AT&T will enable FaceTime over cellular for everyone by year’s end

By Christian Zibreg on May 20, 2013

In a surprising move, telco AT&T is backtracking from its nonsensical policy of restricting FaceTime to its customers who subscribed to a Mobile Share data plan.

Today we learn that AT&T is promising to enable any video chatting application over cellular for all users, regardless of their data plan or device.

In a statement to The Verge, the wireless carrier said that by mid-June it will enable video chatting over cellular for its unlimited plan customers who have LTE devices from Apple, Samsung or BlackBerry, enabling these services for all customers throughout the second half of this year… Read More

 

Verizon’s LTE launches in 6 new markets, now available in nearly 500 U.S. locations

By Christian Zibreg on May 20, 2013

Verizon’s aggressive 4G LTE network roll-out continues unabated. The nation’s leading wireless carrier on Monday announced six new markets getting its speedy fourth-generation Long-Term Evolution (LTE) radio technology today: Durango, Colorado; Corbin and Madisonville, Kentucky; Adrian and Mount Pleasant, Michigan; and Marietta, Ohio.

The carrier, for the first time, released a list of LTE-enabled locations which with today’s additions counts 497 markets, up from 440 locations Verizon claimed last December. The big red carrier’s LTE network is now two and a half years old, for those wondering. If all goes according to plan, Verizon should cover its 3G network entirely with LTE by the middle of this year… Read More

 

Hacked AT&T carrier update could improve your device’s network performance

By Cody Lee on May 20, 2013

Last week, a hacked carrier update surfaced for T-Mobile subscribers that promises to increase the cellular data speeds of the iPhone 5. It claims to pull this off by increasing the handset’s bandwidth supply, allowing for “better throughput of data.”

This weekend, the same person behind the T-Mobile hack unveiled a similar workaround for AT&T customers. As before, the process installs a modded carrier file to your device that aims to improve its network performance with better band management… Read More

 

How ‘Uncarrier’: T-Mobile increases iPhone 5 down payment to $149

By Christian Zibreg on May 13, 2013

When T-Mobile, the nation’s fourth-largest wireless carrier, started selling the iPhone 5 back in April, it offered the iconic smartphone for $99 down payment and 24 monthly payments of $20 to cover the full cost of the phone. And in an effort to push the device and lure would-be consumers into signing up, the Deutsche Telekom-owned telco last weekend started offering the device for the $0 down payment, with trade-in.

Unfortunately, the launch promotion for new users has ended now. As a result, the 16GB iPhone 5 now has a $149 payment, $50 more than before. Wait, the $99 down thing was actually a promo offer? Read More

 

Increase T-Mobile LTE download speeds on iPhone 5 thanks to a hacked carrier update

By Oliver Haslam on May 12, 2013

T-Mobile subscribers are still getting used to having access to the iPhone, and those with existing AT&T unlocked iPhone 5 received a carrier update to add LTE support for T-Mobile’s frequency. Unfortunately, that’s not all it did.

Turns out that update may have also limited the bandwidth available to T-Mobile customers using one of those unlocked handsets, leaving them with something of a gimped LTE service. Bummer, right?

Well, remember the guy that worked out how jailbroken iPhone users could enable T-Mobile’s LTE before the aforementioned carrier update? That same clever man has also worked out how to give T-Mobile the bandwidth you’d expect from one of the hottest LTE handsets on the market. And you don’t even need to be jailbroken for it to work… Read More

 

AT&T announces Aio Wireless prepaid brand with $35-$70 tiers

By Christian Zibreg on May 9, 2013

While its fierce rival Verizon has chosen to sit on the sidelines and watch T-Mobile regain consumer trust with its newly found ‘Uncarrier‘ business model and no-contract plans, AT&T has jumped on the prepaid bus with a new Aio Wireless brand rounding on T-Mobile’s offering. Just like Sprint’s Boost and Virgin, Aio Wireless is a MVNO wholly owned by AT&T and marketed as a standalone brand.

As we explained last week, Aio (as in ‘All In One’) is aimed at those eager to avoid committing their soul to AT&T at all cost by opting for a month-to-month service instead. The offering includes $40/$55/$70 tiers (pricing varies by market) with unlimited talk/text and 250MB/2GB/7GB of data.

Aio Wireless also offers Apple’s iPhone 5 and a few popular Android and Windows Phone handsets. Go past the fold for more information… Read More

 

Apple close to striking landmark iPhone deal with China Mobile

By Christian Zibreg on May 9, 2013

Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty was visiting Hong Kong and Taiwan recently. She is now back from China with some interesting Apple news. Tim Cook & Co., she wrote in her note to clients, may be close to striking an iPhone distribution agreement with China Mobile, the world’s top wireless carrier by revenue and subscribers.

Specifically, Huberty wrote that “TD-LTE licenses, and related phone launches, are expected by year-end,” in her note to clients. China Mobile debuted small-scale TD-LTE network in 2010 and last year expanded coverage to select large cities. In case you were wondering, TD-LTE is a variant of the fourth-generation Long Term Evolution radio technology, also known as LTE… Read More

 

‘iPhone 6′ allegedly listed in Vodafone retail system

By Christian Zibreg on May 9, 2013

These things are easily fabricated (as is any Apple rumor, for that matter) so it pays to take this one with a few pinches of salt.

A new report Thursday by Stuff.tv suggests Apple this year could abandon iPhone S-upgrades, based on an alleged listing in Vodafone UK’s retail system which mentions a product listed as a ’4G iPhone 6’.

Evidence backing the report: a blurry image of a retail system listing purportedly taken by a Vodafone employee. Now, we’ve heard crazy stories of Apple potentially releasing not one, but a few new iPhones this year. However, the most credible sources point to an iPhone 5S upgrade and the rumored budget iPhone model in 2012, eventually followed by an iPhone 6 in 2013… Read More

 

T-Mobile’s new iPhone 5 ad uses ‘Intertubes’ metaphor

By Christian Zibreg on May 8, 2013

In his now legendary attempt to criticize an amendment that would have prohibited service providers from charging for a tiered Internet structure, former Alaskan Senator Ted Stevens in 2006 likened the web to a series of tubes. “The Internet is not a big truck,” he famously said, “It’s a series of tubes.”

Tapping that meme, T-Mobile USA on Wednesday posted its third iPhone 5 commercial that literally depicts its network as a sewage pipe which pumps out twice as many gak compared to its rivals. The message couldn’t be clearer: T-Mobile’s pipes aren’t as clogged up as its competitors’ are.

I’ll be revisiting that commercial in a year or so to check how clogged up T-Mobile’s tube gets after data-hungry smartphone users crowd its LTE network. As for the commercial, T-Mobile won the Internet for today. Your video is right after the break… Read More

 

AT&T 4G LTE coverage arrives in Manhattan, Kansas, Sedalia, Warrensburg and Missouri

By Christian Zibreg on May 7, 2013

Having expanded its fourth-generation Long-Term Evolution (LTE) radio technology to include fifteen new markets (and four major U.S. cities before that), the U.S. wireless carrier AT&T has now expanded LTE coverage in five new markets. If you live in Manhattan, Kansas, Sedalia, Warrensburg or Missouri, AT&T’s LTE network should pop up on your LTE devices.

Compared to its third-generation network, AT&T’s 4G LTE offers ten times greater download speeds, always-on functionality, simultaneous talk and surf and other perks… Read More

 

Apple missing some 2.8 billion potential iPhone customers due to carrier demands

By Ed Sutherland on May 6, 2013

Much talk surrounding Apple has centered on a cooling consumer demand for its flagship product, the iPhone smartphone. However, it may be time to shift the narrative to feet-dragging by a number of global operators that could hold the key to as many as 2.8 billion iPhone customers, according to a Monday report.

Instead of a slowdown in demand, a Monday report by Bloomberg suggests the larger problem is vastly limited access to customers. Two numbers go far to tell the story: 240 and 800. While Apple has 240 carrier agreements throughout the world, rival Samsung has inked deals with virtually every of the 800 wireless providers. Indeed, Apple is lacking agreements to boost sales of the iPhone in some of the most-populated regions, including China, Japan, India and Russia… Read More

 

AT&T to launch ‘All In One’ prepaid plan June 15

By Christian Zibreg on May 3, 2013

The nation’s second-largest wireless carrier, AT&T, is planning on introducing a new prepaid brand called ‘All In One’ in June, according to FierceWireless.

The new prepaid tiers should appeal to folks who hate long-term contracts and are expected to start at $35 for feature phones and go all the way up to $50 a month for smartphones.

Likewise, the carrier could also introduce a $70 a month tier for those whose data needs exceed two gigabytes per month, according to the report. Go past the fold for the full breakdown… Read More

 

Confirmed: U.S. Cellular will be selling iPhones later this year

By Christian Zibreg on May 3, 2013

U.S. Cellular is the nation’s sixth-largest wireless carrier, behind Verizon Wireless, AT&T Mobility, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile USA and MetroPCS. Although Apple’s iPhone is now available on all four major U.S. telcos and a number of regional carriers, U.S. Cellular doesn’t offer the iconic smartphone.

It was reported last November that U.S. Cellular actually turned down the iPhone due to Apple’s terms described as “unacceptable from a risk and profitability standpoint.” In a seeming change of heart, the company in a Friday news release announcing first-quarter earnings confirmed it will start carrying unspecified Apple products later this year.

UPDATE: a company spokesperson confirmed to Engadget that by “Apple products” they meant iPhones… Read More

 

T-Mobile completes MetroPCS deal, adds 9 million subscribers

By Cody Lee on May 1, 2013

It’s official. After passing all necessary regulatory approvals last month, T-Mobile and MetroPCS have officially completed their merger. The Deutsche Telekom-owned carrier made an announcement on the company blog this morning.

The deal, which has been in the works since last fall, combines the United States’ fourth and fifth largest wireless carriers, which combine for a total of 43 million subscribers. The new entity is now trading on Wall Street under TMUS… Read More

 

AT&T will now give you $100 credit for your old smartphone

By Christian Zibreg on May 1, 2013

The nation’s second-largest carrier, AT&T, on Wednesday upgraded its cell phone trade-in program at its brick-and-mortar retail stores. The new terms incentivize customers to trade-in their old smartphone for one of the latest models and receive a $100 credit on-the-spot, which can be immediately redeemed against any AT&T smartphone or accessory purchase.

If you have an old iPhone or an Android phone that is less than three years old, the $100 trade-in credit lets you purchase a brand new iPhone 5 for just $99. Or, you could settle with an iPhone 4S wit zero bucks in upfront payment. By comparison, the entry-level 16GB iPhone 4S/5 normally sets you back $99/$199 after a two-year contract… Read More

 

Leap Wireless reports improved iPhone sales after dismal quarter

By Cody Lee on May 1, 2013

Back in February, Leap Wireless submitted a rather alarming filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It had been seeing much weaker demand for the iPhone than expected, and it was only on track to sell through half of its first-year commitment.

But apparently, the problems were only temporary. Yesterday, the company—who sells the iPhone through its subsidiary Cricket Wireless—reported its earnings for its first operating quarter this year, and it told investors that it is seeing much better iPhone sales… Read More

 

AT&T flips the switch on LTE in 15 new markets

By Christian Zibreg on Apr 30, 2013

After adding five more cities to the list of LTE-covered places and announcing a major expansion of its fourth-generation Long-Term Evolution (LTE) network, the nation’s second-largest wireless carrier AT&T Mobility on Tuesday announced fifteen new LTE markets across ten U.S. states.

If you live in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania or Texas, you could be seeing increased download speeds provided AT&T’s LTE expanded to your area. Go past the fold for the full breakdown… Read More

 

Cash cow is dying as messaging apps overtake SMS by volume

By Ed Sutherland on Apr 29, 2013

For the first time, more messages are being sent via applications such as iMessage, WhatsApp and Viber than traditional texting. That’s the message of a new study which found that messages sent using such apps outnumbered those sent through carrier-based SMS in 2012.

That lead is expected to widen this year as chat apps send twice as many messages as texting. The study by Informa suggests the lucrative business of text transmissions could be winding down for carriers.

Although traditional SMS has a larger user base, iMessage, WhatsApp or other chatting apps are sending more texts per user, giving them the momentum… Read More

 

Sprint activates 1.5M iPhones in Q1, 43 percent to new customers

By Christian Zibreg on Apr 24, 2013

Sprint Nextel, the nation’s third-largest wireless carrier, Wednesday posted its fiscal 2013 first quarter earnings. The telco saw strong smartphone sales of five million units, with iPhone sales exceeding 1.5 million with 43 percent to new customers.

A whooping 86 percent of quarterly Sprint platform postpaid handset sales were smartphones. Sprint described the 43 percent of iPhone sales that were to new customers as a rate “that continues to outperform larger competitors”… Read More

 

AT&T activates 4.8M iPhones in Q1

By Christian Zibreg on Apr 23, 2013

Just as we’re counting down the remaining time until Apple’s earnings release, the company’s trusted iPhone distributor AT&T reported corporate earnings related to the first three months of this year. The company added 1.2 million new subscribers and sold six million smartphones, of which 4.8 million were iPhones, accounting for a whopping 80 percent of new smartphone additions.

By contrast, rival Verizon last week said it added 677,000 net new subscribers during the first quarter. Additionally, out of the 7.2 million new smartphone owners in the quarter, Verizon reported that four million were iPhones.

Even with the slowing growth slowed, key metrics matched Wall Street expectations. That wasn’t enough to prevent shares from going down by nearly 1.25 percent in after hours trading. We’ll be listening to AT&T’s conference call later this afternoon for additional data points… Read More

 
Page 112345...