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Tag: Verizon

  • Sprint to Sell Upcoming iPhone 4G at Launch [Report]

    Apple’s tentative iPhone 5 is widely expected to support 4G LTE networking, in line with the new iPad, and it’s been speculated that Sprint will be able to sell the LTE phones at launch.

    AT&T and Verizon are expected to be selling the 4G LTE device from the start, but Sprint, still relatively new in its partnership with Apple, has a fairly small LTE network. The company plans to install LTE in only 6 cities by mid year – which is likely the reason Apple opted not to offer the iPad on Sprint’s network. AT&T and Verizon currently sell the new iPad LTE.

    Still, comments from Joe Euteneuer, CFO at Sprint, explain that the company with carry the iPhone 5 at launch, regardless of LTE network coverage.

    Dow Jones reports:

    Nonetheless, Euteneuer said Tuesday at an investor conference that Sprint’s Apple contract is similar to those of rivals AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless, and that the carrier isn’t being held to any 4G LTE coverage requirements. In comparison, the other two carriers have rolled out 4G LTE to large swaths of the country.

    “If you make the assumption that they launch a device at a similar time that they did last year, you’re basically done with the major markets” on Sprint’s 4G LTE buildout, Euteneuer said, noting the carrier plans to initially cover around 100 million Americans. “So I don’t think we are really disadvantaged at all.”

    Sprint took a risk in its partnership with Apple, committed to about $20 billion worth of iPhones during the life of the contract, and won’t see any profits until at least 2015. And even though the release of the iPhone 4S set Sprint’s single-day launch record, the company never saw a huge bump in new customers due to the device. And, if Sprint can’t bolster its LTE grid for the launch of the iPhone 5, the company will likely see major losses.

    Sprint forecasts that its LTE network will support 250 million users in the U.S. by 2013. This would put it up there with AT&T and Verizon. Sprint appears to bank on the release date of the new iPhone.

  • Verizon Network Engineers Drove Over 1 Million Miles Last Year

    In our modern world of gadgets and fancy technology some things still have to be done the old fashioned way. For example, if you’re a major wireless carrier and you want to test your network, it turns out you can’t do it from a computer in the comfort of an air-conditioned office. Apparently the “Can You Hear Me Now?” guy is a little closer to the truth than you might think.

    In fact, it turns out that Verizon has a whole team of people whose job is to drive around the country and see how well their network works. Now, it’s a little more sophisticated than “Can you hear me now?” They drive around in cars full of sophisticated testing equipment, but the principle is the same. In 2011 Verizon’s testers racked up over 1 million miles of driving, 3 million voice call attempts, and 12 million data tests.

    Of course, every industry requires knowing what the competition is up to, so Verizon’s testers actually spent a lot of their time testing competitors’ networks too. The data collected allows Verizon to shore up its network’s weak points and plan expansion, as well as stay aware of the strengths and weaknesses of competitors’ networks.

  • Tivo and Microsoft Make Nice In Court

    Tivo and Microsoft Make Nice In Court

    In a fairly unexpected move, Tivo and Microsoft have decided to settle their lawsuits with eachother and move on.

    According to a TiVo a regulatory filing Thursday, Microsoft agreed to dismiss all its pending litigation against TiVo, including action at the U.S. International Trade Commission and two cases in U.S. District Court in California’s Northern District. TiVo agreed to dismiss its counterclaim against Microsoft in that district court as well. No patent rights were granted to Microsoft by TiVo, according to the filing.

    The lawsuits stemmed from AT&T filing a suit against Tivo in regards to how people buy and download movies. Since Microsoft’s partner,AT&T is no longer suing, Microsoft can back down. Now that Tivo is done with Microsoft, it can focus on it’s lawsuit against verizon for stealing their TV “time-warping” technology in their DVR’s. Evercore Partners analyst Alan Gould said the case could go before a jury in July.

    Tivo was developed by Jim Barton and Mike Ramsay and was introduced to the world in 1999 in the San Francisco Bay Area. As of July 2011, TiVo’s market share shrunk to 1.93 million subscribers in the US, down from a peak of 4.36 million in January 2006.

  • Verizon Report Cites Rise in Anonymous “Hacktivism”

    Verizon today released its 2012 Data Breach Investigation Report and highlighted the growing threat of “hacktivism” by groups such as Anonymous. The report was compiled with the help of the Australian Federal police, dutch national High Tech Crime Unit, Irish Reporting and Information Secuity Service, Police Central e-Crime Unit, and U.S. Secret Service.

    It its summary, the report states:

    “[The] unrest that so typified 2011 was not… constrained to the physical world. The online world was rife with the clashing of ideals, taking the from of activism, protests, retaliation, and pranks. While these activities encompassed more than data breaches (e.g. DDoS attacks), the theft of corporate and personal information was certainly a core tactic. This re-imagined and re-invigorated specter of “hacktivism” rose to haunt organizations around the world. many, troubled by the shadowy nature of its origins and proclivity to embarrass victims, found this trend more frightening than other threats, whether real or imagined. Doubly concerning for many organizations and executives was that target selection by these groups didn’t follow the logical lines of who has money and/or valuable information. Enemies are even scarier when you can’t predict their behavior.”

    Though only 5% of external security breaches were undertaken by those motivated by “disagreement or protest” and/or “fun, curiosity, or pride,” this was a huge increase, meaning frequency of cases tied to activist groups was greater than those in all previous years combined. Also, a majority (58%) or all data theft was tied to activist groups. “…this trend is probably the biggest and single most important change factor in this year’s DBIR,” stated the report.

    The report sees this as a shift away from classic acts by “hacktivists” such as website defacement and denial of service attacks towards data theft. And they are good at it. In the cases reviewed, “hacktivists” stole over 100 million records. This is almost twice that of normal cyber criminals, who favor easier, less risky targets.

    The report concludes by revealing that most security breaches were easily preventable using simple precautions. Specifically, firewalls and password vigilance are the things businesses should focus on to prevent cyber crimes.

  • New iPad 4G Users Hitting Data Caps Much Faster Than Before

    New iPad 4G Users Hitting Data Caps Much Faster Than Before

    One of the biggest new features of Apple’s new iPad is its ability to connect to 4G LTE data networks. Often nearly as fast as your average in-home wi-fi, 4G LTE is a dramatic improvement over 3G. Per Apple’s own description, a 4G LTE iPad lets you “browse the web, stream content, or download a movie at blazing-fast speeds.”

    Now, however, it looks like all that speed may come with a price. According to a report today in the Wall Street Journal, people using 4G LTE on their new iPads are starting to hit the caps on their data plans in a fraction of the time it took them to do so before. According to the journal, Brandon Wells got his new iPad on Friday (when it released), and thanks to about two hours of streaming March Madness basketball games, he had hit the limit of his 2GB Verizon data plan. That left him the option of either turning wireless data off on his new iPad, or coughing up another $10 for every gigabyte of data used for the rest of the month.

    The issue raises an important question about the data plans AT&T and Verizon currently offer their customers: should the limits stay the same as technology advances? The current plan limits are unchanged from those offered for the 3G-capable iPad 2 and original iPad, despite the fact that the new iPad’s 4G connectivity allows for much higher data traffic.

    AT&T and Verizon iPad Data Plans

    Of course, it’s entirely possible that the carriers want it this way. If a 4G connection makes users burn through their lower-end data plans quickly, they will be forced to either pay the overage for the increased data usage, or upgrade to a (more expensive) plan with a higher limit. In the carriers’ eyes, no doubt, anything that prompts users to upgrade to a more expensive product is bound to be a good thing.

    Neither AT&T nor Verizon have yet responded to requests for comment.

    This new information sheds some light on previous details about the new iPad, as well. The day before the iPad hit stores, we reported that FaceTime would remain a wi-fi only feature. Users with the new iPad would not be able to use their 4G connection to make FaceTime calls. While such a move seemed puzzling at the time, now it makes a little more sense. FaceTime calls are fairly data-intensive, and over a 4G connection they are likely to burn through users’ data allotments quickly.

    Of course, this does not affect all iPad users. A significant percentage (Apple hasn’t said exactly how many) of the new iPads sold are the wi-fi only version, and won’t connect to 4G networks. Also, a happy few are still hanging on to the old unlimited data plans they got with the original iPad back in 2010. Fortunately for them, AT&T has said that they get to keep those plans, though there is no word yet on whether or not they will face the same kind of throttling that those with “unlimited” 3G iPhone plans face.

    Have you hit your data limit with your new iPad? If so, how did you do it? Should the carriers raise the data limits in light of the increased speeds that come with 4G LTE? Tell us what you think in the comments.

  • 90% of Tablet Use In Wi-Fi: No Need For Data Plans

    If you are putting off buying a tablet because you can’t afford to buy the necessary data plan required to surf the net, you don’t need to. It appears most users are merely using wi-fi to do a majority of their surfing anyway. If you have wi-fi in your home or office, you probably won’t need the connectivity in too many other places anyway.

    Also you could sit at the local Starbucks and use their wi-fi signal. Also, I believe many McDonalds have free wi-fi now. In fact, a growing number of retail locations and hotels/motels have free wireless services available. So you don’t need to spend the extra money on the data plan or the upgrade to make your device 3G and 4G capable.

    90% of tablet computer users do a majority of there internet tasks via wi-fi. That leaves only 10% that need internet access everywhere they go. Who are these people. Probably hardcore gamers, traveling businessman, and various other folks who probably own a smartphone anyway.

    Also, if you really use your pc for music, web surfing, and social networking, the tablet might make a good companion. A clear advantage o a tablet vs a desktop is the freedom to move wherever you want with the device. Lay on the couch, sit on the porch, check all your e-mails from bed, it is a lot more friendly than a desktop pc.

    So if cost is holding you back, it doesn’t have to be as expensive as you think. Consider the options. If you already have wi-fi and a desktop, all you really need to do is pay for the device.

  • New iPad: No FaceTime Over 4G LTE

    New iPad: No FaceTime Over 4G LTE

    The ever-expanding 4G LTE networks run by Verizon and AT&T offer enormous advantages to those whose devices are 4G-capable. On a good day, a 4G connection is comparable to your home wi-fi network in terms of speed. To the delight of many, Apple has included this technology in their third-generation iPad. Those who are eagerly awaiting their new iPad (which hits stores tomorrow) are no doubt eager to test out their fast new 4G connection on some of their favorite activities: surfing the web, watching movies on Netflix, playing music from Pandora, and making video calls with FaceTime.

    Well, those who want to use their 4G iPad for FaceTime are, it seems, out of luck. The Verge is reporting this morning that the new iPad has the same restrictions that FaceTime came with all the way back in 2010, when Steve Jobs introduced it alongside the iPhone 4. If you want to use FaceTime on your new iPad, you still have to be connected to a wi-fi network.

    This restriction (arguably) made a certain amount of sense two years ago when the iPhone 4 debuted. At the time only one carrier – AT&T – had the iPhone or the iPad, and if people started using their iPhone’s for FaceTime calls, it could put a strain on AT&T’s 3G network (which was less robust at the time). Now, though, it seems increasingly passé, especially in light of the proliferation of 4G-enabled smartphones that include mobile hotspot capabilities. Suppose, for example, that you’re a Verizon customer with a Samsung Galaxy Nexus and a 4G iPad. You can’t use your iPad to make FaceTime calls over 4G, but you can use your Galaxy Nexus to create a mobile hotspot, connect your iPad to it, and then make a FaceTime call. It all seems a little ridiculous.

    I sent a message to Apple requesting some clarification on this issue. In 2010 Steve Jobs cited AT&T as the reason for keeping FaceTime wi-fi-only. I asked if this was still the case, and what the reasoning for keeping the restriction in place was. As yet they have not responded.

    What do you think? Should Apple, AT&T, Verizon, or whoever is responsible allow FaceTime calls over 4G? Do you use FaceTime on your iOS device? Let us know in the comments.

  • Verizon Expecting 4G IPhone, Plans Massive Network Upgrade

    There’s no doubt at this point that 4G LTE is the wave of the cellular data future. All the latest and greatest smartphones are 4G-capable. Even Apple’s new iPad has 4G. While the networks to support these super-fast new devices are still small, they’re growing rapidly. AT&T just announced that their 4G LTE network would be expanding to eleven new markets, and now Verizon looks set to top them.

    Speaking yesterday to Dow Jones Newswires, Verizon Wireless chief technical officer David Small said that Verizon was planning to double the size of its 4G LTE network by the end of 2012. Whereas there are currently about 200 markets covered by Verizon’s 4G network, they are planning to cover 400 markets by year’s end.

    That’s not all, though. Small also said that every new phone coming to Verizon’s network for the remainder of 2012 would be a 4G-capable phone. Think about that for a second: every phone. That includes, presumably, Apple’s next iPhone (which, like the iPad, will probably just be “the new iPhone“). Now, rumors of a 4G iPhone have persisted for a couple of years now, but Small’s statement here seems to confirm that this year will finally see the iPhone make the jump to 4G.

    Of course, one could argue that Apple itself has already confirmed a 4G iPhone. After all, we’ve got a 4G iPad due to hit store shelves in just two days. It’s pretty much unthinkable that Apple would launch a new iPad with 4G and a new iPhone without it.

    What do you think? Is a 4G iPhone a certainty? With a 4G iPhone in your hands, would network size impact your choice of carrier? Let us know in the comments.

  • DROID 2 Global Getting A Software Update

    DROID 2 Global Getting A Software Update

    Hot on the heels of news that Samsung announced, then denied, that their Galaxy S II phone would be getting an update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, Motorola’s DROID 2 Global is getting an update of its own. But not to Ice Cream Sandwich.

    The DROID 2 Global, which is an older model, is getting an update to an improved version of Android 2.3 Gingerbread. The update reportedly brings a host of bug fixes and several performance updates. Those who have rooted their DROID should take care, though: the update not only breaks rooting but also closes the exploit used to root the OS in the first place.

    Unfortunately, the DROID 2 Global is old enough that it isn’t likely to get Ice Cream Sandwich at all, so if you had your heart set on the latest, slickest version of Android, you might want to think about switching phones. If, on the other hand, you’re happy with your current phone and Gingerbread (and your phone isn’t rooted), then by all means check it out. The update began rolling out automatically sometime late yesterday. It can also be downloaded manually in your phone’s settings.

    Have you gotten the new update yet? Let us know what you think in the comments.

  • New iPad 4G Models’ Shipping Dates Already Delayed

    New iPad 4G Models’ Shipping Dates Already Delayed

    Less than 24 hours after the new iPad was unveiled and put up for pre-sale, some of its models have already been delayed. In terms of shipping dates, some 4G enabled models on AT&T’s network have been pushed back three days.

    Over at the Apple online store, it appears that the biggest demand so far is for white 4G enabled models. Both the 16GB 4G model ($629) and the 64GB 4G model on AT&T show a delayed shipping date of March 19th. As you may recall from our coverage of the iPad event on Wednesday, Apple said they would be releasing the new iPad on March 16th.

    And that’s still the case for all of the other models as of right now. All of the Wi-Fi only iPads as well as all of the models on Verizon are still showing March 16th. And all of the black 4G models on AT&T are also still on schedule.

    Of course, this is likely to change at any moment, as anxious iPad fans flood the online store with pre-orders.

    March 16th is a big day for Apple, as they will launch the new iPad (yep, the “new iPad”) in 10 different countries including the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Japan.

    The new iPad sports a 2048×1536 Retina display and an all-new quad-core A5X processor. It also has a new iSight camera and voice dictation. With the launch of the new iPad, Apple also brought iPhoto to the device along with officially launching iOS 5.1.

  • Verizon Explains Stance On Bootloaders To FCC

    Verizon Explains Stance On Bootloaders To FCC

    Verizon has responded to a complaint filed to the FCC concerning the locking of bootloaders on its Android phones. The lockdown, done to prevent users from rooting their Android phones, has long been a sore point for many Android users. Rooting, like jailbreaking an iOS device, allows a higher degree of customization than the OS itself is designed to allow. The bootloader is the section of the phone’s memory where the system files are stored. Locking down the bootloader prevents access to the system files, and therefore makes rooting an Android phone considerably harder.

    While handset manufacturers have generally not been bothered by users having access to the bootloader, carriers have taken a somewhat different view. Carriers often request that the manufacturers lock the bootloader on their phones. Verizon, for example, insists that the bootloader on all its DROID phones be locked. One user, though, got frustrated enough at Verizon that he filed a complaint with the FCC. The complaint alleges that Verizon violates the terms of its spectrum licenses by locking the bootloader on their phones.

    Verizon Responds to the FCC

    What do you think of Verizon’s response? Let us know in the comments.

  • First Look at Isis Mobile Wallet

    First Look at Isis Mobile Wallet

    We are getting our first glimpse of Isis, the mobile wallet app that will be available to more than 100 million United State Credit Card holders this summer. The new app will compete with Google Wallet and Opera, offering a secure and convenient way to pay with your credit card on your mobile phone.

    The UI looks simple enough, with a list of your current payment options (Chase, Capitol One, and Barclay were the first to sign up for the service). Along the bottom we have “Isis Feed” (most likely a payment history page), “Directory” (a list of shopping outlets that will accept the Isis payment system), and “More” (settings).

    The NFC-based mobile payment system was created by Verizon, T-mobile and AT&T to try and make mobile payments a common practice.

    Verizon came under fire late last year when it was discovered that Google Wallet was not supported on their version of the Galaxy Nexus phone. Critics claimed it was intentionally blocked to prevent customers from using Verizon’s soon-to-be competitor.

    Isis will go live this summer, starting in Salt Lake City, UT and Austin, TX as a test run, then nationwide access soon after.

  • iPhone Sales Hurt By Lack Of Carrier Subsidies

    iPhone Sales Hurt By Lack Of Carrier Subsidies

    Anyone who has ever tried to buy a contract-free iPhone has first-hand experience with how heavily Apple relies on carrier subsidies to sell its phones. The price difference, usually in the neighborhood of several hundred dollars, is made up for by the contract users purchase with their phones.

    For customers in the United States, this process brings the iPhone into a much more accessible price range. Many overseas carriers, however, do not subsidize phones – particularly smartphones – in the same way. This means that an iPhone in much of Europe costs far more. This, in turn, drives many users to more affordable phones. Many Android-based smartphones, for example, are far cheaper than iPhones even without carrier subsidies.

    This explains some of the recent data we have been seeing concerning the iPhone’s market share in non-U.S. countries. While the iPhone still enjoys a strong user base in many countries, Android has been growing at a much greater rate. For example, one recent report shows that in Britain in the past year Android has surged past the iPhone in both installed base (i.e., the number of overall smartphone users who have Android phones) and in market share (i.e., the number of new phone sales). Meanwhile, the iPhone has also lost market share in China in the last year, dropping to fifth place behind Samsung, Nokia, Huawei Technologies, and ZTE Corporation. While Apple’s recent deal with a second Chinese carrier, China Telecom, may help boost market share somewhat, the iPhone’s price is seen as a major factor in its slip to fifth place.

    Meanwhile, though the iPhone enjoys a substantial chunk of the U.S. market, there is evidence that carriers may be getting the short end of the stick where the iPhone is concerned. The iPhone definitely draws customers to those carriers who have it. T-Mobile, the only major U.S. carrier without the iPhone, lost 800,000 customers in the fourth quarter of 2011 due to its lack of the iPhone. Yet the subsidies on which iPhone sales rely so heavily are apparently not good for carriers. While iPhone sales have done wonders for Apple’s revenue, the subsidies have taken a significant bite out of carrier profits.

    AT&T and Sprint suffer most from the iPhone. AT&T sells more of them than any other carrier, which means that the iPhone takes a bigger chunk of the company’s profits. Sprint, meanwhile, is the smallest carrier with the iPhone, and operates on far smaller margins than AT&T or Verizon. Subsidies for the iPhone take so much out of Sprint’s profits that the company will not even be making money on the device for about three more years. Though the iPhone definitely brings a major boost to carriers in terms of customers, one wonders whether they will be willing to endure the damage to their bottom line forever.

    What do you think? Would you still buy an iPhone without carrier subsidies, or would it be too expensive? Let us know in the comments.

  • Verizon’s $4 Billion Spectrum Deal: Public Knowledge On How It Hurts Consumers, Competition

    Last year ,Verizon announced it would purchase mobile spectrum licenses from several cable companies for about $4 billion. Competitors think this will give Verizon too much power and hurt competition.

    Complaints from T-Mobile USA, Sprint Nextel, Public Knowledge, and the National Consumer Law Center have been filed with the FCC, trying to get Verizon’s efforts blocked.

    WebProNews interviewed Public Knowledge staff attorney Jodie Griffin about the situation. She says it could be “to the detriment of smaller wireless carriers and to the detriment of consumers”.

    Watch the interview above for more on the Public Knowledge side of the story. Griffin also addresses the spectrum auctions that are part of the payroll tax cut bill.

    For more on the auctions, check out our exclusive interview with Bruce Mehlman, the former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Tech Policy and the Co-Chair of the Internet Innovation Alliance.

    Verizon’s deal is under review from both the FCC and the DoJ.

  • SNL Spoofs Verizon’s 4G LTE Ads

    Saturday Night Live has been accused by some people these days of not being that funny anymore and that all of its good actors have moved on. SNL proved last night that they still got it.

    A sketch last night on SNL spoofed Verizon’s ads where a person walks into a store to look for a new phone while an employee barrages them with specs and technical mumbo jumbo. While the ad would portray this as something that everybody gets, the truth is very different.

    The sketch portrays what it’s really like for a person, young or old, when they encounter a Verizon salesperson. The sketch may be funny, but it once again shows that SNL can still give us the truth under a veneer of humor.

    Check it out below:

    And for those who can’t watch the NBC embed, we’re sorry. Every video of the ad on YouTube has been flagged for copyright by NBC. You’ll have to watch their embed.

  • Is The iPhone Killing Wireless Carriers?

    Is The iPhone Killing Wireless Carriers?

    With all those iPhones sold last year, surely the wireless carriers are doing great, right? Turns out the iPhone is what’s hurting carriers the most.

    CNN reports that due to the heavy discounts applied to the iPhone by carriers, sales of the device destroy their bottom lines. Take for instance Verizon, the wireless company that started selling the iPhone in February 2011. Their “EBITDA service margin,” which is a metric that carriers use to “measure their core profit as a percentage of their sales, has dropped dramatically since they began selling the iPhone.

    Between 2009 and 2010, Verizon averaged a EBITDA service margin of 46.4 percent per quarter. That fell to 43.7 percent in the quarter that the iPhone went on sale. It plunged even further last quarter when they sold 4.2 million iPhones to 42.2 percent.

    Funny enough, their margin bounced back up to 47.8 percent during the third quarter last year. Why is that? People stopped buying iPhones.

    AT&T has always sold more iPhones than other carriers which hurts them in a big way. Their margin was at 28.7 percent last quarter, compared to 37.6 percent the year before. The main cause – they sold twice as many iPhones last quarter.

    Sprint already had a low margin to begin with, but they really took a beating once they began selling the iPhone. Their margin fell to 9.5 percent from 16 percent a year earlier. Sprint placed the blame squarely on the iPhone for their poor figures.

    Analysts agree that the iPhone is bad for wireless carriers. As sales of the iPhone grow beyond anybody’s expectations, the subsidies from the devices will keep on hurting the profits of their carriers.

    Carriers pay around $450 per device they sell which is the highest in the industry. AT&T is hurting even more since they offer the iPhone 3GS for free.

    Sprint agreed to pay $15.5 billion in up front costs to Apple over the next four years for the device. They don’t even expect to make money on it until 2015.

    The cost of adding an iPhone customer is about 40 percent higher than a non-iPhone customer according to Sprint.

    Why would these companies destroy themselves over the iPhone then? It’s a matter of keeping customers. Sprint’s CEO told CNN last year that they offered the iPhone because customers were leaving to other carriers that had the device.

    The only way that carriers are going to make money off of the iPhone is to raise rates or force Apple to lower their subsidies. Since nobody wants to tell Apple what to do, that’s why carriers like AT&T have been coercing customers into getting more expensive plans.

    That’s the only solution making any sense right now so expect to see higher monthly bills in exchange for having an iPhone.

  • Verizon & Redbox Join Forces, But Will It Really Hurt Netflix?

    Verizon & Redbox Join Forces, But Will It Really Hurt Netflix?

    The digital streaming space is about to get more crowded as Verizon and Redbox prepare to launch their own service. Yesterday, Coinstar, Redbox’s parent company, and Verizon announced they were partnering in a new venture. The companies are combining Verizon’s video on-demand streaming and download service with Redbox’s popular DVD kiosk service.

    Does the venture from Redbox and Verizon sound like something you would want to purchase? We’d love to know.

    Verizon and Redbox hope to give consumers an option that is a “simple and affordable way to access the video entertainment they crave.”

    Speaking about the partnership, Coinstar CEO Pau Davis said:

    “Consumers rely on Redbox for the latest new release movies at a great value, and our joint venture with Verizon will enable us to bring them even more value by offering expanded content offerings and greater flexibility for how and when they enjoy entertainment.”

    “Together, we are erasing old technology boundaries, freeing people to spontaneously enjoy the entertainment they want, whenever they choose, using the devices and media they prefer, at home or away,” added Bob Mudge, Verizon’s President of Consumer and Mass Business Markets.

    Since the unnamed service is very similar to Netflix, a lot of people are wondering what will happen to it once this new venture launches. What’s more, the past several months have been rather rough for Netflix after it dramatically raised its prices last September. Consumers were outraged and some even dropped the service, as Bryan Gonzalez, the Director of Social Entertainment Labs at the Entertainment Technology Center at USC, explained in this video:

    Bryan Gonzalez, Director of Social Entertainment Labs at the Entertainment Technology Center at USC WebProNews recently caught up with Gonzalez again to talk about this latest development. According to him, Netflix has to continue to focus on its content in order to effectively compete with Verizon and Redbox’s service.

    “For Netflix to really continue competing, I think they’re really gonna need to push hard and try to get as much content up front as possible,” he said.

    “As long as Netflix keeps that drum beat of fresh content – new content – to their streaming sector, I think they’ll do fine,” he added.

    Should Netflix be worried? What do you think?

    Gonzalez went on to raise an interesting point about the deal between Verizon and Redbox. As he explained, Netflix’s actions last year were part of a bigger effort to move away from its DVD service. However, it seems that this new venture focuses on the DVD side, which he believes could be due to accessibility issues that so many Americans face.

    “A lot of Americans still don’t have very fast Internet connections, so streaming quality isn’t as great necessarily for everyone as a DVD or a Blu Ray,” Gonzalez pointed out.

    Another potential issue he raised was in regards to Verizon’s current FIOS cable TV service. At this point, Verizon’s FIOS program is not national, but one can’t help but wonder what will happen since the new venture seems to contradict it.

    These details and others were not disclosed in the announcement but are expected to come as the launch date gets closer. The companies said the new service would be available during the second half of the year.

  • Redbox Streaming Service On The Way

    Redbox Streaming Service On The Way

    Verizon and Redbox parent company Coinstar announced a joint venture, which will results in a streaming service for the popular movie rental service. The new service is supposed to launch in the second half of the year under a subscription-based model.

    Redbox’s offerings today, are of course kiosk-based. People can go up to a kiosk at a grocery store, a McDonald’s, a Walgreens or other place, swipe their card, give their email address and rent a DVD or game. Redbox has become very popular thanks to the convenience (customers can return discs to any kiosk) and low prices. The lack of a streaming offering, however, has kept Redbox from being a bigger threat to Netflix and Blockbuster. That may soon change.

    The announcement says that the venture’s services will offer Redbox’s new release DVD and Blu-ray rentals combined with “a new content-rich video on-demand streaming and download service from Verizon”.

    “Consumers rely on Redbox for the latest new release movies at a great value, and our joint venture with Verizon will enable us to bring them even more value by offering expanded content offerings and greater flexibility for how and when they enjoy entertainment,” said Coinstar CEO Paul Davis. “This alliance is the result of a deliberate and strategic process to identify a partner who shares our commitment to delivering innovative solutions to consumers. We look forward to rolling out the shared benefits this venture will bring to consumers, retailers, and shareholders.”

    “When you consider the core elements the parties bring to this venture – our powerful brands; our national rental kiosk footprint; our anytime, anywhere network presence; and our mutual commitment to customer-focused innovation – it’s clear that Verizon and Redbox are a powerful entertainment team,” said Bob Mudge, president of Verizon consumer and mass business markets.

    “The joint venture will combine the accessibility and value of Redbox with Verizon’s vision for a borderless lifestyle – where consumers easily accomplish what they want or need to do, on their terms, through the power of the network,” added Mudge. “Together, we are erasing old technology boundaries, freeing people to spontaneously enjoy the entertainment they want, whenever they choose, using the devices and media they prefer, at home or away.”

    The companies say additional brand and product info will be revealed in the coming months.

    Last week, news came out that Redbox will no longer have 28-day delays on Warner Bros. content. That’s one edge Redbox has over Netflix.

  • Watch Super Bowl Online: NBC Start Time, Kickoff Time, Super Bowl Odds

    Watch Super Bowl Online: NBC Start Time, Kickoff Time, Super Bowl Odds

    The Super Bowl is today. You probably already knew that. You might not have caught on to the fact that the Super Bowl isn’t only a TV event this year – it’s coming to a Web browser or smartphone near you.

    That’s right, folks. The Super Bowl will be broadcast live online for the first time ever this year. NBC Sports has been kind enough to give us a real treat this year by offering two options on top of the traditional TV viewing model that we all know and love.

    First and foremost, the game is being broadcast on NBCSports.com. If you go there now, you’ll be able to catch the pre-game show that started at 10 a.m. and will continue until 4 p.m. The game is also coming to you courtesy of the NFL mobile app that will allow you to watch it from any Verizon smartphone.

    The kick-off is at 6:30 p.m. EST so be sure to be in front of your TV before then. If not, the Internet has you covered. The livestream of the game online has a few distinct features that avid football fans are going to want to check out. While the televised version will feature multiple camera angles, the online version will feature four unique camera angles that fans can pick and choose for the best experience. It brings DVR-lite functionality to the game as well allowing fans to rewind and pause the game to watch the sure to be stupendous plays again. Finally, the livestream will allow fans to share their favorite moments via Facebook and Twitter.

    For the betting types out there, we got you covered as well. The Wynn sports book in Las Vegas became the first book to post the Super Bowl line of Patriots -2 on Saturday afternoon. Most sports books have New England favored by -2.5 to -3 points. Keep yourself updated as those odds are likely to keep changing until the game starts.

    We got more Super Bowl coverage coming your way today, so stay tuned.

  • Google Wallet On Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S (AT&T), According to Reports

    Google Wallet On Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S (AT&T), According to Reports

    Several reports have come out indicating that AT&T has quietly begun allowing users of the Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy S NFC-enabled smartphones to download Google Wallet.

    Slashgear reports that the download requires that an AT&T SIM be loaded into the phone.

    Google has made it clear in the past that it has big plans for Google Wallet, so any blocking by carriers is a huge pain in the butt for the company. For one, Google has already rolled Google Checkout into Google Wallet. It’s also an important product to the expansion of Google Offers, the company’s Groupon clone, which continues to frequently launch in new markets. This could turn into a significant provider of revenue for the company.

    Verizon had blocked Google Wallet on the Galaxy Nexus, though they didn’t like to use the word “blocking”. Verizon put out a statement that said:

    Recent reports that Verizon is blocking Google Wallet on our devices are false. Verizon does not block applications.

    Google Wallet is different from other widely-available m-commerce services. Google Wallet does not simply access the operating system and basic hardware of our phones like thousands of other applications. Instead, in order to work as architected by Google, Google Wallet needs to be integrated into a new, secure and proprietary hardware element in our phones.

    We are continuing our commercial discussions with Google on this issue.

    Still, there has been healthy skepticism about that explanation, given Verizon’s investor role in ISIS, a competing payment service, which AT&T and T-Mobile also invest in.

    Since then, hacks have been revealed to get Google Wallet on Verizon, but nothing official.

    In fact, while the app has reportedly appeared in the Android Market on AT&T, there hasn’t been any official acknowledgement of this by either Google or AT&T, interestingly.

  • Verizon Preparing To Launch Shared iPhone, iPad Data Plans

    Verizon Preparing To Launch Shared iPhone, iPad Data Plans

    Verizon and AT&T have both said in in the past six months that they were planning to launch shared data plans for phones and tablets. Both companies currently offer separate data plans for separate devices. That is, if you have an iPhone and a 3G iPad, your iPhone data network is paid directly to Verizon or AT&T on your phone bill, while your iPad data plan is paid separately, through your iTunes store account. Under the new plans, users would be able to unify the two bills, paying both at once and eliminating the hassle of separate charges.

    There is no word yet on how soon these new plans will be rolling out. Engaget is reporting that a source inside Verizon had seen references to “account level data plans” in employee training materials. Presumably the new plans will be available soon, but until Verizon makes an official announcement, there is no way to be sure when. Given that AT&T made their announcement about the shared data plan a full six months before Verizon, they aren’t likely to let Verizon get much of a jump on them, which means that we can probably expect AT&T to make an announcement not long after Verizon does.