cellular
Latest
US Cellular Q2 results bring higher revenue, despite small customer loss
With the upcoming introduction of its LTE network and vast fall smartphone lineup, US Cellular's a regional carrier with a lot to look forward to. But its efforts over the second quarter, paired with the hopes of a bright future ahead, weren't enough to keep a few thousand customers from parting ways. While most of the reported figures were quite pleasant year-over-year -- service revenues bumped up three percent to $1 billion, percentage of smartphones sold skyrocketed to nearly 40 percent, ARPU increased to $51.84, and total operating income shot up a whole 61 percent -- the company also experienced a loss of 58,000 customers over the course of three months. The carrier doesn't seem too worried about this particular figure, however, as it stated its excitement about the launch of its 4G service later this year. Will the bleak and cold winter become warm and toasty because of a blazing-hot network? We're eager to find out. Hit the source link for the full quarterly earnings.
Verizon lights LTE in 19 new locales today
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?
Cellphones are dangerous / not dangerous: the WHO changes its mind
To say that experts generally don't agree about whether cellphone radiation can fry your brain is an understatement of massive proportions, but amazingly enough, the World Health Organization has come to a pseudo-conclusion. A group of 31 scientists from 14 countries working in the org's International Agency for Research on Cancer says that -- based on a survey of the literature -- those electromagnetic fields are as likely to be potentially carcinogenic as 266 other worrisome substances, including DDT pesticide and the exhaust from your automobile. Mind you, the WHO isn't saying that cellphones cause cancer, as today's decision is merely the latest call for more research, but the fact that respected scientists even claim that a correlation should be considered will probably be enough to stir the pot.
HTC Merge makes an official landing at US Cellular May 31 for $250
If we could bet on phone launches the same way we put money down on horse races or slot machines, we'd lose our shirts on the HTC Merge. Like a ghost, this elusive Android smartphone has an innate ability to pop up from out of nowhere and disappear just as quickly. Over the last few months we've seen this repeated multiple times on both Verizon's and US Cellular's ends -- until yesterday, that is, when the latter finally ended its part of the charade by announcing a launch date. Taking on Facebook, the regional carrier officially committed the Merge to a May 31st launch, selling for $250 with contract before $100 rebate. Oddly, the date won't matter much since store reps have the go-ahead to sell it as soon as it's in stock (according to the screenshot below), and the Facebook post reveals that shipments should begin arriving as early as today. If you've been wanting a Merge and are up to the task, we invite you -- nay, we challenge you -- to go to your local store this morning and see if your rep got the memo. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Cox ditches 3G network infrastructure, sticks with airwaves borrowed from Sprint
Cox Communications had some grand designs on the cellular market, but they're not panning out quite as the company planned -- FierceWireless reports that though Cox already poured cash into rolling out 3G equipment, it's going to scrap the whole thing, in favor of continuing to pay Sprint for borrowed airtime. Cellular service in the original three launch markets will reportedly continue, though a quick peek at Cox's website shows the current phone selection is getting a bit stagnant. While we've yet to hear any particular reasons why Cox would want to stick it out as an MVNO, we imagine that mandatory roaming agreements make it a tad easier to offer those "Unbelievably Fair" contracts. There's also the possibility that with all the 4G fervor, Cox has decided there's no point in moving forward with CDMA equipment when LTE is ripe for the picking -- and when Cox has $304 million worth of 700MHz spectrum waiting for such a network. [Thanks, Phil]
Mr. Blurrycam outs Sony Ericsson's future Android-powered Cyber-shot?
Yes, the blurrycam snapshot you're now squinting at is purported to be Sony Ericsson's resurrection of its Cyber-shot phone -- yet unlike prior endeavors, this shooter is rumored to be fueled by Android. Beyond the touchscreen interface, however, there's scant few details to go on -- other than prior rumblings that Sony is developing a camera with 3G connectivity. Frankly, we love a great lens, but when apps, messaging and voice get added to the equation, it becomes utterly delightful. Needless to say, this leak arrives in a lovely twist of irony as one of the blurriest outings we've seen in recent memory. We're just hoping Mr. Blurrycam wasn't fumbling with a Google-powered Carl Zeiss when going sans-tripod in front of this one. [Thanks, Uncle Lala]
Softbank profits surge thanks to the iPhone and iPad
Japan's number three wireless carrier, Softbank, reported record profits thanks to the success of the iPhone and the iPad. Net profit for the quarter ending in March climbed to Y47.41 billion, up from Y1.85 billion in the same quarter last year. Softbank's ARPU (average revenue per user) also increased year over year from Y4,070 to Y4,210, an increase attributed to the lucrative data subscriptions of iPhone 4 and iPad owners. As the exclusive carrier of the iPhone 4 in Japan, Softbank is in a good position financially for the upcoming fiscal year. "The expansion of the smartphone market led by the iPhone and iPad was a huge factor that contributed to the growth (in 2010), " said Softbank President and CEO Masayoshi Son. In its Q2 2011 earning conference call, Apple confirmed that sales of the iPhone doubled year over year in these Asia-Pacific regions. This amazing growth is expected to continue in 2011.
T-Mobile and Orange get cozy, go shopping together
Following a good lean in their office chairs, decision-makers from Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom have made good on their February announcement to explore network sharing strategies, revealing they will combine their purchasing in a 50 / 50 joint venture. Buyers from Bonn and Paris will now collaborate on the procurement of consumer devices, network equipment, service platforms and IT infrastructure, with the companies expecting to save €1.3 billion from their efforts. They foresee this coordination creating more effective relations with suppliers, and benefiting customers through harmonized technology across networks. While the deal still needs regulatory approval, this isn't the first time the operators have gotten friendly, having previously merged T-Mobile and Orange in the UK. There's nothing like cooperation to get an edge on the competition, right? Get the full PR after the break.
T-Mobile cancels Even More Plus unlimited plan on eve of launch?
Just when we thought T-Mobile was about to rock the world by offering bring-your-own-phone customers an insanely cheap unlimited plan, we're hearing that the company has strangled the $60 unlimited version of Even More Plus in the crib -- TmoNews snagged a supposed internal communique that claims the plan was canceled at the last minute. We just reached out to T-Mobile ourselves, however, and were told the reality is nothing of the sort: T-Mobile did not officially announce any rate plans yesterday, and the company doesn't comment on rumors or speculation. Today, T-Mobile officially announced a new, single-line unlimited plan that is available starting today for just $79.99 per month, with an Even More plan and a two-year contract. In other words, T-Mobile says it never sent out the previous press release (also originally obtained by TmoNews) at all. We're not sure who's telling the truth here, but either way, one thing's for certain -- there still won't be an $60 unlimited Even More Plus plan starting tomorrow morning. You're more than welcome to dry your tears with the $80 on-contract plan right now, though. PR after the break.
MMObility: Mobile MMO predictions
My job is so dependent on my knowing current trends and being up on all the latest titles. I also try to have a good idea about what might be coming. Really, it's not that hard to get a grasp on future trends; one trip to the mall to witness wild packs of 10-year-old girls, all running around gossip-texting on their own iPhones, provides all the evidence to show that mobility and personalization are going to be having a very good decade. Anyone who is reading this column is probably familiar with the constant upward swing of technology. Peek into any MMO gamer's closet and you will likely find scores of gaming PC parts stacked up amongst retail game boxes (for some reason, we keep those). Over the years, your average MMO gamer will spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on the hobby. Now the mobile market is following that trend, sort of. Instead of requiring a constant upgrade of individual parts, mobile manufacturers simply require a new purchase of the latest all-in-one device. Some of these devices are good and some bad, but everyone will have one in the next 10 years. If you don't think so, compare the price, power and number of decent PCs now to 10 years ago. Then compare the number of mobile devices in the world from just four years ago to the number right now. Click past the cut and let's see if we can come up with some interesting predictions.
RootMetrics launches Cell Phone Coverage Map, uses crowd-sourcing to test networks' lofty claims
When dealing in Soviet relations, President Reagan impressed upon a generation the mantra, "Trust, but verify." Decades later, this skeptical method is being applied to mobile carriers thanks to RootMetrics' Cell Phone Coverage Map, a crowd-sourced application aiming to provide reliable, verified information on network availability and performance. The app, now available to iPhone and Android users, provides a convenient way to determine which provider has the best signal in your area, and also happens to be great for spite, if you felt a coverage map wasn't telling the full truth. Yes, let's get it out of the way right now -- Root collects your stats and then sells it to the networks -- though given the purpose of the service, we're inclined to let criticism pass on this one. If you're undeterred by that caveat, hop on the bandwagon and share your results for the benefit of all (even if your battery doesn't thank you).
London scraps plans for cellular coverage on the tube, bums Huawei out
Technical complexity and financial naiveté have meant that London's ambitious plans to cover its underground train network with cellular signal by the 2012 Olympics are hitting the scrapheap. In spite of Huawei's most generous offer to provide £50 million ($81m) of equipment for the project for free, the London Mayor's wish that UK mobile operators be the ones to foot the installation bill -- without a penny coming out of public coffers -- has unsurprisingly found little favor. Compounded with the logistical hellride of trying to get everything up and running by next summer, that's now led to a mutual agreement among all parties concerned to abandon the project. Mind you, the plans to get WiFi up at 120 stations in time for the Olympics are still on track, so at least we'll be able to pull down some data before diving into those dark, damp tunnels.
FCC proposing data roaming rules, not interested in commonizing carriers
FCC chairman Julius Genachowski briefly mentioned data roaming at CTIA last week, but now he's telling Congress that action is inbound, to ensure rural carriers don't get left behind the rest of the cellular industry. You see, in 2007 the Commission mandated cheap roaming agreements for voice and messaging services to let regional carriers compete, but cellular data is what's important now and those existing agreements won't protect the Tiny Tims of telecom in a world of VoLTE anyhow. So, as he explains in a letter sent to members of the Senate and House, the chairman has come up with a set of rules, which will "incent potential roaming partners to come to the bargaining table to negotiate private commercial deals." "The draft order under consideration eschews a common carriage approach and leaves mobile service providers free to negotiate and determine, on a customer-by-customer basis, the commercially reasonable terms of data roaming agreements," reads another letter. Needless to say, we're looking forward to hearing how the FCC will encourage competition while still letting the big boys negotiate from their multi-billion-dollar spectrum holding positions.
Sprint concerned over AT&T, T-Mobile merger
Sprint responded to the announcement of the acquisition of T-Mobile by AT&T with a statement that expresses concern about the proposed merger. Sprint suggests federal regulators take a close look at the deal, which will dramatically change the structure of the wireless industry in the US. The now #3 wireless carrier in the US points out that a post-merger AT&T and Verizon will control almost 80 percent of the wireless post-paid market and will set both the price and availability of valuable assets, such as backhaul capacity and wireless access, which the smaller carriers need to compete. The merger would also leave Sprint in the dust in terms of subscriber numbers. Sprint has the most to lose from a merger between AT&T and T-Mobile. The merger would vault AT&T to the top as the nation's largest GSM carrier with 130 million subscribers. Verizon would trail the merged company as the nation's largest CDMA carrier with about 100 million subscribers. Though it will be smaller, Verizon has a strong lineup of handsets with the Apple iPhone and Android offerings, such as the HTC Thunderbolt. Verizon is also successfully deploying its LTE network on the 700 MHz band and has little to fear from a stronger AT&T and T-Mobile. Sprint, on the other hand, relies on its partnership with Clearwire for 4G expansion, but the carrier is considering a move to LTE. It has a plan forward for 4G, but its future prospect is not as strong as Verizon or AT&T in this growing wireless broadband market. Sprint also lacks the iPhone and other cutting-edge handsets like AT&T's dual-core Motorola Atrix 4G. It is already behind AT&T and Verizon and will be at a decided disadvantage if T-Mobile merges with AT&T. The full text of Sprint's statement can be found after the break.
Sony working on a Cyber-shot camera with 3G cellular connectivity?
If the warm, soothing waves of IEEE 802.11 are beaming down on your location, there are certainly several ways to send pictures directly from your camera to the cloud, but Sony's reportedly prototyping a camera that won't need a single bar of WiFi to get your upload on. Our friends at gdgt cite anonymous sources that say Sony's got a camera with a built-in 3G modem in the works, and we're not talking about a cameraphone. While Sony's cellphone CMOS sensors may have improved, gdgt says the prototype unit will probably be a dedicated point-and-shoot, though the publication says their moles aren't sure it's actually coming to market. If it does, though, here's hoping it comes with some Whispernet so we don't have to foot a monthly or (perish the thought) per-picture bill!
Apple patent would require carriers to bid for iPhone service
Apple was recently awarded a patent describing a wireless selection system that would require carriers to compete for service on an iPhone. According to the patent, the phone would store the network settings for a variety of carriers and select the appropriate service based upon information sent to the phone from a wireless operator. Rather than put the carrier in control of activating service, this system would put the phone and its owner in control of selecting a cellular service provider. The filing describes a bidding system that lets competing carriers send rate information to the handset. The phone or the user would parse this data and select the most favorable rates for any given geographical location. Interestingly enough, the patent lists Verizon and Sprint as an example of competing carriers that could use this system. This selection service would let Apple act like an MVNO with billing to be handled through iTunes. This MVNO system is reminiscent of the upgradeable, integrated SIM that emerged last October. According to this earlier rumor, Apple was working with SIM card manufacturer Gemalto to create a cross-carrier SIM card that would let users switch carriers without obtaining a carrier-specific SIM. Carrier response to this proposed SIM card was overwhelmingly negative with several European carriers threatening to drop the subsidized iPhone if Apple were to pursue this SIM card design.
Ubiquisys unveils Attocell: personal femtocell designed to work internationally, make dreams come true
It's definitely one of the first things we thought of trying with AT&T's 3G MicroCell back in 2009, but our dreams were quickly dashed after finding that said device was hard-wired to only operate when receiving a GPS lock within the United States of America. Thankfully, it looks as if at least a few engineers at Ubiquisys are riding our same train of thought, and come Mobile World Congress, it'll be debuting the device of our dreams. The Attocell is described as a personal femtocell for use with 3G smartphones, and best of all, it's designed for use internationally. In essence, this would allow a smartphone from one country to use their international web connection to tunnel a cell call through -- presumably free of charge -- and definitely bypassing those nasty roaming fees that are incurred when ringing through an overseas cellular network. The company admits that it has been tested with the iPhone, BlackBerry handsets, a few Nokia phones and a gaggle of Android handsets, and we're guessing that Windows Phone 7 and webOS users won't have any issues, either. The idea is fairly simple: connect the Attocell to your laptop via USB, which provides power and an internet connection. From there, it'll analyze the IP address and radio environment to determine which country it is in, and sets its 3G radio power accordingly to below the licensed level. In some countries its range will be just five millimeters, in other countries, it could cover a whole room. For those in the former, you'll need to place your phone atop the dongle and use a Bluetooth headset to make a call, but hey, it's still better than paying AT&T two arms and the vast majority of a leg just to phone home from wherever you may be. Crazier still, Ubiquisys thinks that the device's low power output -- coupled with its ability to "continuously monitor its radio environment to ensure that there is zero impact on existing mobile networks" -- will make the Attocell exempt from regulatory controls and the requirement for type approval. Here's hoping it flies through just as the company hopes, and we'll be hitting the floor in Barcelona to pry out a price point, release date any carrier deals they've managed to land.
Nikkei: PSP2 will have 3G cellular data, OLED touchscreen
We're only four days away from a supposed January 27th unveiling, but apparently there are still more juicy PSP2 rumors left to dole out -- Japan's often-reliable Nikkei newspaper reports that the handheld machine will sport a crisp OLED touchscreen and 3G data from NTT DoCoMo when it arrives later this year, with the latter enabling multiplayer action and even full video and game downloads over the Japanese cellular network. What's more, the paper confirms that the screen will be physically larger and powered by some potent new silicon. So, how will Sony differentiate this PSP2 from the PlayStation Phone and tempt you to buy both? The game system won't make calls. Note: In case you're not familiar, the image above is a relatively ancient reader mockup, and likely not representative of the final product. It is pretty sexy, though.
Humans wearing radios could form massive wireless networks of the future
Researchers at Queens University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, are studying how to create an infrastructure out of human beings interconnected by wearing sensors, gateways and radios, resulting in a "body-to-body" network. Because human beings are so easy to come by, the networks could potentially be massive as well as high in bandwidth. The team is now studying how human bodies and movement can affect radio signals, and the general operations of body area networks, which aren't new. Concurrent research is being done at Carnegie Mellon to study how thousands of sensors can communicate with each other effectively. Long term, actual functioning body-to-body wireless networks could render cellular base stations unnecessary in heavily populated areas. Of course, that's all well into the future, but hit up the source for more details.
Verizon to debut LTE in 38 cities, 'half a dozen' 4G smartphones and tablets in 1H 2011
We're live from CTIA 2010 in San Francisco, where newly-appointed Verizon president and COO Lowell McAdam has taken the stage. He's been on the job just five days now, but he's already got a nice spot of news: Verizon will have LTE connections in 38 markets as soon as they flip the switch -- up from the 30 football cities announced earlier this month. More exciting, a host of LTE devices are on the way, too: "Come CES at January, and we will show half-a-dozen smartphones and tablets from the top OEMs in the world that will be available in the first half of the year," said McAdam. 8 to 12 megabits per second, here we come. See the full tentative 4G coverage map with a list of confirmed cities in our gallery below. %Gallery-104428%
