Jump to content

Sprint, other competitive carriers rail against AT&T's special access rate increase

Rawvega

By Rawvega
in General Topics

 Share

Recommended Posts

Rawvega Member Level: 4G LTE

Rawvega

Posted
Posted

October 23, 2013 | By Sean Buckley

 

AT&T's decision to raise special access rates is drawing fire from a group of wireless operators and CLECs that say the move is an abuse of its dominant position.

 

Competitive providers say that ILECs AT&T and Verizon collectively own about 80 percent of the special access market.  

 

Earlier this month, AT&T told its special access customers, which includes Sprint and tw telecom, in a letter that it would stop offering extended contracts and discounts for the special access lines they purchase to provide services to business customers and for wireless backhaul.

 

Read more: Sprint, other competitive carriers rail against AT&T's special access rate increase - FierceTelecom http://www.fiercetelecom.com/story/sprint-other-competitive-carriers-rail-against-atts-special-access-rate-inc/2013-10-23#ixzz2ie1lu06C 

Subscribe at FierceTelecom

 

 

It'll be interesting to see how this plays out since ultimately any prices increases are eventually passed along to end users. (Bold emphasis mine) It's certainly an uphill battle when you're so beholden to two of your biggest competitors for such an integral part of your business.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Fraydog Member Level: LTE Advanced

Fraydog

Posted
Posted

AT&T wants out of the TDM business because it's a crazy cost infrastructure to maintain.  Their TDM infrastructure is literal garbage. For a long time, AT&T had serious reliability issues due to TDM. When AT&T moved to IP backhaul, their reliability approved by leaps and bounds.  

 

What kills me here is why Sprint can't start slowly weaning themselves off most of the AT&T backhaul they use.  I know that can't happen overnight, but in 3-4 years I think they could be free of most of it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Nickel Member Level: 4G WiMax

Nickel

Posted
Posted

AT&T wants out of the TDM business because it's a crazy cost infrastructure to maintain.  Their TDM infrastructure is literal garbage. For a long time, AT&T had serious reliability issues due to TDM. When AT&T moved to IP backhaul, their reliability approved by leaps and bounds.  

 

What kills me here is why Sprint can't start slowly weaning themselves off most of the AT&T backhaul they use.  I know that can't happen overnight, but in 3-4 years I think they could be free of most of it.

What areas are known AT&T backhaul? I can't think of any off the top of my head.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Nickel Member Level: 4G WiMax

Nickel

Posted
Posted

Sprint uses a lot of it here even though Cox is readily available and quicker to install. Must have been a higher price though.

Cox is readily available down there, huh?   ;)

 

I'm sure there is some factor that's making them use AT&T if Cox appears to be the better option.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
digiblur Member Level: LTE Advanced

digiblur

Posted
Posted

Cox is readily available down there, huh? ;)

 

I'm sure there is some factor that's making them use AT&T if Cox appears to be the better option.

Cox Communications that is ;) but... Errrr.. Nevermind

 

I already said the factor, cost.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
The Dave Member Level: 4G WiMax

The Dave

Posted
Posted

Who's going to provide backhaul for AT&T LTE sites then?

Either the fiber fairy or the backhaul goblin.

 

I don't know about rates, but in Florida, there is FPL fibernet, Comcast, Verizon, TWC, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
S4GRU Member Level: LTE Advanced

S4GRU

Posted
Posted

AT&T provides a lot of backhaul to Sprint in Texas, the South, Florida and California. Think of the former SBC companies...BellSouth, Southwestern Bell (SBC) and Pacific Bell.

 

Robert via Samsung Note 8.0 using Tapatalk Pro

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • large.unreadcontent.png.6ef00db54e758d06

  • gallery_1_23_9202.png

  • Posts

    • iansltx
      T-Mobile to acquire UScellular

      By iansltx · Posted

      A heavy n41 overlay as an acquisition condition would be a win for customers, and eventually a win for T-Mobile as that might be enough to preclude VZW/AT&T adding C-Band for FWA due to spreading the market too thinly (which means T-Mobile would just have local WISPs/wireline ISPs as competition). USCC spacing (which is likely for contiguous 700 MHz LTE coverage in rural areas) isn't going to be enough for contiguous n41 anyway, and I doubt they'll densify enough to get there.
    • iansltx
      Dish Network/Boost Mobile cell/5G buildout thread

      By iansltx · Posted

      Boost Infinite with a rainbow SIM (you can get it SIM-only) is the cheapest way, at $25/mo, to my knowledge; the cheaper Boost Mobile plans don't run on Dish native. Check Phonescoop for n70 support on a given phone; the Moto G 5G from last year may be the cheapest unlocked phone with n70 though data speeds aren't as good as something with an X70 or better modem.
    • iansltx
      Official Tmobile-Sprint merger discussion thread

      By iansltx · Posted

      Continuing the USCC discussion, if T-Mobile does a full equipment swap at all of USCC's sites, which they probably will for vendor consistency, and if they include 2.5 on all of those sites, which they probably will as they definitely have economies of scale on the base stations, that'll represent a massive capacity increase in those areas over what USCC had, and maybe a coverage increase since n71 will get deployed everywhere and B71 will get deployed any time T-Mobile has at least 25x25, and maybe where they have 20x20. Assuming this deal goes through (I'm betting it does), I figure I'll see contiguous coverage in the area of southern IL where I was attempting to roam on USCC the last time I was there, though it might be late next year before that switchover happens.
    • cooltech6597
      Official Tmobile-Sprint merger discussion thread

      By cooltech6597 · Posted

      Forgot to post this, but a few weeks ago I got to visit these small cells myself! They're spread around Grant park and the surrounding areas, but unfortunately none of the mmwave cells made it outside of the parks along the lake into the rest of downtown. I did spot some n41 small cells around downtown, but they seemed to be older deployments limited to 100mhz and performed poorly.    
    • JossMan
      Dish Network/Boost Mobile cell/5G buildout thread

      By JossMan · Posted

      What is the cheapest way to try Dish's wireless network?  Over the past year I've seen them add their equipment to just about every cell site here, I'm assuming just go through Boost's website?  What phones are Dish native?  

  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...