Fall Out from the SpectrumCo./Verizon Wireless Deal
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, December 12, 2011 · 
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The industry continues to experience fall-out from Verizon’s recently announced spectrum purchase and joint sales, technology and marketing partnership with the cable industry.
Comcast is moving quickly. While the spectrum sale will likely take up to 12 months to receive regulatory approval, Comcast Cable President Neil Smit announced last week that the cable company will begin bundling Verizon Wireless services in four markets in early 2012. ”The teams are already engaged; they are great commercial arrangements and we think we’ve put together great packages that combine the best of the various bundles,” Smit said, while speaking at a UBS investor conference. Read more
Verizon to Acquire Large Chunk of AWS Spectrum via Cable Companies
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, December 5, 2011 · ·
Verizon Wireless announced last Friday that it has agreed to pay $3.6 billion to a consortium of cable providers for 122 advanced wireless services (AWS) spectrum licenses covering approximately 259 million people, or more than 85% of the U.S. population.
As part of the purchase agreement with SpectrumCo LLC — a joint venture controlled by Comcast Corp. which includes Time Warner Cable, Inc. and Bright House Networks -– the cable companies will be able to re-sell Verizon Wireless services on a wholesale basis, adding wireless to their service bundles. For its part, Verizon Wireless also will be able to sell the cable companies’ services. It’s unclear at this time if Verizon will choose to market the cable companies’ wired services in areas where is also is the incumbent telco.
Additionally, the cable companies and Verizon Wireless said that they “have formed an innovation technology joint venture for the development of technology to better integrate wireline and wireless products and services.” Read more
Studios, Cable Companies Partner to Promote VoD
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, March 22, 2010 · ·
Eight Hollywood studios and eight cable companies have joined forces for a $30 million advertising campaign during the next three months to promote awareness of movies available on cable video on demand (VoD). This is the first time rival studios have come together to push consumers to rent more movies through their cable boxes.
The TV, print and online ad campaign will feature the theme “The Video Store Just Moved In” and will promote the ease of ordering movies at home, via the click of a remote. It also includes a dedicated Web site at CableVideoStore.com and a Movies on Demand logo. Read more
Report: Investors to Pump $1.5B into Clearwire
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, November 9, 2009 · ·
Sprint Nextel and several other companies plan to make additional investments in Clearwire, according to published reports in the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg News.
Clearwire, which currently offers mobile WiMAX service in 16 markets, plans to extend its coverage to 80 markets by the end of 2010, and has said in recent week that it needs an additional $2 billion in capital to complete the build out.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Sprint, which has a 51% stake in Clearwire, will contribute an additional $1 billion, while other investors including Comcast, Intel, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks, reportedly will contribute an additional $500 million. Read more
Sprint Nextel and Clearwire Partner on WiMAX Network
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, May 12, 2008 · ·
Sprint Nextel and Clearwire announced last week that they have entered into a definitive agreement to merge their mobile WiMAX networks and resources. Industry heavyweights Intel Corp., Google Inc., Comcast Corp., Time Warner Cable Inc. and Bright House Networks have collectively agreed to invest $3.2 billion into the new company.
The new company, called Clearwire, expects to offer mobile wireless Internet services on a broad array of new devices that will be made possible by integrated WiMAX chipsets, scalable operating expenses and a commitment to an open architecture. The company is targeting a network deployment that will cover between 120 million and 140 million people in the United States by the end of 2010. Read more