FirstNews
T-Mobile Adds More Than Half a Million Customers in 1Q 2013
April 4, 2013 10:32 am | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsT-Mobile released some preliminary numbers for the first quarter of its fiscal 2013 that reveal the company pulled in 579,000 new customers, bringing its total customer base up to 34 million. Those numbers include 352,000 new branded customers and 202,000 new branded prepaid along with a net branded postpaid customer loss of 199,000.
Eyes on Facebook Mobile Event as Company Evolves
April 4, 2013 9:01 am | by Barbara Ortutay, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsFacebook is unveiling a new Android product Thursday, a move that comes as a fast-growing number of its 1.06 billion users access it on smartphones and tablet computers. Advertisers are not far behind. Though mobile ads have been a big concern for Facebook's...
Broadcom Launches First "5G WiFi" Hotspot with SK Telekom
April 3, 2013 10:32 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsBroadcom continues its push to support 5G WiFi with the announcement today of a router that supports the technology. According to a press release, Broadcom has made the 5G WiFi hotspot available through SK Telecom. Based on the, 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard...
Verizon Denies Vodafone Buyout Rumors
April 3, 2013 10:13 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsVerizon today denied a Financial Times report that surfaced yesterday claiming the carrier is teaming up with AT&T on a possible buyout of Vodafone. A post on the Financial Times' Alaphaville blog yesterday cited "usually reliable people"...
First News Briefs for April 3, 2013
April 3, 2013 9:57 am | by Wireless Week Staff | News | CommentsOpenmind launched Dinamotxt, a tablet text messaging app available to all Android tablet users. This free app allows SMS/text messages to be sent and received from any Android tablet using users’ existing mobile number and plan.
Cisco Intends to Buy Ubiquisys, Boost Its Small Cell Position
April 3, 2013 9:55 am | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsCisco today stated its intention to purchase U.K.-based Ubiquisys for $310 million. Ubiquisys’ product portfolio and team will be integrated into Cisco’s Small Cell Technology Group led by Partho Mishra. Ubiquisys provides 3G and LTE small cell technologies to help close the seams in wireless connectivity.
Report: Apple to Release Updated Phone This Summer
April 3, 2013 9:02 am | by Associated Press | News | CommentsApple is set for a possible summer launch of the next iPhone, rather than a fall launch like the last two models, according to a report Tuesday in The Wall Street Journal. Apple Inc. is also working on a cheaper iPhone model that could win...
Goldman Takes Apple Stock off 'Preferred' List
April 3, 2013 8:59 am | by Peter Svensson, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsGoldman Sachs dropped Apple off its list of most highly recommended stocks Tuesday as it joined other analysts in reducing expectations for a company that hasn't had a revolutionary new product since the iPad in 2010. Goldman analyst Bill Shope...
First News Briefs for April 2, 2013
April 2, 2013 10:52 am | by Wireless Week Staff | News | CommentsToshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. today announces a CMOS image sensor camera module with 13 megapixel imaging for next-generation thin smartphones and tablet devices. The new TCM9930MD leverages an image pre-processing LSI (companion) chip and a refined module structure to create a compact image sensor camera module with a low profile at just 4.7 mm in height.
Verizon Acquires Mohave Wireless
April 2, 2013 10:40 am | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsVerizon now owns 100 percent of Mohave Wireless, having completed its purchase of the regional wireless provider from Frontier Communications and Rio Virgin Telephone. Verizon announced in a statement that it plans to integrate Mohave’s EV-DO 3G network, covering approximately 203,000 customers, and deploy LTE on the spectrum in the future.
Report: VZW, AT&T Crafting Bid to Buy Vodafone
April 2, 2013 10:31 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsTalk of a joint Verizon, AT&T buyout of Vodafone today bumped shares of the European carrier 6 percent in early trading. According to a post from the Financial Times' Alaphaville blog that cites "usually reliable people," Verizon Communications and AT&T are mulling a breakup bid...
HD Voice Coming to AT&T Later This Year
April 2, 2013 10:09 am | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsAT&T will be switching over to HD Voice later this year as it begins to migrate is voice calling over to its LTE network. The Wall Street Journal’s All Things Digital blog reports that AT&T senior vice president Kris Rinne, speaking at Venture Beat’s Mobile Summit, said that HD Voice is part of the company’s LTE strategy.
NY Appeals Court OKs Aereo Live Television Service
April 2, 2013 9:48 am | by Larry Neumeister, Associated Press | News | CommentsAn Internet company offering inexpensive live broadcast television feeds to computers, tablets and smartphones doesn't violate U.S. copyright law, a divided federal appeals court said Monday. The 2-to-1 ruling by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals cleared...
Apple Apologizes in China After Service Criticism
April 2, 2013 9:41 am | by Christopher Bodeen, Associated Press | News | CommentsApple apologized to Chinese consumers after government media attacked its repair policies for two weeks in a campaign that reeked of economic nationalism. A statement Apple posted in Chinese on its website Monday said the complaints had...
The Keynote Mobile News and Portal Index: The Effect of Third Party Content On Performance
April 2, 2013 9:36 am | by By Venkatesh Giri, Keynote Mobile Expert | Articles | CommentsA big challenge today for any site operator is getting their proverbial arms around third party plugins or links, with services such as Google Analytics, Adobe Omniture or social media sites and other APIs or widgets. While you want or even need...
MetroPCS Responds to ISS Merger Concerns
April 1, 2013 11:21 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsIn a letter to investors, MetroPCS today reiterated its call for shareholders to approve the proposed combination with T-Mobile USA. The letter comes after Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (ISS), a proxy adviser firm, last week advised MetroPCS...
First News Briefs for April 1, 2013
April 1, 2013 10:46 am | by Wireless Week Staff | News | CommentsPlatinum Communications Corporation today announced that it has been unable to reach an agreement on satisfactory commercial terms with XpanServ, a Wireless Internet Services Provider (“WISP”), and will not be proceeding with the previously announced acquisition of XpanServ’s assets and customers...
Apple Patents iPhone with Wraparound Display
April 1, 2013 9:41 am | by Peter Svensson, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsApple is seeking a patent for an iPhone that has a display that wraps around the edges of the device, expanding the viewable area and eliminating all physical buttons. The patent application reveals that Apple has put some thought into a device that takes advantage...
Nuance Creates Conversations Within Mobile Ads
April 1, 2013 9:38 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsIn an effort to increase engagement with mobile advertising, Nuance Communications today unveiled Voice Ads, a mobile advertising format that lets people have a two-way conversation with advertisements on their mobile phones. The Voice Ads solution is optimized to make use of features specific to mobile...
Galaxy S 4 Available for Pre-order April 16 from AT&T, U.S. Cellular
March 29, 2013 1:02 pm | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsBoth AT&T and U.S. Cellular have confirmed April 16 as the date when they’ll start accepting pre-orders for Samsung’s new flagship smartphone. AT&T has set the price at $249 with a two-year contract while U.S. Cellular has yet to reveal pricing details. Neither carrier has set a release date.
First News Briefs for March 29, 2013
March 29, 2013 10:32 am | by Wireless Week Staff | News | CommentsWi2Wi, Inc., a provider of wireless connectivity for Machine-to-Machine (M2M) and portable devices based on its System-in-Package (SiP) technology, has introduced an industrial temperature SiP-module featuring Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Facebook to Hold Android Event Thursday
March 29, 2013 10:23 am | by Associated Press | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — Facebook has invited journalists to the unveiling of what it calls its "new home on Android." Next Thursday's event will be held at the company's Menlo Park, Calif., headquarters. Facebook is not providing further details. There has been speculation that the company could launch a new phone, though that's unlikely.
Report: NEC Mulling Sale of Mobile Unit to Lenovo
March 29, 2013 10:15 am | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsNEC is considering cutting its losses with its flailing mobile phone unit by selling it to Lenovo, the company’s PC venture partner. A Reuters report said NEC is also looking for potential domestic buyers. NEC’s mobile phone unit has been leaking money at a steady pace for the past two years.
Sprint, Softbank Near U.S. Deal to Restrict Huawei Gear
March 29, 2013 9:52 am | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsThe New York Times reports that Sprint and Softbank, the Japanese cellular company that intends to buy 70 percent of the U.S.’s third largest carrier, are expected to allow the U.S. government oversight in its choice of network suppliers.
RIM Founder Says Board Asked Him to Stay as CEO
March 28, 2013 1:47 pm | by Rob Gillies, Associated Press | News | CommentsTORONTO (AP) — Research In Motion co-founder Mike Lazaridis says he has no plans to sell his significant interest in the BlackBerry maker now that he's retiring as vice chairman and director. He also reveals that the board asked him last year to reconsider stepping down as chief executive.
