Yet another unannounced Samsung device appears to have made its way through FCC testing. The handset, which is referred to by the model code SGH-T769, has been approved for GSM bands and the WCDMA bands that T-Mobile utilizes for its 4G network.
Veteran corporate raider/investor Carl Icahn may have grabbed some of LightSquared's debt. Reuters, citing several sources familiar with the matter, reports that Icahn, along with two others, bought up a total of $300 million of the troubled LTE network provider's loan obligations over the course of 2011. Icahn has declined to comment.
Citing unnamed sources "familiar with the product," Bloomberg reports that the next iPad, expected to go on sale in March, will sport a "high-definition" screen, use a faster processor and be compatible with Long-Term Evolution (LTE) type 4G cellular networks. The claims summarize most of the educated guesses any Apple-watcher might have about the next iPad, but if true the LTE compatibility coming before the iPhone would be an unusual move.
Among the high-end smartphones introduced at CES, LG added its Spectrum handset to the crowd of upcoming Android devices. Electronista took a closer look at the company's new Android flagship, which features 4G LTE connectivity, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and a 720p HD display.
Motorola has introduced the latest device in its Android lineup, the Droid 4. The handset keeps to the tradition that began with the original Droid, advancing the QWERTY slider into the 4G LTE era. The fourth-generation model measures 0.5-inches thick, similar to the earlier models, however the company claims it is the "thinnest and most powerful" QWERTY LTE smartphone.
AT&T appears to be preparing to introduce new Windows 8 tablet next week at CES in Las Vegas. The carrier is holding a special event ahead of CES for developers, with a session to be focused on "Windows 8 tablets super charged with LTE."
Sprint appears to be readying Samsung's Galaxy Nexus handset. Online advertisements point to the upcoming offering, which is touted as the company's "first 4G LTE phone," however the company has yet to make a formal announcement. The placements appear to have been published ahead of schedule, as the ads lead users to a broken link on Sprint's website.
Verizon has finally shed light on the frequent outages that have affected the company's expanding 4G LTE network. In an interview with GigaOM, Verizon network engineering VP Mike Haberman downplayed the recent problems as "growing pains" that are a result of the company's position as "pioneers" rolling out a large deployment of new technology.
Samsung and Korea's KT Telecom are set to unveil a series of laptops with inbuilt 4G WiBro. Samsung, KT and Intel made the join announcement today that they plan to release 4G Wibro capable notebooks after closely working together for much of the past year on the project. They will be among the first notebooks to feature inbuilt 4G wireless connectivity.
GM subsidiary OnStar has teased a revamped infotainment system that takes advantage of 4G LTE networks to expand the range of connected features. The company is currently teasing the new system, which will allow users to participate in video chats via Skype. The faster connection speeds also enables users to access streaming multimedia content.
The ongoing battle between LightSquared, a company that wants to launch a nationwide 4G (LTE) network in partnership with Sprint, and the rest of the GPS industry took another turn today as a leaked draft of a government report concludes that implementing LightSquared's planned network would cause "harmful interference" to about 75 percent of GPS receivers, BusinessWeek reports. The testing contradicts LightSquared's claim that it had found a fix for the issue.
A Sprint executive suggests tablet makers need to outfit their devices with phone features before the 3G/4G models can gain a foothold in the market. The company's director of business product marketing, Jeff Adelmann, argues that users should be able to choose between answering a voice call on their smartphone or tablet.
AT&T has revealed that it will be bringing LTE data services to New York City "very soon." AT&T's Senior Vice President of communications, Larry Solomon, made the announcement at Mashable's Media Summit taking place in the area. Four additional cities, Boston, Washington DC, Athens, and Baltimore, will also be getting LTE.
T-Mobile has announced a new product range that it calls Monthly4G plans. The new plans are designed to allow users to step up to data by adding a Monthly4G plan when users are on existing no annual contract service arrangements. For $60 per month, users will receive unlimited talk, texting and the Internet with the first 2GB of data served up at 4G speeds before it is shaped.
The Senate has introduced a companion bill to the Next Generation Wireless Disclosure Act that could reduce indiscriminate labeling of newer mobile broadband network technologies as 4G. Currently, 4G is attached to HSPA+, WiMAX and LTE networks, even though all have key differences and offer different speeds. If the bill passes, it will require all providers to clearly specify what their networks will offer, including minimum and maximum data speeds.
Google and Samsung are now likely to reveal their flagship smartphone, the Galaxy Nexus running Android 4.0 (also known as Ice Cream Sandwich), on October 18th at the AsiaD: All Things Digital conference in Hong Kong -- with a US exclusive going to Verizon for a limited time, DroidLife reveals. The Samsung phone has turned up in Verizon's internal inventory systems sporting a 4G LTE radio, 720p touchscreen, 5MP rear camera and more.
Although Verizon has been focusing its attention on the upcoming Stratosphere handset this week at CTIA, several Pantech phones were also on hand at the expo. Electronista took a look at the Breakout, Verizon's budget-focused LTE handset. The device is one of the most compact LTE devices, with a feature set that is not far off from the expensive competition.
Start-up wireless LTE provider LightSquared, which has been involved in a feud with the GPS industry over interference between GPS devices and planned 4G LTE cell networks, informed the industry that it would cost up to $400 million to buy equipment LightSquared has developed to eliminate the problem, CNet reports. Without the device, about half a percent of GPS receivers -- about half a million units -- will be disrupted when the LTE networks begin to go online.
Although Samsung's Nexus Prime did not make a showing today at CTIA in San Diego, the company did bring along its Stratosphere handset that will be headed to Verizon. Electronista had a chance to take an early look at the upcoming handset. The device bears a close resemblance to the WiMAX-equipped Epic 4G that is currently offered through Sprint.
Some Motorola Xoom users who have sent their tablets to be upgraded are recieving notices that the company will not be able to meet its promise of a six day turnaround. Several readers have commented at Droid Life that they have received an email stating that the company is "still in the process of completing your upgrade." Some of those reported getting shipping notices complete with FedEx tracking numbers before the company sent the disappointing status update.
Ofcom, the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries has delayed its planned auctions of 4G mobile bandwidth until the end of 2012. The authority did so in response to a number of issues raised by potential bidders since the auctions were announced in March. Ofcom believes that the delay won't impact the actual deployment for 4G services.
Verizon is allegedly throttling the 4G services of some users, in addition to its announcement that it will be throttling 3G services for the top five percent of its data intensive users. A Verizon customer who somehow managed to plow through 60GB of data in 13 days has found that his connection speeds have been slowed to below 3G speeds. This is even though Verizon had explicitly stated that its new throttling policy only applied to its 3G services.
Placeholder pages for the LG myTouch Black and myTouch Q Gray have appeared on the T-Mobile website. Officially, the handsets are noted as "coming soon" but a recent leak gave them a November 2 ship date. The T-Mobile website also claims the smartphones have 1GHz processors and are 4G capable, which contradicts earlier leaks. Both myTouch handsets will also have 5-megapixel cameras, and photos show a front-facing camera for video chat.
Corroborating earlier rumors, HTC's Raider 4G smartphone appears to have passed through the FCC on its way to AT&T. The Commission tested a device that matches the Raider, also known as the HTC Holiday in other markets. The test documents suggest the handset will be supported by AT&T's 4G LTE and 3G HSPA+ networks.
Samsung's upcoming Stratosphere handset has been detailed in yet another leak. An internal document allegedly circulated to Verizon employees shows a chart with full specs for the Stratosphere, along with comparisons to Verizon's other LTE offerings and 4G handsets offered through other carriers. Although early rumors suggested the device may represent Verizon's Galaxy S II variant, the specs suggest it actually competes directly with handsets such as Samsung's Epic 4G sold through Sprint.
Last month a placeholder page appeared on the Verizon website, hinting that a new handset dubbed the Samsung Stratosphere would be revealed soon. Sources at Pocketnow claim to have images for the new smartphone, which they describe as an LTE QWERTY slider. Some have speculated that the Stratosphere may be Verizon's version of the Galaxy S II, which has already landed at the other major US carriers.
Although AT&T has yet to announce when its 4G network will go live, Boy Genius Report has posted multiple photos of a functional AT&T Elevate 4G mobile hotspot connected to AT&T's 4G LTE network in Atlanta. According to a source, coverage in Atlanta was better than in Chicago. That may simply indicate the network is still incomplete. The source found download speeds on the Atlanta test network capable of nearly 25Mbps and upload speeds in excess of 8Mbps. Throughput may change when the system goes live.
AT&T has reportedly begun testing its LTE network in Chicago, though the company has yet to publicly confirm deployment dates for a formal 4G introduction. Images posted on Boy Genius Report appear to show AT&T's Elevate mobile hotspot connected to the LTE network. Screenshots from speed tests show the hotspot achieving maximum download speeds of 13Mbps and upload speeds of 2Mbps.
Motoroola and Verizon are reportedly set to begin LTE upgrades for the Xoom tablet, however the initial rollout is said to be limited to business and government accounts. Unnamed sources have told Droid-Life the companies will be providing LTE upgrades to the pilot groups over the next two weeks, ahead of availability for the general public.
Screenshots have leaked of HTC's first full-size Android tablet, the HTC Puccini. The screenshots show the tablet running Honeycomb with an updated version of HTC's Sense UI. The new UI takes advantage of the tablet's 10-inch screen with a separate number pad on the virtual keyboard. The pen icon seen in the tray seems to indicate that the tablet will support Scribe, like its sibling the HTC Flyer.
MetroPCS has confirmed plans to transition to voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) communications early next year. During a conference call that focused on recent earnings, chief executive Roger Linquist suggested the company is already deploying technology that will be necessary to jump from a circuit-switched voice system to the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) technology.
Sprint has announced that it is now offering WiMAX service to its wholesale customers. The carrier initially will enable businesses to access the 4G network using the Sierra Wireless 250U USB modem, HTC's Detail handset, and HTC's Evo Shift 4G. The company suggests its future roadmap includes a variety of additional handsets, modems, hotspot devices and fixed access points.
Retail chains are beginning to discount the iPhone 4, reports note. Radio Shack has a sale running through Saturday, in which 16 and 32GB models are priced at $170 and $270 on contract instead of their regular $199 and $299. A $100 trade-in credit for previous iPhones applies, potentially lowering the cost of an iPhone 4 to just $70.
Purportedly leaked documents from Canadian carrier Telus suggest the iPhone 5 might ship on October 1. The release date comes along with several, presumably for other products, that are all cast as concrete and not fillers. The choice would be a Saturday but isn't "unrealistic" given how busy phone stores are those days, BGR's tipster said.
A leaked image appears to show marketing materials for 4G Windows Phone devices sold through T-Mobile. Although 4G Windows Phones earlier this year were promised by Microsoft, the company has yet to formally unveil any of the upcoming offerings. The store window decals, which were posted on TmoNews, provide the first evidence that such devices will take advantage of T-Mobile's HSPA+ network.
Verizon is reportedly facing the possibility of slight delays for the 4G LTE version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1, which are scheduled to arrive tomorrow. The tablets are expected to arrive on time, however a leaked memo suggests the carrier may have failed to procure its microSIM LTE cards in time to activate the devices for customers who arrive early in the day.
Verizon is reportedly preparing to launch its 4G network in at least 11 new cities by August 18, continuing the company's trend of monthly LTE rollouts across the country. New cities are expected to include Council Bluffs, Iowa; Ithaca, Syracuse and Albany, New York; Fort Collins, Colorado; Provo/Orem, Utah; Salinas/Monterey and Bakersfield, California; Omaha, Nebraska; and Altoona and Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Expansion of 4G coverage is also expected in Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio and Rockland County, New York.
Sprint CEO Dan Hesse suggests the carrier later in the fall will be ready to announce significant plans surrounding its 4G deployments, though the executive has yet to confirm rumors pointing to a LightSquared deal for an LTE network. Speaking to visitors at Sprint's headquarters in Kansas, Hesse also added to his commentary on the AT&T/T-Mobile merger, claiming that he feels a personal obligation to oppose the deal and push for competition in the marketplace.
T-Mobile has announced that it is has expanded its double-speed HSPA+42 4G network to an additional 56 markets. It claims that its new, faster 4G network is now available in 152 markets and is addressing a population base of 170 million people. T-Mobile also promises that the upgraded network will deliver higher capacity and better reliability.
Sprint and Clearwire have announced an expansion of the Clearwire 4G network coverage for mobile broadband customers in the greater New York City metro area. Sprint and Clearwire claim that they have added WiMax coverage for more than 11,927,000 people in the New York metro area. In total, the Clearwire 4G network now has an additional 21 percent coverage since its launch on November 1, 2010.
Starting July 17, AT&T will be offering its new USBConnect Force 4G data modem for free to its customers with a 2-year agreement. Subscribers not wanting to be tied to a new contract can buy it for $90. Using it, a subscriber can gain unlimited Wi-Fi access at more than 24,000 AT&T Hotspots in the US, and e-mail and web browsing in more than 200 countries globally.
LightSquared, a wireless provider backed by Harbinger Capital, has reportedly signed a deal with Sprint, outlining terms for cost sharing as the companies collaborate to launch and expand a 4G LTE network in the US. Recent rumors suggest the deal may be worth a total of $20 billion and span 15 years, during which time Sprint will be able to take advantage of LightSquared's wireless broadband service.
The HTC Sensation 4G has arrived early at some Walmart locations, and at a lower than expected price. The Sensation 4G was scheduled for launch June 12 at Walmart and June 15 at T-Mobile. News of an earlier release was leaked last week, suggesting that the Android 2.3 smartphone would be available on June 8.
Motorola has apologized to what it calls "a very small number" of owners of Verizon's 3G version of the Xoom for mistakenly sending notification that the 4G modification for the tablet was ready. The company said the emails were sent in error. Unspecified production issues forced Motorola to launch on Verizon with a 3G version of the Xoom, with a promise that the device would be upgraded free of charge at a later date. Motorola did not specify when the 4G upgrade would be available, except as a date "in the near future."
Sprint announced today that the HTC Evo 3D and Evo View 4G tablet will be available beginning June 24. Rumors circlating late last week speculated that both the smartphone and the tablet would be available on that date. Sprint's Premier customers will have the chance to buy the Evo 3D online starting June 21.
HTC's Evo View 4G tablet may be ready to ship on June 24. A screenshot from Sprint's internal Rewards Me site, which was posted by Engadget, lists the date as the start point for promotions surrounding the device. If the details prove correct, the device may launch one the same day that HTC's Evo 3D smartphone arrives on the market.
The Samsung Droid Charge which was delayed as a result of the Verizon 4G outage may arrive next week. According to Android Central, Costco will be getting units on Monday, with a firm “do not sell” message to staff until May 3. The phone was thought to have been delayed so that customers could enjoy the speed of a fully functioning network.
Verizon's 4G LTE network suffered a nationwide outage late last night, affecting over 500,000 Verizon customers. The service disruption also caused HTC Thunderbolt users to lose access to the Verizon 3G network. A Verizon spokesman tweeted earlier today that their engineers are aware of the problem and working on a solution.
Two Mini Coopers adorned with ads for the HP Veer were spotted recently in Los Angeles, and came with a surprise: labeling the Veer as a 4G handset. Introduced at the February 2011 webOS show, the Veer uses HSPA+ 3G for broadband connectivity and is expected to be available on the AT&T network. If the device has been renamed as the Veer 4G, it may suggest that the carrier is pushing to have HSPA+ considered as a 4G standard.
Verizon has announced that its 4G LTE subscriber base has expanded by 500,000 customers in the first quarter of the year. The number is primarily driven by customers buying the carrier's first LTE-equipped smartphone, the HTC Thunderbolt, which is said to have surpassed 260,000 activations in its two weeks of availability before the end of the first quarter.
