GLG News by Mr. Samuel Greenholtz, Principal
Analyses are solely the work of the authors and have not been edited or endorsed by GLG.
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Verizon’s Motivation in not Wanting Another 700 MHz Auction?
April 20, 2009
Verizon urges scrapping D-Block auction process | www.fiercewireless.com
1. In “allocating the D-Block spectrum directly to public safety organizations on a state, local and regional basis,” it becomes strictly a governmental network. 2. It seems logical that Verizon would not want to have its competitors possibly having control of such attractive spectrum. 3. Verizon certainly comes up with effective rhetoric that this idea is totally based on community interests: "bold action" was necessary to overcome the inertia of creating an interoperable network for public safety.”
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Thinking Outside the Box is Necessary for Sprint
April 20, 2009
Sprint Receives $7.3 million U.S. Department of Energy Grant to expand Hydrogen fuel cell Deployment | www.fiercewireless.com
1. In a recent Wall Street Journal article, the Verizon CEO makes the point, “I don't know what Sprint thinks it is." 2. It is just not convincing when Sprint responds, "We know exactly who we are and where we want to be." 3. In order to be successful, Sprint really does have to become a different kind of company – because it will probably not be able to compete with AT&T and Verizon Wireless head to head effectively.
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GPON Could Now Be Huawei’s Best Chance for Penetration into North America
April 20, 2009
Huawei Steps Up in North America | www.lightreading.com
1. The smaller independent telcos in the US may be willing to take a chance on Huawei Technologies in broadband access. 2. Stimulus funds should lead to a lot more activity and a greater likelihood of the supplier breaking into this sector. 3. That “Huawei will not lead with price as the main way to win carrier business” is disingenuous.
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Interview with Verizon CEO a Study in Contrasts
April 17, 2009
Verizon CEO Eyes Global Assets | online.wsj.com
1. While AT&T’s CEO in his recent interview with the Wall Street Journal almost sounded like he was talking in the third person, the one with Verizon Communications’ Ivan Seidenberg was noticeably more direct in tone. 2. In shifting over to more of a wireless focus and concentrating on enterprise opportunities, Seidenberg has effectively protected his position at the company. 3. There will be no internal strife over these actions.
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Coordinated Effort to Smear FairPoint Continues
April 16, 2009
Fairpoint bills 'crammed' with bogus charges | www.unionleader.com
1. There is not much of an attempt to give a balanced view by the press regarding FairPoint Communications other than to get a comment from the service provider. 2. Now there are cramming problems affecting a whopping dozen of subscribers. 3. For the consumer affairs director at the PUC to call 12 incidents “a significant number” is a demonstration of the lack of fundamental fairness to a company that has become the ILEC for the state – an entity that it will need to closely work with for many years into the future.
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AT&T Cannot Stay a Dominant Wireless Force Without Managerial Heads Rolling
April 16, 2009
AT&T vs. Verizon: Battle of the Wireless Giants | seekingalpha.com
1. Another reason that AT&T CEO, Randall Stephenson, gave that exclusive interview to the Wall Street Journal recently was to back up an inevitable purge of high-level executives across the corporation. 2. As with his predecessor, Stephenson needs to be firmly in charge. 3. There cannot be little chiefs anymore from the original AT&T, ex-BellSouth, ex-Pac Bell, etc. – who believe they should be the head of the company.
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Stimulus Will Not Make Tier 4 Markets More Attractive
April 16, 2009
Broadband stimulus: Is it really free money? | telephonyonline.com
1. We have consistently said that there is no attraction to “very rural” areas by large carriers. 2. As the source article points out, it is not just a matter of the first cost being handsomely subsidized. 3. It is that “much of telecom carriers’ costs are operational and persistent long after infrastructure builds are complete.”
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Timing and Message of AT&T CEO Interview Revealing
April 14, 2009
AT&T Chief Looks to Keep iPhone, Deepen Wireless Push | online.wsj.com
1. The frustration level of AT&T CEO, Randall Stephenson, about the internal politics within his corporation may be at an all-time high. 2. He is also sending a message to his unionized workers on the wireline side. 3. When he says, “We tend to come at this backwards," he is making a public statement against his opponents at the executive level and on the board of directors.
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Verizon’s Potential Interest in Cuba
April 14, 2009
U.S. Eases Firms' Access to Cuba | online.wsj.com
1. As the source article points out, Verizon Communications is “among a handful of phone carriers currently allowed to exchange phone and Internet traffic with Cuba, albeit indirectly.” 2. Undoubtedly, Verizon’s negative experience in Venezuela is still fresh in the minds of the top-level executives. 3. However, there would be very little risk in just “enter[ing] into roaming-service agreements.”
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Congressman’s Legislation Not Likely to go Anywhere
April 14, 2009
N.Y. Congressman Plans Bill Banning Internet-Usage Billing | www.multichannel.com
1. Time Warner Cable has "yet to explain how increased Internet usage increases their costs,” according to the legislator. 2. Somebody on the Congressman’s staff ought to do some research on the capabilities of coax technology. 3. Perhaps the lawmaker can also justify caps resulting in “job killing.”
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States Will be Active in Further Telecom Deregulation
April 14, 2009
Southern telecom deregulation marches on | www.fiercetelecom.com
1. About a year ago, we wrote that relief granted to AT&T on rates by the North Carolina PUC was a big watershed. 2. That there was the potential for effects on other states. 3. AT&T is seeing success in going after a large portion of the southeast.
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Nortel as an Entity is Finished
April 14, 2009
The death and life of Nortel | www.fiercetelecom.com
1. There was nothing “strange” about Nortel retaining “its identity and remain[ing] independent.” 2. Remnants of the culture of self-importance can be found today. 3. Its biggest success was back in the 1970s with the development of the first digital CO switch – ever since that time with some notable spikes up along the way, it was on a overall downward trajectory.
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Time Warner Cable’s Pricing Strategy Caused by Supposed Do-Gooders
April 14, 2009
TWC Dons Larger Consumption Caps | www.lightreading.com
1. Too much government compulsion often results in the law of unintended consequences. 2. It is reasonable for an ISP to charge an additional sum for the relatively small percentage of users taking advantage of a lopsided amount of capacity. 3. As a result of the “pressure” from consumer groups and “politicos,” the average user is now likely to pay considerably more for Internet service.
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A More Subdued Executive at Clearwire on WiMAX
April 13, 2009
Clearwire President & Chief Architect Barry West | www.unstrung.com
1. It was not that long ago that the current President and Chief Architect of Clearwire, Barry West, was perhaps the most ardent proponent regarding the supposed uniqueness of WiMAX. 2. Now the previous talk about “no other horse in sight” has fallen by the wayside. 3. It appears that West’s excessive rhetoric was reigned in to a large extent after Dan Hesse took over as CEO of Sprint.
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Adtran Could Greatly Benefit from Increased AT&T Wireless Spending
April 13, 2009
Adtran Adds Ethernet Backhaul | www.unstrung.com
1. Adding capacity to the 3G network is AT&T’s primary concern right now. 2. In the recent past, Adtran has taken a hit on optical products when wireless spending was put off by the RBOC because there was less expenditure on backhaul gear. 3. It seems logical that purchases of backhaul equipment from the supplier should be significant in 2009.
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FairPoint Adhering to “Strict Requirements” Will Only Slow its Progress
April 13, 2009
PUC's new rules require FairPoint to straighten up | www.nashuatelegraph.com
1. There is no doubt that some FairPoint Communications subscribers have been suffering from lack of service and inadequate customer care. 2. If the original incumbent, Verizon, had made northern New England more of a priority, the situation would probably be better now. 3. However, with the avalanche of criticism on a telco that is really looking forward to providing advanced services to residents and businesses in the region, there needs to be a sense of perspective.
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Ericsson’s Redback – Dream World
April 13, 2009
Redback’s DeNuccio: Kill the legacy networks quicker | telephonyonline.com
1. Every so often there are these calls in the industry to do complete overhauls of the landline legacy networks right away. 2. They are never based in reality. 3. The idea that telcos are going to “look a little bit past the dollars and cents,” especially during a recession, is implausible.
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FCC Should Not be Allowed to “Map Out” Infrastructure
April 13, 2009
Internet Providers Gird for Fight With FCC | online.wsj.com
1. The FCC sounds like it perhaps wants to put out kind of a “five-year plan” that is reminiscent of totalitarian governments. 2. The statement, “If the government were to suddenly suggest it will get into the business of deciding how networks should be designed, that would be chilling” – is the least that could be said. 3. It is one thing for the federal government to foster a new refinement of universal service – it is quite another to actually build the roadmap.
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Cable Fell out of Lock-Step Some Time Ago
April 13, 2009
Cable falls out of lock-step when it comes to wireless | www.fiercewireless.com
1. There is this continuing notion in current news articles that the association between cable TV companies and wireless started with Pivot. 2. During the 1990s, a couple of these MSOs were parts owners of a wireless company. 3. Over a year ago, we wrote, “If Cox [and] Comcast...had been more patient as part of Sprint Spectrum, they...would have [had a nationwide] wireless company.
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Private Equity Firms’ Desire for Verizon Wireless Assets Inherently Risky
April 13, 2009
Blackstone, KKR Said to Make Bids for Verizon Assets | www.bloomberg.com
1. The recent track record for private equity firms purchasing prominent telecom companies has been less than stellar – to say the least. 2. The lack of due diligence as well as the bad luck of poor timing have made investments in this sector by equity companies quite dicey 3. The Verizon Wireless assets appear to have their own potential pitfalls.
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