Carriers

Google reportedly looking to launch wireless service

According to a new report, Google has been talking with Colorado-based satellite TV provider Dish Network to launch a new wireless service. So essentially, it sounds like it's trying to become its own carrier.

This actually isn't the first time we've heard that the tech giant was looking to get into the wireless business. But this particular story stems from a fairly credible news outlet, so it certainly holds more water...

AT&T lights up LTE in eight new cities

As part of its $14 billion LTE network expansion, U.S. carrier AT&T today announced the launch of speedy LTE radio technology in eight new cities: Milwaukee, WI; Denver, CO; Louisville, KY; Orlando, FL; York, PA; Tacoma, WA; Annapolis, MD; and Provo, UT. Apple users in these areas who own an LTE device such as the iPhone 5 or cellular iPads should see notable speed gains over the coming days. Just last week, the carrier rolled out LTE in Little Rock, Arkansas and expanded LTE coverage in Bakersfield, California and Florida Keys, Florida...

AT&T rolls out LTE to Little Rock, expands in other markets

AT&T announced that it was going to be once again expanding its LTE network yesterday. The rollout brings the high speed data connection to Little Rock, Arkansas, and increases its availability in Bakersfield, California and other markets. So if you just picked up an iPhone 5 or other LTE device on AT&T, here's the new coverage areas...

China Telecom to offer the iPhone 5 in late November or early December

The iPhone 5 should finally make a landfall in the 1.33 billion people market of China via the county's state-owned telco, China Telecom. The Wall Street Journal reports that the carrier should start offering the handset in late November or early December though government officials stopped short of saying when the device might win final approval. It was reported last month that the China State Radio Management agency gave the device a preliminary approval for sale in the country...

Verizon to complete LTE network by mid-2013

With more and more devices coming to market supporting 4G LTE (long term evolution) networks, people are paying more attention to carriers' LTE coverage. And here in the States, no body comes close to Verizon.

With more than a year head start over the other providers, Verizon is the leader in LTE coverage by a mile. It currently has the 4G tech in more than 400 markets, and it sounds like it'll be everywhere by next summer...

T-Mobile confirms nearly half a million customers lost in Q3 over iPhone 5 launch

The nation's fourth-largest carrier continues to experience the side-effects of remaining the sole major U.S. telco without Apple's popular iPhone. The company this morning reported third-quarter earnings and the results are depressing. It lost 492,000 contract customers, down from the 557,000 loss in the June quarter but also up over the year-ago quarter when it reported loss of 389,000 contracts.

As a result, revenue for the quarter shrank to $4.9 billion, a 6.4 percent decline, while service revenue experienced an 8.7 percent drop...

T-Mobile brings faster HSPA+ speeds to Baltimore, Houston and Washington D.C. markets

T-Mobile USA, the fourth-largest telco in the United States, continues expanding its iPhone-compatible HSPA+ network on the 1900MHz band (incorrectly advertised as "4G"). Today, the company announced that HSPA+ is now available to customers in the Washington D.C., Baltimore and Houston markets.

I'm sure you know T-Mobile USA is the sole major telco in the U.S. without the iPhone (next year, maybe?). But with its offering of Nano SIMs for iPhone 5 owners, free support to unlockers and unlimited 4G data plans, T-Mobile is a good choice for unlocked iPhone owners curious to take advantage of HSPA+ speeds...

AT&T announces $14 billion LTE network expansion

AT&T, the nation's #1 carrier, today announced ambitious plans meant to improve its network infrastructure and broaden 4G LTE coverage. The company pledged to spend as much as $14 billion on network upgrades over the next three years and said it will roll out 4G LTE to cover 250 million by the end of 2013, adding an additional 50 million for a total of 300 million people by the end of 2014.

Additionally, AT&T confirmed plans to expand U-verse to an additional 8.5 million customers by the end of 2015. The investment plan even has a cool sounding code-name: Project Velocity IP (VIP)...

Sprint wants to buy U.S. Cellular’s spectrum and users for $480 million

Carrier Sprint today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with U.S. Cellular about purchasing its PCS spectrum and customers in Midwest U.S. for $480 million in cash. This effort to boost network capacity is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in mid-2013. Sprint will use the additional spectrum to broaden its own coverage in these areas...

AT&T launches Locker app with 5GB of free cloud storage

Carrier AT&T today launched an interesting cloud-storage app for iOS and Android devices, similar to the likes of SugarSync, Dropbox and Google Drive. It's called Locker and you can use it to safely store, sync and share your photos, videos and documents to the AT&T cloud, the promo page says. The program can also automatically back up every photo or video, if that's how you roll. AT&T Locker comes with 5GB of free storage, with upgrades to 30GB for $3.99 per month or 100GB for $9.99 per month...

AT&T and T-Mobile sharing networks in Sandy-affected areas

This is pretty cool: AT&T and T-Mobile have both announced that they will be temporarily combining their coverage in areas devastated by Hurricane Sandy on Monday night.

The deal will allow subscribers from the two carriers to roam on either network without incurring penalties, or affecting their rate plans, and it should greatly improve their service...

Bluegrass Cellular to sell the iPhone 5 with a $50 discount starting Friday

It's been originally reported that regional carrier Bluegrass Cellular would start selling the iPhone 5 on September 28 alongside Alaska’s GCI and Appalachian Wireless, but something delayed those plans. Be that as it may, today the Kentucky-based carrier announced it will start selling Apple's latest phone on Friday, November 2.

The company has plans to undercut AT&T, Verizon and Sprint with an aggressive pricing policy. Bluegrass Cellular will also offer the iPhone 4S for just $49 and the iPhone 4 will be available starting at 99 cents, it's been confirmed. These prices, of course, are valid only with a two-year service contract...