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Tag: Verizon

  • T-Mobile’s Growth Streak Continues, Added 1.9 Million Subscribers In Q4

    T-Mobile’s Growth Streak Continues, Added 1.9 Million Subscribers In Q4

    T-Mobile has released preliminary results for Q4, showing the company continues its record-breaking growth rate.

    According to the results, T-Mobile added 1.9 million subscribers in Q4, marking the 27th consecutive quarter the company has added at least 1 million subscribers. It also makes the 6th year in a row the company has added at least 5 million subscribers per year.

    “T-Mobile delivered another incredible fourth quarter with strong customer growth, despite a very competitive environment – and we did it while lighting up the country’s first nationwide 5G network and working to close our merger with Sprint,” said John Legere, CEO of T-Mobile. “7 million net customers have chosen to join the Un-carrier movement in 2019, and they are choosing T-Mobile because we treat them right, we eliminate their pain points, and we are changing the rules of this industry for customers everywhere.”

    T-Mobile is currently well behind Verizon and AT&T, in terms of overall subscribers, and is currently fighting a coalition of states who are suing to prevent T-Mobile from acquiring Sprint. Should the number three carrier prevail, it will help it significantly close the gap. With the benefits and liabilities a merger may bring, it will be interesting to see if T-Mobile continues its record-breaking growth rate.

  • AT&T Expands 5G Options, Still Lags Behind T-Mobile and Verizon

    AT&T Expands 5G Options, Still Lags Behind T-Mobile and Verizon

    AT&T has been expanding its 5G network, adding coverage in both its low-band and millimeter wave (mmWave) flavors, according to CNET.

    Like Verizon and T-Mobile, AT&T has been racing to deploy its 5G network. The carrier has adopted a similar strategy as T-Mobile, deploying both low-band 5G and mmWave simultaneously. Low-band 5G offers speeds only marginally faster than 4G LTE—in T-Mobile’s case, a maximum of four times faster—but has the advantage of long range and excellent building penetration. mmWave, on the other hand, offers terrible range and building penetration, but provides speeds measured in gigabits instead of megabits.

    In addition to the 10 cities AT&T initially launched low-band in, the company has added nine new ones. The cities include, Baltimore, Buffalo, Bridgeport, Detroit, Las Vegas, Louisville, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington DC. Boston is also listed on the company’s coverage maps, although no announcement has yet been made.

    Similarly, AT&T has added mmWave service in Baltimore, Detroit, King of Prussia and West Hollywood, bringing the total to 25 cities.

    In both cases, however, AT&T lags well behind its competitors. T-Mobile has launched its low-band network nationwide, covering 200 million people, rather than a mere 19 cities. Similarly, Verizon has been pushing to deploy mmWave as quickly as possible, recently passing its 30 city goal for 2019, well beyond AT&T’s 25.

  • Verizon Looking At 5G Drones For Growth

    Verizon Looking At 5G Drones For Growth

    According to a post on the company’s website, “Verizon is seeking to be the first carrier to connect one million drone flights to the 5G network.”

    Verizon has had its sights set on the market for some time, acquiring drone company Skyward in early 2017, just a few months after offering wireless plans aimed at drone makers. The company sees far more potential, however, especially for companies looking to operate fleets of drones, which cost significantly less than helicopters or planes.

    Verizon is counting on the speed of its 5G Ultra Wideband network, along with mobile edge computing (MEC) to provide the missing ingredient necessary for widespread drone deployment. With MEC “more complex functions can be performed nearer to the user and away from centralized servers. By shortening the distance data has to travel, drones will be able to perform more latency-sensitive tasks. As a knock-on benefit, because bulky processors can be offloaded, drones have the potential to get smaller and faster, with extended battery life, so they can stay in the air and on the job longer.”

    Verizon sees tremendous opportunity in the field, as a mere “10% of major enterprises have a drone program, and none of them are connected to a wireless network,” says Mariah Scott, president of Skyward. “We knew early on that connectivity would be critical for drones to truly transform our world. And now 5G Ultra Wideband will usher in a new era in aviation, where we connect and integrate drones into the national airspace.”

    The two companies are working closely to overcome the remaining hurdles for widespread adoption. Verizon’s network will allow operators to pilot drones from thousands of miles away, while its MEC capabilities will make drones viable for a wider range of industries. In the meantime, “Skyward recently unveiled advanced airspace intelligence for drone pilots, including essential ground intelligence and 3D views of more than one million vertical obstacles.”

    The timing is definitely right for Verizon’s ambitions, as the Federal Aviation Administration recently proposed rules that would allow it to identify and track the majority of active drones. This is seen as a major step in integrating drones into the national airspace alongside existing aerial vehicles.

  • Verizon Reaches Goal, Delivers 5G in 31 Cities

    Verizon Reaches Goal, Delivers 5G in 31 Cities

    Verizon has officially reached its stated goal of delivering 5G in at least 30 cities before the end of 2019.

    According the company’s news feed, Verizon has officially crossed the 30 city threshold, with 5G now active in 31 cities across the U.S. The most recent additions—Columbus, Cleveland, and Hampton Roads—helped the carrier meet its goal.

    As several outlets have pointed out, however, Verizon’s announcement seems more geared toward meeting an arbitrary marketing deadline than offering practical coverage. Because Verizon’s 5G is primarily the high-frequency millimeter wave (mmWave) variety, it offers extremely limited range and even worse building penetration. As a result, while the speeds are far superior to 4G LTE, the coverage area is so narrow and spotty that its practical use is still very limited.

    This is in contrast to T-Mobile’s approach, which is centered around low-band 5G in the 600 MHz range. While it only offers speeds that range from 20 percent to four times faster than LTE, the range, coverage and penetration are superior to older technology. Like Verizon, T-Mobile is also building out mmWave services in metropolitan areas, but their low-band service ensures that everyone will benefit from 5G, not just a few million people in densely populated areas.

    Hopefully as 2020 dawns, Verizon will focus on delivering usable 5G, as opposed to checking off marketing milestones.

  • Senate Signs Bill to Help Curb Illegal Robocalls

    Senate Signs Bill to Help Curb Illegal Robocalls

    Robocalls have become a plague for the American consumer, with some 54 billion being placed last year alone. Now, according to the International Business Times (IBT), the Senate has unanimously approved House-passed legislation aimed at combatting robocalls.

    The Pallone-Thune Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act is named for its sponsors, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., and Sen. John Thune, R-S.D. In passing the bill, lawmakers cited the nuisance to consumers, while also highlighting the life-threatening impact robocalls can have on hospitals.

    “There are numerous stories of hospital telephone lines being flooded with robocalls, disrupting critical lines of communication for hours,” Thune said. “That can’t be allowed to go on.”

    According to IBT, “the measure requires AT&T, Verizon and other phone companies to block robocalls for free and ensure calls are coming from real numbers. It also gives regulators more time to find and penalize scammers without having to issue warnings first.

    “The Federal Communications Commission will be required to let Congress know about action being taken against robocalling operations and oversee companies tracking such calls. It also requires the Justice Department to prosecute more often.

    “The FCC voted during the summer to allow carriers to block suspicious calls by default.

    “The bill’s requirements are expected to take months to implement and do nothing to reduce calls from credit card companies, student lenders and other businesses who depend on such calls to generate business.”

    While the bill’s backers say the its impact may not be noticeable immediately, as time goes on users will experience less calls.

    The bill will now go to President Trump. According to The Hill, “Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.) told reporters Thursday that the bill is likely to be ‘signed into law the next week or so.’”

  • Verizon On Track For 5G In 30 Cities In 2019

    Verizon On Track For 5G In 30 Cities In 2019

    CNET is reporting that Verizon has turned on its 5G network in Los Angeles, Des Moines, IA and Hoboken, NJ, putting the carrier on target for 30 cities in 2019.

    According to CNET, “Verizon’s 5G network is already live in Dallas, Omaha, Atlanta, Detroit, Indianapolis, Washington, DC, Chicago, Denver, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Providence, Boston, Houston and Sioux Falls.”

    Verizon is taking a different approach than T-Mobile and AT&T, as it has been focusing heavily on the faster, short-range mmWave 5G spectrum. T-Mobile, in contrast, recently activated its nationwide 5G network—based on the slower, but longer-range low-band spectrum—while slowly rolling out mmWave in select cities.

    Charlotte, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Little Rock, Kansas City, Memphis, San Diego and Salt Lake City are all slated to receive Verizon 5G before the end of the year, leaving the company just under two weeks to meet its goal.

  • T-Mobile May Raise Prices If the Sprint Merger Falls Through

    T-Mobile May Raise Prices If the Sprint Merger Falls Through

    Not many companies need to take measures to slow customer growth but—if the T-Mobile/Sprint merger is blocked—T-Mobile may raise prices to do just that, according to CEO John Legere.

    T-Mobile has added at least one million subscribers every quarter for the last 26 quarters. While that represents an enviable rate of growth, it has put a strain on the number three carrier’s network. The merger would give T-Mobile access to Sprint’s large spectrum portfolio, which it plans on using to help shore up its 5G network.

    With 13 states and the District of Columbia fighting to block T-Mobile’s acquisition of Sprint, the Associated Press (AP) is reporting that Legere testified yesterday about the repercussions of a failed merger. Calling it his “worst nightmare,” Legere said the company would have to raises prices in an effort to slow user growth and easy strain on the network.

    Sprint is obviously not the only option for T-Mobile to gain the needed spectrum. It previously tried merging with Dish Network, a company that also has a great deal of available spectrum. Sprint, however, offers one of the best options, as it also gives T-Mobile a larger subscriber base, giving it the ability to more directly match and compete with Verizon and AT&T.

  • AT&T’s True 5G Network Goes Live: Now Available in 10 Markets

    AT&T’s True 5G Network Goes Live: Now Available in 10 Markets

    AT&T announced its true 5G network has gone live for consumers in 10 markets across the country today.

    AT&T made headlines nearly a year ago with the release of 5G Evolution (5GE), a fancy marketing term designed to help it beat its competitors in the rush to 5G. As Tom’s Guide’s investigation and testing showed, 5GE was nothing more than a slightly upgraded version of 4G LTE. Verizon and T-Mobile had the same tech for years, referring to it by the far less deceptive name “LTE Advanced.” In fact, OpenSignal’s testing showed AT&T’s 5GE was actually slower than either Verizon or T-Mobile.

    Now, roughly a year after 5GE, AT&T has turned on its true 5G network for consumers in 10 markets. Like T-Mobile’s nationwide 5G network that went live earlier this month, AT&T’s 5G network uses low-band spectrum rather than the fast millimeter wave (mmWave) variety. This means that speeds will be slower, although range and building penetration will be better.

    According to the company’s announcement, “millions of consumers and businesses across Birmingham, Ala., Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Providence, R.I., Rochester, N.Y., San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose, Calif. market areas can now access AT&T’s 5G network using the Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G.”

    “We believe 5G technology will be game-changing, and we continue to help drive this next wave of innovation,” said Scott Mair, President of AT&T Technology Operations. “We were the first in the U.S. to offer commercial mobile 5G, and this is the next step as we build to nationwide service in the first half of 2020.”

  • Sprint Executive Expected Merger to Raise Prices, Undercutting T-Mobile Argument

    Sprint Executive Expected Merger to Raise Prices, Undercutting T-Mobile Argument

    As the trial to stop the T-Mobile/Sprint merger got underway today, Bloomberg is reporting that at least one Sprint executive suspected the merger would result in higher prices for consumers.

    As a coalition of 13 states and the District of Columbia try to prevent the two wireless companies from merging, T-Mobile has maintained that the merger will ultimately benefit customers. Part of the rationale is that T-Mobile and Sprint need to combine to have the size and resources necessary to compete with Verizon and AT&T. Without the merger, the two smaller companies have indicated they would not be able to compete as effectively in the 5G market, leaving Verizon and AT&T little competition or incentive to keep prices low.

    The states, on the other hand, have said that going from four major carriers to three would eliminate competition, resulting in higher prices. According to documents that have come to light on the first day of the trial, it seems that a Sprint executive agreed with that sentiment.

    “Roger Sole, Sprint’s chief marketing officer, said in a text message in 2017 to Marcelo Claure, the carrier’s chief executive officer at the time, that the deal could mean an increase of $5 a month in average revenue per subscriber. Industry leaders AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. would also benefit with fewer players in the market, he said.”

    We’ve already reported on the stakes in this trial, impacting how much states have a say in antitrust matters the federal government is not interested in pursuing. If more documents or testimony comes to light supporting Sole’s belief, the states may be able to make their case after all.

  • Verizon, T-Mobile and US Cellular Exaggerated 4G LTE Coverage

    Verizon, T-Mobile and US Cellular Exaggerated 4G LTE Coverage

    Yesterday we reported on the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) plans to allocate $9 billion to assist rural 5G rollout. It appears that decision was motivated by an investigation showing that Verizon, T-Mobile and US Cellular exaggerated the extent of their 4G LTE coverage.

    The investigation resulted from complaints in 12 states that the three carriers’ coverage was not as good as advertised. FCC staff drove nearly 10,000 miles testing wireless signals on Samsung S9 smartphones.

    “Only 62.3% of staff drive tests achieved at least the minimum download speed predicted by the coverage maps—with U.S. Cellular achieving that speed in only 45.0% of such tests, T-Mobile in 63.2% of tests, and Verizon in 64.3% of tests,” the report says. “Similarly, staff stationary tests showed that each provider achieved sufficient download speeds meeting the minimum cell edge probability in fewer than half of all test locations (20 of 42 locations). In addition, staff was unable to obtain any 4G LTE signal for 38% of drive tests on U.S. Cellular’s network, 21.3% of drive tests on T-Mobile’s network, and 16.2% of drive tests on Verizon’s network, despite each provider reporting coverage in the relevant area.”

    There is more at stake than mere inconvenience, however, as the report goes on to highlight.

    “The Commission and the public must be able to rely on the deployment data that providers submit to the Commission. Inaccurate data jeopardize the ability of the Commission to focus our limited universal service funds on the unserved areas that need the most support.”

    In other words, if coverage maps show an area has excellent wireless reception, the FCC is unlikely to green-light funds to improve coverage in that area. Therefore, areas that inaccurately display coverage could end up being denied funds they desperately need.

    The FCC proposed a number of remedies, including penalties for carriers that overstate coverage and appropriations from Congress to cover the expense of having manual driving checks to verify signal.

    Hopefully, whatever the FCC decides will help resolve the issues wireless customers have experienced for years—where what they pay for doesn’t always match what they were promised.

  • Verizon CEO Hopes There Is No 5G Cold War Between U.S. and China

    Verizon CEO Hopes There Is No 5G Cold War Between U.S. and China

    “I hope not, because one of the beauties of this industry is that we’ve done standardization, which means that you can bring your phone from whichever country you’re in and go to another country and it works.”

    Verizon Chairman & CEO Hans Vestberg when asked if the 5G industry is headed for a ‘cold war’ between Chinese and American 5G standards.

    Mr. Vestberg was being interviewed in the wake of a recent tear down of Huawei’s latest 5G phone. The tear down revealed no components within in the phone that were compatible with 5G technology and spectrum being used in the U.S.

    “That has been the most accessible sort of technology in the world. And in today’s world, with so many challenges, the platform of 4G and 5G is the most important.

    “Hopefully people understand that this is an industry that actually share their patents, they share their innovations, in order to get so many people as possible on this Earth to use this technology. Some things we’re combating in the world—education, healthcare, etc.—can be enabled on mobile phones.”

  • Verizon and AWS Announce 5G Cloud Computing Partnership

    Verizon and AWS Announce 5G Cloud Computing Partnership

    At AWS re:Invent, Verizon and AWS announced a 5G cloud partnership combining the benefits of 5G edge computing and AWS Wavelength.

    AWS Wavelength helps developers create applications with single-digit millisecond latency.

    “AWS developers can deploy their applications to Wavelength Zones, AWS infrastructure deployments that embed AWS compute and storage services within the telecommunications providers’ datacenters at the edge of the 5G networks, and seamlessly access the breadth of AWS services in the region.”

    Now, Verizon becomes the first company to provide 5G edge computing with AWS Wavelength.

    “By utilizing AWS Wavelength and Verizon 5G Edge, developers will be able to deliver a wide range of transformative, latency-sensitive use cases like machine learning inference at the edge, autonomous industrial equipment, smart cars and cities, Internet of Things (IoT), and augmented and virtual reality. To accomplish this, Verizon 5G Edge provides mobile edge computing and an efficient high-volume connection between users, devices, and applications. AWS Wavelength lets customers deploy the parts of an application that require ultra-low latency to the edge of the network and then seamlessly connect back to the full range of cloud services running in AWS.

    “Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband technology enables a wide range of new capabilities and diverse use cases with download speeds many times faster than typical 4G networks. 5G will also dramatically increase the number of devices that can be supported within the same geographic areas and greatly reduce network latency to mobile devices. Mobile edge compute (MEC) technology further reduces latency. Currently, application data has to travel from the device, to the mobile network, to networking devices at the mobile edge, and then to the Internet to get to the application servers in remote locations, which can result in longer latency. This prevents developers from realizing the full potential of 5G in addressing lower latency use-cases. For example, game streaming requires less than 20 millisecond latency for a truly immersive experience.

    “In placing AWS compute and storage services at the edge of Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network with AWS Wavelength, AWS and Verizon bring processing power and storage physically closer to 5G mobile users and wireless devices, and enable developers to build applications that can deliver enhanced user experiences like near real-time analytics for instant decision-making, immersive game streaming, and automated robotic systems in manufacturing facilities.”

    This new partnership underscores the importance of 5G technology and the transformative impact it will have on a variety of industries.

  • T-Mobile Delivers 5G Network Days Ahead of Schedule

    T-Mobile Delivers 5G Network Days Ahead of Schedule

    T-Mobile originally announced it was unveiling its nationwide 5G network on December 6. It seems the carrier has beat expectations, unveiling 5G today, four days ahead of schedule.

    According to Engadget, the network T-Mobile has turned on is its 600 MHz low-band spectrum. Unlike millimeter wave (mmWave) 5G, which offers speeds measured in gigabits instead of megabits, low-band spectrum offers speeds similar to 4G LTE.

    The benefit of low-band spectrum is that it has far better range and building penetration. In contrast, mmWave 5G has extremely limited range and doesn’t penetrate windows or buildings very well. While T-Mobile’s new network doesn’t offer the speeds of Verizon’s, it will have far better coverage.

    Coinciding with the network’s launch, TechCrunch is reporting T-Mobile has opened pre-orders on two 5G-capable phones.

    “The OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren Edition, at least, is a T-Mobile exclusive here in the States.

    “It’s a premium as far as OnePlus goes, but still arrives at the (relatively) low price of $900. Compare that to the $1,300 Galaxy Note 10 Plus 5G. Both are officially going on sale on Friday, and should be able to connect to the new network at launch.”

    As the 5G battle heats up, it will be interesting to see what advantages—speed vs coverage—customers prefer.

  • 50 Percent of US Will Have 5G Capability In 2020, Says Verizon CEO

    50 Percent of US Will Have 5G Capability In 2020, Says Verizon CEO

    “I think we will have (functional phones running on 5G in 50% of the country) by next year,” says Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg. “It is a functionality called DSS, dynamic spectrum sharing, where basically it’s agnostic to what type of phone you have. It won’t matter whether it’s a 4G or 5G and that’s best for the customer. I think that it’s going to be next year. That’s what I said before. And remember, the prediction is that by 2024 50 percent of the US population will own a 5G phone.”

    Hans Vestberg, CEO of Verizon, discusses when 5G will be available and his prediction on when most people will actually own 5G phones, in an interview on CNBC:

    50 Percent of US Will Have 5G Capability By Next Year

    We have severed 5G phones that are not getting too hot. But of course, at the beginning of technology, you can find those type of things. That’s why we when we launched we launched in one or two markets to see that it’s really working. Now we’re actually deploying in all markets with all our vendors on infrastructure and with four different devices. It is actually starting to work very well. 

    Remember, in the beginning, we had 600 megabits per second on the phones. Just for comparison, we have 50-100 megabits on 4G. Right now on 5G, we’re at 2 gigs. So only in the six to eight weeks since we have been launching we learn and we do improvements on the software constantly. As I was around when 4G came, I think that 4G took a much longer time to actually reach those improvements. I see a good track record and the whole industries behind it.

    I think we will have (functional phones running on 5G in 50% of the country) by next year. It is a functionality called DSS, dynamic spectrum sharing, where basically it’s agnostic to what type of phone you have. It won’t matter whether it’s a 4G or 5G and that’s best for the customer. I think that it’s going to be next year. That’s what I said before. And remember, the prediction is that by 2024 50 percent of the US population will own a 5G phone. Don’t forget that 4G is an extremely powerful technology as well and we need to cater to all our customers with the best network that we have.

    50 Percent of US Will Have 5G Capability In 2020, Says Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg
  • Verizon and Snap Partner to Deliver Augmented Reality Tools

    Verizon and Snap Partner to Deliver Augmented Reality Tools

    According to a press release, Verizon and Snap, Inc., the creator of Snapchat, have teamed up to create new augmented reality (AR) tools and experiences.

    The deal gives Snap access to 5G test equipment in Verizon’s labs, which the company can use to create and test boundary-pushing AR experiences that take full advantage of 5G speeds. Snap will also have its software preloaded on some Verizon 5G phones. This will likely lead to a large influx of new customers for Snap, and help it cement its spot in the AR race. Verizon, in turn, will have premium sponsorship placements in Snap Originals.

    “5G will change the way people live, work and play and we’re partnering with leading companies like Snap Inc. to create unique experiences and new offerings,” said Frank Boulben, Senior Vice President of Marketing & Products, Verizon Consumer Group. “Our strategy is to partner with the best brands to ensure our customers have exclusive access to cutting edge technology and services. Our 5G Ultra Wideband technology should change the way mobile users forever experience places and events, evolving the way they see the world.”

    “Major advances in high-bandwidth experiences are fueling the future of augmented reality,” said Jared Grusd, Chief Strategy Officer, Snap Inc. “We are thrilled to partner with Verizon to move the industry forward through the development of creative and innovative 5G experiences on Snapchat.”

    Snap will also benefit from the many live events Verizon sponsors and hosts, providing AR experiences and introducing countless event-goers to the benefits of AR. Verizon alluded to the possibility by highlighting the potential “opportunities to experience live events in new ways through Snapchat.”

    This new partnership highlights the importance of the technology to old and new companies alike.

  • SAP and Verizon Partnering to Develop Next-Gen IoT Analytics Solution

    SAP and Verizon Partnering to Develop Next-Gen IoT Analytics Solution

    SAP and Verizon have announced a collaboration to help applications process data where it is generated, thanks to Verizon’s network and SAP’s edge computing platform.

    Edge computing allows companies to reduce data processing time by processing the data collected by Internet of Things (IoT) devices at or near the data collection point, rather than sending it to a data center.

    Verizon’s 5G network, paired with SAP’s Leonardo Internet of Things and Edge Services and analytics, will give customers in the supply chain, field service management, assembly line and retail industries real-time data processing.

    “We are unleashing the next generation of cloud capabilities through global data centers, across the edge of the network,” said Eric Stine, Chief Customer Innovation Officer, SAP North America. “With data volumes growing exponentially and the capabilities of new wireless technologies like 5G to further expand the reach of IoT and enterprise computing, SAP and Verizon are uniquely positioned to drive a new class of data analytics, management and services at scale to help the world’s great companies create amazing customer
    experiences, and unlock new business models and monetization strategies.”

    “Our ability to integrate our ThingSpace platform into the SAP Cloud portfolio provides a secure and agile way to deliver instantaneous, end-to-end operational analytics at the edge while lowering the cost of IoT management,” said George Fischer, president, Global Enterprise, Verizon Business Group. “This combined solution is not just about massive IoT. We are also enabling computer vision, augmented reality, blockchain and machine learning using Verizon’s network. These are a truly comprehensive set of capabilities to help our customers better manage critical functions including asset lifecycles, supply chains, customer experiences, human capital and plant operations.”

  • WeWork Reportedly In Talks to Hire T-Mobile CEO John Legere

    WeWork Reportedly In Talks to Hire T-Mobile CEO John Legere

    According to the Wall Street Journal, WeWork is in talks to hire T-Mobile CEO John Legere. The beleaguered company is looking for a CEO who can turn it around, much as Legere is credited with turning things around at T-Mobile.

    Legere has a long history in the telecom industry, having worked at AT&T and Global Crossing Ltd. before taking over the reigns at T-Mobile. This experience makes him an ideal candidate to help run a company in a disruptive industry.

    It’s not clear if Legere will take the job. Having successfully led T-Mobile through record-breaking growth, a 240% increase in stock price and a merger with Sprint that is likely to go through in 2020, Legere was in line to receive $109 million if performance goals were met.

    Given how integral Legere has been to T-Mobile’s success, stock prices of both T-Mobile and Sprint were down following the WSJ’s report. If WeWork is successful at wooing T-Mobile’s colorful CEO, however, that doesn’t necessarily mean anything will change at the magenta provider. T-Mobile has increasingly been grooming Legere’s deputy, Mike Sievert, to take over for him. Mr. Sievert has featured more prominently in T-Mobile events. If Legere does leave for WeWork, it’s a safe bet that Mr. Sievert and T-Mobile will continue what he started, disrupting the wireless industry and being the scourge of Verizon and AT&T.

  • T-Mobile Will Turn On Nationwide 5G December 6

    T-Mobile Will Turn On Nationwide 5G December 6

    T-Mobile has rolled out 5G in six cities but, according to CNET, the company is about to unveil nationwide 5G on December 6.

    Many 5G deployments fall into two types: low-band and high-frequency. High-frequency 5G offers the highest speeds, but at the cost of range and ability to penetrate obstacles, such as trees and buildings. Low-band 5G, in contrast, is not as fast but offers far superior range and penetration, while still be significantly faster than 4G.

    T-Mobile’s deployment-to-date has used high-frequency, millimeter-wave spectrum, the same kind of 5G that Verizon and AT&T are deploying. On December 6, however, the network T-Mobile will be activating will rely on their low-band spectrum. That difference will allow the company to provide service to upwards of 5,000 cities and towns throughout the country. It will also give T-Mobile an edge when it comes to building penetration in those cities.

    T-Mobile has assured customers that existing plans will automatically have access to the new 5G service—with compatible phones—without any additional fees or plan changes.

    Initially, the only two phones supporting the new spectrum are the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus 5G and the OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren, but it’s a safe bet that other manufacturers will be quick to incorporate support in their next models.

  • Verizon Reports Strong Third Quarter, Beating Analysts’ Estimates

    Verizon Reports Strong Third Quarter, Beating Analysts’ Estimates

    Verizon Communications, Inc. reported a strong Q3 2019 driven by solid gains in wireless customers.

    The telecommunications provider reported the “most third-quarter phone gross additions in five years.” In particular, Verizon saw significant growth in postpaid phone subscribers, the most lucrative and sought-after type of customers that wireless companies work to attract.

    Verizon also saw an increase of 2.1 percent in customer wireless revenue thanks to customers upgrading to higher-tier plans. This was no doubt encouraged by the company announcing new unlimited data plans in August, with each tier being $5 cheaper than on the previous plans.

    “Verizon continued its momentum in the third quarter by driving strong wireless volumes in both our Consumer and Business segments, while delivering solid financial results, highlighted by continued wireless service revenue growth, increased cash flow, and EPS growth,” said Chairman and CEO Hans Vestberg. “We are focused on our 5G rollout strategy, looking to deploy next-generation networks while enhancing our industry-leading 4G LTE network. Going into the fourth quarter, we are energized by the strong performance of the business and we are confident in our strategy to drive value for our customers and growth for our shareholders.”

    According to the report, “for third-quarter 2019, Verizon reported EPS of $1.25, compared with $1.19 in third-quarter 2018. The company’s reported earnings include a minimal net impact from special items: a net pre-tax gain of $261 million from dispositions of assets and businesses that was offset by a pension re-measurement pre-tax charge of $291 million. On an adjusted basis (non-GAAP), third-quarter 2019 EPS, excluding special items, was $1.25, compared with adjusted EPS of $1.22 in third-quarter 2018.

    “In third-quarter 2019, Verizon’s results included the effects of a reduction in benefits from the adoption of a revenue recognition standard, primarily due to the deferral of commission expense, and the adoption of a lease accounting standard. The combined net impact was a 4 cent headwind in third-quarter 2019, and 13 cents year-to-date, which is included in the year-over-year increase in adjusted EPS.”

  • AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Join Forces to Take Messaging to the Next Level

    AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Join Forces to Take Messaging to the Next Level

    iPhone users have long-enjoyed iMessage, an iOS-only alternative to SMS that has far more features than basic messaging. WhatsApp offers a similar approach, adding features and abilities in a cross-platform app.

    Today the four major wireless carriers announced the Cross-Carrier Messaging Initiative (CCMI), aimed at delivering iMessage or WhatsApp-like messaging to customers and businesses alike. The service will be based on the Rich Communication Services (RCS) protocol.

    The goal is to roll out the service to Android first, sometime in 2020. The CCMI service will:

    • Drive a robust business-to-consumer messaging ecosystem and accelerate the adoption of Rich Communications Services (RCS)
    • Enable an enhanced experience to privately send individual or group chats across carriers with high quality pictures and videos
    • Provide consumers with the ability to chat with their favorite brands, order a rideshare, pay bills or schedule appointments, and more
    • Create a single seamless, interoperable RCS experience across carriers, both in the U.S. and globally

    “People love text messaging for a reason. Texting is trusted, reliable and readily available—which is why we’re using it to build the foundation of a simple, immersive messaging experience,” said David Christopher, executive vice president and general manager, AT&T Mobility. “This service will power new and innovative ways for customers to engage with each other and their favorite brands.”

    “The CCMI will bring a consistent, engaging experience that makes it easy for consumers and businesses to interact in an environment they can trust,” said Michel Combes, President & CEO of Sprint. “As we have seen in Asia, messaging is poised to become the next significant digital platform. CCMI will make it easy for consumers to navigate their lives from a smartphone.”

    “At the Un-carrier, customers drive everything we do, and that’s no different here,” said John Legere, CEO of T-Mobile. “Efforts like CCMI help move the entire industry forward so we can give customers more of what they want and roll out new messaging capabilities that work the same across providers and even across countries.”

    “At Verizon, our customers depend on reliable text messaging to easily connect them to the people they care about most. Yet, we can deliver even more working together as an industry,” said Ronan Dunne, CEO of Verizon Consumer Group. “CCMI will create the foundation for an innovative digital platform that not only connects consumers with friends and family, but also offers a seamless experience for consumers to connect with businesses in a compelling and trusted environment.”

    With all four of the major carriers on board, the CCMI will hopefully usher in the next generation of messaging, bringing welcome improvements to one of the most heavily used phone services.

  • We Plan to Have 30 5G Cities By Year-End, Says Verizon CEO

    We Plan to Have 30 5G Cities By Year-End, Says Verizon CEO

    “We have a plan to have 30 5G cities by year-end,” says Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg. “We are at 13 right now so we’re adding every week. We added New York last week. We have also updated 13 NFL stadiums with 5G and the NBA season hasn’t even started. We believe that our 5G for the consumer is just crushing it. That’s where we are focusing right now on our mobility build. We also do 5G Home. In the fourth quarter, we are going to launch our 5G Mobile Edge Compute which is an enterprise service with the all-new capabilities of 5G.”

    Hans Vestberg, CEO of Verizon Communications, discusses where the company is at in its 5G build-out and how 5G is going to be a dramatic technology shift for consumers and enterprises in an interview on Bloomberg Technology:

    We Plan to Have 30 5G Cities By Year-End

    For the mobility case, we have a plan to have 30 5G cities by year-end. We are at 13 right now so we’re adding every week. We added New York last week. We have also updated 13 NFL stadiums with 5G and the NBA season hasn’t even started. We believe that our 5G for the consumer is just crushing it. That’s where we are focusing right now on our mobility build. We also do 5G Home. In the fourth quarter, we are going to launch our 5G Mobile Edge Compute which is an enterprise service with the all-new capabilities of 5G.

    We have the best 4G network in the market and we will continue to see that our customers get the best experience on the technology we have. We are giving them the first experience on 5G. We were first with the 5G Home and we were first with a 5G smartphone. At the same time, we keep our 4G network (state of the art). We will continue to do that and when we see that the market is ready then we will have national 5G coverage as well. Usually, we speak less and we execute when we have it and then we talk. That’s our strategy.

    5G To Enable Factory Wireless For All Robots

    I think that all (consumers and businesses) will benefit from 5G but the bonus design from the beginning was very much to make the world cordless for enterprise in society. So the 5G mobile edge compute where we’re going to launch the first Center at the end of this year, that’s really where you can as an enterprise start innovating. You can implement factory wireless for all your robots for example, or put up a 5G campus network, or a private 5G network. This is all with throughput speed and latency that is unparalleled to what you have today. Suddenly you can innovate around that.

    I have met many of the 1,400 enterprises in this country over the last six months to talk to them and show them the platform that we’re going to create and how they can innovate to it. This is a partnership between us with the customer and probably in some cases some software developers as well that have software that is needed for it.

    5G To Make Home Internet Wireless

    Going from 3G to 4G was, of course, an improvement in latency and speed which was visible. But the movement from 4G to 5G is even greater. The speed is so much faster, the throughput is so much more, and the latency (is 10 times better). Of course, it’s all about an ecosystem where you get devices out. Sometimes we talk a lot about consumers and right now we have four phones already out now in the market and all of them are 5G enabled. We see that the whole ecosystem coming from consumers. 

    Then you have an enterprise business and we also have a 5G home business. We’re actually doing a lot more with 5G instead of fiber. This is a totally different way of thinking about the business model for fixed wireless access bringing broadband to your home. 5G is very different because you can have several business cases on the same infrastructure. It’s the same network and it’s the same infrastructure below. It’s not a separate network for all these business cases we are talking about.

    We Plan to Have 30 5G Cities By Year-End, Says Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg