01/25, 11:15am
O2 UK quietly sorts phone number leak debacle
O2 UK has quietly solved or at least mitigated a major security breach on Wednesday. Following a discovery by Lewis Peckover that O2 was sending mobile subscribers' phone numbers in the clear through their web browser user agent, O2 claimed that it was cleared up. The company explained that it normally sent phone number information to "certain trusted partners" for age verifications and carrier billing, but this information had started going out to other sites by accident.
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12/01, 12:55pm
Senator says Carrier IQ may be in trouble
Carrier IQ's problems mounted dramatically on Thursday after Senator Al Franken sent a letter to the company demanding answers as to the company's extensive phone logging practices. He was concerned that Carrier IQ might be violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, Electronic Communications Privacy Act, the pen register statute, and Stored Communications Act by recording without consent not just diagnostic information but phone numbers, text messages, web addresses, and the location. Carrier IQ's earlier denials that it wasn't tracking keystrokes or personal content were "especially concerning" given evidence showing just the the opposite, Franken said.
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11/19, 1:05pm
Galaxy Nexus 1st Android to beat iPhone 4S in web
Early benchmarks of the Galaxy Nexus have shown it to be the first Android phone that can outperform an iPhone 4S on the web. The AnandTech tests show that Google's late addition of dual-core processor support gave the phone the edge over Apple both in the SunSpider JavaScript test and Rightware's BrowserMark. The only other Android device to get close, the Droid RAZR, slightly won in one test but lost in another.
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11/18, 4:30pm
Galaxy Nexus to ship 'everywhere' on Monday
(Update: not worldwide) Google has just informed The Verge that the Galaxy Nexus will be "pretty much everywhere" beginning Monday, November 21. This likely means a launch in Canada and the US among other countries, making North Americans wait an extra weekend compared to UK buyers. The UK version is LTE-less, just like the Canadian version, while the US phone will have an LTE radio onboard.
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11/14, 3:20pm
1,000 users to try 4G networking over next 9 mos.
UK wireless carrier O2 has said that it will soon begin trials for 4G LTE network services in the greater London area. O2 plans to deploy the service in a 40 square mile area and give users as much as 100Mbps downstream. The trials will begin later this month and last for the next nine months.
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10/12, 6:30pm
Carrier to begin trials of Skype-like service soon
UK carrier O2 today announced it plans to trial a VoIP service for its mobile phone customers. Called O2 Connect, the Skype-like service will allow smartphone users to use voice and text services over a Wi-Fi network from their mobile device, and call or send a message to any UK mobile or landline number. The app initially will be available on iOS devices and Android smartphones.
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10/07, 3:00am
iPhone 4S preorders open worldwide
On cue, the online Apple Store and numerous carriers including AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon have begun taking online preorders for the iPhone 4S. The picks include carrier-locked models as well as the full-price but unlocked GSM versions for those who want to switch carriers or avoid early cancellation fees.
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09/28, 8:15am
Tizen rises from ashes of MeeGo
Intel and Samsung partly confirmed rumors by unveiling Tizen. The effective successor to MeeGo still uses Linux as an open-source foundation for a mobile OS but is focused on a much broader coalition of LiMo supporters that includes Japanese phone makers NEC Casio and Panasonic Mobile, OS developer Access, and carriers NTT DoCoMo, SK Telecom, Telefonica (O2), and Vodafone. The group will focus more on HTML5- and Wholesale Applications Community-based apps that can run on MeeGo and can share much of their code for other platforms and devices.
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09/21, 4:15pm
Supported in US by AT&T, Verizon & Cellular South
Twitter has upgraded the direct messaging capabilities for its texting service. Now, in addition to tweets, users whose service providers support MMS can attach and share videos. To send, all a user need do is enter the text of a tweet as normal, attach a photo to the message, and send it to the relevant Twitter code.
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09/06, 4:50pm
Ofcom: tech complications may push back 4G sale
The largest wireless spectrum auction in the UK may be pushed back to the spring of 2012, according to a Tuesday report. The country's regulator, Ofcom, blamed the delay on many technical and legal issues. The potential delay is at least three months later than originally planned, though Ofcom added it has always said the original timescale was ambitious.
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07/29, 4:00pm
Ofcom proposals may shake up paid mobile content
UK regulator Ofcom proposed on Friday that paid smartphone content bought through a carrier's site should be regulated by carriers and not PhonepayPlus, as it is currently. The content on an industry-owned Payforit gateway should be overseen by PhonepayPlus, it continued. Wireless providers asked Ofcom to look into the matter, but they didn't want Payforit content to be regulated.
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06/16, 8:45am
Three large Euro carriers team up on NFC payments
The three largest UK wireless providers that include O2, Vodafone and Everything Everywhere have announced they will join forces to offer mobile wallet services to customers. According to MocoNews, the three will offer a cross-platform solution to banks, merchants, advertisers and other marketing partners to get the technology and its widespread use off the ground. The cooperation seems to be just what NFC needs, as the hardware is becoming increasingly available, with many of the Android-powered handsets getting it and the OS itself coming with the needed software hooks.
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06/16, 8:20am
O2 UK passes on BlackBerry PlayBook
O2 UK dealt a symbolic hit to RIM on Thursday after it shot down any plans to carry the current BlackBerry PlayBook. Customers who had shown interest in the tablet have been told that the British carrier "will not be selling the device" for what it implied was the rushed state of the software. There were "some issues with the end to end customer experience," it said.
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03/29, 4:30pm
Windows Phone 7 NoDo update live, hits HD7
As suspected, Microsoft's first wave of NoDo updates to carrier-locked Windows Phone 7 devices has started reaching phones. Both of T-Mobile USA's phones, the Dell Venue Pro and the HTC HD7, are getting the update immediately. All WP7 hardware on Orange UK and 3 UK should also be getting the upgrade regardless of the make.
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03/29, 11:50am
O2 UK drops tethering fees
O2 UK took a cue from Canadian carriers on Tuesday and dropped the premium tethering fee on its monthly plans. Any of its regular Bolt On plans, including the basic £3 ($4.80) 100MB plan, offer tethering for free. It had previously asked for £7.65 ($12.23) regardless of the tier and often more than doubled the price of data.
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03/28, 1:20pm
O2 to offer twice as many Wi-Fi hotspots in UK
In the UK, carrier O2 on Monday detailed plans to double the amount of free Wi-Fi hotspots it offers for its BT Openzone and the Cloud services. The carrier is seeing much more demand for data while on the go from smartphones. The provider will focus the Wi-Fi zones in areas such as high streets, public transport and stadiums.
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03/28, 12:05pm
Windows Phone 7 NoDo hits carriers March 29
New hints have suggested Microsoft plans to push its NoDo update to carrier-locked phones on Tuesday, March 29. The company's first wave would include at least Orange UK and Canada's Telus as well as a handful of unnamed other carriers, WinRumors heard. A second wave would take place on April 5, which would bring in at least O2 and Vodafone.
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03/25, 11:55am
O2 delays Xperia Play but Verizon on time
O2 UK on Friday said it would delay the launch of the Xperia Play past its original April 1 target. Internal testing had shown "some bugs" that would sour the experience for early buyers. It was collaborating with Sony Ericsson to make sure they were fixed and still left a window open for an April 1 launch if they were fixed in time.
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03/18, 10:45am
O2 UK first with 900MHz 3G
O2 UK on Friday said it was the first British carrier to use 3G on the 900MHz band. A green light from telecom regulator Ofcom has given HSPA and UMTS devices that will work on the lower frequency, including the iPad 2 and iPhone 4, as much as a 30 percent faster download rate. The greater room created by the frequency has also led to an immediate 50 percent capacity upgrade.
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03/16, 3:55pm
O2 Germany first carrier to commit to HP Veer
Wireless provider O2 Germany, through a tweet, has confirmed it will begin offering the HP Veer. It has become the first to commit to the webOS device, which is the smallest to date and the first to ship with webOS 2.1. The Veer will sport an 800MHz CPU and support 7.2Mbps HSPA for 3G.
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02/22, 11:10am
webOS 2.1 arrives for Pre Plus on O2 Germany
The webOS 2.1 firmware for the Pre Plus handset has now been made available for download in Germany, despite HP saying earlier this month it won't upgrade older handsets to the firmware. This includes the Pre, Pre Plus, Pixi and Pixi Plus, and HP may still stand by its decision, as it's just carrier O2 that is upgrading the Pre Plus and no one else, at least thus far.
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02/18, 12:35pm
O2 to get white Xperia Play exclusively
UK wireless carrier O2 communicated over Twitter that it will be the exclusive provider of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play smartphone in white. Other carriers that will get the so-called PlayStation phone include Orange, T-Mobile and Vodafone in the UK as well Rogers exclusively in Canada. In the US, it will arrive at Verizon sometime in the spring.
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02/07, 12:55pm
Xperia Play due in the UK, exclusive at Rogers
The Xperia Play handset has been confirmed as coming to several carriers on Monday, including Orange, T-Mobile, O2 and Vodafone in the UK. In Canada, the phone will be exclusive to Rogers, according to MobileSyrup. Orange and T-Mobile UK have also confirmed they should have the PlayStation phone, has has O2, though no release date is known for Canada.
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01/26, 10:25am
O2 to bring out 13,000 free hotspots in the UK
UK wireless provider O2 on Wednesday said it will launch a nationwide Wi-Fi network. The premium hotspots will be managed with the help of venue owners and be open for all customers to use for free, no matter what network they subscribe to. By 2013, 13,000 hotspots will be in place, O2 promises, but the rollout will begin this March at 450 O2 shops and offices.
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01/17, 4:05pm
HTC Pro 7 now available at Germany's O2
As promised last week, HTC's Pro 7 smartphone is now available at carrier O2 in Germany. HTC's first Windows Phone 7 device with a QWERTY hardware keyboard sports a 3.6-inch, 800x480 touchscreen, 1GHz Snapdragon CPU and a five-megapixel camera capable of recording 720p video. Pricing is also the same as promised, with a contract price of 22.50 Euros per month and 29 Euros down. The two are the equivalent of $29 per month and $37, respectively.
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01/11, 3:55pm
HTC 7 Pro confirmd for O2 Germany next week
Through a Twitter posting, carrier O2 Germany revealed the HTC 7 Pro will arrive in its stores, confirming an earlier report. The posting also reveals the pricing scheme for O2, set at 29 euros when paired with a 22.50 euro per month, two-year contract. The rate equates to $37 and a subscription fee of $29.
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12/27, 5:55pm
HTC 7 Pro coming to Germany's O2 in January
The HTC 7 Pro unveiled this fall will arrive at German provider O2 in January, the handset's product page has given away. Its version of the Windows Phone 7 device will logically use GSM and will sport the distinctive hardware QWERTY keyboard behind its 3.6-inch, 800x480 display. Also onboard is the needed 1GHz Snapdragon chip and a five-megapixel camera.
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12/14, 8:55pm
Rogers and Fido iPhone unlocks rumored in works
Canadian carrier Rogers and its sub-brand Fido have brought back a system that would let customers more officially unlock iPhones after the sale, a possible leak of its strategy has uncovered. As part of a broader move that would let any subscriber out when out of contract, Rogers has let users get an unlock by calling its help line and having them contact Apple. Once greenlit, the phone needs only to be restored in iTunes to remove the restrictions, iPhone in Canada was told by Fido user Argun Tekant.
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11/24, 12:00pm
Nokia C7 and N8 get eco-friendly models
Nokia today detailed special environmentally friendly editions of both the C7 and N8. Both devices come with green apps and details of the phone's ecological footprint but also have improvements on the contents. Either Symbian^3 phone has a more minimal, recyclable box, a single-page guide that saves paper, and a more efficient power charger.
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11/23, 10:15am
Apple may pass on embedded SIMs only on iPhone 5
Apple's rumored decision to avoid embedded SIMs may have only been for the 2011 refresh, sources argued Tuesday. The company has purportedly reassured European carriers that the iPhone 5 will still depend on removable micro SIM cards but has given signs that it would shift over later on. Tips to the Financial Times didn't reveal whether that meant 2012 or still-longer plans.
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11/18, 6:45pm
Euro carriers warn Apple over embedded SIMs
European carriers are discussing the possibility of retaliating against Apple if it goes ahead with a rumored plan to use embedded SIMs in iPhones, leaks from the industry alleged Thursday night. The parent companies of O2, Orange and Vodafone have reportedly been worried that Apple was trying to take control of the "relationship" the carriers have by letting customers buy without having to talk to the carrier. An unnamed executive at one of the companies told the Financial Times that Apple could risk a "war" if carriers decided to stop subsidizing the iPhone on contract.
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11/03, 4:45pm
HTC WP7 devices selling out in Australia, Europe
HTC has had stronger sales than it expected for its Windows Phone 7 devices in the launches so far, Taiwan-area phone makers claimed on Wednesday. Phones like the HD7 and 7 Mozart were already selling out at O2 Germany and Australia's Telstra respectively. Low supply problems were a factor, but there was also surprise interest, they told Digitimes.
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10/20, 3:10pm
Galaxy Tab confirmed for O2 on November 1
European wireless provider O2 just announced that it will ship Samsung's Galaxy Tab on November 1. The teaser page for the Android-powered tablet is now up, though no specifics such as pricing are revealed. The provider is touting the fact that subscribers will have free access to thousands of BT Openzone and The Cloud Wi-Fi hotspots as part of their monthly plan.
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10/19, 1:00pm
Approval in doubt
Online music shop 7digital has submitted an iPhone app for sale at the App Store. A representative from the company notes that the title is "still with Apple," in fact, and that "positive discussions" are taking place between the companies. It is unclear when or even if the app will be approved, as it may violate App Store policies.
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10/12, 4:20pm
Breaks long-held T-Mobile exclusivity
O2 and Vodafone have both announced plans to sell the iPhone 4 in Germany, according to Dow Jones. Launches should take place within the next few weeks, although subscription plans and pricing details have yet to be revealed. The news marks the end of a contract between Apple and T-Mobile, which has given the latter party exclusive rights to carry the German iPhone since 2007.
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10/11, 12:00pm
HTC 7 Mozart, Trophy, HD7 Pro mix
HTC kicked off Windows Phone 7 in large fashion today with three models that will go beyond the US. The 7 Mozart is an international version of the HD7 for T-Mobile and shares its 3.7-inch touchscreen along with an eight-megapixel camera, 720p video and 8GB of space. It uses an original 1GHz Snapdragon chip and a unibody aluminum shell much like the earlier Legend.
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10/03, 2:40pm
HTC HD7 details
The HTC HD7 had yet more details spoiled today in a scoop with imagery of both the device and launch details in tow. A source with O2 Germany gave Engadget confirmation of the Windows Phone 7 device's 4.3-inch screen, 1GHz processor, five-megaipixel camera and 8GB of storage but also the presence of Dolby Mobile Sound. The feature should restore detail in music and improve its quality; there's no mention of virtual surround for movies.
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09/23, 1:55pm
Samsung to ship 10-inch Galaxy Tab in 2011?
Samsung Mobile UK manager Gary Twohig revealed in an interview with SiliconRepublic that a 10-inch version of the Galaxy Tab will be released during the first half of next year. The devices, including the seven-inch version, will not sport a Super AMOLED display, he added, but the displays will be capable of displaying HD video. The 10-inch Galaxy Tab will still have a version of Android, but whether it's 2.2, 3.0 or a future release like Honeycomb isn't known.
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09/22, 12:00pm
WP7 handsets launching at all major UK carriers
Microsoft on Wednesday assured UK phone buyers that all major providers will carry Windows Phone 7-powered devices at launch of the mobile OS. Orange, O2, Vodafone, T-Mobile and 3 will all have one or more models. UK phone retailers The Carphone Warehouse and Phones 4u will also carry the devices.
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09/20, 7:55pm
Handset expected to cost €559 outside of contract
HTC's HD7 smartphone has reportedly resurfaced in another inventory system with a launch date of October 18. The latest leak, posted by WMPoweruser, appears to show an inventory screenshot for O2's German branch.
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09/17, 6:15pm
£15 plan now only offers 2GB instead of 3GB
O2 has informed many of its UK customers that the company's iPad broadband plans have been modified with lower data caps. When the device was first launched, O2 allowed subscribers to use 3GB of data for £15/month or 500MB of data for £2/day. The monthly plan has been dropped to a 2GB allowance, while the daily option only offers 200MB of usage.
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09/15, 5:10pm
Apple told to end iPhone exclusive to beat Android
Apple has to make the iPhone available for Verizon and other carriers if it wants a chance at competing with Android, Bernstein Research analysts Pierre Ferragu and Toni Sacconaghi urged on Wednesday. Noting that Google has tripled its growth to 200,000 activations per day in just seven months, the bankers called Apple to make the iPhone available for the carriers that have become safe havens for Android, including not only Verizon but also O2 and Vodafone in Germany, China Mobile and Japan's NTTDoCoMo. If it doesn't happen, Android's total installed based could overtake Apple's in about 15 months, Bernstein wrote.
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09/08, 8:10am
Will be available from eight UK carriers
Nokia has confirmed that it will begin selling its new N8 flagship in the UK during the last week of September. The phone will be available directly from the Nokia website. The long delayed device will become available on October 1 from third parties and mobile carriers. All major providers are onboard, including 3, O2, Orange, T-Mobile, Tesco, Virgin and Vodafone, along with retailers such as Carphone Warehouse and Phones4u.
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09/06, 12:05pm
Orange and T-Mo UK to share 2G in October
The newly united British divisions of Orange and T-Mobile today said they would switch on free roaming across each other's 2G networks on October 5. The optional service will let customers on either network use GSM voice and EDGE data should they be in an area where their regular service is weak or missing. It should improve T-Mobile's coverage in Northern and Western England and other parts of the UK.
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09/02, 12:00pm
Will put an end to T-Mobile exclusivity
Deutsche Telekom-owned carrier T-Mobile will soon lose its exclusive hold over German iPhone sales, sources tell the Wall Street Journal. O2 and Vodafone are expected to begin selling iPhones in the country in time for the Christmas shopping season. Negotiations are allegedly still ongoing, but already at an advanced stage. Launch times are contingent on the end of T-Mobile's exclusivity agreement, which could come as soon as October.
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09/01, 12:50pm
HTC HD3 due in October as the HD7 with WP7?
The upcoming HTC HD3 smartphone that will succeed the HD2 may just be renamed to HD7, in order to better match its Windows Phone 7 operating system. According to an Engadget leak, the name popped up on an internal document from UK provider O2. It also reveals a launch date of October 18 for the device.
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08/30, 11:00am
O2 to out Android 2.1 update for Streak this week
Wireless provider O2 in the UK said the Dell Streak tablet will get an over-the-air update to Android 2.1 from 1.6 on Wednesday, September 1. Android 2.2 should arrive later in 2010. In the US, there is no word on when Android 2.1 will officially arrive for the tablet.
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08/25, 11:05am
Few other deivces to be excluded
Apple is not allowing the iPhone to be rated in a new environmental ranking scheme run by UK carrier O2, says The Guardian. Put together in partnership with a sustainability advisory group, Forum for the Future, the scheme rates phones based on the environmental impact of factors like manufacturing, packaging, energy efficiency and recyclability. Each device gets a score of zero to five based on 63 questions provided to manufacturers.
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08/06, 8:40am
Nokia Siemens DFCA could make more room for 3G
Nokia Siemens Networks today detailed a technology that could potentially help mitigate the data crunch at some cellphone carriers. Dynamic Frequency and Channel Allocation (DFCA) reduces the amount of bandwidth that a GSM call needs to work. The approach can either double the room for conventional voice calls or leave more room for cellular data, including 3G over HSPA or 4G on LTE. Either can reduce the need for extra cell sites or improve the quality on existing parts of the network.
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06/30, 3:40pm
O2 holds as only carrier with in-store units
The iPhone 4 is currently in extremely scarce supply in the UK, the Telegraph reports. Out of several carriers, only O2 is said to have any units still in retail shops. None of the companies are selling units online, though Vodafone has set up a back-order process through which people can have phones delivered as soon as new ones come in. A recent resupply shipment was entirely consumed by back-order customers, a Vodafone spokesman notes.
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