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AT&T's hungry eyes turning toward Leap, Dish or MetroPCS?
Publicly, at least, AT&T is bursting at the seams as it runs out of space to put all of its customers. The failed $39 billion purchase of T-Mobile was all about trying to match (or better) Verizon's reserves of wireless spectrum. Given the FCC's blocking of LightSquared and stymieing of future spectrum auctions for the time being, AT&T needs to make some more acquisitions -- the $1.9 billion purchase of Qualcomm's small slice of the airwaves isn't enough. If the Wall Street Journal is to be believed, there's a whiteboard in Whitacre Tower with Dish, Leap and MetroPCS written all over it. Reportedly, a purchase of Leap is the nearest to fruition, with "under the table" talks already underway. However, the Cricket Wireless operator would only provide a short-term solution to Ma Bell's very long-term woes. The other big target is Dish Network's reserved spectrum, kept back for its own planned broadband network, but if it fails to get Government approval, it might look to offload it. Third on the roster and marked as "highly unlikely" is a purchase of MetroPCS. The carrier was bitterly opposed to the T-Mo merger and pouted at the idea of purchasing some of Big Blue's divested assets, so if those two met around a table, they'd have a lot of awkward apologizing to do. Image courtesy of Fierce Mobile Content
Hands-on with Dyle Mobile TV, broadcasting live to a handset near you (video)
Dyle couldn't have found a better showcase than CES to exhibit its next gem. It's only been a few days since we first heard that the joint venture between MetroPCS and the Mobile Content Venture would bear fruit in 2012, and, well, we're in Las Vegas and we've seen it take its first steps. Although live TV broadcasting to mobile devices couldn't exactly be considered cutting-edge, judging by our time with the handset, this is one of the greater implementations of the concept. The company tells us that the app is set to hit its beta stage within the next few months at no cost, but that might change depending on partners and networks. Speaking of partners, Samsung alongside the Metro carrier will be the first to have the chipset-embedded smartphones on the market -- yes, that means you won't actually see the circa 1990's antenna. Dyle's also partnered up with Belkin to bring the service past phones and onto tablets, however, unlike the Sammy-branded phone that's expected to use the chip, the tablets will be able to pick up the airwaves by doubling the headphones as a receiver. Jump past the break to see the mobile telecast in action.
MetroPCS LG Connect 4G hands-on (video)
MetroPCS has had LTE longer than any other carrier in the US, and it's still rolling. At this year's Pepcom Digital Experience, the regional service provider had a couple new devices, one of which being the LG Connect 4G. The second LG handset on MetroPCS to offer the next-gen service (after the Esteem), the Connect is certainly less bulky and much more light to hold, with a 4-inch NOVA display in tow. Clocking in at 1.2GHz, it's also the first handset on the carrier's lineup that contains a dual-core CPU. Amongst these specs, the Connect 4G also sports a 5MP rear camera with LED flash and 720p HD video capture, and has a VGA front-facing cam. As much as we begged and begged, the reps wouldn't budge on pricing or an exact date, but we do know that it's going to be coming out sometime in February. And if MetroPCS isn't for you -- or if don't live in one of their areas of coverage -- you'll see the Connect as the LG Viper on Sprint as well. Check out the full gallery of images below and a hands-on video after the break.
MetroPCS' Samsung Galaxy Attain 4G hands-on
Samsung launched a bevy of sets today, including the Samsung Galaxy Attain 4G which brings more LTE speed and, let's face it, pure cellular magic to the waves of MetroPCS. The device itself is quite small when compared to some of the 4.3-inch behemoths we've seen of late, but by eschewing some of the high end features Samsung manages to keep the price down. The Attain's 3.5-inch display is clear and easy to read, build quality -- we're rather fond of the textured back -- quite good and for only $199 after a $50 rebate, not a bad deal. Follow on to the gallery for some sparkly live shots. Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.
MetroPCS announces Samsung Galaxy Attain 4G, LG Connect 4G handsets
MetroPCS whipped out a pair of new smartphones at CES today, with the Samsung Galaxy Attain 4G and the LG Connect 4G. Powered by a 1GHz CPU, the Gingerbread-coated Galaxy Attain (pictured at left) features a 3.5-inch display, 1.3-megapixel front-facing shooter, and a three megapixel camera 'round back, along with an LED flash. The latest addition to Samsung's growing Galaxy family is also the latest 4G LTE-enabled to hit MetroPCS's roster, and it'll be available "for a limited time only" at $200 (on a $50 or $60 plan). As for the Connect 4G, it becomes MetroPCS' first dual-core offering, on the strength of its 1.2GHz processor. The device also features a four-inch display accompanied by a Corning Gorilla Glass screen protector, boasts a five megapixel rear-camera and supports 720p HD video recording. No word yet on pricing, but MetroPCS plans to bring the Connect 4G to market sometime next month. For more details, check out the full press releases after the break.
Mobile Miscellany: week of January 2, 2012
This week may not have been incredibly packed with news in the mobile world, but it was still easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of January 2, 2012:
MetroPCS hooks up with the Mobile Content Venture for live TV on the go
The wireless-for-all carrier's been agreeing to all sorts of partnerships of late in an effort to keep its users content, the latest one being the tie-up with Mobile Content Venture that'll bring local broadcast TV live to your MetroPCS handset. The service, which is said to be coming later in the year, will be offered via a Dyle Mobile TV app, and the companies are guaranteeing that you'll be able to watch the content "right out of the box." There's 15 total broadcasters named in the deal, some of which are: FOX, ION Television, NBC, Telemundo and Univision (for all your novela needs). We've seen a plethora of mobile devices come and go since we first heard of the Mobile DTV promise, but they did say 2012 would be the year, and, well, here we are. A peek at the PR below tells us we'll see this in action next week at CES, so we'll let you know if it's as marvelous as it sounds.
Army of MetroPCS phones heading to Amazon's virtual shelves
MetroPCS purports to bring the wireless to all, but it hasn't had the right showcase to fulfill that promise... until now. The carrier announced today that its arsenal of handsets is on the way to one of the biggest online retailers in the world. A quick perusal of the PR below reveals no handset exclusions, so it's safe to say that Amazon will offer every handset from the mobile provider's armory. We know that cash Santa stuffed in your stocking's burning a hole in your pocket, and right now seems like a good time to head on over to Bezos' favorite site to get your hands on one of those LTE devices we've introduced you to.
Mobile Miscellany: week of November 21, 2011
This week was packed with news on the mobile front, so it was easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of November 21, 2011: Bell Canada is getting a couple new LG devices: the entry-level LG Eclypse, coming December 2nd, is a QWERTY device with Gingerbread [PocketNow], and the high-end LG Optimus LTE, which offers a 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, HD display, 1,830mAh battery, 8MP rear camera and 1.3MP front-facing cam, is available now. The Optimus LTE is available for $150 with a three-year commitment. [AndroidCentral] MetroPCS announced the availability of the HTC Wildfire S sometime this week. You'll be able to grab one for $180 with no contract attached. [Unwired View] T-Mobile is getting its Galaxy S II in white, so why not the Skyrocket on AT&T? A few press images of the device's new hue have leaked out. [PocketNow] Verizon's message app just got a refresh which now offers support for SMS / MMS syncing between your phone and tablet. Both devices have to be attached to the same WiFi network, however. [AndroidCentral] Verizon's rolling out LTE to another selection of cities on December 15. [PhoneScoop] User Agent Profiles outed the Sony Ericsson Arc HD (previously known as the Nozomi), amongst other unknown devices. [Android Community] It appears that the BlackBerry Bold 9900 may be coming to T-Mobile, according to leaked marketing materials. [PocketNow] Cincinnati Bell just launched the BlackBerry Torch 9810 for $200 with a two-year commitment and after $50 mail-in rebate. [BusinessWire]
Senate to vote on net neutrality repeal today, Obama counters with a veto threat (update: 52-46 vote in favor of net neutrality)
The US Senate is slated to vote on a repeal of the FCC's controversial net neutrality regulations today, just a few days before they're scheduled to go into effect. Today's vote, like most these days, is expected to be divided along party lines, with most Democrats standing in favor of the rules, and Republicans calling for them to be overturned. Texas Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson, who sponsored the resolution, claims that the FCC's regulations would obstruct innovation and investment by jeopardizing the openness upon which the web has thrived, thus far. "The internet and technology have produced more jobs in this country than just about any other sector," Hutchinson argued. "It has been the cradle of innovation, it does not have a problem, and it does not need fixing." Senate Republicans aren't the only ones taking issue with the rules, either. Both Verizon and MetroPCS have already publicly aired their grievances, with the former filing a formal appeal in late September. But Senate Commerce Chairman Jay Rockefeller believes the GOP-led opposition won't be strong enough to overcome his Democratic majority. "There's still 53 of us, and if we stay together we'll win," Rockefeller said. "I think we're going to prevail." Even if they don't, they'll still have the backing of the White House, which has already threatened to veto the resolution, should it survive past the Senate floor. "It would be ill-advised to threaten the very foundations of innovation in the Internet economy and the democratic spirit that has made the Internet a force for social progress around the world," the White House said in a statement, adding that the FCC's rules provide an "effective but flexible" means of preserving the web's intrinsically wild, wild west nature. Rockefeller, however, certainly isn't banking on a presidential veto to bail his party out. "You can take the cheap way out and just say, 'What if we fail, then Obama will veto it,'" he explained. "But that speaks so badly of us." All told, it's shaping up to be another net neutrality showdown on the Hill, but we'll keep you updated on the latest developments. Update: It wasn't an overwhelming victory, but the Senate today rejected the attempt to repeal the FCC's net neutrality rules in a 52 to 46 vote that fell largely along party lines.
Leap Wireless testing the LTE waters by end of 2011, diving in head-first next year
Cricket's sure making some leaps and bounds, isn't it? That's right, Leap Wireless -- the prepaid provider's parent -- announced that it's making preparations to jump into the world of LTE. The carrier will begin testing the service in Tucson by the end of this year, and aims to blanket two-thirds of its current network (nearly 25 million people) with 4G goodness within the next two to three years. You won't have to wait that long to get your hands on an LTE-capable smartphone, however, as the first ones will begin showing up in the carrier's lineup by the second half of 2012. We knew the company had aspirations for the echelon of 4G when it signed a roaming agreement with LightSquared, so this doesn't necessarily come as a surprise, but it's the first solid announcement we've heard regarding its very own network. It looks like MetroPCS won't be the lone ranger in the prepaid LTE market for much longer. The news comes in line with the company's third quarter earnings report, which you can find below.
MetroPCS may be top contender for AT&T's post-acquisition assets
The likelihood of a successful acquisition of T-Mobile by AT&T may largely depend on what the latter is willing to give up. The largest GSM carrier in the US may need to throw a few assets overboard in order to satisfy the Department of Justice, and has reportedly been Rethinking Possible by engaging in discussions with several parties interested in scooping up the leftovers. According to Bloomberg, MetroPCS appears to be the frontrunner in the talks, and plans to meet with the Justice Department (alongside AT&T, of course) in the next two weeks to determine if the strategy will appease the regulating body. No guarantees here, of course: it seems like a lot of assets would have to change hands for MetroPCS -- a regional carrier with roughly nine million subscribers -- to be considered a large enough competitor to assuage the government's concerns here. We can't imagine the Feds would be satisfied with any small offering, considering the Department's filed a lawsuit against Ma Bell to block the merger. We have a feeling this saga is just starting to get real interesting, so stay tuned.
Galaxy Nexus signup page includes seven US carriers, endless speculation
Samsung and Google still haven't officially revealed which US carriers will be getting the Galaxy Nexus next month -- even though Verizon has been leaked, is shown in the official trailer (included after the break, look at 0:22), and there was a quickly-retracted Facebook confirmation earlier today. Now, the official signup page for release info on Samsung's site allows users to show their carrier preference between AT&T, Cellular South, Metro PCS, Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular, and Verizon. It's hardly a confirmation this latest Android phone will ever be available on all of them, but even if you're not on Big Red, we won't kill your Ice Cream Sandwich dreams yet.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
US leads global LTE adoption, rides Verizon's coattails
There's no doubt the demand for mobile broadband has skyrocketed worldwide, but the US is leading the LTE charge(s) -- plural, 'cause you know, battery life sucks on a... nevermind. According to Pyramid Research, by the end of the year, the United States will claim 47 percent of LTE subscriptions globally. This is thanks in large part to three mobile operators: Verizon, MetroPCS and AT&T have created seven million connections across the country. Combine that with the fact that 71 percent of all LTE handsets will be in the pockets of Yanks by year's end, and you've got a formula for domestic LTE domination. It comes as no surprise that VZW is the largest LTE operator in the US as it's been making money hand over fist lately -- which has allowed it to expand its high speed network at a dizzying pace. We salute you, Big Red, for carrying the banner for the ol' US of A, blazing the trail littered with dead batteries and over-worked phone chargers.
Wilson Electronics debuts the AWS 70 signal booster to bring life to your office's T-Mobile dead zone
See that beauty up above? That, dear friends, is the Wilson Electronics AWS 70 signal booster. We know, it doesn't look like the standard-issue 50-cent sticker that you slap underneath your battery, right? This beefy guy is meant to be a thousand times more effective, aiming to amplify your office's poor AWS signal -- most notably T-Mobile, but any 1700 / 2100 AWS connection can benefit -- by a total gain of 70dB. The booster offers the ability to manually adjust the amount of gain for uplink and downlink separately, so you can optimize it however you deem fit. With a MSRP of $360, it's not for the weak-walleted -- you'll likely want to put it on the company tab. If you're interested in how this all goes down, check out the presser below.
MetroPCS takes a good look in the mirror, unveils the LG Esteem
It's easy to get caught up in the wireless major leaguers legal kerfuffles, but let's not forget the little guy. MetroPCS is shipping out a "chic," second LTE handset to surf along its contractless radio waves -- LG's Esteem. Formerly codenamed Bryce, the phone is pretty much the carrier's repackaged version of Verizon's Revolution -- specs, and all that 4G jazz -- but let's not be the debbie downer at this network's party, the handset's packing some solid internals. In case you needed a refresher, the phone runs Android 2.3 with a sprinkling of LG's custom UI atop a single-core 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, and includes 512MB of RAM, 8GB of storage, a 1.3 megapixel front-facing / 5 megapixel rear shooter (capable of 720p video capture) and a micro-HDMI port. Your untethered hands can snatch this one up now for $250 after taxes and a mail-in rebate, of course, you still have to opt-in for one of those 4G LTE service plans. Official PR after the break.
LG Esteem leaked, delivers more LTE respect to MetroPCS
The LG Esteem has been spotted hanging out in several official-looking press shots accompanied by several pages of specification juice at LG's partner portal site. Previously seen under the guise Bryce, and seemingly identical to Verizon's LG Revolution, this metroPCS interpretation looks set to arrive very soon. A welcome upgrade to the network's previous LTE offering, the Esteem runs Gingerbread on a 4.3 inch screen and has some respectable mid-range credentials under the hood including a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 512MB of RAM and 8GB of storage expandable by microSD. There's also a five megapixel snapper on the back, embedded in a stylish metal strip similar to the dual-core T-Mobile G2x. Unlike LG's powerful flagship, though, MetroPCS will reportedly be offering up the Esteem off-contract for $349 -- a reasonable way to increase your LTE-connected self-worth
AT&T reportedly talking to rivals about asset sales in effort to save T-Mobile deal
It's far too early to be writing it off, of course, but AT&T's proposed acquisition of T-Mobile is facing some fairly significant hurdles that could throw a big wrench in the companies' plans -- not the least of which is a lawsuit from the US Department of Justice. Now, according to Blooomberg, AT&T is proactively talking to a number of smaller rivals about selling some of its assets (namely, "spectrum and subscribers") in an effort to save the deal. While talks are described as "preliminary," AT&T has reportedly already reached out to MetroPCS, Leap Wireless, Dish Network, CenturyLink and even Sprint, although Bloomberg notes that any such sell-off may still not be enough to please the DOJ. As you might expect, all of those companies are remaining mum on the matter.
Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: fall 2011 edition
Shopping for a new smartphone is an exciting and arduous experience. It holds the promise of something better and the fear of a two-year commitment. For gadget enthusiasts, it also involves pouring over specs and reviews, and fretting over what's coming out in the near-term. As we publish this buyer's guide, we face potential upheavals in the mobile space. Samsung's Galaxy S II lineup will arrive at three major US carriers, the next iPhone perpetually looms in the distance, and a new generation of Windows Phone handsets is close upon us. You might ask, "Why would anyone buy a smartphone today, when something better is coming tomorrow?" Friends, that's the blessing and curse of the mobile world -- there's always something better coming. You can't wait forever, though, and if you want to purchase a smartphone today, we're here to make the process easier and help you make an informed decision. While our choices are sometimes contentious, they're backed with experience that you can rely upon. If you're looking to make a quick decision without much effort, you can rest assured that our selections won't steer you wrong. Still, we encourage you to educate yourself before you decide on a smartphone that best fits your needs. Our Primed series is an excellent place to start, where you can learn about dual-core processors and mobile displays. As always, you're encouraged to share your own experience in the comments, and we hope you have fun listing your own favorites, too. Just remember that we have an $80 ceiling for our budget selections. Compared to our previous buyer's guide, Samsung has begun to lose ground, and while Android maintains dominance, it's found some unexpected competition. Curious to see how it played out? Read on, as we round up the best smartphones of the day.
Samsung Admire now on MetroPCS shelves, can be yours for $130
Didn't see any budget phones on our Back to School list that tempt you? Perhaps the Samsung Admire (aka the R720) on MetroPCS might make the grade. Launched today -- earlier than its expected September release, we might add -- the Gingerbread-laden handset is being offered for $130 with the carrier's $50 unlimited monthly plan. All in all, it's pretty decent underneath the hood; among the specs are an 800MHz CPU powering a 3.5-inch HVGA display, as well as a 3.2MP camera. It's also taking advantage of a respectable 1600mAh battery, though the battery life is rated at three hours of talk time. Head on over to the source link to do your homework on the new prepaid device.
