New Zealand to get third mobile network in August

New Zealand's mobile market is to gain a long-awaited third operator with the launch of NZ Communications' new network in August. Rebranded 2degrees, the company aims to provide 2G GSM and 3G HSPA technology to 97 percent of New Zealanders and will cut prices to challenge the sector's two dominant players, Vodafone and Telecom New Zealand. "Most markets in the world have at least three network operators and quite a number have more," said 2degrees CEO Mike Reynolds in a statement. "There is no other comparable country that has to suffer such poor value in the mobile market and that can be attributed to a lack of a vibrant competitive environment... Kiwis are tired of being locked into lengthy contracts and being stung with high prices to call friends on competing networks. They want to take back control of how much they spend and who they call."
The launch of the new network was initially expected last October but reportedly suffered delays due to problems with striking co-location deals with its rivals for the installation of network equipment. However, today's statement says the operator "has committed over NZD250 million (US$151 million) and is building a 2G and 3G network that is HSPA+ capable." China's Huawei is the network equipment supplier. The operator has also signed a national roaming agreement with Vodafone for areas where it does not have its own mobile network coverage. New Zealand's mobile market is a duopoly, with market-leader Vodafone controlling 52 percent market share. Total mobile subscriber count in the country stands at 4.8 million, according to Wireless Intelligence. Although 3G WCDMA technology only accounts for 25 percent of connections, recent aggressive expansion plans from Telecom NZ and Vodafone (as well as the new launch of 2degrees) look set to make the country a hotbed of future mobile broadband activity.


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Cisco gives mobile WiMAX backing to Clearwire

US WiMAX operator Clearwire received a major fillip yesterday, announcing that networking giant Cisco is to be its national IP NGN core infrastructure provider and will also supply mobile WiMAX devices targeting consumers and enterprises. Cisco's move marks its first major push into the WiMAX space. Cisco's pledge to develop WiMAX devices is of particular significance to the market, as the world's largest handset vendor, Nokia, recently pulled the plug on its sole WiMAX device. Clearwire currently offers mobile WiMAX services in Baltimore and Portland and is aiming to extend this to more than 80 markets across the US by the end of 2010. Cisco and Clearwire are not strangers, having previously announced plans to work together on development of a WiMAX network in Silicon Valley aimed at encouraging software developers in the region to create new applications for the technology. No mention was made yesterday of specific investment from Cisco in Clearwire, although the WiMAX operator has already received a US$3.2 billion cash injection from Comcast, Intel, Time Warner Cable, Google and Bright House Networks. With the majority of the world's mobile operators and vendors appearing to move towards LTE as their technology of choice for next-generation mobile communications, the support of Cisco could prove timely to the mobile WiMAX community. However, Clearwire remains bullish on its plans to create a national mobile WiMAX network in the US. It intends to spend up to US$1.9 billion on extending its network this year, and has made a number of high-profile executive recruitments. Ex-Vodafone Europe CEO, Bill Morrow, was named new Clearwire CEO in March, whilst the company yesterday announced new appointments in the positions of Chief Commercial Officer, Chief Information Officer, and Chief People Officer. Also yesterday, the company announced its first-quarter 2009 results. Clearwire posted a loss of US$71.1 million in the period, or US$0.38 a share, compared with a loss of US$76.4 million, or US$0.41, from a year ago. Sales rose 21 percent to US$62.1 million, with ARPU coming in at US$39.52. Clearwire hit 500,000 subscribers during the first-quarter.

SingTel hit by strong local currency, eyes Asia deals

Singapore's SingTel has hinted at making further acquisitions in Asia to offset slowing growth in its core markets. "SingTel continues to look for new investments in Asia and emerging adjacent markets and will be financially disciplined in its evaluation of these opportunities," said CEO Chua Sock Koong in a statement today announcing the group's fiscal fourth-quarter earnings (ended 31 March 2009). The group reported a 17 percent decline in net profit to SGD903 million (US$618 million), its biggest decline in two years. The results were negatively impacted by the strength of the Singapore dollar against currencies in other markets where it operates, notably in Australia where SingTel controls the country's second-placed operator, Optus. While revenue in local currency terms increased 8.7 percent in Australia and 13 percent in Singapore, the group's operating revenue in the quarter fell 5.1 percent to SGD3.57 billion as a result of the steep 21 percent decline in the Australian dollar against the Singapore dollar from a year ago.
In its two wholly-owned markets, SingTel added 34,000 mobile customers in the quarter in Singapore, reaching 2.98 million mobile customers in total, while 652,000 were added in Australia (Optus) to reach 7.79 million in total. The star performer in its Regional Mobile Associates unit - which includes its stakes in various other markets - was India's Bharti (in which SingTel owns a 34 percent stake), which added 31.9 million new mobile customers from a year ago and recorded an 18 percent rise in pre-tax ordinary profit in Indian rupee terms and a 1.4 percent rise in Singapore dollar terms to SGD225 million. However, profits at Indonesia's Telkomsel (a 35 percent stake) fell to SGD163 million, a 40.6 million decline in Singapore dollar terms and a 30.6 percent decline in local currency terms. SingTel gave no specific information on its acquisition targets but hinted that market consolidation was expected in Pakistan, where it owns 30 percent of the country's fourth-largest mobile operator, Warid.

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Finland awards LTE spectrum in 'lower cost' 1.8GHz

The Finnish regulator has awarded additional spectrum frequencies suitable for LTE to the country's three largest mobile operators, TeliaSonera, Elisa and DNA. In a statement, Finland's Ministry of Transport and Communications said it has awarded the so-called 4G frequencies in the 1.8GHz band, claiming the move makes Finland the first country in Europe to allow the use of LTE technology at such low frequencies. The regulator said that 1.8GHz means that LTE networks can be rolled out over a substantially wider coverage and at lower cost than 2.6GHz (the band typically being allocated to LTE in Europe) because it requires fewer base stations.
A spokesperson at the ministry told Reuters that the three operators would not require additional licenses to rollout their new networks. The operators already operate 3G networks in the country, in some cases using 900MHz spectrum rather than 2.1GHz, the band usually used for 3G. Neighbouring Sweden awarded LTE spectrum in the 2.6GHz band last year. . Click here for Wireless Intelligence's recent 'Snapshot' analysis on Sweden's LTE rollout.

LTE is expected to run in 2.6GHz, 10MHz bandwidth with 2x2 MIMO

A preliminary result on a survey conducted by Femto Forum indicates that leading mobile operators "see" LTE will be ...

1. running in 2.6GHz (EU), 700MHz (US), and interestingly 1800MHz and 2100MHz are also considered as second bests.
2. consuming around 10MHz or less, (not the maximum 20MHz bandwidth)
3. supporting 2x2 MIMO (not 4x2, or no MIMO)

*note: 2.6GHz band is in the range of 2500-2690MHz, also known as "2.5GHz band" for WiMAX.

AT&T Sees Surge in WiFi Connections

Source: unstrung

DALLAS -- AT&T*, the U.S. Wi-Fi leader with nearly 20,000 domestic hotspots, today reported dramatic growth in the number of Wi-Fi users and connections. AT&T Wi-Fi connections totaled 10.5 million in the first quarter of 2009 – more than triple the 3.4 million connections in the first quarter of 2008, and more than half AT&T’s 20 million total Wi-Fi connections for all of 2008. The usage surge was driven by growth in AT&T’s wired and wireless broadband customer base, the proliferation of Wi-Fi enabled devices and the transition of Starbucks locations to AT&T’s Wi-Fi footprint.

AT&T broadband connections – including wireline and wireless LaptopConnect cards – grew by 471,000 in the first quarter to reach 16.7 million in service. AT&T provides Wi-Fi access at no extra charge with qualifying AT&T high speed Internet plans, 3G LaptopConnect plans and select smartphone plans.

The number and type of Wi-Fi enabled devices continues to grow. In January, Sony introduced the world’s first Wi-Fi enabled digital camera with a built-in web browser and complimentary access to AT&T’s Wi-Fi network. AT&T is also offering wirelessly embedded mini laptops – the Acer Aspire One, Dell Inspiron Mini 9 and Mini 12, and LG Xenia -- in select AT&T store trial promotions in Atlanta and Philadelphia. More than 4 million connections at AT&T’s U.S. Hot Spots in the first quarter were made with smartphones, including the iPhone 3G. AT&T is a leading provider of Wi-Fi enabled smartphones, including the BlackBerry® Bold®.

In the first quarter, Wayport Inc. - which AT&T acquired in December 2008 - began operating as AT&T Wi-Fi Services. Wayport’s footprint included hotspot locations in retail, hospitality and healthcare venues**.

“Our customers are showing us that they value both speed and mobility in their broadband connections,” said Angie Wiskocil, senior vice president – AT&T Wi-Fi Services. “As the leading U.S. provider of wired broadband services, with the fastest 3G network and the largest Wi-Fi network, AT&T can deliver a better experience for our customers where they live and work.”