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London's Tube will offer full mobile coverage by the end of 2024
London is expanding 4G mobile connectivity to the entirety of the tube by 2024.
AT&T gives customers 'bonus' data (and a $10 price hike)
AT&T customers who subscribe to the company's Mobile Share Value offering are reporting that an additional 15GB of mobile data have been added to their plan. According to The Verge and later confirmed by AT&T, the telecom company is positioning this as a "bonus," but is also charging the recipients an additional $10 per month. It sounds like AT&T -- not the customers -- is the one getting a bonus.
Ofcom's opening up more spectrum to cope with UK mobile data demands
While Ofcom is busy soliciting opinion on whether it should open up more 4G spectrum to carriers, it's already taking the necessary steps to ease mobile data congestion in the UK. The regulator today announced that it will open up the 700 MHz spectrum, allowing mobile networks to enhance their data services for lower cost. With its longer wavelength, the 700 MHz band is particularly well suited for data. It can travel longer distances without degrading but also penetrate further into buildings, meaning it's useful in both rural and urban environments. It also helps that the UK isn't alone in wanting to utilise the frequency, with France, Sweden and Finland all announcing plans to use band. Ofcom plans to make spectrum available by 2022, but will first need to reallocate digital TV and wireless event communication signals to let carriers tap it for mobile broadband. Luckily, you won't need to do anything until 2019 at the very latest, and even then you'll probably only need to retune your television.
FreedomPop expanding free LTE service to tablets
Forbes is reporting that FreedomPop, the gratis wireless broadband startup, is planning to release a 4G device designed specifically for tablets. The company's "LTE Clip" will attach to an iPad or Android tablet and transform WiFi-only devices into 4G-capable hotspots (so long as you're in an area with Sprint service). Weighing in at 2.5 ounces, the Clip will act as a mobile hotspot, supporting eight connected devices with up to six hours of battery life. Similar to its current model, FreedomPop will reportedly spot up to 500MB of data for free each month, with the ability to raise the cap via a paid add-on package or by using credits earned for inviting friends to join the service. We have yet to receive direct confirmation from the company, but Forbes suggests that we'll see the LTE Clip in the latter half of 2013 -- until then, it may be worth checking out the rest of the FreedomPop lineup.
T-Mobile drops 200MB smartphone data plan, 2GB now the new standard
T-Mobile silently killed off its $10 per month 200MB data plans, a leaked document reveals. A company spokesperson verified the news with Fierce Wireless. This decision is most likely due to the growing demand for mobile data as smartphone applications continue to evolve. Grandfathered customers will not be affected by this new policy, but will need to pay full price for a device and sign up for a "Value" plan when upgrading in order to maintain their existing service plan. T-Mobile now requires its smartphone customers to have a minimum data plan of 2GB or higher, which starts at $20 per month. While this change may make sense for most smartphone users, existing customers who are light on data and heavy on savings might have a different perspective when it's time to buy a new phone. Check out an extreme closeup of T-Mobile's document after the break.
International Telecommunication Union: worldwide mobile subscriptions hit six billion in 2011
Last year, the UN's International Telecommunication Union (ITU) told us there were five billion mobile subscriptions worldwide at the close of 2010, and now it's reporting that at the end of 2011, that figure hit a staggering six billion. China and India account for one billion a piece, and it brings us ever closer to having the equivalent of one subscription for every person on the planet. (According to the CTIA, there are already more cellular plans in the US -- around 322 million -- than there are inhabitants.) In a stat-heavy release from the ITU, it also ranked the most advanced telecoms countries, with South Korea placing first, Japan eighth and countries in Europe filling the remaining spots. Interestingly, the number of global mobile broadband subscriptions now outnumbers fixed ones by two to one, and mobile internet services showed the biggest growth rates in 2011: 40% worldwide and 78% in developing markets. The ITU attributes the latter figure to the relatively high price of fixed access in these countries, and the increasing availability of mobile alternatives. The CTIA also commented on mobile broadband use, reporting that from July 2011 to June this year, Americans consumed 104 percent more data -- no doubt due, in part, to people taking advantage of expanding 4G coverage. As usual, we've given you the cheat sheet, so if you'd like the full reports and have got a thing for statistics, there's plenty more in the source links below. [Image credit: Chris Jordan]
Tep Wireless review: another great option for international mobile hotspot rentals
Traveling is great -- nay, amazing. And travel that requires a passport can be even more fulfilling for those willing to open their minds to new cultures (and, perhaps, deal with entirely too much security screening). But here's the thing -- travel is a lot better, generally speaking, with an internet connection within arm's reach. Things are never more likely to go awry than when you leave your comfort zone (or, you know, home nation), and we here at Engadget have been investigating the best methods for maintaining a connection whilst abroad for the better part of our lives. To date, you've got a smattering of options: rent a mobile hotspot from XCom Global, pick up a rental SIM from iPhoneTrip, pray that you can find a shop that rents data SIMs upon your arrival or pony up for whatever absurd roaming fees that your home operator deems fit. All of the above options have their pros and cons, but the good news here is that your choices are expanding. As the market for ubiquitous connections continues to grow, another player has recently entered the market. Tep Wireless began as a hotspot rental service that mainly looked after those traversing the United Kingdom, but recently, it expanded its coverage umbrella to include some 38 countries across Europe and 50 nations total. This here editor recently had the opportunity to cross through four of those on a single journey, with a Tep hotspot in hand the entire way. Care to see how things turned out? Let's reconvene after the break.
Tep Wireless expands mobile hotspot rental plan to 50 countries, revamps pricing
The international mobile hotspot rental market just got a lot more interesting. While Xcom Global's offerings are still broader, Tep Wireless is expanding in a major way. Previously reserved for European nations, the upstart is now serving a full 50 nations, adding Brazil, the United States, South Africa, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, Bahrain, Israel, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and UAE to its repertoire. For those in need of a refresher, the company enables customers facing an international trip to order their hotspot and get it delivered prior to departure, with a prepaid envelope included to ship it back once they've returned. The company's made clear that its hotspots will track data usage in real time right on the inbuilt display, and they're programmed to hop onto different networks as borders are crossed. (If you're curious, we confirmed that it all works as advertised in a recent jaunt across European borders.) The full pricing chart fo is hosted up after the break, with those needing unlimited buckets able to pay a $6.95-per day surcharge. (It should be noted that the preexisting EU-wide pricing options remain for those sticking to that region.) It'll probably look a touch pricey to light users and common tourists, but business travelers unwilling to take chances on connectivity when heading overseas will find the rates far more palatable than roaming fees from their home carrier.
Verizon iPhone 5 update fixes mobile data use on WiFi bug
Verizon customers received an unexpected bonus when they opted for the latest iPhone, but in an unfortunate case of carrier Karma, the necessary sacrifice was their mobile data. An update has been issued to fix a Verizon-specific bug which, "under certain circumstances," used cellular data when connected to WiFi. To plug the potential leak, you'll need to head to the About screen in the phone's Settings, General menu, where you should find a update prompt. Install, then -- importantly -- reboot, and if "Verizon 13.1" shows as your carrier in that same About tab, you know you're safe. We'd also recommend checking your data allowance with crossed fingers -- for what use is LTE if you've already hit your monthly cap?
FreedomPop's pay-as-you-go data service launches in beta, offering 500MB of free WiMAX per month
It was almost a year ago that we first heard about FreedomPop, a startup built on the manifesto that every American (yes, you) should have access to free wireless broadband. Ten months later, the pay-as-you-go service is launching in beta, with "free" meaning 500MB of data per month. For the time being, the touted 4G service will come courtesy of Clearwire's WiMAX network, but FreedomPop says it will switch to Sprint's LTE spectrum sometime in early 2013. In the meantime, though, you can expect speeds anywhere between 4 and 10 Mbps down, and 1 to 2 Mbps up. To take advantage of the service, you'll need to either buy or rent some compatible hardware. Your options include the "Freedom Spot" hotspot capable of serving eight devices simultaneously, or the "Freedom Stick," a USB dongle. Both of these are free, but require that you put down a refundable deposit ($89 for the hotspot and $49 for the stick). As we previously reported, too, the company will be selling $99 iPhone and iPod cases that double as hotspots, though these won't actually be available for another four to six weeks. The iPhone version, in particular, does triple-duty as a charging case. If you do venture past that 500MB data cap you'll pay $10 for every subsequent gigabyte. Packaged deals will also be available. As we had heard, though, FreedomPop is hoping to recoup the costs of that free data by selling premium services, with three to start and more coming later. At launch, these add-ons will include device protection (24/7 customer service and replacement service within 48 hours) and notification alerts if you're about to hit the data cap. You can also pay for speedier 4G, though the company's claim of "up to 50 percent faster" performance is a vague one, given that the range of possible speeds is so broad to begin with. There's one last piece about how FreedomPop works, and it might help if we drew a comparison to Dropbox, or Zynga, even. As you would in Farmville, you can earn extra Farmville cash free data by following through on certain tasks. Watch a 20-second ad, for instance, and you win three megs of data. Sign up for a Netflix trial and you get 1.2GB added to your coffer. And, similar to Dropbox, if you recommend a friend, you get 10MB for every month that pal stays on with the service. Finally, you can share data with a friend, but it really does have to be a friend: that person's email address has to be in your contact list.
Netflix updates Android app with 'WiFi only' playback to keep mobile data usage in check
The smartest solutions to problems are often the simplest of all. In that spirit, Netflix is introducing a feature to its Android app that'll keep unknowing viewers from chewing up their mobile data plan. New to the settings menu, users will discover an option that restricts video playback to WiFi networks. Netflix has left the setting to user discretion, however, meaning that it must be manually enabled. Once the switch is flipped, you'll retain the ability to search and browse Netflix over a mobile connection, but you'll need to scramble for a WiFi connection when it's time to watch Walter White cook up his latest batch. If you're unsure of where your usage sits, the WiFi restriction is probably worth imposing -- unless you're with Sprint or T-Mobile, that is.
uTorrent beta app arrives on Android
Fans of the torrent-juggling desktop client can now get their downloads direct to their mobile device, because uTorrent's launched a beta app for any Android device running version 2.1 or higher. It's currently free, with RSS support, fully adjustable upload and download speeds and the ability to play games in the background as you wait for your files. There's currently no limit on download sizes either -- just so long as you can stomach the data charges.
Verizon's 'secret menu' Share Everything plans offer 20GB for $150 (update)
Like Starbucks' Short Latté, Fatburger's Hypocrite and Wendy's Meat Cube, Verizon is offering its own not-so-secret menu on its Share Everything data plans. Big V's Brenda Raney told Computerworld that there are five more tiers beyond the 10GB top-limit shown on the company's website -- that are only available if you ask on the phone or in stores. The options run from 12GB for $110 all the way to 20GB for $150, but only as long as you've agreed the limit in advance of blowing all that data. If not, then you'll be spending another $150 in penalty charges for your overage. There's no official word if you need to offer a secret password or handshake, but we'd do it anyway -- if only to feel a bit like James Bond. Update: Verizon's confirmed the pricing tiers and let us know that you can now grab the bigger data plans without ever having to wink at a sales rep. Simply add a handset to your cart and push through to "Plans" on Big V's website and you can scroll to the right to access the 12GB - 20GB offerings.
Data-hungry crowds spoil Olympic TV coverage, archers alerted
With an opening ceremony celebrating social media and a guest appearance by the father of the world wide web, you would think the games are pretty Twitter-friendly. Well, not so much, as the hordes of London have been told to keep non-urgent texts and tweets to themselves to avoid disrupting TV coverage for those who weren't lucky enough to score beach volleyball tickets. The recommendation comes after broadcasters bumbled through the men's cycling road race due to a lack of available data from the cyclists' GPS. The information bottleneck appears to be related to one specific network and sharing the data burden has been discussed, although probably not via Twitter. The IOC knows that telling the masses not to log on likely won't have any impact -- so, what's next for the data haters.
Tep Wireless unveils European-wide hotspot rental service for $5-a-day, 1GB of data included
Hardcore jetsetters should still be turning to Xcom Global, iPhone Trip or a local mobile shop upon arrival, but those who won't be burning up the megabytes now have yet another alternative when traversing European lands. The outfit best known for keeping those traveling to the UK connected is now branching out a bit, enabling a single rental hotspot to provide mobile data access across 38 countries in the EU. You'll pay $5 per day for the privilege, but here's the kicker: only 1GB of data is included, regardless of how long you stay. If you chew through that allotment, you'll have to pay $55 for an extra 1.4GB or $95 for another 4GB. Granted, that's significantly less than what AT&T and Verizon would charge, even if you sign up for their discounted global plans. (For those curious, the same pools would run between $180 and $250.) It ain't ideal for those working on the go, but if you're just looking to tear through a Foursquare Bucket List while Eurotripping... well, you can place your order today in the source link below.
T-Mobile brings out new mobile data plans mainly for the suits and ties, makes overage optional
T-Mobile just updated its prepaid data plans a month ago, and now it's the corporate crowd's turn for a shakeup. The new (and quite frankly daunting) array of primarily business-minded plans is based around whether or not you'd rather face throttling or overage fees if you push past a set cap. Overage Free plans for subsidized (Classic) and unsubsidized (Value) devices are largely self-explanatory and slow down that bandwidth cap-busting hotspot, modem or tablet until the next month. The High-speed plan range costs lower as a matter of course, but you'll be dinged to the order of two to 10 cents for every megabyte over the limit. That said, there's some bargains to be had versus other carriers, especially with the 5GB and 10GB plans. Provided you're happy with T-Mobile's coverage, it may be worth signing up to eke out a few extra dollars in savings every month.
Prepaid MiFi coming to Walmart, starting at $10 for 100MB with no expiry
Hot on the heels of T-Mobile's new 4G prepaid options, Walmart has paired with TruConnect to offer a MiFi for "casual users." The service -- called Internet on the Go -- appears to be based on Sprint's 3G network (with no mention of LTE on the horizon) and claims to have 97 percent coverage as a result. It requires a MiFi 2200 made by Novatel, which can cope with up to five devices over WiFi and to which you then add a minimum of $10 for 100MB or up to $45 for 1GB. That's not cheap by any means, and the PR below doesn't actually specify the price of the dongle itself -- but at least the service looks flexible, as you can also choose automatic online refills at $20 for 450MB. And the last bit of good news? You can burn through those rations as quickly or as slowly as you please, because there's no time limit so long as you use the service at least once per year.
Tesla gives Model S Signature drivers a year of free data, reveals their cars' true colors (video)
Although Tesla has already delivered the first Model S to its eager owner, the fledgling automaker is still offering a steady stream of treats to those patiently waiting for the official June 22nd date. Drivers who spring for the Signature Series trim level of the EV sedan now get a year's worth of mobile data at no extra cost, a bonus no doubt helpful for buyers who get lost on the first drive. Regardless of which Model S might eventually find the driveway in the future, Tesla is providing a look at how it paints the car's chosen color. Each aluminum shell is dipped in an electro-coating solution, baked in an oven, water-sealed and given its final clear coat paint by robots -- no dealer will be charging extra for weatherproofing here. It's all appropriately futuristic, and you can get a peek at the whole process in the video after the break as well as at the source.
Two-thirds of Americans unwilling to spend over $50 a month on mobile data, says Parks Associates
In a recent report titled Mobile Data and Applications, research outfit Parks Associates found that a large chunk of Stateside consumers aren't willing to pay more than $50 per month for a mobile data plan. What's also interesting here -- but not surprising -- is the study shows nearly 50 percent of smartphone users are completely oblivious to the amount of data they're consuming every month. Parks Associates says this highlights the "risk" networks like AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile are taking by making the transition from all-you-can-have to those tiered data plans we're so fond of. The firm's Mobile Research Director, Harry Wang, sees this as a necessity for carriers, though, expressing that "moving mobile users to usage-based plans will be difficult and painful, but changes are necessary for operators to maintain revenues." So, are you part of the two-thirds keeping bits under 50 bucks? Let your voice be heard in the comments below.
Cisco: mobile connections will hit 10 billion by 2016, helped by tablet boom
That Cisco's always been prescient. Three years ago, the networking giant predicted a 66-fold increase in worldwide mobile data traffic -- a surge that was expected to dovetail with the spread of 4G networks. With us so far? Sounds pretty obvious sensible, right? Well, the company's got more wisdom to share from its crystal ball: the outfit's just released its annual mobile data traffic forecast, and the marquee stat is that there will be an estimated 10 billion mobile connections by 2016. And though Cisco expects the bulk of these (8 billion) to take the form of cell phones, it also foresees a rise in tablets: there will be 5 billion of them, the company says, and that's not even counting all those WiFi-only models floating around (Cisco tallies WiFi traffic in a different forecast, released later in the year). If the market does indeed swell to 5 billion cellular-connected tablets, that would represent a 25 percent jump over today's global figure. Moreover, Cisco estimates that by 2016 21 percent of those 5 billion tablet owners will be relying solely on mobile data to get their internet fix. All told, whatever the mix of smartphones and tablets, we're going to be chugging down an insane amount of data: 10.8 exabytes per month, worldwide, or 130 exabytes annually -- a lofty sum that breaks down to 33 billion DVDs, among other cutesy equivalents. One last figure before we sent you off into a statistic-laced coma: 4G will account for only six percent of mobile connections by 2016, but is expected to generate 36 percent of mobile data traffic. We'll let you newly minted LTE adopters chew on your piggy data-hogging habits; the rest of you can find more numbers in the PR after the break.
