It’s been a decade since MVNOs first challenged major wireless carriers, and now they account for more than 10 percent of mobile users. Telecom veteran Whitey Bluestein says the latest crop of MVNOs are poised to trigger a whole new round of disruption. Read more »
Samsung’s 5.5-inch Galaxy Note 2 smartphone arrives on the Sprint network Oct. 25 for $299 with contract. The phone supports unlimited data on Sprint’s LTE network and will ship with Android 4.1.1 plus Samsung’s own software that takes advantage of the included digital S-Pen. Read more »
Sprint’s timetable is vague, but Monday it listed the 100 cities that will soon have LTE service. The carrier had an early 4G advantage if you count WiMAX in 2008, but has been lapped since then. Unlimited data is nice, but customers want more speed. Read more »
Bloomberg is reporting yet another merger rumor about T-Mobile, this one involving regional CDMA and LTE operator, MetroPCS. Maybe someone from Metro is talking with someone DT in some back room somewhere in the world, but they can’t seriously be considering the deal. Read more »
Just a week after Motorola was awarded two significant victories in a German court over Apple, the companies’ luck have changed. On Friday, a judge ruled he would not grant an injunction against Apple products on the basis of a 3G/UMTS patent claimed by Motorola. Read more »
Airvana is suing Ericsson for $330 million, claiming the wireless giant has reneged on its licensing deal and is instead selling a “knock-off” version of Airvana’s 3G technology to Verizon Wireless, Sprint and other CDMA operators. Read more »
For the first time in six years, Sprint’s aging Nextel and wireline businesses didn’t overwhelm all positive gains from its primary CDMA business in its quarterly results. Still, Sprint is anxious to shed the Nextel albatross and Wednesday detailed its plans to shut down iDEN. Read more »
The Verizon Galaxy Nexus LTE handset is reportedly no longer a Google-supported developer phone, which could have software update implications. Code for the CDMA/LTE Nexus has been archived for reference by Google and it sounds like the issue is Google Wallet, which Verizon simply doesn’t want. Read more »
Mobile data is picking up momentum in Latin America as the number of 3G connections in the region doubled in 2011. Operators in Latin and South America are shutting down their CDMA networks, replacing them with UMTS systems, resulting in a huge surge in data adoption. Read more »
This year’s CES was the biggest in the show’s 44-year history. It boasted 15 miles of exhibit hall aisles, 3,100 booths and 153,000 attendees. It is easy to be jaded by the endlessly repetitive products, but the thousands of innovations point toward a future of connectivity. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Next month, consumers in smaller towns and cities across the U.S. will have access to their first LTE network as U.S. Cellular ramps ups its commercial 4G service. The regional CDMA operator will start selling a tablet in March and a Galaxy smartphone in April. Read more »
If you’re like many of us, you’re already thinking over some New Year’s resolutions that will make you a better “you” in 2012. But how are the tech industries’ thought leaders approaching the new year? We asked 12 of them for their resolutions. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
China Telecom is getting very near to launching Apple’s iPhone 4S on its network, according to a new report. China Telecom subsidiary Beijing Telecom said it will likely offer a CDMA version of the iPhone 4S by the end of February or the beginning of March. Read more »
Virgin Mobile will begin to reduce the mobile broadband speeds of smartphone users on March 23, following a similar path as T-Mobile, AT&T and others who have offered unlimited plans. Facing huge demand for mobile data, the days of truly unlimited plans appear numbered. Read more »
The number of mobile subscribers is growing steadily across the globe, but each continent tells a different story about 3G and 4G penetration, market saturation and the rate of future growth. This report looks at the global mobile landscape over the next five years, forecasting the number of subscribers and the penetration of 3G and 4G services by both continent and country. In particular we look at new markets such as China and India, possibilities in developing countries in Africa and the Middle East, and saturation in the first world. Companies mentioned in this report include HTC, Motorola and Samsung. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Apple isn’t one to talk about its future plans, but that doesn’t always stop partners or potential partners from sometimes spilling the beans. Case in point: T-Mobile CTO Neville Ray told Cnet in an interview Tuesday that Apple’s “next chipset will support AWS.” Read more »
Sending a bit over a wireless network is 200 times more expensive than sending a bit over wireline, which explains some of the high costs and limits of wireless data plans. How can operators drive down these prices so wireless doesn’t lose its luster? Read more »
Sprint’s CEO Dan Hesse talks about how AT&T’s attempted acquisition of T-Mobile set off all sorts of alarms, and made him realize just how tenuous the competitive situation in the U.S. wireless industry is. Read more »
Ericsson says today only 35 percent of the world’s population has WCDMA/HSPA coverage, and this number is expected to grow to 80 percent in 2016. And similarly the expected the population coverage of LTE will increase from today’s 2 percent to 35 percent in 2016 Read more »
Updated: The big story around today’s iPhone launch is the phone, but Sprint’s $20 billion bet on the iPhone and its plans for growth in a consolidating wireless industry make a compelling backstory for telecom industry watchers and for Sprint customers. Read more »
The next iPhone’s biggest difference, according to an extensive profile by 9to5Mac, may not be any hardware feature. Instead, the Siri-based “Assistant” system-wide software coud steal the show. Assistant could make talking to your phone as natural as touchscreen based controls are now. Read more »
Just a day after France Telecom CEO Stephane Richard suggested an Oct. 15 iPhone 5 release date, another major Apple carrier partner is pointing to a similar launch time frame. China Telecom is reportedly gearing up for the iPhone 5 with staff training and early advertising. Read more »
Some of us who covered wireless in the early days remember the Qualcomm van, the big bulky CDMA phones, Globestar and more. They are now sitting in a small museum at their headquarters. Here are some photos to take you down memory lane. Read more »
Verizon’s CTO Tony Melone discussed Verizon’s Wi-Fi strategy and hinted at the end of 3G radios in some of the operators’ devices coming in 2013. In a speech and conversation with reporters Melone opened up about FiOS, LTE pricing, spectrum and more. Read more »
In a remarkable case of repeat offenses, Verizon Wireless Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo told the Reuters Global Technology summit Thursday that the next iPhone will be dual-mode, and will launch at the same time the AT&T model. That’s the second time he’s spilled the beans. Read more »
Rumors are beginning to approach consensus with regards to Apple’s next iPhone, with much of that info coming from sources reportedly within Apple’s supply chain. Here’s a look at what Apple appears to be planning, and when you can expect to see it. Read more »
The next iPhone from Apple will be a “global device” according to comments made by Verizon CFO Fran Shammo during the carrier’s conference call to discuss its quarterly results. Shammo’s remarks suggest that Apple’s next iPhone will be capable of both GSM and CDMA connectivity. Read more »
In about two months since the launch, Verizon has sold 2.2 million iPhones, giving Apple a big boost in the US. In addition to the iPhone, Verizon activated more than 500,000 4G devices including 260,000 HTC Thunderbolts. It has 104 million customers. Read more »
Verizon will soon be selling a CDMA-compatible version of the iPad, according to Verizon Communications CFO Francis Shammo. Users currently have to use a MiFi device to allow iPad’s to connect to Verizon’s network via Wi-Fi. The new version would be able to connect directly. Read more »
Confirmed last month by Fortune and the Wall Street Journal, the Verizon iPhone is already impacting competitor sales without actually being sold. Now reports of component suppliers taking orders for CDMA iPhone have now surfaced, driving iPhone sales expectations for next year even higher. Read more »
Two noted analysts are predicting good times for Qualcomm, and not just because the chipmaker provides the processing and connectivity for many of the top-rated Android handsets. Qualcomm is ready to add sales of 10 million more chips per quarter by powering the CDMA Apple iPhone. Read more »
For those waiting for the Apple/Verizon wedding, today’s release of the iPad on that network could be seen as the engagement. But, how long until these companies finally join forces to deliver what we’ve all been waiting for: iPhone carrier choice in the U.S.? Read more »
According to TechCrunch’s Steve Cheney, Apple won’t be introducing an LTE-capable handset when it launches its CDMA-based iPhone early in January, despite Verizon’s indication that it wouldn’t offer one otherwise. But Apple’s gone further: even its mid-year iPhone refresh won’t use a 4G network. Read more »
Despite comments made by Verizon’s CEO about an iPhone not appearing on its network in the near future, a new report by the Wall Street Journal reaffirms earlier suggestions that the provider would indeed have an Apple smartphone among its offerings in early 2011. Read more »
The lack of a Verizon iPhone has been costly for Apple, and it doesn’t look like the Mac maker wants to let that cost build up much longer. Sources have reported that Apple is aiming to put 3 million CDMA-only iPhones into production in December 2010. Read more »
More than 5 billion devices are connected around the world now, just 18 months after passing the 4 billion threshold. Most of the growth is coming from highly populous areas such as China and India, but emerging markets are adding to the connected device total. Read more »
The FCC today kicked off what it’s calling “Wireless World Travel Week,” complete with include a daily informational video, blog posts explaining service strategies while abroad and a useful communications tip sheet for travelers. Topics range from overseas calling options to less expensive VoIP services. Read more »
The Wall Street Journal is just barely reporting that a CDMA iPhone will be introduced this fall, and that Apple’s exclusive relationship with AT&T “appears set to end.” According to “people briefed by the company” (presumably Apple), the CDMA iPhone will be one of two released, with the GSM model “likely to be thinner and have a faster processor.” Read more »
Even as Verizon continues attacking AT&T’s comparatively poor network with new ads, and by proxy the iPhone, the latest rumor has Apple developing a “worldmode” iPhone capable of running on any network. The three holiday-themed ads, “Blue Christmas,” “Elves,” and “Misfit Toys,” each highlight the weakness of […] Read more »
