LTE Watch: Harbinger Angers AT&T & Verizon

A plan for a new Long Term Evolution (LTE) network in the US has the big two carriers irked in this week's roundup of all things LTE.

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and Verizon Wireless are unhappy about the restrictions placed on them as part of Harbinger Capital Partners LP 's plan to deploy an LTE wholesale network in the US using satellite spectrum, according to Fierce Wireless. The two largest carriers are unhappy about proposed restrictions placed on their ability to rent capacity on the $6 billion network. DSL Reports notes that AT&T has been complaining to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and describing the deal as "targeted favoritism." (See Harbinger Preps LTE Via Satellite.)

The CDMA iPhone rumors that re-emerged this week have grown legs, with many now speculating whether the next iPhone -- supposedly due this summer -- will support LTE. This seems highly unlikely given that Verizon isn't even promising that it will have a network up and running until the end of 2010. Engadget does note, however, that Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL) has been looking for an LTE expert for some time now, digging up a job posting at Cupertino from May 2009.

Telia Company says it's going to have laptop modems that support both 3G and LTE services soon. "Samsung will deliver large volumes of the new 4G modems during the second quarter 2010 for customers in Sweden and Norway," the operator says. The Swedish operator has been upgrading the world's first LTE network and plans to have service in 25 cities in Sweden and four cities in Norway during 2010. (See LTE Watch: Qualcomm's Next-Gen Bid in India.)

Even though the first generation of LTE is just starting to become a reality, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. is already claiming a record with the next major upgrade of the wireless technology. IFL notes that the Chinese vendor claims it achieved a record 1.2-Gbit/s data downlink test for LTE-Advanced.

Need more LTE? Well, just click on:

• Vidyo Raises $25M
  
• Tranzeo to Buy Aperto
  
• NEC Ships LTE Equipment to DoCoMo
  
• Wavesat, picoChip Demo LTE
  
• ZTE, China Mobile Test TD-LTE

— Dan Jones, Site Editor, Light Reading Mobile

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