Sprint’s network overhaul will drop the number of cell sites it operates by 44 percent, executive Bob Azzi said at a conference today. The $5 billion project, dubbed Network Vision, will slash Sprint’s cell sites from 68,000 to 38,000, excluding its use of Clearwire’s towers, he said during a keynote address at the Rural Cellular […]
Telecommunications
Comcast dials in free text messaging for phone customers
Comcast is sweetening its voice offering with the inclusion of free text messaging, as well as the ability to transcribe and read voicemail messages. The new features are included with Comcast’s Xfinity Voice Unlimited Nationwide plan and work with Apple and Android-based smartphones, as well as iPad and iPod Touch devices. Both of the new […]
Shaw Business checks in with Wi-Fi service for medical centers
Shaw Business, the commercial services arm of Shaw Communications, has inked an agreement to provide Wi-Fi, Internet and networking services to BC Biomedical Laboratories. As part of the multi-year deal, Shaw will deploy its Wi-Fi services for BC Biomedical in 45 of its patient medical centers that are located throughout the lower mainland of British […]
Arris workforce management system now supports Android
Arris has added support for the Android OS to its WorkAssure Workforce Management system for service provider customers whose technicians and installers are adopting Android-based mobile devices as work tools. “Operators are beginning to phase out existing handheld devices and are purchasing new Android devices because of the user-friendly features,” said Gary Cunha, Arris’ senior […]
Report: U.S. smartphone ownership matches feature phones
As of February 2012, almost half of U.S. mobile subscribers now own smartphones, according to Nielsen. That marks an increase of 38 percent over last year, when only 36 percent of mobile subscribers owned smartphones in February. Nielsen says that overall, Android continues to lead the smartphone market in the United States, with 48 percent […]
Best Buy posts dismal Q4, will close 50 stores
Best Buy will close 50 of its big-box stores after the company posted fourth-quarter earnings today that showed a $1.7 billion loss compared to a $651 million profit in the year-ago quarter. The results included $2.6 billion in charges, mostly related to the company’s purchase of Carphone Warehouse Group’s interest in the Best Buy Mobile […]
Sprint mulls LTE tie-ups with regional carriers
Sprint may consider partnering with regional wireless providers on LTE through network sharing and spectrum hosting arrangements, according to a top network executive. The potential tie-ups could look similar to Sprint’s former spectrum hosting deal, LightSquared, which took advantage of the flexible equipment Sprint is using for its network modernization project. “That’s a scenario we’re […]
NTIA report identifies prime spectrum, advocates sharing
The U.S. Department of Commerce, through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), yesterday announced the results of a report that found 95 MHz of prime spectrum could be repurposed for wireless broadband use. NTIA, along with various federal agencies, evaluated the potential of the 1755-1850 MHz band to accommodate commercial wireless broadband service. While […]
NetAmerica, Panhandle light up Bonfire LTE
Panhandle Telephone Cooperative is about to switch on LTE service in rural Oklahoma, and it won’t do it alone: It’s getting help from the NetAmerica Alliance. The launch marks the first commercial deployment for the group, which opened its doors just one year ago to help regional operators move to LTE. Operators use their own […]
Aurora wins SCTE Canadian Summit’s Technology Challenge
Aurora Networks’ Remote QAM module took the top honors at the SCTE Canadian Summit’s Technology Challenge yesterday. Aurora Networks edged out product offerings from Alcatel-Lucent, Metaswitch Networks, NDS Group and RGB Networks in the voting that was done by Canadian Summit attendees via text messaging. All five of the entries were designed to provide cable […]