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The FCC releases its first mobile broadband map
The tool allows you to compare the LTE and voice coverage areas of the country’s four largest carriers, showing where you can expect to see wireless download and upload speeds of at least 5 Mbps and 1 Mbps, respectively.
Watch Apple’s ‘Time Flies’ event here at 1PM ET
Watch Apple's 'Time Flies' launch event here at 1PM ET.
T-Mobile's 5G network goes live ahead of schedule
Last month, T-Mobile promised its 5G network would go live in 5,000 cities and towns on December 6th -- if its merger with Sprint went through. That deal is not yet final, but today, a few days ahead of schedule, T-Mobile says it's launching its nationwide 5G network. The catch is that, for now, T-Mobile is offering 600 MHz "low-band" 5G.
Verizon’s 5G network is available in (parts of) Dallas and Omaha
Verizon (Engadget's parent company) has expanded its 5G Ultra Wideband coverage to Dallas and Omaha, Nebraska. The service is now available in 15 cities, including Denver, Atlanta, DC, Detroit, Indianapolis and New York.
Verizon's sports arena 5G doesn't reach every seat
Last week, Verizon (Engadget's parent company) bragged about offering 5G coverage in three major basketball and hockey arenas. Turns out there's a pretty big catch. That 5G is only available in some of the seating areas.
Vodafone will launch the UK's first 5G service on July 3rd
The UK is finally getting 5G, and Vodafone will be the first network to provide it. The company says its 5G will go live on July 3rd, with 5G roaming following later this summer. And, crucially, it won't cost any more than 4G.
Fox Sports expands World Cup coverage to Twitter and Snapchat
Fox Sports is no stranger to leveraging the power of technology alongside its broadcasts. Now, it's expanding its coverage of the forthcoming FIFA World Cup beyond TV, with plans to feature exclusive shows, stories and highlights across Twitter and Snapchat.
T-Mobile launches LTE for US forces at Guantanamo Bay
Despite President Obama's first-term pledge to close it, the "Gitmo" Guantanamo Bay Naval Base remains open. It's hard to believe, but the 5,500 military families and staff living there have never had cellular data coverage -- until now. T-Mobile has expanded its 4G LTE coverage to the base by installing 11 new cell sites with LTE coverage. CEO John Legere says he's "honored" to offer the service as part of the White House's Joining Forces initiative.
Ofcom wants your help mapping Britain's mobile networks
Ofcom already has a handy online tool for checking mobile and broadband coverage across the UK, but sometimes the bigger picture can hide the little differences. In addition to the regulator's own data and that supplied by providers, Ofcom wants to build a more detailed map of mobile network and WiFi performance using crowdsourced, user data. To that end, it's launched the Ofcom Mobile Research Android app, which runs in the background and collects data on call reliability, signal strength, connection speeds, app use, and of course, location.
Compare all UK networks with Ofcom's mobile coverage checker
Between price, data allowances and customer perks, there are plenty of things to consider when choosing a new mobile plan. But all of that research is moot if the carrier you end up choosing has poor coverage in your area. The four major providers -- EE, Three, O2 and Vodafone -- offer coverage maps to help inform your decision, but ever the people's champion, Ofcom's gone one better. Today, the telecoms regulator launched the "Mobile Coverage Checker," an online tool that pools data from all four carriers and some of its own intel to provide a comprehensive overview of signal strength across the UK. Simply whack in a postcode, and the tool will show you what level of 2G, 3G and 4G coverage you can expect, both indoors and outdoors, on any of the major networks. The map can apply to smaller MVNOs, too, provided you know what provider they're allied to. Ofcom is hoping users will also provide feedback on their local coverage to help improve the new tool, with an updated version slated for release this autumn.
Anywhere SIM uses different networks to dodge UK not-spots
One company is promising to end Britain's so-called "not-spot" problem with a special SIM card that automatically switches between carriers. The "Anywhere SIM" will alternate between Vodafone, O2 and EE's mobile networks for the best signal, and it'll also offer a single flat rate for roaming across Europe. The UK's major networks are opposed to such a system, but the startup seems to have side-stepped the problem by working with a company based outside the UK. According to the BBC, this firm already has roaming agreements with British carriers -- so it'll be like using a foreign SIM in the UK.
T-Mobile hopes to draw you in with crowdsourced coverage maps
If you've relied on carrier coverage maps to decide who gets your business, you know that they're sometimes sketchy. A good connection on the map could still mean lousy service in your neighborhood, for instance. T-Mobile thinks it has a better solution: it just launched a crowdsourced coverage map. Instead of simply predicting the quality you're likely to get, the map draws on usage data (including customer reports and speed tests) to tell you what connections you can realistically expect. The maps are also updated twice a month, so you won't have to trust that months-old information is still accurate.
T-Mobile to upgrade all of its 2G markets to LTE by mid-2015
Happy birthday, T-Mobile LTE! It's been exactly one year since the UnCarrier launched its next-gen network, and it's taking advantage of the occasion by announcing further expansion. T-Mobile plans to flip the LTE switch in every market that currently has a 2G/EDGE connection -- in other words, everywhere else on the coverage map that isn't enjoying fast data right now. While the massive expansion is scheduled to be "substantially" complete by the middle of next year, many customers will notice a change before then, as 50 percent of the expansion is expected to take place by the end of 2014.
The Daily Grind: Which MMO deserves more coverage than it gets?
I may be biased, but I think Massively does a good job covering a diverse range of MMO and MMO-lite games. This coverage includes news posts, interviews, hands-on impressions pieces, and expert opinion from both long-time players and developers. Try as we might, though, we can't cover everything. At least, not in the amount of detail that I and probably some of you would like. With that in mind, I'm wondering which MMOs get no respect, in your opinion. Not just on Massively, but elsewhere in the games media, too! Which MMO deserves more coverage than it gets? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
T-Mobile promises better coverage after spending $2.4 billion on spectrum from Verizon
T-Mobile has just made a big move to improve its coverage by purchasing a large swath of 700MHz A-Block spectrum from Verizon for nearly $2.4 billion in cash. The UnCarrier -- which has been in a buying mood lately -- said the deal will will help improve its coverage for 158 million people in 21 of the top 30 US markets, including New York, LA, Atlanta and Dallas. It added that the low-band spectrum (which has a greater range than high-band frequencies) will be particularly useful in city suburbs. As part of the deal, it'll also transfer $950 million worth of spectrum to Verizon in several markets, mostly in northern California and Atlanta. Don't get excited about having better 4G coverage just yet, though -- the deal's still subject to approval from the FCC and DoJ, which move at their own speed.
MetroPCS to reach 15 more cities starting on November 21st
MetroPCS has been on a big expansion kick ever since coming under T-Mobile's wing, and it's not about to slow down today. The contract-free carrier has just revealed plans to cover 15 more markets beginning on November 21st. Most of those are notable western cities, including Albuquerque, Denver and Portland; a few eastern cities, like Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, also make the cut. While MetroPCS' coverage will still pale in comparison to T-Mobile's at 45 cities in total, it's a giant step forward for a provider that was still losing many customers just a year ago. [Image credit: Jim Carroll, Flickr]
BBC to broadcast Wimbledon final and semi-final matches in 3D
Though ESPN 3D's imminent demise might be evidence to some that 3D TV isn't exactly killing it, BBC has confirmed that it will cover Wimbledon again this year with that extra dimension. In particular, it will broadcast selected matches, including the men's and women's finals and semi-finals, in free-to-air 3D for those with the Red Button service and supported sets. Wimbledon marked its first-ever 3D broadcast two years ago, and the BBC is also experimenting with 4K coverage this year with Sony, albeit exclusively at a live spectator "experience zone" on the finely manicured grounds. The network also said it would up its live streams from six to ten to go with its YouTube coverage -- meaning UKers who miss a single grunt will have only themselves to blame.
Sprint launches LTE in 22 new cities, unveils plans for 13 more
Sprint's LTE cells have been popping up a lot lately, and today they're spreading like the blazes -- the carrier just flicked the (official) switch on its faster network in 22 new cities. The focus is primarily on southern locales like Baton Rouge, Miami, New Orleans and Tampa, although the expansion includes cooler climates like Lansing, Napa and Raleigh. The company is also teasing future rollouts for 13 more cities in Michigan, Texas and Washington state. If you want to know whether or not you'll see the coveted 4G symbol this summer, Sprint has the full details after the break.
ESPN launches more second screen coverage with golf's US Open
ESPN is further boosting its major sports coverage by producing a raft of extra material for golf enthusiasts at the US Open. And the outlet will be doing the same during the British Open, along with Wimbledon, the US Open and Australian Open for tennis. The network is employing a special team during the tournament (including some not normally involved in golf coverage) to supplement the main ESPN broadcasts with featured group and hole coverage, hole flyovers, shot tracking and more. Some of the extra goodies will appear on ESPN3, DIRECTV, and USOpen.com. All that means you might need to drag that extra TV out of the spare room, and possibly your Xbox, laptop or tablet. Who says watching sports reduces your attention span?
Ask Massively: You can't cover WoW because of reasons
When I took over Massively last fall, I made myself a little digital post-it note in Gmail Notes that read, "Remember: You work for Joystiq, not studios." Today, I've amended that to also read, "And not commenters." I love commenters, even the trolls sometimes when you make me laugh. You guys provide instant feedback and adoration but also entertainment and skepticism of our ideas. You're the much-maligned vocal minority of readers, and interacting with you guys and being enlightened by your mad and witty and insane posts is a highlight of my work day. But it has to be said that the most bizarre feature of working at Massively is that legions of commenters have deemed themselves better-equipped than we are to decide what we can cover.