Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[ASUS Transformer Pad TF300TL hits the FCC with AT&T-friendly LTE]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/24/asus-transformer-pad-tf300tl-hits-the-fcc/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/24/asus-transformer-pad-tf300tl-hits-the-fcc/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/24/asus-transformer-pad-tf300tl-hits-the-fcc/#comments ImageASUS isn't known for offering its tablets to North American carriers with 3G or 4G; an FCC filing for a cellular-capable Transformer Pad TF300 could be a clue at a break in the WiFi-only trend. Along with the usual wireless, a TF300TL variant of the Android 4.0 slate has stopped by the agency with the 850MHz and 1,900MHz frequencies needed for HSPA 3G as well as, best of all, 700MHz and 1,700MHz support for LTE-based 4G. All four are what we'd look for in an AT&T-oriented tablet, so don't be surprised if Ma Bell carries a 4G Transformer Pad before long. All but the 700MHz band would be handy for Canadian networks as well. There's no surefire evidence of when the tablet might make a more formal appearance, nor hints of whether or not it will keep the quad-core Tegra 3, although the slight spin on the regular TF300 formula could keep the wait short.

ASUS Transformer Pad TF300TL hits the FCC with AT&T-friendly LTE originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 20:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1700mhz1900mhz4g4g lte4gLte700mhz850mhzAdvanced Wireless ServicesAdvancedWirelessServicesandroidandroid 4.0android 4.0 ice cream sandwichAndroid4.0Android4.0IceCreamSandwichapprovalasusattawsbellbell mobilityBellMobilitycarriercellularfccfilinghspahspa plushspa+HspaPlusice cream sandwichIceCreamSandwichltemobilepostmininvidiaquad corequad-coreQuadCorerogerstablettablet pctablet pcsTabletPcTabletPcstabletstegrategra 3Tegra3telustf300tf300ttf300tltransformer padtransformer pad tf300TransformerPadTransformerPadTf300Thu, 24 May 2012 20:51:00 EST<![CDATA[NTT DoCoMo bids for 700MHz spectrum, will drop two big-ones if it succeeds]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/23/ntt-docomo-bids-for-700mhz-spectrum-will-drop-two-big-ones-if-i/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/23/ntt-docomo-bids-for-700mhz-spectrum-will-drop-two-big-ones-if-i/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/23/ntt-docomo-bids-for-700mhz-spectrum-will-drop-two-big-ones-if-i/#comments Image

NTT DoCoMo is applying to extend its network to the 700MHz spectrum after losing out the coveted 900MHz band to smaller rival Softbank. If successful, the communications giant will have to fork out 150 billion yen ($1.9 billion) to make the necessary infrastructure changes to allow 3.9G devices to work on its network. While it can't be too happy at having to make do with the weaker frequencies, it does expect to pocket nearly $5 billion in profit this year, which ought to cushion the blow.

NTT DoCoMo bids for 700MHz spectrum, will drop two big-ones if it succeeds originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>700MHz900MHzBusinessInfrastructuremobilepostminiNetworkNTT DoCoMoNttDocomoSoftbankSpectrumWed, 23 May 2012 09:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Pantech P8010 meets FCC, brings AT&T LTE along to say hello]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/15/pantech-p8010-meets-fcc/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/15/pantech-p8010-meets-fcc/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/15/pantech-p8010-meets-fcc/#comments Image

Though it hasn't been officially announced, AT&T's likely has a new Pantech LTE phone in its reasonable future. The P8010 just got approved by the FCC, and its next-gen radio offers support for no less than four LTE bands: the 700 / 1700 frequencies used by AT&T, as well as 850 / 1900. What's curious about the latter pair of bands is that they're the same ones used by the largest GSM carrier for its HSPA+ / WCDMA needs, suggesting that AT&T's planning ahead for possible refarming of its spectrum. Aside from this hefty nugget of info, the federal docs don't give much else away, aside from a well-detailed diagram showing the back of the phone -- complete with its microSD and micro-SIM slots -- and the usual smattering of compatible GSM / EDGE and 3G radios. According to preliminary benchmark results, however, the P8010 will likely be a step up from the Burst, sporting a 1.5GHz dual-core Krait processor, qHD display and Ice Cream Sandwich. To sneak a peek at the docs yourself, head to the source.

Pantech P8010 meets FCC, brings AT&T LTE along to say hello originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 16:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1900mhz700mhz850mhzattawsltelte band 17lte band 2lte band 4lte band 5LteBand17LteBand2LteBand4LteBand5mobilepostminip8010pantechpantech p8010PantechP8010Tue, 15 May 2012 16:23:00 EST<![CDATA[Verizon selling 700MHz spectrum, but only if government approves its AWS purchase]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/18/verizon-selling-700mhz-spectrum-but-only-if-government-approves/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/18/verizon-selling-700mhz-spectrum-but-only-if-government-approves/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/18/verizon-selling-700mhz-spectrum-but-only-if-government-approves/#comments Verizon selling 700MHz spectrum, but only if government approves its AWS purchase

Seems odd that Verizon would decide to sell off some of it's wireless spectrum considering it told the FCC that it doesn't have enough space for its future LTE needs. Yet Big Red's doing just that, pledging to pawn off its 700MHz A and B licenses should its purchase of AWS spectrum from a contingent of cable companies be approved by the FCC and DOJ. Why would Verizon do such a thing? It appears that the 700MHz upper C band (where VZW's LTE service currently resides) combined with the new AWS licenses will provide Big Red the bandwidth it needs. Plus, selling off some of its other spectrum will surely grease the wheels with the governmental powers that be, and perhaps even assuage Verizon's competition arrayed against its AWS acquisition. Of course, the A and B licenses being offered for sale don't blanket the nation, but they do cover quite a few large metropolitan markets. Check out the full list after the break.

[Tower photo via Shutterstock]

Continue reading Verizon selling 700MHz spectrum, but only if government approves its AWS purchase

Verizon selling 700MHz spectrum, but only if government approves its AWS purchase originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>700 mhz700 mhz spectrum700Mhz700MhzSpectrumdojfccmobilepostcrosssalespectrumverizonvzwwirelesswireless spectrumWirelessSpectrumWed, 18 Apr 2012 13:41:00 EST<![CDATA[FCC weighs Dish 4G network and 700MHz interoperability (updated)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/21/fcc-weighs-dish-4g-network-and-700mhz-interoperability/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/21/fcc-weighs-dish-4g-network-and-700mhz-interoperability/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/21/fcc-weighs-dish-4g-network-and-700mhz-interoperability/#comments Cell TowersLet's temper our excitement -- the FCC is merely considering these proposals at the moment but, if either are adopted, it could permanently change the mobile broadband landscape. First up, the commission is considering reassigning the 2GHz band from MSS (Mobile Satellite Service) to AWS (Advances Wireless Service). If adopted, the new rules would clear the way for Dish to launch its LTE network and enter the 4G market. It will also irk AT&T, which has been trying to tie up the spectrum following the collapse of the T-Mobile merger, most likely because the carrier hoped to use the 2GHz band itself.

Secondly, and perhaps even more important, is a proposal that would place new interoperability rules on the 700MHz spectrum used by both Verizon and AT&T for their LTE service. Until now concerns over interference have kept most 700MHz devices from being able to hop between the different blocks of spectrum. This is a particularly big issue for small and rural carriers which own some chunks of real estate in the band, but lack the buying power to convince big OEMs to make handsets for their networks. Obviously, there's still some haranguing to do before either of these proposals become law and you can bet AT&T will do its best to derail both efforts. Still, it's a good sign to see the FCC even taking up the issues. You can watch the entire debate at the source link.

[Tower photo via Shutterstock]

Update: As one of our tipsters has pointed out, it appears that the interoperability rules would only apply to the lower 700MHz band occupied by AT&T, not the upper band used by Verizon. Alas, that means we won't have Big Red and Ma Bell playing nice with their LTE anytime soon.

[Thanks, Karen]

Continue reading FCC weighs Dish 4G network and 700MHz interoperability (updated)

FCC weighs Dish 4G network and 700MHz interoperability (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2GHz700MHzAdvanced Wireless ServicesAdvancedWirelessServicesattAWSdishdish networkDishNetworkFCCfederal communications commissionFederalCommunicationsCommissiongovernmenthdpostcrossmobile satellite servicemobilepostcrossMobileSatelliteServiceMSSregulationWed, 21 Mar 2012 14:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 review (Verizon Wireless LTE)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/21/samsung-galaxy-tab-7-7-review-verizon-wireless-lte/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/21/samsung-galaxy-tab-7-7-review-verizon-wireless-lte/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/21/samsung-galaxy-tab-7-7-review-verizon-wireless-lte/#comments Samsung's Galaxy Tab series boasts seven distinct models. Throw in all of the variants of each one -- LTE, WiFi, WiMAX and even the Galaxy Note 10.1 if you want to be picky -- and all of a sudden the number of tablets produced by the Korean electronics giant over the past sixteen months shoots up to exceed twenty. In a vast sea of incredibly similar-looking Android slates, there's one model that dares to be different: the Galaxy Tab 7.7, an oddly sized tablet with a stunning Super AMOLED Plus display.

Last month, we were given the opportunity to review the global version, and definitely liked what we saw. It's an understatement, then, to say that we were ecstatic to give Verizon's LTE version a run for its money (which, at $500 with a two-year commitment and $700 without, is a lot). What did Big Red choose to tweak? How's the battery life once you factor in that next-gen network? These answers and more are coming your way after the break.

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 LTE overview

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 review (Verizon Wireless LTE)

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 review (Verizon Wireless LTE) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4g700mhzgalaxy tab 7.7galaxy tab 7.7 lteGalaxyTab7.7GalaxyTab7.7Lteinfraredirir emitterIrEmitterltelte band 13LteBand13mobilepostcrossreviewsamsungsamsung galaxy tab 7.7 lteSamsungGalaxyTab7.7Ltetab 7.7Tab7.7verizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessvideovzwWed, 21 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mobile Miscellany: week of March 12th, 2012]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/17/mobile-miscellany-week-of-march-12th-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/17/mobile-miscellany-week-of-march-12th-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/17/mobile-miscellany-week-of-march-12th-2012/#comments Mobile Miscellany: week of March 12th, 2012Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, we've seen T-Mobile expand its network coverage and take an argument to the FCC regarding interoperability requirements of the 700MHz band. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of March 12th, 2012.

Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of March 12th, 2012

Mobile Miscellany: week of March 12th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 17 Mar 2012 19:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4g700mhzandroidandroid 4.0Android4.0bellbell mobilityBellMobilitycaliforniacanadacellular oneCellular One of Northeast PennsylvaniaCellularOneCellularOneOfNortheastPennsylvaniafccfloridagalaxy ace plusGalaxyAcePlusgooglehspahspa plusHspaPlushtchtc one vhtc one xHtcOneVHtcOneXice cream sandwichIceCreamSandwichiosltemissourimmmobile miscellanyMobileMiscellanymobilepostmininavigationnokianokia mapsNokiaMapso2one vone xOneVOneXpennsylvaniasamsungsamsung galaxy ace plusSamsungGalaxyAcePlussmartphonesmartphonesspectrumt-mobiletexastmobileukvirgin mobileVirginMobilewisconsinSat, 17 Mar 2012 19:06:00 EST<![CDATA[Canada relaxes rules on foreign ownership of wireless companies, plans spectrum auction for first half of 2013]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/14/canada-relaxes-rules-on-foreign-ownership-of-wireless-companies/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/14/canada-relaxes-rules-on-foreign-ownership-of-wireless-companies/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/14/canada-relaxes-rules-on-foreign-ownership-of-wireless-companies/#comments
The Canadian government made a major announcement on telecom policy late this afternoon, revealing a change that opens the door to more foreign ownership of wireless companies -- an issue that's been a point of contention for some time. As The Globe & Mail reports, the new rules will allow for 100 percent ownership of companies with a market share of ten percent or less -- something that can then grow beyond ten percent, so long as it's not done through mergers or takeovers. Previously, total foreign ownership in telecom companies has been restricted to 46.7 percent.

Along with that news, the government also confirmed that the anticipated 700MHz spectrum auction will take place in the first half of 2013 (with a 2500 MHz auction to follow within a year), and that there will be caps in place that are said to "effectively ensure that new wireless entrants and regional providers have access to prime spectrum." The auction will also have some conditions intended to bring service to rural areas, and there will be a block of spectrum reserved for public safety use. All of this, the government says, is intended to "provide Canadian families with more choices at low prices," although we'll naturally have to wait and see if that last bit pans out.

[Tower photo via Shutterstock]

Canada relaxes rules on foreign ownership of wireless companies, plans spectrum auction for first half of 2013 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 17:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4g4g lte4gLte700mhzauctioncanadacanadian governmentCanadianGovernmentforeign ownershipForeignOwnershipharper governmentHarperGovernmentltemobilepostcrosspolicyrulesspectrumspectrum auctionSpectrumAuctiontelecomwirelessWed, 14 Mar 2012 17:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Mobile Miscellany: week of February 13th, 2012]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/18/mobile-miscellany-week-of-february-13th-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/18/mobile-miscellany-week-of-february-13th-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/18/mobile-miscellany-week-of-february-13th-2012/#comments Mobile Miscellany: week of February 13th, 2012Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This week, we bring you announcements of LTE expansion from AT&T, US Cellular and Verizon, along with news of three Samsung smartphones that received WiFi certification -- each are thought to be high-end devices and bound for US carriers. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride. Let's explore the "best of the rest" for this week of February 13th, 2012.

Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of February 13th, 2012

Mobile Miscellany: week of February 13th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 18 Feb 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4g700mhzattblaze 4gBlaze4gcanadafccgalaxy s blaze 4gGalaxySBlaze4ghtchtc radarHtcRadarltelumia 610lumia 800Lumia610Lumia800mmmobile miscellanyMobileMiscellanymobilepostmininew jerseyNewJerseynokianokia lumia 610nokia lumia 800NokiaLumia610NokiaLumia800pennsylvaniaradarrcaRural Cellular AssociationRuralCellularAssociationsamsungSGH-I535SGH-T999spectrumSPH-L710sprintt-mobiletelustmobileus cellularUsCellularverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelesswifiwindwind mobileWindMobileSat, 18 Feb 2012 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[AT&T's hungry eyes turning toward Leap, Dish or MetroPCS?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/16/att-eyeing-dish-metropcs-leap/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/16/att-eyeing-dish-metropcs-leap/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/16/att-eyeing-dish-metropcs-leap/#comments AT&T's hungry eyes turning toward Leap, Dish or MetroPCS?
Publicly, at least, AT&T is bursting at the seams as it runs out of space to put all of its customers. The failed $39 billion purchase of T-Mobile was all about trying to match (or better) Verizon's reserves of wireless spectrum. Given the FCC's blocking of LightSquared and stymieing of future spectrum auctions for the time being, AT&T needs to make some more acquisitions -- the $1.9 billion purchase of Qualcomm's small slice of the airwaves isn't enough. If the Wall Street Journal is to be believed, there's a whiteboard in Whitacre Tower with Dish, Leap and MetroPCS written all over it. Reportedly, a purchase of Leap is the nearest to fruition, with "under the table" talks already underway. However, the Cricket Wireless operator would only provide a short-term solution to Ma Bell's very long-term woes. The other big target is Dish Network's reserved spectrum, kept back for its own planned broadband network, but if it fails to get Government approval, it might look to offload it. Third on the roster and marked as "highly unlikely" is a purchase of MetroPCS. The carrier was bitterly opposed to the T-Mo merger and pouted at the idea of purchasing some of Big Blue's divested assets, so if those two met around a table, they'd have a lot of awkward apologizing to do.

Image courtesy of Fierce Mobile Content

AT&T's hungry eyes turning toward Leap, Dish or MetroPCS? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Feb 2012 06:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4G700MHz700MHz Spectrum700mhzSpectrum800MHzAcquisitionATTBusinessCricket WirelessCricketWirelessDish NetworkDishNetworkFCCFierce MobileFierceMobileJulius GenachowskiJuliusGenachowskiLeap WirelessLeapWirelessLTEMergerMetroPCSmobilepostcrossPurchaseRumorSpectrumT-MobileVerizonWall Street JournalWallStreetJournalWirelessWireless AuctionWireless SpectrumWirelessAuctionWirelessSpectrumWSJThu, 16 Feb 2012 06:44:00 EST<![CDATA[AT&T's proposed spectrum transfer mapped out in T-Mobile magenta]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/25/att-tmobile-spectrum-transfer-map/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/25/att-tmobile-spectrum-transfer-map/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/25/att-tmobile-spectrum-transfer-map/#comments
Wondering what AT&T's proposed spectrum transfer would mean for T-Mobile? Check out the above graphic, from GigaOM. Created by a reader named Andrew Shepherd, this map displays which regional coverage T-Mobile will gain from the transfer, which was submitted to the FCC this week following the companies' failed merger. As you can see, AT&T is poised to sacrifice some of its AWS spectrum in some key markets, including Boston, Seattle and the Bay Area. According to Shepherd, however, the carrier only gave up enough AWS spectrum in areas where it had enough 700MHz capacity to fill the gap, without posing too great a risk to its LTE expansion. For a closer look, check out the source link below.

AT&T's proposed spectrum transfer mapped out in T-Mobile magenta originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10mhz20Mhz700mhzattawsbusinesscarriercoveragedealfccgraphicindustryLTElte-advancedmapmobilepostminimoneynetworkspectrumspectrum transferSpectrumTransfert-mobileUSUSAwirelessWed, 25 Jan 2012 08:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Wilson Electronics introduces the world's first LTE signal booster ahead of CES]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/03/wilson-electronics-introduces-the-worlds-first-lte-signal-boost/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/03/wilson-electronics-introduces-the-worlds-first-lte-signal-boost/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/03/wilson-electronics-introduces-the-worlds-first-lte-signal-boost/#comments
Love Verizon's LTE but just can't seem to get bars of service in your office or home? Wilson Electronics has announced the Sleek4G-V, which the company claims is the world's first 4G mobile signal booster. We haven't found any contenders to the claim, but either way the signal enhancer is bound and determined to beef up your high-speed data. In addition to providing Verizon-specific LTE, Wilson promises 2G / 3G connectivity for all major US carriers (iDEN capabilities excluded) just in case you need to actually, y'know, make calls on your phone. While it's designed primarily for outdoor use, an optional accessory kit can be purchased to make it work indoors quite soundly. Listed for $150, the Sleek4G-V should make its way to retailers by the second quarter of this year. Check out the press release for all the details.

Continue reading Wilson Electronics introduces the world's first LTE signal booster ahead of CES

Wilson Electronics introduces the world's first LTE signal booster ahead of CES originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4g700mhzattboostercesces 2012Ces2012ltelte band 13LteBand13mobilepostcrosssignal boosterSignalBoostersleek4g-vt-mobileverizonwilson electronicsWilsonElectronicsTue, 03 Jan 2012 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[AT&T completes acquisition of Qualcomm's FLO TV spectrum]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/27/atandt-completes-acquisition-of-qualcomms-flo-tv-spectrum/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/27/atandt-completes-acquisition-of-qualcomms-flo-tv-spectrum/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/27/atandt-completes-acquisition-of-qualcomms-flo-tv-spectrum/#commentsIt's only been five days since it's gotten the official go ahead, but AT&T's wasted no time in completing its acquisition of a swath of 700MHz spectrum from Qualcomm. Those airwaves, which formerly powered FLO TV, were purchased for a cool $1.9 billion and will now be repurposed to bolster Ma Bell's LTE network. It might not have been everything the carrier had hoped for, but some additional spectrum is better than none, right? Possibly the shortest press release you'll ever see awaits after the break.

Continue reading AT&T completes acquisition of Qualcomm's FLO TV spectrum

AT&T completes acquisition of Qualcomm's FLO TV spectrum originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>700MHzattFLO TVFloTvLTEQualcommQualcomm FLO TVQualcommFloTvwirelesswireless spectrumWirelessSpectrumTue, 27 Dec 2011 14:49:00 EST<![CDATA[FCC approves AT&T's $1.9b purchase of Qualcomm's 700MHz spectrum (update)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/22/fcc-approves-atandts-1-9b-purchase-of-qualcomms-700mhz-spectrum/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/22/fcc-approves-atandts-1-9b-purchase-of-qualcomms-700mhz-spectrum/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/22/fcc-approves-atandts-1-9b-purchase-of-qualcomms-700mhz-spectrum/#comments
Christmas has come early to the execs at AT&T, who are likely celebrating the FCC's 3-1 approval to purchase Qualcomm's block of the 700MHz spectrum for $1.9 billion. The news comes as a bittersweet victory for Ma Bell, whose efforts to acquire T-Mobile turned sour earlier this year. Qualcomm's block of the airwaves, once used to facilitate FLO TV, now sits unused. Once the acquisition is complete, AT&T will use the new share of spectrum to increase download capacity for its burgeoning LTE network.

For the FCC's part, it has approved the deal with only a few stipulations: AT&T will be required to satisfy interference requirements and must offer data roaming to its competitors on the spectrum. That's not to suggest everyone's pleased, however. Rural cellular providers asked that, as part of the deal, AT&T must ensure that its LTE network is interoperable with the bands used by smaller networks. Sadly, the FCC has denied this request, ostensibly limiting the little guy from receiving Ma Bell's hand-me-downs.

Update: AT&T has gone ahead and released a wee bit of celebratory PR, which we're including after the break. Most importantly, it expects to wrap up the finer details in the next few days.

Continue reading FCC approves AT&T's $1.9b purchase of Qualcomm's 700MHz spectrum (update)

FCC approves AT&T's $1.9b purchase of Qualcomm's 700MHz spectrum (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4g700mhzacquisitionagreementattbreaking newsBreakingNewsbuydealfccflo tvFloTvltemobilepostcrossnetworkpurchasequalcommspectrumwirelesswireless spectrumWirelessSpectrumThu, 22 Dec 2011 21:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Pantech P9070 brings a dose of AT&T LTE love to the FCC]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/15/pantech-p9070-brings-a-dose-of-atandt-lte-love-to-the-fcc/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/15/pantech-p9070-brings-a-dose-of-atandt-lte-love-to-the-fcc/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/15/pantech-p9070-brings-a-dose-of-atandt-lte-love-to-the-fcc/#comments
Pantech's making all sorts of progress in the US LTE market, first with the budget-friendly Breakout on Verizon and then the mysterious P4100 tablet that went through the FCC this week carrying AT&T 700 / 1700 LTE bands. Now, a handset that has the same frequencies as the aforementioned tablet (including Band 5, which uses 850MHz) just made it through the Federal approval process. Known only as the P9070, little is known about this device other than the fancy blueprint above and diagram-o'-measurements below. It already received WiFi certification in August, so it seems to have been in testing for a while. Could this be Pantech's big hit for CES 2012?

Continue reading Pantech P9070 brings a dose of AT&T LTE love to the FCC

Pantech P9070 brings a dose of AT&T LTE love to the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 23:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1700mhz4g700mhz850mhzandroidattfccgoogleltelte band 17lte band 4lte band 5LteBand17LteBand4LteBand5mobilepostminip9070pantechpantech p9070PantechP9070Thu, 15 Dec 2011 23:50:00 EST<![CDATA[FCC restarts review clock for AT&T's spectrum purchase, gives itself 180 days]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/12/fcc-restarts-review-clock-for-atandts-spectrum-purchase-gives-it/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/12/fcc-restarts-review-clock-for-atandts-spectrum-purchase-gives-it/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/12/fcc-restarts-review-clock-for-atandts-spectrum-purchase-gives-it/#comments
Back in August, the FCC decided to freeze the 180-day review clock on AT&T's proposed acquisition of Qualcomm's 700 MHz spectrum, citing lingering concerns over the carrier's ongoing T-Mobile saga. Now that AT&T and Deutsche Telekom have withdrawn their merger application, however, the Commission has decided to re-open the review period for the Qualcomm acquisition, giving itself a fresh 180 days to make a decision. In a letter published Friday, Wireless Bureau chief Rick Kaplan announced that the timetable would be reset, with a retroactive start date of November 29th -- the very day that the FCC granted AT&T's pullout from the T-Mobile deal. No word yet on when we can expect a decision, but we'll be keeping an eye out for the latest developments. Read the letter in full at the source link below.

FCC restarts review clock for AT&T's spectrum purchase, gives itself 180 days originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4g lte4gLte700 MHz spectrum700mhz700MhzSpectrumacquisitionattbusinesscarriercommissiondealDeutsche TelekomDeutscheTelekomfccgovernmentindustryltemobilepostcrossmoneynetworkproviderpurchasequalcommregulationregulatoryregulatory stuffRegulatoryStuffrick kaplanRickKaplanspectrumt-mobileMon, 12 Dec 2011 12:41:00 EST<![CDATA[AT&T's LG Nitro HD goes up for sale, LTE-enabled Gingerbread pep for $250]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/04/atandts-lg-nitro-hd-goes-up-for-sale-lte-enabled-gingerbread-pep/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/04/atandts-lg-nitro-hd-goes-up-for-sale-lte-enabled-gingerbread-pep/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/04/atandts-lg-nitro-hd-goes-up-for-sale-lte-enabled-gingerbread-pep/#comments
In case you forget that AT&T's latest LTE-equipped smartphone hit shelves today, consider this a friendly reminder from your mobile obsessed friends here at Engadget. We're talking about the LG's Nitro HD, the 4.5-inch device we lovingly handled last week -- loaded with a skinned version of Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread, running atop its peppy 1.5 GHz Qualcomm APQ8060 dual-core processor. If you'll recall, it's notably packing a 1280 x 720p screen resolution with an ultra-crisp looking 329ppi, an 8 megapixel rear camera (1.3 MP up front) and a healthy 4GB of internal storage supplemented by an included 16GB microSD card (expandable to 32GB). Thankfully, bloatware on the Nitro is at an all time low, but we'd be remiss if we didn't mention that's it's been confirmed to be loaded with the ickyness of Carrier IQ. Sure, it's not as tasty as an Ice Cream Sandwich, but if your hungering for LTE-enabled 4G speeds on Ma Bell, at least you now have a third option. It can be yours now for $250 with a two-year renewal of service, and you'll find more info at the source link below.

AT&T's LG Nitro HD goes up for sale, LTE-enabled Gingerbread pep for $250 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 04 Dec 2011 21:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.3 megapixel1.3Megapixel329ppi4.5-inch4g700mhz720p8 megapixel8Megapixelandroidandroid 2.3.5android gingerbreadAndroid2.3.5AndroidGingerbreadAPQ8060attatt lteAttLtecarrier iqCarrierIqcellphonedual coreDualCoregingerbreadipsLGlg nitro hdLgNitroHdltema bellMaBellmobilepostminiNITROnitro hdNitroHdqualcommsmartphoneSun, 04 Dec 2011 21:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket review]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/11/samsung-galaxy-s-ii-skyrocket-review/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/11/samsung-galaxy-s-ii-skyrocket-review/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/11/samsung-galaxy-s-ii-skyrocket-review/#comments Who knew AT&T's version of the Samsung Galaxy S II had a younger, larger brother on the way? Just a hair over a month after the carrier launched its flagship Android device, it's already set for another go-round. This one, the Galaxy S II Skyrocket, offers a larger display and "true" 4G connectivity using LTE -- yes, it's a pioneer blazing a new trail to Ma Bell's wild and untamed frontier, right alongside the HTC Vivid. It's time to answer the burning questions: what kinds of speeds are possible on AT&T's LTE network? Is the series' legendary battery life up to snuff on the next-gen network? Join us below to find out.

Gallery: Samsung Skyrocket gallery

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket review

Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>21mbps4g700mhzattgalaxy s iigalaxy s ii lteGalaxySIiGalaxySIiLtehspa+ltemobilepostcrossreviewsamsungsamsung galaxy s ii ltesamsung galaxy s ii skyrocketSamsungGalaxySIiLteSamsungGalaxySIiSkyrocketskyrocketvideoFri, 11 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Samsung i727 shows off at the FCC, confesses its AT&T LTE secrets]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/01/samsung-i727-shows-off-at-the-fcc-confesses-its-atandt-lte-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/01/samsung-i727-shows-off-at-the-fcc-confesses-its-atandt-lte-secret/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/01/samsung-i727-shows-off-at-the-fcc-confesses-its-atandt-lte-secret/#comments Looks like Sammy's prepping to bring one of its big Galaxy guns to AT&T's 4G race. The handset, bearing the same SGH-i727 model number as Rogers' Galaxy S II LTE and the FCC ID A3LSGHi727, just popped up on the Commission's databases giving us a glimpse into its guts and bolts. While there's no clear indication of the phone's screen size, it's likely to follow suit with a 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, adding to its beastly arsenal the orange-colored carrier's 850 / 1900 WCDMA and HSPA bands, 700MHz LTE and (surprise) LTE AWS -- helpful if that T-Mobile acquisition gets pushed through. Of course, there's the usual WiFi and Bluetooth mention in the docs, with the device powered by a 1500mAh battery. Could this be one of the OEM's recently announced wunderkind Galaxy R devices, or just a 4G update to its premiere S series? We'll keep an eagle eye out for this one's inevitable in-the-wild debut.

Samsung i727 shows off at the FCC, confesses its AT&T LTE secrets originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1500mAh1900mhz700MHz850MhzATTBluetoothGalaxy WGalaxyWi727LTELTE AWSLteAwsmobilepostcrossSamsungSamsung Galaxy WSamsung i727SamsungGalaxyWSamsungI727SGH-i727WiFiThu, 01 Sep 2011 12:14:00 EST<![CDATA[FCC halts AT&T's acquisition of Qualcomm spectrum, bundles it with T-Mobile merger review]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/09/fcc-halts-atandts-acquisition-of-qualcomm-spectrum-bundles-it-wi/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/09/fcc-halts-atandts-acquisition-of-qualcomm-spectrum-bundles-it-wi/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/09/fcc-halts-atandts-acquisition-of-qualcomm-spectrum-bundles-it-wi/#comments AT&T's LTE spectrum acquisitions just hit a minor bump in the federal road. In a recently released FCC statement, Wireless Bureau chief Rick Kaplan announced the decision to stop the 180 day review clock on the telco's proposed takeover of Qualcomm's 700MHz spectrum. The $1.9 billion deal, inked last December, isn't getting the regulatory axe, but due to a "number of related issues" concerning spectrum overlap with the still unapproved T-Mobile merger, the commission is bundling the two into one future review. Maybe it's time the carrier's industry backers pen another letter of support to Chairman Genachowski.

Update: Qualcomm's VP of Government Affairs Dean Brenner reached out to us with an official statement you can read after the break.

Continue reading FCC halts AT&T's acquisition of Qualcomm spectrum, bundles it with T-Mobile merger review

FCC halts AT&T's acquisition of Qualcomm spectrum, bundles it with T-Mobile merger review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Aug 2011 11:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>700mhz700mhzSpectrumATTFCCFCC ChairmanFCC Rick KaplanFccChairmanFccRickKaplanJulius GenachowskiJuliusGenachowskimobileQualcommQualcomm 700MhzQualcomm700mhzregulatoryregulatory issuesRegulatoryIssuesRick KaplanRickKaplanspectrumT-MobileTMobileTue, 09 Aug 2011 11:37:00 EST<![CDATA[FCC hails spectrum alliances with Canada and Mexico, seeks to reduce border conflicts]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/02/fcc-hails-spectrum-alliances-with-canada-and-mexico-seeks-to-re/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/02/fcc-hails-spectrum-alliances-with-canada-and-mexico-seeks-to-re/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/02/fcc-hails-spectrum-alliances-with-canada-and-mexico-seeks-to-re/#comments
It's not every day that the FCC enters into new multinational agreements, so you'll have to forgive us for getting excited over the latest communique between Chairman Julius Genachowski and his counterparts in Canada and Mexico. After much negotiation, the regulatory heads have created a framework to resolve frequency conflicts along our nations' borders. While the deal with Mexico only applies to the 700MHz spectrum, the agreement with Canada also covers the 800MHz range. By reducing interference and maximizing spectrum allocation, Genachowski believes "these arrangements will unleash investment and benefit consumers near the borders by enabling the rollout of 4G wireless broadband service and advanced systems for critical public safety and emergency response communications." Once the policies become official mandates, license holders must coordinate and implement techniques to mitigate signal interference or face some nasty regulatory intervention. If you're a sucker for policy, just leap the break for the full press release.

Continue reading FCC hails spectrum alliances with Canada and Mexico, seeks to reduce border conflicts

FCC hails spectrum alliances with Canada and Mexico, seeks to reduce border conflicts originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Aug 2011 18:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>700mhz800mhzagreementbandbandscanadafccfrequencyIndustry CanadaIndustryCanadaJulius GenachowskiJuliusGenachowskimexicopublic safetypublic safety networkPublicSafetyPublicSafetyNetworkregulationregulationsregulatorsspectrumunited statesUnitedStatesusaTue, 02 Aug 2011 18:48:00 EST<![CDATA[Verizon LTE: no roaming, even if you want to]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/15/verizon-lte-no-roaming-even-if-you-want-to/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/15/verizon-lte-no-roaming-even-if-you-want-to/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/15/verizon-lte-no-roaming-even-if-you-want-to/#comments Several companies are hopping on the LTE bandwagon, but it's turning out to be more isolating an experience than we hoped. According to PCMag, a Verizon spokesperson confirmed that its fourth-generation broadband network won't be compatible with other carriers in the US. As it turns out, Big Red and AT&T each own a separate block of 700MHz spectrum with only a fraction of overlap, leaving little room for phones on both networks to mingle with one another. There's not much hope for roaming on MetroPCS or LightSquared, either, as their waves of LTE run at 1700MHz and 1500MHz, respectively. This smattering of frequencies means it'll be near impossible to get roam on other companies' 4G networks nationally. What's worse, the ITU has approved twelve bands for LTE use around the world, so don't count on a wide selection of global devices -- and you thought sorting through international 3G was bad, didn't you? We're still a long way from learning our LTE roaming fate, but it appears the largest carrier in the US won't make the journey any easier on us.

Verizon LTE: no roaming, even if you want to originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Jul 2011 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1500mhz1700mhz4g700mhzattitulightsquaredlong term evolutionLongTermEvolutionltemetropcsroamroamingverizonverizon 4gverizon lteverizon wirelessVerizon4gVerizonLteVerizonWirelessvzwFri, 15 Jul 2011 08:40:00 EST<![CDATA[OnLive CEO reveals 'entirely new approach' to wireless, credits Rearden for toppling Shannon's Law]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/29/onlive-ceo-reveals-entirely-new-approach-to-wireless-credits/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/29/onlive-ceo-reveals-entirely-new-approach-to-wireless-credits/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/29/onlive-ceo-reveals-entirely-new-approach-to-wireless-credits/#comments "In advance, yes -- you're right, it's impossible. But nonetheless, we have ten radios all working at the same frequency, all at the Shannon limit... and there's no interference." You may not fully grok the significance of that statement, but anyone heavily involved in solving the wireless bandwidth crisis is probably dropjawed. For a little background, there's a perceived limit in wireless known as Shannon's Law, which largely explains why no one can watch a YouTube clip on their EVO at Michigan Stadium. For whatever reason, it's been assumed that this law was fundamentally unbreakable, but it looks as if an unlikely member of society may have just overrode expectations. OnLive's CEO Steve Perlman recently revealed a breakthrough from Rearden Companies -- in short, they've figured out a workaround, and in testing, it's doing things like "removing dead zones" altogether. His slide, shown during a presentation at Columbia, notes that the implications here are "profound," and we couldn't agree more. Do yourself a solid and hit play in the video below the break -- we've fast-forwarded to where this section begins.

Continue reading OnLive CEO reveals 'entirely new approach' to wireless, credits Rearden for toppling Shannon's Law

OnLive CEO reveals 'entirely new approach' to wireless, credits Rearden for toppling Shannon's Law originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>700mhzcapacitycolumbiacongestioninfrastructureinterferenceonlivereardenRearden CompaniesReardenCompaniesshannons lawShannonsLawspectrumspectrum crunchSpectrumCrunchSteve PerlmanStevePerlmanuniversityvideowirelesswwanWed, 29 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Verizon lights LTE in 19 new locales today]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/16/verizon-lights-lte-in-19-new-locales-today/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/16/verizon-lights-lte-in-19-new-locales-today/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/16/verizon-lights-lte-in-19-new-locales-today/#comments We had a good feeling that June 16th would be remembered for new thrills. In addition to America's first roller coaster opening at Coney Island in 1884, Verizon and T-Mobile are blanketing large swaths of users in 4G waves today. For Big Red's part, it's lighting up the 700 MHz spectrum in 19 metropolitan areas, including: Fresno, Sacramento, Spokane, Boise, Salt Lake City, Dayton, Grand Rapids, Milwaukee and Hartford, and expanding coverage in San Francisco and Detroit. If you're disappointed that your city wasn't mentioned, hit the break for the full list -- there's ten more cities in the PR. As for progress, Verizon claims its LTE coverage extends to 74 locales as of today, which puts the company halfway toward its goal of 147 cities by year's end. Not a bad use for Block C purchases, eh?

Continue reading Verizon lights LTE in 19 new locales today

Verizon lights LTE in 19 new locales today originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Jun 2011 23:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4g700 MHz700MhzcellularcoverageexpansionltemobilenetworkT-MobileTMobileverizonverizon lteverizon wirelessVerizonLteVerizonWirelessvzwThu, 16 Jun 2011 23:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Rural Carrier Association not happy with AT&T's MediaFLO spectrum buy, asks FCC to reject it]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/15/rural-carrier-association-not-happy-with-atandts-mediaflo-spectru/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/15/rural-carrier-association-not-happy-with-atandts-mediaflo-spectru/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/15/rural-carrier-association-not-happy-with-atandts-mediaflo-spectru/#commentsThe Rural Carrier Association -- representing some of the US' smallest carriers -- has a tumultuous relationship (at best) with industry giants AT&T and Verizon; major sticking points over the past several years have revolved around handset exclusivity and roaming deals that the rural guys need for their subscribers to have functional devices outside their relatively small footprints. The latest battlefront looks to be AT&T's deal to buy the juicy, high-value 700MHz spectrum that Qualcomm had been using to run its MediaFLO network, which the RCA says is a little excessive in light of the fact that the company and Verizon together already hold 70 percent of the available 700MHz airspace out there -- prime territory for LTE. The complaint might be a decoy, though: right in its press release, the RCA says that if the FCC does approve the purchase, it should require automatic roaming on the spectrum so that rural carriers have a chance to offer its customers 4G service there. Presumably, the RCA realizes its chances of actually getting the deal rejected are small -- so it's tying it all back in to the existing roaming concerns it's had. We see what you did there, guys! Follow the break for the press release.

Continue reading Rural Carrier Association not happy with AT&T's MediaFLO spectrum buy, asks FCC to reject it

Rural Carrier Association not happy with AT&T's MediaFLO spectrum buy, asks FCC to reject it originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>700mhzattmediaflomobilequalcommrcaruralrural carrier associationRuralCarrierAssociationspectrumTue, 15 Mar 2011 18:42:00 EST<![CDATA[White House backs plan to reserve 700MHz 'D Block' for public safety network]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/28/white-house-backs-plan-to-reserve-700mhz-d-block-for-public-sa/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/28/white-house-backs-plan-to-reserve-700mhz-d-block-for-public-sa/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/28/white-house-backs-plan-to-reserve-700mhz-d-block-for-public-sa/#commentsPublic safety agencies in the US have been pushing for some time to have the so-called 'D Block' portion of the 700MHz wireless spectrum all to themselves, and it looks like they can now officially count on the support of the White House in that effort. The Obama administration announced today that it's backing plans to reserve the airwaves -- estimated to be worth $3 billion if they were auctioned off -- for a new national public safety network, and it also plans to ask Congress to approve the additional spending needed to actually build out the network, which the FCC estimates could cost as much as $15 billion. As The Wall Street Journal notes, the fate of the proposed network is now largely in the hands of House Republicans, who remain divided on the plan -- although some key members have come out in support of it in recent days.

White House backs plan to reserve 700MHz 'D Block' for public safety network originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>700mhzd blockd-blockDBlockobamaObama AdministrationObamaAdministrationpublic safety networkPublicSafetyNetworkspectrumwhite houseWhiteHousewirelesswireless networkwireless specturmWirelessNetworkWirelessSpecturmFri, 28 Jan 2011 16:48:00 EST<![CDATA[FCC unanimously approves LTE standard for nationwide public safety network]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/25/fcc-unanimously-approves-lte-standard-for-nationwide-public-safe/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/25/fcc-unanimously-approves-lte-standard-for-nationwide-public-safe/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/25/fcc-unanimously-approves-lte-standard-for-nationwide-public-safe/#commentsThe FCC's been looking to establish a nationwide public safety network since the early days of the infamous 700MHz spectrum auction, and while it never quite accomplished that task, the commission has made a small but important step -- it's unanimously decided that Long Term Evolution (LTE) will be the one ring that binds all future chunks of public safety radio band. Of course, this wasn't a terribly hard decision for the FCC to make, as major commercial cellular carriers and a number of regional public safety agencies have already invested in LTE equipment for the 700MHz band... and the decision doesn't yet specify a voice standard. All that's been decided upon is how those countless packets of data will float over the air. How will disparate groups of first responders communicate with one another in the event of a national emergency? That's what the organization is asking you right now -- feel free to contact the FCC anytime within the next 45 days with your proposal.

Continue reading FCC unanimously approves LTE standard for nationwide public safety network

FCC unanimously approves LTE standard for nationwide public safety network originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 22:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>700MHz700mhz spectrum700mhzSpectrumFCCfederal communications commissionFederalCommunicationsCommissionlong term evolutionLongTermEvolutionLTEnetworkproposalpublic safetypublic safety networkPublicSafetyPublicSafetyNetworksafetywirelessTue, 25 Jan 2011 22:04:00 EST<![CDATA[FCC to auction off deadbeat bidders' 700MHz spectrum on July 19th, 2011]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/15/fcc-to-auction-off-deadbeat-bidders-700mhz-spectrum-on-july-19t/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/15/fcc-to-auction-off-deadbeat-bidders-700mhz-spectrum-on-july-19t/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/15/fcc-to-auction-off-deadbeat-bidders-700mhz-spectrum-on-july-19t/#commentsIf there's one thing we've learned from our stratospheric rise in smartphone adoption over the past several years (with no end in sight), it's that we can never have enough spectrum to run data services for them -- just ask the chairman of the FCC, the president of the CTIA, or pretty much anyone who's ever tried to load Engadget on an iPhone in Times Square. To that end, we're excited to see that the FCC has slated another round of 700MHz spectrum -- the pure gold that Verizon, AT&T, and others are using for LTE deployments -- but we wouldn't get too excited, because it's actually just a few blocks left over from the last auction that went unsold or unpaid. Markets in Puerto Rico, North Dakota, North Carolina, and South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia make up the 16 licenses available, so if you were planning on setting up 4G services in the Bismarck metropolitan area, you're in good shape.

FCC to auction off deadbeat bidders' 700MHz spectrum on July 19th, 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4g700mhzauctionfccltespectrumWed, 15 Dec 2010 19:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Cellular South hooks up with Samsung for LTE network, two LTE-enabled phones next year]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/25/cellular-south-hooks-up-with-samsung-for-lte-network-two-lte-en/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/25/cellular-south-hooks-up-with-samsung-for-lte-network-two-lte-en/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/25/cellular-south-hooks-up-with-samsung-for-lte-network-two-lte-en/#comments Regional carriers -- which historically haven't had the highest-tech networks around -- have been surprisingly quick to support LTE (heck, MetroPCS remains the only US carrier with a live network), and now it's little Cellular South jumping on the bandwagon. Samsung sent out a press release a few days ago touting a new partnership to help Cellular South in its grand endeavor, supplying both infrastructure equipment and two LTE-compatible phones for a launch in 2011 with expanded availability in 2012 in the carrier's 700MHz spectrum. Interestingly, the companies have also committed to launch voice over LTE next year, meaning Cellular South will no longer need to rely on its legacy 3G network for phone calls -- that's something that Big Red won't be doing initially when its network goes live next month, though it's not clear what standard Cellular South will be using for the deployment. Follow the break for the full press release.

Continue reading Cellular South hooks up with Samsung for LTE network, two LTE-enabled phones next year

Cellular South hooks up with Samsung for LTE network, two LTE-enabled phones next year originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Nov 2010 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>700mhzcellular southCellularSouthltemobilesamsungvoice over lteVoiceOverLteThu, 25 Nov 2010 17:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Qualcomm says all options are on the table for FLO TV, including sale of spectrum]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/08/qualcomm-says-all-options-are-on-the-table-for-flo-tv-including/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/08/qualcomm-says-all-options-are-on-the-table-for-flo-tv-including/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/08/qualcomm-says-all-options-are-on-the-table-for-flo-tv-including/#comments FLO TV may be dead as we know it, but it's still a significant asset for Qualcomm, and it looks like the company is keeping all options on the table for what to do with it. As CEO Paul Jacobs himself laid out during a recent analysts' conference call, that includes a possible restructuring of FLO TV's wholesale business model, a joint venture with a third party, or a complete shutdown of the service and sale of its sure-to-be-valuable 700MHz spectrum. On that latter possibility, there's apparently been some "strong interest" from various parties looking to use he FLO TV network or spectrum for one purpose or another, although specifics beyond that are obviously still being kept under wraps.

Qualcomm says all options are on the table for FLO TV, including sale of spectrum originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Nov 2010 07:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>700mhz700mhz spectrum700mhzSpectrumfloflo tvFloTvmediafloqualcommspectrumMon, 08 Nov 2010 07:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Public safety agencies want D Block for themselves, FCC still seeking auction]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/27/public-safety-agencies-want-d-block-for-themselves-fcc-still-se/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/27/public-safety-agencies-want-d-block-for-themselves-fcc-still-se/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/27/public-safety-agencies-want-d-block-for-themselves-fcc-still-se/#comments The 700MHz 'D Block' has been the subject of much debate over the past few years, primarily because the FCC's master plan to auction it off -- yet require the winner to open up the waves for public safety use on command -- didn't exactly pan out. Post-failure, the agency made clear its plans to host up another auction or two in order to accomplish the same goal via slightly different means, but now public safety entities are coming forward with a healthy amount of opposition. Rob Davis, head of the San Jose Police Department, puts it bluntly: "If they auction this spectrum, we've lost it forever." These public safety officials also have allies in Congress, with many worried that auctioning off the spectrum may lead to an inability to accurately wield bandwidth in a hurry if needed during a national emergency. The FCC plan also alleviates the cost issue, but public advocates have a solution there as well -- they say that if given the 'D Block' outright, they could "lease excess airwaves to commercial carriers since they would not always need all of it." Of course, that's a pretty big assumption about the willingness of carriers to lease space, and we suspect a lot more back-and-forth will go on here in the coming months. Oh, the drama.

Public safety agencies want D Block for themselves, FCC still seeking auction originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>700mhzbroadbandbroadband planBroadbandPland blockDBlockfccgovernmentinternetmobile broadbandmobile internetMobileBroadbandMobileInternetnational broadband planNationalBroadbandPlanpublic safetypublic safety networkPublicSafetyPublicSafetyNetworkspectrumSpectrumAuctionwirelesswwanTue, 27 Jul 2010 08:18:00 EST<![CDATA[FCC expects 700MHz 'D Block' to see auction in 2011]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/22/fcc-expects-700mhz-d-block-to-see-auction-in-2011/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/22/fcc-expects-700mhz-d-block-to-see-auction-in-2011/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/22/fcc-expects-700mhz-d-block-to-see-auction-in-2011/#comments Birds fly, grass grows, and the FCC auctions off wireless spectrum. It's just one of those inevitable facts of life. In 2008, the Commission sure sold plenty of the stuff, with both AT&T and Verizon trading billions of dollars for enough building-penetrating 700MHz bandwidth to start LTE networks (that's 4G, vaquero!) as early as next year. One huge chunk of spectrum didn't sell, however: the infamous Block 'D,' subject to a unique FCC mandate that required it to be shared with first responders and government agencies for public safety. Last we heard, 'D' was in limbo awaiting a new auction, but Reuters reports that said wait may be nearly over. According to Jamie Barnett, the FCC's Chief of Public Safety, the entity could test the waters as early as this summer, and start Auction 76 in earnest by Q1 or Q2 of 2011. Who might bid at that late date is still uncertain -- would-be 4G competitors will be way behind Verizon and AT&T by that time -- but it seems a mighty fine idea for paramedic phones to work while buried under rubble, regardless.

FCC expects 700MHz 'D Block' to see auction in 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 07:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4G700mhz700mhz auction700mhz spectrum700mhzAuction700mhzSpectrumATTauctionbandwidthD blockDBlockFCCJamie BarnettJamieBarnettLTEspectrumSpectrumAuctionVerizonVerzonWirelessWireless Spectrumwireless spectrum auctionWirelessSpectrumWirelessSpectrumAuctionMon, 22 Mar 2010 07:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Cox trials voice calls, streaming HD video over new LTE network]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/25/cox-trials-voice-calls-streaming-hd-video-over-new-lte-network/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/25/cox-trials-voice-calls-streaming-hd-video-over-new-lte-network/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/25/cox-trials-voice-calls-streaming-hd-video-over-new-lte-network/#commentsCox Communications is just now kicking off slivers of its CDMA network in Virginia, California, and Nebraska, but it's already got its sights firmly fixed on 4G services, too, having announced today the "successful completion" of LTE trials in Phoenix and San Diego supported by infrastructure from Alcatel-Lucent and Huawei. Notably, both voice calling (a hot topic in 4G right now, since there aren't any commercial handsets in the field yet) and HD video streaming were tested -- a nice little tie-in with Cox's cable biz. Airspace for all of this newfound interest in the wireless space comes from Cox's recent spectrum acquisitions in the 700MHz and AWS ranges; granted, even in a best-case scenario these guys would have to negotiated a bunch of serious roaming deals to take their service national, but in the meantime, anyone lucky enough to be within range of a Cox tower might very well be in the first wave of Americans to enjoy the spoils LTE has to offer. Follow the break for Cox's full press release.

Continue reading Cox trials voice calls, streaming HD video over new LTE network

Cox trials voice calls, streaming HD video over new LTE network originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4g700mhzawscoxcox communicationsCoxCommunicationsltemobilestreamstreamingstreaming hdstreaming hd videostreaming videoStreamingHdStreamingHdVideoStreamingVideoMon, 25 Jan 2010 16:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen sells LTE spectrum to AT&T]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/17/microsoft-co-founder-paul-allen-sells-lte-spectrum-to-atandt-in-da/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/17/microsoft-co-founder-paul-allen-sells-lte-spectrum-to-atandt-in-da/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/17/microsoft-co-founder-paul-allen-sells-lte-spectrum-to-atandt-in-da/#commentsHere's one straight from the depths of left field. If you'll recall, Microsoft's co-founder Paul Allen was considering buying a bit of spectrum from the 700MHz auction after founding Vulcan Spectrum LLC. Evidently, the guy's bid ended in a win, but he's obviously not so keen on getting in on the flagging MVNO business. According to a document filed with the FCC, Allen has agreed to sell the licenses he owns -- which cover sections of Oregon and Washington -- to AT&T, though the carrier isn't disclosing financial terms. According to AT&T spokesman Michael Coe, the company is making the purchase to "meet customer demand and to support its transition to LTE." Unfortunately, Mr. Allen wasn't available to say what he was planning to do with the proceeds, though we did hear that one Kayne West was available to reiterate his belief that LTE was the best of all time.

[Via phonescoop]

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Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen sells LTE spectrum to AT&T originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4g700mhzatandtATTfcclicenseltemicrosoftmobilepaul allenPaulAllenspectrumvulcan spectrumVulcanSpectrumThu, 17 Sep 2009 14:17:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen sells LTE spectrum to AT&T]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/17/microsoft-co-founder-paul-allen-sells-lte-spectrum-to-atandt-in-da/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/17/microsoft-co-founder-paul-allen-sells-lte-spectrum-to-atandt-in-da/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/17/microsoft-co-founder-paul-allen-sells-lte-spectrum-to-atandt-in-da/#commentsHere's one straight from the depths of left field. If you'll recall, Microsoft's co-founder Paul Allen was considering buying a bit of spectrum from the 700MHz auction after founding Vulcan Spectrum LLC. Evidently, the guy's bid ended in a win, but he's obviously not so keen on getting in on the flagging MVNO business. According to a document filed with the FCC, Allen has agreed to sell the licenses he owns -- which cover sections of Oregon and Washington -- to AT&T, though the carrier isn't disclosing financial terms. According to AT&T spokesman Michael Coe, the company is making the purchase to "meet customer demand and to support its transition to LTE." Unfortunately, Mr. Allen wasn't available to say what he was planning to do with the proceeds, though we did hear that one Kayne West was available to reiterate his belief that LTE was the best of all time.

[Via phonescoop]

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Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen sells LTE spectrum to AT&T originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4g700mhzATTfcclicenseltemicrosoftpaul allenPaulAllenspectrumvulcan spectrumVulcanSpectrumThu, 17 Sep 2009 14:17:00 EST<![CDATA[700MHZ public safety "D Block" might be going regional for a new FCC auction]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/700mhz-public-safety-d-block-might-be-going-regional-for-a-new/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/700mhz-public-safety-d-block-might-be-going-regional-for-a-new/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/700mhz-public-safety-d-block-might-be-going-regional-for-a-new/#comments
Yeah, this does nothing for your own mobile surfing habits, but the FCC's desires to create a much-needed national wireless broadband standard for various public safety agencies are seeing a much-needed push. The safety-allotted 700MHz "D Block" didn't meet its reserve price in the auction earlier this year, since nobody thought they could manage a profit building and running a national public safety network. The new plan is to divvy up the spectrum space into regional licenses, but the FCC's auction strategy is two-fold. They've reduced the reserve price on the national network, and if a single bidder hits that $750 million pricetag the FCC will be selling the spectrum whole. Meanwhile they'll be running a piecemeal auction for 58 regional licenses, but they have to collectively pony up more than the single license auction nets. Mixed in with all this is an even more complicated winner-takes-all competition between WiMAX and LTE -- a win either way in the public sector could give the commercial proponents that edge they need in the consumer market. The FCC's going to decide on these crazy proposals on September 25th.

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700MHZ public safety "D Block" might be going regional for a new FCC auction originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Sep 2008 10:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>700mhzd blockDBlockfccltewimaxMon, 08 Sep 2008 10:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Cox using 700MHz winnings for mobile mystery device]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/22/cox-using-700mhz-winnings-for-for-mobile-mystery-device/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/22/cox-using-700mhz-winnings-for-for-mobile-mystery-device/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/22/cox-using-700mhz-winnings-for-for-mobile-mystery-device/#commentsAs it promised it would, Cox went big in the glitzy 700MHz auction a few months ago, coming away with a nice chunk of spectrum valued at some $304 million. That amount of outlay is nothing to sneeze at -- and it sounds like Cox is fully prepared to take the investment seriously, with president Patrick Esser commenting this week that his company intends to invest over half a billion dollars into the airwaves by the time all is said and done. Where's that money going? Some sort of vague "differentiated product" that it believes will help it miraculously capture 20 percent of the wireless market share by providing "simple" calling plans, integration with Cox's other content and services, and a consistent user experience across all its platforms. Bottom line, he really couldn't have revealed any less than he did -- but if we had to guess, they're looking to do some phones that can consume media from their set-top boxes and vice versa. Starting up an all-new network on the 700MHz band sure doesn't seem like a very cost-effective (or coverage-effective) way to do that, though.

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Cox using 700MHz winnings for mobile mystery device originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>700mhzauctioncoxcox communicationsCoxCommunicationsmobilespectrumFri, 22 Aug 2008 16:16:00 EST<![CDATA[Canada planning auction of "highly prized" 700MHz spectrum]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/29/canada-planning-auction-of-highly-prized-700mhz-spectrum/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/29/canada-planning-auction-of-highly-prized-700mhz-spectrum/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/29/canada-planning-auction-of-highly-prized-700mhz-spectrum/#comments
Having just completed a rather rousing auction of its AWS spectrum, Canada is now turning its attention to the 700MHz bandwidth that just got sold off south of its borders a few months back. Minister of Industry Jim Prentice says that he reckons an auction will take place about a year and a half from now, giving the dust from the AWS action enough time to settle -- and with any luck, there'll be some new players in the market by that point that could potentially give the big guys a run for their money on some of the licenses. If the US is any indication, much of the spectrum would ultimately be allocated by its winners to 4G buildouts, which require immense swaths of bandwidth to be maximally effective. Can't complain about that, unless you hate speed, we guess. Which we don't.

[Via MobileSyrup]

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Canada planning auction of "highly prized" 700MHz spectrum originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Jul 2008 04:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>700 mhz700MhzauctioncanadamobilespectrumTue, 29 Jul 2008 04:04:00 EST<![CDATA[AT&T's 3G comes out on top in speed tests, will only get faster in 2009]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/15/atandts-3g-comes-out-on-top-in-speed-tests-will-only-get-faster/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/15/atandts-3g-comes-out-on-top-in-speed-tests-will-only-get-faster/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/15/atandts-3g-comes-out-on-top-in-speed-tests-will-only-get-faster/#comments
The folks over at Computerworld just ran the current 3G providers in America through their paces, only to discover that AT&T came out on top in almost every category. Well, it appears the monolithic telco plans to keep its edge (er...) on the competition -- by upping its HSPA service to a whopping 20Mbps come 2009. Our main man Ralph de la Vega said that the process wouldn't require a major overhaul to the provider's infrastructure, and that they're already working on punching up the current 3.6Mbps speeds to 7.2Mbps "in the labs." Apparently, this won't stall plans for forthcoming 4G / 700MHz / LTE service from the company -- it'll just be icing on the cake.

Read - Which 3G network is the best?
Read - AT&T plans 20-megabit 3G by 2009

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AT&T's 3G comes out on top in speed tests, will only get faster in 2009 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 May 2008 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3g4g700mhzatandtattcdmaev doevdogsmhsdpahspahsupahsupa1ltemobileralph de la vegaRalphDeLaVegaspeed testsSpeedTestssprintstudiesverizon wirelessverizonwirelessThu, 15 May 2008 10:10:00 EST<![CDATA[AT&T's 3G comes out on top in speed tests, will only get faster in 2009]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/15/atandts-3g-comes-out-on-top-in-speed-tests-will-only-get-faster/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/15/atandts-3g-comes-out-on-top-in-speed-tests-will-only-get-faster/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/15/atandts-3g-comes-out-on-top-in-speed-tests-will-only-get-faster/#comments
The folks over at Computerworld just ran the current 3G providers in America through their paces, only to discover that AT&T came out on top in almost every category. Well, it appears the monolithic telco plans to keep its edge (er...) on the competition -- by upping its HSPA service to a whopping 20Mbps come 2009. Our main man Ralph de la Vega said that the process wouldn't require a major overhaul to the provider's infrastructure, and that they're already working on punching up the current 3.6Mbps speeds to 7.2Mbps "in the labs." Apparently, this won't stall plans for forthcoming 4G / 700MHz / LTE service from the company -- it'll just be icing on the cake.

Read - Which 3G network is the best?
Read - AT&T plans 20-megabit 3G by 2009

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AT&T's 3G comes out on top in speed tests, will only get faster in 2009 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 May 2008 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3g4g700mhzatthspalteralph de la vegaRalphDeLaVegaspeed testsSpeedTestsThu, 15 May 2008 10:10:00 EST