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Alltel dives into WiFi, offers up variety of plans
Based on a new section of Alltel's website, it seems pretty safe to say that the carrier is jumping head first into the WiFi arena. Apparently, Alltel customers can now sign up for a variety of WiFi plans that will enable them to surf the internet via their 802.11b/g-equipped laptop whenever they're near one of the "thousands of convenient hotspot locations." Among those spots are Barnes & Noble, Avis, Embassy Suites, Hilton Hotels, Holiday Inn Hotels, Marriot Hotels, Tully's Coffee and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. As for rate plans, you can snag unlimited access to the "North and South American WiFi network" for $21.99 per month so long as you have any voice or data plan already, while the Premium WiFi plan requires that you're already paying for an Alltel Wireless Internet plan. Of course, there's also the Pay As You Go approach, and while it's yet to be confirmed, we're hearing that the company could be in talks with Boingo Wireless.[Via GigaOM]
Alltel releases Motorola RAZR 2 V9m
Alltel has followed up three of its four national competitors today in releasing a variant of Motorola's RAZR 2, the V9m. As you might expect, Alltel's version has some carrier-specific customization -- Celltop, XM Radio, and TeleNav GPS are all on board, features well suited for the V9m's EV-DO radio -- and it seems to be sporting the most conservative color scheme we've seen to date for a RAZR 2 launched in the States (could be good or bad depending on your taste and your line of work, we suppose). Otherwise, the V9m comes with stereo Bluetooth support, microSD expansion, and that huge external display that we've fallen in love with. Grab it today for $299.99 on contract after rebate.
Alltel antes up BlackBerry 8830 World Edition
They're a little late to the party, but it looks like Alltel has started slipping its own variant of RIM's BlackBerry 8830 World Edition into retail channels in the past few days. Thanks to a 900 / 1800MHz GSM radio packed in there beside the standard CDMA / EV-DO fare, the 8830 gives subscribers to CDMA carriers like Alltel a somewhat painless route to international roaming without juggling multiple handsets. The cameraless posterior means that the 8830's pretty much all business -- but with GPS in the mix, it's a darned good business to be in, we reckon. Check it for $250 on contract after rebates.[Via PhoneMag]
FCC gets around to proposing fines for E911 misses
The FCC's goal of 95 percent network compliance for enhanced 911 (E911) capability came and went long ago -- December 31, 2005, to be specific -- but like all good bureaucracies, it's just now taking the time to propose a few fines for the carriers that failed to comply. At the deadline, Alltel was apparently at 84 percent, US Cellular rocked out at 89 percent, Sprint came in at 81 percent, and future partner in marriage Nextel was at 74 percent, leaving significant swaths of their respective networks without the ability to locate subscribers in the event of an emergency. For their failures, Sprint Nextel's looking at about a $1.3 million slap on the wrist, Alltel can expect $1 million, and US Cellular about $500,000. Not enough to drive any of the three to the verge of bankruptcy -- and really, not enough for any of the three to even notice when the cash gets pulled out of the coffers. Way to be, FCC.[Via Phone Scoop]
Alltel launches HTC PPC6800
Gee, Verizon, go ahead and take your time there, will ya? Alltel follows up Sprint to become the second network in the US to launch HTC's next-gen CDMA Windows Mobile 6 Professional handset (Alltel's site claims it's Windows Mobile 5, but we're not believing that -- check the screen shots), offering WiFi, stereo Bluetooth, 2 megapixel cam, and just about all the EV-DO you can handle as the HTC PPC6800. Grab it for $549 off contract, or $249 after two-year agreement and a $100 snail mail rebate.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Four versions of Moto's RAZR 2 compared
With the Motorola RAZR 2 set to drop on Sprint next week as the V9m, the handset will then be released on Verizon Wireless in September. No solid word on AT&T's official release date with the V9, though. How about Alltel? You'll see the V9m with them too, apparently (not sure when). Until then, PC Magazine has reviewed the plethora of differences between the RAZR 2 when it comes to these four carriers (T-Mobile to come later with the EDGE-only V8, according to reports). The review breaks down the per-carrier deets, mentioning that T-Mobile's version will run Linux while the other versions will use Moto's Synergy software platform. The phone books and web browsers are different on the CDMA variants, as well as the overall UI being starkly different on each one. Want CrystalTalk background noise suppression? It's only on AT&T's model. There are so many intricate differences on each RAZR 2 that you just gotta hate carrier branding and custom software. Use the read link below for a full smattering of all the RAZR 2 differences so far.
Alltel launches EC360, first Huawei data card in North America
Bring on the Chinese hardware! Hot on the heels of ZTE's victory making North American inroads on Telus with its D90 flip phone, Huawei's next, launching its EC360 data card on Alltel. To be fair, the EC360 is a little more boring than the Fastap-equipped D90 -- it's just an EV-DO PC Card -- though the 2.4Mbps of downstream speed Alltel's promising is music to our ears. Grab it now for a penny shy of $190, free after rebates and activation.
Alltel intros "Wave" from LG
It seems Alltel's really rolling deep with this whole cute naming scheme it has going these days, christening its latest flip from LG the "Wave." The 1.3 megapixel cam isn't anything to get too excited about, but between the microSD slot, GPS, stereo Bluetooth, and EV-DO data, the clamshell seems like a decent deal for the $80 Alltel's asking on a two-year plan after rebate -- not to mention the added bonus of a "rolling design that mimics the curl of a wave as the deep colors fade into black." Alltel's verbage, not ours!
Alltel rolls out Samsung Hue
It's hard to get us too terribly fired up over a low-end handset (MOTOFONE notably excepted), but the Samsung SCH-R500 "Hue" is, by all appearances, a hot little number considering its $40 price on contract. For forty bills, we'd typically expect a VGA cam, 1xRTT, and not terribly much else -- but the Hue may very well be signaling a true changing of the low-end guard here by serving a 1.3 megapixel shooter, EV-DO data, and stereo frickin' Bluetooth. Add in the fact that the flip's available in five tasty interchangeable, and we'd say Alltel has a winner on its hands. Grab it now online and in store.[Via MobileBurn]
Alltel to get Samsung R200 and R500
A batch of new Samsung handsets is apparently headed to Alltel soon. Specifically, the Sammy SCH-R500 and the SCH-R200 should be on their way to Alltel shelves (and on Alltel's site) for your viewing and purchasing pleasure. While the R200 is a relatively plain (but slim) candybar, you'll be hooked on it if you liked the Samsung Wafer (the R200 is very similar in size). Size aside, the R200 drops several features from the Wafer to make the cut to its entry-level status. Meanwhile, the 1.3 megapixel, EV-DO R500 clamshell reminds us of the Samsung SPH-M500 from Sprint (at least in features), but does have stereo speakers inside that fold. No word just yet on release dates.
Alltel sells out to investment firms for $27.5B
It's been no secret that Alltel's been courting suitors for a few months now, and someone's finally bit the bait to the tune of $27.5 billion. A pair of firms, TPG Capital and GS Capital Partners (of Goldman Sachs), have hooked up to make the deal happen by offering $71.50 in cold, hard cash for each of Alltel's shares, a fair premium over the $65.21 each share commanded as of market close on Friday. Assuming the deal clears the usual regulatory hurdles -- which we're guessing will be considerably lower, since Alltel's buyer isn't a fellow carrier -- it thinks it can get everything squared away by Q4 of this year or Q1 of 2008.[Thanks, anonymous tipster]
Samsung Wafer now available at Alltel shop
The recently announced Samsung SCH-r510 Wafer -- and at just 8.4 millimeters thin, this moniker is well deserved -- has landed at the Alltel shop, dear friends. This uber svelte XM Radio packin', EV-DO speedin' device has hit the shelves with the anybody-can-afford-it price of $49 dollars. If you aren't happy with just the XM Radio features, the Wafer also packs a memory slot (microSD) for music storage and stereo Bluetooth functionality to listen sans wires. For an entry level device and price, we're loving this tiny feature-packed handset.
Alltel intros "Day Pass" mobile web access
A full month of mobile web on your phone seem like a bit much? A tad overwhelming, perhaps? Alltel subscribers now have an option situated squarely between per-kilobyte and monthly rates for its "Axcess" content: the easy-to-swallow Day Pass, coming in at just $1.49 for 24 hours of all-you-can-eat news, sports, and miscellany. Of course, customers are still more than welcome to buy ringtones, wallpapers, and games over their data connection without paying a dime -- but if you simply must know the score in the game, you're now just $1.49 away.
Alltel rolls out Samsung "Wafer" and "Snap"
We recall (vaguely) a time when CDMA phones were notoriously clunky compared to their GSM brethren; they were thick, built like tanks, and frequently sported aerial antennas flying shamelessly beyond the hinge. Well, yeah, those days are long gone. Exhibit A: the Samsung SCH-r510 "Wafer" candybar, just introduced by Alltel, clocking in at a ridiculous 8.4 millimeters thick. For the record, that's a solid half millimeter thinner than the A727 being passed around at CES this year, a phone allegedly destined for AT&T that's still nowhere in sight. Besides EV-DO, features include a 1.3 megapixel cam and the soothing knowledge that your carrying the thinnest durned cellphone your Alltel dollars can buy. On the low end, the SCH-u340 "Snap" (known simply as the u340 on Verizon) keeps it simple, offering a monochrome external display and nothing more than 1xRTT to speed those bits along. Look for the Wafer for $70 after rebates and the Snap for $10 -- both on contract, obviously.[Thanks, Jeff]Read - Samsung r510 WaferRead - Samsung u340 Snap
Discount retailers want to sell more handsets
With 65% of U.S. mobile handset buyers going to carrier outlets and counters to buy all those handsets, that leaves the other 35% of US wireless customers looking at other sources for all those cellphones by our math; physical and online retailers pick up that slack. Which, exactly? Wireless Week reports that powerhouse retailers like Best Buy, Radio Shack, Target and Wal-Mart are (unsurprisingly) doing their part. Hey, are those calling plan commission bells we hear? Anyway, Wal-Mart has gained ground from the days of selling low-end phones and plans, offering a decent assortment from more than a few carriers these days; Best Buy is doing well also, while Radio Shack -- once chummy with several carriers -- is apparently being beaten badly by the bigger consumer electronics and discount chains, and the news that its outlets won't be getting the iPhone in store can't be easing the heartburn. Of course, we figure this kind of fierce competition can only be good news for consumers, so bring it on; if the big boxes want to beat carriers' corporate stores dollar-for-dollar on handsets, you're not going to hear a peep of complaint out of us.
Alltel unveils carrier-branded search agent, dedicated button
These days, it's just not good enough to offer some form of search engine on your phone, as the marketing dollars of search giants are finding their way into phones as providers attempt to dictate your searching and clicking habits. Alltel is finally joining the gang as it unveils the "world's first carrier-branded mobile search application to be pre-installed on handsets with a dedicated search key." The button will activate a BREW client that allows users to search for whatever they please without thumbing through numerous menus, theoretically getting you your answers in a hasty fashion. By partnering with JumpTap, Alltel will reportedly start rolling the "feature" out on its mobiles here in the near future, with the colorful line of AX8600s being the first to "have the search application preloaded."[Via MocoNews]
Alltel officially releases colorful LG AX8600s
We were just a little giddy when we heard that Alltel would be releasing the LG AX8600 (aka VX8600 for Verizon folks, aka "Chocolate flip") in several popsicle-like colors a few weeks back, and as of now, these beauties are ready to go from Alltel. Alltel's site still lists the puppies as "pre-order", but we hear that they're in Alltel retail stores ready to go home with any customer that's looking for some 1.3 megapixel, touch sensitive, music-ready clamshell love. Drop us a comment if you've seen the new AX8600 in your local Alltel store -- it seems rare to see stores beat their own company website with product availability, but it does happen.[via phoneArena]
Alltel acquisition rumors heat up
Despite the fact that its fellow carriers play the fool in those sometimes-clever My Circle commercials, Alltel is in talks with at least three of its rivals to see if any are interested in picking up "the nation's largest wireless network," according to the Wall Street Journal. Alltel, with its 12 million subscribers and $22 billion market valuation, claims just one-fifth the amount of subs that either AT&T or Verizon do, but has made it niche serving customers in areas with poor coverage by the majors -- making it an attractive target for anyone looking to quickly expand their network. Since Alltel rocks the CDMA styles, it would obviously make more sense for Sprint or Verizon to take the plunge, and though Little Rock-based Alltel is also said to be chatting it up with the carrier formerly known as Cingular, the recent BellSouth deal could make such purchase a financial and regulatory burden for the new AT&T. Now bear in mind that this is not the first time we've heard such acquisition chatter -- Engadget Mobile reported that Verizon was the front runner as of a few weeks ago (a deal would help it snatch the "largest carrier" crown away from AT&T) -- so either things are heating up or its another slow news day down at the ol' Journal.
Alltel offers AskMeNow mobile answer service
If you're an Alltel Wireless customer using the nation's largest network and any of its handsets, you may be interested to know that the CDMA carrier has made AskMeNow's "intelligent mobile search" service available to customers -- for a fee, of course. AskMeNow's service lets information junkies ask just about anything so that an accurate answer can be retrieved. You know, so you can win that next television trivia game at 1:00am in that Henry Hudson's location down the way. The service is available via SMS to all Alltel subscribers with text messaging capability at a rate of $0.25 per question or $1.99 per month for unlimited questions. Also, an actual application can be downloaded if you're the proud owner of an Alltel BlackBerry, Palm and Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone -- but it'll set you back $3.99 per month that way.
Pre-order LG AX8600s coming in new colors from Alltel
Alltel likes colors, from gloss black to fire red -- so it's no wonder that one of the handset staples in its inventory is getting new skins for all kinds of personalities and tastes. The LG AX8600 is apparently available not available in several new colors from CDMA carrier Alltel even though that handset was brought to life as the VX8600 by larger CDMA fan Verizon Wireless last summer. While we're still not sure Alltel has the "largest network", at least the carrier does have some decently-packed phones as of late. But, right now, we still can't find the AX8600 for pre-order in these different skins available at Alltel's website. It was there briefly, but it's gone as of this second. Until it reappears, here's a nice pic of the Verizon version in plain ole' black to tide you over.Update, 2-27-07, 12:02pm CST: Alltel's page with the newly-colored AX8600s is up now. Hopefully it stays there (Thanks Brent!)[Thanks, jerreteb]
