ICYMI U.S. Wireless Data Use, Investment Hit Record Highs Wireless networks supported more data traffic than ever in 2022, an extraordinary 73 trillion megabytes, marking the biggest year-over-year increase in history, according to CTIA’s “2023 Annual Wireless Industry Survey.” The U.S. wireless industry also invested a record $39 billion to grow, improve and run its networks last year. The historic figures are 12 percent higher than last year’s totals, which had been the previous high. “Record wireless consumer usage is a powerful reminder of how 5G is transforming our nation, and the pressing need for Congress and the administration to restore the FCC’s auction authority and fuel a new spectrum pipeline,” said Meredith Attwell Baker, CTIA president and CEO. “As demonstrated yet again last year, we know the wireless industry is fully committed to investing at historic levels in today and tomorrow’s infrastructure, leading the world in wireless innovation. We just need more licensed, exclusive-use, full-power, mid-band spectrum to keep up with the increasing demand of both consumers and enterprises, and fully unlock the promise of 5G across our country.” Nationwide ISP EarthLink announced its acquisition of One Ring Networks, Inc., a provider of fixed wireless voice and data services. The company said the acquisition will allow EarthLink to expand its business platform capabilities and portfolio, including high-speed business internet products and services. One Ring Networks, with its boutique-type services, holds a significant market share across Arizona, California, Georgia, Maryland and Texas, delivering high-speed, fixed wireless internet service and other communication services to businesses and consumers alike. “This combination represents a compelling opportunity to launch EarthLink’s Business offering and utilize the advances of fixed wireless access (FWA) technology to better serve our customers,” said Glenn Goad, EarthLink CEO. The acquisition will take effect immediately. John Jenkins, president of One Ring Networks, will serve as the newly appointed president of EarthLink Business Services. “Our strategy is simple: continue to expand the best platform in the industry both organically and through further acquisitions across the country to help better serve the large and growing customer base of Earthlink,” said Jenkins. Fusion Connect has launched CCaaS Professional, a contact center as a service offering for mid-market and enterprise companies that need advanced functionality without the cost or the implementation effort of existing enterprise-class CCaaS platforms. CCaaS Professional leverages the power of cloud-native technology and integrates with Fusion Connect’s Microsoft Teams Calling Services. These elements speed implementation, enhance company efficiency, and reduce the burden on IT resources, said the company. CCaaS Professional offers a quick time-to-market and advanced functionality that gives organizations the ability to tailor the service with custom dashboards, reporting and third-party service integrations. The platform was designed to effortlessly adapt to fluctuating contact center demands, ensuring organizations can meet business needs without compromising performance or customer experience. The solution also provides reliable redundancies to ensure uninterrupted service availability and seamless customer interactions even during disruptions or outages. EarthLink Acquires One Ring Networks Ooma AirDial is now available through UScellular Business as a turnkey solution for its customers seeking an alternative to ageing and costly analog phone lines. Ooma AirDial provides turnkey replacement for POTS lines by combining the Ooma AirDial base station with virtual analog phone service and a data connection through a wireless network. AirDial deployments can be remotely managed through an online portal with automated alerts, reducing expensive “truck rolls” and lowering incident response time. UScellular’s multiple sales teams are now able to sell Ooma AirDial, with contracts and billing from UScellular, accompanied by installation and support by Ooma. “Our customers tell us they want a POTS replacement solution that is easy to deploy and manage, saves them money, and provides a single bill from a single provider,” said Kim Kerr, senior vice president for enterprise sales and operations at UScellular. “Ooma AirDial checks all these boxes and comes from a company with 20 years of experience in a wide range of telecommunications services.” Ooma AirDial Available Through UScellular Business Fusion Connect Unveils ‘CCaaS Professional’ 64 CHANNELVISION | JULY - AUGUST 2023
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