#TBT: Comcast makes mobile moves; Prepping for 600 MHz auction; Pokémon Go takes AR to a new level … this week in 2016

Editor’s note: RCR’s wireless news is included in “Throwback Thursday” by touching our archives to revive the leading headlines of the past. Turn on the time machine, put the sepia shadows, set the date for #TBT and enjoy the memories!

Comcast makes mobile moves

Comcast continues to make moves that signal a possible future entry into the mobile operator’s space. The latest, Philadelphia-based MSO, says it has created a new mobile division and relocated executives to support the new business. As originally reported Multi-channel news, Greg Butz, former EVP for sales and marketing, will head the new mobile unit, while EVP and network chief executive John Schantz and EVP and cable chief financial officer Kathy Avgiris have moved to new positions. Adding to the mobile focus is long-standing speculation that Comcast could use its extensive network of Wi-Fi hotspots, both public and in subscribers’ homes, to launch a mobile virtual operator game. In addition, in October, Comcast notified Verizon Wireless that it planned to activate an annual agreement to use the operator’s spectrum. Verizon Wireless struck a deal with several cable companies back in 2012 to negotiate a $ 3.6 billion deal to buy spectrum from Comcast, Time Warner and Bright House Networks. As part of the deal, each of the cable companies received the “opportunity to become a reseller of Verizon Wireless services in approximately four years.” … Read more

Digging into the demands of the carrier

In an effort to gain an edge over competitors, local wireless operators have turned more aggressively to claims of superior network performance based on various testing methodologies performed by a growing number of companies. These results can be seen in almost any ad or commercial, with each carrier claiming that their network has some coverage or performance advantage. Is that it Verizon Wireless,, T-Mobile USA,, Sprint or AT&T Mobility, it is not difficult to find at least one “independent” network performance test claiming an advantage. But what do all these statements mean and which – if any – can be trusted? In an attempt to purify the air a bit, this week Carrier Wrap spoke with Paul Carter, CEO of Global Wireless Solutions, to look at the various testing methodologies. In the interview, Carter looked at what GWS defines as uncontrolled crowdsourcing testing; controlled application testing; and controlled strict benchmarking with the help of test equipment. … Read more

Inside the Olympic telecommunications technology in Rio

RIO DE JANEIRO – Brazilian Eli Resende leads the organization of all providers of information technology and communication infrastructure for the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in 2016 in Rio. Less than a month after the opening ceremony of the big event, the technology director said the deployment of information and communication technologies was on schedule, with 80% delivered. Resende speaks with RCR Wireless News in a video interview during a visit to the headquarters of the Olympic Games in Rio in July. With more than 25 years of experience in the telecommunications and IT sectors, the CIO holds daily meetings to make sure all the details are taken care of before the games. … Read more

AT&T, NFV standards with open eye, SDN

AT&T has signed a contract with the European operator Orange to work on open source and standardization initiatives related to the operator’s pressure to increase control over its network resources, using software-defined network and technology to virtualize network functions. The agreement calls on both operators to adhere to a “strategic vision of moving intelligence from consumer hardware to the network” in a way designed to reduce costs and complexity. The companies said they would work with “appropriate” forums for standardization discussions, which they said could ultimately lead to shorter deployment cycles and faster growth rates. These specific areas of focus include the creation of common specifications for premises-based devices to operate in different environments of network service providers and network function software providers; work designed to streamline the inclusion process for virtual network functions; and the development of standardized APIs to support interoperable SDN architectures. “Building SDN and NFV technologies on common, open and interoperable standards will help address today’s challenges by providing a highly secure, smart, application-compliant network,” the carriers said in a statement related to the announcement. … Read more

Deployment of the auction on 600 MHz

The Federal Communications Commission said 62 companies had qualified to participate in the pre-auction section of its 600 MHz bidding process, which is set to begin on August 16th. Qualified candidates include three of the country’s four largest operators, as well as a number of rural operators and designated individuals. Qualifiers include Verizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile US, US Cellular and C Spire, as well as some international interest in the form of Japan’s NTT DoCoMo, which is expected to bid for FCC-controlled licenses covering the Pacific islands. The FCC has previously said it will separate 30 megahertz of repackaged spectrum for carriers that no longer control a significant amount of spectrum holdings below 1 GHz, which is primarily composed of AT&T and Verizon Communications. T-Mobile US is expected to be the most aggressive candidate for the saved spectrum, with some predicting that the carrier could spend up to $ 10 billion on licenses. Although not eligible for dedicated licenses, analysts predict that AT&T could bid between $ 10 billion and $ 15 billion for licenses – by committing to at least $ 9 billion in bids as part of receiving approval for the acquisition of DirecTV – while Verizon is expected to bid about $ 10 billion. Verizon Wireless is also expected to bid up to $ 10 billion for spectrum. … Read more

I have to catch them all!!

If you’ve recently seen people walking around and staring even more carefully at their smartphones than usual, chances are it’s because of Pokémon Go. The popular augmented reality game transposes virtual creatures into real environments and allows users to capture them via mobile devices. It launched last week and immediately climbed to the top of the popular app download lists for both iOS and Android. SimilarWeb reports that as of Monday, Pokémon Go had been downloaded to more than 10% of US Android devices, and that nearly 6% of Android users on Android had played the game that day. Experienced monkey published data that as of this past Tuesday, the game has over 21 million daily users in the United States, making it the largest mobile game in U.S. history. The intersection of the mobile application and reality led to messages about everything from people falling from ocean bluffs while hunting Pokemon, to robbers using the game as a way to target victims and at least one catastrophe. They have two different players found dead bodies while playing, and a couple in the Detroit area noticed a fire in a house, rescuing a dog. US Holocaust Memorial Museum and Arlington National Cemetery make public demands on players stop playing the game on their basis. Neil Mouston, Executive Director of Wireless Device Strategies at Strategy Analytics he called it The world’s first “killer application” for AR phones … Read more

The Obama White House is setting up public-private partnerships for wireless research

The Obama administration has announced new funding and private sector partnerships for wireless research to be based on the Federal Communications Commission. approval of high frequency spectrum for the development of “5G” services. The $ 400 million initiative will be led by the National Science Foundation, which plans to invest $ 350 million over the next five years in testing platforms developed through a $ 85 million public-private partnership. The government plans to contribute $ 50 million to the partnership, with another $ 35 million in cash and in-kind support to be provided by these companies and associations: AT&T said it would provide on-site mobile connectivity in cities selected as test sites for advanced wireless platform research. Carlson Wireless Technologies plans to contribute to equipment, technology and expertise in white TV spaces and dynamic spectrum sharing, allowing researchers to consider different uses, including broadband internet access and the ‘Internet of Things’. CommScope, in support of the test platforms, said it would contribute to connectivity solutions such as antennas, RF cables, cabinets, small cells and optical optics. … Read more

look RCR Wireless News Archives for more stories from the past.

Similar publications