4G Global Update - June 9, 2011

 

Etisalat Gears Up to Launch LTE Services in the UAE

Gulf News

Etisalat said it began the final phase of trials on the 4G LTE mobile broadband network, in order to commercially launch the service in the third quarter of 2011. Etisalat has invested Dh6 billion in deploying fiber-optic technology that helped it to launch the triple-play E-life package. Ali Al Ahmad, Chief Corporate Communication Officer at Etisalat, said the UAE is the first country in the Middle East to launch LTE service in the UAE. The first phase will cover all key Emirates in the UAE through 800 base stations. More

 

Global Mobile Plans Chinese TD-LTE Joint Venture

TeleGeography

Taiwanese WiMAX network operator Global Mobile has revealed that it plans to open a 4G joint venture in mainland China in partnership with the administration of Songshan Lake National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone. According to Telecompaper, the joint venture will provide TD-LTE services to mobile users in Guangdong province for a period of two years. More

 

Verizon Wants to Swap Spectrum with US Cellular

FierceWireless

In an unusual spectrum swap, Verizon Wireless is asking the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to allow it to swap some of its 700 MHz spectrum licenses with U.S. Cellular in exchange for certain 1900 MHz PCS licenses. The transfer is notable because of U.S. Cellular's accelerated LTE deployment plans. The company, which had originally planned to deploy the next-generation technology in 2012, said in May it will deploy LTE in 24 markets by November, covering approximately 25% to 30% of its total subscriber base. The company will outfit around 1,250 cell sites with LTE. Verizon, which paid $4.7 billion for its 700 MHz spectrum in 2008, said the PCS licenses will help it expand capacity and improve service. More

 

Utilities, Smart Grids Drive WiMAX Market Growth

Urgent Communications

A new report from market research firm Infonetics Research indicates that the WiMAX equipment market is one of the few areas of the mobile infrastructure market to see a dramatic uptick in revenue growth year over year in the first quarter. While the rest of the mobile infrastructure market (2G/3G/4G) saw a 14.4% year-over-year increase in revenues during the first quarter, WiMAX saw a 49% increase year over year. The performance was driven by the expansion of existing networks and by the growing utility and smart-grid segment, which, according to Richard Webb, directing analyst for WiMAX at Infonetics Research, "is proving fruitful for WiMAX vendors." The firm also said that LTE equipment sales caught up to WiMAX equipment sales in the first quarter, with each being a half-billion-dollar market globally. More

 

Far EasTone Optimistic About Merger of WiMAX Operators in Tawiwan

Focus Taiwan News Channel

Far EasTone Telecommunications, the third-biggest carrier in Taiwan, said the merger of the country's WiMAX wireless broadband operators will benefit the development of the mobile communications industry, but the government should play a coordinating role. More

 

Sprint 4G Upload Speed Caps to Increase Tomorrow

Ubergizmo

According to a leaked photograph of a Sprint memo, the current 1.0Mbps upload speed cap for its WiMAX devices will be given a boost to 1.5Mbps starting June 10. The boost will only affect mobile devices such as EVO 4G and Epic 4G phones, but "fixed" devices won't be given the same treatment. The changes will be network-based, so there won't be any software updates or customer migration required. More

 

WiMAX at Age 10: Its Accomplishments and Its Failures

Connected Planet

The dream of being the world's premier mobile broadband technology has died, but the WiMAX Forum believes it still has a significant role to play in third-world, rural and vertical market connectivity. More

 

Sprint Moves to Lower Clearwire Cross-Default Risk

Wireless Week

Sprint has taken steps to mitigate the risk that it could be called to pay Clearwire's debts if the financially struggling WiMAX operator, in which Sprint owns a 54% stake, defaulted on its loans. Sprint reduced its Class B voting shares from 54% to 49.8%, according to SEC documents filed. The move does not affect Sprint's other governance rights or financial holdings in Clearwire, which remain at 54%. More