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Verizon removes gloves, begins 'There's a map for that' anti-AT&T ad campaign (video)

by Joshua Topolsky posted Oct 5th 2009 @ 11:06PM

Ouch. If you've been waiting for another flare up in the old carrier wars, here you have it. Turning Apple's "there's an app for that" slogan on its ear, Verizon has introduced a campaign touting its network coverage. The ads -- which highlight the company's new tongue-in-cheek "there's a map for that" catchphrase against tuneful, chirpy music -- also boast that Verizon's 3G blanket is a whopping five times the size of AT&T's. Does this do anything to dispel the idea that Verizon and Apple may be getting together for that phantom tablet? Who knows, but it's fun to watch the fireworks. Check out the full commercial after the break.

[Via All Things Digital]

Continue reading Verizon removes gloves, begins 'There's a map for that' anti-AT&T ad campaign (video)

AT&T slinging HSPA 7.2 to six cities this year, adding backhaul capacity too

by Darren Murph posted Sep 9th 2009 @ 8:44AM

If there's one thing AT&T's network could use, it's more network. Particularly in major cities (we're looking at you and your dastardly street parking situation, San Francisco), AT&T's 3G network is perpetually overwhelmed, oftentimes forcing users to switch to EDGE just to tweet about how awful the coverage is. Thankfully, the operator is making good on its earlier promise to roll out HSPA 7.2Mbps to select cities, with Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and Miami now destined to get lit this year. Potentially more interesting, however, is the deployment of "additional backhaul capacity to cell sites," which will also support LTE when the time comes. All told, around 2,000 new cell sites should be added before the year's end, and at least a half dozen 7.2Mbps-capable smartphones should be in AT&T's portfolio by the same deadline. Feel free to express your joy in comments below -- that is, if you can get comments to load on your existing 3G connection.

Captain Obvious reports: AT&T sees surge in WiFi use post-iPhone OS 3.0

by Darren Murph posted Jul 31st 2009 @ 5:04AM

You know, there's something to be said about making something easy: people usually take advantage. So seems to be the case with AT&T's WiFi connections after the release of iPhone OS 3.0, which finally became useful when users could seamlessly connect to one of the thousands of AT&T hotspots around the nation rather than having to stumble through a painfully long process on iPhone OS 2.x. According to an AT&T spokesperson speaking with AppleInsider, the amount of iPhone users linking up with AT&T's WiFi network tripled in June, and overall, it saw a 41 percent increase in connections compared to the prior quarter. It comes as no surprise to hear that AT&T is working feverishly to expand said network in order to relieve strain from its house of cards-styled 3G network, and while we'd definitely prefer a bit more reliability with the latter, we'll happily accept more WiFi in the meanwhile.

Japan's networks buckling under data strain, culprit is exactly what you think

by Chris Ziegler posted Jul 11th 2009 @ 4:09PM

The saturation of high-speed networks is a virtually inevitable side-effect of compatible hardware becoming cheaper and more capable; Japan's been trekking in that direction longer than anyone, and it seems that they're nearing the breaking point. The problem's exacerbated by the fact that truly unlimited usage plans are still available over there -- we bet that doesn't last much longer -- but what's everyone downloading? Porn, of course. All of the local carriers are either clamping down on the heaviest downloaders or are considering doing so; some of the larger content providers say they're signing up over a thousand new users a day, and when you consider that many Japanese are using their phones exclusively for personal internet access, it doesn't take much work to connect the dots. Can't someone please, like, invent more spectrum space?

[Thanks, Will]

Sprint completes network maintenance deal with Ericsson

by Chris Ziegler posted Jul 10th 2009 @ 1:42AM

As rumored, Sprint has now announced that it's signed a blockbuster deal to outsource maintenance of its network to Ericsson. Spanning seven years and some $4.5 to $5 billion, the deal's actually so big that Sprint has come up with a catchy name to describe it -- "Network Advantage" -- with about 6,000 Sprint employees being transferred to a new Ericsson subsidiary headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas (conveniently close to Sprint's campus). In theory, the move won't have any noticeable effect on customers because everyone involved with the customer experience on Sprint's end (read: CS reps) will be retained by Sprint proper; Ericsson will simply be responsible for maintaining and provisioning the carrier's CDMA and iDEN infrastructure. The deal kicks off this quarter and will be renewable after the seven-year contract's up, so if you're on Sprint, you can definitely expect to feel progressively more Swedish as time goes on, probably ultimately culminating in the impulse purchase of a Saab.

iPhone 3G S data isn't really faster than the 3G's in Chicago

by Chris Ziegler posted Jun 20th 2009 @ 10:19AM

There's been talk the last couple days about the fact that there really isn't anywhere in the States to take advantage of the blazing 7.2Mbps downlink connection supported by the iPhone 3G S -- except for one great hope, one diamond in the rough that could become a shining destination for 3G S owners the world over. That destination would be Chicago, where AT&T fired up 7.2Mbps trials late last year, and the hope was that they might be letting lay folk (like us) in on the action in time for the 3G S release. Well, we've been running side-by-side tests today, and the short answer is that we're clearly not accessing 7.2 -- granted, the 3G S is getting marginally faster speeds both up and down, but we figure this can easily be attributed to the new model's faster processor because a doubling of the downlink pipe simply doesn't account for a 100kbps bump in speed (latency was all over the map on both phones, for the record). If you're holding out on upgrading from a 3G to a 3G S, go ahead and crack a smile -- because for now, anyway, this is one spec bump that means precisely zilch in the real world.

Telus cuts employees, boosts spending on 3G network

by Chris Ziegler posted May 11th 2009 @ 5:17PM

In what has become an all-too-common theme across the telecom and wireless industries -- and just about every industry, for that matter -- Telus cut 1,160 employees from its payroll in the first quarter, a move that it says cost it roughly $28 million in restructuring fees. If it's any consolation, though, the reduction's being offset by capital investment in excess of CAD $2 billion this year to ramp up its 3G infrastructure buildout that'll ultimately see Rogers-fighting HSPA spectrum go live as an interim step on the way to LTE. With $700 million getting spent in Alberta, $500 million in British Columbia, and $300 million in Ontario, that work will undoubtedly create some jobs, so there's your silver lining right there.

[Via MobileSyrup]

Cox Communications set to launch a cellular network

by Laura June posted Apr 8th 2009 @ 3:13PM

Well, it's been a long time coming, and it probably shouldn't come as a surprise at this point, but Atlanta-based Cox Communications, the third largest cable provider in the United States, has announced plans to launch its own cellular network. We heard essentially the same news back in October of last yea r, but the company's reaffirming its commitment to do so by the end of 2009, almost certainly using its portion of the winnings from the 700MHz auction (estimated to be worth around $304 million dollars). Details such as pricing are still a mystery, but Cox's VP of its wireless division, Stephen Bye, said that the network will allow them to offer a bundled television, broadband and wireless service, that it hopes to focus on the burgeoning mobile video market, and that it may launch an app store in order to compete with "what's already out there." We wish them luck.

[Via Phone Scoop]

Sprint looking to wholesale bandwidth to connected gadget makers

by Darren Murph posted Mar 24th 2009 @ 4:57PM

So, what's a flagging cellular operator to do once it has succumbed to the grim realization that no one wants to sign up for your service and you've already collected the dough from selling off nearly all of your towers? Go wholesale, of course! Unbeknownst to most, all of the Kindle downloads on Amazon's white-hot e-reader go through Sprint's network, and given just how successful that little venture has been, the carrier is hoping to expand its revenues from wholesaling bandwidth (which currently sits at just 3 percent of its total) by inking similar deals with connected gadget makers. From internet-connected vehicles to GPS systems to cameras, the options are darn near limitless, and with so much free capacity on Sprint's network, it might as well find companies to use it. 'Course, it's not like Sprint's the only one out there trying to carve these kinds of deals into stone, but it's definitely the one that needs to do it most immediately.

Telef�nica and Vodafone reach pan-European deal to share network infrastructure

by Darren Murph posted Mar 23rd 2009 @ 7:02PM

Good news, Europe. Telefónica and Vodafone have just made public a milestone pan-European agreement that will enable the two to share network infrastructure in Germany, Spain, Ireland and the UK, with detailed discussions ongoing in the Czech Republic. The collaboration will supposedly deliver efficiencies of hundreds of millions of pounds for each company over ten years, and for customers of each, they can look forward to better coverage across each of those nations. Oh, and subscribers should also expect rates to remain lower compared to what would happen if each operator were forced to build out individually, but it's not like either of these guys are coming out and saying that. At any rate, we figure there's some serious celebration in order for those in the region, no?

Leaked AT&T email sheds light on 2G exit strategy

by Darren Murph posted Feb 13th 2009 @ 9:17AM

Way back in 2006, there was quite a bit of hubbub surrounding Cingular's decision to sell / not sell 3G phones in 2G areas, and now it seems that AT&T is looking seriously at how to move on beyond the latter. According to a leaked email sent within the AT&T organization, there's currently a phase-out plan that will lower prices on select 2G dumbphones, with the expectation that 3G handsets will be gently pushed on consumers jonesing for one of those older pieces. Of course, we get the feeling that this is just the tip of the iceberg, and moreover, it's probably more to do with getting rid of 2G phones than 2G technology. Heck, LTE isn't even here yet -- do you really expect a sluggish corporation such as this to be that on the ball?

Inauguration Day overloads cellular networks, but not tremendously so

by Darren Murph posted Jan 21st 2009 @ 12:40PM

We can't see how this is shocking to anyone who has tried to make or receive a phone call on New Year's Eve (right around midnight, in particular), but cellular networks in the Metro DC area were pretty much bombarded yesterday. The inauguration of America's 44th president brought most networks to their knees, though most carriers reported that interruptions were relatively minimal. AT&T made sure to bump its 3G capacity by 80 percent and its 2G capacity by 69 percent along the parade route, and while a spokesperson did admit that it experienced "some congestion" during the events, customers were generally able to get through. In all honesty, we expected reports to be much more negative than this given the incredible amount of people shoved into one place, so we suppose a round of golf claps is in order for the carriers responsible for anticipating the surge.

[Image courtesy of Zimbio]

Verizon Wireless closes Alltel acquisition, lays out path forward

by Darren Murph posted Jan 14th 2009 @ 9:20PM

Welp, that's that. But not really, because acquiring a company as big as Alltel and shoving it into a company as gigantic as Verizon Wireless simply can't be easy. To that end, VZW has issued a release that details the steps forward now that the deal itself is closed. For starters, Alltel employees below executive level will continue in their present jobs as Verizon Wireless assesses staffing needs, and Verizon intends to re-brand Alltel operations in retained markets (read: the ones not divested by force) in phases, beginning in the second quarter and continuing through the third quarter of 2009." As for Alltel subscribers, they won't need to take any action at this time, with everything in their current plan -- My Circle included -- remaining the same throughout the transition period. If you're interested in the rest (we're looking at you, loyal Alltel user), hop on down to the read link.

[Via phonescoop]

Sprint won't let Nextel iDEN network chirp its last chirp, plans rejuvenation effort

by Darren Murph posted Oct 31st 2008 @ 8:25AM

We've seen some pretty wild on-again / off-again relationships in the scandalous world of gadget affairs, but this one has been swinging from one extreme to the other at breakneck pace. Let's recap: after proclaiming that it was absolutely committed to iDEN in February of 2008, rumors then started flying that Sprint was looking to offload the whole thing and move on with life. A month later, the carrier's CEO practically confirmed that an iDEN network sale was still an option. Now, the seemingly bipolar company has issued a press release reaffirming its adoration for the chirping-est network this side of Oz, stating that "after careful review of the iDEN business, Sprint intends to retain and rejuvenate this important asset." Which could be PR speak for "nobody wanted this thing, so what other option did we really have?" Regardless of the truth, it seems the push-to-talk network that just won't die will live to see another day, but as history has shown, all that could change in a split second (or at Sprint Speed, whichever you prefer).

[Via phonescoop]

Google patent keeps airwaves competitive by selecting the cheapest

by Chris Ziegler posted Sep 27th 2008 @ 1:09PM

Google's persistent interest in ensuring that the US' 700MHz spectrum would give rise to a network open to any and all devices reinforced its belief that carriers can and should be nothing more than the proverbial "dumb pipes" -- leave the content and hardware to the people who know how to do it and don't necessarily have a vested interest in the carriers' bottom line. That attitude foretold that it had some interesting ideas up its sleeves (this is Google, after all), and while it's never been entirely clear what those ideas are, Android's "please use it, it's free" attitude certainly plays a role. Here's another piece of the puzzle: rather than be tied down to any one carrier, why not keep changing carriers in real time based on whomever's going to give you the best deal? A new patent filed by Mountain View's finest proposes exactly that, bringing together heterogeneous technologies -- "community-wide" networks like WiFi and WiMAX along with GSM, CDMA, and so on -- and an "auction system" that would let the user select (or allow the phone to automatically select) the best deal at the moment depending on their needs (available features or minimum speeds, time limits, and so on). It's an amazing idea that totally turns the contract concept on its head, and it's an idea that carriers would fight to the death. We're not seeing it happening, but hey, Google, we like the cut of your jib.

[Via textually.org and New Scientist]