Carriers

Shocker: millions won’t qualify for iPhone 5 upgrade this fall

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 15, 2012

Do you own an iPhone 4S? If so, you and tens of millions of others like yourself in the United States and abroad won't qualify for a fully subsidized upgrade this fall. Blame it on the disparity between yearly iPhone cycles and carriers' policy of locking smartphone buyers with two-year contracts.

Apple's phone is enjoying stellar sales, moving 37.1 million units last holiday and 35.1 million last quarter, thanks partially to last summer's pent up demand.

The question is, will iPhone 4S owners - now locked into wireless service contracts and not eligible for fully subsidized upgrades - be willing to pay extra to obtain an early iPhone 5 upgrade this fall?

T-Mobile lighting up more iPhone-friendly HSPA+ sites in June and July

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 25, 2016

Still wondering about those unlocked iPhones that clocked much faster data speeds on T-Mobile's network at WWDC's Moscone West building in San Francisco? Well, Deutsche Telekom-owned carrier, the nation's fourth-largest, today shared some interesting updates concerning "4G" rollout, which includes the iPhone-friendly 1900MHz band on its HSPA+ network...

T-Mobile continues iPhone push, offers free support to unlockers

Cody Lee ∙ June 13, 2012

T-Mobile may be the only major carrier in the U.S. that doesn't officially offer the iPhone, but you wouldn't know that by watching its PR departement. The company continues to find its way into Apple news.

Earlier this year, the operator announced that it was going to be launching an iPhone-friendly network by the end of 2012. Last week it confirmed it would be showing off that network at WWDC. And now...

FaceTime over cellular spells trouble for capped data users

Cody Lee ∙ June 12, 2012

During its WWDC keynote yesterday, Apple announced that the latest version of their mobile operating system, iOS 6, would finally include the ability to make FaceTime calls over cellular networks.

Considering that this feature has been restricted to Wi-Fi connections since it was introduced in 2010, this was a pretty big deal. But it could end up causing major problems for capped data users...

Verizon putting new shared data plans into effect beginning June 28

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 12, 2012

AllThingsD reports that Verizon is about to throw down the gauntlet to its rivals in the United States by introducing a big change to how it charges customers for wireless services.

Instead of charging people based on their voice minutes spent and text messages sent, the big red carrier will "almost exclusively" invoice users based on how much data they are using.

The new plans are said to go into effect June 28 and will reportedly be the only option available to new customers...

Virgin Mobile offering prepaid iPhone with $30 a month unlimited data beginning June 29

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 7, 2016

Confirming recent rumors, Virgin Mobile USA, a Sprint Nextel subsidiary, today announced that it will be offering Apple's iPhone on a prepaid basis beginning June 29. The iPhone 4 and 4S will be available with a month-to-month unlimited data option costing $30 a month, with data throttling once you get past your monthly allowance of 2.5 gigabytes.

With this development, Apple's device will soon be officially available on a total of sixteen carriers in the United States, three of them being prepaid telecoms: Boost Mobile (another Sprint property), Cricket Communications and Virgin Mobile...

Sprint to launch prepaid iPhones on Virgin Mobile by July 1

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 5, 2012

MarketWatch reports (via MacRumors) that Sprint will launch own prepaid iPhone offering through its Virgin Mobile arm.

The move follows last week's unconfirmed news that Boost Mobile, another Sprint property, will be getting prepaid iPhones on June 22.

As you know, Cricket became the first carrier in the United States to announce plans to begin offering the iPhone on a prepaid basis in early September...

iPhone allegedly going prepaid on Boost Mobile in early September

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 18, 2019

Apple made waves earlier this week by diving into the prepaid market with the addition of Cricket Communications, America’s seventh largest wireless company which has thus officially become the nation's very first prepaid carrier to offer no-contract iPhones come June 22.

Cricket iPhones are gonna be available with a cool $150 discount compared to Apple's asking prices for unlocked devices, along with unlimited everything month-to-month plans. Per new rumor, the iPhone is about to go prepaid on Boost Mobile, too...

iPhone goes pre-paid on Cricket beginning June 22

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 19, 2018

Apple continues to roll out its iPhone to regional carriers in the United States with the addition of Cricket Communications, a Leap Wireless company. What's interesting about this particular announcement is that Cricket is a pre-paid carrier so basically they've just become the nation's first wireless operator to offer the unlocked device with a pre-paid plan...

Sprint axes 5GB/$30 mobile hotspot plan, replaces it with 2GB/6GB tiers

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 25, 2016

Sprint Nextel, the nation’s third-largest wireless operator, announced this morning that it’s doing away with its 5GB $30 a month mobile hotspot add-on for smartphones and tablets.

Instead, beginning May 18, customers can choose between 2GB or 6GB data plans priced at $20 or $50 a month, respectively. As always, the deal involves some fine print you should be aware of…

Why carriers put up with high iPhone subsidy

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 21, 2012

I already opined on crazypants analysts predicting carriers would put the iPhone in its place because they reason Apple wields far too much power in the wireless industry.

Newsflash: we've been hearing for years that disgruntled carriers will drop iPhone subsidies and hurt Apple's bottom line in the process.

Surprisingly enough, fear of customer-retention rates spiking if they did has so far outweighed concerns of their profits taking a short-term hit because fewer people could afford a non-subsidized iPhone.

The fact of the matter is, it's never been about Apple or even industry politics for that matter. This is about a sought-after device with the proven ability to bring in new customers.

It's simple: make the iPhone more pricier and expect customers to flee to another network that offers it subsidized...

Verizon bringing LTE to the Jersey Shore and other new markets on May 17

Cody Lee ∙ Updated July 11, 2017

It looks like Verizon is going to add to its already impressive LTE coverage map next week. The carrier announced on Thursday that it plans to flip the 4G switch on in more than 20 new markets on May 17.

Folks with an LTE-flavored iPad will be able to take advantage of Verizon's Long Term network in Myrtle Beach, SC, Jersey Shore, NJ (fist pump) and other northeast areas. Keep reading for the full list...