CommsXpressNextGen
Bharti Regains Losses as Investors Revisit Zain Deal
Wireless Federation
Within two days of the announcement that Bharti Airtel and Zain will enter into exclusive talks for Zain’s African assets, Bharti lost $3.6 billion in market capitalisation. However, an improvement in the investor’s sentiments has been noticed since then, primarily after Bharti’s conference call with analysts in end-February on the Zain acquisition.
Topics: Africa, [...]
3G Buildouts Push Up Mobile Network Inve$tment
BusinessWeek
Mobile networks may not be getting upgraded as fast as some subscribers would like, but carrier spending on infrastructure is expected to rebound slightly this year after falling in 2009.
Topics: 3G, 4G, Dell, Google, Intel, NextG, Nokia, telecom, Verizon, wireless
FCC Considering Spectrum For Free Wireless Broadband
Fierce Wireless News
The FCC may release spectrum for “free or very low-cost” wireless broadband service to boost wider broadband adoption. The proposal is one small part of the commission’s national broadband plan, which it will formally present to Congress March 17.
Topics: broadband, FCC, WiMax, wireless
Washington Post FAQ ON Verizon LTE
Washington Post
There is some debate over whether LTE is actually the endpoint for the evolution of 4G wireless. That is likely to become moot as major carriers rollout LTE and tout it as their “4G” offering.
Topics: 3G, 4G, broadband, Google, NextG, telecom, telecommunications, Verizon, VoIP, Washington, wireless
100Mbps Broadband Closer Than You Think
CNET
From a technical standpoint, 100Mbps is achievable today. In fact, Cablevision is already offering a 100 Mbps service, and Comcast, which has been offering 100Mbps to business customers since September in one test market, is about to launch 100Mbps service to consumers in several markets in the first half of this year.
Topics: 3G, broadband, [...]
Zain’s Legal Dispute With Nigerian Assets May Delay Bharti Deal
Wireless Federation
The pending legal dispute over the ownership of Zain on its Nigerian assets might lead to the delay in the selling of the African assets by the company to Indian telco, Bharti Airtel. Econet Wireless Holdings and Zain have been undergoing a long dispute and the former has claimed a right of first refusal [...]
AT&T CEO Says Wireless Industry Will Move To Metered Broadband Pricing
Fierce Wireless News
AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson said he thinks the wireless industry is going to adopt usage-based pricing models for mobile data. While he did not provide specific plans for how AT&T Mobility might implement such pricing structures, he said there is a steady move toward those models.
Topics: 3G, AT&T, broadband, cellular, smartphone, United [...]
FCC’s Broadband Plan Would Cost Taxpayers $25 Billion
Fierce Wireless News
Questions remain about the details and viability of the FCC’s national broadband plan, which will be presented to Congress March 17. However, one thing appears clear: It’s going to carry a hefty price tag.
Topics: broadband, FCC, WiMax, wireless
AT&T Chief Claims That iPad Will Rely Mostly Upon Wi-Fi
Mobile Tech Today
As Apple gets ready to ship its Pads with AT&T as the exclusive U.S. 3G carrier, the wireless giant’s CEO seems to be downplaying expectations by saying the tablet computer will be “largely a Wi-Fi-driven product.”
Topics: 3G, AT&T, carrier, consumer, San Francisco, Wi-Fi, wireless
Broadband, Wireless Prices Dropping Worldwide According To U.N.
CNET
The costs for information and communication technology are continuing to drop, says a report released Tuesday by the United Nations agency known as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). However, broadband Internet access is still pricey and out of reach to many poor countries.
Topics: 3G, broadband, NextG, telecom, WiMax, wireless
FCC’s “Public-Safety” Wireless Plans Meet With Mixed Reaction
Fierce Wireless News
The FCC’s proposal to re-auction the D Block of the 700 MHz spectrum band–part of a broader effort to create an interoperable, pubic-safety broadband network–has sparked a mixed bag of reactions. The wireless carrier community has been largely muted on the issue, but a major public-safety group has expressed its disappointment with [...]
Open Wi-Fi Will Disappear Under New U.K. Law
CNET
The U.K. government will not exempt universities, libraries, and small businesses providing open Wi-Fi services from its Digital Economy Bill copyright crackdown, according to official advice released earlier this week.
Topics: 3G, NextG, telecom, Wi-Fi, WiMax, wireless
Bharti May Sell Shares to SingTel
Wireless Federation
Shares of Bharti Airtel might be sold to Singapore Telecommunications by the operator to partly fund its purchase of Zain’s African assets and avoid taking on too much debt. According to SingTel, it is premature to talk about funding as the transaction is subject to ongoing discussions, due diligence and customary regulatory approvals and [...]
EVDO Network Launched In Pakistan
Wireless Federation
Evo wireless broadband service based on EVDO Rev A network technology has been launched by Pakistan operator PTCL. The service offers download speeds up to 3.1Mbps and the average speeds vary from 300Kbps to 500Kbps for downlink and 200 Kbps to 400Kbps for uplink.
Topics: broadband, EVDO, launch, Pakistan, PTCL
MTN Exiting South Africa?
Wireless Federation
No confirmation or denial has been given by mobile operator MTN regarding its plans to abandon SA in favor of Dubai, a location closer to its higher revenue earners.
Topics: Dubai, MTN, South Africa
Japanese Carrier Willcom Seeks Bankruptcy Protection
Wireless Federation
Bankruptcy petition has been announced by Japanese mobile phone company Willcom. Japan’s fourth-largest provider of mobile phone and wireless data services has been burdened with heavy debts, and has been struggling to expand its subscriber base amid fierce competition in the wireless market.
Topics: bankrupt, Japan, phone company, Willcom, wireless
Bangladesh Set To Hold “Beauty Contest” For 3G License
Wireless Federation
The 3G licenses in Bangladesh will be awarded via a qualitative ‘beauty contest’ procedure rather than a straightforward monetary auction. The announcement has been made by Bangladesh’s telecom minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju who made it clear that the state did not want to repeat mistakes made in the country’s WiMAX auctions, where license prices [...]
Vodafone Intros World’s Cheapest Handset
Barcelona, Spain, Vodafonemedia
At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain today Vodafone introduced the world’s cheapest wireless handset. The Vodafone 150 will retail for less than US$15 and is mainly targeted at wireless users in developing nations.
Photos From the MWC Show Floor
Fierce Wireless News
Most booths focus on the nitty-gritty: the products and technologies that keep wireless moving. But others–specifically, those from companies with extra time or money–worked to entice weary show travelers with a little extra.
Topics: Mobile World Congress, trade show, travel, WiMax, wireless
Indian Telecoms Want Government Incentives
Wireless Federation
With the coming down of tariffs in India, the profitability of the country’s top telecom firms has also come down. But the government of the country is still not dithered to budget a little more than Rs 48,000 crore from the sector for this fiscal which includes Rs 13,300 crore as license fee and…
Topics: [...]
