Wireless news from across the Web.
"Senators Revive Wireless Innovation Act: A quintet of Senators recently re-introduced the Wireless Innovation ... http://bit.ly/1SD9oE4 via @Phonescoop"--@FierceWireless
> Cumulative wearable device shipments are expected to surpass 750 million units by 2020, according to Tractica. Tractica release
> Apple has filed for a patent on a composite material that looks like anodized metal but still allows wireless signals to get through. Engadget article
> SoftBank paid Nikesh Arora, Chairman Masayoshi Son's pick to lead the company's expansion abroad, about $135 million between joining the company in September and the end of March. Bloomberg article
> SoftBank said it sold out its entire stock of 1,000 Pepper robots in the first minute of sales Saturday morning. Wall Street Journal article (sub. req.)
> The Taj Mahal just got free Wi-Fi. Wall Street Journal article (sub. req.)
Wireless Tech News
> Is there an alternative to LTE-U/LAA that won't tick everyone off? Editor's Corner
> If you haven't seen anyone from a certain First Responder Network Authority's (FirstNet) team in a while, there's probably a good reason. They've been busy answering hundreds of questions about its Special Notice and draft request for proposals (RFP) documents. Article
Cable News
> DirecTV and the NFL have been hit with a class-action suit, alleging that the bundling of games in the NFL Sunday Ticket package violates antitrust laws. Article
> New Street Research analyst Jonathan Chaplin says it's 80 percent to 85 percent likely that the FCC and U.S. Justice Department will approve Charter Communication's proposed $56.7 billion purchase of Time Warner Cable. Article
Telecom News
> Verizon has begun negotiations on a new contract for union workers represented by the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) amidst claims the telco is not meeting its FiOS and copper network repair obligations. Article
> Telus is enhancing its fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) buildout plans, announcing that it will invest $814 million to connect over 90 percent of homes and businesses in Edmonton to its network over the next six years. Article
European Wireless News
> Altice made an offer to acquire Bouygues Telecom via its French unit Numericable-SFR in a proposal said to be valued at about €10 billion ($11.4 billion) to €11 billion, although the offer price has not yet been confirmed. Article
> Vivendi geared up to cement its position as Telecom Italia's leading shareholder with a plan to increase its holding to 14.9 percent that could be executed in the next two days. Article
And finally… Taylor Swift got Apple to shift course in less than two hours, and the company will now pay for music royalties during the three-month trial period of its new Apple Music streaming service. Article