Wireless News in the US, this week (Nov 11)

Briefing Doc: Wireless News in the US, Nov 11

Key Themes:

• Spectrum Acquisition and Reallocation: Carriers like AT&T are actively seeking to acquire and reallocate valuable mid-band spectrum to boost 5G capacity.
• The Rise of FWA: Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) is maturing and becoming a significant disruptor in the broadband industry, offering a viable alternative to traditional wired connections, especially in rural areas.
• The Intersection of AI and Wireless: The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with wireless networks is gaining momentum, promising to optimize network performance, enable new edge services, and potentially shape the development of 6G.
• Satellite Connectivity: Direct-to-cell satellite communications are becoming a reality, offering emergency messaging capabilities but facing challenges in delivering bandwidth-intensive services like video streaming.

Key Insights and Facts:

Spectrum Strategies:

• AT&T is aggressively acquiring spectrum, having recently purchased mid-band spectrum from UScellular for $1 billion. ("AT&T scores spectrum from UScellular in $1B cash deal - TyN Magazine")
• AT&T has proposed a controversial plan to relocate the entire CBRS ecosystem to the lower 3 GHz band, potentially freeing up valuable spectrum for licensed 5G use. ("AT&T tells FCC how it can really shake up CBRS")

The FWA Landscape:

• FWA is experiencing significant growth, with T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T expected to gain millions of new FWA customers in the coming years. ("FWA hits middle age and gets boring")
• Smaller fixed wireless providers like Sound Broadband are also finding success in serving rural areas and challenging traditional broadband providers. ("FWA hits middle age and gets boring")

AI-Powered Networks:

• T-Mobile is actively partnering with Nvidia and other industry players to develop AI-powered RAN (Radio Access Network) technology, aiming to optimize network performance and enable new edge services. ("T-Mobile emerging as Nvidia's big AI cheerleader")
• T-Mobile believes that AI will play a crucial role in shaping the development of 6G. ("T-Mobile emerging as Nvidia's big AI cheerleader")
• T-Mobile CTO John Saw stated, "We really want to discover a path to commercialization. This is more than a science project." ("T-Mobile emerging as Nvidia's big AI cheerleader")

Satellite Communications:

• Apple has invested $1.5 billion in Globalstar to build out a mobile satellite service (MSS) network, with SpaceX launching the satellites. ("Apple’s $1.5 Billion Mobile Service Satellites Will Be Launched By SpaceX")
• Direct-to-cell satellite communication is currently limited to emergency messaging and IoT applications due to bandwidth and cost constraints. Video streaming remains impractical. ("Why video is out of reach for satellite direct-to-cell")

Other Notable Developments:

• T-Mobile has achieved a world record for 5G upload speeds, reaching a peak of 2.2 Gbps using a technology called 5G Dual Connectivity (5G DC). ("T-Mobile Breaks World Record for Upload Speeds - TmoNews")
• Verizon has been recommended by the National Advertising Division (NAD) to modify its ads promoting satellite texting services, ensuring clarity about the limited availability of the feature. ("T-Mobile complaint leads NAD to recommend that Verizon modify multiple ads - PhoneArena")

Thank you for listening!
-Mario Mejia