Carrier Wrap: Unraveling Unlimited Moves From Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile And Sprint – Episode 18

On this week’s Carrier Wrap, RCR Wireless News Editor-in-Chief Dan Meyer and Managing Editor Sean Kinney discussed recent announcements from the nation’s largest carriers concerning unlimited data services. Those announcements sprung from recent investor conferences, where AT&T and Verizon Communications seemed to take opposite views on unlimited data offerings.

AT&T CFO John Stephens said the telecom company’s mobile unit managed to attract 2 million customers to its recently re-introduced unlimited cellular data service, showing strong demand from consumers and a significant boost for AT&T’s video products. Stephens said 500,000 customers signed up for the unlimited data offer in the first two weeks after it launched Jan. 12, and has since tagged on another 1.5 million customers. Stephens did note most of the initial uptake was from customers already signed up for AT&T Mobility cellular service or either its DirecTV or U-verse video service, but that the carrier is now seeing net customer additions for those products. The unlimited data offer is tied to customers also signing up for one of AT&T’s video services.

Speaking at the same investor conference Verizon CFO Fran Shammo said the carrier will refrain from jumping back into the unlimited cellular data game despite recent moves from rivals. Shammo said he thought the unlimited model did not work in an LTE environment and downplayed the recent boost by competitors in highlighting unlimited data options, noting such moves are likely temporary and only being used to gain ground in the market.

T-Mobile US and Sprint continue to tout their unlimited cellular data plans, which unlike AT&T Mobility are not tied to customers signing up for an add-on service.

Kinney also provided some insight into Sprint’s recent highlighting of plans to use a portion of its vast 2.5 GHz spectrum holdings for wireless backhaul in support of its planned small cell deployments. Wireless backhaul could save Sprint more than $1 billion per year, according to analyst Walter Piecyk of BTIG Research.

For our featured interview this week we spoke with Roger Entner, founder of Recon Analytics to discuss the aforementioned unlimited data announcements.

Entner also touched on the bevy of “5G” news that came out of the recent Mobile World Congress event, and more specifically at the timing and challenges facing the mobile industry as it moves towards the next-generation standard. In addition, Entner provided a final look ahead of the Federal Communications Commission’s planned 600 MHz incentive auction, noting he did not expect many surprise bidders to enter the event.

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