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AT&T, Verizon, and Google chime in on FCC auction aftermath
Win or lose, all the bidders wrapped up in the so-called Auction 73 for precious spectrum in the 700MHz band are still under tight FCC-imposed gag orders in an effort to stem any funny business, but it looks like they're at least ready to come out and dip their toes into the PR waters. Verizon, the biggest winner having claimed the big, wide Block C prize, says that it's "pleased with [its] auction results" (we should certainly hope so), that the new airwaves will help it maintain its "reputation as the nation's most reliable wireless network," and that they're now better positioned to lead the way with new services and devices. The megacarrier goes on to boast about the fact that its winning bids score it massive 298 million person footprint, plus another 171 million worth of licenses in different Blocks.Meanwhile, AT&T seems happy with its purchase, too -- but then again, it's not like any of these companies would be issuing immediate statements expressing buyer's remorse, we guess. The number one US carrier by subscribers reports that its newly acquired licenses, in combination with spectrum snatched from Aloha Partners earlier this year, now gives it 100 percent coverage in the 700MHz arena in the nation's top 200 markets, with "quality spectrum" (whatever that means) covering 95 percent of the American populace. For what it's worth, AT&T's Auction 73 purchases were in Block B, which has moderately less bandwidth than Verizon's Block C win -- but as they say, it's not the bandwidth of the spectrum, it's the motion of the frequencies, so we'll have to wait to see how these guys actually use these licenses before we rush to any conclusions.Finally, from its brief statement, Google appears to have gotten exactly what it wanted: nothing at all. The company says that Auction 73 "produced a major victory for American consumers" because Block C's reserve price was met -- thanks largely to Google's early bidding, it's believed -- which means that Verizon will be obligated to allow devices of all shapes, sizes, colors, and brands to participate when it flips the switch on its 700MHz network.All three companies sound like they're itching to say more as soon as the FCC allows it, so stay tuned as we try to figure out exactly what's next for the auction, the carriers, and the people who actually want to benefit from this action (read: us).Read - AT&T's statementRead - Verizon Wireless' statementRead - Google's statement
AT&T's BlackBerry Pearl 8120 gets reviewed
Now that BlackBerry Pearl 8120s are trickling into AT&T's retail channel, so are the reviews, and it looks like we have a worthy (if not modest) successor to the original 8100 on our hands. PC Magazine's quick look at RIM's latest "fashion" phone (we use that term very loosely here) reveals that the 8120 continues RIM's tradition of handling business tasks with aplomb while stepping up its personal game in a big way; the external microSD slot had no trouble taking an 8GB microSDHC card, and let's be honest, there really isn't anything to not like about a 3.5mm headphone jack. Sound quality is apparently quite good -- another RIM trademark -- and the web browser has mercifully improved over what the 8100 brought to the table. Sadly, the WiFi apparently doesn't do much good; browsing with it doesn't yield much of a performance gain over EDGE for some reason (a problem seen on T-Mobile's Curve, too) and the lack of VoIP support is a bummer. Kudos to AT&T for protecting its voice revenues, we guess. Overall rating? 4 / 5, which we figure should be enough of an endorsement to swing a few BlackBerry faithful headlong into the 8120 boat.
LG Vu goodies showing up in AT&T stores
So we still don't have solid word on exactly when the MediaFLO-equipped LG CU920 Vu (and its TV-less little brother, the CU915) are going to launch, but we're figuring it's a good sign (pun totally intended) that signage is showing up in AT&T stores. Then again, it seems that the branded K850 was canceled after the promo materials were shipped, so we guess we can't stop holding our collective breath just yet.[Thanks, Kal]%Gallery-18861%
FCC releases 700MHz auction details, Verizon, AT&T big winners
After yesterday's wrap-up of the gargantuan Auction 73 to offload the newly-freed 700MHz spectrum, it looks like the two champions to emerge are Verizon and AT&T. Big Red has emerged with virtually all of the highly coveted C Block save for Alaska, Puerto Rico, and the Gulf of Mexico, a logical move considering its recent foray into the wide world of open access. AT&T, meanwhile, has scored much of the B Block, giving it 12MHz of spectrum in many of over 700 "cellular market areas" nationwide. In total, Verizon laid out a whopping $4,741,807,000 to pick up the Block C airwaves, leaving early competitor Google in the dust -- and affirming rumors that Mountain View wasn't in it to win it, it just wanted to make sure the reserve price was met and open access rules were assured.Other winners include Qualcomm, which won bits and pieces of the B and E Blocks -- more MediaFLO spectrum, perhaps? -- and Frontier Wireless, scoring the overwhelming majority of the low-bandwidth E Block. Frontier is in cahoots with Echostar, though it's not clear how (or if) the new spectrum would augment its satellite TV service.Left out in the cold was the D Block, a wireless range which the FCC had required to be used in partnership with public safety groups; it failed to meet its minimum reserve price of $1.33 billion, which means that a new Auction 76 will be automatically spawned for bidders to have another go at it. Follow the break for the big winners, broken down by block.
New AT&T site touts carrier's software, hardware freedom
With all the hoopla surrounding Verizon's open access conference this week, AT&T's putting in its best effort to remind everyone that it's been "open," per se, for years. Part of the effort includes the introduction of a new site, simply www.att.com/choice, that gives customers and would-be customers a rundown of all the software and hardware that's available to them, carrier-endorsed or otherwise. To quote the site, "You've got the choice: either conveniently get a phone through AT&T for guaranteed worry-free functionality, or bring any GSM Phone and we'll connect it to our network." Fair enough, AT&T, and we're happy to see you make a more conscientious effort to get the word out.
AT&T offers exclusive Olympic footage via U-verse VOD
Just over a month after we saw Verizon ink an exclusive deal to offer VOD viewing of a certain program, along comes its arch rival (one of the many, actually) pulling a similar stunt. Announced this week, AT&T will be the lone home for catching "exclusive episodes and behind-the-scenes footage of US Olympic Team hopefuls as they train for and compete in various sports." Rightfully dubbed AT&T Team USA On Demand, the new category of VOD content will "showcase episodes of USA Gymnastics Behind the Team," which will reportedly cover American athletes as they gear up for the summer games in Beijing. Unfortunately, we don't see this being available in high-definition, but it's surely a perk for U-verse subscribers who happen to be Olympic junkies on the side.
Cheapo refurbished iPhones for sale online from AT&T
Remember those dirt-cheap refurbished iPhones we mentioned you could snag in-store? Well it looks like AT&T has decided to share the bounty with the public at large, and has begun taking orders for the $249 8GB models online. If you've been on the fence, here's your chance to get in for $150 less than retail (and sadly for you early adopters, a whopping $350 tumble in price). In our experience, you can grab one in person with no activation, though it looks like you'll have to sign on the dotted line to have it delivered. Update: According to our commenters, you can get these mailed to you activation / contract free.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
AT&T page mentions the LG Vu -- in two flavors
An eagle-eyed tipster noticed that AT&T's imminently-launching LG Vu superphone has finally made an appearance on an official page of the carrier's. A glance at the list of TTY-compatible phones lists the CU915 and CU920, seemingly confirming a rumor we've heard in various forms over the past few months -- that the Vu will be offered in two versions, one with and one without MediaFLO. The upcoming mobile TV service will only be initially launching in a fraction of the markets where AT&T offers 3G service, so it makes some sense that they'd ask LG to spin a special version of the high-end phone that could be offered elsewhere -- potentially at a slightly lower price point. We can only hope.[Thanks, Alex]
Sony Ericsson K850 poster for AT&T spotted in the wild
Okay, first, a word of caution: we've heard some conflicting reports that the K850 may have been canceled from AT&T's roadmap because it missed its "launch window." That being said, this poster -- spotted in an actual retail location, not deep in an AT&T workshop somewhere -- sure makes us believe it's still very much in the works. Come on, guys, you're not going to let Rogers show you up, are you?Also, what's this business about "video phone" and "video calls"? Sounds an awful lot like honest-to-goodness two-way video instead of that whole Video Share thing, doesn't it?[Thanks, brainsonthemonitor]Update: Several sources at AT&T stores have told us that they've been commanded by corporate to toss their K850 promotional materials in the trash. Doesn't sound like a good sign, and if the device is indeed canceled, we think it's a tragedy both for AT&T and for Sony Ericsson's North American presence.
AT&T gets official with BlackBerry Pearl 8120
Suddenly, our Pearl 8100s are looking just a little long in the tooth. AT&T rather unexpectedly pulled out all the stops today to rush its 8100 replacement to market today ahead of schedule, offering several enhancements that Sprint and Verizon customers have been enjoying on their 8130s for a few months now: an externally accessible microSD slot, 3.5mm headphone jack, and a refreshed 2 megapixel camera, for starters, but more shockingly, WiFi instead of the GPS found on the 8110 and 8130. The 8120 is available to businessfolk starting today and will run you a shiny new pair of Franklins out the door on contract.[Via phoneArena and Crave]
AT&T's U-verse coming to University of Houston residence hall
Just in case a free iPod touch / iPhone isn't enough to convince you to attend a certain university, how's about dorm-installed U-verse? Hailed as the first planned deployment of AT&T's fiber-based services into student housing on a college campus, the University of Houston has teamed up with the aforementioned carrier in order to bring TV and broadband internet to "every room of a 547,000-square-foot residence hall under construction for graduate and professional students." When complete, The Calhoun Lofts will be home to some 1,000 U-verse connections, and while there's nothing specific said about the availability of HD channels, we can't imagine any upstanding Cougar settling for less.
Motorola passes muster chez the FCC, still bound for AT&T?
We've heard whisperings about the AT&T bound MOTO Z9 since July last year. The handset popped up again just before Christmas with a rumored launch date of January 2008, and, of course, that date blew by. All hail and praise the FCC for outing this fella this time, but seriously, how about getting it out the door already? Hopefully the joyful event that is CTIA will be the venue where we finally see the Z9 both announced and launched.
Pearl 8100, original RAZR on their way out of AT&T stores?
Grab your Kleenex, folks, because we've heard today that a couple of seemingly timeless pillars in AT&T's lineup might be breathing their last few breaths of in-store air. First up, the Pearl 8100 is due for replacement on all the networks that still offer it, with the 8110 and 8120 models taking their place depending on individual carriers' dispositions toward WiFi, and we're hearing that AT&T will be phasing out the older units this month in preparation for an April launch of the GPS-equipped 8110.Next -- and here's a shocker -- rumor has it that AT&T is also starting to close the door on the original Motorola RAZR V3. Not to worry; naturally, you'll still be able to get those great circa-2004 looks by picking up a V3xx, but the old-skool units appear to be on the verge of overstaying their welcome. Frankly, the writing's been on the wall there for a year, if not longer, so we're not sure that this is much more than a formality. We'll keep you updated on this one as soon as we here more.[Thanks, Kal and Matthew]
New AT&T unlimited talk plan for iPhones
Over the last couple of weeks several of the big cell carriers having been rolling out "unlimited" talk packages, including AT&T. Well it appears that they've gotten around to adding the iPhone to the mix as the Apple iPhone rates page now features an unlimited plan. For $119.99 a month you get unlimited talk time (but the same 200 SMS text messages as the other plans). Since all iPhone plans have unlimited data really the only thing you get is the unlimited talk time. Nonetheless, if you're a big talker (and don't live in Alaska) you might want to check out this upgrade.[via Engadget]
Great news, Guitar Hero Mobile fans: it's on AT&T now
We don't report on terribly many games here, but the Guitar Hero franchise seems to carry a godlike clout that demands a certain amount of respect, so we thought we'd just throw it out there that rockers, groupies, and wannabes on AT&T can now get their power chord on as of last week following a December release on Verizon. Hands-On Mobile's adaptation of the console classic will also be adding three head-bangin' new tunes as part of its April song pack: "Crazy On You" by Heart, "Laid to Rest" by Lamb of God, and "Hush" by Deep Purple. As they say, rock on.%Gallery-18024%
AT&T iPhones get an "unlimited" calling plan
Finally, iPhone owners no longer have to mope around with a feeling of shame and embarrassment in their hearts: AT&T has blessed them with an "unlimited" calling plan. That's right, if you so desire (and you do so desire, don't you?), you can latch a $119.99 all-you-can-eat plan onto your super-device. Sure, it looks peachy, until you notice that despite your "unlimited" status, you still only get a measly 200 text messages, which is like a three-course steak dinner with no dessert. At least you'll never again have to end a conversation with Mom because you're worried about overages -- though you'll want to keep a close watch on those SMSs, since the prices seem to be constantly heading skyward.[Thanks, impuLsive]
AT&T expands U-verse to more of Sacramento, California
While the Northeast seems to be getting all the love from one particular fiber provider, AT&T is looking out for those on the left coast. Announced this week, said carrier is expanding its U-verse services to more of Sacramento, California, which means that some 160,000 living units in the area can now receive U-verse TV. Since introducing the service to the region in August of last year, it has since stretched out to 17 communities, and there are already plans in place to expand even further.
The Nokia N75 "Tab Top": AT&T gets in on the renaming craze, too
Like the Samsung U740 on Verizon, AT&T's Nokia N75 is a workhorse that's been kicking around for a good, long while now. It's a serviceable S60 device -- the very first released with North American UMTS, in fact -- but it's lived its useful shelf life at this point and probably should be put out to pasture, preferably with a few shreds of dignity left intact. It seems AT&T has distinctly different plans for the phone, though, following Verizon's curious renaming buffoonery by christening the N75 the "Tab Top." What does "Tab Top" mean, you ask? We're not totally sure, but AT&T says the feature of the same name "gives you easy access to the most commonly used device functionality without using the menu." We thought S60's Active Standby sorta did this already, but hey, if AT&T wants to get all fancy on us and call it Tab Top, more power to 'em, we guess.[Thanks, Alex]
iPhone gets ActiveSync support for Exchange
As was hinted at some days ago, the Cupertino crew decided that the iPhone was finally ready for prime time in belt clips around the nation. Well, great news friends, Enterprise to Apple means Microsoft Exchange and ActiveSync support. We can expect features like Push mail and Contacts, Global Address List, Cisco IPsec VPN, authentication via certificate, and even remote wipe. Also on the table is Salesforce.com's Sales Force Automation CRM Application (SFA) and they've even thrown in support for maps. When can we get our greedy little hands on this you ask? As soon as the next iPhone firmware update rolls out, that's when.
XPERIA X1 shows AT&T graphic at CeBIT -- what could it possibly mean?
So it seems the X1 being shown off at CeBIT following its MWC debut last month is equipped with a particularly curious panel in its software load. Anyone care to take a guess? No cheating and looking at the one we've circled now. Yeah, okay, it's that big AT&T logo front and center, which makes an appearance in several of PHONE Magazine's shots of the interface. We'd like to believe that means that AT&T is a lock to pick up one of the hottest Windows Mobile devices ever manufactured, and indeed, it probably does -- its 3G radio is certainly ripe for the job -- but it's entirely possible to think that Sony Ericsson is still in the process of selling carriers on the device, and is simply trying to get 'em to crack a smile by loading their logo. Keep your fingers crossed, ladies and gentlemen.[Thanks, Jake]
