AT&T

AT&T expects femtocell deployment next year

Lynnette Luna — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 23:46:02 -0500

AT&T expects its first metro area deployment of femtocells should come in the second quarter next year. According to John Stankey, president and CEO of AT&T's operations, the operator is validating the technology with customers and employees.

Speaking at a UBS conference in New York this week, Stankey said the product could be combined with a WiFi gateway to develop "a media device that is used for storing content or distributing content. We would like to get to a gateway device that optimizes the home network."

Pricing the device at less than $100 "is very, very do-able in that environment," although it might not be the price the company initially comes to market at, Stankey said. AT&T's goal is for its customer premises equipment (CPE) for the home to total less than $500, he said.

For more:
- check out Unstrung

Related articles:
AT&T, Verizon move ahead with femtocells
Femtocells face their tipping point

Carriers still mixed on WiFi in handsets

Jim Barthold — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:44:12 -0500

The value of WiFi in a mobile device depends more on the network than the chips that power the device or the applications that run on it.

It's hardly news that carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile are gaga for WiFi, while Verizon Wireless is lukewarm at best and Sprint Nextel, with its new Clearwire mobile WiMAX relationship, is a WiFi waffler.

The carriers like to control their networks and the devices that run on them but it's unlikely that kind of skewed business model will be able to exist much longer as more consumers use unlicensed spectrum to access broadband applications on any number of consumer devices, including cell phones. Even the least ardent WiFi fan--Verizon Wireless--probably won't be able to remain aloof.

"We're re-looking at WiFi in terms of customer experience. We've not made a decision on where we are with that," said Brenda Raney, a Verizon Wireless spokeswoman who repeated the corporate mantra that a powerful 3G network obviates WiFi.

The push for WiFi is led by players such as Skyhook Wireless, which offers a software that creates a hybrid 3G/WiFi environment for GPS. But Skyhook isn't alone. It has solid support from the chip community in its belief that 3G alone won't adequately deliver for every device from every location--particularly in urban valleys and indoors--so you need WiFi to bolster the GPS experience.

Qualcomm, a chipmaker that even Skyhook CEO Ted Morgan admits has "traditionally been a little anti-WiFi," is part of the GPS community embracing WiFi.

Leslie Presutti, product management director-CDMA for Qualcomm, said the chipmaker can't afford to be anti-anything when it comes to providing a good GPS experience.

"Customers are looking for the best functionality and they want to have more ubiquity for GPS whether they're indoors or outdoors or in a challenging environment," she said. That means something that goes beyond Qualcomm's Assisted GPS (A-GPS) product even though "everyone in the market agrees (it) is the best solution for even reaching indoors today."

Verizon is so enamored with A-GPS that Raney said there is no need to adopt WiFi for GPS. "We don't have that issue," she said.

Everyone does, countered Presutti, without singling out Verizon. "A-GPS has its limitations so when there are environments where we know A-GPS just won't be able to operate to the degree that we would like it to, we start to look for hybrid or complementary technologies," she said.

WiFi, everyone agrees, is a complementary technology, even if it doesn't always draw carrier compliments.

For AT&T, which recently acquired privately held managed WiFi services provider Wayport for about $275 million in cash, WiFi is a way of life. The company leans heavily on the connecting to the unlicensed spectrum for application downloads to its iPhone and links its triple-play residential networks with WiFi.

"We want to provide ubiquitous broadband for our customers and our WiFi footprint is a key piece of that," said Jenny Bridges, an AT&T spokesperson who responded to interview requests via email. However, AT&T declined to talk about Wayport when it announced the acquisition.

Without specifically naming AT&T, Raney said Verizon's needs are different because "we have such a pervasive 3G network. WiFi is a complement to that but ... we don't necessarily need to offer it."

That's changing, even though it's probably not happening fast enough for WiFi proponents. "Verizon has traditionally been allergic to WiFi. They view it as unclean and a risk to their business," said Morgan.

The sledgehammer that's breaking down Verizon's resistance is, in all likelihood, not Skyhook's GPS system but just the full weight of the WiFi movement. To say WiFi is ubiquitous would be understating.

"There's a pretty compelling case to put WiFi in a phone. If you think about things like spectrum management and making it easy and a good experience for people to do all the multimedia on the phone ... WiFi makes sense," said Kelly Davis-Felner, marketing director of the WiFi Alliance. "Generally speaking, most carriers have come around to the idea that WiFi is actually additive to their strategy and won't cannibalize subscribers off the paid minutes."

Verizon is going to have to give in eventually, Davis-Felner deduced, even though the company's most hyped new product, the BlackBerry Storm, doesn't include WiFi.

"A lot of the coverage of the Storm really noticed that the WiFi was missing. It's a feature that's expected and people notice when it's gone," she said.

Unlike BlackBerry devices offered by other operators, no Verizon BlackBerry device is WiFi-enabled. That doesn't mean every Verizon phone is WiFi vacant; it just means the carrier is selective about the types of phones it offers with the capability, said Raney, who reiterated that 3G is enough.

"Wireless is primarily designed for mobility and that's where the company's focus has always been, people who want to take their connectivity with them," she said. "We offer customers 3G networks; they don't have to go looking for a hotspot. They pay us on a monthly basis for the service and it's a secure network. WiFi typically is not secure."

AT&T buys Wayport, increases WiFi presence

Lynnette Luna — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:55:31 -0500

AT&T announced it will acquire WiFi operator Wayport for about $275 million in cash, boosting the number of AT&T-owned hotspots to approximately 20,000 from 17,000.

Not only does the acquisition give AT&T a greater footprint but offers some cost-savings for AT&T too since Wayport had a roaming deal with AT&T to allow its subscriber base to access its hotspots. AT&T offers free WiFi to to its fixed broadband, 3G, iPhone and certain BlackBerry customers.

"We're seeing exponential growth of WiFi-enabled devices -- such as smartphones -- combined with a continued dependency on 24/7, anytime, anywhere Internet access across business and consumer market segments," said John Stankey, president and CEO, AT&T Operations, in a statement. "Now is the right time for AT&T to affirm our commitment to WiFi leadership."

For more:
- check out this release

Related articles:
iPhone users finally get free WiFi on AT&T hotspots
AT&T dangles free WiFi carrot in front of iPhone users (again)
What's up with free WiFi for iPhone users at AT&T hotspots?

T-Mobile International wants LTE fast

Lynnette Luna — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:23:42 -0500

T-Mobile International says it will skip HSPA+ and go straight to LTE, a move no doubt welcomed by vendors such as Motorola that are anxious to sell LTE as quickly as possible.

"If I need to invest into more hardware, I think it's better to start early [with LTE]. LTE is a more future-oriented technology," CTO Joachim Horn told Unstrung. He added that the operator will only deploy HSPA as long as there isn't a need to replace hardware. "We'll do every other efficiency increase that's software-based," he said. That means T-Mobile can boost its current 7.2 Mbps HSDPA network up to 14.4 Mbps on the downlink but going further to HSPA+ will require MIMO antennas.

Other operators plan to continue milking their HSPA networks by adding HSPA+. AT&T Mobility last month reiterated its position at the 4G Executive Summit in Chicago that its HSPA and HSPA+ 3G network technology still had a lot of life left in it, and that LTE would not be rolled out for at least another three years--and probably not on a large commercial scale for another five years.

T-Mobile's revelation is good news to vendors such as Motorola, which doesn't really have an HSPA story and has been heavily developing OFDMA-based WiMAX and LTE. Ericsson, on the other hand, has been pushing for upgrades to HSPA.

For more:
- read Unstrung

Related articles:
AT&T reiterates: LTE a long way off
AT&T's short-term answer to WiMAX: HSPA Rel. 7

iPhone users finally get free WiFi on AT&T hotspots

Lynnette Luna — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:22:08 -0500

After a couple of false starts, AT&T is finally offering iPhone users along with users of select smart phones free access to its 17,000 WiFi hotspots. As you'll recall back in July, AT&T dangled the free WiFi carrot by posting a Web page promoting free WiFi access for iPhone users at its hotspots. Later that week the Web page was pulled, and AT&T media relations folks said it was a mistake. A similar mistake happened in May. Just hours after posting information that told iPhone users they would receive free access to AT&T's public WiFi hotspots, the company pulled all references to the service from its website.

However, Glenn Fleishman at Wi-Fi Networking News points out that the method for obtaining the free WiFi access is a bit complicated. Users have to joint the network, visit a gateway Web page, enter their cell phone number and wait for a free text message that contains a link to a secure site that activates 24 hours of access. The access is only available at that particular location but users can apparently activate service at as many locations as they want during a single day.

For more:
- see AT&T's web site
- check out Wi-Fi Network News

Related articles:
AT&T dangles free WiFi carrot in front of iPhone users (again)
What's up with free WiFi for iPhone users at AT&T hotspots?

AT&T announces initiative to bring connectivity to consumer electronics

Lynnette Luna — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 23:34:19 -0400

AT&T announced an initiative to bring wireless connectivity to new consumer electronics devices and applications--including personal computers, mobile Internet devices or mini computers, in-car entertainment and navigation systems, cameras and machine-to-machine communications solutions.

AT&T appointed Glenn Lurie to head the Emerging Devices initiative. The initiative is similar to what Sprint and Clearwire envision for WiMAX. Clearwire, which is expected to bring Sprint's WiMAX business in the fold by the end of the year, wants to embed WiMAX chips into a plethora of devices. Verizon Wireless is working closely with device makers and distribution partners to build momentum behind this "wireless in every device" vision.

What will be interesting to see is the amount of control AT&T tries to wield over the process as such a move could relegate an operator to a "dumb pipe" status. The Clearwire open-access network is envisioned to enable a whole host of devices and applications without Clearwire touching the process. Interestingly, Ben Wolff, CEO of Clearwire, said his company is actually concerned about becoming a commodity because of this open-access strategy.

"The expectation is that we want to sell value-added services," Wolff said during FierceWireless' virtual event, The Future of 4G. "We have to be able to deliver services in a way that has the right to earn the customer's business. Our view is people will be able to use us just for access if they want, but our job is creating enhanced services that our customers really want."

For more:
- read FierceWireless
- And, check out our "Future of 4G" virtual event. All panel sessions will be archived for several months. Register here.

AT&T considers WiMAX as copper replacement in U.S.

Lynnette Luna — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 22:48:27 -0400

AT&T technology chief John Donovan told USA Today that the company is considering a range of technology solutions to replace traditional copper lines. At the top of the list is WiMAX, which Donovan said could work in some U.S. markets, especially in rural areas where it is most expensive to maintain copper.

AT&T has a substantial portfolio of 2.3 GHz spectrum in the U.S. and must cover 25 percent of the population by July 2010. Last August, AT&T Alascom deployed WiMAX in Alaska in the 2.3 GHz band using Alvarion equipment.

For more:
- read USA Today

Related story:
Alvarion's position in mobile WiMAX grows stronger. WiMAX article

AT&T, RCA oppose Clearwire-Sprint WiMAX tie-up

Lynnette Luna — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:19:19 -0400

The proposed merger between Clearwire and Sprint Nextel's WiMAX business is coming under some scrutiny from the likes of AT&T and rural operators in filings with the FCC.

AT&T, which has the largest subscriber base in the U.S., argued that the venture would eventually use spectrum leased from schools, cities and nonprofits and that the spectrum hasn't been fully accounted for in the proposed merger. Earlier this year, the two announced their intention to combine their WiMAX businesses with the help of $3.2 billion from Intel, Google, Comcast, Time Warner and Bright House.

AT&T argues that when it purchased Dobson Communications last year, the FCC took into account spectrum AT&T has not yet accessed. In its filing, AT&T states that Clearwire and Sprint "openly state that they intend to compete with other national wireless providers--including AT&T--yet they fail to make the required showings necessary for the commission's review."

AT&T said Sprint and Clearwire, in listing their spectrum holdings, have discounted some spectrum they intend to use because it isn't operational yet. If the FCC would take into account all of the combined entity's spectrum holdings, the merger would be put under much higher scrutiny, AT&T argued.

Meanwhile, rural wireless operators, in a separate filing via the Rural Cellular Association to deny the hook-up, said they were concerned about roaming. The RCA said that under "these unique circumstances there is a manifest need for the commission to recognize the impact of both transactions upon consumers and act to promote carrier-to-carrier network interoperability, including automatic roaming for voice and data, notably for wireless broadband services."

Other groups, such as the Wireless Communications Alliance (WCA) and the Catholic Television Network, support the merger. WCA said the new joint venture offers the FCC "a unique opportunity to maximize the benefits of its new 2.5 GHz band plan and to spur widespread deployment of WiMAX technology by New Clearwire and others."

The Catholic Television Network said the deal "will benefit EBS licensees by facilitating the deployment of advanced wireless broadband networks on EBS spectrum."

For more:
- read RCR Wireless News
- check out Dow Jones

Related stories:
A breakdown of the Sprint-Clearwire deal. Sprint-Clearwire deal story
AT&T completes Dobson acquisition. AT&T story

AT&T offers and then rescinds free WiFi for iPhone users (again)

Lynnette Luna — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 01:23:02 -0400

What is up with AT&T and its intentions to offer iPhone users free WiFi access at its 17,000 hotspots? The operator keeps dangling the carrot in front of iPhone users only to yank it back again. Last week, the company posted a web page promoting free WiFi access for iPhone users at its hotspots only to have AT&T media relations folks to say it was a false alarm.

Back in May, just hours after posting information that told iPhone users they would receive free access to AT&T's public WiFi hotspots, the company pulled all references to the service from its Web site. The AT&T site previously noted "access to AT&T WiFi hot spots" was included in all iPhone subscriber plans. Why are plans continually released only to be pulled back again?

For more:
- check out Wi-Fi Net News

Starbucks settles T-Mobile WiFi lawsuit

Lynnette Luna — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 02:59:53 -0400

Days after T-Mobile filed a lawsuit against Starbucks accusing it of breach of contract because it's allowing AT&T to provide customers with free WiFi access in its cafes, Starbucks announced it has reached an agreement with AT&T and T-Mobile. The AT&T promotion provides two hours of free WiFi to Starbucks customers who purchase a Starbucks Reward Card with a minimum of $5 credit on it. Customers must use their Starbucks Card at least once a month.

T-Mobile, which was the seven-year exclusive paid WiFi provider for Starbucks before the coffee chain transitioned to AT&T, filed a complaint earlier this week charging Starbucks with secretly devising the promotion with AT&T to provide free WiFi in its stores even though T-Mobile still has the right to exclusively sell and promote its WiFi service in Starbucks until the transition to AT&T is complete. Currently only two Starbucks stores have made the transition, the lawsuit said.

It's unclear what type of agreement Starbucks entered into with AT&T and T-Mobile but it appears the lawsuit won't go to trial. According to a T-Mobile spokesperson, "T-Mobile, AT&T, and Starbucks have entered into a memorandum of understanding to resolve their disputes and are committed to providing a high quality WiFi experience for customers.

For more:
- read ars technica

Related stories:
T-Mobile sues Starbucks over free WiFi
T-Mobile USA: WiFi subs can still use Starbucks
Starbucks snubs T-Mobile, signs WiFi deal with AT&T

T-Mobile sues Starbucks over free WiFi

Sue Marek — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 17:27:25 -0400

T-Mobile USA isn't a fan of the new free WiFi promotion from AT&T and Starbucks. The carrier, which has offered paid WiFi access to Starbucks customers for the past seven years, filed a lawsuit against Starbucks accusing it of breach of contract because it's allowing AT&T to provide customers with free WiFi access in its cafes. The AT&T promotion provides two hours of free WiFi to Starbucks customers who purchase a Starbucks Reward Card with a minimum of $5 credit on it. Customers must use their Starbucks Card at least once a month.

Starbucks announced in February it was ending its exclusive relationship with T-Mobile in favor of a new deal with AT&T and the transition is under way. In the complaint filed in New York State Supreme Court, T-Mobile says the coffee maker secretly devised the promotion with AT&T to provide free WiFi in its stores even though T-Mobile still has the right to exclusively sell and promote its WiFi service in Starbucks until the transition to AT&T is complete. Currently only two Starbucks stores have made the transition, the lawsuit says.

For more:
- See this CNET story.

Related stories:
Starbucks' free WiFi promo hits a snag
T-Mobile USA: WiFi subs can still use Starbucks Starbucks WiFi/AT&T story
Starbucks snubs T-Mobile, signs WiFi deal with AT&T Starbucks WiFi story

ALSO NOTED: Ericsson waiting for AT&T to spend; Cisco to blame for Duke University's wireless networking problems; and much mor

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 06:59:51 -0400

> Vodafone voices concern about the lack of 3G support on the iPhone. Article

> Ericsson waiting for AT&T to spend. Article

> Brazil's telecoms regulator Anatel expects to issue bidding rules for the auction of 3G mobile licenses in October. Article

> Cisco to blame for Duke University's wireless networking problems, not the iPhone. Article

And Finally... Residents in a rural valley in British Columbia, Canada, hope that keeping out cell phones will help attract residents and tourists who want to escape to the quiet of nature. Article