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Sprint and Verizon confirm iPhone 4S Micro SIM unlock for international travel (update: Sprint remains locked?)
If you own an iPhone 4 on AT&T, using the device while traveling internationally means paying sky-high roaming fees, jailbreaking or limiting data use to when you're on a WiFi network, either with a public hotspot or through a service like Xcom Global. Verizon iPhone 4 owners, however, don't have the option of GSM roaming at all, and can only make calls and use cellular data in countries that support CDMA. All that changes with the iPhone 4S, however -- Macworld has confirmed that Sprint will sell its version of the device with the Micro SIM slot unlocked, with Verizon offering free unlocking to customers after the first 60 days of service. iPhone 4S owners will then be able to purchase a Micro SIM overseas, allowing them to access data and make calls at local rates, for a fraction of what it would cost to roam. AT&T iPhone 4S owners won't have this option, however, so if you make frequent trips overseas, this benefit alone may be enough to justify purchasing the phone through Sprint or Verizon, saving some users hundreds or thousands of dollars in international roaming fees. Update: A Sprint spokesperson has said that our source article was incorrect, telling us that its SIM will not be unlocked and adding that the card will not even be removable: "Our SIM does not come out of the device - I believe the same is true of Verizon's iPhone but you would need to confirm that with them. Customers can sign up for one of our international rate plans and use this phone all over the world. When traveling internationally, there is a setting that must be turned on within the device to connect to GSM. The phone will work with a SIM that is provided within the device out of the box. International voice and data charges are on a pay-as-you-go basis and vary based on the country where the customer is using their phone; a list of rates is available at www.sprint.com/international." Update 2: We heard from Sprint a second time, which redacted part of its previous statement. The carrier further explained "the SIM is removable and is not affixed to the device," which as you may notice directly contradicts the statement made earlier today. We've reached out to Apple twice and are awaiting further clarification. Update 3: A Verizon spokesperson has confirmed that the original version of the article is in fact correct: "The iPhone 4S works like all of our global phones. The phone comes in box with a SIM locked to our network and the network of our roaming partners including Vodafone, one of our parent companies. Customers sign up for a Verizon Wireless voice plan (beginning at $39.99 for 450 min.) and a data plan beginning at 2GB for $30. When they choose to go out of the country, they should call Verizon Wireless and sign up for a global plan. The customer can also request to have the SIM unlocked if they want to use a local service while out of the country. The request needs to be made prior to leaving the country, their bill must be current and the phone must be active on the account for 60 days before we will unlock the SIM." [Thanks, Julio]
AT&T asks court to dismiss lawsuits filed by Sprint and C Spire Wireless
Well, look at Ma Bell now, wishing it'd all just go away. Tied up in lawsuits, the company has filed motions to dismiss the two complaints brought by Sprint and C Spire Wireless (formerly Cellular South), which seek to block AT&T's acquisition of T-Mobile. In the filings, it's argued that the two providers represent their own interests, rather than that of the public. AT&T further reveals that C Spire had pursued private negotiations prior to the lawsuit, where the regional provider agreed to support the merger "if AT&T would agree not to engage in facilities-based competition in Mississippi." Ma Bell goes on to state, "This inappropriate proposal confirms that what Cellular South fears is competition, not lack of competition." Given the latest maneuver (which smacks heavily of PR spin), there's no doubt that lawyers for Sprint and C Spire will have a bit of homework for the weekend.
AT&T launches new global messaging plans, lets you comfortably roam
The largest GSM carrier in the country is popular amongst travelers because you can use nearly all of its phones anywhere in the world. Messaging whilst abroad, however, has always been an expensive headache since the best option on AT&T was a bundle of 50 SMS / MMS messages for $10. That's a quaint number, to say the least, considering many of us can burn through that many messages in an hour. Beginning today, two more options are available for the more text-savvy roamers: you can get a package of 200 for $30, or 500 for $50. This number only reflects the number of messages you send, which means those received are counted against your US bucket of texts (if you're on a pay-per-use messaging plan, they'll cost 20 cents). Given the company's recent history of streamlining, we applaud the additional choices global jetsetters now have. Enjoy the presser after the break.
Cellular South files antitrust lawsuit against AT&T over proposed T-Mobile takeover
Sprint and Uncle Sam aren't the only ones taking issue with AT&T's proposed acquisition of T-Mobile, because Cellular South has a bone to pick, as well. Yesterday, the provider filed a lawsuit against AT&T in a DC federal court, charging that its $39 billion merger with T-Mobile would violate US antitrust laws. "The merger of AT&T and T-Mobile is anti-competitive, and will result in consumers facing higher prices, less innovation, fewer choices and reduced competition," Cellular South said in a complaint. The company went on to argue that legal evaluation of the merger must incorporate the perspectives of smaller, regional carriers who, like Cellular South, will "find it harder to secure both wireless devices at competitive prices and times and nationwide roaming." An AT&T spokesman declined to comment on the case, but you can find more details about it at the source link below, or in the full press release, after the break.
Xcom Global opens LAX service center, the jetset get data without borders
We've sung Xcom Global's praises to the heavens before, and that's because it's made our always-on internet addiction an easy fix abroad. Well, prepare to add the international wireless convenience to your list of last minute carry-ons. Announced today, the company has opened its first satellite service center at Los Angeles' LAX airport, bringing unlimited roaming data to US-based travelers starting at $12.95/day. The rental MiFi Hotspot units, available prior to boarding, come packaged with an Unlimited aXcess plan, and can feed up to five of your data-hungry devices. So, if you're headed out on that next Eurotrip, or just a terminal-bound refugee from Krakozhia, you might want to give this internet lifeline a whirl.
Skype WiFi is the new Skype Access, comes with iOS app in tow
We would never enter a foreign land without packing a rented MiFi from XCom Global, but what if you're not a data junkie and only require a sliver of internet access for your device? You're undoubtedly thinking internet café, but instead of wasting time filling out forms each time you're hankerin' to tweet, simplify the entire process with a Skype WiFi hotspot. Formerly known as Skype Access, the rebranded service allows you to bypass crusty web forms at any of the 1 million participating locations, by using your Skype account and credits to pay per minute. Already living the post-PC dream? The company's got you covered too, with an iOS app that'll allow Cupertino's finest to join in on the fun. You know the drill, the app and the announcement await you at the other end of the source links below.
Ask Engadget: what should visitors to the USA do for mobile internet?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is coming to us from Mustafa, who'd love to visit America... if only the internet were cheaper. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "As someone who doesn't reside in the USA, I was wondering what would be the best way to get internet for my computer in the US for a couple of weeks? If it were Europe I know I'd look for some prepaid data. Is there anything similar offered by American carriers? A MiFi or a data SIM that I can tether from would work, but I'm trying to maintain a tight budget. Help!" Truthfully, young Mustafa could probably round up an old AOL dial-up disc and at least connect from a family's house, or just camp out at a Starbucks all day and enjoy the sweet spoils of gratis WiFi. But when it comes to getting temporary mobile data in the States... well, let's just say we're keenly interested in hearing any tricks you readers may know. Xcom Global certainly rents a US modem (nice for folks with family in America that can order for them), but otherwise, we're drawing a blank. Toss your suggestions in comments below!
Vonage Time to Call app lets you make international calls from your iPhone, pay through iTunes
Making international VoIP calls from your iPhone just got slightly less complicated, and slightly more expensive. Vonage's new Time to Call app lets you make short, 15-minute calls to 190 countries with rates ranging from 99 cents to $9.99 per call. Payments are processed through iTunes, so you don't need to create an account with Vonage, giving the app a slight advantage over services from competitors like Skype -- for now, at least. The app works over WiFi everywhere, and 3G in the US and Canada, and you'll pay the same rate when calling both mobile phones and landlines -- so you could save quite a bit if you typically make short calls to mobile numbers. For casual callers, however, the app's most appealing feature is the free call you'll get after installation. We wasted it on a 30-second call to Tokyo that would've cost us three cents to make using Skype, so hopefully you'll be slightly more creative.
Xcom Global's Euro SIM solves your European data conundrum: $13 per day, works in 40 countries
Say it with us: Hallelujah! It's a problem that BMW European Delivery owners (not to mention gap-year backpackers and generic business travelers) have had for eons, and while the EU seems to have the whole "one currency" thing under control, the lack of a "one data plan" has continued to break the backs of connected travelers. No more. Xcom Global -- the company that revolutionized the art of staying connected abroad -- has just done the same thing for those planning their next Eurotrip. The newly-launched Euro SIM enables US-based jetsetters to rent a single device that'll provide unlimited data access in a staggering 40 nations across the pond. Everywhere from Iceland to San Marino is covered, including 20 extra countries that weren't covered even last week. Folks can pick up a MiFi for $14.95 per day (and yeah, that covers all 40 countries!) or a USB WWAN model for $12.95 a day, and if you happen to scoot over to a locale in Europe that isn't covered, you'll still be able to get online at a cost of one cent per KB. Hit the source link to find out more, and ping your best friend's travel agent to set those long-backburnered plans in motion.
Orange UK offers daily 30MB for £3 roaming option for fee weary travelers
Oh Orange UK customers, you lucky dogs, your carrier is giving you a bit of a break as we enter globe-trotting season. No longer are you chained to absurd per-MB roaming charges or unnecessary monthly plans. Instead, you can shell out £3-a-day (about $5) for 30MB of data -- which is plenty for checking e-mail and doing some light browsing. If you don't use any data then you don't get charged (sweet!), but go over that limit and you're back to the normal £3.07-per-MB rate (not so sweet). It's a perfect option for the traveler who only spends a week or two abroad at a time, and it closes the gap with fellow UK provider Vodafone, which offers a £2-per-day, 25MB option. Now, if only others (especially our friends here in the US) would offer sensible roaming plans of their own.
Verizon LTE: no roaming, even if you want to
Several companies are hopping on the LTE bandwagon, but it's turning out to be more isolating an experience than we hoped. According to PCMag, a Verizon spokesperson confirmed that its fourth-generation broadband network won't be compatible with other carriers in the US. As it turns out, Big Red and AT&T each own a separate block of 700MHz spectrum with only a fraction of overlap, leaving little room for phones on both networks to mingle with one another. There's not much hope for roaming on MetroPCS or LightSquared, either, as their waves of LTE run at 1700MHz and 1500MHz, respectively. This smattering of frequencies means it'll be near impossible to get roam on other companies' 4G networks nationally. What's worse, the ITU has approved twelve bands for LTE use around the world, so don't count on a wide selection of global devices -- and you thought sorting through international 3G was bad, didn't you? We're still a long way from learning our LTE roaming fate, but it appears the largest carrier in the US won't make the journey any easier on us.
AT&T revamps global data packages, gives international travelers (slightly) more for their money
Let's face it: roaming internationally, particularly when it comes to mobile data, is a terrible decision. And we've got the breakdown to prove it. Thankfully for you, said decision just became marginally less terrible thanks to a handful of plan revisions from AT&T. The new international data package tiers are slightly less galling than the ones they're replacing, but they're hardly what we'd consider a bargain. Folks looking to roam overseas in around 100 qualified nations will see $24.99 / month net them 50MB of global data (up from 20MB), while $49.99 / month gets 'em 125MB (up from 50MB). The $99.99 monthly package provides 275MB (up from 100MB), while the $199.99 / month tier offers 800MB of data (up from 200MB). Even still, the avid jetsetter can blow through 800MB in a single workday abroad, and none of these new options hold a candle to an unlimited rental from a firm like Xcom Global. Still, it's a huge relief to see a major US carrier moving international data rates in the right direction, and hopefully we'll see sensible figures published in our lifetime. The world ain't gettin' any smaller, you know? P.S. - We're still waiting to hear back on whether your existing global data plan will include a higher amount of data per-dollar.
iPass wants a world of interconnected WiFi, a roaming 'renaissance'
Some ideas are undeniably sensible, and zero-click WiFi roaming across carriers and countries is one of them. That's why iPass has set itself the unenviable but likely profitable task of convincing global telecoms giants to overlook their differences and form an "Open Mobile Exchange" based on its cloud-based authentication technology. It won't be the first to embark on such a voyage of persuasion: Skype is already on the case and Boingo is too (at least, sort of), but there are still plenty of fragmented hotspot services out there waiting to be crushed and blended by an effortless roaming technology. We just hope iPass has perfected its pleading email template: "Dearest Carrier, have you considered...?" Full PR after the break.
Reuters: a failed takeover of T-Mobile would cost AT&T as much as $6 billion
AT&T's proposed acquisition of T-Mobile was a big deal as soon as it was announced, but now Reuters has unearthed some more context to lend it even more cruciality. We already knew that in the event of AT&T&T-Mobile failing to garner regulatory approval, AT&T would owe Deutsche Telekom, the current owner of T-Mo USA, $3 billion in cash, some spare AWS spectrum, and a roaming agreement "on terms favorable to both parties." Reuters' sleuths say that the spectrum in question is worth $2 billion and the roaming deal a further $1 billion, bringing the total breakup payout to a hair-raising $6 billion. Given the wording of the two companies' deal, we don't expect the roaming part of that settlement would be free for T-Mobile (so $6b looks to be a bit of an over-estimation), but the fact remains that AT&T is staking a whole lot of moolah on this takeover going through. Whether it does or not, Deutsche Telekom's René Obermann (above left) looks assured to still be laughing this time next year -- but will the same be true of AT&T's Randall Stephenson?
Xcom Global's international MiFi rentals getting cheaper, Eurotrips making a comeback
No sense in beating around the proverbial bush -- we're huge fans of Xcom Global's business model, and frankly, we're saddened that every single nation in the world isn't yet included in its list of supported countries. For those hearing the name for the first time, you'll be doing yourself a solid by catching up with our review of the service, which enables jetsetters to rent MiFis or USB WWAN devices for international destinations before taking off. The end result is an always-on data connection for a reasonable fee (read: no roaming), and it looks as if those fees are about to shrink in the coming months. The company has informed us that it'll be previewing "membership pricing" starting next month, giving consumers the ability to pick up a MiFi for $14.95 per day or a USB WWAN dongle for $12.95 per day. The real story, however, is this: second MiFis for two-country itineraries will no longer incur an additional fee, and if you're setting out on a bona fide Eurotrip, every MiFi beyond that will ring up as a flat $30 fee regardless of trip length. We're told that the pricing scheme will be fully revealed in June, and that it's a permanent endeavor as opposed to a trial run. Membership itself will also be free, and while we're still holding out hope that Xcom can nail down a global MiFi solution, these pricing tweaks will certainly make it easy to nation-hop while across the pond.
Cellular South inks deal with LightSquared, gets LTE with stroke of a pen
Cellular South just dropped a nugget, announcing it's hopped aboard with LightSquared to provide nationwide LTE service to its 900,000 subscribers. In turn, the 4G wholesaler promised to bring coverage to rural communities (and offer satellite service for those in really distant locales). Cellular South joins Cricket, Best Buy Connect and SI Wireless as the latest to add LTE coverage the easy way, though they're left waiting for the network to come online sometime in 2012. Meanwhile, LightSquared continues working to resolve those pesky GPS concerns, with a final report due to the FCC on June 15th. PR after the break. [Image courtesy Flickr]
Microsoft patent application shows custom Kinect gestures, roaming user profiles
Since Kinect entered the world, modders have been hacking it for everything from playing Tetris to controlling a web browser. And really, Microsoft never seemed to mind. In case it wasn't obvious how much the company wants you to help find new uses for the technology, the folks in Redmond have filed a patent application for custom profiles. We can see that having implications for gaming and even Windows shortcuts, but for now Microsoft expects it to improve Kinect's accuracy by learning how you move -- after all, no one jumps or points or apes Lady Gaga's dance moves in exactly the same fashion, right? In other cases, the system might note that you prefer to make an "X" sign instead of a checkmark when selecting an object onscreen. And those personalized settings can roam over a network, shadowing you as you switch devices. Personally, we're stoked about the idea of making our best Julian Assange dance a bona fide gesture, but we'll be happy enough if Kinect can make up for our natural ungainliness.
iOS 4.3.2 may fix Verizon iPad, FaceTime issues
Apple's iOS 4.3.2 is due to land in the upcoming weeks, and speculation is running rampant about what changes this update may bring. According to BGR, which claims to have the update in hand, iOS 4.3.2 will fix the data roaming issue reportedly plaguing iPad 2 tablets on Big Red's 3G network. This annoying bug reportedly causes the iPad 2 to always roam on Verizon's 3G network. The update may also cure the issue with FaceTime, which is causing the iPad 2's front camera to freeze when the video chat application launches. Lastly, iOS 4.3.2 may also bring a variety of security fixes and performance improvements to Apple's suite of iOS devices.
Verizon iPad 2s feel the need to roam ... constantly [Updated]
Update: All Things D reports that Apple is aware of the issue and working on it. A number of owners of Verizon iPad 2s are reporting that their devices seem to be having issues accessing the Verizon 3G network. As discussed in the Apple support forums and reported by GigaOM's The Apple Blog, the iPads are fine fresh out of the box, displaying Verizon as the carrier in the upper left of the iPad status bar. It's when owners activate an account with Verizon that things start getting a little strange. Once the account has been set up, the word "Roaming" appears where the carrier name should be. This is usually an indication that a user is no longer on his or her carrier's network, and is using data roaming. The problem gets even stranger -- to use data service, even in an area with only a strong Verizon network signal, the iPad owner has to turn data roaming on. GigaOM's Charles Jade notes that the problem may be related to the Preferred Roaming List, which is an internal database common to CDMA devices that determines how the device connects to a network. Some Verizon iPad 2s just aren't recognizing Verizon cell towers, so they display the "Roaming" indicator. Verizon doesn't charge subscribers for U.S. data roaming, so there's no extra cost involved, but the issue is still annoying. Affected iPad 2s can be returned to Apple or Verizon stores for replacement, although the replacement models may still exhibit the same symptoms. There is some discussion that iOS 4.3.2 might include a fix for the roaming problem, but until then Verizon iPad 2 owners who are seeing the issue will have to be content to roam.
FCC mandates data roaming after 3-2 vote, AT&T and Verizon aren't too happy about it
Good news for small cellular carriers, and bad news for big ones today -- the Federal Communications Commission has decided to mandate data roaming by a 3-2 vote. Simply put, major carriers like AT&T and Verizon will be required to let you check your email and perform VoIP calls over their federally-licensed airwaves even if you're actually paying a regional carrier for your cellular coverage instead -- just as they've been required to do for voice and messaging since 2007. As you can imagine, Big Red and Ma Bell aren't exactly jumping for joy at the news, with both threatening to slow expansion into niche markets if they'll be forced to share their infrastructure. The victorious members of the FCC claim that this doesn't constitute common carriage because the big boys still get to negotiate "commercially reasonable" rates. Considering that two dissenting commissioners say that it is, indeed, common carriage, though, and thus beyond the powers granted to the FCC, we imagine we haven't heard the last of this debate. What happened to simply "incenting" the carriers to come to an agreement? Find statements from most every concerned party at the links below.
