HSPA
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Purported myTouch HD leaks out alongside promise of T-Mobile's first HSPA+ smartphone
Someone should really tell T-Mobile USA it's got a rather large hole that needs plugged. Hot on the heels of the (presumably) T-Mob-bound G1 Blaze leak comes this duo, which includes a purported leak of the myTouch HD (or 3G HD) as well as a web portal that quite clearly prepares us for the launch of the carrier's first HSPA+ smartphone. Of course, there's no official confirmation that the handset you're peering at above is anything more than a fan render, but it certainly has a look of authenticity to it; sadly, there aren't any rumored specifications to tag alongside the JPG, but it's a pretty safe bet that this one will run some flavor of Android and rely heavily on screen presses for letter input. As for the promo page? Scrutineers have drawn a link between it and the Vanguard that we peeked a few weeks back, so feel free to let your imagination run a bit wild there. Looks like it's gearing up to be quite the second half for America's number two GSM operator. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
T-Mobile promises to unveil an HSPA+ phone this summer
As T-Mobile continues to smother America in its quasi 4G HSPA+ 21Mbps network, we're still lacking an actual HSPA+ T-Mobile USA handset to enjoy the fruits of that labor. Well, we might not have that much longer to wait: a tweet from the official @TMobile_USA account says "Later this summer, T-Mobile will unveil its first HSPA+-capable smartphone." It goes on to add that "More details will be available in the coming weeks." Now, the last we heard from T-Mobile on this subject was that the first HSPA+ phone would be an HTC-built Android phone, and this doesn't really contradict that. Let's just hope T-Mobile decides to start off with a bang and indeed kicks things off with that rumored HTC Vision / G1 Blaze (pictured). Update: Would ya look at that, a teaser site for HSPA+. More interesting, however, is that the source code previously referenced Vanguard (remember it?), but all mentions have since been stricken from the record. (Via Android and Me) [Thanks, Ryan]
AT&T deploying software fix for slow upload speeds over next few weeks
Looks like AT&T and Alcatel-Lucent have finally sorted out the software glitch that's resulted in slow HSPA upload speeds in certain markets -- we were just told on the record that a patch is being rolled out and the update will be completed over the next two to three weeks. That should mean iPhone 4 and laptop data modem customers should start to see their upload speeds creep back to higher levels after being capped at UMTS rates for the past few weeks, so that's good news -- let us know if things are getting better for you, yeah?
T-Mobile webConnect Rocket 2.0 USB WWAN modem now on sale
Timely, no? In concert with its HSPA+ expansion, T-Mobile USA has decided to come clean with that webConnect Rocket 2.0 that we peeked a few weeks ago courtesy of a leaked presentation slide. Said device isn't drastically different than the original, offering a mildly overhauled design and "a new rotating swivel USB form factor." The bigger news is the expanded platform support, with this bugger now playing nice with Windows 7, XP, Vista and any version of OS X since 10.4. It's up for grabs right now via the source link if you're in the mood for those so-called "4G speeds," with an on-contract stick costing absolutely nothing and a no-strings-attached version running $199.99. Update: We've updated the post with a new image of the actual device, though it's not quite ready for primetime on T-Mobile's site just yet. When it hits, it'll run $49.99 on contract, with the 1.0 version going for zilch on contract.
T-Mobile's HSPA+ blankets 85 million Americans in warm '4G' comfort
The 4G wars are really getting fierce, and we love the smell of bandwidth in the morning. The latest volley comes from T-Mobile, taking this opportunity to let us all know that its HSPA+ network is more pervasive than any other 4G offering in the nation, currently covering 85 million people in the States and growing to 185 million by 2011. Of course, HSPA+ isn't true 4G in that it's (theoretically) slower than LTE and WiMAX, a point that AT&T is surely still grumbling about. But, sometimes you have to go to war with the network you have, not the network you might want or wish to have at a later time.
T-Mobile webConnect Rocket 2.0 leaks out, brings along Mac support and microSDHC slot
T-Mobile's webConnect Rocket has only been delivering "4G speeds" to users in search of mobile internet for a handful of months now, but already the company looks to have a successor on deck. If a pair of leaked slides are to be believed, the webConnect Rocket 2.0 is mildly overhauled version of the original USB WWAN modem, capable of delivering HSPA+ speeds on both PC and Mac platforms. There's also a nifty microSDHC slot for loading up to 16GB of storage, but outside of that, little else is known. We're still waiting patiently for a price and release date to come our way, but in the meantime, feel free to slam the brakes on that impending Rocket 1.0 purchase.
T-Mobile and HTC to launch first 21Mbps HSPA+ smartphone in September
T-Mobile might be busy expanding its we-swear-it's-like-4G HSPA+ network to all sorts of metro areas in the US, but those theoretical 21Mbps speeds have been limited to those wielding WebConnect Rocket data cards, not any actual phones. It looks like that's about to change, though: a spokesman for T-Mobile parent company Deutsche Telekom told Light Reading that an HTC-built Android phone capable of HSPA+ speeds will launch in September, followed by another device in the fourth quarter sometime before the holidays. That lines up with what we've been hearing, as we've been told that the first device will actually be the leaked HTC Vision QWERTY slider (pictured above) that's been popping up in the wild lately. We're not so sure what the second phone will be, but we'll get there -- for now we're just stoked that another high-end Android set with a hardware keyboard will be making the scene. [Thanks, Rod]
AT&T having HSPA upload speed problems in some markets
There's now a rather meaty thread on Mac Rumors' forums detailing problems that iPhone 4 users have had with miserably slow upload speeds in HSPA-equipped AT&T markets -- speeds that had in some cases been well over 1Mbps before the holiday weekend but have since fallen to 100kbps or lower. A popular theory is that AT&T decided to cap speeds in light of the iPhone 4's success and the danger it poses to network oversaturation, but we're not buying it -- 100kbps is ridiculously slow for an HSUPA-enabled network, even a heavily-used one, and there are huge markets (LA, for example) that seemingly aren't affected. We don't know what's going on, but we've reached out to AT&T for comment and we'll let you know what's up as soon as we do. Update: AT&T's identified an infrastructure supplier as the culprit and says a fix is in the works.
TeliaSonera gears up to ship first dual-mode LTE / 3G USB WWAN modem
Care about Samsung's GT-B3730? Probably not... but what if we told you that that very device is the planet's first commercially available dual-mode LTE / 3G WWAN modem? Now that we've got your attention, you may be interested in knowing that overseas operator TeliaSonera -- hailed as the first carrier on the planet to fire up an LTE network and make it available to Joe and Jane last year -- is just about ready to start shipping the aforesaid Samsung. As of now, the only way to hop onto their LTE superhighway is with a 4G-only modem, and while it had promised a two-faced stick in the second quarter of 2010, we're elated to finally put a face to a promise. The primary downside is that there's no current way for the USB modem to switch from LTE to 3G (or vice-versa) on the fly; instead, you'll need to kill the connection and start a new one when you leave / enter a 4G zone. Purportedly, the stick will play nice with both Windows and OS X, and it can hit real-world download rates as high as 80Mbps and upload rates of 16Mbps. Suddenly, a relocation to Sweden seems altogether more inviting, no?
T-Mobile expands HSPA+ footprint, now covers over 25 metro areas
The nation's number four carrier is once again pressing ahead with its big HSPA+ expansion, announcing today that speeds of up to 21Mbps (theoretically, of course) will be available in over 25 metropolitan areas covering more than 75 million folks by the end of the month. In conjunction with the expansion, that means that T-Mobile's webConnect Rocket USB modem will be available in the newly-upgraded markets, which include LA, Dallas, Atlanta, Houston, Seattle, Tampa, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and New Orleans, among others. Interestingly, the carrier isn't shying away at all on its questionably-truthful "4G speeds" talk despite some pooh-poohing from rivals, so we'll have to see whether the claims hold up once the networks start to build up a little saturation. Follow the break for T-Mobile's release.
AT&T cries foul over T-Mobile's 'HSPA+ is 4G' talk
No matter how much T-Mobile wants to pretend, HSPA+ is not on the same upload / download pay grade as LTE and WiMAX. Still, that isn't stopping the company from calling its new technology rollout "4G speeds," much to the dismay of another major HSPA+ supporter, AT&T. Cue Ma Bell spokesman Seth Bloom, who recently told Fierce Wireless, "I think that companies need to be careful that they're not misleading customers by labeling HSPA+ as a 4G technology." Of course, AT&T itself is rolling out that technology as an intermediate step between current 3G and LTE, and we know they want to reserve the 4G nomenclature for the latter's unveiling. Hey guys, can we just label it 3.95G and call it day?
AT&T to cover about 250M people with HSPA+ by year's end
AT&T has changed its story on its 3.5G / 3.75G strategy prior to rolling out LTE seemingly countless times in the past couple years, but the good news is that the latest policy shift is a decidedly positive one: it intends to cover about 250 million Americans in speedy (well, hopefully speedy) HSPA+ by the end of 2010. The remarks came today from AT&T Operations CEO John Stankey at a Reuters event, going on to say that the company intends to "double" its theoretical 7.2Mbps maximum on HSPA; it seems almost certain that the move is in response to T-Mobile's aggressive moves into 21Mbps territory recently -- not to mention commercial WiMAX availability on Sprint and the impending launch of a handful of LTE markets on Verizon -- but realistically HSPA+ on AT&T could easily run anywhere between 7.2 and 14.4Mbps depending on market, backhaul capacity, and countless other factors. Works out well for a presumed iPhone launch, doesn't it?
Motorola Motoroi getting Android 2.1, bound for UK?
There's no word yet on when the Motorola Motoroi will make it to T-Mobile (in the industry we call that "the T-Motoroiola rumor") but there has definitely been a good deal of chatter concerning this handset. The latest has Pocket-lint confirming a UK release with Moto itself. Offering similarities to Taipei's HSPA-lovin' XT701, users in Ol' Blighty (and the rest of the UK) can look forward to an 8-megapixel camera (with a Xenon flash), support for 720p video, mini HDMI, and an unspecified processor boost. In addition, Android 2.1 is likely to be part of the deal. We have neither a timeline nor a price, and the veracity of this rumor is yet to be established (although it does seem like a no-brainer), but if this all goes down as Pocket-lint says it will you can color us Yanks mighty jealous.
Huawei E5830 MiFi / i-Mo gets free unlock tool, parties outside the USA
Nope, this isn't the MiFi that you guys are familiar with in the States; everyone else -- mainly 3 / Hutchison customers -- are given this cute-looking Huawei E5830 HSPA modem instead. If you want to join this exotic MiFi party but would rather boogie with a different carrier, then fear not, as ex-iPhone hacker Zibri's just released a free unlock tool. Sadly, it's a bit of a hunting game -- plug in your MiFi (with its preloaded SIM card inside) into a Windows machine, launch the program, find Zibri's blog post that matches the random date picked by the program, type in the title and you'll get the unlock button. Of course, using this hack may invalidate your warranty, so proceed with caution.
Sierra Wireless AirCard 890 does 7.2Mbps on AT&T, slides into PC Card or ExpressCard slots
Talk about being flexible. Sierra Wireless' newest 7.2Mbps-capable AirCard (the 890, if you're curious) obviously isn't content with fitting into just one slot. Rather than forcing users to choose between compatibility with PCMCIA (PC Card) or ExpressCard, this particular WWAN card actually fits into both... but not at the same time, naturally. It's the first DataConnect card on AT&T's network to boast a 2-in-1 form factor, and moreover, it touts integrated GPS functionality for use with location-based services. 'Course, you won't be using one of these with your shiny new 15-inch MacBook Pro (smart move on that SD-for-ExpressCard swap, Steve-o), but everyone else can procure one starting May 5th for $49.99 after mail-in rebate and a new two-year DataConnect contract of at least $35 a month.
Qualcomm adding the kitchen sink to Gobi, including EV-DO Rev. A, dual-carrier HSPA+, and LTE
The whole point of Gobi is that you can buy one device and use it with multiple network technologies or carriers, but apparently Qualcomm isn't kidding around about the idea. It just announced a slew of data chipsets (voice still isn't part of the picture) with all sorts of new goodies. New technologies supported include EV-DO Rev. A and Rev. B (the five people on earth using Rev. B will be thrilled), HSPA+, dual-carrier HSPA+ (which looks to be the evolutionary end of HSPA), and LTE. The mother of all these chipsets is the MDM9600, which can do LTE up to 100 Mbps, dual-carrier HSPA+ up to 42Mbps, HSPA+ up to 28Mbps, and EV-DO Rev. A / Rev. B. Qualcomm also says it's moving Gobi beyond just laptops, with USB modems, e-readers, and "gaming devices" now in the cards. No word on when they'll start showing up, but much of it will have to do with carrier rollout as much as Qualcomm's ability to ship these out the door.
AT&T's de la Vega: HSPA+ coming 'in certain locations'
AT&T hasn't been quite as forthcoming with the exact details of its next-gen network plans as T-Mobile and Verizon have been recently, but FierceBroadbandWireless appears to have wrested a tidbit from wireless boss Ralph de la Vega in a recent interview. Though the standard HSPA 7.2Mbps deployment is still AT&T's short-term focus, HSPA+ -- which can theoretically take HSPA to 21Mbps and beyond -- is clearly still on its radar prior to LTE. "We will also deploy HSPA+ in certain locations," de la Vega said on no uncertain terms -- without revealing even a hint about where those "certain locations" might be, unfortunately. Speaking of LTE, the 4G tech still seems to be on AT&T's back burner for the moment with the first commercial markets not scheduled to light up until 2011, a strategy that seems pretty difficult to argue with considering HSPA's considerable room to grow from its current speeds and the lack of LTE devices in the pipeline. Of course, that could end up really hurting these guys a few years down the line when the first generation of LTE is in its prime and they've given Verizon about a year's head start, but -- and this is a huge "but" -- if they can save up some cash by rolling cheaper HSPA upgrades now and really dump unheard-of levels of cash into the network when they're good and ready, it's conceivable that they'll be able to build out a big footprint in short order. Ralph, can we recommend you look to Bell and Telus for inspiration on how to pull that off?
Vodafone 150 lays claim to 'world's cheapest phone' title, ST-Ericsson works on thrifty 3G
There are only two possible reasons for why a gadget freak like you would want a cheap phone: you're either a very sensible person (who probably got mugged once), or you're saving up for the phone of your life. Oh, who are we kidding? We all want a nice phone for next to nothing, right? The legendary Motorola MOTOFONE came close, but check out these new bad boys -- the sub-$15 Vodafone 150 and the sub-$20 250, produced by TCL. Fine, they may look more like toys than your everyday eye candy, but you do get five hours of battery, SMS, two games on that mini monochrome screen, and even an LED torch on the back -- and what's more, the lowly 150 is claiming the holy grail "world's cheapest phone" title that every manufacturer with an interest in emerging markets would kill to own. For an extra $5 there's even a larger screen in color (!), not to mention FM radio. If you want one, you better start flying walking to either India, Turkey or Africa where the phones will be launched over the next few weeks, or you can just gaze at Fonehome's hands-on video of the 150 after the break. On a similar topic, ST-Ericsson has launched the U6715 mobile platform with 7.2Mbps HSPA modem for Linux-based OSes (Android and MeeGo, to name a couple), and expects participating manufacturers to deliver sub-€100 (about $137) smartphones in the first half of 2010. Apparently, the trick is to use "structurally-less expensive silicon, without compromising the end user experience." With a 1000mAh battery, the platform will deliver up to 40 hours to musical entertainment -- twice that of the Nexus One with 1400mAh -- and up to seven hours of 3G talk time on one charge. Pretty sweet at first blush, except there's no mention of what the CPU would be clocked at. Regardless, all we want is some smooth video playback from the "elegant and powerful multimedia engine" -- is that too much to ask?
AT&T selects LTE equipment suppliers, 'commercial deployment' planned for 2011
Aw, snap. We knew good and well that the iPhone's exclusive home in America (cue groans) was planning to hopscotch right around HSPA+ and move straight to LTE, but it's always good to see a little confirmation from the carrier, you know? AT&T has today confessed to selecting its two LTE suppliers (Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson), and better still, that it will begin its LTE rollout in 2011. As expected, field trials are slated to get going later this year, and for those of you concerned about the outfit's (admittedly lacking) 3G network, we're hearing positive things on that front as well. Purportedly, 3G equipment delivered to AT&T by the suppliers starting this year will be "easily convertible to LTE," and Ma Bell has assured us that it "plans to make the nation's fastest 3G network even faster in advance of LTE networks and devices scaling." Shame that whole "plans" thing can change without notice, but we won't jump to any conclusions just yet.
Bell scores 163K net adds in Q4, has HSPA launch to thank
Bell and Telus' massive, sudden addition of nationwide HSPA networks to succeed their legacy CDMA towers was an experiment unlike anything the wireless world had ever seen; at no other time had carriers that large jumped from one 3G technology to another, and it was anyone's guess how well it'd go and what effect it'd have on their bottom line -- clean-slate network build-outs aren't cheap, after all. We've got part of that answer now that Bell has reported fourth quarter earnings, and in a nutshell, it seems like this may have been a huge gamble that paid off. The company's wireless unit saw a 2 percent decrease against the previous in EBIDTA -- and ARPU fell by CAD $1.48 to CAD $51.08 -- but here's where the bubbly gets broken out: it saw a 39.3 percent increase in gross activations to 523,000, up 11.3 percent year-over-year. That works out to 163,000 net adds, almost certainly attributable to the launch of HSPA service and a variety of hot new handsets (and some older ones -- the iPhone 3GS, for instance) that gave some disgruntled Rogers customer the ammo they needed to bolt. It'll likely be a good long while before Bell actually goes net positive on its massive network investment, but early signs certainly suggest that it was the right move to make.
