[opendtv] Re: AT&T backs Verizon, TMo hesitates on LTE

  • From: "Mark A. Aitken" <maitken@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:04:08 -0400

Funny! I really wanted to say "... to handle the 'wants' of an /_*unknowledgeable*_/ (veracious) consuming public." In this case the UN makes a big difference! ;-)


On 8/17/2010 4:50 PM, Mark A. Aitken wrote:
I think that part of the problem (political) for the wireless folks is that they have cried for so long about getting 700MHz spectrum, that now that they don't really want it (700MHz in particular...but, yes, they still want spectrum) they can't change their cry. It seems to me that what they really want (now) is higher frequency (~2GHz) spectrum to maximize frequency reuse, focus on density (smaller cell size) so that distribution and back haul does become the choke point, and maximize overall 'number of bits' per square 'whatever'. They need those three things to get the best efficiencies to handle the 'wants' of an knowledgeable (veracious) consuming public.

Do I have that right?

Mark
the Mark that is always overwhelmed by the underwhelming lack of knowledge (and vision) of our governments "EXPERT" organizations (such as the FCC) ability to define the policies of tomorrow.

On 8/17/2010 3:41 PM, Manfredi, Albert E wrote:
I heard a very reasonable analysis of the original Verizon/Google proposal on NPR yesterday. "Reasonable" because I agreed with it. Which is, they are proposing that wireless should be exempt from "net neutrality," yes, and that even wired should be exempt to some extent. These guys want to give some of their traffic priority, e.g. TV programs or VOD programs, even over their wired systems.

AT&T's attempt to have the FCC yank even more spectrum away from other uses sounds a bit, to me, like an industry that doesn't want to invest in the microcellular infrastructure they're going to need. Ultimately, the gains from smaller cell sizes are going to do more than a few more MHz of spectrum, I'm afraid (for them). Possibly too, the rapid growth in wireless capacity demand will level off, as those who want smartphones have switched over from the old style phones. These growth curves are almost always S curves.

Bert

------------------------------------------
http://www.rethink-wireless.com/2010/08/17/att-backs-verizon-tmo-hesitates-lte.htm?pg=1

AT&T backs Verizon, TMo hesitates on LTE
No 4G services from the fourth cellco for at least two years
By CAROLINE GABRIEL

Published: 17 August, 2010

The US' major GSM operators tussled for the week's 'stating the obvious' prize, with AT&T supporting Verizon's view that net neutrality must exempt wireless, and T-Mobile conceding that it will not offer LTE services at least for a couple of years.

As expected, AT&T has supported the view laid out in Google's and Verizon's controversial blueprint for net neutrality, which is seen as stealing the initiative from the regulators. The two leading US telcos agree that wireless must be exempted from a no-discrimination policy because of the limits of spectral capacity.

However, AT&T did not go so far as to endorse the whole framework proposal or throw its official weight behind the unlikely Google-Verizon partnership. AT&T has taken a broader position opposing net neutrality than its rival.

Referring to the coming explosion in data traffic, Joan Marsh, the carrier's VP of federal and regulatory affairs, wrote on a corporate blog post: "Pitted against this insatiable demand are wireless networks of finite and shared resources. Wireless networks simply cannot provide the same amount of capacity as wireline networks."

Policy makers should be focusing on freeing up more spectrum for mobile broadband and not on net neutrality, she added. Last week, AT&T Mobility's CEO Ralph de la Vega said the Verizon-Google proposal was "a positive sign" that could hasten industry consensus.

Over at T-Mobile USA, the fourth cellco is the only national carrier with no official plans for 4G services. This mirrors its 3G pattern, where it launched well behind its larger competitors, because of shortage of spectrum - though it put a shiny gloss on the policy by saying it enabled it to wait for the technology to be proven and cost efficient (a stance it also took, in a less extreme form, in Europe). To some extent, TMo has been justified - its HSPA+ network is forging well ahead of AT&T's in speed and efficiency and it has invested in the most modern and cost effective infrastructure.

Aspects of these base stations, such as flexibility, could help smooth its eventual path to LTE, but the firm says this will not happen for at least a couple more years. Like many European carriers, it believes there is plenty of life in HSPA+ yet, and will not make a major network change until demand is proven. As with 3G, it lacks spectrum for such a move anyway, and may seek to do 4G via a wholesale partnership rather than with direct build-out. Clearwire and the new LightSquared have both been reported to have held talks with TMo and the former's tests of LTE in paired spectrum are thought to be geared to offering a better fit for the cellco's FDD networks (Clearwire's existing networks are TDD).

However, any commercially available LTE networks from either Clearwire or LightSquared would not appear for at least two years. "We'll get a fourth generation wireless network either by buying spectrum or refarming existing spectrum, or potentially leasing spectrum together with others," said Rene Obermann, CEO of TMO parent Deutsche Telekom, at a press conference last week. "I don't think we'll trail others in the next two years. With HSPA+ we're in a very good position. We still have plenty of capacity, so we are competitive."

In previous statements, Obermann has said he will only invest directly in new networks and spectrum where this makes commercial sense for TMo, and will rely on partners or RAN sharing where it has a smaller market position than in lead markets like Germany. It has already formed a joint venture with Orange in the UK.


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--
Regards,
Mark A. Aitken
Director, Advanced Technology
Sinclair Broadcast Group
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