Dish Chairman Charlie Ergen let loose Thursday at T-Mobile and CEO Mike Sievert for their defense of plans to shut down the legacy CDMA wireless network by year-end (see Ref:2104140036]). T-Mobile’s potential to disenfranchise millions of customers makes the carrier comparable with the Grinch who stole Christmas, said Ergen on a Q1 call.
Industry commenters told the FCC that open radio access networks are the future for telecom infrastructure in comments on a March notice of inquiry (see 2103170049). FCC Democrats and Republicans emphasize the importance of open networks to building secure networks, free of equipment from Huawei and ZTE (see 2104260054). Comments, due Wednesday, stressed the need for standards and asked Congress to fund ORAN research.
Symmetrical broadband is a "focus" for Comcast "for the next several years," Comcast Cable CEO Dave Watson said Thursday as the company detailed progress toward offering multi-gigabit symmetrical speeds while announcing Q1 results. Company CEO Brian Roberts said it's moving toward trials on offloading mobile traffic in dense areas using its spectrum: "That really will prove to be a cost savings if we get it right."
Qualcomm expects “material improvements” in semiconductor industry supply by calendar year-end, and “a much more favorable supply environment” in 2022, “due to planned capacity builds and multi-sourcing initiatives,” said President Cristiano Amon on a fiscal Q2 call Wednesday. He succeeds retiring CEO Steve Mollenkopf June 30. “As one of the leading drivers of advanced semiconductor technology platforms, we’re also excited to see more foundry investment in the United States,” consistent with the “strategic priorities” of the Joe Biden presidency, he said.
Congress should clarify FTC Act Section 13(b) and “revive” the agency’s “ability to enjoin illegal conduct and return to consumers money they have lost,” all four commissioners wrote in a statement that acting Chairwoman Rebecca Kelly Slaughter delivered to the House Consumer Protection Subcommittee.
Spotify shares closed 12.3% lower Wednesday at $256.84 after the company’s Q1 earnings report showed monthly average user growth “modestly below” internal expectations. Total monthly average users grew 24% year on year in Q1 to 356 million, said the Q1 shareholder letter. Average revenue per user for paid subscribers was 7% lower year on year to $4.98. Spotify had “meaningful contributions” in the U.S., Mexico, Russia and India, but lower than projected MAU growth in Latin America and Europe. Per-user consumption grew in developed regions including North America and Europe, but developing regions were below pre-COVID-19 levels.
Addressing the staffing shortage that has plagued the custom integrator channel for years, Azione at its spring meeting Wednesday announced a program called SmartHomeHire that’s designed to connect job hunters with dealers looking to fill positions for salespeople, project managers, system designers and technicians.
Samsung highlighted 5G, Wi-Fi 6 and custom Bluetooth connectivity in the “next evolution of the PC” during its virtual Unpacked event Wednesday. The new laptop series includes the Galaxy Book Pro (starting at $999) and two-in-one Galaxy Book Pro 360 ($1,199), with what TM Roh, head of Samsung Electronics' mobile communications business, called a “reinvention of the PC” -- laptops with the “mobile DNA of a Samsung Galaxy smartphone.” Each model, with aluminum casing, is available in 13- and 15-inch versions. Gamer versions under the Odyssey sub-brand ($1,399) are also part of the line, due to launch May 14.
Representatives from Facebook, Twitter and YouTube denied their business models are based on maximizing user engagement, during a hearing Tuesday in which members of both parties raised concerns. The power of social media companies over people’s lives is “of great concern” to a wide number of legislators, Senate Privacy Subcommittee Chairman Chris Coons, D-Del., told us. “Exactly what statutory, regulatory or voluntary measures can best address it, I think it would be premature after the first hour of our first hearing to say I have an endgame in mind.”
Open radio access networks will mean lower prices, more efficient networks and better security, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr told an ORAN Policy Coalition virtual conference Tuesday. Avoid “putting a thumb on the scale” and determining winners and losers, he said.