Carriers & Vendors
HTC Launches Budget Smartphone for Low-End Market
June 19, 2013 10:42 am | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsIt’s a segment that Nokia and Samsung know plenty about already and now HTC is getting in on the low-cost smartphone market. HTC Wednesday released the Desire 200, an Android touchscreen handset priced around $167, well below that of the company’s flagship HTC One, which sells for $600 or $200 on contract.
Nokia Shares Settle After Huawei Comments
June 19, 2013 10:27 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsGains in Nokia stock were diminished today after Chinese equipment and cellphone maker Huawei denied reports that it was looking to buy the Finnish OEM. A Financial Times report quoted Richard Yu, chairman of Huawei's consumer business group, as saying his company was "considering these sorts of acquisitions...
Combes Shifts ALU to IP Networks, Promises $1.3B in Asset Sales
June 19, 2013 10:06 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsAlcatel-Lucent CEO Michael Combes has announced what he's calling "The Shift Plan", a three-year course of action that aims to reposition the company as a specialist provider of IP Networks and Ultra-Broadband Accesss. As part of the plan, IP Networks and Ultra-Broad band Access will represent 85 percent of R&D...
Dish Calls it Quits on Sprint Bid, Will Focus on Clearwire Deal
June 19, 2013 9:39 am | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsIn a statement released late yesterday, the satellite-TV provider said that Sprint’s decision to prematurely terminate Dish’s due diligence process and accept SoftBank’s revised acquisition bid of $21.5 billion has made it “impractical” for Dish to submit a new offer to Sprint. Dish instead said it will focus its efforts and resources on completing the Clearwire tender offer.
Google Asks US Secret Court to Lift Gag Order
June 19, 2013 9:22 am | by Associated Press | News | CommentsGoogle on Tuesday sharply challenged the U.S. government's gag order on its Internet surveillance program, citing what it described as a constitutional free speech right to divulge how many requests it receives from the government for data about its customers in the name of national security...
AT&T Goes Solar with Manhattan Charging Stations
June 18, 2013 10:24 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsAT&T is trialing some solar-powered charging stations in Manhattan with technology partners Pensa and Goal Zero. The public solar powered charging stations known as Street Charge will charge phones and hand-held devices using built-in USB ports and charging tips...
Report: Verizon Eyes Canadian Carrier Wind Mobile
June 18, 2013 10:02 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsVerizon could be looking to grow its reach to Canada, according to a report from Bloomberg. Verizon is reportedly looking to purchase one of the smaller Canadian carriers, Wind Mobile. Verizon began eyeing Wind Mobile after the Canadian Industry Minister Christian Paradis...
Sprint Sues to Block Dish’s Plan to Buy Clearwire
June 18, 2013 9:59 am | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsSprint has filed a complaint with the Delaware Court of Chancery against Dish and Clearwire, asking the courts to put the brakes on Dish’s tender offer to Clearwire. In a press release, Sprint said “DISH has repeatedly attempted to fool Clearwire’s shareholders into believing its proposal was actionable in an effort to acquire Clearwire’s spectrum and to obstruct Sprint’s transaction with Clearwire.”
With Samsung, Jay-Z's Business Continues to Boom
June 18, 2013 9:18 am | by Mesfin Fekadu, AP Music Writer | News | CommentsJay-Z's partnership with Samsung for his new album, "Magna Carta Holy Grail," is another sign of how musicians are finding new ways to push, sell and promote their music, and how the multiplatinum performer — who famously rapped "I'm not a businessman, I'm a business, man...
AT&T Rolls Out Emergency Alerts
June 17, 2013 10:43 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsAT&T this weekend started rolling out emergency alerts to customers using iPhone 5 and 4S. The alerts will come as a software update that includes Wireless Emergency Alerts. The messages are government-issued safety messages that include AMBER Alerts...
Telefonica Denies AT&T Acquisition Rumors
June 17, 2013 10:09 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsTelefonica today denied claims by Spanish newspaper El Mundo that said the government had denied a $93 billion bid by AT&T to acquire Telefonica. Citing people familiar with the matter, the El Mundo report said the Spanish government halted...
Review: Office for iPhone Helpful for Subscribers
June 17, 2013 10:06 am | by Bree Fowler, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsWith the free app, users can quickly and easily edit, save and share documents on the go. But there's a catch: You have to be an Office 365 subscriber to use it. And the mobile version is so bare bones, it may not do much to attract new subscribers.
Apple Details Government Requests for Data
June 17, 2013 10:04 am | by Associated Press | News | CommentsThe company, like some other businesses, had asked the U.S government to be able to share how many requests it received related to national security and how it handled them. Those requests were made as part of Prism, the recently revealed highly classified National Security Agency program that seizes records from Internet companies.
Samsung’s LTE-Advanced Galaxy is Coming
June 17, 2013 10:02 am | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsSamsung is already shooting to put an LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) version of its Galaxy S4 up for sale. Speaking with Reuters, CEO J.K. Shin said the device could be available in South Korea as early as next month. LTE-Advanced is often touted as being able to deliver speeds of 1 Gbps.
SoftBank Calls Out Dish for Trying to Invoke “Xenophobic Reaction”
June 14, 2013 2:24 pm | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsThe hits keep coming between SoftBank and Dish Network. In an FCC filling posted today, SoftBank lashes back at Dish’s argument against SoftBank’s revised offer for Sprint, accusing Dish of trying to invoke a “xenophobic reaction.” In an FCC filing, Dish cited the reduction of capital Sprint will receive from SoftBank in a new deal—down to $5 billion from $8 billion in SoftBank’s original offer—as cause for some regulatory do-overs.
AT&T Bringing LTE to GoPhone Prepaid Subs
June 14, 2013 11:16 am | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsAT&T announced that its GoPhone customers will now have access to LTE. The new plans start at $60 for 2 GB of LTE plus unlimited talk and text and offers additional gigabytes of data for $10. AT&T is selling the Samsung Galaxy Express for $249 to take advantage of the LTE airwaves but customers have the option of bringing their own device.
Sprint Hints at WiMax’s Demise in New Contract Terms
June 14, 2013 10:52 am | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsSprint is showing signs that its WiMax network will shut down. As pointed out by CIO, additions to Sprint’s terms of service for new subscribers detail what will happen should the company discontinue WiMax service while subs are on contract.
Report: VZW, T-MO Not Part of NSA Surveillance Program
June 14, 2013 10:45 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsVerizon Wireless and T-Mobile may not have been required to particpate in the NSA's phone surveillance program. Citing people familiar with the matter, the Wall Street Journal today reported that the NSA may have exempted T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless from the program for their foreign ownership...
Dish, nTelos Deploy 50 Mbps Fixed LTE in Rural Virginia
June 14, 2013 10:07 am | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsDish Network has deployed fixed broadband service in rural Virginia using nTelos’ 2.5 GHz wireless BRS spectrum. The initial tests yielded speeds of 20-50 Mbps. In May, Dish and nTelos announced a partnership to co-develop the service. For the initial test, the companies activated two wireless tower test sites in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Friday Flick: Office Mobile for iPhone
June 14, 2013 9:58 am | Videos | CommentsMicrosoft today released a version of its popular Office suite for the iPhone. Office Mobile is available now for free on the App Store but only subscribers to Microsoft's premium cloud-based Office 365 service can use the new app. After signing in to an Office 365 account, users can access...
Microsoft Launches Office Mobile for iPhone
June 14, 2013 9:49 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsMicrosoft today released a version of its popular Office suite for the iPhone. Office Mobile is available now for free on the App Store but only subscribers to Microsoft's premium cloud-based Office 365 service can use the new app. After signing in to an Office 365 account...
First News Briefs for June 13, 2013
June 13, 2013 10:13 am | by Wireless Week Staff | News | CommentsZonoff, Inc. today announced the availability of its Open Device Software Development Kit for qualified partners who are currently (or will soon be) manufacturing connected devices. The new SDK enables device OEMs to take advantage of developing innovation within the "Internet of Things" space.
Report: Apple Considering 5.7-inch iPhone, $99 model
June 13, 2013 9:38 am | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsReuters is citing four people with knowledge of the matter in a report saying Apple is considering next year rolling out 4.7- and 5.7-inch models of its iPhone. The sources claim that suppliers have been approached with plans for the larger phones.
Report: Clearwire Supporting Dish Offer, Delaying Sprint Vote
June 12, 2013 4:40 pm | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsA special committee is reportedly recommending Clearwire’s board fully endorse Dish Network’s tender offer of $4.40 per share. The Wall Street Journal, citing a person familiar with the situation, reported that Clearwire will likely postpone the June 13 shareholder vote on Sprint’s current bid of $3.40 per share to buy out Clearwire.
First News Briefs for June 12, 2013
June 12, 2013 10:24 am | by Wireless Week Staff | News | CommentsAppCarousel, a provider of app store solutions, announced the launch of its new Custom App Store Platform for connected devices which enables device manufacturers, operators, brands and media companies to distribute, merchandise and monetize apps across all screens.
