11/04, 6:55pm
One Voice initiative aims for interoperability
A long list of cellular providers and manufacturers, including players such as AT&T, Verizon, Alcatel-Lucent, Nokia Siemens, Ericsson and Samsung, have all agreed on standards for voice calls and SMS messages distributed across LTE networks. The companies have collaborated on a technical profile, the One Voice initiative, that aims to ensure widespread compatibility between different products.
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10/29, 7:20pm
Company attempting to double US market share
Nokia is allegedly working on a Symbian-based handset aimed at the US market, an unnamed source has told VentureBeat. Interestingly enough, the device is expected to integrate a Qualcomm chip. If true, the component choice could indicate the companies are continuing to warm up to each other after a lengthy legal war over patent claims.
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10/15, 10:15am
Support long overdue
AT&T's planned tethering support for the iPhone might not arrive until 2010, a a statement from a carrier spokesman suggests. Responding to a claim that tethering would arrive before the end of the year, the spokesman insists that no one at AT&T has ever made such as promise. "We promised MMS by end of summer and ended up being a few days late for that," the statement adds.
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09/25, 12:55pm
16GB model available for $99
AT&T is currently offering refurbished iPhone 3G handsets starting at $49 for the 8GB model. Customers can also purchase the 16GB variant for $99. The deal still requires a two-year service agreement and a $30/month data package.
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09/17, 3:50pm
AT&T purchases assets for 4G LTE in Pacific NW
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen has made a deal with AT&T to sell the carrier several licenses for wireless spectrum in the Pacific Northwest, according to Bloomberg. The deal was exposed in government documents, although the agreed price has not been disclosed by either party.
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08/27, 11:25pm
MMS court filings
A dissatisfied iPhone user believes Apple and AT&T have violated laws against misleading trade practices surrounding the unsuccessful launch of MMS messaging. Deborah Carr filled a lawsuit against the two companies on Wednesday, referencing various Apple and AT&T support documents that discuss MMS messaging. The court filing acknowledges a disclaimer by Apple that states MMS messaging would not be available until the end of the summer, but suggests the disclaimer is written in an extremely small font that is nearly impossible to read.
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08/26, 7:20pm
TiVo vs Verizon and ATT
TiVo on Wednesday announced that it has filed lawsuit against Verizon and AT&T for allegedly infringing several patents. The fresh legal battle is similar to the company's fight against Dish Network and EchoStar, a case which lead to a $190 million ruling and an injunction to stop the companies from enabling the patented technology in set-top boxes already owned by customers.
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07/01, 5:05pm
ATT delaying voicemail?
Several reports suggest AT&T may be experiencing problems with delayed alerts for voicemail messages sent to iPhones. Tech support representatives provided more insight to Glenn Tenney, a computer security expert who recently noticed that many messages took days before being listed in the iPhone's visual voicemail.
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06/04, 11:00am
Analyst says 2 iPhones
Kaufmann Brothers analyst Shaw Wu has reiterated his claim that Apple is prepared to launch several new iPhone models; a more powerful version and a "junior" model or mid-range device with reduced functionality. The analyst cites supply chain checks that indicate new hardware. AT&T and other iPhone carriers could also allow customers to choose from a wider variety of services and pricing structures.
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05/26, 9:50pm
ATT leads future demandA
AT&T appears to be continuing to build momentum in terms of attracting subscribers from other carriers, according to a recent ChangeWave survey. When asked to disclose the likelihood of defecting to another carrier in the next six months, 13 percent of consumers claimed they were very or somewhat likely to switch. Of that group, 33 percent said they plan to choose AT&T as their next provider, while only 24 percent expected to move to Verizon.
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05/13, 2:40pm
Online iPhone orders
Apple has begun shipping iPhone orders placed on its online store. The company previously required customers to finalize the sale at a brick-and-mortar Apple Store. The eligibility checks, plan selection and add-on options can now be configured online for new customers, although existing AT&T customers still need to stop in at a retail store location.
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05/12, 8:25pm
SlingPlayer app statement
Following the announcement that Sling Media's SlingPlayer iPhone app will only be available without support for 3G data, AT&T has released a statement explaining the restriction. The company blames the decision on network strain, as the large volume of data could potentially cause congestion and create access problems for other customers.
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05/05, 4:20pm
ATT myWireless Mobile app
AT&T has released myWireless Mobile, an application for the iPhone that allows customers to manage family and personal accounts directly from the handset interface. The service is designed as an extension of myWireless, with options to view monthly bills and make payments. The bill is available as a summarized preview or a PDF file. Users can also view voice and data usage, including text messages, or change add-on features.
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02/09, 5:55pm
iPhone 3G MicroCell update
Apple's recent iPhone carrier settings update appears to contain files for AT&T's upcoming 3G MicroCell technology. MobileCrunch claims that the update includes two M-Cell icon files that will be displayed on the menu bar when the handset is connected to the local signals. Along with the icons, TUAW readers have noted that company has added carrier information for the Mobily network in Saudi Arabia and etisalat in the United Arab Emirates. Both countries could see an iPhone 3G launch as early as next week.
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12/09, 10:05pm
3G case against Apple ATT
AT&T and Apple are pushing to have a New York court dismiss a number of charges in a class-action suit alleging that the iPhone's 3G performance falls short of advertising claims. The plaintiff in the case, Avi Koshitzki, also added additional accusations regarding cracks in the phone case. In the event that the dismissal is rejected, the companies have also filed a motion to compel arbitration, claiming that the arguments would be better suited for an alternative dispute resolution process outside of the court.
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10/20, 5:55pm
iPhone 3G shrinks margins
Apple’s iPhone is currently squeezing profit margins for US wireless carriers, with analysts expecting a drop in third quarter financial results in the coming weeks. Reuters reports that AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint are all expected to unveil lower-than-expected results, thanks in part to a larger subsidy on the iPhone 3G, and users reducing the total cost of their services in today’s depressed economy.
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07/29, 4:50pm
AT&T TAP messaging
AT&T on Tuesday unveiled details for its Text Accessibility Plan for disabled iPhone 3G customers, offering unlimited text messaging, web browsing, and email access for $50 per month. TAP is designed to allow users to communicate through the device's touchscreen interface, with the option of pay-per-use voice at 40¢ per minute. Interested users must apply through a special form, which is currently available from AT&T's website.
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07/22, 4:50pm
iPhone 3G switchers
While Apple claims to have sold 1 million iPhone 3Gs during the device's opening weekend, metrics appear to show that AT&T did not earn as many switchers as the first time around, and even indicate that the company may have lost as many customers as it gained. Engadget reveals that it obtained data regarding the number of ports in and out from T-Mobile in the US, as it was observed by a national wholesaler, which indicates out that T-Mobile gained as many customers as it lost to and from AT&T during the 3G launch.
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06/16, 9:55pm
Forum roundup 3G iPhone
Since the debut of the new iPhone 3G members of the Macnn forums have been discussing their likes and dislikes of this redesigned, lower priced model. It seams that Apple did not live up to its expectations for some. One user states that they would have liked to see things like a better camera or stereo Bluetooth. Another user expresses a dislike for the service provider that has been selected (AT&T), an opinion that echoed across the board. One member said they were "satisfied" with the upgrades, another was impressed and plans on buying one soon, but most of the existing iPhone owners didn't see any reason to invest in the new model based on these upgrades alone.
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06/16, 8:20pm
Visual voicemail dispute
Apple and AT&T have reached a settlement with Klausner Technology over patent disputes, and have agreed to license the technology from the firm. AppleInsider reveals that the suit, originally filed in December, was brought against the companies in response to the iPhone's "email inbox"-style voicemail presentation, one of the original device's highly touted features. Klausner says the two companies were in violation of US Patents 5,572,576, and 5,283,818.
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05/16, 3:55pm
AT&T resumes iPhone limit
AT&T is allegedly reversing its position on limiting iPhone sales to one per customer, and returning to the company's former three-per-customer rule after finding sufficient stock of the device to do so. InformationWeek writes that the announcement only comes after one day of restricted sales, but AT&T is supposedly restricting sales of the iPhone to credit and debit card purchases. AT&T would not comment on inventory levels of the device.
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02/14, 11:05am
Launch2net, AT&T modems
Nova Media today highlighted launch2net -- an application that handles setup as well as connections to the internet for PC card and ExpressCard modems -- on the heels of AT&T's new LaptopConnect modems. "If you need a bit more than just a connect/disconnect button, launch2net is the right software for you." said Jan Fuellemann of nova media. "launch2net offers advanced statistics, auto-connect, disconnect after a certain time or traffic spend online, a menu icon so the software does not have to be running to establish a connection and more." Launch2net is priced at $110, and requires Mac OS X 10.4.3 or later.
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