The mobile and satellite industries progressed along parallel path, rarely intersecting. This is because neither side could satisfy the value creation needs of the other side [see here]. However, there is a renaissance in satellite communications brought about by high-throughput satellites and improved launch economics. Entrepreneurs from outside the industry like Elon Musk and Jeff… Read More: Mobile-Satellite Intersect Applications »
The satellite and mobile industries have long played in their own field, rarely intersecting despite being complementary. The disconnect between the two camps is surprisingly large. Neither side paying much attention to developments on the other side. Their relationship even turned adversarial where spectrum rights were at stake. Both industries are now trying to work… Read More: Value Creation in the Mobile-Satellite Intersect »
Research from Xona Partners on 5G deployment trends and prospects reveals that operators will focus on mid-band spectrum. The millimeter wave technology will remain a niche play in the short and medium terms. 5G is a Mid-Band Play Operators around the world have spent over $16.2 Billion acquiring 3.5 GHz spectrum (C-band) in the 18… Read More: 5G Deployment Trends and Prospects »
How much is 5G spectrum worth? Xona Partners published two reports on recent 5G spectrum auction valuation benchmarks. The first is a report on international mid-band spectrum auctions in the 3 – 5 GHz band. The second is a report on millimeter wave spectrum auctions in the 24 – 42 GHz bands. Both reports provide… Read More: 5G Spectrum Valuation Benchmarks »
I highlighted in my previous article on LEO satellites the capacity that will come online within the next few years. In 2024, the capacity supply from LEO satellites could be 24x of what GEO satellites offer today. Such a rapid increase in capacity over a short period of 5 years could have great consequences on… Read More: The LEO Satellites Threat: Impact on Incumbents »
A new kind of space race is on. If all goes according to plans, a few thousand satellites will be orbiting the earth to provide internet connectivity from space. These are a new generation of high-capacity satellites that will orbit at relatively low altitudes to provide unprecedented performance from space-based networks. These low-earth orbit (LEO)… Read More: LEO Satellites and The Consequences to The Space Race. »
Auction 102 concluded on May 28th raising $2 Billion for 2904 licenses for 700 MHz in 24 GHz (24.25–24.45; 24.75–25.25 GHz). [FCC] AT&T and T-Mobile spent $982 million and $803 million for 831 and 1346 licenses, respectively.
The FCC concluded Auction 102 netting over $2 billion for over 2,900 licenses in the 24/25 GHz band. A good milestone, but more critical is the availability of 3.5 GHz spectrum which has better performance tradeoffs than millimeter wave spectrum. With all the talk about the ‘5G race’, availability of mid-band spectrum makes the most… Read More: The Skyrocketing C-Band Valuation »
by Dr. Riad Hartani, Xona Partners Internet Intersects Space Technologies The space race is on again! This time the focus is on building a new generation of low earth orbit satellite constellations to deliver broadband internet. A simple equation lies at its heart: Internet to more people around the world; to keep the business model… Read More: Five Hot Technologies To Watch! »
Safety. Productivity. Reliability. These are the three axioms that govern the mining and oil & gas industries. I have been researching the potential for private networks in these verticals to determine what role, if any, could LTE and 5G networks play. Looking back over the past 10+ years, private networks held much promise, but showed… Read More: A View on Private Networks in Mining and Oil &… »
While 5G attracts most attention, operators had been making decisions on how to retire legacy 2G and 3G networks to free up spectrum for LTE networks and support higher capacity. Unlike earlier technology migrations where the path was clear, operators have to make tough decisions on which network to turn off first: 2G or 3G.… Read More: Wireless Technology Migration: Drivers and Lessons Learned »
This year I’ll opt to write a few quick thoughts on the state of the telco industry instead of the annual report that follows MWC. Time is tight, so let’s get straight to the main points. Foldable Phones Foldable phones were the main highlight of MWC2019. Both Samsung and Huawei launched models featuring foldable screens.… Read More: State of the Telco Industry: MWC2019 Perspectives »
The benefits of edge computing, low latency and backhaul efficiency are well understood. However, there is a cost to realize these benefits through small data centers. Hyperscale data centers are the backbone of the cloud. The cost structure and operation of these data centers is well understood. On the other hand, different requirements govern the… Read More: Edge Computing Economics: Is Latency Worth the Price? »
Two paths to 5G deployments are emerging: consumer and enterprise deployments. The former is how operators make the vast majority of their revenue. The latter is receiving much interest as it promises a new bump in revenue. Enterprise private networks is not a new idea: it has been slow to realize it because of economics… Read More: Are Wireless Private Networks the Next Frontier? »
Edge computing presents a new opportunity for telecom service providers to have a cloud play. Their proximity to users gives them an inherent advantage at the ‘edge.’ The question is: are the telcos ready to capitalize on this opportunity? What could be their approach in securing their share of this market? And, will they succeed… Read More: Can Edge Computing Help Telcos Win in a Cloud Play? »