The G2 on 5G Podcast: Nokia's Infinera Deal, AT&T's RedCap Launch, FCC's Unlock Rule, India's Auction, Verizon's Spectrum Concerns, and Release 18

Episode 197: The G2 on 5G - Key Highlights

Welcome and Introduction

- Will Townsend welcomes listeners to episode 197 of the G2 on 5G podcast.

- Introduction of fellow analyst Anshel Sag.

Nokia's Acquisition of Infinera

- Will discusses Nokia's recent announcement to acquire Infinera for over $2 billion.

- The acquisition aims to strengthen Nokia's optical networking and component business.

- Potential benefits include increased access to the North American market and entry into data centers.

- Anshel questions whether the sale of Nokia's submarine cable business to the French government was required for the acquisition.

Generative AI and Data Centers

- Will highlights the relevance of the acquisition to generative AI and data centers.

- Anshel notes the stability and long-term benefits of Nokia's wireline businesses.

3GPP Release 18 and 5G Advanced

- Anshel discusses the finalization of 3GPP Release 18 standards, marking the 5G Advanced era.

- Release 18 includes enhancements for IoT, XR, AI, and ML applications.

- The importance of standalone deployment for utilizing Release 18 features.

AT&T's 5G RedCap Launch

- Will talks about AT&T's soft launch of 5G RedCap in the Dallas metropolitan area.

- The significance of RedCap for IoT applications and AT&T's vertical market focus.

- Anshel discusses the potential consumer and enterprise applications of RedCap.

India's 5G Spectrum Auction

- Will covers the recent 5G spectrum auction in India, which netted only $1.3 billion compared to $18 billion in 2022.

- Speculation on the reasons behind the lackluster auction, including slow monetization and deployment of previously acquired spectrum.

- Discussion on the potential benefits of democratizing access to licensed spectrum for private networking.

FCC's Proposed Rule on Unlocking Phones

- Anshel explains the FCC's proposed rule to require mobile providers to unlock phones within 60 days of activation.

- Concerns about the financial risk to carriers and the practicality of unlocking postpaid devices.

- Suggestion to mandate unlocking for prepaid phones and maintaining current rules for postpaid devices.

Verizon's Concerns Over 4.9 GHz Spectrum for FirstNet

- Anshel discusses Verizon's opposition to the FCC potentially giving 4.9 GHz spectrum to AT&T for FirstNet.

- Analysis of the spectrum's value and its suitability for small cell deployments.

- The potential impact on Verizon's competitiveness and the overall 5G landscape.

Closing Remarks

- Will and Anshel share their upcoming travel plans and wish listeners a happy 4th of July.

- Encouragement for listeners to rate, subscribe, and provide feedback on future 5G topics.

Contact Information

- Will Townsend: @WillTownTech

- Anshel Sag: @AnshelSag

Next Episode

- The podcast will take a break for the 4th of July and return the following week.