According to OpenSignal, the average mobile user in the US today connects to a millimeter wave (mmWave) 5G network less than 1% of the time. That figure is true for Verizon, which has positioned mmWave 5G at the center of its “ultra wideband” nationwide marketing message for years, as well as T-Mobile, which has made barely a mention of mmWave 5G.

Indeed, the difference between the two companies’ mmWave 5G efforts sounds like a rounding error: According to OpenSignal, Verizon customers connect to a mmWave 5G network 0.7% of the time, while T-Mobile customers connect to a mmWave 5G network 0.2% of the time.

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OpenSignal obtains its data from software installed in more than 100 million phones around the globe, which send back anonymized usage data to the company on a daily basis. OpenSignal’s latest mmWave 5G report features data collected from March to June, 2021.

“The lie of millimeter wave is dead,” agreed the financial analysts at New Street Research after hearing of Verizon’s latest mmWave buildout targets. After all, a Google study from 2019 indicated it would take roughly 13 million transmitters and $400 billion to deliver 100Mbit/s to 72% of the US population using 5G in mmWave spectrum.

Regardless, mmWave proponents march ever onwards. “The global deployment of 5G mmWave is now inevitable,” proclaimed Qualcomm’s new CEO, Cristiano Amon, in a recent release touting international momentum behind mmWave 5G. Qualcomm hopes to profit from the sale of mmWave chipsets to smartphone makers globally.

Most industry observers believe operations in mmWave spectrum will eventually find a place within a bigger 5G network. For example, mmWave 5G might never cover a standard American neighborhood, but it might be widely available in destinations like restaurants or offices.

But that kind of coverage likely will require new technologies that dramatically cut down the cost of mmWave deployments. And in the meantime, expect most mobile users in the US to remain connected to 5G on lowband and midband spectrum, leaving mmWave connections for an occasional trip to the airport or a football game.

For the full article please see https://www.lightreading.com/5g/the-age-of-mmwave-5g-sputters-to-dusty-death/a/d-id/770838

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Source: BBC News https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57875322

The US government is investigating a series of health incidents in the Austrian capital Vienna involving its diplomats and other administration staff.

More than 20 officials have reported symptoms similar to Havana Syndrome – a mystery brain illness – since President Joe Biden took office in January.

The syndrome is unexplained, but US scientists say it is most probably caused by directed microwave radiation.

It was first found in Cuba in 2016-17.

US and Canadian diplomats in Havana complained of symptoms ranging from dizziness, loss of balance, hearing loss and anxiety to something they described as “cognitive fog”.

The US accused Cuba of carrying out “sonic attacks”, which it strongly denied, and the incident led to increased tension between the two nations.

A 2019 US academic study found “brain abnormalities” in the diplomats who had fallen ill, but Cuba dismissed the report.

The Vienna cases first came to light in the New Yorker magazine on Friday and were later confirmed by the US State Department, which said it was “vigorously investigating”.

Read more at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57875322

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The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has received dozens of  reports of vandalism of communications infrastructure across the country, noting that as the riots rage on, 113 towers have been damaged, and many community radio stations have been looted.

“Such wanton destruction of the broadcasting infrastructure and facilities represents a direct attack on the constitutional right of individuals and communities to access news and information that is accurate, unbiased and up-to-date about the current crisis,” ICASA said in a statement.

US-based American Tower Corporation (ATC) and SBA Communications’ (SBA) structures are potential targets for arsonists and ICASA Chairman Keabetswe Modimoeng warned that “Any disruption of communication services could prove disastrous and result in increased mortality as emergency calls may be directly impacted.”

He said he expects the number of towers that have been vandalized to increase as the country tries to stop the growing number of looters and arsonists.

“We call on the communities to assist in guarding and protecting this critical infrastructure and to exercise the highest levels of patriotism in this regard,” said Modimoeng.

South Africa has approximately 26,000 towers, with ATC owning about 2,300 towers, according to its website.

SBA has approximately 1,200 sites, the majority of which were acquired in October 2019, with the purchase of 900 sites from Atlas Tower South Africa that had a substantial backlog of new builds.

“It is catastrophic sprees of unrest such as the one ongoing that developing countries struggle to ever recover from, with damaged infrastructure simply left as is without funds or manpower available for repairs,” ICASA said.

The country’s three major towercos are Vodacom, Gyro Group and MTN Group.

MTN is seeking to sell its towers and the company has received requests from 20 towercos and investment firms to provide a leaseback offer. MTN said it is looking to conclude the sale during the third quarter of 2021.

It is not known if the current unrest in the country will lower the estimated $500 to $700 million for the company’s towers, understood to total about 6,000.

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By Samuel Mungadze, Senior news, 10 Dec 2020

American families suing Africa’s biggest telco MTN have filed a fresh application opposing the mobile operator’s motion to dismiss the case.

The families argue the operator “purposefully availed” itself to the US by obtaining funding and insurance guarantees from US-based units of the World Bank.

In the court papers, the plaintiffs argue that for more than a decade, MTN has been integral to the Taliban’s terrorist campaign against Americans in Afghanistan.

The SA-headquartered mobile operator entered the Afghan market in 2006 in the midst of an escalating insurgency, and it soon grew to become the country’s dominant mobile phone provider.

The Americans argue it is this MTN expansion strategy that brought them misery because the mobile operator bought its way into dangerous areas of Afghanistan by paying the Taliban to protect it.

https://www.itweb.co.za/content/DZQ58vVPaBYMzXy2

Business Day: MTN terror financing case now in the hands of US judge

Article is reserved for subscribers:

Legal liabilities could amount to millions of dollars for the telecom group.

14 DECEMBER 2020 – 05:36 WARREN THOMPSON

https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/companies/telecoms-and-technology/2020-12-14-mtn-terror-financing-case-now-in-the-hands-of-us-judge/

More on the topic

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U.S. carriers don’t have the right airwaves or network architecture for widespread 5G use just yet.

By JOHN HENDEL

11/06/2020 09:00 AM EST

The buzz about super-fast 5G wireless service has been building in the U.S. for years. The next White House now stands poised to deliver — at a time when U.S. rivals are also scrambling to light up this next-gen cellular service.

Right now, most Americans have never experienced the eye-popping speeds that big wireless carriers have spent years hyping, promising service that is 100 times faster than 4G speeds. Apple just unveiled its first 5G-capable iPhones in time for holiday shopping. But while CEO Tim Cook played up the big speeds as he stood alongside Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg, the new iPhone’s reviews already state the obvious: 5G isn’t the real selling point.

U.S. carriers don’t have the right airwaves or network architecture to really allow for widespread, robust 5G use just yet, which will be a pressing challenge for whoever occupies the White House — especially as China bursts into the lead in the so-called race to 5G.

“China has cemented its position as a global leader in 5G,” wireless trade group GSMA recently declared, noting that China likely accounts for 70 percent of global 5G connections this year.

Joe Biden may be positioned to change that, should the Democrat win the White House, picking up where President Donald Trump left off. Even in divided government, 5G could prove a source of rare bipartisan unity.

Read more at: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/06/5g-wireless-challenges-white-house-434533

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Filed: 09/22/2020

Parties.
Petitioners in Case No. 20-1025 are Environmental Health Trust, Consumers for Safe Cell Phones, Elizabeth Barris, and Theodora Scarato.

Petitioners in Case No. 20-1138 are Children’s Health Defense, Michele Hertz, Petra Brokken, Dr. David O. Carpenter, Dr. Toril H. Jelter, Dr. Ann Lee, Virginia Farver, Jennifer Baran, and Paul Stanley, M.Ed.

Respondents are the Federal Communications Commission and the United States of America.

Rulings under review.
The ruling under review is Proposed Changes in the Commission’s Rules Regarding Human Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields, Resolution of Notice of Inquiry, 34 FCC Rcd 11687 (2019).

https://files.constantcontact.com/7d83326b601/7b2b004e-58ca-4413-9900-b4f25e5a2a3e.pdf

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By ANDREA NOBLE SEPTEMBER 22, 2020

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals largely upheld FCC rules limiting local government’s ability to regulate 5G infrastructure and cap fees. Cities involved in the case have until Sept. 28 to file an appeal, but some experts say the ruling wasn’t all bad.

Dozens of cities and counties were on the losing end of a federal court decision last month that largely upheld Federal Communications Commission rules restricting their ability to regulate technology for 5G infrastructure.

Local governments that objected to the rules now have until Sept. 28 to file an appeal for a new hearing before the entire 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals—a step at least some are considering.

“We are speaking with our clients right now about whether or not to do that,” said Gerry Lederer, an attorney with Best, Best and Krieger, who represents the National League of Cities and a coalition of cities and counties in the litigation.

Read more at https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2020/09/after-decision-upholding-fccs-5g-rules-cities-now-weighing-appeal/168658/

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Eduard Lovin, VP of the National Authority for Administration and Regulation in Communications (ANCOM), said at an industry conference the planned auction could be pushed back until 2021, reported TeleGeography’s CommsUpdate.

Lovin explained the government had not yet finalised and publish the needed legislation in the official gazette, for which ANCOM must analyse and adjust auction terms if needed. Any changes will be subject to a public consultation which could take up to 30 days.

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ANCOM previously indicated it would hold an auction in Q1 this year but this was postponed due to a memorandum signed by Romania and the US for the development of safe 5G technologies, to safeguard nations from high–risk suppliers.

Read the full article at https://www.developingtelecoms.com/telecom-business/telecom-regulation/10011-romania-delays-5g-auction-until-2021.html

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By RAYTHEON INTELLIGENCE & SPACE on September 14, 2020 at 11:11 PM

To the ancient Greeks, Argus Panoptes was a giant with a thousand eyes who always kept watch, even in his sleep. That constant vigilance resonates with those responsible for keeping the United States and its friends and allies safe. It’s why the U.S. Air Force, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and Raytheon Technologies are creating a new space-based blanket of advanced sensors – to keep “eyes always on” in the lookout for potential missile attacks.

“The pace of technology is on a near-exponential curve right now,” said Wallis Laughrey, a vice president of Raytheon Intelligence & Space, a business of Raytheon Technologies. “Our adversaries are testing new weapons that require a new means of detection.”

The challenge is to field those new means quickly. To that end, the Air Force designated Next Gen OPIR – a system of satellites to provide early warning of intercontinental and theater ballistic missile launches – as a Go-Fast program. It replaces the Space-Based Infrared System by providing more survivable and resilient missile warning from geostationary orbit.

The Next Gen OPIR program consists of three GEO and two polar satellites, all of which are expected to be in orbit by 2029.

“Our ability to counter the threat is only as good as our ability to see it,” Laughrey said.

Defense contractor Lockheed Martin turned to Raytheon Technologies to design the payload for its Next Gen OPIR Block 0 resilient missile-warning satellites.

Read more at: https://breakingdefense.com/2020/09/the-eyes-of-argus/

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By THERESA HITCHENS on August 25, 2020

WASHINGTON: The next demonstration of the Air Force’s top-priority Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) will be much larger in scale and scope than its predecessor, involving 33 different platforms, 70 industry teams and 65 government teams, says Air Force acquisition czar Will Roper.

Roper also told a YouTube “Ask Me Anything” session today that the demo will include experiments with 5G mobile networking for the first time.

“So, 5G is going to be one of the cool things that we bring to the battlefield in the next OnRamp. 5G is going to be evolving — China’s pushing standards, (but) US industry wants to push back with things that we believe are going to be more secure,” he said.

The “On Ramp” demonstration, being held from Aug. 31 to Sept. 5, is the second iteration in the Air Force’s effort to develop a family of systems — as Roper says a “military Internet of Things” — to allow machine-speed command and control (C2) of future all-domain operations.

Read more at: https://breakingdefense.com/2020/08/more-ambitious-abms-demo-uses-5g-roper/

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