Bipartisan Senators Agree on $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Bill

 After weeks of negotiating, a bipartisan group of senators reached a deal on "the major issues" in their $1.2 trillion infrastructure package, GOP senators involved in the talks announced Wednesday. Broadband deployment spending remains a major part of the legislation. While it could be days before they finish writing the measure, the deal means the Senate can now begin debating the legislation in earnest, according to Axios.

“We now have an agreement on the major issues," Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), the lead GOP negotiator, said Wednesday afternoon. "There is a CBO [Congressional Budget Office] official score that covers much of the bill," Portman said, something many GOP senators deemed necessary before voting on the measure. Continue Reading

CTIA: U.S. Wireless Investment Hits Five Year High

The wireless industry invested $30 billion in 2020 to power America’s wireless networks, according to CTIA’s 2021 Annual Wireless Industry Survey. The association says this represents a five-year high, and the third straight year of increasing capital expenditures, pushing cumulative industry investment over $600 billion.

The investment means mobile speeds jumped 50 percent in the past year and 5G networks nationwide now cover over 300 million people. Investment has also sparked  5G for home broadband services. Such services — capable of over 100 Mbps downstream — are deployed in communities across the country. Survey results also showed increases in wireless data use, cell sites and data-only devices — indicators of the ongoing shift to the 5G economy. Continue Reading

FCC Cleans Up RDOF; Makes $311M Available for Broadband

 The FCC on Monday took its first steps to move forward with funding new broadband deployments nationwide through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF). The agency said it’s ready to authorize over $311 million in broadband funding across 36 states. At the same time, the Commission took steps to clean up issues with the RDOF program’s design, originating from its adoption in 2020. 

FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel called the actions “a significant down payment on broadband deployment.” She said help is on the way “for hundreds of thousands of Americans without access to broadband.” Continue Reading

Will AT&T Keep Fighting for 12 GHz Spectrum?

 Throughout this spring and summer, AT&T has been selling assets to raise money to pay down debt and fund its network. Planned asset sales include the spinoff of WarnerMedia to Discovery, the sale of a 30 percent interest in DirecTV, and the purchase of Vrio by Grupo Werthein. In addition, AT&T is selling CNN Center in Atlanta, game studio Playdemic, a Pittsburgh office building, and a stake in the San Antonio Spurs basketball team. 

Last week, AT&T sold something different: access to its network. AT&T is replacing T-Mobile US as DISH’s primary network services partner in a deal that will net AT&T at least $5 billion over 10 years.

The deal has positive and negative aspects for the tower industry. It absolves DISH of the obligation to deploy its spectrum in costly rural markets, meaning there may be less demand for tower assets there. But it also gives AT&T an “avenue” to use DISH’s spectrum in select markets, according to an 8K filed by the companies. Continue Reading

All Apple iPhones to Go 5G in 2022

 All of the iPhones sold by Apple next year will be 5G-capable, including its budget handset, according to a Nikkei Asia report. Apple’s commitment to 5G comes with the elimination of new 4G phones, sources told Nikkei Asia. Even the OEM’s cheapest handset, the iPhone SE, will go 5G and sport Apple’s premium A15 processor and Qualcomm's X60 modem chip, the Asian publication added.

There will be no more iPhone Mini next year, after the premium smartphone failed to catch on, according to media reports. Apple’s first 5G iPhone entered the market in 2020, preceded by Samsung Electronics, Oppo, Xiaomi and Huawei Technologies, which introduced 5G-capable phones in 2019.

Nonetheless, Apple’s complete commitment to 5G will be good news for the carriers, which are pushing 5G phones as a way to get more customers on their networks. The more 5G phones the carriers can offer, the better, it appears. Continue Reading

Verizon Picks Up Its Network Build Pace

By John Celentano, Inside Towers Business Editor Declaring that its operations are “quickly resuming pre-pandemic norms” compared to a year ago, Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Chairman and CEO Hans Vestburg comments in the company’s 2Q21 earnings call, “We are executing on our multipurpose network strategy and producing positive results in each of our five growth vectors, recording strong second quarter results. We are also expanding our 5G Ultra Wideband and 5G Home markets.” In that call, the company reported 2Q21 consolidated service revenues of $28.2 billion, up nearly 6 percent over the $26.7 billion in 2Q20. Adjusted EBITDA increased by the same rate to $12.2 billion. For 1H21, free cash flow amounted to $11.7 billion, down nearly 15 percent on a year-over-year basis. The company ended the quarter with 117.3 million retail postpaid connections and close to 4.1 million retail prepaid connections. The total 121.3 million total retail connections were up over 1 percent YoY. VZ leads all U.S.-based mobile network operators in retail connections; its Consumer markets account for 78 percent of that total. Continue Reading

AT&T, Developer Plan to Bring Smart City to D.C. Development

By J. Sharpe Smith, Inside Towers Technology Editor  

AT&T and JBG Smith, a mixed-use property developer, have entered into a letter of intent to provide smart city amenities to the neighborhoods of Crystal City, Pentagon City, and Potomac Yard, known collectively as National Landing, near the center of the Washington, D.C., metro area, according to a press release.
 
The first network infrastructure deployments are planned for the first half of 2022, and will expand with development of the community.

The AT&T agreement is the next step for JBG Smith, which spent $25.3 million on four Priority Access Licenses (PAL) totaling 40 megahertz in Arlington and three PALs (30 megahertz) in Alexandria in the FCC Citizens Broadband Radio Service last fall. The licenses span more than 16.2 million square feet in National Landing and Potomac Yard, where JBG Smith is the largest holder of existing and developable real estate. Continue Reading

DISH, AT&T Agree Over Network Services, Spectrum Sharing

 By J. Sharpe Smith, Inside Towers Technology Editor After its relationship with T-Mobile went south earlier this year, DISH Network has signed a Network Services Agreement (NSA) with AT&T, making the carrier the primary network services partner for DISH mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) customers. The agreement will affect customers of DISH’s retail wireless brands, including Boost Mobile, Ting Mobile and Republic Wireless, in addition to the new DISH 5G network. 

DISH agreed to pay AT&T at least $5 billion over the course of the ten-year term deal. When the agreement ends, DISH will be able to continue to use AT&T’s network service to support MVNO customers for up to two years, according to Cowen Research.

“The new deal seems to reflect some of the frustration DISH has shared of late with T-Mobile, including T-Mobile’s planned shutdown of Sprint’s 3G CDMA network, as well as their bickering over the fate of the 12 GHz band,” Cowen analysts said in a report. Continue Reading

Phoenix Tower Expands Its Footprint Across Malta and Cyprus

 Phoenix Tower International (“Phoenix”) announced yesterday it has closed its agreement with Monaco Telecom to purchase over 830 wireless towers and acquire newly constructed wireless towers over six years across Malta and Cyprus through a build-to-suit (BTS) program. The acquisition, according to Phoenix’s CEO Dagan Kasavana, makes them the largest tower infrastructure provider in both countries.The partnership established with Monaco Telecom through this deal will see the operator occupy the sites for at least twenty years. 

In Malta and Cyprus, Phoenix will operate the neutral host independent tower model to facilitate increased coverage expansion for all wireless operators and ultimately increased connectivity for the populations of both countries. 

Phoenix also expanded its European footprint in Ireland and France through further tower acquisitions that closed in the last month and are now being integrated into the established operations in each country. This brings the total added, year to date, to 274 sites. Continue Reading

FCC Targets October 29 to Start “Rip & Replace”

 By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief The FCC voted Tuesday on final measures required to launch its “Rip & Replace” program, meant to reimburse carriers for the removal, disposal and replacement of untrusted network gear from Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE. The U.S. believes that equipment poses a national security risk.

During the meeting, FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced the agency is targeting October 29 as the date to begin accepting applications from carriers. “That means carriers can start planning for applications and new networks,” she said. 

That’s sooner than the timing requested by manufacturers Ericsson and Nokia, though they, and lobbying organizations representing smaller carriers — such as the Competitive Carriers Association and the Rural Wireless Association — had urged the Commission to have the paperwork finalized as soon as possible, Inside Towers’ Intelligence reported. Continue Reading

Exclusive: Sources Tell Inside Towers an Infrastructure Funding Deal Includes Wireless

 By Leslie Stimson Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief It appears that an agreement is emerging on the broadband section of the infrastructure package in the Senate. The staff of a dozen or so Senators involved in the bipartisan infrastructure plan have met over the past two weeks and reached the outlines of an agreement.
 
In particular, the group seems to have coalesced around a 100 Mbps download/20 upload for the minimum build standard, which can accommodate fixed and mobile wireless, with a possible priority for projects that can achieve higher speeds, according to unnamed sources close to the wireless industry. They tell Inside Towers first that wireless can meet the speed requirements of 100/20 and will thus be eligible to apply for some $65 billion in subsidies; they also provided Inside Towers with documentation to back up their claims. 
 
Previously, much of the infrastructure language being discussed by lawmakers favored wireline connectivity, and symmetrical upload and download speeds such as 100 Mbps, Inside Towers reported. By setting a symmetrical 100/100 speed requirement, wireless would have been cut out of that money, according to the sources. Continue Reading

Broadband Industry Says Biden’s Competition Order Gets the Facts Wrong

 The telecom industry is reacting strongly to the Executive Order on competition signed by President Joe Biden on Friday. In it, Biden challenges the industry for what the White House calls “unclear pricing, high fees and landlords’ restricting tenants’ choice of ISPs.”

The White House says the point of the changes is to promote competition in the economy, to lower prices for families, increase workers’ wages and promote innovation. The “lack of competition drives up prices for consumers. As fewer large players have controlled more of the market, mark-ups (charges over cost) have tripled,” notes the administration. The result is consumers are paying more for things like prescription drugs, hearing aids and broadband.  

The Executive Order includes 72 initiatives by more than a dozen federal agencies to promptly tackle some of the most pressing competition problems across the economy. The orders will: “Save Americans money on their internet bills by banning excessive early termination fees, requiring clear disclosure of plan costs to facilitate comparison shopping, and ending landlord exclusivity arrangements that stick tenants with only a single internet option.” Continue Reading

T-Mobile 5G Powers Launch of Driverless Car Service in Vegas

  

Yesterday, T-Mobile announced that Halo Cars launched one of the first commercial driverless car services in the U.S. running on the carrier’s 5G network in Las Vegas. When visitors and residents summon the all-electric robotic car, a driverless Halo arrives at the pick-up location to take the rider to their destination.

Halo, a company purchased by Lyft in February of 2020, has been testing operations on the T-Mobile 5G network since it began driving on dedicated Las Vegas roads earlier this year. Halo said they are collaborating with local municipalities to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) to address traffic congestion and carbon emission challenges by connecting public transit systems to on-demand, driverless cars. The company expects to begin offering rides to customers later this year with service initially available in urban parts of the Las Vegas Valley. Continue Reading

Ganzi’s DigitalBridge Forms Wireless Towers Platform in Asia

 By J. Sharpe Smith, Inside Towers Technology Editor DigitalBridge Group, headed by CEO Marc Ganzi, has announced that it has formed a tower platform focused on the Southeast Asia market, known as EdgePoint Infrastructure. To date, EdgePoint has secured more than 10,000 sites across Indonesia and Malaysia and is evaluating additional growth across the Asia-Pacific region.

EdgePoint has a controlling stake in PT Centratama Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk, which owns and manages over 4,000 sites, and it purchased 4,247 towers from Indosat Ooredoo. In addition, EdgePoint has acquired Asiaspace in Malaysia and is considering further acquisitions. The company has also engaged in build-to-suit programs with carrier customers in Indonesia that will soon extend this to Malaysia as well. Continue Reading

FTC Charges Broadcom With Monopolizing Chip Market

 The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a complaint charging chip supplier Broadcom with monopolizing the market. The agency said on Friday the company used exclusive deals to monopolize semiconductor components that are used to deliver broadband and television internet services. 
 
The FTC also issued a proposed agreement that would settle the Commission’s charges. Under the proposed deal, Broadcom must stop requiring its customers to source components from Broadcom on an exclusive or close to an exclusive basis.
 
The “complaint reflects the Commission’s commitment to enforcing the antitrust laws against monopolists, including in high-technology industries,” said FTC Bureau of Competition Acting Director Holly Vedova. “America has a monopoly problem.” She said the action “is a step toward addressing that problem by pushing back against strong-arm tactics by a monopolist in important markets for key broadband components.” Continue Reading

Atlantic Broadband to Buy WideOpenWest’s Ohio Broadband Systems

 Last week, Cogeco Communications Inc. (TSX: CCA) announced that its subsidiary, Atlantic Broadband, has entered into an agreement with WideOpenWest, Inc. (WOW) to purchase all of its broadband systems located in Ohio. 

The WOW Ohio broadband systems pass approximately 688,000 homes and businesses in Cleveland and Columbus and serve approximately 196,000 internet, 61,000 video and 35,000 telephony customers, as of March 31, 2021. 

"The acquisition of WOW's Ohio broadband systems allows us to add significant scale to our growing and profitable U.S. broadband business," said Philippe Jetté, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cogeco Communications. "The acquisition also represents a strong strategic fit for Cogeco Communications as it is complementary to Atlantic Broadband's existing footprint and capitalizes on its existing platform. Under the guidance of Atlantic Broadband's experienced management team, we are in a unique position to grow our customer base, revenues and earnings, and to pursue our market expansion strategy." Continue Reading

Valley Forge, Metaphorically Speaking

  One of my favorite haunts in the Philadelphia area is Valley Forge. It’s a curious site, as epic Revolutionary War places go, since no battle took place there. George and the boys camped out here. It was real cold too. And while the history-nerd thrill seekers could overlook it as a non-event, the story of what took place not only determined the outcome of the war but serves as a metaphor for a company or an industry going through a long, hard season of isolation, reassessment and regrouping as a body.

The backstory on the place is the British had taken up cozy winter quarters by occupying Philadelphia following a series of battles, mostly unsuccessful for the good guys. Brandywine, Germantown, Fort Mifflin and Paoli, legitimate battle sites all around Philadelphia where the Continental Army was outflanked, over-powered, out-smarted and, in one case, flat-out massacred by an early morning surprise attack bayonet charge. Men trying to surrender were shown “no quarter” by their merciless foe. The option then was to attack the Brits in Philly, risking it all and possibly razing the fledgling capital city to the ground, or retire to an encampment for the winter well outside of town and reassess the whole situation. Some firebrand generals, spoiling for revenge, lobbied for the attack. Washington, who always got the opinions of his top brass before making a decision, opted for the time out. Continue Reading

AT&T To Run Its Mobility Network on Microsoft’s Azure Platform

 AT&T announced yesterday it will move its 5G mobile network to the Microsoft cloud. The alliance provides a path for all of AT&T’s mobile network traffic to be managed using Microsoft Azure technologies. The companies will start with AT&T’s 5G core, the software at the heart of the 5G network, that connects mobile users and IoT devices with internet and other services. AT&T said the move is designed to increase productivity and cost efficiency while focusing on the delivery of large-scale network services that meet its customers’ evolving needs.

Microsoft, in turn, will gain access to AT&T’s intellectual property and technical expertise to grow its telecom flagship offering, Azure for Operators. Microsoft is acquiring AT&T’s carrier-grade Network Cloud platform technology, which AT&T’s 5G core network runs on. AT&T’s Network Cloud platform has been running AT&T’s 5G core at scale since the company launched 5G in 2018. This move brings real-world production 5G workloads to Azure for Operators. Continue Reading