US-based Kodiak AI offers an autonomous driver-as-a-service capability, using its AI-powered virtual driver for long-haul, industrial, and defence trucking applications. Its system enables continuous, driverless operations, supported by AI.

The company’s assisted autonomy capability is enabled by Verizon partner Vay Technology, a provider of automotive-grade remote driving technology.

Assisted autonomy enables remote human assistance in low-speed or clearly defined situations, with low latency across long distances in remote areas.

Use cases for the partnership include over-the-air software updates, remote fleet management and remote assistance for Kodiak’s long-haul trucking and industrial operations.

Kodiak AI is using Verizon Business’ 5G telematics and its ThingSpace IoT platform to manage the massive amount of date generated from its driverless trucks.

The collaboration also leverages Verizon’s 5G and LTE networks to provision Kodiak’s advanced data capabilities.

The post Verizon drives data for autonomous truck company appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The multi-year agreement allows Verizon to collocate on a large number of Array Digital Infrastructure’s tower sites. The operator stated the deal features a streamlined pricing structure, which is expected to deliver cost efficiency and long-term stability for Verizon.

According to Phillip French, VP of engineering at Verizon, the partnership is a key part of the company’s network tower management strategy, providing flexibility and accelerating the deployment of advanced wireless technologies for customers nationwide.

Array Digital Infrastructure was formed in November after UScellular reached a $4.4 billion deal to sell most of its wireless assets to T-Mobile US in 2025. The new entity operates 4,400 towers across 19 US states.

As of 30 September, former UScellular parent Telephone and Data Systems owned approximately 82 per cent of Array Digital Infrastructure. It claims to be the fifth-largest tower company in the US, according to its website.

The post Verizon inks tower deal with Array Digital Infrastructure appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The network revamp included more than 2,400 wireless access points to boost coverage across the 76,125-seat stadium. Verizon Business stated the upgrade significantly enhances connectivity for fans and stadium operations.

Fans benefit from fast, reliable public Wi-Fi throughout the stadium, supporting an improved game-day experience.

Verizon Business noted the new network backbone, using a dedicated 6GHz frequency band and WPA3 security, boosts speed, reliability and security for both public and private Wi-Fi.

The network powers point-of-sale systems, surveillance, crowd management, ticketing, and sustainability initiatives.

Ahead of the 2023–2024 season, Verizon also installed 965 antennas for LTE and mmWave 5G coverage, ensuring robust connectivity for fans and staff anywhere in the stadium and parking lot tailgating areas.

It also operates the stadium’s neutral host distributed antenna system (DAS).

Verizon Business CRO Massimo Peselli stated the holistic approach “uses a mix of 5G and advanced technologies to tailor a high-performance connectivity ecosystem,  transforming both front-end and back-office functions”.

The operator has deployed mmWave, CBRS, Wi-Fi, managed private wireless, and 5G across numerous NFL stadiums.

The post Verizon boosts NFL stadium coverage with Wi-Fi 6E appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The job cuts will begin from today, with the programme designed to significantly reduce the operator’s outsourced and other outside worker costs.

In a letter to employees, CEO Dan Schulman explained current cost structures limit its ability to invest significantly in its “customer value proposition” and it is reorienting the entire company.

Verizon added it established a $20 million reskilling and career transition fund for departing employees focused on skills development, digital training and job placement.

Schulman said it is the first company to set up a fund “to specifically focus on the opportunities and necessary skill sets as we enter the age of AI”.

Verizon had around 100,000 US employees at the end of 2024.

Transformational
Villanueva’s role is effective from today (20 November), with Schulman pointing to more than two decades of leadership in strategy, corporate development, transformation, data science and innovation across technology and financial services companies.

Notably, Villanueva (pictured, left) worked with Schulman at PayPal, serving as EVP of Strategy, Corporate Development and Data Science.

Most recently, the executive led technology investment company Albar Court Ventures.

Earlier in his career, he had a stint as CIO of Singtel, where he helped launch its digital division and venture fund.

As part of an ongoing push into AI, automation and digital acceleration, Schulman said Villanueva will be charged with heading up a new Transformation Organisation.

The division will house the Strategy, Corporate Development and Partnerships team, Data Analytics and AI team, and the Supply Chain, Sourcing and Sustainability team.

The post Verizon cuts 13,000 jobs; names transformation chief appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Reuters reported the job cuts are the operator’s largest to date. The news agency stated the layoffs will trim Verizon’s headcount by about 15 per cent, starting next week.

Reuters stated the job reductions are targeting non-union management and will impact more than 20 per cent of those employees. It also noted Verizon plans to transition about 180 corporate-owned retail stores into franchised operations.

During last month’s Q3 earnings call, Shulman stated the company was “going to take bold and fiscally responsible action to redefine Verizon’s trajectory,” which includes transforming its cost structure and financial profile while shifting “to a customer-first culture”.

“We will be a simpler, leaner and scrappier business,” he stated on the earnings call. “This work is overdue and will be multi-year and an ongoing way of life for us.”

Analyst view
Roger Entner, founder and analyst at Recon Analytics, told Mobile World Live Verizon has two options for hitting its guidance: increasing revenue or cutting costs.

“Increasing revenue would mean another price increase on their customers which would continue the death loop that Verizon has to break out of,” he said. “Therefore, the only option is to cut cost and a lot of that will come from headcount reductions.”

The post Verizon to shed about 15,000 jobs – report appeared first on Mobile World Live.

During our Digital Unwrapped week Justin spoke to Yago Tenorio, SVP & CTO, Verizon about the future of 5G

The post Unwrapped Keynote: Verizon appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Tenorio explained one of the pitfalls for deploying 5G was developing non-standalone (NSA) and standalone architectures (SA.)

“There are many things that we learned with 5G that we need to take as lessons to not repeat in the 6G world,” he said. “One of them was NSA and SA. We needed a 5G standard that you could deploy at that point in time and quickly, and the only way to do that was through NSA. In hindsight, it was probably the lesser evil.

“But we need to also acknowledge that it created a divide in the capacity that we rolled out for 4G was not something that you could aggregate when you moved to 5G standalone.”

Speaking during Unwrapped: The 5G Evolution, Tenorio pointed to the US operator’s recent launch of its 6G Innovation Forum as the starting point for 6G. He said the bottom-up initiative focuses on developing foundational 6G technologies, exploring new use cases and ensuring global alignment in standards and interoperability.

“There is a huge hype about AI, and of course, AI embedded in the network, but also a network that enables AI,” he said, “I think that’s a good example, and maybe that’s the killer [6G] application that we need to think of.”

He explained AI embedded in networks, AI wearables and the “massive enablement of AI for society” are areas 6G should start to map out now instead of building general purpose technology and “wait for someone to come use it”.

In addition to deciding what 6G will be, Tenorio said it is also key for operators and vendors to contribute to and follow 3GPP’s 6G standards.

“We don’t plan to deviate at all from that,” he noted. “If we have a view that there is a need to do something that’s not addressed properly or not covered, what we will do is to drive that input into the 3GPP to try to make the standard better.”

Tenorio stated the global telecoms industry “lives on a huge economy of scale,” but fragmenting 6G standards will make it more difficult for all parties.

“From a chipset to the device manufacturer to the network equipment manufacturer, they will no longer be able to aggregate on volumes,” he explained. This industry needs volumes to survive.

“Deviating from a single global standard for everybody may not be a wise thing to do for anyone involved.”

Lastly, Tenorio said 6G should be built on the shoulders of virtualised RAN or open RAN to upgrade 5G networks to 6G by using software.

 “There are many things that we learned with 5G that we need to take as lessons to not repeat in the 6G world,” he said. “We need to take that learning to 6G and make sure that the core is a software upgrade to 6G based on the 5G core that we just rolled out today.”

The post Verizon CTO Tenorio charts a course to 6G appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Citing a source close to the matter, Bloomberg reported the US operator is selling debt in the bond market in as many as five parts, as it looks to take advantage of favourable market conditions.

US technology heavyweights Meta Platforms and Alphabet have also made bond offerings in recent times, raising $30 billion and $25 billion respectively.

Verizon itself has history of raising money through global bond sales, striking a deal in 2013 for $49 billion which remains the biggest ever, according to Bloomberg data.

Apparently, the operator has already lined up $10 billion in a short-term bank funding for the Frontier deal, a tie-up which has been pitched as strengthening its fibre footprint.

The deal was approved earlier this year by the Federal Communications Commission, with the clearance coming after the operator agreed to drop its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices.

The post Verizon looks to raise $10B for Frontier deal appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The NHN delivers seamless, secure, and carrier-agnostic connectivity throughout KPMG’s New York City office. It connects phones, tablets and other devices to the public networks of all major US operators who opt-in to join the network.

A NHN is comprised of indoor telecom network equipment that allows one or more service provider to use that infrastructure to serve their customers from a single location.

With the multi-operator public connectivity, KPMG employees and onsite guests can keep their normal cellular connectivity without any extra steps such as logging in.

Yesenia Scheker Izquierdo, KPMG New York office managing partner and US sector leader for asset management, stated the NHN at its new headquarters “ensures that our people and clients benefit from secure, high-performance connectivity that accelerates collaboration and enables smarter, faster decision-making”.

Jennifer Artley, SVP of 5G Acceleration at Verizon Business, stated the “deployment exemplifies how leading organisations are rethinking the workplace experience and leading with connectivity to drive better employee experiences, operational efficiency and business outcomes”.

She noted KPMG is a strategic advisor to Verizon and stated the two companies have a long history of collaboration.

A representative for Verizon told previously Mobile World Live sales for the NHN started to ramp in the latter half of 2023. 

The post Verizon hooks up KPMG US HQ with neutral host network appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The deal is positioned as a major step towards redefining how data moves between a cloud and the edge to accelerate AI innovation at scale, according to Verizon Business.

Verizon Business stated it also reflects an industry-wide shift toward edge-native, high-capacity networks for real-time performance while emphasising the need for specialised infrastructure for the next wave of AI.

Verizon’s AI Connect offering blends the operator’s fibre infrastructure, which includes its long-haul, metro fibre, local fibre, and optical networks, with its power, space and cooling capabilities.

It will provide AWS with resilient network paths to improve AI workload performance and reliability underpinned by Verizon’s network infrastructure.

Prasad Kalyanaraman, VP of AWS Infrastructure Services, stated the partnership with Verizon Business will “ensure customers across every industry can build and deliver compelling, secure, and reliable AI applications at scale”.

Verizon previously picked AWS as the preferred strategic cloud provider for its digital transformation initiatives.

It teamed with AWS on mobile edge computing (MEC) in late 2019 and launched a private service in 2021.

The post Verizon, AWS partner to power AI apps with fibre appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The recently appointed executive used earnings documents to offer the first insights into his plans for the company, describing Verizon as being at a critical juncture but promising not to throw the financial baby out with the bathwater, as he steers a shift to a more customer-focussed approach.

“We are going to take bold and fiscally responsible action to redefine Verizon’s trajectory”, Schulman said, detailing a swift “shift to a customer-first culture”.

“These will not be incremental changes.”

“We will aggressively transform our culture, our cost structure and the financial profile of Verizon in order to put our customers first, compete effectively and deliver sustainable returns for our shareholders.”

Verizon stated more details of Schulman’s plans would be released during a call to discuss its figures scheduled for later today (29 October).

All eyes are on the new CEO, who was parachuted into the role earlier this month in place of Hans Vestberg.

Numbers game
Net income attributable to Verizon grew 49.7 per cent year-on-year to $4.9 billion and operating revenue 1.5 per cent to $33.8 billion.

But the operator continued to lose consumer post-paid phone subscribers, with a net loss of 7,000 compared with an 18,000 gain in Q3 2024. Retail post-paid numbers fell 74,000 in place of a rise of 68,000.

Verizon Business booked a rise in operating income but lower revenue as sales in the enterprise and public sector, and wholesale segments fell. The unit booked net gains in post-paid users, albeit significantly less than were added in Q3 2024.

The post Schulman commences Verizon overhaul appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The companies stated the agreement would expand Verizon’s broadband offering, complement ongoing fibre deployments and support its expansion through a $20 billion acquisition of Frontier Communications which is set to close in early 2026 and includes its fibre network.

Verizon’s Eaton Fiber agreement is expected to bring fibre-based broadband services to homes and customers in markets outside its own and Frontier Communications’ current footprints.

In addition to beefing up its mobility and broadband convergence strategy, Verizon Consumer CEO and EVP Sowmyanarayan Sampath stated the partnership enables it to enter new markets, accelerate fibre deployment and ensure it maintains “the necessary flexibility to capture growth opportunities across the country”.

Verizon is set be the exclusive retail provider of residential fibre services on the new network during the build phase and for a set period afterward. It will also be responsible for sales and marketing, and end-user customer service.

Eaton Fiber is due to fund, build and maintain the network.

Financial terms or the length of the arrangement were not disclosed.

Rivals AT&T and T-Mobile US also have grand fibre ambitions.

T-Mobile launched its T-Fiber service in June and closed joint venture deals with Metronet and Lumos.

In addition to its own fibre build out, AT&T is expanding its reach through joint venture Gigapower.

The post Verizon taps Tillman to expand fibre reach appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The operator stated Verizon Home Internet Lite (VHI) is ideal for households which have been historically hamstrung by older, slower broadband options such as DSL or satellite.

The operator noted VHI is designed for customers who have relatively light everyday usage requirements.

A representative for Verizon told Mobile World Live VHI works on C-Band when its 5G network is not available.

The service costs $25 per month when bundled with a mobile plan, or $35 as a standalone offering. VHI is capped at a download speed of 25Mb/s, with around 10Mbs to 25Mb/s typical.

After the first 15GB of data used in a month, speeds are throttled to a maximum of 10 Mb/s with unlimited data for the rest of the billing cycle. The service includes a free router for self-installation.

Verizon’s standard 5G Home Internet services ranges from around $35 to $75 per month, depending on the plan and whether customers have an existing mobile tariff.

In Q2, Verizon netted 278,000 FWA customers to bring its total to 5.1 million. Its CEO at the time Hans Vestberg noted the operator is on track to achieve its goal of between 8 million and 9 million subscribers for the service by 2028.

Earlier this month, Verizon struck a deal to buy regional FWA provider Starry for an undisclosed sum as part of a plan to offer the service in buildings with multiple dwelling units.

The post Verizon unveils scaled down FWA service appeared first on Mobile World Live.

To meet increasing demand, the operator is deploying its neutral host offering for patients, visitors, and other public-network users and private 5G for mission critical operations.

The neutral host network provides strengthened mobile signals for the general public on hospital premises, requiring no special sign in or authentication from visitors. It works for customers of rivals AT&T and Verizon as well as all prepaid and post-paid services, according to a representative from Verizon.

The private 5G networks support critical care delivery, sensitive data workflows and future tech innovation, with dedicated bandwidth and improved security.

Verizon stated healthcare facilities can start with neutral host capabilities and then activate the high bandwidth, low latency private 5G as needs arise. Ericsson is the vendor for both of the on-premises network buildouts.

Jennifer Artley, SVP of 5G acceleration for Verizon Business, stated as digital adoption continues to increase in the healthcare sector, “providers require scalable network solutions with access across multiple sites and use cases”.

The post Verizon outlines dual network healthcare strategy appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The US operator wasted little time in finding use cases for its 5G infrastructure after completing a nationwide deployment. Its deal with Toyota focuses firmly on the vehicle company’s own range of connected services, spanning infotainment, safety functions, servicing, and cloud, remote access and Wi-Fi connections.

AT&T promises “enhanced integrated audio streaming, a reliable Wi-Fi hotspot”, real-time navigation, remote services and OTA updates, along with access to SiriusXM content.

While it is undoubtedly a useful win for AT&T just after its 5G coverage achievement, the focus on connectivity alone masks some of the problems facing all US operators and automotive players.

These issues matter, given Verizon and T-Mobile US are each just as active in the automotive space as AT&T.

Verizon, for example, unveiled its latest cellular vehicle-to-everything (V2X) connected driving platform in June, with T-Mobile actively promoting its 5G network as providing a fast lane to a next-level of vehicle connectivity.

The Edge Transportation Exchange Verizon launched was demonstrated in conjunction with the 5G Automotive Association (5GAA) and counted Volkswagen Group of America and various transport authorities among initial users.

At the time, Verizon Business VP of Strategic Connectivity and IoT Shamik Basu said the exchange uses the growing range of software featured in vehicles to help manufacturers and relevant authorities plot how mobile technologies can be used in future transport situations.

Verizon’s approach employs LTE along with 5G, mobile edge compute and geolocation technology. The operator heralded various other benefits including cost reductions stemming from a decline in the number of roadside radio units required.

T-Mobile is targeting its 5G capabilities at a broad cross-section of the automotive opportunity, with a heavy tilt towards the potential in emergency service scenarios along with those relating to the vehicles themselves, customers and factories.

In an article on how 5G could drive the next wave of vehicle connectivity, T-Mobile explained the mobile technology stands to benefit safety, performance, efficiency, convenience and entertainment.

T-Mobile noted 5G may help overcome obsolescence in systems fitted to vehicles when they are made, improve data analysis and employ network slicing capabilities for a host of dedicated functions.

If all three major US operators already have the wheels in motion for vehicle connectivity and platforms, why does the situation in the market remain uncertain?

Driving instructions
Ironically, efforts to free up more spectrum for operators is one key issue.

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation (Auto Innovators) is a body which represents all elements of the US industry including manufacturers, equipment suppliers, battery producers, semiconductor and technology companies, and autonomous vehicle developers.

In a blog published earlier this year, Auto Innovators president and CEO John Bozzella noted spectrum sale plans included in President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill could jeopardise wireless safety technology embedded in “millions of vehicles”.

Bozzella explained vehicle manufacturers are “investing heavily in wireless connectivity and use ultra-wideband” (UWB) spectrum in the 6GHz to 8.5GHz band for a host of features.

Auto Innovators argue this is a prime location in the wireless world, one which politicians and other industries “want turned over to other technologies”.

There is a broader push around releasing the upper 6GHz band to the mobile industry due to its potential to bolster current 5G networks and lay a foundation for future 6G technology.

But vehicle makers employ UWB in collision avoidance radar, remote parking, real-time positioning and digital keys enabling phones to be used to access vehicles.

The automotive industry has longer lead times than the mobile sector, so any change is going to involve patience and potentially a period of co-existence while current equipment serves out its time.

Bozzella was optimistic on a plan to exclude frequencies between 7.25GHz to 8.4GHz from auction plans and called on politicians to ensure this stretch, at least, is protected.

Auto Innovators is also collaborating with the CTIA to develop policies each industry believes would be workable.

In a report on the importance of 5G to the automotive sector issued in 2024, the CTIA pressed politicians to “continue to provide access to full-power licensed spectrum for the deployment of wide-area networks”.

It stated vehicle manufacturers are “first movers” in terms of employing 5G as they seek to hike the capacity and rate of data transmissions for navigation and infotainment systems, along with ultra-low latency which “eliminates lag and delays when split seconds matter”.

The latest mobile technology “will help a vehicle automatically share crash information” with emergency services, or help drivers “respond to real-time routing and weather information”.

It emphasised 5G would be a key element in traffic management systems, providing “valuable information about a vehicle’s surroundings” and noted a broad push to use the technology to make “roads, vehicles and communities safer”.

The CTIA listed a host of examples of how AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon are working with the automotive industry on vehicle developments, highlighting how entwined the sectors now are.

Chipping in
Auto Innovators separately noted geo-political challenges remain a factor in the US vehicle market.

In August, SVP of policy Hilary Cain highlighted the semiconductor supply chain is still an area of concern.

Cain explained in a blog an average car today contains more than 1,700 chips and highlighted problems in the supply chain experienced during the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic to show the seriousness of any disruption.

The executive argued the automotive chip supply chain “remains fragile”, putting developments including advanced driver assistance systems at risk, along with other critical in-vehicle systems.

Cain noted the US automotive industry remains heavily reliant on non-domestic production of vehicle-grade semiconductors, though wrote home-grown alternatives are beginning to gain some traction.

Bumpy road
Another factor which could come into play in operators’ connected vehicle goals is regulation.

In a response to a call by the US Department of Justice for information on state-level laws which could impact the overall national economy, Auto Innovators argued the case for a single set of rules.

It noted various US states have implemented or plan to enact legislation which could force manufacturers to adapt their vehicles to individual rules but argued such approaches are impractical, not least because people often drive into other regions.

Auto Innovators gained support from politicians for a proposal to make nationwide rules enabling location tracking to be disabled to help protect victims of domestic violence, a move likely easier for operators to implement instead of one involving individual states.

There is also what Auto Innovators described as a “patchwork” of frameworks for autonomous vehicles, something it warned could “harm the global competitiveness” of the US industry.

The group pointed to requirements to fit specific data recording capabilities and two-way communication functionalities as among the challenges, calling for the Department of Transportation to update national standards to include autonomous vehicles.

Despite the challenges, growth predictions for the overall connected car industry indicate it is worth US operators staying the course.

In 2024, speciality research company Towards Automotive noted 5G technology was already “at the forefront of the connected car revolution” and predicted global revenue for the sector would hit $167.5 billion by 2034, compared with an expected $49.5 billion this year.

It forecast the US alone would generate a CAGR of 12.7 per cent over the forecast period, as safety initiatives fuel demand for vehicle-to-vehicle connectivity and more IoT technologies are brought in.

The post Feature: US operators facing 5G vehicle challenges appeared first on Mobile World Live.

At the company’s first Innovation Sessions event to be held in Europe, which took place in Paris last week, Peselli said while initial interest in private networks had been from the manufacturing and logistics sectors, the last ten months had seen a surge of interest from the healthcare segment.

“Connectively is one of the biggest problems in healthcare,” the executive said, pointing to the advantages of both private and public 5G use.

Adding he was “almost surprised” at the traction being gained, he noted there was often an issue in the segment with costs and staff.

As an example, Peselli said during a day spent in a hospital discussing requirements with nurses and physicians, he found some of the patient data still needed to be accessed using “a desktop on wheels” adding this was “so inefficient”.

With modern infrastructure in place, he stated this information could be on devices like tablets and phones.

This relatively basic hospital use case would be alongside the potential for more advanced applications including remote healthcare and AI-aided diagnosis, which can study physical factors along with data for certain conditions.

Shifting landscape
Discussing the general enterprise sector, Peselli noted Verizon is increasingly having conversations with business decision makers rather than IT teams about its business connectivity products.

This was attributed to curiosity about what modern technologies can do for enterprises across a host of use cases, with AI branded a “wake up call” for executives.

“What has changed is now IT leaders are more business technologists than IT operations people, like they used to be five or ten years ago,” he said.

“There’s also a new generation of CEOs. When companies appoint a new CEO we see more-and-more are tech-savvy, it looks like one of the criteria is their familiarity with technology and so they push technology everywhere in the company”.

While AI is unsurprisingly leading many conversations with enterprises, he indicated connectivity may “be the forgotten piece in the equation”, with data often being generated in a different place to where the “insight is created”, meaning there is a requirement for secure connectivity.

Peselli was speaking during a briefing on the sidelines of the Verizon Business Paris event, where the company, partner Nokia and high-profile enterprises discussed the use of connectivity technology as the backbone of digital transformation.

Businesses showcasing their work with the US operator’s business division included UK logistics and manufacturing region Thames Freeport, fashion company Prada, insurance player AXA, chipmaker STMicroelectronics and tyre company Michelin.

The post Private networks set pulses racing at Verizon appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Mobile World Live‘s Justin Springham has the best bits from the keynote conference, where ‘enterprise’ and ‘AI’ were the words on everyone’s mind.

The post Event Highlights: MWC25 Las Vegas appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Aside of granting the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) the ability to once again hold spectrum auctions, the bill also included a provision to provide access to the 800MHz band.

Pai channelled a line from Star Wars character Yoda when he implored regulators “to do, not try” when it came to the telecom industry gaining access to more spectrum.

“Spectrum is a key driver of innovation, not just for the mobile industry, but for adjacent technologies like artificial intelligence, the cloud, fixed broadband, and much more,” he said during his keynote address. “History tells us that when America leads in wireless, it doesn’t just change industry, it changes the world.”

Pai was chair of the FCC during President Trump’s first term, which he stated is when the US led the world in 5G development.

“The president bet on wireless innovation back then, and the wireless industry delivered,” he said. ”Fast forward to today, China leads in 5G availability, and America has fallen to third.

“But as a nation, we fell behind, because we did not act with urgency.”

He said the passing of the bill “is a clear repudiation of policy inertia that we’ve seen in recent years”.

“We once again have a chance to empower American entrepreneurs, and to benefit wireless consumers,” Pai explained. “And you’ll notice that I’m not saying that we will empower entrepreneurs. It’s simply that we have a chance to empower them. And that’s because progress is not the same as endpoints.

“That is to say, identifying bands and setting an ambitious target is not the same as making spectrum available.”

He credited Trump and Republican members of congress for passing the bill but stated it is up to the telecoms industry to “convert that potential to reality”.

“We need to execute,” he said.

Mission-critical
Malady, who joined Pai on stage, echoed some of the same sentiments. He said when operators use licenced spectrum CIOs across the healthcare and manufacturing sectors are more willing to bet on mission-critical applications.

“Since day one, carriers have always been worried about capacity,” said Malady, who is also chair of CTIA. “And if you give us enough capacity, then we can build ecosystems and platforms that allow small businesses to be able to grow.

“It’s super important that we got the authority back. It’s super important that we got 800MHz. But you [Pai] said it rightly. We need to execute now.”

Malady stated the industry and government need to figure out the best way to leverage the 800MHz spectrum while also developing a long-term plan.

“We kind of live a little bit hand-in-mouth as an industry,” he said. “We need to figure out what it’s going to be ten, 20, 30 years from now so we’re not just kind of always scrambling at the last minute.”

The post US industry leaders call for more action on using additional spectrum appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Members of the US military, Coast Guard, first responders and other federal employees facing temporary financial strain can contact the operator to request bill payment deferrals. Impacted customers must provide verification of their federal or military employment when applying for assistance.

“Verizon is dedicated to supporting our customers and the communities we serve. We understand the ongoing federal government shutdown may create financial difficulties,” noted newly installed Verizon CEO Dan Schulman. “If federal employees need relief during the shutdown, they can reach out to us and we will keep them connected.”

The current US government shutdown is the first in nearly seven years, after Republican and Democratic parties failed to agree on resolving a budget dispute.

In the US, a government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to approve funding before the new fiscal year, forcing federal agencies to halt non-essential operations, furlough workers and retain only essential staff for critical services.

The shutdown has resulted in the unpaid suspension of 40 per cent of the federal workforce, or around 750,000 people, BBC reported.

The post Verizon offers government shutdown relief to federal staff appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The survey drew on responses from the automotive, manufacturing and warehousing, healthcare, retail, logistics and supply chain sectors.

Verizon noted cost savings, customer user experience and retention are the primary factors for IoT-driven benefits.

The survey found 84 per cent of enterprises view AI as key for IoT, with 70 per cent noting it speeds deployments.

Verizon stated 82 per cent find combining AI with video data can deliver valuable insights for real-time decision-making.

More than 50 per cent of the organisations cite efficiency and productivity gains as the primary drivers for IoT investment, with 98 per cent expecting benefits within two years.

IoT deployments of more than 10,000 devices are expected to more than triple in 2026, the data showed.

Mobile mix
Verizon found 87 per cent believe systems integration support from a mobile network operator is important or critical for successful IoT deployments.

It stated 52 per cent plan to use private networks for their IoT projects within the next 12 months to 24 months, up 24 per cent over current usage, while 81 per cent see 5G as key for ongoing projects.

For emerging technologies, 74 per cent plan 5G reduced capability (RedCap) and satellite integration, while 78 per cent value network slicing. Verizon noted cybersecurity remains a challenge for 43 per cent.

The adoption of eSIM is surging, with 240 per cent growth year-on-year in the monthly average for connectivity.

Personal mobility excluding automotive, energy and utilities, and logistics and supply chain industries are among those prioritising eSIM.

Industry-specific benefits include cost savings in manufacturing, personalised retail experiences, real-time logistics tracking and remote patient monitoring in healthcare.

Daniel Lawson, SVP of global solutions and IoT at Verizon Business, said the survey results show IoT is highly valuable and scalable when implemented correctly, adding it is about “to get a lot more interesting and dynamic with AI and other emerging technologies”.

The post Verizon finds great expectations for IoT appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Verizon makes Dan Schulman CEO

What happened: Verizon appointed former PayPal CEO Dan Schulman as its chief, replacing Hans Vestberg after seven years at the helm.

Why it matters: Verizon’s board highlighted Schulman’s digital expertise and track record in scaling platforms, citing his time at PayPal, Virgin Mobile USA, AT&T, and T-Mobile US. Schulman pledged to sharpen Verizon’s value proposition, cut costs, and optimise capital allocation. Vestberg will remain with the company until October 2026 to assist with completing the operator’s acquisition of Frontier Communications, expected in the early part of the year. Analysts noted Vestberg’s tenure was marked by “missteps” including heavy spectrum spending and subscriber losses, allowing rivals to claim leadership in 5G and customer additions. Roy Chua, AvidThink founder and principal analyst, told MWL the change was unsurprising, citing Verizon’s slide from market leader to third place under Vestberg’s leadership, while Recon Analytics’ founder and analyst Roger Entner linked the timing to looming Q3 results. Meanwhile, Daljeet Saran, strategic advisor at Assessfy, stated that with Schulman at the helm, Verizon will be able to “lead with digital expertise, not just network scale”.

SoftBank to acquire ABB robot unit for $5.4B

What happened: SoftBank Group struck a deal to acquire ABB’s industrial robotics unit for $5.4 billion as the Japanese conglomerate intensifies its push into AI and automation.

Why it matters: The transaction, subject to regulatory clearance in the US, European Union and China, is expected to close in mid to late 2026. Earlier this year, ABB announced plans to spin off its robotics division, which employs about 7,000 staff and generated roughly 7 per cent of the company’s revenue in 2024. The move marks SoftBank’s re-entry into robotics after its acquisition of French robotics firm Aldebaran in 2012, which later produced humanoid robot Pepper. “That acquisition is widely regarded as having been pretty unsuccessful and SoftBank will certainly hope for a better return on their latest investment,” noted Tom Thorne, executive search consultant at Wenham Carter Group. While that venture failed to scale commercially, SoftBank stated it is poised “reignite the robotics business’s growth” through investment in AI and advanced technologies.

Preview: MWC25 Las Vegas event heats up across AI, APIs, satellites

What happened: The GSMA is gearing up to open MWC25 Las Vegas next week at a new $3.7 billion venue, the Fontainebleau Las Vegas hotel, with three central themes: connected industries, AI and connected enablers.

Why it matters: GSMA CMO Lara Dewar stated: “We’ve tailored this year’s event agenda to meet the evolving needs of senior business leaders and C-suite executives across North America.” This year’s programme is structured to emphasise thought leadership, with a sharper focus on executive-level networking and tangible business results, she explained. The event will run over two days and attendees can expect summits on smart aviation, agentic AI, eSIM, private wireless networks and satellite connectivity. The programme will also see the return of the Tech Careers Bootcamp, held in partnership with Verizon, to promote wireless industry careers. With AI and automation at the forefront, GSMA is placing an emphasis on scaling real-world deployments. “The important and truly exciting thing I’m increasingly seeing is technical innovation turn into real, tangible impact,” Dewar said. With mobile technologies forecast to contribute $11 trillion to global GDP, nearly doubling last year’s figure, the GSMA is framing telecoms as a central enabler of enterprise transformation.  

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Starry provides FWA services in five areas of the country using millimetre wave (mmWave) spectrum. It covers Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, New York and Washington DC, providing broadband in locations including apartment blocks and other so-called multi-dwelling units (MDUs).

It has almost 100,000 MDU customers across its markets.

Verizon noted the acquisition would aid an ambition to double its number of FWA customers to between 8 million and 9 million by 2028. By then it expects to be able to offer the service to 90 million households.

The deal is expected to close by Q1 2026, subject to approvals including the Federal Communications Commission.

Verizon EVP and president for global networks and technology Joe Russo said Starry had “demonstrated a unique and efficient approach to delivering high-speed internet” to “complex” MDU environments.

He added the buy would give “millions of new customers a powerful and affordable broadband option” as the “architecture is less expensive to build, quicker to deploy, and uniquely addresses the complexities of urban settings,” noting Verizon could use “existing fibre and mmWave assets.”

The announcement comes just over two years since Starry exited bankruptcy protection, having previously fallen into financial difficulties.

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From next year, the pair stated they will combine Verizon’s terrestrial infrastructure, 850MHz spectrum assets and AST SpaceMobile’s space-based cellular network in low earth orbit to allow customers to stay connected “wherever they are, from hiking trails to city centres and everywhere in between”.

The deal marks an expansion from a strategic partnership struck between the duo in May 2024, when Verizon pledged to invest $100 million in AST SpaceMobile. Verizon’s partnership was announced shortly after AST SpaceMobile signed a six-year D2D extension to an agreement with AT&T.

Chief rival to the pair T-Mobile US has a D2D agreement in place with Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

Ubiquitous reach
Abel Avellan, CEO of AST SpaceMobile, said through its definitive commercial agreement with Verizon, it was working to deliver coverage from space “across the continental United States”.

He added: “This agreement will extend the scope of Verizon’s 850MHz premium-low band into areas of the US that would benefit from the ubiquitous reach of space-based broadband technology”.

The satellite company explained the agreement with Verizon had been reached following testing milestones, including a Voice over LTE call made from a smartphone on a Verizon network in Texas, connecting via an AST SpaceMobile satellite to another Verizon smartphone in New Jersey.

Srini Kapala, SVP of technology and product development at Verizon, added it was creating “a new paradigm of connectivity that will unlock the full potential of the digital age”, through the partnership.

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The mobile operator announced yesterday (6 August) former PayPal chief Dan Schulman replaced Vestberg after he served as CEO of the mobile operator for seven years.

Analysts contacted by Mobile World Live (MWL) are, for the most part, not surprised Verizon moved on from Vestberg.

Wave7 Research analyst Jeff Moore told MWL the move is not a great surprise, as Verizon’s results in recent years have lagged behind those of its peers.

“Verizon is trying a great many things to reverse that decline, ranging from the five-year guarantee to the new bill comparison effort to a free line offer in June,” Moore said. “It has essentially lost its best network positioning and is scrambling for a way to differentiate itself.”

While Verizon is battling diminishing post-paid subscribers, rival T-Mobile US is racking up new customers.

To add insult to injury, Verizon lost its crown as the premiere 5G network in the US, which T-Mobile US laid claim to earlier this year.

AvidThink founder and principal Roy Chua told MWL Verizon has been underperforming across many areas while Vestberg’s recent move to buy Frontier Communications was panned by most analysts.  

“I don’t think this was a surprise,” Chua said. “His tenure from 2018 to 2025 failed to prevent Verizon’s slide from market leader to third-place competitor. It was marked by missteps in a 5G deployment overfocused on mmWave, premature investment in 5G edge, massive subscriber losses in 2022 and 2023 with ongoing churn, and a costly $52.9 billion C-band spectrum investment that wasn’t well managed.”

He also noted Verizon trails T-Mobile across fixed wireless access customer gains.

Roger Entner, founder and analyst at Recon Analytics, told MWL while Vestberg seemingly had the board of directors on his side, the upcoming Q3 results led to him being replaced.

“The move was both a surprise and not at the same time,” Entner explained.

Uphill climb for Schulman
Chua noted T-Mobile’s structural advantage in mid-band spectrum, including 2.5GHz, its smart bet on the company’s layer-cake 5G spectrum strategy, its T-Satellite service with Starlink and the company’s 5G Advanced roll-out “is going to make Schulman’s job particularly hard”.

“For the incoming Schulman, a focus on customer experience and providing improved value versus the recent price hikes and bill purchases that upset many customers will be important,” Chua stated.

During his stint as CEO of PayPal, Chua noted Schulman successfully managed subscription and recurring revenue models which are similar to telecom.

“His 18 years at AT&T, the founding CEO of Virgin Mobile USA from startup to $1.3 billion and Sprint prepaid experience should be helpful,” Chua said. “Plus, his seven years on Verizon’s board, including recent elevation to lead independent director, adds institutional knowledge which reduces his learning curve.

“However, PayPal grew in an expanding market with digital payments adoption accelerating while telecom is mature and the competition is fierce.”

Entner agreed with Chua about Schulman putting a greater focus on customers going forward but stated he “will have to right the ship and make significant changes”.

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Chair Mark Bertolini referenced Schulman’s long experience and decisiveness as factors in his appointment.

Verizon is seeking someone to plot a boost in finances and increase its focus on customers, and believes the former PayPal chief, founding CEO of Virgin Mobile USA, president of T-Mobile US’ prepaid group and head of AT&T’s consumer division has the right experience.

Bertolini said Schulman would help Verizon “embark on a new chapter of growth and sector leadership”.

Verizon’s recent financials are a mixed bag, with net income and revenue up, but post-paid users waning in Q2.

It remained well ahead of T-Mobile in terms of financials, but the latter broke records for post-paid additions, while AT&T produced a balanced period.

Strategy
Former Ericsson CEO Vestberg (pictured, right) is remaining with Verizon until October 2026 to smooth the transition and help complete an acquisition of Frontier Communications which is expected to happen in Q1 2026.

He joined Verizon in 2017 as EVP of its Network and Technology team and became CEO in August 2018, succeeding Lowell McAdam.

Vestberg said he is immensely proud and grateful to have led a team which “built a network that truly connects people to what matters most”.

Accomplishments highlighted by Verizon include the purchase of C-Band spectrum for its 5G network along with the Frontier Communications deal.

Schulman joined Verizon’s board in September 2018, most recently holding the position of Independent Lead Director.

He said the operator has a “clear opportunity to redefine” its path by increasing market share and growing earnings.

“We are going to maximise our value propositions, reduce our cost to serve and optimise our capital allocation”.

Verizon noted Schulman oversaw PayPal’s growth into a leading global payments platform, with revenue tripling, EPS increasing fivefold and a hike in customer numbers during his tenure.

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Adding the GE Vernova MDS Orbit platform to its network will help utility companies to advance digital transformations by providing reliable, secure and flexible communications options, Verizon Business stated.

The platform can handle supervisory control and data acquisition along with the automation and mobility options, and is designed to act as the backbone of utility companies’ communications set-ups.

Jim Kilmer, VP of global enterprise Americas with Verizon Business, said utility companies need “reliable and flexible communications” to manage a “massive transformation” in energy grids.

GE Vernova states the MDS Orbit platform provides industrial LTE, licensed and unlicensed spectrum and various forms of Wi-Fi communication options using single or dual radios. It comes with top-notch cybersecurity and electromagnetic pulse compliance, and is available in a trio of packaging options for outdoor, space-restricted and multiservice scenarios.

Mitesh Parikh, product line leader with GE Vernova, said Verizon Business would help customers use its product to “modernise their grid operations”.

Verizon Business offered assurances around the pair’s expertise, noting the latest arrangement builds on a longstanding relationship which combines its wireless technology credentials with GE Vernova’s specialism in industrial applications.

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Sources told Bloomberg that discussions centre on EchoStar’s AWS-3 licences, which are considered a key band for 5G deployments. As per regulatory filings, the company reportedly recorded a value of $9.8 billion for the assets.

The possible deal follows a wave of spectrum sales by EchoStar, which began offloading assets last month amid a US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) probe into its spectrum deployment progress.

In August, the company sold its 3.45GHz and 600MHz licences to AT&T in a $23 billion deal, followed weeks later by a $17 billion agreement with SpaceX offloading its AWS-4 and H-block spectrum. The deals were positioned as part of efforts to resolve FCC concerns and reduce the company’s debt burden.

While AT&T and SpaceX’s transactions with EchoStar reportedly exceeded the assets’ values, a source told Bloomberg that this may not be the case with Verizon’s potential deal.

News of the talks sent EchoStar shares up by as much as 15 per cent in extended trading, the news outlet reported.

The possible move is part of an ongoing shift in strategy for EchoStar, which once aimed to become the fourth major US mobile network operator. CEO Hamid Akhavan recently stated the company no longer plans to pursue that ambition, instead pivoting its strategic focus to becoming an “asset-light growth company” with a hybrid model that takes advantage of AT&T’s network to support its Boost Mobile service.

The US government is also expected to auction additional AWS-3 spectrum next year. In early 2015, Verizon was one of the biggest spenders in the last auction it held for the frequencies, splashing $10 billion.

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Members of the Verizon 6G Innovation Forum include the trio of network vendors along with device and chipset companies Meta Platforms and Qualcomm Technologies.

The initiative focuses on developing foundational 6G technologies, exploring new use cases and ensuring global alignment in standards and interoperability.

The group will test new spectrum bands and harmonise global 6G standards with bodies like 3GPP to ensure its work follows mainstream development and promotes interoperability across the industry.

Forum partners will be able to test and refine 6G technologies in real-world environments through dedicated Verizon 6G Labs starting in Los Angeles.

A representative for Verizon told Mobile World Live the 6G lab will be in located in the same footprint as the 5G lab it has in Los Angeles with a plan to transition to the former in the first half of 2026

The mobile operator stated the forum will accelerate its Verizon’s AI Connect strategy and intelligent edge capabilities to help businesses to manage real-time AI workloads at scale.

“5G Advanced lays the foundation for the 6G future, whether that’s new wearables, AI experiences, or entirely new use cases we haven’t even thought of yet, and that’s what excites me the most,” stated Joe Russo, EVP and president, global networks and technology at Verizon.

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Artley, speaking alongside Thames Freeport interim CEO Stuart Rimmer (pictured, bottom right), described the feat as a huge step in what is proving a pretty complex rollout, after it landed the deal alongside vendor Nokia in June.

Thames Freeport is one of the UK’s largest maritime logistics and manufacturing regions, and the technology upgrade is part of wider long-term efforts to revive the UK’s Thames Estuary region.

Artley said Verizon was deploying six private 5G cores across three major sites: the DP World Gateway; Ford Dagenham; and the Port of Tilbury, which are some of the biggest trade hubs in the UK connecting to more than 130 global routes.

What makes the deployment particularly complex is the fact that requirements are not the same at each site and each “tenant has their own unique needs and unique operations. So we are building this in real-time”.

It is aiming to complete the full deployment by the end of 2025, said Artley, before testing begins in the new year and  “the goal is to go live in March, which will be a big milestone”.

She added that while Verizon’s technology will serve as the foundation of the project, it is “part of a multi-billion dollar effort to transform the Thames Estuary into one of Europe’s most technologically advanced commercial hubs”.

AI city
Echoing Artley, Rimmer said the project is not only about driving economic benefits but social benefits too, and it is targeting high-profile partnerships to achieve its wider goals.

“We’ve got an ambition to create an AI city, said Rimmer. “Now those ambitions have to be met by some really ambitious partnerships and that’s how we developed the partnership with Verizon. It’s not just about putting the wires in, but actually its about sharing a vision for future prosperity.”

Watch the full interview here.

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A three-judge panel of the appeals court rejected Verizon’s argument the FCC’s liability finding “was arbitrary and capricious” in a filing yesterday (10 September.)

Verizon also stated in the filing “the penalty exceeds the statutory cap, and the imposition of the forfeiture, without a jury trial, violated its Seventh Amendment rights”.

The court disagreed, and stated “the customer data at issue plainly qualifies as customer proprietary network information”.

Last year, the FCC finalised nearly $200 million in fines against AT&T, T-Mobile US and Verizon, following the completion of Notices of Apparent Liability (NAL) issued against the mobile operators in February 2020.

The FCC Enforcement Bureau’s investigations of the operators found that each sold access to its customers’ location information to “aggregators,” who then resold access to such information to third-party location-based service providers.

In April 2024, after reviews of the operators’ NAL responses, FCC commissioners voted along party lines to fine AT&T $57 million, Verizon $46.9 million and T-Mobile $80 million.

Former FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel, a member of the Democratic Party, voted in favour of the fines while current chair Brendan Carr, a member of the Republican Party, voted against them.

Verizon paid the penalty and filed a legal petition for a review by the appeals court.

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