AT&T plans to invest $14 billion over the next three years to expand and enhance its wireless and wireline IP broadband networks to support growing customer demand for high-speed Internet access and new mobile, app and cloud services. Company expects $8 billion investment for wireless initiatives and $6 billion for wireline initiatives.
Sprint has agreed to acquire PCS spectrum and customers from U.S. Cellular for $480 million. The deal includes parts of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio including the Chicago and St. Louis markets.
3 Italia has launched LTE network in the village of Acuto, in the province of Frosinone. Operator plans to activate LTE service nationwide, beginning from Rome and Milan in the month of December.
The European Commission announced addition of 120 MHz to the radio spectrum portfolio for LTE technology, around the 2 GHz band. Currently this band is used for 3G UMTS networks. It is mandatory for EU Member States to open the relevant spectrum by 30 June 2014 at the latest.
Belgium's operator, Belgacom has launched commercial LTE services in eight cities in the country. The eight cities are Hasselt, Antwerp, Ghent, Leuven, Liège, Namur, Mons, Waver and the Haasrode Industrial Park. operator started rolling out the 4G network in June 2011.
Vodafone Romania has launched LTE network in Romania and announced that its customers, in major cities, can test LTE services free at speeds up to 75 Mbps until the commercial launch.
MetroPCS Communications has announced commercial launch of Rich Communication Services (RCS) on its 4G LTE network. MetroPCS will offer its RCS services under the GSMA-licensed joyn brand. RCS services is initially available on the Samsung Galaxy Attain 4G via joyn application.
U.S. Cellular is launching a 4G LTE network in over 30 new markets on Monday, November 5th. The November rollout expands operator's LTE footprint in select cities in Iowa, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Oklahoma, and brings LTE coverage in Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia.
Optus has switched on its first 4G LTE sites for customers in Gold Coast and in the Brisbane CBD. Operator has enabled 4G services at four sites in Surfers Paradise, in readiness for the growing number of holidaymakers travelling with new 4G tablet and handset devices. Optus will also activate additional 4G sites at Surfers Paradise in December.
Huawei has announced that it enabled circuit switch fall back (CSFB) voice call between a LTE TDD compatible network and a UMTS network. This CSFB voice call was made through Huawei's STREAM 201HW smartphone, now available through SOFTBANK MOBILE Corp in Japan.