Silver Spring embraces cloud, software-as-a-service for smart grid
Silver Spring Networks is beefing up its energy data software services for utilities by focusing on real time access via software-as-a-service and the cloud. Read more »
Google Fiber: Check out the in-home set up and equipment
Thinking about signing up for Google Fiber? Curious about those sleek black boxes Google is showing off? Here’s what each box does and what it looks like — the Network Box, a Storage box and optionally a TV Box if someone gets the TV service. Read more »
FCC to Verizon: Don’t block tethering apps. Verizon settles for $1.25M
The FCC has come to a settlement with Verizon Wireless that will allow customers of the nation’s largest wireless network to use tethering apps from the Android market, and thus circumvent the $20 monthly fee Verizon charges for using a phone as a mobile hot spot. Read more »
The economics of Google Fiber and what it means for U.S. broadband
Google’s fiber-to-the-home network may look like a loss leader for the search engine company, but its executive teams says it’s profitable. Here are the three ways Google has managed to cut the costs of building out a network and beat ISPs at their own game. Read more »
paidContent turns 10: A brief history of digital media
Remember when Friendster was the hot social network, publishers doubted that ebooks would ever sell, and Netflix thought DVDs in red envelopes was the future? We do — that was that state of digital media when paidContent launched in 2002. Read more »
Verizon/Redbox video service has name and exec team, begins testing
The joint venture will operate under the name “Redbox Instant by Verizon” and will be headed by former Verizon FiOS executive Shawn Strickland. It’s still unknown as to what kind of programming it will offer and at what price. Read more at paidContent »
Both Verizon, AT&T see iPhone activations slip
photo: Getty Images / Oli Scarff
AT&T confirmed it’s seeing the same trend we saw with the iPhone and Verizon last week: iPhone activations lost momentum. In a note to clients, Wells Fargo analyst Maynard Um noted that it’s the second quarter in a row that AT&T’s iPhone activations have dropped. Read more »
And here it is! Comcast’s 305 Mbps tier
For $300, people in the Northeast, presumably in areas where Comcast competes with Verizon’s fiber to-the-home offering, can soon get 305 Mbps service from Comcast. The fastest tier is expensive, but its the doubling off other Comcast speed tiers at no cost that will hurt Verizon. Read more »
Get ready, emergency alerts are coming to your cellphone
In the coming months you will soon start receiving unsolicited text messages when storms hit or other natural disasters are anticipated thanks to a new wireless emergency alert system signed into law this spring. Here’s what you need to know when the alerts roll in. Read more »
To beat FiOS, Comcast reportedly prepping 305 Mbps speeds
Comcast isn’t going to let Verizon’s recent launch of a 300 Mbps speed tier go unchallenged. The nation’s largest broadband provider is apparently prepping its own 305 Mbps speed tier according to BroadbandReports. Yay for competition. Read more »
How fast is your ISP? A new report tells all.
When it comes to speeds Cablevision and Verizon FiOS are the most likely to deliver better than advertised download speeds while any provider offering DSL — AT&T, Frontier, Windstream and CenturyLink– struggle to deliver on their promises. A new FCC report looks at how well ISPs perform. Read more »
How AT&T learned from Verizon’s shared-data mistakes
When Verizon announced its new shared-data plans, it should have enjoyed a big advantage over its archrival AT&T. Consumers had been demanding the right to pool data, and Verizon was the first carrier to deliver. Instead, Verizon fumbled, and AT&T has picked up the ball. Read more »
Subscriber Content
Takeaways from mobile’s second quarter
Apple and Google still dominate the smartphone space, but look out for Microsoft, which finally has some muscle behind its mobile strategy. Meanwhile mobile-browser developers went head-to-head with native apps, and Facebook continued to buy mobile expertise via acquisition. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Poll: If carriers charge for FaceTime over cellular, will you pay?
I’ve been testing FaceTime over cellular data for a few weeks using the iOS 6 beta software. It works OK, but not as good as on Wi-Fi. Now, a new pop-up message indicates that carriers may charge for the service over their networks. Will you pay? Read more »
Subscriber Content
Takeaways from the second quarter in cloud and data
In cloud and big data, the second quarter of 2012 featured several high-profile deals and product launches that could reshape the marketplace for everyone. Google and Microsoft launched Infrastructure-as-a-Service offerings, software-defined networking took off, and all eyes stayed fixed on the continuing promise of data analytics. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Racemi nets $7M to attack booming cloud broker biz
Racemi, which specializes in moving business workloads onto and between clouds, snagged $7 million in second-round funding led by Paladin Capital Group and Harbert Venture Partners. The money will fund the expansion of Racemi’s sales, service and engineering efforts. Read more »
Can the DoJ keep broadband competitive?
The DoJ seems to be the only thing standing between the $4 billion sale of spectrum from the cable companies’ Spectrum Co. to Verizon Wireless, according to multiple news reports. Read more »
Isis preps for summer mobile payment launch with video tutorials
Isis, the carrier-led mobile payment venture by Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, is preparing for its big summer debut with the release of a series of video tutorials aimed at educating users on how to use its tap-and-go system. Read more »
Charts: If you’re concerned about privacy, don’t use your cell phone
Law enforcement and other government bodies, it seems, aren’t shy about asking for or demanding data about users from wireless carriers. All told, wireless providers received more than 1.3 million requests for user data last year, and requests are increasing every year. Here are more details. Read more »
Inside Verizon’s attack on network neutrality
Verizon filed its 116-page suit to appeal the network neutrality regulations enacted by the FCC. The suit has a glossary, 53 pages of legal argument, inflammatory prose on regulating the Internet and even the FCC trampling ISPs’ first amendment rights, but Verizon may prevail. Read more »
When buying an iPhone, AT&T, Verizon customers stay put
A new report shows Sprint customers are less likely to stay with the carrier when looking for an iPhone than customers who subscribe to AT&T or Verizon Wireless. However, Sprint does better a lot better in attracting new iPhone customers from prepaid or regional carriers. Read more »
Retailers & ‘the Apple demographic,’ plus 4 other Apple stories to read today
Here’s our daily pick of stories about Apple from around the web you shouldn’t miss. Today’s installment: the young, spendy Apple demographic, how design patents have become essential, Sprint’s curious sales woes at Apple stores, Airplay as Trojan horse, and conflicting reports of Verizon iPhone sales. Read more »
Why you will need a 300 Mbps broadband connection
Verizon’s newly launched 300 Mbps-tier is expensive. What’s amazing here isn’t the price, but the audience for high speed broadband. Verizon expects roughly 70 percent of FiOS customers to take speeds of 50 Mbps or higher — the top-of-the-line speeds four years ago. Read more »
Finally, a hot Android phone: Galaxy S III is hard to get
Looking to buy a Samsung Galaxy S III in the U.S.? You have a choice among five different carriers, but you’ll either be waiting or paying more than you thought: There are stock shortages at two carriers, and the smartphone is priced much higher at another. Read more »
Subscriber Content
Cloud computing infrastructure: 2012 and beyond
Discussions about the cloud now involve more than just the IT department. New developments in hardware architectures, more-energy-efficient data centers, regulatory concerns and simplifying analytics are all discussions currently circling through the industry. Here’s what to consider when thinking about your business in the cloud. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
MobileTechRoundup podcast 272: Apple iOS 6 hands-on and new Verizon plans
On this week’s audio podcast, Matt and Kevin offer early hands-on impressions of iOS 6 and a discuss the pros and cons of Verizon’s new Share Everything plans. Matt’s Kobo Vox turns into a full Android tablet this week while Kevin is loving his new ChromeBook. Read more »
DoJ to investigate cable companies; will cord cutters get a respite?
The Department of Justice is looking into the power that cable providers have over how and where consumers can access television content via the Internet. It’s a step that acknowledges the vertical integration of cable as well as their control over the last mile. Read more »
You’ll likely save money with Verizon’s “Share Everything” plans
Verizon’s new “Share Everything” plans use one bucket of data for up to 10 devices on an account. Instead of buying a data plan for each device, one monthly charge covers voice, messages and data to be shared. And it will likely save you money. Read more »
Review: Novatel Wireless MiFi 4620L is a solid LTE hotspot
Verizon calls its line of LTE MiFis “Jetpacks” and one of the newest is the Novatel 4620L. I used one for a few days and found it to be a vast improvment over my old original MiFi, also built by Novatel Wireless. Read more »
Achtung! Arris shows off 4.7 Gbps cable speeds.
Arris and Kabel Deutschland, Germany’s largest cable service provider, have managed to field test cable equipment that delivers fiber-like speeds of 4.7 gigabits per second. While those speeds aren’t for the real world, it shows that cable can hold its ground with fiber. Read more »
Subscriber Content
Who and what to watch in the new era of the living room
The adoption of tablets, social media and new interfaces and the changing nature of the TV itself mean the digital living room will continue on its path of rapid change, thanks to new ways of creating, viewing, bundling, distributing and selling content. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Top that, cable! Verizon offers 300 Mbps home broadband
Bored with your 100 Mbps connection? Verizon plans to offer customers up to 300 Mbps down via its FiOS fiber to the home service. That’s double Verizon’s current top speed of 150 Mbps down and a slam against cable companies trying to compete with Big Red. Read more »
Verizon Galaxy Nexus Android update appears imminent
After waiting a few months, Verizon customers who own a Galaxy Nexus LTE smartphone should soon see their phones get updated to from Android 4.0.2 to 4.0.4. Aside from app-specific improvements, this version should boost camera performance and rotate the screen orientation faster than before. Read more »
Verizon’s Redbox service: more Netflix than TV Everywhere
Speaking at an investor conference Wednesday, Verizon CFO Fran Shammo said his company’s joint venture with Coinstar’s Redbox will seek to leverage the DVD-rental kiosk operator’s 30 million customers and not so much on Verizon FiOS’ nearly 4.4 million customers. Read more at paidContent »
LightSquared’s bankruptcy is Washington’s failure too
LightSquared’s bankruptcy is the conclusion of a process that is rigged against broadband competition. Maybe it would have failed for economic reasons, but before it got the chance it fell victim to politics, spectrum warfare, and interests that don’t want more wireless competition. Read more »
As prices drop, when’s the best time to buy a new phone?
As the pace of advances in mobile technology accelerates, waves of new smartphones are appearing every few months. That can mean some savings in the form of a price drop on recently launched phones by the carriers. But how long should you wait? Read more »
Verizon stands up for its users in copyright lawsuit
Verizon Communications has had a history of standing up against publishers seeking to subpoena information about its subscribers and their downloading habits, so it’s not a big surprise to see Big Red telling John Wiley’s lawyers to stuff it. Read more »
T-Mobile grows but its lack of iPhone is still a problem
T-Mobile is still struggling after its planned acquisition by AT&T fell through. In the first full quarter after the proposed merger was scuttled, the nation’s fourth largest carrier managed to gain only 187,000 customers; most from lower revenue businesses, such as prepaid and M2M. Read more »
7 ways Comcast is killing the cable killers
We’re at a flashpoint in the evolution of television, and the battle lines are becoming more clear. What’s also becoming clear is that Comcast is playing to win. Here are seven things the nation’s largest cable company is doing to keep its pay TV customers. Read more »
Hey, Google, take control of Android already, will ya?
Google’s open approach to Android has certainly helped build the platform’s user base: Android powers more than half of the world’s smartphones. But how much further can this strategy take Google when the “Wild West show” continues and carriers exacerbate the problem? It’s time for change. Read more »
