First ‘LTE in Rural America’ Participant Completes Network Test
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, December 19, 2011 · 
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Pioneer Cellular, one of 13 participants in the Verizon Wireless LTE in Rural America program, announced December 16 that it has successfully completed end-to-end data testing over its new 4G LTE network in preparation for a commercial launch next spring for customers in central and western Oklahoma.
Pioneer announced its participation in the LTE in Rural America program last December. During the past year, the operator has constructed cell towers, laid fiber optic cable, and installed network hardware and software, working closely with Verizon Wireless engineers. Pioneer is now testing its new network and trial devices for speed, reliability and ease of use. Pioneer’s 4G LTE network covers more than 260,000 people in 21 counties across nearly 17,000 miles of central and western Oklahoma. Pioneer appears to be the furthest along of Verizon’s rural LTE program participants. Read more
‘Free’ Wireless Broadband
Posted by Steve Fravel on Friday, December 9, 2011 · ·
Skype and Joost co-founder Niklas Zennstrom has signed his new start-up venture FreedomPop to a deal with LightSquared. In a joint press release issued November 8, the two companies describe the 2012 launch of FreedomPop with the “ultimate objective to ensure that every American has access to fast, free and convenient communications services.” Read more
More LightSquared Testing
Posted by Steve Fravel on Thursday, December 1, 2011 · ·
Testing results were provided to federal officials yesterday in the ongoing LightSquared quest to provide hybrid-terrestrial LTE services. Testing in the L-band spectrum on both cellular and GPS general navigation receivers has been completed at the request of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Read more
EATEL is the First ILEC to Partner with LightSquared
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, November 28, 2011 · ·
LightSquared announced this morning that it has entered into a wholesale agreement today with rural ILEC and NTCA member EATEL. The agreement will allow EATEL to provide its customers with access to LightSquared’s proposed wholesale, nationwide LTE network integrated with satellite coverage.
EATEL, founded in 1935, is the incumbent local phone carrier in the Ascension and Livingston Parishes of Louisiana. Based in Gonzales, La., the telco provides high-speed Internet, phone and television service over a fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network.
“LightSquared’s network not only allows EATEL to offer our existing customers wireless broadband services, it also gives us a critical competitive advantage as we expand our services into new markets,” said John D. Scanlan, EATEL president. Arthur “Smokey” Scanlan, EATEL’s chief executive officer, added that “LightSquared’s unique ability to offer both broadband and satellite connectivity over the same device will be a breakthrough product for our customers.”
With this agreement, EATEL becomes the first ILEC to sign on to LightSquared’s network.LightSquared continues to face major regulatory and technical hurdles which must be resolved before it can offer service, chief among them concerns about potential interference between its proposed network and GPS devices. LightSquared remains engaged with the NTIA, members of the military and the GPS community in testing its network and devices. Read more
Dish Answers
Posted by Steve Fravel on Monday, October 31, 2011 · ·
Answering its opponents as much as filing reply comments in IB dockets 11-149 and 11-150, Dish Network made its case with the FCC and asked that the concerns raised by the various parties who had filed in opposition to its LTE plans be dismissed.
Briefly, this is what Dish Network has filed applications to do. (1) Approve the company’s applications to transfer control of DBSD and Terrestar spectrum licenses to Dish Network. (2) Grant Dish’s requested waiver and allow the modified ancillary terrestrial component authority, which will allow the company to only provide terrestrial service. (3) Waive the integrated service requirement and allow single-mode terrestrial devices on its proposed network. (4) Waive the FCC’s spare satellite mandate. (5) ”Harmonize” the TerreStar and DBSD regime to extend to the 2MHz MSS allocations previously granted to DBSD — in other words transfer DBSD’s allocations to Dish Network.
Dish Network indicates that all of these elements will allow for efficient and consistent use of the spectrum involved in support of a next- generation mobile broadband service, i.e. Dish’s plans for a 4G LTE network. Read more
Verizon Will Launch Fixed LTE Service in 2011
Posted by Jesse Ward on Monday, October 31, 2011 · ·
In December of 2010, the New Edge first reported that DirecTV and Verizon were quietly testing an in-home broadband and video service, bundling Verizon’s 4G LTE broadband with DirecTV broadcast satellite content. A DirecTV spokesman confirmed the test was being conducted near Erie, Pa. However, Verizon had refused to comment on the trial or the company’s long-term plans – until last week that is.
DSLReports.com draws our attention to Verizon’s earnings call which took place on October 21, where Verizon CFO Fran Shammo revealed that the company plans to launch a fixed-LTE service nationwide before yearend 2011. Read more
NetAmerica Launches Rural 4G Pilot Network
Posted by Jesse Ward on Friday, October 28, 2011 · ·
NetAmerica Alliance is assisting rural telcos with a very lofty goal: the development of a nationwide, rural 4G LTE network. Yesterday, the alliance announced that it has launched its pilot network in order to develop, test and refine operating methodologies prior to going live with commercial service.
Pilot users are trialing fixed and mobile data services. Initially, they are using PC dongles to test high-speed mobility throughout the network, with the ability later to also trial a customer premise device in their home or business. The results of the pilot and lessons learned will be being shared with all NetAmerica members. The alliance claims that pilot users have experienced downlink data speeds of up to 28 Mbps, and uplink data speeds of up to 13 Mbps. Read more