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Tag: T-Mobile

  • Severe Weather Alerts To Be Sent Via Text Soon

    Severe Weather Alerts To Be Sent Via Text Soon

    A little over a week ago we brought you news that the iOS 6 beta included the option to turn certain kinds of government issued alerts on and off. There were two basic kinds of alerts that you could receive: AMBER Alerts, and more generalized emergency alerts (which presumably include things like severe weather). Of course, not all phones – not even all smartphones – have this kind of option. In fact, most don’t. While there are weather apps for most smartphones that will perform a similar function, they don’t always work as advertised.

    With that in mind, the National Weather Service has struck a deal with all four major carriers to begin bringing severe weather alerts to smartphones using SMS messages. According to Yahoo!News, the alerts will be less than 90 characters long, and will be completely free. All customers on each of the carriers will be signed up automatically, though you have the option to opt out if you want (why would you want to?).

    Each of the four largest carriers in the country – AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon – are participating in the program. Three of the four currently offer the service everywhere, while AT&T only has it in Washington, D.C., Portland, Oregon, and New York City. Most smartphones on the carriers’ networks will be able to receive the alerts, though iPhone users will have to wait until the fall – presumably for the release of iOS 6, or possibly the new iPhone.

    Considering how many fewer people listen to live radio or watch live, local TV these days, it’s getting harder and harder for the NWS and other agencies to disseminate emergency information quickly. Programs like this will allow people to get emergency information over channels that were previously unavailable.

  • Samsung Galaxy S III U.S. Launch is a Confusing Mess

    Samsung Galaxy S III U.S. Launch is a Confusing Mess

    No doubt Samsung would have loved to have launch it’s new flagship Android smartphone, the Galaxy S III, globally in a single day. The realities of cellular service in different countries, however, make this impossible. The next best plan is to release it in Europe and Asia first, then roll it out to the U.S. Samsung scored big when it announced all of the major U.S. carriers would be hosting the phone on their network. Unfortunately, the U.S. cell phone industry is so screwed up, and Samsung’s supplies of the phone are so limited, that not even a country-wide debut on a single U.S. carrier was possible.

    Samsung announced today that the Galaxy S III has officially launched in the U.S. The company held a large party in a trendy New York gallery last night, hosted by Ashley Greene (I Googled it for you – she’s an actress from Twilight). While U.S. Samsung executives were partying with Steve Nash and Skrillex, though, it was already clear that most customers in the U.S. would not be able to purchase the new device for around another week.

    The only guaranteed place for customers to get their hands, physically, on a Galaxy S III today is at a T-Mobile store in a very large city. T-Mobile is also selling the phone on its website, though it states that the device is not in stock, and will ship as soon as it arrives (the website estimates a June 29 ship date). The top 29 markets for T-Mobile are selling the smartphone today (via TmoNews): LosAngeles, CA; Chicago, IL; Phoenix, AZ; Houston, TX; SanDiego, CA; NewYork, NY; Seattle, WA; Miami/Ft.Lauderdale, FL; Dallas/Ft.Worth, TX; SanFrancisco, CA; SaltLakeCity, UT; Denver, CO; Minneapolis, MN; Tampa/St.Petersburg, FL; Philadelphia, PA; SanAntonio, TX; Portland, OR; Austin, TX; Atlanta, GA; KansasCity, MO; Boston, MA; Sacramento, CA; Orlando, FL; Detroit, MI; Washington DC; Cleveland, OH; Jacksonville, FL; Charlotte, NC; and McAllen, TX. T-Mobile customers in other cities will have to wait until at least June 27 to see the phones in their area.

    Sprint, like T-Mobile, had promised supposed to launch the Galaxy S III today, but demand for the phone means that not everyone will receive theirs on time. The company has stated that it will try to ship all 16 GB Galaxy S III pre-orders to customers today, but there might be delays of up to two days. Customers who pre-ordered the 32 GB version will have to wait until at least June 28.

    AT&T pre-orderers were promised their Galaxy S III’s as early as today, but the company is now asking them to be patient with its June 28 ship date. And that’s just for the 16 GB version. It doesn’t appear that AT&T is even getting the 32 GB version any time soon. Instead, the company is offering a more expensive package with a 16 GB MicroSD card included, and calling that the 32 GB package. AT&T will be getting a red version of the phone at some point, though. Yay.

    Verizon was already going to be the last carrier to get the Galaxy S III. Today the company announced that its launch date for the smartphone has been pushed back yet another day, all the way to July 11. Customers who pre-ordered early should have their devices by July 9 or 10, though.

    Why is all of this happening? The demand for the phone has somehow exceeded Samsung’s manufacturing capabilities. Instead of simply selling the phone and allowing the customer to choose a carrier (as it’s done in Europe) every separate U.S. carrier had to split a deal with Samsung on subsidy pricing. No doubt ship dates were a factor in these negotiations. So, we now have tenuous release dates where most of the country has no idea when the phone will arrive in their area.

    At least Samsung managed to sidestep Apple’s patent lawsuit, which would have delayed the phone’s release even more. Also, it’s clear from the delays and staggered releases that the Galaxy S III will probably be Samsung’s best-selling smartphone of all time. That, and not the release date, is certainly what Samsung was celebrating last night in New York.

  • Galaxy S III U.S. Release Date Pushed Back

    Galaxy S III U.S. Release Date Pushed Back

    Earlier this month we brought you news that both AT&T and Verizon had made Samsung’s new Galaxy S III available for pre-order through their websites, following closely on the heels of Sprint and T-Mobile. Three of the four carriers – all but Verizon – were projecting shipping dates of this week. AT&T promised they would begin shipping the phones on Monday, June 18th, while Sprint and T-Mobile listed tomorrow, the 21st, as their shipping date. Surprisingly, Verizon’s shipping date was July 9th, a full three weeks after the other carriers.

    Now, though, it seems that Verizon might have been a little more prescient than their competitors. Shipping dates for the Galaxy S III are slipping left, right, and center. AT&T’s shipping date has slipped into next week – the 28th, to be precise. Sprint is having similar troubles and is also tentatively promising to have filled its orders by the end of next week. T-Mobile, meanwhile, has announced that they’re splitting up the launch. If you’re fortunate enough to live in one of their top 29 markets, you should still be getting yours tomorrow. If, on the other hand, you live anywhere else at all, your Galaxy S III will be coming… wait for it… next week. June 27th, to be precise. So while T-Mobile’s Galaxy S III may be more expensive than other carriers, at least they manage to beat the other carriers to release by a day, right?

    Verizon, meanwhile, hasn’t made a peep. They’re presumably still on track for an early July launch. From the way things are looking with the other three carriers, maybe they won’t be as behind as we thought.

  • Samsung Galaxy S III on T-Moblie June 21

    Samsung Galaxy S III on T-Moblie June 21

    Samsung announced this morning that the Galaxy S III would be launching on all of the major U.S. carriers by the end of June. Now, the carriers are beginning to announce pricing and availability details for the smartphone. T-Mobile is the second carrier to announce details for the smartphone’s U.S. launch. Customers will be able to purchase the Galaxy S III beginning June 21. T-Mobile stated it expects both the blue and white versions of the phone to be available. Though T-Mobile has not released any pricing information, both Verizon and Sprint have announced $200 and $250 versions of the device. Verizon has announced it will begin taking pre-orders for the smartphone on June 6, and Sprint has also announced a June 21 launch date.

    “We have a tremendous history of working with Samsung to bring cutting-edge devices to market, and we know our customers are excited to get their hands on the Galaxy S III,” said Brad Duea, senior vice president of product management at T-Mobile USA. “As we continue to aggressively compete, this device is yet another example of how T-Mobile delivers amazing devices and 4G experiences to our customers.”

    T-Mobile claims to have sold more of the Galaxy S III’s predecessor Galaxy S phones than any other U.S. carrier. While this may be true, T-Mobile has struggled recently due to being the only U.S. carrier that does not carry Apple’s iPhone. Though a proposed merger with AT&T last year did not pan out for T-Mobile, the carrier did receive a $4 billion pay-out from AT&T as a result.

  • Deutsche Telekom in Discussions with MetroPCS

    German telecommunications company Deutsche Telekom AG, the second largest telecommunications company in Europe, is reportedly discussing a merger of its T-Mobile branch with U.S. cellular provider MetroPCS. According to Bloomberg, Deutsche Telekom is considering moving stocks around in a way that would give it control over both U.S. entities, which could lead to an IPO or a plain sale of T-Mobile USA. Upon these rumors, MetroPCS stock rose 14 percent yesterday.

    Deutsche Telekom tried to sell T-Mobile to AT&T last year for $39 billion, but the sale fell through due to regulatory resistance. T-Mobile also lost 802,000 contracts in Q4 2011, and DTAG has been trying to figure out what to do with the company. Alexandre Iatrides, a Parisian analyst at Oddo & Cie states, “The thing they lack is size and it would be easier to be part of something larger,” describing why DTAG might want to merge T-Mobile with MetroPCS.

    MetroPCS launched its Metro USA nationwide service in 2010, and covers roughly 90% of the U.S. population. It offers cheap plans, starting at $40 a month. The tagline of the provider is wireless for all – I personally subscribed to the service for a while during a stint in Tampa, and it sucks. Still, $40 a month for unlimited use of a feature phone sans contract is hard to beat – you get what you pay for. Basic unlimited talk and text plans start at $25 a month.

    T-Mobile lost another 510,000 contract subscribers during Q1, 2012, though prepaid users, a la MetroPCS, are on the rise. By the end of March, T-Mobile’s customer base was as 33.4 million, the fourth largest in the U.S., behind Verizon, AT&T and Sprint. After news of the potential DTAG/MetroPCS merger hit, DTAG shares rose 4.2% to 8.90 euros, the largest increase since last November. Perhaps directing T-Mobile towards more of a pay-as-you-go model will be key in turning things around.

  • T-Mobile First Quarter 2012 Earnings Report Is Here

    T-Mobile just announced their first quarter 2012 results and the highlight is a strong adjusted OBIDA increase at 7.2% year-over-year to $1.3 billion. OBIDA margins increased 3 percentage points. They added 187,000 customers in this quarter as opposed to almost 100,000 lost at the same time the year before.

    Service revenues declined to $4.4 billion, down 4% from the same time last year. Total revenues also fell 2.5% from last year and came in at $1.4 billion. Expenditures were consistent with with early 2011 and remained at $747 million.

    Philipp Humm, CEO and President of T-Mobile USA. comments on the results of the first quarter:

    “In the first quarter, T-Mobile USA delivered strong performance across several key metrics – adding customers, increasing branded ARPUs year-on-year and effectively managing costs to deliver a solid adjusted OIBDA margin. While branded contract churn remains a focus, in the first quarter of 2012 we achieved our lowest level in seven quarters,”

    “In just a short time since the December breakup of the AT&T deal, T-Mobile USA has redefined and restarted our Challenger Strategy including phase one of a major brand re-launch to redefine T-Mobile in the marketplace.”

    René Obermann, CEO of Deutsche Telekom comments on T-Mobile’s performance in the first quarter in 2012:

    “T-Mobile USA delivered an encouraging adjusted OIBDA year-on-year increase in the first quarter of 2012. Philipp Humm and his team managed the business with improved efficiency in a still difficult environment, laying the foundation for successful implementation of the Challenger Strategy,”

    T-Mobile has plans to invest over $4 billion in their 4G LTE network in coming year. They also have plans to offer new state-of-the-art equipment featuring partnerships with Nokia and Ericsson.

  • AT&T To Offer Family Data Plan Soon

    AT&T To Offer Family Data Plan Soon

    Ralph de la Vega, CEO of AT&T mobility, has revealed that his company will soon be offering shared family data plans. These plans will allow users to pay for a single data plan that covers multiple devices – smartphones and tablets, namely. Under the current system a family with, say, two iPhones and a 4G iPad have to pay separate data plan fees for each device. With shared data plans, customers would pay for a single data plan that would cover all the family’s devices.

    In an interview with CNet at the CTIA conference in New Orleans yesterday, de la Vega said that he was “very comfortable with the plan that will be offered to our customers.” He did not give any details about the plan other than that. Pricing, data caps, and the like are still unknown. He also declined to say when AT&T would be rolling out the new plans.

    De la Vega’s statements make AT&T the second major carrier to promise that shared data plans would be coming soon. During Verizon’s quarterly earnings call last month the company revealed, among other things, that family data plans would be coming in mid-summer. Depending on pricing, such plans have the potential to be extremely popular, especially among families that own 3G or 4G tablets like the iPad.

    While T-Mobile has said they do not intend to offer a family data plan, Sprint already offers their Everything Data Family plan, which includes unlimited data for all devices on the account and starts at $129 (for 2 lines and 1500 minutes).

    What do you think? Would you make the switch to a family data plan? Let us know in the comments.

  • iPhone Coming To T-Mobile This Year?

    iPhone Coming To T-Mobile This Year?

    T-Mobile is preparing to make changes to their wireless network that will make it compatible with Apple’s iPhone, the company announced today. They have partnered with Nokia Siemens Networks and Ericsson to roll out a $4 billion network upgrade that will enhance the company’s 4G network by rolling out broader LTE coverage.

    T-Mobile’s current 4G network is reliant on HSPA+ technology. While arguably fast enough to earn the “4G” moniker, it is not as fast as the LTE networks currently operated by Verizon and AT&T (and currently being built by Sprint). Lacking sufficient wireless spectrum to build a full-sized LTE network, though, T-Mobile insists that HSPA+ counts.

    The network improvements will utilize the wireless spectrum licenses T-Mobile acquired from AT&T due to the breakup of the proposed merger. T-Mobile is planning to bring LTE coverage to 75% of their top 25 markets (i.e., 18-19 markets). Their HSPA+ network is currently available in 229 markets.

    Quibbling about what counts as 4G aside, though, this move is a big one for T-Mobile, as the expanded HSPA+ network will improve the carrier’s compatibility with the iPhone. The iPhone 4S is compatible with HSPA+ networks, but not with T-Mobile’s current AWS spectrum network. That incompatibility is the main reason that T-Mobile is the only one of the four major U.S. carriers that does not carry the iPhone.

    Rolling out a more widespread HSPA+ network accomplishes two things for T-Mobile. First, it makes the carrier more attractive to iPhone users with unlocked phones who bring them to T-Mobile to get activated on the company’e network. Second, and more importantly, it makes T-Mobile more attractive to Apple. As T-Mobile itself has admitted, the lack of the iPhone has hurt the carrier tremendously in recent years.

    T-Mobile has been hoping for the iPhone for a long time, and has hinted several times that they might finally be getting it. Back in January T-Mobile’s chief technology officer, Neville Ray, said that the next iPhone would carry a chipset supports T-Mobile’s AWS network. If that is so, then improving their 4G capabilities is bound to make T-Mobile even more attractive to Apple, especially considering the fact that the next iPhone will almost certainly have 4G LTE capabilities. By adding some LTE coverage and improving HSPA+ coverage, T-Mobile ensures that customers can take at least partial advantage of their device’s capabilities on T-Mobile’s network.

    T-Mobile’s network improvements begin today and are expected to take much of the rest of the year. T-Mobile is expected to announce their quarterly earnings later this week.

    What do you think? Would you switch to T-Mobile if they had the iPhone? Let us know in the comments.

  • Google Play Direct Billing Now Offered By More Mobile Carriers

    I remember the dark ages when I owned a normal Motorola Razr flip phone. I was tricked into downloading some ringtones once and the charges were reflected on the monthly phone bill. I was so relieved that I could directly charge my credit card on the Android Market so my phone bill would not contain any nasty surprises. Turns out that some people actually like the option of direct billing though.

    To that end, Google Play announced that more content than ever can now be charged via direct billing. You can now start downloading all kinds of content that won’t show up until you receive your phone bill. Then you’ll wish you could just pay immediately via credit card, especially if you have kids.

    Consumers in the U.S. now have the ability to charge the purchase of apps, music, movies and books via T-Mobile. Japanese consumers can now pay for movies, apps and games via DoCoMo, KDDI and Softbank. Sprint will be joining this list very soon with their Android devices.

    There are multiple mobile carriers in countries around the world who offer direct billing. If you wish to see your phone bill become inflated with app purchases, you can use the aforementioned T-Mobile and Sprint, as well as AT&T in the U.S. The UK offers similar services via T-Mobile and Vodafone. Check the Web site to see the full list of countries that offer direct billing services.

    I’m still going to stick with paying for apps via my credit card. Just know that the option to use direct billing is there and will probably expand as Google expands its business. Maybe this will help Google Play in its attempt to make money. It’s not doing so hot in comparison to Amazon or iTunes.

  • Google Planned to Subsidize $10 Unlimited Data Plans

    A lot of interesting information is coming out of the lawsuit over java between Google and Oracle. Today, a document surfaced showing that Google had planned to subsidize $10 data plans for Android phone adopters.

    The sighting was made by Chris Ziegler of The Verge. The document is one from all the way back in 2006, the year before the iPhone was announced. Google must have been throwing out all kinds of ideas to begin their own phone project.

    According to the plan, Google would “[leverage] its online properties to create qualified buyers for the Google Phone.” Google would send customers to T-Mobiel for savings, then forego a commission and, instead, put the money into the subsidized data plans. The text of the plan is unintentionally hilarious: “T-Mobile offers a subsidized Google Unlimited Data Plan for $9.99 a month. Google provides back-end service for its product suite designed to avg. 15 MB per month.” An average use of 15 MB per month? That wildly incorrect estimate makes 2006 seem ancient.

    Though Google did indeed sell a phone through its website, the Nexus One, the sales figures were poor. I think we can assume that the entire data subsidy plan was scrapped, since data plans are currently far more expensive than $10 and, increasingly, not unlimited.

    What do you think? Would it still be worth it for Google to subsidize plans for select Android phones? After all, more internet access means more Google ads viewed. Leave a comment and let us know what you think.

    (via The Verge)

  • Chrome OS Will Get Google Drive Integration

    Chrome OS Will Get Google Drive Integration

    Yesterday Google launched its new Google Docs replacement/Dropbox competitor Google Drive. The new service retains all the functionality of Google Docs, while also allowing users to store files of any kind. They even promise that eventually users will be able to edit and otherwise manipulate all sorts of files.

    Now it looks like Google also intends Drive to be tightly integrated into a forthcoming update to Google’s notebook operating system, Chrome OS. Though Chrome OS generally works pretty well using only web apps, the one glaring oversight in its design is any kind of actual method of managing files and file locations. Google Drive, it seems, will serve to rectify that. Google’s product manager for Google Drive, Scott Johnson told Wired that a Google Drive will be integrated into Chrome OS’s native file system, so that when the user clicks “save file” in their Chrome window, they will be taken to Google Drive.

    This, interestingly, will have the effect of not only improving the way Chrome OS handles files, but also making the OS even more cloud-based and dependent on the web. With Google Drive integration, a user could save a file to their Chromebook and be able to access it from any other computer with a functioning internet connection via Google Drive.

    According to Johnson and Google Senior Vice President Sundar Pichai, Google Drive integration will be coming in version 20 of Chrome OS. The OS is currently on version 18, with version 19 in development. So, don’t get too excited about getting Drive on your Chromebook just yet, because it looks like you’re in for a bit of a wait.

  • AT&T, Verizon, T-mobile, and Sprint Scored on Speed

    AT&T, Verizon, T-mobile, and Sprint Scored on Speed

    Wireless carriers make all sorts of claims when trying to sell data plans to smartphone users. It can be hard to sort out which carriers advertise their 3G and 4G networks as the fastest, most reliable, and most widespread. To cut through the confusion, PCWorld has tested all of the networks and provided some definitive evidence for which carrier really is the fastest.

    PCWorld tested both 3G and 4G speeds for each of the four major U.S. wireless carriers – AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile. The carriers were asked to send phones that they thought would perform best on their networks. Those phones were used to record data speeds in cities all across the U.S., including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, and Washington D.C.

    The study concluded that AT&T provides the fastest average 4G download speeds in the country, with an average of 9.12 mbps. Verizon comes in second with an average of 7.35 mbps download speed. Verizon does best AT&T when it comes to upload speeds, though, with a 5.86 mbps average vs. AT&T’s 4.91 mbps average upload speed. T-Mobile and Sprint come in at 3rd and 4th, respectively, in both categories, though T-Mobile’s 5.53 mbps average download speed is a lot more competitive than Sprint’s 2.81 mbps. In fact, Sprint came in a distant fourth in every category.

    Almost as surprising as Sprint’s abysmal showing is that when it comes to 3G, T-Mobile is tops in download and upload speeds by a landslide. The carrier averages 3G download speeds of 3.84 mbps, well ahead of the runner-up AT&T’s 2.62 mbps, and is even 1 mbps faster that Sprint’s 4G average download speed. Verizon and Sprint aren’t even really in the running with 1.05 mbps and 0.59 mbps download speeds, respectively. This same order holds for 3G upload speeds, though Verizon and AT&T are relatively close. T-Mobile won both 3G categories in all but 2 of the cities where speeds were tested – Dallas and Chicago, where AT&T has slightly higher speeds.

    So, if you are looking for a new smartphone data plan, you really can’t go wrong with any carrier besides Sprint. In fact, if you are in an area that doesn’t yet have 4G service from any of the carriers, you might consider the superior 3G speeds of T-Mobile, which has less-expensive data plans than both Verizon and AT&T. Keep in mind, though, that these numbers are a national average. Data speeds can vary depending on your city and where you spend your time. To help with this, PCWorld also split up the data by city.

  • FCC Demands $819,000 From T-Mobile [UPDATED]

    FCC Demands $819,000 From T-Mobile [UPDATED]

    UPDATE:

    T-Mobile has responded to the FCC’s notice. Here’s what they had to say:

    T-Mobile USA is committed to providing high-quality products and services to all of its customers, including a broad selection of handsets that are hearing aid compatible. T-Mobile takes seriously its obligations to comply with its hearing aid compatibility responsibilities as part of our overall commitment to the accessibility needs of our customers.

    ORIGINAL STORY:

    The Federal Communications Commission has issued a notice to T-Mobile that it is liable for forfeiture in the amount of $819,000 for failing to meet requirements concerning the number of hearing aid compatible (HAC) handsets carriers are required to offer. The FCC claims that T-Mobile “willfully and repeatedly violated” the rules in 2009-2010.

    The problem stems from the FCC’s 2003 Hearing Aid Compatibility Order, which was intended to ensure that people who relied on hearing aids would have a reasonable range of options for wireless phones. As part of the rule, so-called “Tier I carriers” were required to offer at least 8 handsets that were compatible with acoustic coupling technology, and three that were compatible with inductive coupling, by February 14, 2009. By February 14, 2010, the carriers were required to have 9 acoustic coupling handset models and 5 inductive coupling models. By the end of 2010, those numbers increased to 10 and 7.

    T-Mobile, the FCC alleges, did not meet those requirements on time. As such, T-Mobile is liable for a forfeiture of $819,000. According to the notice, the company has thirty days to either submit payment or a written reply asking for the forfeiture to be reduced or cancelled altogether. In order to get the fine reduced or cancelled, however, T-Mobile will likely have to prove that they were not, in fact, in violation of the FCC’s rules during the two-year period specified. That could prove rather difficult, considering that it was T-Mobile’s own compliance reports in early 2010 that prompted the FCC to take action in the first place.

    The full notice can be found in PDF form here. A request for comment from T-Mobile has not yet received a response.

  • AT&T, Others Designing Database to Disable Stolen Phones

    AT&T, Others Designing Database to Disable Stolen Phones

    It’s become somewhat common knowledge that most all mobile devices can be tracked, leading to situations where police are kicking down the wrong doors while tracing stolen iPhones, or situations where Twitter feeds can help prompt the triangulation of the cell locations of carjacking victims. Essentially, there are many modes of tracing stolen or misplaced devices, the most popular being the use of apps like Apple’s Find my iPhone – but Apple itself typically doesn’t like to get involved beyond this, and offers warranty replacement for stolen of misplaced devices. Apple cites a lack of a centralized tracking system for the phones, and plainly doesn’t want to have to confront thieves.

    This lack of centralization is about to change, with four major carriers planning to align with the Federal Communications Commission to build a lost phone database. The providers involved, including Verizon, Sprint Nextel, AT&T and T-Mobile, have all agreed to participate in the database. The New York City Police Department reports that cell phones account for 80% of all electronics thefts – and the database, which will be complied by the companies involved, will work to trace the stolen phones and then deactivate voice and messaging service. Law enforcement officials hope that phones that can’t function if stolen will deter crime. The carriers will put together their respective databases within the next six months, and have them integrated within a year. Some smaller carriers are also said to be joining the movement, and the database will be available to other countries who seek to join.

    The mention of other governments getting involved seems integral, because it’s logical to just sell a stolen device to a different country – if AT&T were to block service to an iPhone that was registered as stolen in the U.S., a savvy thief could fully unlock it, sell it to an eBay user in Mexico, where they could pop in Digicel network SIM card in Cancun, and be none the wiser. Still, it can be assumed that a lot of stolen phones aren’t gaffled with so much thought – especially around Cancun. The new plan seeks to block the service of phones grabbed from bars, left on beaches, etc. The simple notion of “phone don’t work” would likely deter a large amount of mobile device thefts.

  • AT&T Slams Feds Using T-Mobile Layoffs

    AT&T Slams Feds Using T-Mobile Layoffs

    In a statement from Jim Cicconi, AT&T Senior EVP of External and Legislative Affairs, posted on AT&T’s policy blog this morning, the company slams the FCC by seemingly mocking T-mobile, who is in the process of laying off 1900 call center employees. AT&T asserts that they would’ve kept the call centers in business, if the FCC would’ve listened to them. Essentially, Cicconi’s statement blames the FCC for T-Mobile closing up some of its shop.

    Below is Cicconi’s blog post:

    “Yesterday, T-Mobile made the sad announcement that it would be closing seven call centers, laying off thousands of workers, and that more layoff announcements may follow. Normally, we’d not comment on something like this. But I feel this is an exception for one big reason– only a few months ago AT&T promised to preserve these very same call centers and jobs if our merger was approved. We also predicted that if the merger failed, T-Mobile would be forced into major layoffs.

    “At that time, the current FCC not only rejected our pledges and predictions, they also questioned our credibility. The FCC argued that the merger would cost jobs, not preserve them, and that rejecting it would save jobs. In short, the FCC said they were right, we were wrong, and did so in an aggressive and adamant way.

    “Rarely are a regulatory agency’s predictive judgments proven so wrong so fast. But for the government’s decision, centers now being closed would be staying open, workers now facing layoffs would have job guarantees, and communities facing turmoil would have security. Only a few months later, the truth of who was right is sadly obvious.

    “So what’s the lesson here? For one thing, it’s a reminder of why “regulatory humility” should be more than a slogan. The FCC may consider itself an expert agency on telecom, but it is not omniscient. And when it ventures far afield from technical issues, and into judgments about employment or predictions about business decisions, it has often been wildly wrong. The other lesson is even more important, and should be sobering. It is a reminder that in government, as in life, decisions have consequences. One must approach them not as an exercise of power but instead of responsibility, because, as I learned in my years of public service, the price of a bad decision is too often paid by someone else.”

    AT&T, apparently still miffed over the fact that its old plans for a merger with T-Mobile are long-dead, has basically pointed out the obvious – that T-Mobile is a struggling company.

    Very recently, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against AT&T for overcharging disabled people on their phone bills, by violating certain FCC rules. Naturally, AT&T denied any wrongdoing, and released the following statement on the matter:

    AT&T has followed the FCC’s rules for providing IP Relay services for disabled customers and for seeking reimbursement for those services. As the FCC is aware, it is always possible for an individual to misuse IP Relay services, just as someone can misuse the postal system or an email account, but FCC rules require that we complete all calls by customers who identify themselves as disabled.

    I wonder if I should contact the FCC the next time i receive a confusing Family Plan bill from AT&T.

  • T-Mobile Officially Discontinues Sidekick 4G

    T-Mobile has officially discontinued its Sidekick 4G, the Samsung SGH-T839.

    Upon its debut last April, the Sidekick 4G was more than a mere re-imagining of the aging T-Mobile brand – some said it was one of the best mid-range Android phones around. Still, T-Mobile has discontinued the handset – but this doesn’t mean the end to all Sidekicks. T-Mobile continues to update and expand upon its 4G product line, which might lead to another iteration of the popular device down the line.

    As of now, one can still buy a full physical QWERTY Sidekick 4G, with a 3.5″ screen from T-Mobile’s site for $329.99, or get one for free with a contact agreement.

    T-Mobile CTO Neville Ray has recently announced that the company plans to launch 4G LTE in 2013, which will make it compatible with a number of new devices, including the Apple iPhone.

  • Audi A8: 2012 Connected Car of the Year

    Audi A8 recently was honored in the first annual Connected World Connected Car of the Year awards, which spotlights vehicles with technology that strikes the right balance between safety, convenience, and infotainment. Chosen by the editorial team at Connected World magazine, Audi A8 was selected for its unmatched Audi connect™ infotainment system, now widely available on Audi models, and superior safety features. The vehicle is profiled in the March issue of Connected World.

    The Audi A8 was chosen as the top vehicle in the Ultra-Luxury category. Among the factors considered were active safety features and distraction-free drive; connectivity focusing on comfort and convenience; and infotainment options offered in distraction-free manner, including music, video and Wi-Fi®.

    “Drivers have reached a point in which they are looking for a vehicle that is safe and reliable, and can keep them connected while on the road, just as they are able to while in the office or in their homes,” says Mike Carrozzo, chief editor, Connected World. “And, as consumers, we also want to be connected in a distraction-free environment. The connected cars named as winners for 2012 are certainly providing these options, and so much more.”

    With the Audi A8, Audi is the first company worldwide to feature factory-installed wireless internet, enabling the innovative infotainment system called Audi connect. Previously only available in the A6, A7, A8 and Q7, Audi connect is now available on all A4 and A5 models, making Audi the only brand worldwide to feature this level of integrated connectivity in the B segment.

    T-Mobile USA, Inc. is the U.S. wireless carrier for Audi connect systems. Audi connect services are enabled with an enhanced, ruggedized T-Mobile® SIM card, which is included with the vehicle, allowing customers to simply sign up for a service plan at the time of vehicle sale or at any time during or after the six-month complimentary trial period. Prices for 3G service range from$25-$30/month. Audi turned to T-Mobile as the wireless provider because of its reliable, nationwide network, leadership in automotive telematics, and strong customer satisfaction record.

    “Increasingly, we are seeing a dramatic shift in the way consumers interact with their automobiles,” said Stan Simpliciano, senior director of MVNO/M2M at T-Mobile USA. “The ability to connect and access real-time information from nearly anywhere represents an amazing enhancement to everyday experiences. We applaud the industry recognition of the high bar set with the Audi A8 with Audi connect and are proud of the innovation that we’ve achieved in collaboration with Audi.”

    With Audi connect, the onboard MMI® Navigation system is enhanced with Google Earth™ maps and real-time SiriusXM Traffic information, for a true aerial view of the route. Audi connect also features real-time localized weather, news and live fuel prices; Google Local Search for detailed information about travel destinations, such as restaurant or hotel hours, pricing and customer reviews; the myAudi Destination feature, which allows registered users to log on to Google Maps™ from any location and download up to 50 destinations to the vehicle; and a rolling Wi-Fi hotspot, allowing up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices to simultaneously use the wireless connectivity. Audi connect is a pivotal first step towards a connected car future. Vehicles with Audi connect currently are the only broadband-connected cars in the world.

    The Audi A8 also features the optional driver assistance package, which includes adaptive cruise control that keeps the A8 at a constant distance from the preceding vehicle, active lane assist, and dynamic steering. Dynamic steering varies the effort as well as the steering ratio, while active lane assist helps the vehicle maintain lane discipline should the driver begin to sway outside of the lane markings without setting the turn signal. The Audi A8 also features Audi Night Vision Assistant with pedestrian detection that can warn the driver of oncoming pedestrians up to 1,000 feet away.

  • T-Mobile Introduces FamilyWhere Check-In

    T-Mobile has just unveiled its FamilyWhere Check-In app, a free feature of the FamilyWhere service. The FamilyWhere service is exclusive to T-Mobile customers, and can be downloaded from the Android Market.

    According to Comscore, last March over 16 million U.S. mobile subscribers used a “check-in” service, to mark their their locations with their phones. FamilyWhere allows T-Mobile customers to send a text message with their location to friends and family with one click. The text message includes a link to a map, which can be accessed online. Features of the FamilyWhere app include:

    On-demand location – Easily locate all devices on your account any time they are connected to T-Mobile’s network.
    Broad device support – Even locates devices without GPS and without installing any additional software.
    Automatic alerts – Schedule SMS or email alerts whenever family members aren’t where they’re supposed to be.
    View locations from anywhere – From the convenience of your Android device or from any Web browser, you can verify your family’s whereabouts.

    Torrie Dorrell, vice president of Applications, Content and Games for T-Mobile USA, states, “we’re proud to offer the check-in feature to consumers with no additional fee or subscription required to share location with friends and family, regardless of network. The expansion of our FamilyWhere suite of services is just another way we’re demonstrating our ongoing commitment to providing amazing, affordable services to consumers across carriers.”

  • 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.

  • T-Mobile Loses 800K Customers, Blames Lack of iPhone

    T-Mobile Loses 800K Customers, Blames Lack of iPhone

    2011 was an interesting year for T-Mobile, mostly due to the AT&T merger drama whose slow death was finalized in December when AT&T officially pulled the plug on the deal. After the FCC and DOJ voiced their disapproval, the deal began a slow decline that eventually ended in AT&T talking about failures in innovation and owning Deutsche Telekom billions in breakup fees.

    Now, some bad news about T-Mobile on the subscriber front.

    Deutsche Telekom announced that T-Mobile USA lost 802,000 contract customers in Q4. They seem to blame it on the lack of the iPhone:

    For T-Mobile USA, the past year was characterized by significant challenges, particularly in the fourth quarter, following the market launch of the new Apple iPhone model by the three major national competitors in October.

    Although the rumors were everywhere preceding the release of the iPhone 4S that it would be coming to T-Mobile, they all proved to be incorrect. Sprint ended up getting the iPhone, making T-Mobile the only major carrier in the U.S. to not offer the popular Apple device. Recently, there has been new talk of T-Mobile getting the iPhone – whenever the iPhone 5 finally drops. T-Mobile’s CTO told the CES conference in January that that the new iPhone would include a chipset that could make bringing the device to T-Mobile a possibility. Of course, it all really depends on whether or not they can reach a deal.

    It appears that the lack of the iPhone really hurt T-Mobile in this most recent quarter. Revenue sank 3.3% to $20.6 billion.

    It wasn’t all bad news from Deutsche Telekom. They also said that T-Mobile will debut an LTE service next year. They would most likely be the last ones on that ship as well.

  • T-Mobile, MetroPCS Want the FCC To Stop Verizon’s Spectrum Grab

    T-Mobile, MetroPCS Want the FCC To Stop Verizon’s Spectrum Grab

    Verizon Wireless has ideas of securing a big chunk of the unused wireless spectrum by purchasing it from companies like Time Warner, Bright House Networks, and Cox Communications. Such an agreement would give Verizon Wireless increased access and control over the wireless spectrum, something Verizon is already assured before the acquisition, considering its position as the leading wireless provider.

    If the acquisition is approved, Verizon Wireless’ control over the wireless spectrum would increase exponentially. With that in mind, perhaps it’s no surprise that T-Mobile and MetroPCS are asking the FCC to block Verizon’s attempt. According to the New York Post, both “lesser” wireless providers are taking the position that such an acquisition would put give Verizon and “excessive concentration” of the wireless spectrum; something akin to a monopoly. MetroPCS indicated Verizon and those companies offering the spectrum did not prove whether or not such a dramatic shift in wireless spectrum control serves the interests of the public.

    It should also be noted that because both dissenters are smaller providers than Verizon, their spectrum allocation is not as big as their lead competitor. From Verizon’s perspective, the wireless spectrum which they are going after is unused, and if the deal is allowed to go ahead as planned, this unused spectrum would be made available to the public, which is indeed a good thing; however, does it need to be acquired by Verizon (or its competitors) before consumers have access to it? Or does Time Warner, et al, lack the business/technical savvy to create a wireless service with the unused spectrum?

    Considering the details of the acquisition, which, according to the New York Post, are as follows:

    n early December, Verizon Wireless announced a deal to buy spectrum from Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks for $3.6 billion. The cable companies had bought the spectrum jointly at an FCC auction in 2006, with loose plans to start a wireless company or form a joint venture with one. Those plans never came to fruition

    It’s clearly easier to sell the unused spectrum than it is to create a reliable wireless network. In fact, based on the details provided, it’s clear neither Time Warner or Bright House are interested in creating such a network in-house. Apparently, they’d rather rely on Verizon to do the heavy lifting.

    Something else to consider, while T-Mobile’s position is understandable, could this be a case of them making waves after the AT&T deal was blocked?