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Leaked FCC document details AT&T's 4G LTE rollout plans, talks up T-Mobile merger
On Friday, a law firm accidentally posted a letter to the FCC website, detailing AT&T's confidential 4G LTE rollout plans and explaining how they would be bolstered by a merger with T-Mobile. Arnold & Porter LLP, which is helping design the deal on AT&T's behalf, quickly removed its partially redacted document, but the folks over at Gizmodo have gotten their hands on it once again and recently posted it for our viewing pleasure. According to the document, AT&T plans to extend its US coverage to 70 million consumers by the end of this year, before ramping that figure up to 170 million by the end of 2012 and a full 250 million by the end of the following year. The carrier plans to achieve this by upgrading a full 44,000 of its nodes to LTE over the course of the next three years and, once its merger goes through, hopes to cover 97 percent of all Americans within the six years following approval. The letter goes on to explain how the economics behind the TIA-approved deal would help facilitate these aspirations, while confirming that the merger is indeed as expensive as earlier reported -- a whopping $3.8 billion, to be exact. To read the document in full, hit up the links, below.
LightSquared signs roaming agreement with ClearTalk, thumbs nose at industry opposition
For a nascent LTE network beset by GPS interference troubles, LightSquared's rolling right along, snatching up new clients for its wholesale service. The Phil Falcone-backed wireless upstart's just inked a roaming agreement with Flat Wireless' ClearTalk that'll extend nationwide coverage to customers in the small operator's footprint. The deal is the latest in a string of partnerships for the LTE wholesaler that'll see its 4G network roll-out to mostly rural and underserved markets -- barring any industry-mounted obstacles. Behind-the-scenes drama aside, it looks like the company's taking a business as usual approach to its much contested launch. Full PR after the break.
LightSquared's Phil Falcone talks to CNBC, airs his feud with Verizon and AT&T (video)
Time to call in the wireless waahmbulance. LightSquared's billionaire backer Phil Falcone made his television debut on CNBC's Power Lunch to cry foul at the behind-the-scenes lobbying drama that could put the brakes on his 4G dreams. The hedge fund manager pointed his finger at AT&T and Verizon, claiming both are trying to "stomp out innovation" and competition by working in cahoots with the Save Our GPS Coalition. The soon-to-launch LTE network continues to encounter significant opposition from the group, as its tests have shown LightSquared's planned 40,000 stations will transmit signals "up to 800 billion times" more powerful than low-powered GPS, effectively blocking it out. Falcone insists that all parties involved knew of the potential interference issues back in 2003, when the FCC first mandated the network's build-out, and promises a switch to the company's lower block of spectrum will remedy 99 percent of the problem. Whichever side of this he said / they said brouhaha you believe, one thing's for sure -- the 4G race is getting pretty ugly.
Verizon Wireless year-end roadmap leaks, Android and LTE spotted on the horizon?
Nope. There's no mention of a Nexus Prime in this glimpse of VZW future, but don't let that stop you from drooling over the purported goods. The leaked shot over on IGN lays out a back-to-school road filled with Android phones a plenty, and one lone RIM entry. September 8th is gearing up to be a busy Thursday for Big Red, with launches slated for the Droid Bionic, Motorola Xoom 4G, BlackBerry Curve 9370 (the LTE cousin of 'Apollo'?) and Samsung Stratosphere -- the operator's rumored Galaxy S II variant. The end of the month gets a 2.3 combo of Gingerbread phones as the Samsung Illusion (codenamed Viper), and HTC Bliss touch down on the 29th. Refreshes for a couple of the carrier's early LTE phones debut in October, when the Thunderbolt gets pushed aside by the virile HTC Vigor and LG gets a redo with the Revolution 2. Samsung's Galaxy Tab P8 (most likely the Galaxy Tab 8.9) gets an unconfirmed November mention, while BlackBerry's PlayBook languishes in a release date grey zone. Ready for that end-of-year upgrade? From the looks of things, there'll be no dearth of options.
LightSquared donates phones to North American tribes, keeps the rural connectivity flame a burnin'
It looks like LightSquared's crush on rural America is still ongoing, folks. The firm announced today it'll donate 2,000 satellite phones to the Indian Health Service and other tribal organizations, allowing them to make calls in areas that terrestrial networks don't cover. Sadly, no details on exactly what gear it's deploying, but according to Computerworld the devices are voice-only, meaning IHS employees better get pretty damn crafty if they want to surf Engadget whilst on the job -- can you say dial-up tether? Either way, with connectivity headed to facilities in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Arizona, can the firm's wholesale debut be that far off? We'll have to see, but in the meantime, indulge in the official PR beyond the break.
Verizon LTE-packing HP Compaq Mini CQ10-688nr hitting the retail cloud on August 4th
It's the not the first laptop to sport Verizon Wireless's LTE -- the HP Pavilion dm1-3010nr grabbed that title about a week ago -- but the Compaq Mini CQ10-688nr is being touted by VZW as its first netbook to pack the technology. The 10-inch system, which was first announced back in January, packs 250GB of storage, 1GB of RAM, and a multicard reader into a three-pound frame. Oh, and you also get access to HP's Cloud Drive -- you don't want that 4G technology to go to waste, do you? The netbook will go on sale via Verizon's site on August 4th for $450.
Leaked memo slates Xoom 4G upgrade for September, early adopters weep (updated)
To say we've been patiently waiting for the Xoom's promised 4G upgrade would certainly be an understatement. It looks like those of you counting on blistering speeds this summer are flat out of luck, as the LTE overhaul apparently won't begin until fall. Droid-Life's got a snap of a seemingly official Verizon memo, which alleges that the FCC-espied gratis upgrade will apparently land sometime in September. Also mentioned are links to Big Red's website on how to backup and package one's slate for its eventual voyage back to Moto's mothership. Hop on over to the source to see the full communiqué, and peep the more coverage links if you enjoy being prepared entirely too far in advance. Update: A tipster has kindly sent us a copy of Verizon's email. It's looking pretty official, folks.
Verizon's Innovation Center opens its doors to LTE product development
Not sure if you've noticed, but there's an LTE race going on and VZW's wasting no time sprinting to the lead. Despite rival AT&T's February launch of a similar R&D space in Texas, Verizon's cutting its first big red bow on the two years in the making Innovation Center. Located just outside Boston, the Waltham, Massachusetts-based labs began churning out LTE-friendly products in October of 2009, developing 30+ products to date. While most of these may never ride along the borderline blazing speeds of real-world LTE, the environment does give small startups a leg-up in a collaborative, deep-pocketed space (insert emphasis here). The research center also does double duty for the operator's bottom line, offering its Verizon Ventures group first dibs on investment opportunities -- like it did with Nomad Innovation's LiveEdge TV product. Construction on a second mobile applications-focused facility is already underway in San Francisco with its very own opening ceremony slated for late summer. We're glad to see Verizon spreading the bills to spur tech forward, but there's one major thing the carrier forgot -- an emergency room wing for all its crapware-bloated products. Official PR after the break. [Image credit via PCMag]
LightSquared creates rural America initiative, promises to be more help than hindrance
With GPS interference issues now resolved, LightSquared's going back to the farm to reassure rural America it means no harm. The wholesale-only 4G LTE service that already signed up a plethora of partners is turning to Sen. Byron Dorgan and Reps. George Nethercutt and Charlie Stenholm to oversee its newly-created Empower Rural America Initiative. The plan calls for oversight of the service's bucolic deployment, promising its filtering tech will keep GPS-dependent precision agriculture on-point and pesticides away from your country home. Also under the proposed guidelines are plans to assist emergency first responders with network access in the event existing communication systems get knocked out. It's a comforting pat on the rustic back that should shore up "broadband adoption gap" issues currently plaguing underserved areas. But while it may look like the farmer and the technologist can be friends, we have a sneaking suspicion there are more self-serving motivations at play here. Hit the break for LightSquared's pastorally empowering PR.
Verizon data charges leak continues, $30 tethering for 4G customers
The scan above purports to show a Verizon customer brochure that will appear in stores next Thursday, revealing nothing beyond the detailed leaks we've already reported but at least providing some reassuringly crinkled corroboration of the salient details. New customers will barred from the happy land of unlimited data, and will instead have to cough up tiered monthly fees ranging from $10 for 75MB up to $80 for 10GB, plus an extra $20 for tethering rights. In a separate turn to this tale, we hear that customers who want to tether to a 4G handset will have to pay $30 per month to keep Big Red happy. This might come as a shock if you've been living it up on the free tethering offer that ends next week, but we had a strong inkling it was coming. Besides, it's not all bad: those 30 bucks will get you unlimited data on the fastest LTE network around, whereas the $20 crew must make do with a mere 2GB monthly. [Thanks, Verizon Guy]
Verizon stores struck by HTC Thunderbolt Wireless Charging Battery Cover
Solid as HTC's Thunderbolt may be from a software perspective, its battery life has proven to be less than striking -- unless you've been rocking it with that ultra-chunky extended battery. In comparison, its streamlined and Qi-certified battery cover was slated as another option, but there's been nary a mention of it since that accidental tease on Verizon's website in April. According to Droid Life, it's actually now available from Verizon retail locations for about $30 to complement the $70 charging base -- great for users who: a. hold disdain for cables, b. don't mind a few extra charges, or c. wear skinny jeans. There's no mention of when we'll see the hopefully convenient accessory pop up on Verizon's website, but at least it's out there somewhere for those willing to look.
Droid 3 headed to Best Buy on July 14th?
Red-eye alert, all ye Droid faithful! A leaked screenshot over at Droid Attic shows Motorola's worst kept secret -- the Droid 3 -- supposedly hitting Best Buy's shelves on July 14th. With all the unofficial leaks we've seen in the past few months, we have a pretty good idea of what this successor's got running under its QWERTY slider. Favoring a dual-core OMAP 4430 processor, a rear-facing 8 megapixel cam capturing video at 1080p, and baked with latest Gingerbread update, this black block of does shouldn't disappoint. Make note, VZW's new plans go into effect one week prior to this, so if you're clinging to that grandfathered plan, you can still pick this one up on-contract, and cross your toes it gets an LTE surprise. [Thanks, fuzzball]
LightSquared announces 'solution' for GPS issue, says LTE network will roll out on schedule
LightSquared may have steadfastly insisted otherwise, but recent tests showing that its wholesale 4G LTE network interferes with GPS have been getting tough for it to ignore, and it turns out the company has been quietly working on a backup plan. In addition to fessing up that one of the 10MHz blocks used by its network does indeed interfere with many GPS receivers, LightSquared has also now announced a two-fold "solution" to the problem. That will involve it using only a lower block of the 10MHz spectrum that it says doesn't interfere with GPS (with a few "limited" exceptions), and a new agreement with Inmarsat that LightSquared says will let it "accelerate the schedule" to begin using the alternative block of spectrum. Those new measures, LightSquared says, will let it roll out its network in accordance with its original business plan, and give it enough spectrum to serve its customers for the "next several years." What happens after that is a bit less clear, but LightSquared says it believes its network can "live harmoniously, side-by-side, with GPS users," and that "enlightened and responsible spectrum management will give the American public the best of both worlds." The company's full press release is after the break. [Thanks, Nick]
VZW leak teases HTC Thunderbolt update: Skype Video, Android 2.3.4 coming June 30th?
It's taken Verizon Wireless a painfully long time to get here, but it looks like the HTC Thunderbolt -- the carrier's once flagship 4G LTE device -- might finally be getting the much talked about, but not-quite-officially delivered Skype with Video. We first brought you news of a leaked build back in April, but if this rumored June 30th release pans out, you'll get to experience mobile video chat with your honeybun first-hand, as well as some Android 2.3.4 loving. As is the case with most carrier updates, Big Red appears to be loading this one up with some goodies -- not just bloatware. Sure, the requisite VZW apps are on-board, but how's about some Gtalk Video, a pre-loaded Amazon Appstore, and a handy fix for those irritating reboots? Keep in mind, we're still firmly planted in rumor territory, but it does seem like Thunderbolt owners are getting closer to the initial dream.
Motorola Xoom appears on Verizon MAP, finally heading to LTE?
The Xoom may finally be getting LTE support, after a mysterious issue prompted Motorola to delay adding access to Verizon's 4G network to the popular tablet. The Moto Xoom recently appeared on Verizon's Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) system, which means the device will likely become available later this summer. Unfortunately, MAP doesn't include any pricing information for the tablet, and there's no official word regarding availability, but current 3G Xoom owners should still be able to upgrade free of charge with a one-week turnaround via FedEx. We'll be curious to see how LTE affects battery life, considering some of VZW's other high-speed devices haven't fared so well, but we are willing to compromise ever so slightly in exchange for that lightening-fast 4G data.
Verizon pushes update to HTC Thunderbolt, remains mute on LTE and videocam issues
Heads-up kvetchers -- Verizon is now rolling out an update for the Thunderbolt, its pioneering LTE handset that's been plagued by an unfortunate series of woes. Of course, this is the same fix we'd reported earlier, which promises improved 3G connectivity, better organization of SMS and MMS messages, and quicker GPS load times. Sadly, Verizon is eerily silent about whether this update also addresses those troublesome hotspot cycling and video capture issues, so we'll just remain hopeful until we learn otherwise. There's no download for this one -- it's going to be automatically pushed to your handset -- and once you receive it, we're hoping you'll share your experience in the comments.
Verizon doc suggests BlackBerry PlayBook, HTC Trophy and Xperia Play 'coming soon', prices LTE tablet data and intros 4G netbooks
What happened to the HTC Trophy, long overdue on Verizon 3G? How about the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, mysteriously missing a Verizon release date long before Japan's catastrophe? Will Verizon commit to carrying the BlackBerry PlayBook this year? Just how much will LTE data cost for the Xoom and its tablet friends? We may finally have some of the answers, thanks to Verizon's fancy new online catalog. RIM's tablet, the PlayStation Phone and the HTC Trophy are all listed as "coming soon," and that's not all -- both the BlackBerry Bold 9650, Curve 3G 9330 and the Droid 2 Global are all "while supplies last," suggesting successors may be inbound. Meanwhile, tablet LTE data plans look like they're going to cost the same as 3G ones -- $20 for 1GB, $35 for 3GB, $50 for 5GB and $80 for $10GB as usual. LTE netbooks will only be able to take advantage of the two highest-priced plans, but there are a pair of them on the way, including the 11.6-inch HP Pavilion dm1 (with a 1.6GHz AMD Fusion chip) and the 10.1-inch Compaq Mini CQ10 with an Intel Atom N455 processor. Mind you, the catalog's URL explicitly mentions "2011 Winter," so it's quite possible that "soon" won't be as soon as you'd like, but to get a peek at all the goodies, check out the gallery below or shoot on over to our source link. %Gallery-122603% [Thanks, Thump3rX17]
HTC Thunderbolt getting new radio firmware, according to Verizon doc
Looks like AT&T isn't the only carrier patching cellular connectivity issues this month -- a Verizon document suggests that we'll be getting some brand new radio firmware for the beleaguered HTC Thunderbolt. The handset not only fell victim to Verizon's LTE outage but has had 3G data and CDMA / LTE cycling issues since day one, so we're hoping this latest baseband will bring at least a modicum of relief for affected speed demons across the country. What we don't know is when this patch might show up -- we thought the Xoom's security update would be imminent, but those documents were unceremoniously pulled.
Verizon says its LTE network is back 'up and running'
Well, it looks like this week's other massive outage is now officially behind us -- Verizon just issued a brief statement to let us know that its 4G LTE network is now "up and running." Details on exactly what caused the outage remain light, however, with the company only saying that "network engineers and vendors quickly identified the issue and solved it." What's more, while it says that Thunderbolt users should now have "normal service," those with LTE modems may still have some problems when switching between 3G and 4G modes, although that will apparently "continue to improve."
Verizon's LTE network takes the night off, leaves a bunch of Thunderbolt users bewildered
Is your fancy new phone lacking that certain extra G that makes it special? Worry not, it's not just your device, Verizon's entire LTE network seems to be having problems as outages have been reported from across the US. We tested our own Thunderbolt in San Francisco this morning and it was indeed making do with only 3G connectivity. It's important to note that Verizon's 3G network seems to be ticking along quite alright, it's just 4G service that's down at the moment. Some folks have reported losing both 3G and 4G connectivity, but that's owing to a documented issue with 3G provisioning on the Thunderbolt -- we've noted the way to overcome that problem in a previous post. For now, just enjoy your regular-speed mobile internet until the super-fast stuff is fixed and back up. Update: The Verizon Wireless Twitter account has confirmed the issue, and that the company's network engineers are "working to resolve quickly." Update 2: As of 4:13pm ET Verizon has determined the cause and is "working with major vendors to restore connections." Still no ETA for a fix. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
