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HTC Merge launching on US Cellular on April 29th? (updated)
While we wait for the HTC Merge to maybe (or quite possibly) launch on Verizon, the phone's rolling out fast and furious on smaller carriers. Alltel's already selling it, Cellular South said it plans to, and now it seems US Cellular is gearing up to launch it on Friday. If you take a gander at that screen grab an anonymous tipster sent in, it's clear the carrier is putting the finishing touches on its plan to unveil the device in its retail stores. Just to refresh your memories, the Merge is a world phone with a slide-out keyboard, 3.8-inch touchscreen, and 5 megapixel autofocus camera running Android 2.2 with HTC's Sense UI layered on top. Still no word on whether US Cellular will match its competitors' sweet $125 price or bundle Amazon's App Store, but we're optimistic on both counts. Update: A US Cellular rep wrote in to clarify that the carrier will launch the Merge "later this spring," not this Friday. So there you have it!
US Cellular introduces Android to its prepaid realm, offers LG's Optimus U and Apex sans-contract
US Cellular's love of all things green and robotic is spreading to its prepaid lineup, with LG's Optimus U and Apex marking Android's entry to the carrier's paygo segment. At $199, the Optimus is a respected entry-level Froyo touchscreen phone, and is our pick of the two. LG's Apex sells for $249, though its full QWERTY keyboard comes at a sacrifice -- the slider is saddled with Eclair. Data plans are required for both devices, though we think you'll smile at their very competitive rates. Full PR after the break.
US Cellular snatches up Samsung's Gem (while it's still mildly warm)
Proving not all gems are destined for swap meets and barter fairs, US Cellular introduced its own semi-precious stone: the Samsung Gem. While previously available on Alltel with Android 2.1, this entry-level candybar has been revitalized (somewhat) by the nation's sixth largest carrier, who's now serving up Froyo and passing it off as new. Up front, we find a 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen at 400 x 240 pixels, along with standard accoutrements such as its 3.2 megapixel camera, stereo Bluetooth and WiFi. Priced at $29.99 (after $80 mail-in rebate), the Gem positions itself alongside USCC's expansive lineup of budget-friendly Android phones, including the Samsung Acclaim, LG Optimus U and HTC Desire. Readers will note Samsung's TouchWiz interface (as seen on Alltel's Gem) is absent here. Instead, users are given a near-vanilla helping of 2.2, with notable customizations including seven home screens, and Swype -- for those who just can't seem to part their fingers from the screen.
US Cellular's Mesmerize gets its heaping helping of Froyo
While US Cellular's promised Froyo update for the Mesmerize might have slipped a few months since its rumored November timeframe, we're certain owners of Samsung's wildly popular set will be a very happy crowd. As you're likely all aware, this update features some fairly useful improvements like better Exchange support, Flash 10.1, and the portable hotspot feature -- which requires a tethering plan. The other boon here is that this update may potentially spell the end to the berating your buddies have been handing you as they enjoy Froyo -- and soon Gingerbread -- on their Galaxy S devices. Enjoy the update, and remember to read the instructions and heed the warnings before you forge ahead.
J.D. Power: Verizon has best call quality nationwide, T-Mobile consistently below average
J.D. Power, that well known arbiter of human opinion in the United States, has just released its latest study on customer satisfaction with wireless carriers. It addresses such things as (the lack of) dropped calls, failures to connect, voice distortion, echoes, static, and late-arriving text messages, and ultimately churns out a rating out of five stars relative to the regional average and other carriers. In testing done between July and December last year, Verizon had the best or tied for the best satisfaction ratings in five of the six studied areas, while AT&T and Sprint traded blows for second and T-Mobile had to admit defeat as the laggard of the top four. US Cellular managed to score highest in the North Central region, but J.D. Power's overall assessment isn't very rosy for any of the carriers -- the stats collector says growing smartphone usage, heavy texting and more indoor calls are collectively causing call quality to stagnate, and even warns that "increased adoption of smartphones and wireless tablets may continue to compromise the quality of network service."
US Cellular's Samsung Acclaim boosted to Android 2.2
It's not often that you see a Samsung device running stock Froyo through official channels, so feast your eyes on the update recently release for the Acclaim on US Cellular that takes your QWERTY slider from Android 2.1 up to 2.2. You can't do this one over-the-air, which is a pretty big pain in the rear -- but considering that you're getting an entirely new version of Android here, we think you'll probably want to cable up for the few minutes it takes to get this bad boy installed. Have fun and be safe! [Thanks, Chris H.]
Galaxy Tab hits new low on US Cellular: $200 with 5GB data agreement
And the drops, they keep on comin'. Just 48 hours after T-Mobile USA reduced the financial barrier surrounding the Galaxy Tab to just $350 on contract, the suddenly boisterous US Cellular is doing 'em one better. The carrier has just lowered the price of a shiny new 7-inch Tab to just $199.99 on a two-year data agreement, with the only major caveat being that consumers will have to opt for the pricier 5GB / month plan. That'll run you $54.99 per month with pay-as-you-go messaging, or $74.99 per month with an all-you-can-message plan. We still aren't totally hip with a tablet on contract (sans voice capabilities), but those who've warmed won't find a better deal east of the Mississippi. Or west of it, frankly. [Thanks, D]
US Cellular makes all phones free on contract from the 17th through next week
Well, this should make the choice between a Messager Touch and a Mesmerize an easy one, right? From December 17th through the 24th, you'll be able to pick up any phone in US Cellular's inventory for free on a new contract -- and what's more, they'll flip you a $100 bill credit if you're buying a smartphone, regardless of whether you're a new customer or an existing one adding a line. Almost makes you want to sign up for, like, 20 lines of service, doesn't it? No? Follow the break for the press release. Update: US Cellular reached out to us to point out that if you're on a Belief Plan and you're already eligible for a phone upgrade, this means you can walk into a store and take any phone you want for free without signing a new contract. How crazy is that?
LG Optimus U hitting US Cellular on December 13th, free on contract
LG's well-received Optimus line of budget Android sets continues to expand, impress, and go gentle on wallets around the world -- and the latest to launch will come from US Cellular in the form of the Optimus U. First mentioned last month during the Apex's release, the phone hits next Monday, December 13th -- and once you take the mail-in rebate of $80 into account, you won't pay a dime for it on a new two-year contract (and if you're on a Belief Plan and you're eligible for an upgrade, you can get the subsidized price without signing a new contract). Like the rest of the Optimus line, the U features a 3.2-inch HVGA display, a 3.2 megapixel cam, and up to 32GB of external storage; LG throws in a 2GB card for good measure. Oh, and in case you're wondering, USCC doesn't disable 2.2's mobile hotspot functionality -- it's available and ready to go. Follow the break for the full press release.
Samsung ships 3M Galaxy S devices in the US, becomes top Android supplier in the country
You know what happens when you manage to launch essentially the same high-end smartphone on every national carrier in the US plus the top regional? Well, this happens: Samsung has just proudly announced that it's pushed some three million Galaxy S models in the US -- sold as the Fascinate, Captivate, Epic 4G, Vibrant, and Mesmerize on Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and US Cellular, respectively -- which gave it 32.1 percent of the US Android market in the third quarter according to Gartner, enough to vault it to the number one position. When your competitors are HTC and Motorola -- both of whom have knocked some Android phones out of the park this year -- that's pretty impressive. Follow the break for the full press release.
US Cellular rolls out trio of new prepaid plans with unlimited messaging
Texting fanatic? Are your poor, overused thumbs calloused beyond recognition? Well, friend, US Cellular has some new prepaid plans that might be right up your alley. The new $29, $39, and $49 offerings all include bottomless buckets of text and picture messages, paired with 200, 400, or 1,000 voice minutes, respectively -- but let's be honest, if you're texting that much, you probably aren't on the horn that often anyhow. Even better, the $39 plan bundles 5GB of data, which seems to make it the sweet spot if you tend to go light on calling and heavy on the texts and browsing. Follow the break for the full press release.
US Cellular: buy a smartphone this week, get $150 toward your future bills
Seems like Black Friday is nearly obsolete, doesn't it? You know how it goes on Thanksgiving week these days: there's no shortage of deals to be had from most of the wireless carriers in the country, but US Cellular's angle here is a little different. Rather than doing limited-time discounts or buy-one, get-one-free offers on particular models, they're going to flip you a $150 credit good toward your future bills when you add a line (or start a new individual plan) with a smartphone like the LG Apex, pictured, that just rolled out last week. After taxes and fees, that should give you roughly two months of free service if you pick the phone up alongside US Cellular's newish Primary Plus plan that includes 450 minutes, unlimited messaging, and 5GB of data -- enough to get you into 2011 without a bill. Should make enjoying your turkey just a little easier, we figure. The promo runs through next Monday, November 29; follow the break for the full press release.
Samsung Galaxy Tab price wars: US carriers face off
Samsung's Galaxy Tab. You know our thoughts on the device, so let's assume you've passed the "should I buy it?" question and onto the more specific, "whom should I sign on with?" You're certainly not bereft of choices: by the end of November, five of the six largest US carriers (sorry, MetroPCS) will offer the Android slate -- but not all pricing schemes were made equal. Carrier-agnostics, we're here to help! While we've already bemoaned the $50 premium on AT&T's model, we have confirmed there is no activation fee, which narrows the price between it and Verizon's offering to just $15 (and Ma Bell, along with Sprint, seem to be the only two offering a $50 Media Hub voucher). On paper, US Cellular has the lowest two-year cost with $760 on contract, but $15 monthly for 200MB is pretty ridiculous when just $20 gets you an entire gig on Verizon's network, or $30 for 2GB on Sprint. T-Mobile wins the award for the most insane disparity in data offerings: $25 for 200MB, or 25 times the data allotment (5GB) for just $15 more. 'Twas the best of deals, 'twas the worst of deals. If you ask us, there isn't really a clear-cut winner, but we'd definitely contend Big Magenta's got the most alluring on-contract value if 5GB is in the range of your data usage; the equivalent plan costs $60 on Sprint and $50 on Verizon, with the latter offering no discount for making a two-year commitment. Then again, if you're the kind who prefers to be unrestrained and plan to spend $600 regardless, it's Verizon with the most competitive data plans overall. And of course, your decision will undoubtedly be influenced by network performance in your area. Consider yourself informed.
LG Apex with Android and QWERTY hitting US Cellular this week for $80, Optimus U in December
Between the Desire, the Mesmerize, and the Galaxy Tab, US Cellular's already made it clear that they're pretty committed to Android, and the latest evidence of that comes this week in the form of the LG Apex. The QWERTY slider features a 3.2-inch display, 3 megapixel autofocus camera with flash, and Android 2.1 -- hopefully with a Froyo or Gingerbread upgrade in the works -- for $79.99, launching this Friday in US Cellular stores. Kind of looks a little bit like a keyboard-equipped version of the Optimus One, doesn't it? Well, just like T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon, USCC will be picking up its own version of the One next month, this time known as the Optimus U; we don't have pricing on it just yet, but we imagine it'll be a bit less than the Apex. Follow the break for the full press release.
Galaxy Tab coming to AT&T November 21st for $650, US Cellular on the 19th for $399 / $599
So, AT&T, it's true: you're charging $50 more for the Galaxy Tab than everyone else in the States off-contract. That's a pretty gutsy sense of entitlement, though you're bundling $50 in Samsung Media Hub credit -- and, of course, no other Tab has access to AT&T's $15 and $25 pay-as-you-go data plans at 250MB and 2GB, respectively. Pick your poison, we suppose. In related news, regional carrier US Cellular is going to start selling the Tab on November 19th for $399 on-contract or $599 off, effectively the same price schedule as all the big guys except AT&T. Data pricing on USCC seems like it needs another tier, though, because right now you'll be able to choose between $14.99 for 200MB or $54.99 for 5GB with tethering enabled. Where's the happy medium, guys? Follow the break for both press releases.
US Cellular: LTE trial in late 2011, full deployment in 2012
Though fellow regional carrier MetroPCS has been arguably the most aggressive carrier in all of North America in getting LTE live, it looks like US Cellular is taking a slightly more laid-back approach. At a conference in New York today, USCC's CFO announced that they're looking at deploying one LTE test market in the latter part of 2011, moving on to a full-force launch in 2012. In the same breath, he mentioned that they'd be interested in making a deal with a company like Clearwire or LightSquared that would give them access to more spectrum for 4G (or make that 4G-like) services, but that they're not "feeling a sense of crisis or urgency" on the matter -- in other words, let's not everyone switch over to US Cellular at once when LTE goes live, lest the network spontaneously melt into the Earth's crust.
US Cellular rolls out $70 Primary Plus plan for smartphones
Targeting "customers making their first foray into the smartphone frenzy," regional carrier US Cellular has put together a new data-focused, all-inclusive plan called "Primary Plus" that should meet the needs of a pretty wide swath of its subscriber base. The $69.99 package bundles 450 voice minutes, unlimited messaging, and 5GB of data, which compares to roughly $90 for a comparable package on Verizon -- granted, you get unlimited data for that price on Big Red, but for most folks, we suspect 5GB of non-tethering data is as good as unlimited. You also get free incoming calls, free nights and weekends, and unlimited mobile-to-mobile, so that 450-minute bucket is probably going to end up seeming a lot bigger in practice. Follow the break for the full press release.
Samsung Galaxy Tab notches a fifth American carrier, coming to US Cellular
Milking this one for all it's worth, eh Samsung? In what's easily becoming the most drawn-out product launch in the history of product launches, Sammy is just now informing us of a fifth American carrier onboard to carry its Galaxy Tab: US Cellular. The regional CDMA operator has been chosen as the token 'little guy' to offer the 7-inch, Froyo-based tablet, but the company's not saying when it will be arriving nor for how much. We're guessing it'll cost between $400 and $600 depending on the contract situation, but considering that every other carrier is getting it within a fortnight or so, those minor points should be clarified in short order. %Gallery-106164%
Samsung Galaxy S meets US Cellular: Mesmerize coming on October 27 for $200
Samsung had promised a US Cellular-branded version of its wildly ubiquitous Galaxy S line... and here it is. The so-called Mesmerize name fits in appropriately with some of its contemporaries -- Vibrant, Fascinate, Captivate -- and looks very much the same, too, featuring the usual 4-inch Super AMOLED display, 5 megapixel camera with 720p capture, 1GHz Hummingbird processor, and both WiFi and Bluetooth 3.0. Unfortunately, it'll be launching with Android 2.1, it seems, but a Froyo update is promised for "later this year." Look for it in stores on October 27 for $199 after an $80 mail-in rebate, followed by a couple other Android devices -- the LG Apex and Optimus -- in November and December, respectively. Follow the break for USCC's press release.
US Cellular launches The Belief Project, a slew of customer initiatives rolled into one
So US Cellular just spilled all the beans on its mysterious Belief Project today, and basically, they've just rolled up a whole bunch of policy tweaks under one neat, tidy name for marketing purposes. The list of changes is a long (and generally good one), featuring "one and done" contracts -- meaning you can get contract benefits forever after you serve out your first two-year contract -- along with free phone replacement for accidentally damaged handsets and $100 replacement for lost or stolen ones, three to five percent plan discounts based on payment method and paperless billing, overage caps and warnings, and a new rewards program that lets customers exchange points for discounts and free stuff. Follow the break for USCC's full press release.
