Spectrum users are reporting issues, with the internet service seeing a spike in outages early Tuesday morning.
According to Downdetector.com, there was a spike in reported issues beginning around midnight, Tuesday morning. A spectrum support specialist told one user the service would be down until at least 6:00 AM due to “maintenance.”
There was nothing on Spectrum’s Twitter support account announcing the issue or maintenance.
Charter is raising prices for multiple Spectrum home internet plans, including its base plan.
The company told Ars Technica it is raising prices by $5, a move that is expected to impact some 9.5 million customers.
“The price for Spectrum Internet reflects the cost of delivering the best value in broadband for your family: 300Mbps starting speeds with no modem fees, data caps or contracts,” the company said.
The new prices are $79.99 for 300Mbps download speed, $99.99 for 500Mbps, and $119.99 for 1Gbps.
While the company says it is the first price hike since December 2020, it’s not likely to go over well with customers at a time when the economy is putting a strain on people’s wallets.
Verizon has announced December 31, 2022 as the new shutdown date for its 3G CDMA network.
Verizon currently uses 850 and 1900 MHz spectrum for its 3G, both of which could help its 5G rollout. Verizon, in particular, has a shortage of available low-band spectrum to use for its nationwide 5G network, since its 700 MHz spectrum is tied up with its 4G network.
The company has had to resort to Dynamic Spectrum Sharing to switch between 4G and 5G, depending on what devices are connected to a tower. The result is that its nationwide 5G is actually slower than its 4G.
Decommissioning its 3G network would free up valuable spectrum that could help improve its nationwide 5G. The company had previously planned on shutting down its 3G network in 2019, before delaying it to the end of 2020, and then delaying it indefinitely.
Verizon has a now announced it will shut down its 3G network December 31, 2022.
We will turn off the last of the 3G CDMA network on December 31, 2022, months after our competitors have shut off their networks completely. The date will not be extended again. We’re communicating this again now in order to provide customers plenty of time to complete their migration.
Nokia has scored a big win, signing a five-year deal with AT&T to provide 5G equipment for the carrier’s C-Band spectrum rollout.
AT&T recently spent $23,406,860,839 at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) auction for C-Band spectrum. C-Band is mid-band spectrum, ideal for 5G. The company has turned to Nokia for the equipment necessary to deploy its spectrum, signing a five-year deal.
“AT&T is committed to bringing the power of 5G to businesses and communities across the nation, and our C-Band deployments with Nokia will help add 5G capacity where it’s needed,” said Igal Elbaz, Senior Vice President of Wireless and Access Technology AT&T. “Nokia has been our trusted collaborator for more than 20 years as we’ve rolled out each generation of wireless technology, and its C-Band portfolio brings the right capabilities to help enable AT&T to deliver an exciting and powerful 5G experience that our subscribers have come to expect from us.”
“Nokia is ready to support the launch of 5G services into this valuable new spectrum on our customers’ timelines by leveraging our powerful portfolio of C-Band solutions and by being the first to demonstrate a live C-Band network in the U.S. in 2020,” said Ed Cholerton, President of Nokia North America. “Our flexible and comprehensive portfolio will enable AT&T to enhance its 5G services in areas across the nation.”
Last year Nokia was considering a merger or asset sale, and more recently indicated it was facing “meaningful headwinds” in 2021. Earlier this week, the company announced it is cutting 10,000 jobs. The AT&T contract is a welcome win for Nokia, at a time when its needed most.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has voted to free up additional mid-band spectrum, once reserved for the military, for 5G.
Mid-band spectrum is the holy grail for 5G, offering the best combination of speed and building penetration. The FCC’s recent $81 billion auction was for spectrum in the 3.7 Ghz to 4.2 Ghz range.
The FCC has now voted to free up the 3.45 Ghz to 3.55 Ghz spectrum, spectrum the military has used for radar applications.
“Back to the here and now. Most of the country has yet to experience the benefits of a true 5G network,” said Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel in a statement. “The out-there innovations it can deliver are still a ways off because so many of them are not about connectivity delivered via phones. Plus, for so many consumers, the present is confusing, with carriers providing different versions of 5G, which can sometimes feel a lot like the 4G they already have. In part, this is due to the fact that carriers don’t always have the airwaves they need to provide consistent and widespread coverage at this time.
“Today we take action to change that. We take action that will move us closer to 5G service that is fast, secure, resilient, and—most importantly—available everywhere in the country. We accomplish that by adopting rules and auction procedures that will make available 100 megahertz of prime mid-band spectrum in the 3.45-3.55 GHz band available for 5G this year. This offers real opportunity because during the past few years the United States was slow, relative to other countries, to recognize the importance of mid-band spectrum for 5G. This meant we were late to bring these airwaves to market. So mid-band spectrum has been the critical component that is missing and our action here helps fix that.”
Freeing up the additional spectrum will be a major boon for carriers as they continue to roll out 5G networks.
The FCC has finally revealed the winners of its mid-band spectrum auction, and Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile came out on top.
Mid-band spectrum is the most coveted type of spectrum for 5G. High-band, otherwise known as mmWave, offers the fastest speeds, but its range is extremely limited, as is its ability to penetrate objects. Low-band spectrum offers the best range and penetration, but its speeds are only marginally faster than the fastest 4G. Mid-band spectrum offers the best of both worlds, providing speeds upwards of 1 Gbps, while still offering decent range and penetration.
Of the three major US carriers, Verizon and AT&T need mid-band spectrum the most. T-Mobile has a wealth of it from its merger with Sprint, spectrum it has been rolling out at a record pace. The other two carriers, on the other hand, have not been able to match T-Mobile’s 5G rollout, largely because of not having enough mid-band spectrum.
It’s little wonder the spending at the FCC’s auction far exceeded estimates. Analysts had originally predicted spending would reach $47 billion, but the total topped $81 billion.
Not surprisingly, Verizon (listed in FCC docs as Cellco Partnership, its legal name) was the biggest bidder, coming in at $45,454,843,197. AT&T came in second, spending $23,406,860,839. T-Mobile rounded out the top three at $9,336,125,147.
While T-Mobile needed, and spent, the least, the company was believed to be buying spectrum to round out its portfolio, further boost its spectrum in heavily populated areas and drive the bidding higher so Verizon and AT&T didn’t get a free ride.
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.
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.
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.
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.
T-Mobile has used new radio carrier aggregation to boost 5G performance, combining mid-band downloads with low-band uploads.
T-Mobile was one of the first companies to popularize the multi-frequency approach, using low-band, mid-band and high-band mmWave to build a full 5G network. Each of these types of 5G has their own advantages.
Low-band is only marginally faster than 4G LTE, but offers excellent range and building penetration since it’s in the 600 MHz spectrum. Mid-band is widely believed to be the sweet spot, offering over 1 Gbps speed, combined with decent range. T-Mobile is using the 2.6 Ghz spectrum it acquired in the Sprint merge for its mid-band. mmWave, on the other hand, is the fastest type of 5G and is over 6 Ghz. Unfortunately, its range is only a couple hundred meters and it has abysmal penetration.
T-Mobile has been experimenting with combining mid-band spectrum for downloads, while using low-band for uploads. The end result has been increased speeds overall, while at the same expanding the carrier’s 5G footprint.
“When it comes to our network and what we deliver to customers, we never rest on our laurels,” saidx Abdul Saad, Chief Technology Officer at T-Mobile. “We have the first and largest nationwide 5G network, covering over 250 million people across 1.3 million square miles, and we’ll never stop working with industry leaders to develop and refine new technologies like this so we can deliver #5GforAll.”
The FCC has started its auction for 3.5 GHz mid-band spectrum for 5G.
Many experts consider mid-band spectrum to be the sweet spot for 5G, offering the best compromise between speed and building penetration. Many international carriers have focused primarily on mid-band spectrum as they have rolled out their own 5G networks.
In the US, however, carriers’ efforts have largely focused on the low and high-band (mmWave) varieties. All three carriers have deployed some mmWave offerings in cities, but mmWave requires repeaters and base stations every couple hundred meters and has very poor penetration. These factors mean it will likely never be used as a nationwide option.
As a result, T-Mobile and AT&T have both rolled out low-band networks to provide nationwide 5G coverage. Low-band, while offering excellent range and penetration, is only marginally faster than 4G. Verizon, on the other hand, does not have enough low-band spectrum to roll out a dedicated, nationwide 5G network and will have to rely on switching technology to allow 4G and 5G to be served from the same towers, using the same spectrum.
T-Mobile currently is the only one of the three carriers that has a wealth of mid-band spectrum, thanks to its Sprint acquisition. T-Mobile’s spectrum is in the 2.5 GHz range, and should offer speeds in the 600 – 700Mbps range.
The FCC is auctioning spectrum in the 3.55 to 3.65 GHz range, which should offer slightly higher speeds than T-Mobile’s mid-band, although slightly less range and penetration as well.
“5G is critical to America’s global economic and technological leadership, and the start of the 3.5 GHz auction today is a key milestone in our work advancing this national priority,” said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.
It’s a safe bet this will be one of the most important spectrum auctions in recent years, with Verizon and AT&T eager to flesh out their 5G networks. It remains to be seen if T-Mobile will purchase some of the spectrum, or if they are content with the mid-band they already have.
T-Mobile has unveiled a competitive, four-line plan to help mark the retirement of the Sprint brand.
Following its acquisition of the number four carrier, T-Mobile has wasted no time integrating Sprint. Its first steps were to use Sprint’s mid-band spectrum to roll out 5G in various markets, before shutting down Sprint’s standalone 5G network altogether.
T-Mobile had previously announced it would be unifying the two brands and phasing Sprint out on August 2. As part of the process, the magenta carrier has announced a competitive plan that offers four lines for only $25 each.
“Starting this Friday and available only for a limited time this summer, get four lines of unlimited data for just $25 each/month or get four 5G phones included for just $5 more each/month, and all with 5G access included. Yep, that’s just $25 a line plus tax with AutoPay for your family of four — or small business — to tap into the first and ONLY nationwide 5G network.”
The company was quick to point out that Verizon’s most competitive comparable plan will cost roughly $1,000 more per year. The timing of the announcement is likely designed to keep Sprint customers from looking elsewhere.
One of the concerns regulators had with T-Mobile and Sprint’s merger was the possibility of T-Mobile raising prices once the deal was completed. If this latest deal is any indication, however, it appears T-Mobile is making good on its promise to use its newfound scale to be more competitive than ever.
Ookla has released a report on the status of 5G in the US, and it shows T-Mobile leading by a wide margin when it comes to coverage.
According to the report, and similar to a report by Opensignal, Verizon had the fastest 5G speeds, coming in at roughly 10 times the speed of the next carrier. In terms of coverage, however, T-Mobile enjoys an equally impressive lead.
Ookla looked at two different ways of calculating how many 5G sites each carrier had. The first looked at the Ookla 5G Map, as of July 8, and found there were 5,165 commercial 5G deployments. T-Mobile accounted for 5,008, AT&T 355 and Verizon a mere 39.
In the second method, Ookla looked at cities where multiple devices running the company’s Speedtest app identified the presence of 5G. Using that method, T-Mobile led with 6,199 deployments, AT&T had 1,571 and Verizon a mere 196. As Ookla points out, some of those deployments may not be commercially available.
T-Mobile recently shut down Sprint’s 5G to repurpose the spectrum for its own network. It appears buying Sprint and gaining the additional spectrum is already paying off, giving T-Mobile a commanding lead in the 5G race.
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.
AT&T has announced its 5G network now covers 120 million people in 190 markets, up from 100 markets in its March 16 update.
The 90 additional markets are covered with the company’s low-band 5G. While the slowest variety, low-band offers the best coverage, range and building penetration compared to faster varieties.
“At a time when technology is proving to be even more essential for communication, AT&T customers can rest assured that our company is continuing to invest in our network and new technologies to make connection easier,” said Chris Sambar, EVP of Technology Operations. “We remain focused on launching AT&T 5G in more markets and to more customers across the country – building on the nation’s best and fastest wireless network – and plan to reach nationwide coverage this summer.”
The announcement is good news for AT&T customers, especially during a time when so many people are depending on wireless communication.
On the heels of its merger with Sprint, T-Mobile is wasting no time putting the former company’s spectrum to use improving its own network.
With carriers around the world pushing to deploy 5G networks, T-Mobile’s acquisition of Sprint puts it in an enviable spot moving forward. 5G comes in three flavors: low-band, mid-band and high-band, or mmWave. mmWave offers gigabit speeds, but has extremely limited range and penetration, while low-band offers excellent range and penetration, but only marginally better speeds than 4G LTE.
Mid-range spectrum is considered the sweet spot, offering a compromise between fast speeds and good coverage. Sprint had a wealth of mid-range spectrum, and T-Mobile is already putting it to good use. The company had previously announced the rollout of 2.5Ghz 5G in Philadelphia, using Sprint’s spectrum, and now it is going even further.
According to the company’s website, T-Mobile is bringing low, mid and high-band 5G to New York City. It is also bringing its low-band 5G to Detroit, St. Louis and Columbus. At the same time, Sprint customers are now able to roam on T-Mobile’s network, doubling the amount of LTE sites Sprint customers can access.
The announcements are welcome news to T-Mobile and Sprint subscribers and reaffirm that the New T-Mobile is the carrier to beat.
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.
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.
According to GeekWire, a group of senators led by Senator Maria Cantwell are pushing to use proceeds from an upcoming 5G spectrum auction to boost rural broadband.
According to the Pew Research Center, despite improvements in recent years, there is still a significant gap in broadband service between urban/suburban and rural Americans. While 79% of suburban residents enjoy home broadband and 75% of urban residents do, that number drops to only 63% for rural Americans. Some 83% of urban and suburban Americans enjoy broadband access on their smartphones, compared to only 71% of those who live in rural areas.
Senator Cantwell hopes the upcoming 5G spectrum auction may provide the funds to help close that divide. According to GeekWire, “Cantwell introduced legislation this week that would ensure some of the proceeds from a public auction of C-Band airwaves would be invested in rural broadband deployment and next-generation 9-1-1 networks.”
The C-band spectrum is currently used by satellite companies for video and radio programming, but the FCC plans to free it up for 5G wireless. If Senator Cantwell and her colleagues get their way, rural Americans may gain better access to broadband options.
Ars Technica is reporting that Charter—also known as Spectrum—is shutting down its home-security service, leaving customers with useless hardware.
According to the report, Charter is shutting down its security service February 5. Some users have spent hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars purchasing Charter’s cameras and sensors. Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be a good way to migrate to other services or platforms.
In theory, since Charter devices “rely on the Zigbee specification that allows multi-vendor interoperability for smart-home products,” they should be able to be used with another vendor. According to the Zigbee Alliance, however, there’s no guarantee devices will work with other vendors, even if they are factory-reset.
When Ars reached out to Charter, the company says its “lifestyle devices,” the term it uses for thermostats and lighting devices, “will work on hubs that support those devices and can be defaulted and re-paired with that hub.” Security devices, on the other hand, are a different matter. While lifestyle devices can be integrated into other systems, “that isn’t the case with the security devices such as window and door alarms, which account for the majority of Spectrum Home Security devices,” Charter told Ars. “Other home security providers have their own security/alarm devices, software and certifications and those systems wont accept a security device that they haven’t tested or certified.”
Customers who reached out to Charter to ask for a refund, or for a credit toward they service bills, were denied. Given the number of people being left out in the cold over Charter’s decision, it’s safe to say the company may have a hard time convincing customers to trust it if/when it decides to branch into other businesses.