deliver the wireless infrastructure solutions DISH requires.”

  • T-Mobile Experiencing Outages Due to Severe Weather

    T-Mobile Experiencing Outages Due to Severe Weather

    As severe weather pummels much of the US, T-Mobile is experiencing outages throughout the country and especially in Texas.

    The US is currently in the midst of a record-breaking cold snap, leading to snow, ice and other severe weather in portions of the country that rarely see such events. Texas has been particularly hard-hit, with millions of people without power.

    T-Mobile, and to a lesser extent Verizon and AT&T, is experiencing outages as a result of the weather, with DownDetector showing a spike in outage reports beginning late-morning.

    Neville Ray, T-Mobile’s President of Technology, acknowledged the issue via Twitter.

    The company is facing some backlash from upset customers, some of whom are saying the company should invest more in generators for its cell towers.

    https://twitter.com/white_boy65/status/1361380906632679427?s=20

    Given how much T-Mobile touts its network superiority over Verizon and AT&T, losing service due to power outages and bad weather is certainly not a good look.

  • Blackberry 5G Phone With Physical Keyboard Coming in 2021

    Blackberry 5G Phone With Physical Keyboard Coming in 2021

    It’s the brand that won’t die, as OnwardMobility has announced it is bringing a 5G Blackberry with traditional keyboard to market in 2021.

    Once the king of the smartphone arena, Blackberry was the device of choice for professionals and consumers alike. The company was known for enterprise-grade mobile software, combined with the best QUERTY keyboard in the business.

    Unfortunately for the company, the introduction of the iPhone caught it off-guard and it lost its dominance. Since then, the core company has switched its focus to software, with a strong emphasis on security. Meanwhile, Blackberry has licensed the right to create Blackberry hardware to outside companies, OnwardMobility being the current one.

    According to an interview with Naoki Watanabe, a writer with Nikkei, CEO and Founder Peter Franklin said OnwardMobility is planning to bring 5G-enabled Blackberry phones, complete with the quintessential QUERTY keyboard, to the US and Europe in 2021. While there is not a definite timeline, OnwardMobility hopes to release in Asia as soon as possible.

    “It is a global flagship device, and Asia is very important to us,” Franklin said . “We are in the process of speaking to customers and mobile carriers on a global scale to develop our distribution plan.”

    Franklin and company are hoping to capitalize on the current remote work trends as a result of the pandemic. Because more people are working from home, there is a renewed focus on mobile devices that can help them be more productive, with Franklin touting the new Blackberry as just such a device.

    “Our smartphones equipped with a physical keyboard can help boost productivity”, Franklin added.

    It remains to be seen if OnwardMobility will be able to make a dent in the market, but there’s sure to be at least some demand for a powerful, modern Blackberry, not to mention that legendary keyboard.

  • Qualcomm Introduces First 10 Gigabit 5G Modem

    Qualcomm Introduces First 10 Gigabit 5G Modem

    Qualcomm has introduced the Snapdragon X65, the world’s first 5G modem with 10 gigabit support.

    Qualcomm is the world’s leading cellular modem manufacturer, and the company claims its latest generation of 5G modems is the biggest leap yet. Most notably, the Snapdragon X65 offers full 10 gigabit performance.

    To be clear, 10 gigabit speeds are not currently available from any kind of 5G. However, the fastest flavor of 5G, high-band mmWave, is designed to offer speeds measured in gigabits. Even the slower, but farther-reaching mid-band 5G, has already been proven to be able to deliver speeds in excess of one gigabit. As a result, a 10 gigabit modem ensures there is no bottleneck and allows the phone to benefit from the full range of speeds offered.

    Another major benefit of the Snapdragon X65 is its spectrum aggregation, enabling it to use a combination of all available 5G spectrum bands to provide the best combination of speed and range.

    “The 5G transition presents the biggest opportunity for Qualcomm as mobile technology is poised to benefit virtually every industry,” said Cristiano Amon, president and CEO-elect, Qualcomm Incorporated. “We are reaching a significant milestone with the Snapdragon X65 5G Modem-RF System, unleashing connectivity up to 10 Gigabits per second and support for the latest 5G specifications that will play a critical role in enabling new 5G use cases not only for redefined premium smartphone experiences, but also opening a new realm of possibilities for 5G expansion across mobile broadband, compute, XR, industrial IoT, 5G private networks and fixed wireless access.”

    “Snapdragon X65 brings together all the key 5G breakthroughs expected from the world’s leading wireless innovator,” said Durga Malladi, senior vice president and general manager, 4G/5G, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “Our fourth-generation 5G modem-RF system is designed for 5G launches globally and brings major innovations from modem to antenna along with extensive spectrum aggregation capabilities across sub-6 GHz and mmWave. This will fuel the rapid expansion of 5G while enhancing coverage, power efficiency and performance for users. And with extended range, high-power capabilities, Snapdragon X65 and X62 are also at the heart of the expansion of 5G into fixed wireless access and cloud-connected computing opportunities.”

  • Dell CTO: 5G Will Move Beyond the Consumer in 2021

    Dell CTO: 5G Will Move Beyond the Consumer in 2021

    Dell Technologies CTO John Roese says 2021 will be a big year for 5G, as it moves beyond the consumer and begins to reach its full potential.

    When many people think of 5G, their first thought is how fast the service will be on their phone, tablet or computer. More than any previous generation of wireless tech, however, 5G is on the threshold of revolutionizing multiple industries. The speed 5G offers promises to help advance artificial intelligence, edge computing, autonomous driving, Internet of Things (IoT) and much more.

    Roese believes 2021 is the year 5G will finally start delivering on its promises, beyond what it offers to consumers.

    5G “hasn’t really transformed much because the first wave of 5G was really an extension of 4G, it wasn’t the real 5G,” Roese said, speaking with media, via ZDNet. “But in 2021 with what’s called release 16 and release 17 of the 5G standards, we will now have true standalone 5G materialise and it will include advanced features…[that will]…make 5G interesting.”

    “Building a smart city, or smart factory, or smart hospital, or a logistics system, or a transportation network needs these advanced features and as they materialise, the 5G ecosystem will shift from being very consumer focused to really being dominated by enterprise use cases,” Roese added. “Revolutionising transportation, or healthcare, or logistics will become more and more of the dominant thread of why we’re doing 5G.”

  • T-Mobile Has Best Year Ever on Strong Q4 Results

    T-Mobile Has Best Year Ever on Strong Q4 Results

    T-Mobile has beat estimates in its Q4 results, topping off the company’s best year ever.

    T-Mobile reported earnings of $750 million on $20.3 billion in revenue. That comes out to 60¢ a share, up from the $19.9 billion and 51¢ a share analyst were expecting. The company brought in $68.4 billion for all of 2020, with $3.1 billion of net income for the year.

    Similarly, T-Mobile added a total of 1.7 million net additions in Q4, the best among US carriers. Overall, the company added 5.6 million for the entire year.

    T-Mobile also took the opportunity to tout their 5G network, an area where it has a significant advantage over its competitors. The company’s nationwide 5G network now covers 280 million people, nearly 4x more than Verizon and nearly 2.5x more than AT&T. T-Mobile’s faster Ultra Capacity 5G “covers 106 million people, over 50x more than Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband,” and is expected t cover 200 million by the end of the year.

    “These results show that we’re pulling way ahead of the pack on what matters – overall 5G network performance – and executing to stay ahead,” said Mike Sievert, CEO of T-Mobile. “And customers are noticing. 2020 was quite simply our best year yet, with our highest EVER total postpaid net additions of 5.5 million. Our team delivered – leading the industry on customer growth, while being the ONLY major player to grow profitability as well, with our synergy-backed business model. The best team, the best assets, the best 5G network. We’re positioned to create enormous value. I like the hand we’re holding!”

  • Nokia Expects ‘Meaningful Headwinds’ in 2021

    Nokia Expects ‘Meaningful Headwinds’ in 2021

    Nokia reported its quarterly results, while also warning the company is facing “meaningful headwinds” in 2021.

    The Finnish company reported Q4 revenue of 6.57 billion euros. While that beat estimates, it still represented a 5% decline from the previous year. The company did see increases in Enterprise net sales, as well as new partnerships with AT&T and Verizon. The company also announced a deal with the US government right after the quartered ended.

    Looking ahead, however, the Nokia warned that 2021 would present challenges for the company.

    “These are encouraging results, however, as I said in Q3, we expect 2021 to be challenging, a year of transition, with meaningful headwinds due to market share loss and price erosion in North America,” said Pekka Lundmark, President and CEO.

    “Additionally, as I said, delivering on our new operating model for a strong and sustainable long-term business requires us to make further 5G R&D investments in 2021, meaning we will sacrifice some short-term margin to ensure leadership in 5G.”

    Despite decreased competition from Huawei, Nokia has struggled to capitalize as effectively as Ericsson. The company’s woes even sparked talk of a possible merger or asset sale in early 2020.

    2021 may turn out to be a make-or-break year for the Finnish company.

  • Ericsson Beats Forecast On Strong 5G Demand

    Ericsson Beats Forecast On Strong 5G Demand

    Ericsson has reported its quarterly results, beating forecasts on increasing 5G demand.

    Ericsson is one of the main network equipment providers, and has been a leader in the 5G rollout around the world. The company is in a strong position, with Huawei being banned by multiple countries, and Nokia facing challenges in its efforts to be competitive.

    In its quarterly results, Ericsson reported 69.6 billion Swedish crowns, surpassing estimates of 68.35 billion crowns. In addition, the company’s gross margin increased to 40.6%, up from 36.8% a year ago.

    “Networks sales grew organically by 20%, reporting a gross margin of 43.5% (41.1%) for Q4,” said Börje Ekholm, President and CEO. “This reflects continued high activity levels in North America and North East Asia, and also in Europe where we further increased market share. Networks delivered an operating margin of 19% for full-year 2020 – well above the 15%-17% target. Investing in R&D is fundamental to our strategy. Since 2017 we have increased R&D investment by SEK 10 b. and delivered SEK 16 b. of improved operating income. Our growth during 2020 is built on a strong and competitive 5G portfolio.”

    While the company warned there may be exposure as a result of Sweden’s decision to exclude Huawei from its 5G network. China has never been shy about warning of retaliation against countries that exclude Huawei. Nonetheless, the company’s 180 markets should help insulate it.

  • Carriers Go All-In On Mid-Band 5G

    Carriers Go All-In On Mid-Band 5G

    The FCC’s mid-band spectrum auction has concluded its initial phase, and the bidding reveals carriers are all-in on mid-band.

    Throughout much of the world, mid-band spectrum has been the cornerstone of 5G rollouts. In the US, however, the Big Three carriers have focused on low and high-band. The only exception is T-Mobile, which inherited a wealth of mid-band spectrum from its acquisition of Sprint, and immediately began deploying it.

    As Forbes’ Bob O’Donnell points out, all three carriers have spent big at the FCC auction, speaking volumes about their view of the 5G market. Verizon has spent approximately $30 billion, AT&T has spent $20 billion and T-Mobile has spent $10 billion.

    As O’Donnell points out, regardless of how much each carrier has been touting their low-band network for its coverage, or their high-band mmWave network for its speed, mid-band is clearly where it’s at. Mid-band is widely seen as the sweet spot for 5G, offering a good balance of coverage and speed. In fact, T-Mobile has even demonstrated speeds of 1 Gps using its current mid-band spectrum. At the same time, mid-band offers far better coverage than the couple of hundred meters that mmWave offers.

    Another benefit of US carriers rallying around mid-band is that it helps phone and cellphone radio makers consolidate the number of frequencies they have to support.

    Either way, the investment is good news for customers.

  • Apple Posts All-Time Record Revenue

    Apple Posts All-Time Record Revenue

    Apple has obliterated estimates, posting an all-time record revenue for its Q1 earnings report.

    Analysts were expecting the company to post $103.3 billion in revenue, far less than the whopping $111.4 billion Apple reported. That represents a 21% increase, year-over-year, coming in at $1.68 per share, an increase of 35%.

    The company says international sales accounted for 64% of the company’s revenue, with China sales contributing a big portion. Sales in China increased 57%, coming in at $21.3 billion.

    iPhone revenue reached an all-time high of $65.5 billion, rising 17%, driven by demand for the 5G iPhone 12. Apple’s diversification strategy is paying off as well, with the company’s services revenue hitting $15.8 billion, an increase of 24.2%. The company says it now has 620 million subscribers to its services, beating its goal of having 600 million at the end of 2020.

    “This quarter for Apple wouldn’t have been possible without the tireless and innovative work of every Apple team member worldwide,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We’re gratified by the enthusiastic customer response to the unmatched line of cutting-edge products that we delivered across a historic holiday season. We are also focused on how we can help the communities we’re a part of build back strongly and equitably, through efforts like our Racial Equity and Justice Initiative as well as our multi-year commitment to invest $350 billion throughout the United States.”

    “Our December quarter business performance was fueled by double-digit growth in each product category, which drove all-time revenue records in each of our geographic segments and an all-time high for our installed base of active devices,” said Luca Maestri, Apple’s CFO. “These results helped us generate record operating cash flow of $38.8 billion. We also returned over $30 billion to shareholders during the quarter as we maintain our target of reaching a net cash neutral position over time.”

  • Verizon Now Offers Unlimited 5G On Prepaid Plans

    Verizon Now Offers Unlimited 5G On Prepaid Plans

    Verizon has announced that unlimited 5G, both Ultra Wideband and nationwide, is now available for its prepaid customers.

    Prepaid plans make up an important part of each carrier’s subscriber base and Verizon is improving its service for its customers. The company has made unlimited 5G available, in both Ultra Wideband and nationwide flavors.

    Verizon’s Ultra Wideband is its high-band, mmWave 5G. The fastest flavor of 5G, mmWave offers speeds measured in gigabits. In contrast, the company’s nationwide 5G uses the same spectrum as its 4G LTE, but offers far better coverage than its mmWave counterpart.

    With 4G LTE and 5G Nationwide included in all Verizon Prepaid plans, the new Verizon Prepaid Unlimited option with 5G Ultra Wideband delivers more value for customers. The plan offers 5G Ultra Wideband connectivity starting at $75 per month with the potential to lower those costs to $60 per month. Customers who stay with Verizon can enjoy savings of $5 per month with Auto Pay, $5/mo after three months of service and an additional $5/mo after nine months of service3. Existing Verizon Prepaid customers who switch to the new Unlimited plan (or other prepaid plan with loyalty discounts) are also eligible for monthly savings on Verizon Prepaid lines that have already been in service 3 to 9 months.

    The announcement is good news for Verizon’s prepaid subscribers.

  • Verizon and Unity Partner On 5G, MEC and Digital Experiences

    Verizon and Unity Partner On 5G, MEC and Digital Experiences

    Verizon has announced it is partnering with Unity to help drive 5G-powered digital experiences and mobile edge computing (MEC).

    5G is the next generation of wireless technology that promises revolutionary speeds, opening up a whole new world of digital possibilities. Augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), gaming, autonomous driving and much more all benefit from the speeds 5G can provide. Edge computing and MEC is another area where 5G can make a big difference, allowing data to be processed faster at or near the point of collection.

    Verizon has been investing heavily in its 5G network. Until recently, it had primarily focused on the fastest variety of 5G, the high-band mmWave, which Verizon calls Ultra Wideband. The company has also spent big at the FCC auction for coveted mid-band spectrum, often considered the sweet spot for 5G, offering a good combination of speed and coverage.

    Unity, on the other hand, is the maker of the popular Unity game engine, as well as the creator of the popular Fortnite game. Unity’s engine is also one of the leading VR platforms. This portfolio makes Unity a natural choice for Verizon to partner with to provide 5G content.

    “We are entering an era of technology-led disruption where 5G and MEC will not only transform the full enterprise lifecycle, it will change the way consumers experience gaming and entertainment,” said Tami Erwin, CEO of Verizon Business. “Every business is accelerating the shift to digital for their employees, supply chain or end-customer experience. So whether you’re an enterprise reimaging how you do business using predictive real time insights, computer vision, machine learning and artificial intelligence, or a mobile gamer who simply wants to download the hottest new game in seconds and enjoy data intensive, multiplayer games conventionally reserved for consoles, the future is happening right now.”

    “We know the world is demanding high-speed, AAA content, whether it’s an educational augmented reality application or a robot running a simulation of a digital twin,” said Ryan Peterson, VP, Solutions, at Unity. “5G is the key piece for us to facilitate these real-time 3D experiences broadly and to better meet the demands of the real-time economy.”

    This partnership further illustrates the emphasis wireless companies are placing on providing content that aligns with their core business. In October, T-Mobile announced TVision, its foray into streaming TV. Similarly, AT&T has its own streaming service. In an industry known for its churn — where customers switch from one company to another — providing high-quality digital experiences may play a big role in increasing brand loyalty.

     

    Image Credit: Unity & Verizon

  • Swedish Court Strikes Dashes Huawei’s Hopes, Upholds Ban

    Swedish Court Strikes Dashes Huawei’s Hopes, Upholds Ban

    A Swedish court has dismissed Huawei’s appeal of a ban preventing it from participating in the country’s 5G network.

    Huawei has been under pressure around the globe, as a result of its perceived ties to the Chinese government and intelligence community. The US, in particular, has been vocal in accusing the company of being a security risk. A number of countries have banned Huawei from participation in their 5G networks, including Sweden.

    Huawei appealed the ban, but a Swedish court has struck down the appeal, according to U.S. News & World Report, despite Huawei reportedly being willing to meet any demand the Swedish government might have.

    “A ruling by the Administrative Court of Appeal in a case relating to the law on electronic communication is final and therefore cannot be appealed,” the Supreme Administrative Court said. “The appeal should thus be dismissed.”

    This is just the latest in a string of defeats for the Chinese company that has seen it cut off from its primary chipmakers and forced to sell its smartphone business.

  • AT&T Reportedly Wants to Raise $14 Billion For 5G Auction

    AT&T Reportedly Wants to Raise $14 Billion For 5G Auction

    AT&T is reportedly looking to raise $14 billion to help it buy spectrum in the current auction.

    The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is currently auctioning 5G spectrum, with wireless carriers spending heavily to secure additional resources. While analysts expected it to hit $47 billion, the auction has already crossed $81 billion with several rounds left to go.

    According to the TheStreet, AT&T is looking to raise some $14 billion to continue bidding. The auction is critical for AT&T, as well as Verizon, as the 5G wars heat up.

    T-Mobile is widely seen as the 5G leader among US carriers. It has a wealth of spectrum, both from past auctions and its recent merger with Sprint. Most importantly, T-Mobile has ample spectrum in the mid-band range, considered the sweet spot for 5G.

    The current FCC auction is for that all-important mid-band spectrum. Unlike Verizon, however, some analysts questioned whether AT&T had the financial resources to make the necessary investment it would need to stay relevant. The company’s move to sell DirecTV was seen as a way to raise the needed capital.

    In that context, it’s not surprising AT&T is possibly looking to raise $14 billion, although the company has yet to confirm the reports.

  • CES 2021: Verizon’s Skyward and UPS Collaborating On Drone Deliveries

    CES 2021: Verizon’s Skyward and UPS Collaborating On Drone Deliveries

    Verizon used CES 2021 to announce its Skyward drone company will be collaborating with UPS Flight Forward for retail deliveries.

    The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently took important steps toward making drone deliveries a reality. It’s no surprise that UPS is quickly moving to ensure it can provide the service to its customers, and is collaborating with Skyward to make it happen.

    “We will need the ability to manage and support multiple drones, flying simultaneously, dispatched from a centralized location, operating in a secure and safe environment. To do this at scale, alongside Verizon and Skyward, we’ll need the power of 5G,” said Carol B. Tomé, CEO of UPS.

    “We’re just beginning to see how the power of 5G Ultra Wideband will transform the way businesses operate,” said Rima Qureshi, Chief Strategy Officer at Verizon. “By partnering with UPS and other innovative companies, we can learn from each other’s expertise and collaborate to create solutions that help move the world forward.”

    UPS has already had more than 3,800 drone delivery flights. With the global pandemic, however, drone deliveries have become more important than ever and are widely seen as a way to deliver products in a safe way. The rapid increase in demand is no doubt responsible for UPS working with Skyward.

    The drones will stay connected and be controlled via Verizon’s 4G LTE network, as well as its 5G network where possible.

  • Trouble in Paradise? Cisco Sues to Keep Acacia Deal Alive

    Trouble in Paradise? Cisco Sues to Keep Acacia Deal Alive

    Cisco has sued Acacia to keep its $2.6 billion acquisition deal alive after Acacia tried to back out.

    Cisco announced in July 2019 that it was purchasing Acacia for $2.6 billion. Acacia makes optical components that would aid Cisco in its efforts to gain a meaningful share of the 5G network market. Since the announcement, the two companies have been working through the regulatory hurdles necessary for the acquisition to proceed. Acacia, however, is using one of those regulatory hurdles as a reason to try to back out.

    According to a company statement, Acacia is terminating the merger agreement because it did not receive approval from a Chinese agency in time.

    Because approval of the Chinese government’s State Administration for Market Regulation was not received within the timeframe contemplated by the merger agreement, Acacia did not have an obligation to close the merger before the arrival of the January 8, 2021 extended end date. As such, Acacia exercised its right to terminate the proposed transaction in accordance with the terms of the merger agreement.

    Cisco has challenged Acacia’s stand, claiming that all conditions have been met, including approval from China’s regulator. Cisco applied for a court mandate prohibiting any termination of the merger agreement until a court could weigh in. Cisco was granted the order on Friday.

    At this point, it remains to be seen how the merger will play out, but it appears any resolution may not be as amicable as hoped.

  • Verizon Changes Direction on 3G Shutdown

    Verizon Changes Direction on 3G Shutdown

    Verizon has announced it is delaying the shutdown of its 3G network indefinitely.

    Verizon had previously committed to shutting down its network at the end of 2020, after postponing it from the original date at the end of 2019. According to Light Reading, the company has now delayed its plans indefinitely.

    While the company did not give a reason for the decision, the most likely reason is because of the number of subscribers it still has on the aging technology.

    Verizon’s competitors are also planning on shutting down their 3G networks, with AT&T slated to do so in early 2022. T-Mobile, meanwhile, has only said its shutdown would occur over the next several years, but has not divulged a timeline.

    Wireless carriers have quite a bit of incentive to repurpose the spectrum being used for their 3G networks. Verizon, in particular, uses 850 and 1900 MHz spectrum for its 3G network. The company has struggled with its nationwide 5G network, which uses low-band spectrum to provide widespread coverage. Because Verizon’s 700 MHz spectrum is tied up with its 4G LTE network, it has had to rely on Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) to use that spectrum for both 4G and 5G traffic. Freeing up spectrum would give Verizon more options, especially with its low-band 850 MHz.

    Nonetheless, it looks like Verizon’s 3G customers have earned a reprieve for the time being.

  • Cristiano Amon Replacing Steve Mollenkopf As Qualcomm CEO

    Cristiano Amon Replacing Steve Mollenkopf As Qualcomm CEO

    Steve Mollenkopf is retiring as CEO of Qualcomm after 26 years at the company, and will be replaced by Cristiano Amon.

    Mollenkopf has served as CEO since 2014. Prior to serving as CEO, Mollenkopf began his career at Qualcomm as an engineer, giving him an invaluable insight into the technical aspects of the company’s business. In recent years, Mollenkops has guided the company through major industry transitions, including the development of 5G, as well as fending off antitrust lawsuits the company faced.

    “Steve navigated through unprecedented circumstances during his tenure, facing more in his seven years as CEO than most leaders face in their entire careers,” said Mark McLaughlin, Chair of Qualcomm’s Board of Directors. “Under Steve’s leadership, the Company remained focused and created immense value for stockholders, inventing key technologies that are driving economic growth and improving lives. On behalf of the entire Qualcomm Board, I want to thank Steve for the vision and leadership he brought during his years as CEO and for leading what I am confident will be a seamless transition. Cristiano was the clear choice to be Qualcomm’s next CEO, having the track record of successful execution, deep Company knowledge, very strong relationships with our ecosystem of partners, and the strategic vision to take the Company forward. He is an authentic leader who has played a critical role in the Company’s success. We look forward to working together with him to lead the Company through its next chapter of growth.”

    Cristiano Amon will replace Mollenkopf after serving as Qualcomm President since 2018. Amon has been responsible for Qualcomm’s semiconductor business and played and important role in the company’s 5G strategy. This experience makes him the obvious choice for the company moving forward.

    “I am immensely proud of all that we have accomplished at Qualcomm and the position the Company currently enjoys as the world’s leader in wireless technologies,” Mollenkopf said. “With our business model clearly validated and our leadership in 5G, this is the right time for Cristiano to assume leadership of the Company and preside over what I see as the single largest opportunity in the Company’s history. Cristiano spearheaded the development of our 5G strategy, including its acceleration, industry-leading technology roadmap and global rollout. He was also a key architect and driver of Qualcomm’s strategy to expand and diversify our business beyond mobile and into new industry segments such as Auto, RF Front-End and IoT. Qualcomm is well positioned for the future and I am confident that with Cristiano as CEO, the Company will continue to invent leading technologies and create value for all of our stakeholders.”

    The transition will effective June 30, 2021.

  • 5G Auction Blows Past $76 Billion, Shattering Estimates

    5G Auction Blows Past $76 Billion, Shattering Estimates

    The auction for 5G spectrum in the US has shattered estimates, passing $76 billion as of Monday.

    The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is holding the auction for mid-band spectrum. The spectrum is especially valuable for wireless companies, as it is seen as the sweet spot for 5G. While low-band offers excellent range and building penetration, its speed is only marginally better than 4G LTE. High-band, also known as mmWave, offers speeds in the gigabits, but is limited by extremely short range and poor penetration. Mid-band spectrum offers speeds in excess of 1 Gbps, while still providing reasonable range and penetration.

    Verizon and AT&T are especially in need of mid-band spectrum, as neither company has the enough to bridge the gap between their low and high-band 5G networks. T-Mobile, in contrast, inherited a wealth of mid-band as a result of their merger with Sprint, making the company the one to beat in the 5G market.

    As Bloomberg points out, analysts had predicted the auction could go as high as $47 billion, a figure that is now in the distant rear-view. Verizon has been the biggest bidder so far, and will likely continue to dominate the auction. The company cannot afford to walk away without massive gains if it expects to remain competitive.

    AT&T’s need is just as dire, but the company doesn’t have the resources to spend as heavily as Verizon. Some experts believe AT&T’s recent efforts to sell DirecTV may be to raise the necessary money to purchase a meaningful share of 5G spectrum.

    While T-Mobile is the company that is currently the most spectrum rich, it may want to bolster its holdings even more, especially in cities and heavily populated areas where networks can become bogged down more easily. The company also has an interest in bidding to help drive the price up, ensuring Verizon and AT&T don’t walk away with huge swaths of spectrum for a bargain basement price.

    It remains to be seen just how high the bidding will go, but the current price gives a small glimpse into just how committed US wireless carriers are to their 5G rollouts.