Carriers

AT&T’s 4G LTE goes live in Wilkes-Barre, Nashua and Grand Rapids

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 10, 2012

Carrier AT&T this morning announced an expansion of its fourth-generation Long-Term Evolution (LTE) radio technology to three new markets. Beginning today, customers in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania; Nashua, New Hampshire; and Grand Rapids, Michigan should start seeing greater download and upload speeds when using LTE-enabled smartphones, tablets and other devices on AT&T's network.

Although Consumer Reports ranks AT&T the worst of major US telcos in terms of customer satisfaction and voice/data service quality, it's also the nation's leading LTE carrier overall even though in terms of coverage AT&T trails Verizon, which claims the nation's most robust 4G network...

T-Mobile bets the iPhone will curb subscriber churn

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 28, 2016

As you know, T-Mobile USA, the nation's fourth-largest carrier, will finally land Apple's iPhone next year. The Deutsche Telekom-owned telco is making no excuse for its failure to land the sough-after device earlier and, unsurprisingly, is looking to tap the popularity of the Apple smartphone to win back some of its subscribers lost to rivals AT&T, Verizon Wireless and Sprint.

T-Mobile USA CEO John Legere told reporters on Friday that his company, which has 33 million customers in the United States, is hoping to steal would-be subscribers who are eyeing an iPhone on a rival network. Even more so, the German company acknowledges that having the iPhone is key to returning to growth in subscriptions by the end of 2013...

AT&T video explains your cell phone bill

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 5, 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=3Mbkyo_Hz0k

Did you last monthly cell phone bill from AT&T give you a heart attack? Do you have that sinking feeling that no matter what service you opted for and how you use your smartphone, the nation's worst carrier always finds a way to jack up your monthly bill north of $100. AT&T, which says it wants "to simplify your wireless life", has put together a video which strives to educate its subscribers on the intricacies of wireless bills.

As you can see for yourself, the itemized statements help explain your individual charges and the whole thing is complimentary to you. AT&T plans to make it available through email and via your myAT&T account online. The company confirmed plans to launch the video billing service nationwide by early 2013 and it's available now for their U-verse Voice, TV and Internet subscribers...

AT&T’s LTE now available in Albuquerque, Reading, Salt Lake City and Puerto Rico

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 3, 2012

AT&T, the nation's leading carrier, Monday morning announced its fourth-generation Long-Term Evolution (LTE) network is now available in Albuquerque, Reading, Salt Lake City and Puerto Rico markets, with the latter including Yauco, San German -Cabo Rojo and Guayama. Consumer Reports last week ranked AT&T worst of major U.S. carriers when it comes to voice and data service quality.

However, AT&T emerged as the nation's leading carrier in terms of LTE deployment, though Verizon still has the most robust 4G network. AT&T doubled its LTE coverage in 2012, which as of mid-November covered more than 150 million people in a total of 103 markets. And as part of the ambitious $14 billion LTE network expansion project, AT&T’s LTE will expand to 250 million people by year-end 2013 and to 300 million by year-end 2014...

Apple actually tests LTE networks before giving 4G on its devices a go-ahead

Ed Sutherland ∙ November 30, 2012

When it comes to the question of an LTE network being compatible with the iPhone, Apple isn't ready to take a carrier's word. Although they've put up with clean desktops and higher-than-traditional licensing fees, wireless providers are now publicly irked that the Silicon Valley smartphone maker reportedly runs it's own tests before iPhones can operate on a 4G network.

A Swiss carrier has told a news site that Apple will issue a software update allowing iPhones to operate on an LTE network only after testing the carrier's live system. Recently, Swisscom announced the opening of its 4G network for customers - except for iPhone owners...

T-Mobile could announce iPhone deal next week

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 18, 2016

All that free support to unlockers might not have been in vain. Merrill Lynch analyst Scott Craig reports in a note to clients Thursday that Deutsche Telekom could announce a long-expected iPhone deal for T-Mobile USA as early as next week. Funny, we thought the German carrier could not afford Apple's handset.

“We recognize that it has been a point of churn for us”, the carrier's op-chief recently said in response to concerns related to lack of iPhone in its offering. The company confirmed it lost nearly half a million subscribers because of the iPhone 5 launch.

Truth be told, T-Mobile, which has 33 million customers, now hosts about 1.5 million unlocked iPhones on its network. Moreover, it's been rolling out its iPhone-friendly HSPA+ network on the 1900MHz band in more markets. Our take is that a T-Mobile iPhone is inevitable, if not imminent...

Consumer Reports: AT&T has the best 4G LTE, worst voice and data service quality

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 29, 2012

Consumer Reports, an influential U.S. magazine that has been reviewing products since 1936, is out today with its annual rankings of major United States wireless operators. And just like last year and the year before, AT&T again was ranked the worst in the United States in customer satisfaction. On a brighter note, AT&T’s 4G service garnered the least complaints from customers...

China Telecom starts taking iPhone 5 pre-orders

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 26, 2012

Echoing earlier reports, folks in China can now officially get an iPhone 5 as China Telecom, the smallest of the country's three telecom carriers, started taking pre-orders for the device yesterday. According to a local report, a member of the customer service staff at the carrier's Beijing branch confirmed iPhone 5 pre-orders in mainland China.

The country's largest home appliance retailer, Suning, started taking pre-orders for the device earlier in the month. No word on availability of CDMA iPhone 5 models on Apple's long-time iPhone distributor, China Unicom...

Sprint lights up LTE in 11 new cities

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Carrier Sprint, the nation's #3 telcon, announced Monday that its 4G LTE rolled out to customers in eleven new United States markets, including Harrisburg, Pa., South Bend/Mishawaka, Ind., Muncie, Ind., Peabody, Mass., and Salina, Kan. Per usual, folks can enjoy boosted data speeds on Sprint's 4G LTE network with an Everything Data plan with Any Mobile, AnytimeSM, which includes unlimited data, texting and calling to and from any mobile network in the country. Sprint and other major US carriers started selling the iPad mini in mid-November...

T-Mobile says it cannot afford the iPhone

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated September 26, 2016

T-Mobile is the furthest behind of the four major U.S. telcos in 4G LTE deployment and it's been losing customers to AT&T, Verizon and Sprint over its ongoing inability to offer the iPhone. Though the Deutsche Telekom-owned carrier offers free support and Nano SIMs to unlockers, it stopped using the iPhone name to drive sales.

As things stand now, a much-needed deal with Apple continues to be just a wishful thinking. Optimists amongst analysts are positive 2013 will be the year the iPhone lands on T-Mobile's network. Others point to the $10 billion dent in carriers' profits over high iPhone subsidy, which is estimated to an average of $425 per handset. And now, T-Mobile's op-chief re-iterates that his company won't be able to afford the iPhone unless Apple budges on its asinine position...

AT&T’s LTE coverage doubles in 2012

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 16, 2012

Just in time for latest LTE iPads that Friday morning hit online and brick-and-mortar stores of AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and Best Buy, the nation's #1 carrier AT&T announced its 4G LTE is now available in 24 new markets in the United States. More importantly, the company claims to have doubled its LTE coverage in 2012 versus the end of 2011.

Specifically its LTE now covers more than 150 million people in a total of 103 markets. As part of its ambitious $14 billion LTE network expansion project, AT&T's LTE will expand to 250 million people by year-end 2013 and to 300 million by year-end 2014...

New LTE iPads hit AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and Best Buy

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 19, 2018

Cody told you earlier this morning that U.S. carrier Sprint started selling Apple's iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad with Retina display in its retail stores. Not to be outdone by the nation's #3 telco, carriers AT&T and Verizon announced that both Wi-Fi and cellular versions of the two tablets are now available across their retail and online stores in the United States. Additionally, we are hearing that Best Buy has the tablets and will begin selling them later today. Both carriers are offering the iPad mini and the fourth-gen full-size iPad with or without shared data service, with Sprint of course having the upper hand with its unlimited data offering (and limited 4G coverage).

The devices have also arrived in Apple's retail outlets. Some customers who pre-ordered their units saw their shipment delivered as early as yesterday or are seeing their packages out for delivery...