Telecom News in the US, this week (Feb 10)

Key Themes & Developments:

5G Expansion and Upgrades:

• AT&T is upgrading its voice core with Nokia to support 5G voice calls (VoNR). Dell'Oro Group noted that "the Nokia contract will help AT&T enable 5G voice." This deal also signals Nokia's strong position in the IMS and VoLTE market: "Nokia has two-thirds of the market for IMS [IP Multimedia Subsystem] and VoLTE [Voice over LTE], and this will surely help them cement this position". The upgrade uses a "cloud-native IMS Core to handle 5G voice calls."
• UScellular is deploying Samsung's mmWave and virtualized RAN (vRAN) capabilities for its 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) service. UScellular's VP of engineering and network operations, Mike Dienhart, stated that mmWave's "ultra-high bandwidth will allow it 'to unleash new capabilities and deliver cutting-edge customer experiences'".
• C Spire is launching 5G-powered FWA services in Mississippi, using Nokia for radio equipment and Inseego's 5G Wavemaker FX3110 router. Their "5G Home Internet" service supports download speeds up to 100 Mbit/s for $70 a month.

Satellite Connectivity and Direct-to-Device (D2D) Services: 

• Skylo Technologies is launching its D2D service with Verizon on the Samsung Galaxy S25, offering SOS messaging across North America. 
• T-Mobile is offering free Starlink connectivity (in beta) to Verizon and AT&T customers until July, after which it will be included in certain T-Mobile plans or available as a paid add-on. CEO Mike Sievert proclaimed, "T-Mobile Starlink is the first and only space-based mobile network in the US that automatically connects to your phone so you can be connected even where no cellular network reaches."

Innovation in Service Offerings: 

• AT&T is rolling out enhanced caller ID technology that displays the reason for business calls, using pre-set options like "Appointment Reminder" or "Customer Service." This feature leverages the STIR/SHAKEN call authentication standard.

Spectrum Allocation and Potential Conflicts: 

• SpaceX is vying for access to the upper C-band spectrum (3.98–4.2 GHz), potentially putting it in competition with T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon.

Company-Specific Information:

• AT&T: Focusing on core network modernization with Nokia, enhancing voice capabilities (VoNR), and improving customer experience with advanced caller ID.
• T-Mobile: Emphasizing satellite connectivity through Starlink, offering free trials, and expanding reach through partnerships. T-Mobile may soon find itself competing with its partner on the satellite initiative, SpaceX for wireless spectrum.
• Verizon: Partnering with Skylo for D2D services on Samsung devices and competing aggressively in the wireless market.
• Boost Mobile (EchoStar): Facing significant challenges in gaining market share and potentially considering a sale of spectrum assets.
• UScellular: Deploying mmWave technology with Samsung to enhance FWA services.
• C Spire: Expanding into FWA using Nokia equipment, targeting underserved areas in Mississippi, and evaluating participation in the BEAD program. C Spire has been exploring ways to offer Mobile and FWA services to the underserved rural markets. 
• Comcast: Continuing the partnership with NASCAR, and will be giving Super Bowl LIX the white glove treatment with 'enhanced' 4K.

Thank you for listening!
-Mario Mejia