Usage -- Engadget Mobile

usage posts

US surpasses European 3G subscribers by 0.1% -- first!

by Thomas Ricker posted Sep 4th 2008 @ 8:15AM

If comScore's data is to believed then the US has done the unthinkable and passed Western Europe (aka, old Europe right Donnie?) in terms of 3G adoption. 28.4% of American ~~mobile~~ cellphone subscribers north of that southern land mass with a similar sounding name now sport 3G devices compared to a measly 28.3% average for Europe's largest countries. That's an 80% surge in the US last year even though T-Mobile is still 3G-less. Man, it's like the Phelps 100-meter butterfly victory all over again, eh Europe?

T-Mobile: no MinuteWatching for you

by Chris Ziegler posted Jul 14th 2006 @ 8:07AM

If you're a wireless customer, it goes without saying that being able to micromanage your usage is a great thing. It also goes without saying that if you're a wireless carrier, it's not. As many of us have found out the hard way, it doesn't take much overage to double your bill, and carriers rely on that exactly that kind of carelessness to make some extra coin month to month. We told you about MinuteWatcher not long ago, a nifty free service for keeping an eye on your calling and predict future usage based on trending, and apparently T-Mobile doesn't think much of it; in fact, besides blocking MinuteWatcher's servers, they've gone ahead and amended their terms of service to specifically prohibit such services. For a company typically known for showing its customers much love, T-Mobile's move doesn't show a lot of tact -- but then again, nothing speaks louder than the almighty overage minute.