HOT NEWS!!! The iPhone syndrome
HOT NEWS!!! The iPhone syndromeSpradley said the U.S. market had a real requirement for upgrades as operators want to avoid bottlenecks in their increasingly popular data networks.
AT&T's iPhone users, who tend to download more data than average mobile phone owners, have criticized the carrier's slow data speeds and the company has said it is building a stronger backhaul. It is the exclusive carrier of the iPhone in the United States.
"If you have a really fast radio link and you don't have a large pipe you're slowing down the network," said Spradley, adding she had customers signing deals worth a few million to the $50 million range at the trade show.
The executive said she expects the small operators who made initial orders for backhaul equipment to come back for more once they win business for upgrading more cell sites.
Some local telecom companies struggling with home phone disconnections, are also getting new wholesale telecom business from the trend.
Qwest, which runs a long distance fiber service for businesses as well as local phone and Internet services for consumers, said it is already seeing growth from backhaul.
Qwest Chief Financial Officer Pieter Poll said in an interview that his company had received inquiries from wireless operators about backhaul upgrades for about 7,500 cell sites out of 17,000 across Qwest's operating states.
The executive said this was a sign of strong demand even if Qwest does not ultimately win the backhaul contract for all these sites, as it competes heavily with cable providers.
Where it does win contracts, Poll said it could mean consumers in nearby communities may end up with higher-speed residential services sooner than they would have otherwise.
