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 »
The Defcon security and hacker conference in Las Vegas is home to a unique cell network built using GSM and Wi-Fi. The private network was built for fun, but it could have a serious purpose when governments try to lock down cellular communications. Read more »
ETSI, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, approved specifications for SIM cards even smaller than the micro SIM used in Apple’s iPhone 4/4S. Several handset makers submitted proposals, but the approved design is similar to that of Apple’s, adding evidence that Apple wants to own subscriber relationships. Read more »
I’m now using Straight Talk, a Tracfone-owned cellular provider that resells service on both AT&T and T-Mobile in the U.S. After a few weeks of testing and some questions posed to the company, here’s the skinny: Depending on your data needs, this plan can save money. 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 »
Google’s first Android 4.0 phone, the Galaxy Nexus, is available for direct purchase online in the U.S. Google Play store for $399. With support for two GSM networks, solid hardware, a 720p display and updates direct from Google, this may be the Android deal of 2012. Read more »
T-Mobile isn’t just launching a sizable LTE network in 2013, it’s becoming the Grim Reaper for 2G technology as we know it. T-Mobile has unveiled a plan to radically reshape its networks, shutting down the majority of its GSM capacity to focus almost entirely on 4G. 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 »
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 »
As 2011 comes to a close, I’m thinking ahead to what mobile technology trends I expect to see in 2012. While I formulate those thoughts for a post later this week, now is a good time to see how I did with my 2011 predictions. Read more »
Samsung is reportedly in discussions to offer Android 4.0 software upgrades to its Galaxy S smartphones and Galaxy Tab slates. Perhaps Samsung’s TouchWiz software is slimmed down or eliminated, which may not be a problem. Getting carriers to support such an upgrade, however, may be. Read more »
The Galaxy Nexus, a flagship phone to showcase Google Android 4.0, has finally arrived for Verizon’s LTE network. The large handset comes with a hefty $299 price tag with contract; $649 without. Although it should offer a “pure” Google experience, Google Wallet won’t be installed. Read more »
With AT&T’s proposed deal to purchase T-Mobile now effectively dead, consumers have won, right? Yes and no. There’s much cause for consumer rejoicing, but the U.S. is still pro-carrier because we can’t easily use our phones on different networks. We really don’t have true carrier competition. Read more »
You can’t buy the Galaxy Nexus from a U.S. carrier just yet, but that’s isn’t stopping early adopters from getting their hands on Samsung’s newest phone. After reading reviews and tweets from happy owners, I decided to pull the trigger on my own. Hello Android 4.0! 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 »
As our demand for data increases, so too do the number of mobile devices and services. Add to that the infrastructure needed to support such connectivity, and a wide, complex picture of the mobile industry emerges. This report examines the various sectors of the mobile landscape and what the future holds for each. Hardware, cloud services, mobile search, advertising, location-based services and the growing ubiquity of the Internet of Things will all play an important role in the concept of mobility as it shifts and evolves over the next several years. With the help of more than a dozen contributors, GigaOM Pro presents a comprehensive analysis of the companies and trends that will lead us into the next era of mobile. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
The total number of global mobile connections are going to go past the 6 billion mark by the end of 2011 according to Wireless Intelligence, the research arm of trade group, GSMA. It is forecasting about 6.07 billion connections by end of the year. Read more »
You know what’s cooler than a billion? A trillion! That’s exactly where the mobile industry is going, according to GSM/Wireless Intelligence, which estimates global mobile service provider revenues will be $1.1 trillion in 2012, thanks to a massive boom in the BRIC economies. Read more »
Apple Tuesday began selling the iPhone 4 unlocked in the U.S., as reports had suggested they would. Both 16 GB and 32 GB GSM versions of the iPhone 4 in both black and white are now available in the Apple online store. Read more »
Apple may be on the verge of offering a factory-unlocked iPhone 4 for sale in the U.S., according to a new report Sunday. Apple already offers the iPhone 4 for sale unlocked in some other countries, but in those locations the value proposition is much clearer. 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 »
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 »
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 »
[qi:gigaom_icon_mobile] Wow…talk about a transformative and disruptive technology that has changed the way we live on a global scale. According to trade group 3G Americas, there will soon be 4 billion GSM mobile connections around the planet. We are a stone’s throw away from that milestone. […] Read more »
