GigaOM

Updated:  Today is the big announcement in New York by T-Mobile, which will show off its spiffy new G1 phone powered by Google.  The G1 is the first smartphone to run the Google Android operating system and is expected to work seamlessly with Google services like Gmail and Google Maps.  The G1 will support the relatively new T-Mobile 3G data network, and since not many are familiar with T-Mobile’s 3G, it’s a good time to take a look at four things you should know in order to get the most out of 3G. Continue Reading

A venture-backed startup’s attempts to offer free broadband in the AWS-3 spectrum have moved closer to reality today. The company released FCC-observed tests results today that show that devices operating in the band of spectrum eyed by M2Z Networks won’t interfere with devices operating in nearby spectrum bands.

M2Z, which was formed in 2006 to provide an alternative wireless broadband service to most of the country, plans to use the AWS-3 band for its wireless broadband network, but spectrum holders in the AWS-1 band — notably T-Mobile — claimed such devices would interfere with their network operations. Other carriers also stepped up to stop the idea, arguing that they had paid for their spectrum (T-Mobile paid about $4 billion for its AWS-1 spectrum), whereas M2Z was essentially seeking a giveaway of the valuable asset. It does say it will share 5 percent of its revenue with the FCC in addition to providing free broadband. Continue Reading

A spinout of Flextronics — Aricent, which is comprised of several communications software assets including Hughes Software and noted design firm Frog Design — has scored $60 million in capital to expand its operations. Proceeds from the funding, which involved Bahrain-based investment fund The Family Office along with Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., will be used to open an office in the Middle East as well as to handle growth at the Palo Alto, Calif.-based services company. Continue Reading

John Sangiovanni

To describe the segmentation of the mobile phone marketplace, analysts and industry professionals use a common lexicon to group similar devices by their relative features and capabilities. The majority of mobile phones that have graced retail shelves in recent years fall into two distinct categories: featurephones and smartphones. Lately, however, a new category has begun to emerge, that of the superphone. Continue Reading

With its voice-related revenues and new subscriber additions slowing, and data revenues that lag those of its rivals, the U.S. arm of German phone giant T-Mobile needs a fast-acting picker-upper. Its answer may lie with the Google phone. Continue Reading

An article in BusinessWeek today claims that wireless data demand is exceeding capacity, which is causing carriers to limit services and charge higher rates. But that just doesn’t jibe with what carriers — or applications developers — are telling me. The real reason carriers are limiting services and charging more is to maintain control of what people can do on their networks. Continue Reading