02/13, 5:10pm
Adds to capabilities in N. Carolina and Nebraska
US Cellular (USCC) has snapped up additional spectrum as it preps for the launch of its LTE-based services next month. On Friday, the Chicago-based regional services provider applied to the FCC for approval to buy five 700MHz licenses in North Carolina and Nebraska. The acquisitions, if approved, will give the carrier LTE-compatible spectrum in six North Carolina markets and eight areas in Nebraska.
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02/13, 12:55pm
Ti WiLink 8 preps for NFC mobile future
TI kicked off the week with a new all-in-one wireless chip that could make NFC (near-field communications) much easier. The WiLink 8.0 is the first of its kind to build NFC into the chip alongside Bluetooth, FM radio, GNSS positioning, Wi-Fi, and even ANT+ for exercise and . It both shrinks the size of a chipset with NFC by as much as half and, as a complete design, can offload much of the work that would normally go to the main processor.
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02/10, 7:50pm
Samsung complains, refuses to negotiate
KT, Korea's largest wire-line operator and Internet services provider, has begun limiting web access to Samsung's Smart TVs. KT took the step a day after it warned Korean TV makers that it could not give Internet-enabled TVs a "free ride" over its network. The service provider wants compensation for the alleged heavy traffic the TVs create, claiming it slows down Internet service to its other customers.
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02/10, 6:40pm
Avatron extends its Air Display app to Android
Avatron, known for its iPad Air Display app, has now released its Air Display app for Android tablets ($10, Amazon Appstore). It allows the display of the Android device to see what's on the display of a Windows or Mac OS X system wirelessly. It can act as an extension or mirror the computer display.
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02/10, 12:50pm
Blurry, mysterious Google device spotted at FCC
Google is readying to release a so-called "next-generation personal communication device," as revealed by FCC documents. The files don't reveal much, other than that both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radios are onboard and the company is getting ready to begin testing 102 of the devices in various regions in the US. The hardware is listed as being in the prototyping phase and employees in LA, Mountain View, Cambridge, and New York will test them at home.
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02/10, 11:20am
Stoppage likely to continue for weeks.
Iran is apparently proactively censoring selected Internet sites. Reports out of that country claim that the government there is blocking access to Google, Yahoo, and Gmail, It is also preventing access to sites using the secure Https protocol, effectively preventing any online banking services.
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02/09, 12:10pm
Lytro camera torn down by FCC, shows Wi-Fi, BT
Lytro's infinite focus camera has been torn down by the FCC, revealing its internal components. Behind the 1.5-inch display hides a Marvell Avastar 88W8787 system-on-chip that contains both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi radios. This is interesting, as it indicates the camera has the hardware required to be controlled over a wireless link or share its photos online.
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02/09, 8:55am
Telus becomes 3rd Canadian carrier with LTE
Telus became the third Canadian carrier with an LTE-based 4G network on Thursday. Starting on February 10 in Halifax, the carrier will have the same 75Mbps peak download speeds and 12-25Mbps averages as the existing networks from rivals Bell and Rogers. It plans to kick off the network with the Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE, LG's Optimus LTE smartphone, and Novatel's Ovation MC679 modem; the Galaxy Note with LTE will be available on February 14.
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02/06, 7:10pm
Claims service will still go on in affected areas
Sprint has launched a website to help its customers visualize and understand the timing of its elimination of its cell towers that support its old Nextel push-to-talk iDEN network. The site shows subscribers by area when towers in their service area will switch coverage off. Sprint will begin shutting down the service starting next year.
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02/06, 6:10pm
Will start shipping remaining inventory today
Earlier this month, Peek stopped supporting its US email and Twitter service. The company then began giving away its remaining inventory of handheld devices. The company's founder, Amol Sarva has now provided an update of the status of the liquidation as well as some warnings as how difficult it would be for anyone receiving a unit to hack it and write code for it.
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02/06, 4:15pm
Google begins laying down fiber optic cable
Despite a recent setback over some wiring issues, Google on Monday announced it is now laying down fiber optic cables as part of its Google Fiber project. The area in question includes Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri. Once complete, Google promises data speeds as high as 1Gbps, or much higher than even most commercial fiber rollouts.
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02/06, 1:15pm
Qualcomm pushes for 300Gbps in-flight broadband
Mobile chip and network gear maker Qualcomm has now proposed an in-flight wireless network that would bring speeds as fast as 300Gbps. It would use spectrum in the 14GHz to 14.5GHz bands for this, and the so-called Next-Gen AG system would use about 150 towers located throughout the US. The network would use familiar airwave techniques to get ther, including a time division duplex communications mode and orthogonal multiplexing, which stitches together multiple signals into a coherent whole.
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02/06, 9:10am
Rogers LTE gear ads new band to run faster
Canadian carrier Rogers set out to win speed claims with a set of upgraded LTE devices. The Sierra Wireless AirCard 330U and AirCard 763S hotspot both add the 2.6GHz frequency to the existing 1.7GHz and 2.1GHz bands, giving the 4G connection more real-world bandwidth. Where the existing LTE tops out at 12-25Mbps, Rogers expects the new hardware to achieve real speeds of as much as 40Mbps.
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02/05, 11:20am
Sony gives PSN new SEN badge in days
Sony has given notice that the unification of its online entertainment services mentioned during its CES keynote would affect the PlayStation Network on February 7. A terms of service change will see the service renamed as part of the Sony Entertainment Network. Actual functionality should stay the same.
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02/03, 10:30pm
Residential gateways may lead to ubiquitous Wi-Fi
Two applications from Google to the FCC, one asking to test a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-enabled "entertainment device" from December and other seeking to set up a residential gateway using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth from earlier this month may indicate that Google is planning to deploy or at least support future 802.11ac networks and devices, which would dramatically increase transmission speeds for HD video and other data throughout a local network.
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02/03, 7:00pm
Mobile hotspot carries radios for global travels
The ZTE Jetpack, a 4G LTE mobile hotspot to be sold by Verizon, has made its way through the FCC. The device, which can support up to ten Wi-Fi-ready devices, sustains download speeds of 5Mbps to 12Mbps and upload speeds of 2Mbps to 5Mbps. FCC approval is one of the last hurdles before the product will hit Verizon's shelves.
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02/03, 4:15pm
Rogers changes protocols to stop web throttling
Canadian wireless provider Rogers on Friday announced it will stop throttling subscribers' Internet connections. In response to a government Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) cease and desist letter, the carrier wrote (PDF) that it will stop the practice in March. The original complaint that led to the move was filed by Jason Koblovsky on behalf of the Canadian Gamers Organization.
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02/03, 3:50pm
BT trials 300Mbps broadband, delays debut to 2013
UK telecommunications provider BT Openreach has held trials of its FTTP (Fiber To The Premises) on demand broadband service promised to launch this year. The fiber optics-based system promises speeds of up to 300Mbps. The trial happened in St. Agnes, Cornwall, where it used already existing fiber optic cables that join exchanges and local street boxes.
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02/02, 7:40pm
Available with either 24 month plan or no contract
Wireless carrier 3 has introduced its Web Cube 3G hotspot to the UK. The broadband router, made by Huawei, offers broadband networking to up to five Wi-Fi devices. 3 is targeting renters and students who want Wi-Fi at home without being tied to a contract or a landline.
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02/02, 11:10am
Qualcomm, Ericsson use SRVCC to handover call
Mobile device chipmaker Qualcomm and network and communications gear Ericsson on Thursday announced they've reached a significant milestone by handing over a call from an LTE network to a WCDMA network using a single radio. They used the Single Radio Voice Call Continuity (SRVCC) 3GPP specified feature to hand off the Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) call when a user left the coverage area to the more widespread 3G network. The hand-off was made on December 23, 2011 on the Ericsson network on a handset using Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 processor at the heart of new phones and tablets.
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02/01, 7:45pm
3DS has free Wi-Fi hotspots in 21 countries
Nintendo has inked a deal with free-hotspot.com to offer free Wi-Fi service to Nintendo 3DS owners. The arrangement will provide the hand-held game console's users with free access to over 5,000 Wi-Fi hotspots. These are dispersed within in 21 European countries.
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02/01, 1:25pm
US Cellular to kick off LTE with familiar devices
US Cellular acted on promises and detailed its first LTE devices. Both would be slight tweaks of existing Samsung devices and would include the Galaxy S Aviator, an adaptation of the Droid Charge from Verizon, and the Galaxy Tab 10.1 LTE. The two should arrive in April and March respectively.
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01/31, 8:35pm
Sprint gives LightSquared short leash on GPS issue
Sprint in comments Tuesday revealed it had given LightSquared one more deadline extension for it to get FCC approval. The would-be 4G network had until mid-March to get clearance, a Sprint representative explained to Total Telecom. It had already been given an extension this month that had already run dry.
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01/30, 7:10pm
Downloads DVD in 60 seconds
Panasonic is using a tablet with an integrated WiGig prototype radio to provide a proof-of-concept of the ultra high-speed wireless technology. With it, the company is showing off the ability of transmitting data at 1Gbps speeds over distances of up to three feet. Panasonic hopes to miniaturize the technology and have it available on an SD card when it ships actual products.
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01/30, 6:35pm
Apple Airport Utility 6 looks like iOS version
Apple took a surprise step Monday by completely reworking its desktop AirPort app. AirPort Utility 6.0 (14.1MB) is reworked to look like its iOS counterpart and starts off with a visual topography for the user's network including the active status and whether or not updates are waiting. Any router on the network, and the Internet connection itself, gets a pop-over that shows both common settings as well as an option to edit settings for that device.
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01/30, 5:05pm
Collateral highlights account level data plans
In December, Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam told listeners at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference that the carrier would begin offering shared minute family data plans some time this year. The timing of such plans may be sooner rather than later. Engadget has posted a screenshot of internal training material referencing shared or account level billing.
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01/30, 3:15pm
LTE plans now start at $50 for Android Lineup
MetroPCS has dropped its lowest-cost "unlimited" LTE wireless phone plan. The no-contract carrier first offered the $40 LTE plan last January. Its lowest price for voice, text, and enhanced LTE data services is now $50 per month.
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01/30, 2:40pm
Function buried within file management title
(Updated for app's removal) Another iPhone app allowing unofficial tethering has slipped into the App Store. Called QuasiDisk, the title is mainly a file manager, enabling local and remote transfer. A January 28th update, though, is said to have quietly enabled tethering using a proxy. As of this writing, QuasiDisk is still on sale for $2.
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01/30, 2:35pm
Clear Spot Voyager and Hub Express kick off 2012
Clearwire's still growing Clear 4G service got refreshed devices for the new year on Monday. The Infomark-made Clear Spot Voyager reinterprets its mobile hotspot and touts a relatively long six-hour battery life for its WiMAX sharing. It can reach as many as eight Wi-Fi devices at once and, at 2.6 inches square, is meant to be pocketable.
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01/30, 1:05pm
FCC asks for input on LightSquared call
The FCC on Monday began taking public comments on a LightSquared request to drop shelters protecting GPS from interference from the would-be provider's LTE network. Following LightSquared's accusations of bias, the FCC has put out a notice that will see it compile commentary by February 27 and responses to those comments by March 13. LightSquared executive VP Jeff Carlisle told Bloomberg that he was "extremely pleased" with the move.
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01/30, 10:20am
Megaupload fighting to keep user data deletion
User data of the recently shuttered Megaupload site may have all their data deleted by this Thursday, US prosecutors revealed. This would reduce the ability of his clients to defend themselves in court, the lawyer representing Megaupload founders added. The site was shut down for allegedly sharing pirated content with the owners' full knowledge.
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01/27, 8:50pm
Israel joins Australia with national fiber
Israel has followed Australian footsteps in planning its own national broadband network. The country's Israel Electric Corporation plans a purely fiber-based network that will supply many of the country's homes with at least 100Mbps speeds. They picked fiber with the intention to scale and could theoretically hit 1Gbps in time.
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01/27, 5:50pm
Steps down to follow political ambition
Aneesh Chopra, the nation's first Chief Technical Officer, has
tendered his resignation. Although no official reason was given, it's unofficially considered most likely he is stepping down so he can follow his own political ambitions. Chopra has been in the CTO position since May 2009.
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01/27, 5:20pm
Free claims competitors hitting below the belt
ARCEP, the French telecom regulator, has said it is going to inspect low-cost wireless provider Iliad's backbone network to make sure it is compliant with its bandwidth licensing requirements. The action takes place after Iliad's competitors raised complaints about Iliad's network performance and customer service. Iliad, which operates its wireless service under the Free name brand, denied the claims, discounting them as false rumors.
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01/27, 4:05pm
30 Satellite network to turn on in 2014
The European Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Agency has struck a deal with the Czech government to have Prague serve as the headquarters for Galileo, the European rival to the US' Global Positioning System (GPS). The European network of 30 satellites orbiting the globe is expected to start operation in 2014. The Europeans claim that Galileo is more accurate and reliable than GPS, which began full operation in 1993.
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01/27, 11:05am
Bill H.B. 2288 aims to track Hawaiian web surfers
Oahu Republican Kymberly Pine is under attack for proposing controversial bill (PDF) that would track the web movement of all Internet users in Hawaii. Pine now claimed that the measure is meant to protect victims of crime, not to see what every citizen or visitor visits on the web. Civil liberty advocates and industry representatives have criticized the proposed legislation.
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01/27, 12:00am
Now does Time Machine, extended attributes, more
Taking note of a recent Forrester Research report that enterprises will spend 45 percent more on Macs and 68 percent more on iPads in the corporate sector compared to 2011, GroupLogic has updated its flagship ExtremeZ-IP program that allows for easy integration of Macs into existing Windows-based server environments. The new version adds full support for Lion and the Apple Filing Protocol (AFP), including Time Machine and OS X extended attributes.
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01/26, 8:05pm
White space wireless exits trial phase
The first official, non-trial instance of white space wireless has gone live in the US on Thursday. The Wilmington, North Carolina access point is so far intended just for linking outdoor monitoring cameras and systems. It can still provide unlicensed, open wireless access at ranges as far as 328 feet, or well beyond the range of Wi-Fi.
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01/26, 6:30pm
ACTA rapporteur says EU process a masquerade
The European Union's chief investigator for the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), Kader Arif, may have blown the whistle on tactics behind the deal in a statement following his resignation. He quit after calling it a "masquerade" and confirmed many of the beliefs that the EU Parliament's signing of ACTA wasn't a representative process. The political right in the EU "rushed" the measure in the hopes of keeping it out of the public eye, Arif said, and Parliament itself was being kept from trying to offer any criticism.
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01/26, 4:15pm
Social networking now available to 13-17 year-olds
Google has opened up Google+ to teens 13 and older. Previously, only adults over 18 could participate in the service. Google has also implemented safeguards to help make sure the younger crowd's participation in the social network is safer until they're adults.
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01/26, 1:10pm
ACTA trade agreement signed by 22 EU members
The EU and 22 of its member states have signed on to support the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) in Tokyo on Thursday. The deed was met with both online and street protests, however, as many who aren't copyright holders believe the trade agreement to be nothing more than a new copyright law. Five countries part of the EU who haven't signed up for ACTA include Cyprus, Germany, Estonia, the Netherlands, and Slovakia.
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01/26, 1:00pm
Doxie Go + Wi-Fi now out with Eye-Fi card for $239
Apparent, the company that makes the Doxie Go portable and wireless scanner, has now unveiled the Doxie Go + Wi-Fi. The new device gets the addition of Wi-Fi thanks to the bundled EyeFi X2 SD memory card, and can scan without a PC, saving documents to its internal memory. There are now more options thanks to the new wireless radio, with uploads to Windows and Mac computers, iOS devices, or the cloud.
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01/26, 12:45pm
BlackBerry 2012 roadmap exposed in huge detail
An extremely detailed RIM roadmap has leaked to BGR that shows even more than what was shown yesterday. Along with confirming the 1.5GHz, 3G- and NFC-equipped PlayBook refresh, the scoop shows that the BlackBerry Curve 9220 and 9320 will make BlackBerry Messenger a central feature. Both will have a built-in BBM key on the side, making a return to chat a one-button feature.
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01/25, 6:10pm
Equiment provider can offer Wi-Fi + cell in 1 box
Cellular infrastructure equipment provider Ericsson is reportedly adding Wi-Fi capabilities to its catalog. GigaOM reports that the company is buying BelAir Networks, a provider of high-performance outdoor hotspot technology. Up until now, BelAir has been providing equipment mainly to the cable industry.
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01/25, 8:50am
EU makes data protection rights official
The European Commission on Wednesday formally outlined its new data protection rules and touched on Google's own decisions. As hinted earlier, the rules would require plain, explicit permission for data, require data portability between services, and enforce a "right to be forgotten" for those who want to purge their data entirely. If a company saw a breach of information, they had 24 hours in most circumstances to notify both the regulators of affected countries and the European citizens they affected.
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01/24, 9:35pm
Clearwire starts recovering with cost cuts
Clearwire on Tuesday showed a significant recovery from near death with early estimates of its results. It swung from a loss in the summer to net positive earnings in the fall, owed directly to adding more subscribers and cost-cutting. The 4G provider expected to have gained 900,000 total customers, or an 11 percent jump just in one season.
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01/24, 4:20pm
Ofcom and TfL to brace London for Olympic data
Two organizations are working to brace London's mobile data networks for the expected impact of the summer Olympics this year. Regulator Ofcom has planned to increase the amount of available wireless spectrum for 3G in the city. Among the efforts, it plans to borrow airwave access from government bodies like the Ministry of Defence, to exploit unlicensed bands, and to use frequencies going up for auction but which won't be used until 2013.
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01/24, 10:45am
Linksys Powerline AV gets 3 new models
Cisco's Linksys badge brought out three new powerline networking kits for those who prefer or need mostly wired links. The PLEK400 one-port kit, PLSK400 four-port kit, and PLW400 wireless extender all run on the HomePlug standard and can reach up to 200Mbps. Linksys is vowing a small design that makes it practical to hook up other devices to the local wall outlet.
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01/23, 11:30pm
Follows a $1.3 billion bailout last year
Troubled joint venture Nokia Siemens Networks has raised $1.6 billion from US and European banks as part of a restructuring and re-focusing of the company's telecommunications equipment business. It had originally sought $1.95 billion to help pay off a $2.6 billion debt caused in part by the cost of a large redundancy program, and was bailed out last year to the tune of $1.3 billion by its parent companies after they failed to sell the joint venture.
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01/23, 8:45pm
Adds maiden names and pseudonyms as well
Google+ will begin allowing users to be known by their nickname or alternative names. Through a Google+ update, the company's Brad Horowitz has advised the social network's members that it will soon let them add a name such as a nickname, maiden name, or name in another non-Latin script alongside the common name that they require as part of an individual's profile. The change is not immediate, but the company advises it will take place over the next week.
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