Telecom News in the US, this week (March 10)

SNR | Signal-to-Noise Radio

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I. Cable Companies and CBRS Spectrum

• Slow Public Offload Deployment: Despite Charter's CEO Chris Winfrey stating they have "deployed thousands of radios for CBRS" and plan to deploy more, data from OpenSignal indicates that commercial mobile customers of Comcast and Charter showed "no additional time on CBRS" compared to Verizon customers, who spent around 3% of their time on Verizon's CBRS.
• Verizon's CBRS Usage: In contrast to cable companies' seemingly slower public offload, Verizon states it has deployed more CBRS basestations ("CBSDs") than any other single user in the US, representing about 15% of the total, primarily for outdoor 4G network augmentation. However, Verizon emphasizes that its investments in CBRS are smaller compared to its high-power C-band spectrum investments, which are central to its 5G future.

II. T-Mobile's Strategic Initiatives

T-Mobile is actively pursuing multiple strategies to enhance its market position, expand its offerings, and engage customers.

Key Observations:

• Defining and Launching "5G-Advanced": T-Mobile has defined its own version of 5G-Advanced and has launched it nationwide. Their definition includes a standalone 5G core (launched 2020), multiple aggregated carriers on uplink and downlink, RedCap technology for IoT (launched last year), and L4S technology for reduced latency.
• "AI Phone" Development: Deutsche Telekom (T-Mobile's parent company) and Perplexity are collaborating to build a low-cost "AI Phone" priced under $1,000, slated for release in Europe starting in 2026. The device will also feature AI from Google Cloud, ElevenLabs, and Picsart. Deutsche Telekom is also launching "Magenta AI," an AI assistant app for its existing customers.
• Acquisitions for Advertising Solutions: T-Mobile has completed the acquisition of Vistar Media (digital out-of-home advertising technology) and announced the acquisition of Blis (location-based ad targeting) for $175 million.
• Customer Data Breach Settlement: T-Mobile will pay $350 million to customers affected by the significant 2021 data breach that impacted approximately 76 million people.
• Enhanced Carrier Freedom Program: T-Mobile has updated its "Carrier Freedom" program, now matching AT&T's offer of up to $800 in credit for customers switching to T-Mobile.

III. Verizon's Strategic Adjustments

Verizon is also making moves in its fixed wireless and cybersecurity offerings.

Key Observations:

• 5G Home Plus Price Increase: Verizon has increased the price of its 5G Home Plus internet service by $10 per month for new customers who bundle it with a qualifying wireless plan, bringing the price to $55.
• Focus on Cybersecurity for Businesses: Verizon Business has partnered with Accenture to provide new comprehensive cybersecurity solutions for mid-market and large enterprises. This collaboration aims to speed up the development and delivery of services such as identity and access management (IAM), managed extended detection and response (MxDR), and cyber risk services.

IV. Qualcomm's Fixed Wireless Access Advancement

Qualcomm has introduced its Dragonwing Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) Gen 4 Elite platform at MWC 2025.

Key Observations:

• High Performance FWA Platform: The new platform features the Qualcomm X85 5G Modem-RF.
• Enhanced Speeds and Range: Dragonwing FWA Gen 4 Elite delivers peak 5G download speeds over 12.5Gbps and an mmWave 5G network range of up to 14km.
• Versatile Application: Qualcomm states that the technology in the Snapdragon X85 Modem-R

Thank you for listening!
-Mario Mejia