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Tag: Verizon

  • Opensignal Report Sheds Light On 5G Industry

    Opensignal Report Sheds Light On 5G Industry

    As the major US wireless carriers duke it out in the 5G market, Opensignal has issued a report on which carriers are winning and where.

    The three remaining carriers have very different strategies when it comes to 5G rollout. High-band mmWave 5G has the fastest speed but the worst range and building penetration. Low-band offers speeds that are only marginally faster than 4G, but has excellent range and penetration. Mid-band offers a good compromise of speed, range and penetration.

    Verizon has focused almost exclusively on the mmWave variety and, not surprisingly, has the fastest speed with a real-world average of 494.7 Mbps. In contrast, AT&T averaged 60.8 Mbps and T-Mobile averaged 49.2.

    When it comes to coverage, however, it’s a completely different story. Verizon’s customers only connect to its 5G network 0.4% of the time. AT&T’s customers use their 5G network 10.3% of the time. The real winner is T-Mobile, with its customers connecting to the company’s 5G network 22.5% of the time.

    As a result of its findings, Opensignal declares that “T-Mobile won the 5G Availability award by a large margin.” As the company continues to absorb and incorporate Sprint’s spectrum, that coverage will only continue to increase.

    Image Credit: Opensignal

  • Verizon Misses Earnings Amid Significant Growth

    Verizon Misses Earnings Amid Significant Growth

    Verizon’s quarterly results were a mixed bag, offering both good and bad news for investors, according to Bloomberg.

    On the one hand, Verizon added 1.25 million subscribers, beating analysts’ expectations of 1.23 million. The added growth was, at least in part, aided by Verizon’s deal with Walt Disney Co. to provide subscribers free access to Disney+ for a limited time. On the other hand, that deal ate into profits, as Verizon is essentially footing the bill for its subscribers, although the exact cost has not been disclosed.

    The cost of 5G roll out has also been cited as a reason for the company missing estimates. A separate report by Bloomberg, however, highlights why the company is pushing as hard as it is on 5G. According to the report, analysts at LightShed Partners are saying that Verizon has used up most of its available airwaves in Miami, Chicago and other cities. The firm’s report is based on their own research, as well as data provided by mobile testing firm Opensignal.

    “They have used spectrum to fuel capacity growth and improved speeds, and now they have a limited amount left,” said Walt Piecyk, LightShed analyst.

    As a result, Verizon needs to roll out 5G as quickly as it can, especially in cities, to ease the strain on its network. If its 5G delivers on the promise, however, the company should have no trouble growing its customer base and revenue even more.

  • High-Profile Companies Join Facebook Advertising Boycott

    High-Profile Companies Join Facebook Advertising Boycott

    Multiple high-profile companies have joined the ranks of those boycotting Facebook advertising over racist and violent content.

    Facebook has been under increasing pressure over what many perceive as a tolerance for racist and violent posts and groups, which Facebook says fall under free speech. In the wake of George Floyd’s death, and the renewed focus on equality, Facebook’s policy of non-interference isn’t flying with other companies.

    The movement comes following the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) calling out Facebook for tolerating posts and groups that promote racism and violence. A quick search by ADL researchers showed major companies’ ads side-by-side with content many would deem offensive.

    “Facebook has been claiming that it is effectively addressing hate on its platforms. ADL and others, however, have continued to expose egregious examples of online hate, misinformation and extremism across the company’s products, particularly on Facebook and Instagram,” reads the ADL’s open letter. “Whether or not these posts technically violate Facebook’s complicated guidelines around hate speech, as a result of the platform’s casual placement of ads, paid advertisements run a risk of being placed next to divisive (and sometimes blatantly hateful) content. Indeed, even a cursory investigation conducted by ADL’s analysts immediately surfaced examples of prominent brands’ advertising displayed on newsfeeds next to hateful and conspiratorial content. Although we have not spoken to these companies, we can assume that their intentions when buying advertising on Facebook did not include being displayed alongside such content.”

    As a result of the ADL’s open letter, company after company has pulled their advertising from Facebook and Instagram. Coca-Cola, The Hershey Company, Levi Strauss & Co, Verizon, Mozilla, Upwork, REI, Patagonia, Ben & Jerry’s, The North Face and Eddie Bauer are just a few of the organizations that have joined the boycott.

    The lost revenue appears to be having an impact, as Facebook has started announcing changes to their policies in response. Whether these changes will go far enough remains to be seen.

  • Verizon Expands 5G Home Service to Houston

    Verizon Expands 5G Home Service to Houston

    Verizon has expanded its 5G Home service to include Houston, as the wireless company continues to emphasize mmWave deployment.

    mmWave is the fast flavor of 5G, offering speeds measured in gigabits. Verizon has bet heavily on the technology, focusing on it for both mobile users and wireless home internet service. The company had previously rolled out the service in Detroit, as well as improved service in Indianapolis and Los Angeles.

    Verizon has also been working to improve coverage. While mmWave is the fastest 5G available, its range is extremely limited when compared to low and mid-band 5G. To improve coverage, Verizon has partnered with Pivotal Commware, Inc., a Verizon Ventures portfolio company, to use repeaters to extend the range of the service.

    “Compared to lower spectrum bands, 5G over mmWave offers far more speed and throughput, is more energy efficient, experiences less signal interference over the air, and has a much greater capacity for expansive scalability,” said Kevin Smith, Vice President of Network Planning for Verizon. “As we’ve known since our very early trials, high band spectrum provides more limited coverage from macro cells. Introducing repeaters like the ones we are trialing from Pivotal will help us expand the footprint of our new 5G Ultra Wide Band network and provide another tool in the toolbox for robust network design.”

    The improved 5G Home should provide an excellent alternative to traditional internet service for residents in the target cities.

  • T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T Experiencing Outages

    T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T Experiencing Outages

    All three of the nation’s largest wireless carriers are experiencing technical difficulties Monday, with customers reporting outages across services.

    T-Mobile’s Neville Ray took to Twitter to acknowledge the issues, while at the same time recommending alternate, data-based services that are not impacted.

    Teams continue to work as quickly as possible to fix the voice & messaging problems some are seeing.

    Data services are now available & some calls are completing. Alternate services like WhatsApp, Signal, iMessage, Facetime etc. are available. Thanks for your patience.

    — Neville (@NevilleRay) June 15, 2020

    Neither Verizon nor AT&T have issued a similar statement. However, a look at Ookla’s Downdectector service shows a spike in complaints for both companies coinciding with T-Mobile’s issues. In the case of Verizon, 79% reported an issue with their mobile phone, 16% with mobile internet and 3% with landline internet service. In the case of AT&T, 79% reported an issue with the internet, 11% with their phone and 8% reported no network reception.

    The fact that all three carriers started experiencing major problems around the same time would seem to indicate an issue with a shared network backbone, although no further details were available at time of writing.

  • Verizon Now Offering 5G Home Internet In Detroit

    Verizon Now Offering 5G Home Internet In Detroit

    Verizon has expanded its 5G Home Internet service to Detroit, the sixth city in which it offers the service.

    5G is a revolutionary wireless upgrade, promising speed in the gigabit range. As a result, companies like Verizon are looking to 5G for applications beyond traditional wireless service. Home internet is one such example, giving wireless companies a way to compete against traditional internet providers.

    Now Verizon customers in Detroit will be able to take advantage of the new technology, via the company’s 5G Home Internet service.

    “Detroit customers now have access to the next generation of lightning fast home broadband internet service,” said Frank Boulben, SVP consumer marketing and products at Verizon. “5G Home Internet on Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband Network will provide customers with flexibility, freedom and choice that enables a whole new world of experiences in the comfort of the home, something more useful now than perhaps ever before.”

    This is good news for Detroit-based Verizon customers and will provide a nice alternative to traditional internet services and plans.

  • Verizon Activates 5G Uploads

    Verizon Activates 5G Uploads

    Verizon has announced it has activated uploads on its Ultra Wideband 5G network.

    San Diego is the 35th city where Verizon has rolled out Ultra Wideband 5G. Ultra Wideband uses mmWave spectrum, the fastest flavor of 5G. mmWave provides speeds measured in gigabits, rather than megabits. Until now, however, Verizon has only offered its Ultra Wideband for downloads.

    “Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network is synonymous with fast download speeds, but one of the biggest requests we’ve had since launching our 5G network is when uplink for 5G uploads will be available on Verizon,” writes Kevin King, on the company site. “Starting today, customers can upload content using Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network. This makes it easier to upload high-def videos to social networks, back-up work and school projects to the cloud and play massive multiplayer games.

    “Initially, customers should see upload speeds on 5G about 30 percent faster than 4G LTE. 5G upload is available in all 35 Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband cities, in our Chicago 5G Home market and in any stadium or arena with Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband service.”

    This is good news for Verizon’s customers who have access to the company’s fastest 5G network.

  • Verizon Tries to Temper 5G Expectations

    Verizon Tries to Temper 5G Expectations

    Verizon is downplaying 5G, when compared to 4G, saying customers will only see “some improvements” initially.

    Verizon and T-Mobile have been locked in a battle over 5G, with the two carriers taking swipes at the other’s speed and coverage. T-Mobile has repeatedly emphasized the coverage of its nationwide 5G network, while Verizon has ran ads pointing out its 5G is faster and is “5G built right.”

    Now, however, Verizon is downplaying the initial performance of its 5G, with CEO Hans Vestberg saying at the J.P. Morgan investors conference that, “in the beginning, you’re going to see some improvements. Over time, dramatic improvements,”

    As we have covered repeatedly in previous articles, much of Verizon’s 5G issues stem from its focus on the high-band mmWave 5G. While offering speeds measured in gigabits, mmWave is notoriously short-range, requiring towers, repeaters and base stations every couple hundred meters. While this may be feasible in densely populated urban areas, mmWave is not practical for rural regions. As a result, while also unveiling mmWave in cities, T-Mobile has focused heavily on low-band 5G for its nationwide network. Low-band has far better range and building penetration, but provides only marginally better speeds than 4G.

    In Verizon’s case, however, the carrier is at a disadvantage when it comes to low-band spectrum, especially compared to T-Mobile. Verizon’s 4G LTE network is primarily based on 700 MHz spectrum, which is largely responsible for Verizon’s legendary coverage. T-Mobile similarly uses 700 MHz spectrum for its 4G network, but deployed 600 MHz spectrum for its nationwide 5G, spectrum that theoretically has even better range and building penetration than either carrier’s 700 MHz 4G.

    Verizon, however, does not have a wealth of 600 MHz low-band spectrum like T-Mobile. As a result, it has to rely on Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) technology to share its spectrum between 4G and 5G users for its low-band network. T-Mobile’s Neville Ray has warned about technical issues with DSS, and pointed out that the magenta carrier’s wealth of low-band spectrum means it is not dependent on DSS.

    When asked during the conference about Verizon’s DSS plans, Vestberg simply said: “Our technology team are progressing on that.” Needless to say, that response is not reassuring given the issues that have come up with DSS.

    Based on the investor conference, Verizon appears to finally be acknowledging, however indirectly, the challenges in providing a true, nationwide 5G network. In contrast, with T-Mobile’s abundance of low-band spectrum, and the absolute wealth of mid-range spectrum it acquired in the Sprint merger, T-Mobile continues to establish itself as THE carrier to beat in the 5G race.

  • Carriers Extend Service Protection Due to Coronavirus

    Carriers Extend Service Protection Due to Coronavirus

    Comcast, T-Mobile and Verizon have announced they will extend their coronavirus service protection policies until at least June 30.

    As the coronavirus began taking a toll on small businesses and individuals, wireless carriers and internet providers voluntarily adopted the FCC’s “Keep Americans Connected Pledge.” The pledge was aimed at preventing late fees or disconnects for individuals and small businesses impacted by the pandemic. In their latest announcement, several carriers have agreed to extend the initial window for those protections to the end of June

    Comcast’s CEO, Dave Watson, said: “Our services have never been more important, and we’re doing everything we can to keep people connected to the internet.” Meanwhile, “Comcast announced today it will extend its commitments for Xfinity customers through June 30 to help ensure students can finish out the school year from home and remain connected to the internet during the COVID-19 crisis.”

    T-Mobile, likewise, said its extension would go to June 30 and that “customers who have already talked to us and made arrangements for their account can contact us directly after May 13 to get an extension through June 30. We will have more details available online later this week.”

    Similarly, Verizon said “we will neither terminate service nor charge late fees to our postpaid wireless, residential, and small business customers that notify us of their inability to pay their bills due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.”

    There had previously been reports of some individuals being disconnected in spite of the pledge. As a result, it is important for any users impacted by the pandemic to proactively communicate with their provider to take advantage of the measures being offered.

  • Wireless Carriers Reneging On Promise Not to Disconnect Users

    Wireless Carriers Reneging On Promise Not to Disconnect Users

    Individuals experiencing pandemic-related financial hardship are receiving threatening letters and being disconnected by their wireless providers.

    Last month the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unveiled the “Keep Americans Connected Pledge,” aimed at preventing individuals and small businesses from being disconnected from internet and wireless services during the pandemic. The pledge also called for providers to waive late fees. As countless individuals are working from home, as well as sheltering in place, the internet and wireless services are vital lifelines, providing a way for people to work, shop, study and keep in touch with loved ones. For unemployed individuals, internet access is a critical component to finding new work, or being able to take advantage of unemployment benefits.

    In spite of taking the pledge, however, NBC News is reporting that companies are disconnecting unemployed individuals. Verizon and T-Mobile have both stated that customers must be proactive in alerting them to their financial situation and inability to pay. Despite those statements, NBC cites multiple instances of individuals who attempted to do just that—and were reassured their service would remain intact—only to be disconnected anyway. In at least one instance, a Verizon customer was told it would cost $360 to reconnect service.

    The FCC acknowledged it has been receiving complaints of service shut-offs, with FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel calling the shut-offs “unacceptable.” New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy took things a step further, banning internet and phone companies from disconnecting customers during the pandemic.

    It’s truly disappointing that companies are reneging on their promise, especially during a time when phone and internet access could literally be the difference between life and death.

  • Verizon Snaps Up Zoom Competitor BlueJeans

    Verizon Snaps Up Zoom Competitor BlueJeans

    Verizon Business has announced a definitive agreement to buy up Zoom competitor BlueJeans, as the videoconferencing market heats up.

    Amid the coronavirus pandemic, videoconferencing has become one of the most critical components that has allowed businesses, schools, religious organizations and more to keep functioning. Zoom’s stock has reflected its newfound status as a nearly indispensable tool.

    In spite of that success, Zoom has also come under heavy criticism for privacy and security missteps, prompting many organizations and government agencies around the world to ban the app. The company has responded by putting a moratorium on new features for 90 days, while their entire engineering staff focuses on improving security and privacy.

    In such an environment, rivals are moving to take advantage of the company’s missteps. Microsoft has made improvements to both Skype and Teams in an effort to make headway, and now Verizon is acquiring BlueJeans in an effort to move squarely into the space. Verizon specifically touts their intention to deeply integrate BlueJeans videoconferencing with the company’s 5G network, making things like telemedicine and distance learning more mainstream.

    “As the way we work continues to change, it is absolutely critical for businesses and public sector customers to have access to a comprehensive suite of offerings that are enterprise ready, secure, frictionless and that integrate with existing tools,” said Tami Erwin, CEO of Verizon Business. “Collaboration and communications have become top of the agenda for businesses of all sizes and in all sectors in recent months. We are excited to combine the power of BlueJeans’ video platform with Verizon Business’ connectivity networks, platforms and solutions to meet our customers’ needs.”

    “The combination of BlueJeans’ world class enterprise video collaboration platform and trusted brand with Verizon Business’ next generation edge computing innovation will deliver highly differentiated and compelling solutions to our joint customers,” said Quentin Gallivan, CEO of BlueJeans Network. “We are very excited about joining the Verizon team and we truly believe the future of business communications starts today!”

    Combining BlueJeans’ platform with Verizon’s network is likely to be a win for customers of both companies, while the added competition should be good for everyone.

    Image Credit: Verizon

  • Verizon Using Vespa to Help Fight the Pandemic

    Verizon Using Vespa to Help Fight the Pandemic

    Verizon Media (formerly Yahoo) has announced it is using its open source, big data serving engine to combat the coronavirus.

    The White Hose and research groups have released the COVID-19 Open Research Dataset (CORD-19), “a resource of over 51,000 scholarly articles, including over 40,000 with full text, about COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, and related coronaviruses.” Being able to access and use that gargantuan amount of data, however, can be a challenge of its own.

    To assist in the endeavor, Verizon has announced it has indexed the dataset, making it available to search via Vespa.

    “After being made aware of the COVID-19 Open Research Dataset Challenge (CORD-19), where AI experts have been asked to create text and data mining tools that can help the medical community, the Vespa team wanted to contribute,” writes Kristian Aune, Tech Product Manager, Verizon Media.

    “Given our experience with big data at Yahoo (now Verizon Media) and creating Vespa (open source big data serving engine), we thought the best way to help was to index the dataset, which includes over 44,000 scholarly articles, and to make it available for searching via Vespa Cloud.”

    Verizon’s announcement should be a boon to researchers and scientists trying to keep up with the latest research on the virus. The company promises daily updates to the documentation and query features. In the meantime, the dataset is live and ready for use.

    “Now live at https://cord19.vespa.ai, you can get started with a few of the sample queries or for more advanced queries, visit CORD-19 API Query” the announcement continues. “Feel free to tweet us @vespaengine or submit an issue, if you have any questions or suggestions.”

  • T-Mobile Rolls Out 2.5Ghz 5G in Philadelphia

    T-Mobile Rolls Out 2.5Ghz 5G in Philadelphia

    T-Mobile has already begun rolling out 2.5GHz 5G in Philadelphia, using the spectrum it gained in the Sprint merger.

    2.5GHz spectrum sits squarely in the mid-range—between the slower but far-reaching low-band and the faster but short-range mmWave—and is considered the sweet spot for 5G. Mid-range spectrum offers substantially better speeds than 4G LTE, while at the same time providing good range and building penetration.

    Even more than the subscriber base, gaining access to Sprint’s wealth of mid-range spectrum was the real benefit of the merger between the third and fourth carriers. Sprint’s mid-range spectrum puts T-Mobile in the lead, in terms of how much spectrum it has available, and gives it the most comprehensive 5G portfolio.

    The company is wasting no time deploying the new spectrum, rolling it out in Philadelphia the very same day the deal closed, according to a tweet by Neville Ray, T-Mobile President of Technology.

    We’ll move FAST to bring the @TMobile and @Sprint networks together and build #5GforAll. How fast? New T-Mobile is already deploying midband 5G spectrum in Philly. And we’re just getting started.

    Neville (@NevilleRay) April 1, 2020

    This is good news for all of T-Mobile’s customers, both old and new, and not so good news for Verizon and AT&T.

  • T-Mobile and Sprint Complete Merger; John Legere Steps Down

    T-Mobile and Sprint Complete Merger; John Legere Steps Down

    It’s official: T-Mobile and Sprint have merged to create the New T-Mobile.

    After years of trying to merge, T-Mobile and Sprint have finally sealed the deal, completing their long-awaited merger on April 1. The two companies went through an arduous process of gaining approval from the FCC and DOJ, only to face a lawsuit from a coalition of states intent on stopping the merger. Ultimately, the companies were successful in court, with the judge ruling in favor of the merger.

    With the merger complete, the U.S. wireless landscape is entering new territory. Rather than two strong competitors, followed by a distant third and fourth, there are now three strong competitors. The New T-Mobile is particularly well-positioned to compete with Verizon and AT&T, thanks to the spectrum it now has as a result of the deal. The carrier already had ample low-band spectrum, which it is using to power its nationwide 5G network. It also has quite a bit of high-band, mmWave spectrum that is used to power the fastest type of 5G. The merger with Sprint now gives T-Mobile a plethora of mid-range spectrum, which offers the coveted middle ground between low-band’s range and penetration vs mmWave’s high speeds. As a result, it’s safe to say the 5G wars are T-Mobile’s to lose.

    Simultaneously, T-Mobile also announced the completion of its long-planned transition from John Legere to Mike Sievert as CEO.

    “During this extraordinary time, it has become abundantly clear how vital a strong and reliable network is to the world we live in. The New T-Mobile’s commitment to delivering a transformative broad and deep nationwide 5G network is more important and more needed than ever and what we are building is mission-critical for consumers,” said Mike Sievert, president and CEO of T-Mobile. “With this powerful network, the New T-Mobile will deliver real choice and value to wireless and home broadband customers and double down on all the things customers have always loved about the Un-carrier. T-Mobile has been changing wireless for good — and now we are going to do it on a whole new level!”

  • 5G is Delayed, But a Whole New World is Coming

    5G is Delayed, But a Whole New World is Coming

    “The fact is as much as 5G is going to be tremendous, and it’s going to bring an amazing architectural shift to our economy and to our markets and economy, it’s still not here,” says Skyworks Solutions CEO Liam Griffin. “It is here in certain areas but the rollout has been somewhat delayed due to the pandemic.”

    Liam Griffin, CEO of Skyworks Solutions, discusses on CNBC how the pandemic has temporarily delayed 5G but ultimately it will be a big part of a whole new world.

    It’s a Stay At Home World Right Now

    It’s a stay at home world right now (due to the pandemic). I talked about the digital traffic jam three or four years ago. At that time we talked about the networks being compressed and taxed and digitally clogged and we’re seeing this today. I mean it’s great that we’re seeing the network interfaces and the data traffic and the ability to do what we’re doing but we’re nowhere near where we’re headed. 

    We’ve got a long way to go in 5G. We’ve also got incredible Wi-Fi technologies coming. I think this pandemic situation is very difficult. It is a challenge and a big deal. But I think the technologies that we’re working on in our ecosystem with partners like Verizon and infrastructure players and even the Chinese⎯we’re all coming together to make this work. It’s a real indication of how necessary these applications are to the economy.

    5G Delayed Due To The Pandemic

    The fact is as much as 5G is going to be tremendous, and it’s going to bring an amazing architectural shift to our economy and to our markets and economy, it’s still not here. It is here in certain areas but the rollout has been somewhat delayed due to the pandemic. However, we’re going to see a bigger uptick in the second half. 

    We’re working with the marquee companies largely in the US, China, and Europe and we’re seeing some great technologies. They’re going to launch, it’s just delayed right now. That’s where we’re going to see the quality, the experience, the bandwidth upside that we’ve been talking about. That will happen.

    5G Is a Multi-Year Thematic Move

    5G is a multi-year thematic move. The interesting thing is that people today are clamoring to get the technology. The issue that we have and in what manifests in the demand weakness has really come about by a supply shock. It’s the supply chain in Asia and other parts of the world where folks couldn’t go to their factories and work. It creates a delay but we don’t think it’s perishable. 

    We think this 5G technology is absolutely going to launch. Some of that demand that did not get executed in our Q1 or Q2 will move forward into the back half of 2020 and certainly into 2021. We see this as a pause more than a complete deep dive. 

    Interesting Applications Are Really Emerging Through 5G

    I saw the Verizon CEO talking about a 20 percent upside in data traffic and Vodafone also just announced a 50 percent increase in data traffic. So if you look at how this works, the smartphone⎯that’s your quarterback. They’re doing a lot of the work. But think about the IOT space, machine to machine, autonomous driving, and security. All of these interesting applications are really emerging through 4G, 5G and higher speed Wi-Fi. It’s creating a new experience. 

    If we look at what we’re doing with the young people today, the Millennials, I got three kids, they’re all face-timing. It’s just a whole new world. In a way, I think there are some real positive thematic changes that we can capitalize on once we get through this challenge with the pandemic.

    5G is Delayed, But a Whole New World is Coming, Says Skyworks Solutions CEO Liam Griffin
  • China Relying on Robots to Help Fight Coronavirus

    China Relying on Robots to Help Fight Coronavirus

    China may have finally turned a corner in its fight against the coronavirus, and it has robots to thank for helping it do so.

    Throughout the coronavirus pandemic China has issued cutting edge technology in an effort to combat the virus. Early on Chinese authorities used AI-driven robots to scold people for being in public without wearing masks, while companies worked on using drones to deliver medicine and supplies to patients without endangering healthy people.

    As China has continued to fight the pandemic, robots continue to play a significant role in the ongoing efforts to contain the spread of the virus. According to All About Circuits, in addition to the robots scolding people for not wearing masks, authorities are also relying on robots that scan crowds for raised temperatures, one of the earliest symptoms of infection. The robots “include high-resolution cameras and infrared thermometers that are capable of scanning the temperatures of up to 10 people at once who are in a radius of 5 meters. If one of these robots discovers somebody who is not wearing a mask or who has a high temperature, an alert is sent to the authorities.”

    China’s success with robots is only possible due to a combination of 5G, AI, edge computing, cloud computing and IoT. The end result are robots capable of interacting with people in a way never before seen. As All About Circuits highlights, that interaction can be eerily lifelike:

    “You there! The gentleman wearing a red coat holding an umbrella in your left hand—yes, you. You are not wearing a face mask, please put one on immediately. If you do not have one, come to the police car and we will provide you with one.”

    With robots finally beginning to deliver on the promise proponents have long held out, it’s little wonder Microsoft, AT&T, Google Cloud and Verizon are all working hard to capitalize on the emerging technologies.

  • Verizon Gives Extra 15GB High-Speed Data to Customers

    Verizon Gives Extra 15GB High-Speed Data to Customers

    Verizon has announced several measures to assist individuals impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, including providing customers an additional 15GB of data.

    Depending on the type of plan a customer has, the data will be added to their plan in different ways. Postpaid customers with unlimited data will see the 15GB 4G LTE added to their hotspot data. For prepaid customers, and postpaid customers with finite data plans, the 15GB will be added to their standard data. Jetpack plans will also see the 15GB added to their standard data.

    According to Verizon, the data will be added to plans from March 25 to April 30. The data will be added automatically and not require any action on the part of customers.

    “We understand the hardships that many of our customers are facing, and we’re doing our part to ensure they have broadband internet connectivity during this unprecedented time,” said Ronan Dunne, CEO Verizon Consumer Group. “With so many Americans working and learning remotely from home, having access to reliable and affordable internet is more important than ever before.

    “While more than half of our wireless customer base is on an unlimited data plan, including all of our Fios and DSL broadband internet customers, we recognize there are many who may need additional connectivity during these trying times,” Ronan added. “We’re here for you and we’ll make sure you have what you need to stay connected.”

  • Coronavirus: FCC Grants Verizon Temporary Spectrum

    Coronavirus: FCC Grants Verizon Temporary Spectrum

    In an effort to help keep up with increased demand and strain on their network, the FCC has temporarily granted Verizon additional spectrum.

    As increasing numbers of companies send workers home, individuals are relying on their wireless connections more than ever, both for telecommuting and everyday life. To help wireless companies keep up with demand, the FCC has already granted additional spectrum to T-Mobile and U.S. Cellular.

    “Wireless services are a vital part of connectivity, and this has never been truer than during this crisis, when so many people are turning to telework, remote learning, and telehealth options,” said Chairman Pai. “I want to thank Northstar and SNR for their willingness to allow this use of the spectrum for which they hold licenses. I’m also grateful to Verizon for seeking out ways to meet increased consumer demand. And I want to give a special thanks to our partners at the Department of Defense and NTIA for their efforts in working with us to ensure that this emergency authority could be granted quickly.”

    This is likely not the last time the FCC will need to help carriers deal with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.

  • Coronavirus: Wireless and Internet Providers Join ‘Keep Americans Connected Pledge’

    Coronavirus: Wireless and Internet Providers Join ‘Keep Americans Connected Pledge’

    Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, multiple wireless and internet providers have joined the FCC’s “Keep Americans Connected Pledge.”

    With an unprecedented number of individuals working from home or laid off, wireless and home internet options are the lifelines people and companies are relying on to maintain some semblance of normalcy. In view of that, according to a statement on the FCC’s website, “in multiple phone calls with broadband and telephone service providers and trade associations, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai emphasized the importance of keeping Americans connected as the country experiences serious disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak. And in order to ensure that Americans do not lose their broadband or telephone connectivity as a result of these exceptional circumstances, he specifically asked them to take the Keep Americans Connected Pledge.”

    The pledge calls on providers to “not terminate service to any residential or small business customers because of their inability to pay their bills due to the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.” The pledge also says providers will “waive any late fees that any residential or small business customers incur because of their economic circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic.” Any company taking the pledge also agrees to “open its Wi-Fi hotspots to any American who needs them.”

    Within 24 hours of Chairman Pai’s calls, dozens of companies have joined the pledge, including the four main wireless carriers, The Rural Broadband Association, Charter, Comcast, Windstream and a slew of regional companies.

  • RootMetrics 5G Report: Verizon Is Fastest, T-Mobile Has Best Coverage

    RootMetrics 5G Report: Verizon Is Fastest, T-Mobile Has Best Coverage

    RootMetrics released its latest report on the state of 5G and the results are exactly what one would expect.

    According to the report, Verizon had the fastest 5G network by a wide margin. Its fastest median speeds were 247 Mbps, while its fastest maximum speeds were 845.7 Mbps. In contrast, Sprint was the next fastest with 136.7 Mbps median and 249.9 Mbps maximum. AT&T clocked in at 47.1 Mbps and 175.2 Mbps, while T-Mobile brought up the rear with 34.0 Mbps and 147.8 Mbps.

    Looking at coverage, however, was a very different story. Verizon’s 5G availability in the cities tested was a mere 3.1%. AT&T’s availability was 9.5%, while Sprint’s was 45.7% and T-Mobile led the pack at 57.1%.

    Given that Verizon has focused on the high frequency mmWave variety of 5G, the results are not surprising. mmWave offers the fastest speeds possible, but at the cost of extremely limited range and building penetration. In contrast, while T-Mobile has some mmWave 5G, it has been focusing on low-band spectrum that delivers speeds comparable to strong LTE, but offers better range and penetration. Sprint’s 5G is in the mid-range bands, which many experts consider the sweet spot of speed and range. Once the merger between T-Mobile and Sprint is complete, T-Mobile will have access to that spectrum to compliment its low-band and mmWave offerings.

    While Verizon may be the undisputed speed king, it will need to do something to truly deliver on the promise of 5G, as most customers would probably take slower, more readily available over blazingly fast 3% of the time.

  • Verizon Partners With Pacific Northwest National Laboratory On 5G

    Verizon Partners With Pacific Northwest National Laboratory On 5G

    Verizon Business and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) are teaming up to deliver 5G applications.

    The PNNL tackles some of the world’s biggest challenges, including energy efficiency, scientific discovery and national security. To aid in that goal, Verizon will be deploying its 5G Ultra Wideband at the PNNL’s Richmond, Washington facility. Together, the organizations will develop 5G applications for use in everything, ranging from first responders to chemistry to earth sciences research.

    Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband promises speeds measured in gigabits rather than megabits, along with sub-millisecond lag. That performance will open a world of new possibilities for PNNL, as it researches artificial intelligence, machine learning, AR/VR and more.

    “With Verizon, we plan to explore how cybersecurity will underpin 5G for critical infrastructure and how 5G will drive transformation in the protection of endpoint devices, advancement of artificial intelligence, the science behind autonomous systems and related internet of things applications,” said Scott Godwin, general manager of Corporate Partnerships & Alliances at PNNL. “This partnership fits squarely with PNNL’s commitment to explore the capability of new science and technology to further safety and security worldwide.”

    “Our 5G Ultra Wideband network is built to support transformational innovations and solutions across all industries,” said Tami Erwin, CEO of Verizon Business. “There’s no doubt 5G’s increased data bandwidth and super-low lag will help play a critical role in evolving response connectivity and mission operations for first responders. We’ve seen exciting use cases come out of our 5G First Responder Lab and are thrilled to see the new applications that will arise from our work with PNNL.”