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EE and Three will soon change the way you make calls and send texts
Mobile dead spots can be a right headache, whether you get them at home, at work or a place you visit often. Luckily, EE and Three may soon be able to help. Earlier today, the two operators confirmed they're going to let customers make high-quality calls and send text messages, even when there's only a WiFi connection available. The good news is that if you're an EE customer, you won't notice a thing, even though the company is exercising its technological prowess silently in the background.
O2's discounted SIM-only plans offer 4G from £11 per month
It's become a race to the bottom over who can provide the cheapest 4G tariffs. Today, O2 altered its one-year SIM-only plans, which now means its 4G tariff of 500MB of data, 500 minutes and unlimited texts costs just £11 a month. Jumping up to 3GB, 6GB or 8GB of data (with unlimited minutes and texts) will set you back £20, £25 and £30 per month, respectively. In comparison, the monthly damage on similar EE plans for 1GB, 2GB and 4GB are £17, £20 and £23 respectively.
San Francisco takes the pain out of joining secure public WiFi
Security on public WiFi tends to be either non-existent or a bit of a hassle; it's not fun to track down passwords just so that you can get online from the street corner. If you frequently visit downtown San Francisco, though, it's now a relative breeze. The city has launched a new version of its public WiFi that uses the Hotspot 2.0 standard to give you an encrypted connection with a minimum of fuss. So long as you're using a recent platform (newer Android devices as well as iOS 7, OS X Mavericks and Windows 8), you only have to install a simple profile to get going instead of putting in some credentials.
Report: Google targeting businesses with subsidized WiFi routers
Google is readying a plan to provide heavily subsidized, commercial grade WiFi routers and equipment to businesses, according to The Information. The idea is to give companies like doctor's offices and restaurants easy internet access while letting Google mine the data for targeted ads. Insiders say that would also allow such businesses to set up a website and even learn about customers buying habits. That lines up nicely with other rumors about Mountain View's WiFi plans in Google Fiber cities and public spaces like Starbucks. There's even talk of an app to let you manage your myriad WiFi connections -- so we wouldn't be surprised to see Google's master plan soon.
Anonymous' radio-based networking keeps protesters off the grid
Despite being an internet activist group, Anonymous knows the value of avoiding traditional communication; it's sometimes the only way for dissidents to elude surveillance and service disruptions. Accordingly, the group has just unveiled AirChat, a networking system that uses any available radio connection to share data between PCs. Nearly all of its infrastructure is based on encrypted data packets -- you need encryption keys to get a spot on the network and receive any private information, making it virtually impossible to fake an address. Users can share internet access if they get it, and there's support for both proxy servers and Tor routing to anonymize any online activity.
US funds networks that help dissidents avoid internet spying
The US doesn't mind dealing in irony, it seems. While many criticize the country for its aggressive internet surveillance, it's also pledging millions of dollars towards mesh networks in Cuba and Tunisia that help dissidents avoid online snooping. As with earlier efforts, these automatic, ad hoc grids aren't connected to the internet; they exist to help locals communicate without fear that the government will watch or block what they're doing. They're not completely spy-proof, but they're designed from the start with secure services in mind.
MLB, NBA, NHL and NASCAR team up on 120 Sports, a 24-hour streaming video channel
Not to be outdone by the NFL, other major sports leagues in the US are combining efforts to launch a digital network of their own. Dubbed 120 Sports, the newly announced channel is a collaboration between the MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR and Time Inc., with the general goal being to deliver video content to fans in a speedy manner and all day long. Unlike the NFL's Now network, 120 Sports' bread and butter will be two-minute segments, which it plans to use for news, highlights and analysis as well as original stories -- sorry, no live games (one day!). Along with being able to stream from the desktop site, there will also be apps for smartphones, tablets and more "connected devices." But here's the best news: Once 120 Sports launches this spring, you won't need a pay-TV subscription to access it.
UK carrier finds loophole to let it increase prices mid-contract (updated)
Well, that didn't take long. It's a matter of hours since the UK telecoms regulator Ofcom brought in new rules to protect mobile customers from mid-contract tariff increases, and already one network has ducked them by changing its T&Cs. As of today, any customer who signs up with O2 must explicitly agree that their tariff will go up each year in line with inflation, starting with a 2.7 percent increase on March 1st. By contrast, customers who had signed up before today had only been told that prices might go up with inflation. Why is this so ironic? Because, indirectly, Ofcom's involvement seems to have turned a possible price increase into a definite, contractual one, whereas the original intention was to ensure that "fixed means fixed." Anyhow, in O2's defense, it hasn't breached Ofcom's code, and other carriers may well be planning to do the exact same thing. [Thanks, Anon] Update: Unsurprisingly, other carriers are now making their feelings on the news public. In a statement, Three UK has announced that it'll follow the spirit of Ofcom's code, and won't push your prices up part-way through your contract.
WWE Network to stream choke slams 24 hours a day for $10 a month
CES isn't all about new devices. It's about programming too, and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has an event of its own to announce plans for the year. Those plans include a subscription-based network that will provide grappling coverage 24/7 in the US. WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon made the announcement here in Vegas with a smattering of wrestlers (like Triple H, Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin) lending a hand. The $10-per-month price tag will include 720p streaming all 12 of WWE's live pay-per-view events -- including the popular WrestleMania. In addition to the live content, you'll also be able to access past pay-per-view events from WWE, WCW and ECW cards on-demand at your leisure. Yes, that means you can rewatch your favorite Royal Rumble whenever you like. The network's original series WrestleMania Rewind will allow subscribers to relive classic bouts with commentary from the wrestlers themselves. There will also be a one-hour Countdown series that will rank the top finish moves, submissions and more. If you lived through the rivalry between WWE and WCW like this editor did, Monday Night War runs down the battle for beginning-of-the-week supremacy. In terms of access, the WWE Network will be available on the desktop with iOS, Kindle and Android apps for mobile devices. The content can also be streamed to PlayStation consoles, Xbox 360 and Roku set-top boxes at launch, with support for Xbox One and smart TVs being added sometime this summer. A second screen icon will pop up when the program you're viewing offers that functionality on a mobile device for accessing that complimentary content. While the launch is slated just for the States for now, the company has plans to extend the offering beyond by the end of the year. The WWE is set to go live after Monday Night Raw at 11:05 p.m. on February 24th and WrestleMania 30 will be the first pay-per-view event to be streamed on the service. If you're looking to take it for a spin, you can nab a limited-time one-week free trial when the switch is flipped next month.
Potluck's new iPhone app encourages you to chat about the daily news
The world needs more social networks like it needs more politicians. Then again, we've got some time for Potluck, if only because the service is financially backed by Ev Williams and Biz Stone -- two guys who have form when it comes to spotting a good idea. Potluck's iOS app, which has just benefited from a major overhaul, throws curated news stories at you one by one. Then it asks you to tap "yay" or "nay" depending on whether you find the topic enticing -- a bit like the way Tinder works, but applied to headlines instead of scary faces. If a particular story sparks your imagination and urge to banter, the app connects you with friends who've read the same article so that you can right the world's wrongs together. Or, you know, find even nastier things to say about poor old Miley Cyrus.
Verizon celebrates Vodafone split with a million new subscribers
Verizon's third quarter results are out, and it's not suffering any malaise after its break-up with Vodafone. In fact, it landed 1.1 million new mobile customers and over 300,000 new subscribers to its FiOS internet and video services during the three-month period. More than 67% of people on the carrier's books are now rocking smartphones, some of which will be handsets that joined the LTE line-up this quarter, including the HTC One, Motorola's new Droids, the iPhone 5s and 5c, and most recently, the Galaxy Note 3. In its wired business, the number of FiOS video customers grew to 5.2 million, up 12.6 percent from last year as the company also promised more live channels on the way for its mobile app. In total, Verizon took $5.6 billion in profit (a whopping 30 percent more than in Q3 2012) from $30.3 billion in revenue. It's not a huge increase over last quarter's success, but we doubt the head honchos care too much about growth when looking at that many zeros.
Verizon's LTE boosted in 'major markets' by new frequency, hits 80 Mbps down (update)
The prospect of faster LTE over AWS frequencies has made Verizon lick its chops since late 2011, and now it's finally starting to sate its speed-demon appetite. Big Red has confirmed to PhoneScoop that many of its "major markets" are now being graced with the fresh spectrum (Band 4, if you're curious), which is expected to boost bandwidth, help its infrastructure cope with growth and improve reliability. While the carrier didn't specify which areas are seeing the rollout, several reports indicate that the new frequency has arrived in parts of New York City. In particular, GigaOM reader Milan Milanovic has pulled down 80 Mbps on the new waves while in Midtown Manhattan, with uploads hovering around 15 Mbps. Of course, those speeds are sure to take a dive as more and more folks jump on the bandwagon. Milanovic says fellow network testers have seen Verizon activate AWS in Chicago and Los Angeles, but we've yet to spot speed test results for those areas. Before you get too excited at the prospect of increased bandwidth, keep in mind that only handsets with the appropriate radios can surf the AWS band. However, Verizon says an update for phones sporting the right hardware, such as the Galaxy S 4, is due in the near future. There's no word on how quickly AWS will spread throughout the wireless telco's domestic empire, but we've reached out for a timeline and will update things here if and when we get one.
NTT DoCoMo to demonstrate its version of 5G at CEATEC in October
NTT DoCoMo's LTE-Advanced network may still be in its infancy, but the company's already preparing for when 150 Mbps is considered slow. Many are looking towards the next-generation of mobile broadband, and DoCoMo has said its ready to reveal its very own 5G "concept" at the CEATEC conference in Japan next month. We don't know if the company is referring to the monstrous 10 Gbps link that has competitor KDDI scratching its head, but "incredible speed, high capacity and low latency" are promised features. In addition, DoCoMo will preview its "winter 2013 / spring 2014" handset line-up and show off work it's been doing in the augment-reality and wearable spaces. We'll be around to browse the booth, of course, and dream of a time when streaming native 4K content over 5G to 21-inch smartphones will be standard. [Thanks, Erwan]
Three's LTE rollout to reach 42 more UK cities in 2014
If recent smartphone launches have you reconsidering your carrier options, here's some 4G rollout info to throw into the mix. Unlike its rivals, Three is actively advertising its full LTE roadmap, focusing first on London, Birmingham, Manchester and Reading, which it hopes to switch on before the end of the year. Its plans for 2014 are much more expansive, however, with a total of 42 cities set to go live, covering 98 percent of the country by 2015. Although it'll launch some months after its rivals, the carrier may scoop up customers with a promise not to charge extra for 4G data. Finally, as to whether Three will eventually change its name to Four, the company still isn't saying.
Vodafone 4G coming to 5 UK cities on September 28th with 4GB of extra data
While EE celebrates reaching 1 million 4G subscribers, Vodafone is stepping up its game to get you to become part of its LTE family. Originally limited to London at launch, Vodafone says it plans to roll out its 4G network in Birmingham, Coventry, Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield on September 28th. On top of that, the operator will also throw in an extra 4GB of data if you join before the end of October. Vodafone already offers customers unlimited data for the first three months of their tariff, along with your choice of Spotify Premium or a Premiership football bundle (free for six months), so this will help to soften the blow when that comes to an end. Right now, Vodafone's 4G footprint is still relatively small but it plans to push its LTE network live in Bradford, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle by the end of the year. Show full PR text VODAFONE BOOSTS ULTRAFAST 4G PLANS WITH '4GBONUS' SPECIAL PROMOTION · All Vodafone Red 4G-ready and Vodafone Red Business 4G-ready customers signing up before the end of October will get an extra 4GB of data per month for the length of their contract · Existing ultrafast 4G customers will also get the '4GBonus' added to their plan at no extra cost · Vodafone ultrafast 4G coming to Birmingham, Coventry, Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield on September 28 as rollout to 98% of UK population continues Vodafone UK is today giving customers even more reasons to enjoy fantastic sports or music entertainment on ultrafast 4G by boosting the amount of data available with all Vodafone Red 4G-ready plans by 4GB per month for the length of their contract. Vodafone Red 4G-ready brings 4G to life as never before, with sports action including over 150 hours of Premier League football from Sky Sports Mobile TV, or more than 20 million songs from Spotify Premium for music lovers. Anyone signing up to a SIM only plan or a 12 or 24 month plan, with a new 4G-ready handset included, will get three months unlimited UK data, then double the amount of data available on standard Vodafone Red plans plus an extra 4GB per month for the length of their contract. On top of unlimited calls and texts it's Vodafone's best ever value deal. The '4GBonus' offer runs from today until the end of October for new and upgrading customers. Customers who signed up for Vodafone Red 4G-ready plans after they went on sale on August 12 will also receive the additional 4GB of data at no extra cost. Following the launch of Vodafone ultrafast 4G in London last month, Vodafone also announces today that it will launch 4G services in Birmingham, Coventry, Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield on September 28. By the end of the year, Vodafone Ultrafast 4G, with speeds typically six times faster than 3G, will also be switched on in Bradford, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle.* Vodafone is targeting indoor 4G coverage across 98% of the UK population by 2015. Mark Howe, Head of Post Pay Consumer, Vodafone UK, said "With our Vodafone Red 4G-ready plans 4G finally has a purpose and now with the '4GBonus' Vodafone ultrafast 4G is even more compelling. There are a number of hotly anticipated new devices coming out in the Autumn and with the '4GBonus' there are even more reasons for customers to choose Ultrafast 4G from Vodafone." Vodafone Red 4G-ready starts at £26 per month for a 12 month SIM-only plan, which now comes with 6GB of data, and £34 per month for a 24 month plan with a handset included, which now comes with 6GB of data. Vodafone Red 4G-ready customers also have a choice of great entertainment from either Sky Sports Mobile TV or Spotify Premium. Customers choosing Sky Sports Mobile TV will have access to more live football than ever before, including exclusive live coverage of more than 100 matches from the Barclays Premier League, the Sky Bet Football League, UEFA Champions League, the SPFL and La Liga. Vodafone customers choosing Sky Sports Mobile TV can also look forward to the Ashes tour of Australia this winter, Majors golf coverage including the US PGA Championship and Heineken Cup rugby. Vodafone Red 4G-ready customers choosing Spotify Premium will have more than 20 million songs at their fingertips. Spotify is the largest music streaming service of its kind, offering instant, on-demand access to the world's music, on the go. Vodafone Red 4G-ready users can discover new music, enjoy playlists curated by their friends, follow their favourite artists and celebrities, or just relax and listen to Spotify radio. Spotify Premium lets music lovers enjoy music however they want – on a smartphone, tablet or through a home entertainment system. Music fans can even listen to their favourite tracks on aeroplanes, thanks to the 'offline sync' feature. Business users who want to enjoy ultrafast 4G and the ability to share their data allowance at no extra cost with Vodafone Red Business 4G-ready, will also receive an extra 4GB of data for the length of their contract. Vodafone Red Business starts from just £21.67 (ex-VAT), for a 12 month SIM-only plan, which now comes with 6GB of data. Customers who signed up for Vodafone Red Business 4G-ready plans after they went on sale on August 12 will also receive the additional 4GB of data at no extra cost.
This is the Modem World: The brain modem is here
Each week Joshua Fruhlinger contributes This is the Modem World, a column dedicated to exploring the culture of consumer technology. Consider this headline: "Researcher controls colleague's motions in 1st human brain-to-brain interface." This. Happened. University of Washington nerds put an electrode-speckled cap on Rajesh Rao and attached it to a computer that was connected to the internet. They then put Andrea Stocco in another room on the other side of the University of Washington campus, plopped another electrode cap on him and connected that to a computer.
DARPA's private internet and cloud for soldiers shows promise in the field
Sure, we hear about DARPA's robots all the time, but they're not the only things keeping the agency busy. Take CBMEN, for example -- a DARPA project that's goal is to create a private ad-hoc data network for the military, and it's recently completed initial field testing. CBMEN, or Content-Based Mobile Edge Networking, allows soldiers to share images and other info without a traditional mobile internet connection. Each device loaded with the CBMEN software will automatically blast data to other hardware within reach via WiFi, cellular and radio frequencies -- no intermediate infrastructure required. Early trials of the tech using Android smartphones and Army Rifleman Radios were deemed successful. We don't know if CBMEN will ever be available to civilians, but seeing as DARPA mentioned its potential use in disaster response operations, it's not entirely impossible. Before anyone else can test drive the nebulous network, though, it first has to ace the second phase of field testing that aims to make it more efficient and secure.
AT&T teases July 16th event, wants us to 'get ready for what's next'
AT&T is attempting to cater to the Boy / Girl Scout in each of us: the carrier wants us to be prepared for what's coming. What this particular piece of news is, we're not quite certain, but it's apparently something AT&T is rather proud of. Beneath the teaser, the company boasts quotes from various publications about the strength, speed and expansiveness of its network, which means this is likely related to something in that sphere. Based on that, we're hoping this means we'll hear some promising news about LTE-Advanced; either way, we'll be waiting until July 16th to learn more about what the company has planned.
US military will spend $23 billion on cyber defense, create its own secure 4G network
The US Department of Defense told a Washington thinktank yesterday that it would spend $23 billion in the next four years to kick its cyber defenses up a gear. That'll include building out a "secure 4G wireless network that will get iPads, iPhones and Android devices online by mid-2014," according to Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Martin Dempsey. The DoD recently approved Blackberry 10, iOS and Samsung Galaxy devices with Knox, and General Dempsey himself was packing a smartphone he said would "make Batman and James Bond jealous." While there were no details about how such a mobile network would be locked down, he did say that all 15,000 of the Department's computer networks would be consolidated into an enterprise cloud system to increase security. All that is to combat a "17-fold" cyber warfare increase in just over two years -- no doubt including recent Chinese hacking that the White House took the rare step of recently highlighting.
Leaks detail PC Mobile postpaid contract pricing, launch delays
June 5th came and went, without the introduction of PC Mobile's new postpaid plans and smartphone lineup. MobileSyrup heard the launch had been pushed back to today, but is now reporting the MVNO is delaying it further. A few more details of what the Canadian carrier is expected to offer when it eventually follows through have emerged, however, including the all-important price points. Three contract tiers will be available, costing $35, $50 or $65 per month, with the number of any-use minutes and data allowance increasing with the spend. You'll also be able to purchase "stacks" that give you extra chatter time or megabytes for the month. Full details of the plans are available at the source link, but exactly when PC Mobile will begin promoting them alongside a refreshed handset selection is still anyone's guess.
