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Comcast, Other Cable Giants Prep Wi-Fi Calling Service

Several major cable companies including Comcast, Charter, Time Warner Cable and Bright House are expected to soon launch Wi-Fi centric calling services that will lean heavily on Verizon's LTE network. Back in 2011, the four cable companies sold their spectrum to Verizon as part of a deal that allowed them to strike MVNO agreements at a later date. While they've yet to offer those services, Verizon this week hinted that negotiations are underway.

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Verizon CFO Fran Shammo told attendees of this week's earnings call that the cable operators have informed Verizon they intend to move forward with those plans, but Shammo didn't provide additional specifics.

"Obviously the industry is moving," Shammo said. "Cable will do what they are going to do and we will do what we will do," he added, but was quick to emphasize that "Wi-Fi will not replace LTE."

Verizon itself has repeatedly stated that while Wi-Fi calling is now all the rage, it doesn't see the service as something it needs to offer. Shammo's previously on record saying Wi-Fi calling was "never a top priority" for Verizon. "We built our voice platform so extensively...there was never a need for us to tell our customers, 'Oh, our network is not good enough so you need to go on Wi-Fi to complete your call.'"

Of course many customers like Wi-Fi calling because of cost -- and Verizon's modus operandi has consistently been to claim they offer such a great LTE network, they don't really need to seriously compete on price. The cable industry, meanwhile, will find itself joining a crowded market of existing Wi-Fi calling options from the likes of Google and many others.

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rchandra
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rchandra

Premium Member

built a voice platform

Verizon: "We built our voice platform so extensively.
Wait, what? Like VoiceWing? So THAT'S what you built VoiceWing for, WiFi calling?