Data

AT&T: We’re Not Happy With Our Network

Alex Heath ∙ June 4, 2011

The chief executive of AT&T wireless, Ralph De La Vega, stated that the nation's largest carrier wasn't "happy" with its network. In an interview at the All Things Digital conference, Ralph De La Vega talked about how AT&T is trying to "reduce static" with its customers and help build a more reliable wireless network.

In light of the carrier's consistently poor consumer ratings, it's clear that something needs to be done to beef up AT&T. Most notably, AT&T is in the process of buying its smaller competitor, T-Mobile, for $39 billion...

Wait Until After WWDC to Renew Your MobileMe Subscription

Alex Heath ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

If you've been contemplating the $99/year renewal of your MobileMe account, you should probably hold off for a little while longer. Unless you're totally reliant on MobileMe and your account is about to expire, wait until after WWDC next week.

Apple is planning on doing something big with its cloud services, and MobileMe will most definitely be a piece of the puzzle. The MobileMe features that you use now (email services, calendar sync, etc.) will most likely be free services from Apple very soon...

Download Torrents On Your iPhone With iTransmission

Alex Heath ∙ May 28, 2011

iTransmission is a free jailbreak app that allows you to download torrents straight to your iPhone. We've talked about torrent apps before, but iTransmission works like the popular desktop torrent app of a similar name, Transmission.

Transmission has been a hugely popular torrent client on non-mobile platforms, and iTransmission aims at making it easy to download torrents right from your iPhone.

How Much Data Do You Use on Your iPhone?

Guest Author ∙ May 26, 2011

While the amount of data smartphone owners used each month wasn't relevant until last June of 2010 when AT&T announced a 2GB data cap, it is now.

If you're an iPhone user that often streams video, audio and download files from the internet, you probably keep a close eye on your data usage. If you're a new iPhone owner and have no idea of how to check the amount of data you've used for your current billing cycle, its fairly simply. There are several ways to check your data usage.

Verizon to Kill the Unlimited Data Plan

Sébastien Page ∙ May 19, 2011

Remember when the Verizon iPhone first came out? One of the most compelling reason to switch was the unlimited data plan that big red offered to its new iPhone customers. This really was just a scheme to reel AT&T users in as it was clear that Verizon had no plan to offer unlimited data for too long.

If that wasn't clear enough, Verizon CFO Fran Shammo confirmed today at Reuters Global Technology Summit that Verizon will eliminate unlimited data plans as soon as this summer...

LTE-Enabled iPhone Won’t Be Seen Until 2012

Alex Heath ∙ May 18, 2011

Following other reports that Apple won't introduce an LTE-enabled iPhone until at least 2012, Digitimes has chimed in to affirm that there won't be an iPhone introduced with 4G speeds this year.

Besides the fact that Apple stated it wasn't planning on LTE adoption in the near future, the industry has indicated that bringing 4G to the iPhone simply isn't feasible right now. After the fifth generation iPhone is released this fall, it is expected that the sixth generation iPhone will have LTE support in 2012.

iPhone 4 WiMAX Case Delivers 4G Speeds in South Korea

Alex Heath ∙ Updated September 20, 2016

There's been plenty of debate as to when the iPhone will have 4G speeds. Some think it will happen with Apple's very next release, but most agree that we won't see any sort of LTE/4G speeds on our beloved iPhones until at least next year.

While any sort of iPhone 4G may be a long ways away here in the United States, a new case in South Korea is already equipping the iPhone 4 with WiMAX/4G data speeds...

How AT&T Recognizes Unauthorized Tethering from Jailbroken iPhones

Alex Heath ∙ May 8, 2011

In case you didn't know, AT&T has started cracking down on unauthorized tethering, specifically for jailbroken iPhones on a grandfathered unlimited data plan.

If you've gotten AT&T's "text of death" relating to your tethering usage, you're probably utilizing free tethering through jailbreak apps like MyWi. Understandably, AT&T doesn't want its users to have a free broadband connection through tethering hacks, and the carrier has started moving users over to its DataPro plan for $45 a month.

So, how is AT&T targeting unauthorized tethering on its network?

My Tethering Experience With MyWi on AT&T

Alex Heath ∙ May 5, 2011

I recently got a text message from AT&T letting me know that I was "enjoying" free tethering with my iPhone, and that I would need to change my habits or be forced to upgrade to an official tethering plan. For all intents and purposes, I will refer to this as the "text of death."

This text of death from AT&T didn't surprise me. We reported awhile ago that AT&T was beginning to crack down on tethering that wasn't sanctioned through their official tethering plan.

What surprised me was that I thought I'd been careful, meaning, I thought I'd played it safe with how much I'd been tethering. After calling AT&T, I discovered some interesting information that might help those of you in a similar position.

Apple Orders 12 Petabytes for Cloud-Based iTunes, MobileMe?

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 25, 2017

Apple's plans for their MobileMe revamp and cloud-based media services are starting to take shape. Although no official announcement regarding either of the services has been made, we are almost positive we will see them at some point this year.

Apple's been relatively quiet about the purposed functions, but tech blogs are happily churning out rumors and speculation on the upcoming features. The latest gossip is that Apple has ordered as much as 12 Petabytes, which is equal to about 1000 Terabytes, from a global leader in scale-out storage services. What could they be planning?

What the AT&T and T-Mobile Merger Means for the iPhone

Alex Heath ∙ Updated July 6, 2017

Well, no one saw that coming. Out of nowhere, AT&T has bought T-Mobile and become the largest wireless provider in the U.S.

It was originally thought that Sprint and T-Mobile would merge, but network incompatibilities made that idea look less and less attractive. Instead, AT&T and T-Mobile have shacked up to become the big kid on the block. Combined, AT&T and T-Mobile account for 130 million wireless customers in the United States, blowing by Verizon's 90 million users.

The question on our mind is: What does this all mean for the iPhone? LTE? What if we actually start getting reception in our own homes...

AT&T iPhone 4 Beats Android 4G in Upload Test

Cody Lee ∙ March 9, 2011

4G Android handset users are pretty upset over their not so 4G upload speeds. This past month, AT&T rolled out their first pair of 4G phones which operate on the carrier's 4G HSPA+ network. Even though AT&T has upgraded their entire network to HSPA+, it is only available in areas that have the new backhaul to support it.

How fast are these 4G devices? AT&T is claiming that in areas where 4G is lit up, they are seeing download speeds of up to 6 Mbps. There is no mention of upload speed. But Android users are flocking to web forums, claiming their 4G phones are losing to 3G iPhones in data speed tests....