LTE

Tablets
March 14, 2012
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BlackBerry PlayBooks with HSPA+ and LTE radios pass through the FCC

By on March 14, 2012 at 5:20 PM.

BlackBerry PlayBooks with HSPA+ and LTE radios pass through the FCC

Research in Motion’s BlackBerry PlayBook may be down, but it’s definitely not out. Over a year ago, the company revealed plans to release an LTE-compatible PlayBook as well as a 3G model that will work on HSPA+ networks. Details surrounding these variants have been few and far between, with some assuming they were simply canceled. As it turns out, two tablets from Research in Motion recently passed through the FCC equipped with HSPA+ connectivity and AT&T compatible LTE radios. BGR in January exclusively reported details about RIM’s plans to introduce a new PlayBook tablet around May or June that will be equipped with a 1.5GHz processor, built-in HSPA+ and NFC support. More →

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mobile
March 14, 2012
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Verizon exec slips, suggests 4G LTE-equipped iPhone to launch this year

By on March 14, 2012 at 10:01 AM.

Verizon exec slips, suggests 4G LTE-equipped iPhone to launch this year

Following a brief unconfirmed nationwide outage suffered by Verizon Wireless’s 4G LTE network on Tuesday morning, the carrier seemingly sought to draw attention to LTE expansion rather than the growing pains that have repeatedly plagued its next-generation wireless network. While speaking with Dow Jones Newswires on Tuesday, Verizon Wireless chief technical officer David Small said the carrier plans to double its LTE coverage by the end of 2012. ”By the end of the year, our plan is to be in at least 400 markets across the country,” Small said, suggesting that approximately 260 million Americans would then be covered by Verizon 4G. Read on for more. More →

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Tablets
March 12, 2012
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Sprint iPad reportedly appears in Best Buy inventory system

By on March 12, 2012 at 11:30 PM.

Sprint iPad reportedly appears in Best Buy inventory system

At launch, AT&T and Verizon will be the exclusive carriers of the new 4G-enabled iPad in the United States. In the spring, however, Sprint will also be launching its own 4G LTE network. With the carrier already selling Apple’s flagship smartphone, users were shocked to see the Cupertino-based company shun its new partner’s network — but this may not be the case. According to images obtained by Engadget, Sprint iPad models have begun to show up in Best Buy’s inventory system. Nothing is confirmed at this point, but it is possible that a Sprint iPad could launch around the same time as the carrier’s first batch of 4G LTE smartphones. A second image of Best Buy’s system can be seen after the break. More →

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mobile
March 12, 2012
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AT&T 4G LTE to hit 12 new markets beginning next month

By on March 12, 2012 at 9:10 PM.

AT&T 4G LTE to hit 12 new markets beginning next month

AT&T’s 4G LTE service will soon expand to 12 new markets, with the next phase of the roll-out concluding early this coming summer according to the carrier. Specific launch dates for AT&T’s LTE service were not provided for any of the new markets announced Monday morning, however the company stated that 4G service will begin to go live in the new regions starting next month. New markets that will see 4G service launch between April and early summer include Staten Island, New York; New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana; St. Louis, Missouri; Cleveland, Canton and Akron Ohio; Naples, Florida; Bloomington, Lafayette and Muncie, Indiana; and Bryan-College Station, Texas. AT&T’s press release covering Cleveland and the surrounding Ohio markets follows below. More →

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mobile
March 12, 2012
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New iPhone with 4G LTE launching later this year, report claims

By on March 12, 2012 at 9:50 AM.

New iPhone with 4G LTE launching later this year, report claims

Apple is reportedly preparing to launch a new iPhone later this year that will include an embedded 4G LTE radio. Citing unnamed sources within Taiwan-based smartphone manufacturers, DigiTimes on Monday reported that Apple’s next-generation iPhone is “very likely” to include integrated 4G LTE connectivity. The new smartphone, which the website says will launch in the second half of 2012, is expected to drive the number of LTE-equipped handsets sold in 2012 to between 45 million and 50 million units, up from earlier projections of between 25 million and 30 million handsets. Apple’s next-generation iPhone is expected to feature a faster processor and a larger display compared to the current-generation iPhone 4S. BGR exclusively reported late last year that the new iPhone will also include a completely redesigned antenna system and case, possibly featuring unibody aluminum architecture, and that it would launch this coming fall. More →

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mobile
March 6, 2012
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AT&T urges customers to dump 2G, upgrade to 3G and 4G

By on March 6, 2012 at 8:30 AM.

AT&T urges customers to dump 2G, upgrade to 3G and 4G

AT&T wants customers who are still using 2G phones to upgrade to the company’s faster 3G and 4G networks, MarketWatch reported last week. The carrier is in the process of sending notices to customers asking them to upgrade their devices. “Your current, older-model 2G phone might not be able to make or receive calls and you may experience degradation of your wireless service in certain areas,” AT&T said in the letter. Mark Siegel, an AT&T spokesman, said the company is looking to use some of the 2G spectrum for newer technologies. “We’re simply urging them to upgrade to a new device if they want to,” he said. Siegel confirmed that the carrier sent notices to customers in the New York metropolitan area and may soon send them to other customers. He noted, however, that the program was voluntary and only affected a small number of subscribers. He also noted that most 2G phones will continue to work. “We are still supporting the 2G network,” Siegel said, although he did state that customers who continue to use 2G cell phones that operate on AT&T’s 1900-megahertz band will eventually lose service.

More →

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Tablets
March 1, 2012
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Good luck finding an iPad 3 at launch; supply shortages may persist into Q2

By on March 1, 2012 at 10:20 AM.

Good luck finding an iPad 3 at launch; supply shortages may persist into Q2

Apple’s highly anticipated iPad 3 will reportedly be in short supply until some time in the second quarter according to a new report. Industry watcher DigiTimes on Thursday cited anonymous sources within Apple’s supply chain in claiming that the high-resolution 2,048 x 1,536-pixel display panels being supplied to Apple by Sharp may be in short supply. Initial shipments are expected to be limited as a result, and production supposedly won’t be ramped up until some time in the second quarter. Apple will unveil its next-generation iPad 3 at a press conference on March 7th and the tablet is expected to become available soon after. Reports suggest the iPad 3 will feature a high-resolution 9.7-inch display, a quad-core Apple A6 processor, embedded 4G LTE and a slightly redesigned aluminum case. More →

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Business
February 28, 2012
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AT&T should be investigated for ‘fraudulent’ data policies, public interest group says

By on February 28, 2012 at 10:10 AM.

AT&T should be investigated for ‘fraudulent’ data policies, public interest group says

AT&T on Monday announced a new plan that will let developers pay for the data used by their apps and services. The data consumed by apps that make use of this new feature would not apply toward a user’s data cap. The new service was pitched as a way for content providers to ease customers’ growing concerns over wireless data usage, however one public interest group sees the feature as a slap in the face to AT&T subscribers. “This new plan is unfortunate because it shows how fraudulent the AT&T data cap is, and calls into question the whole rationale of the data caps,” Harold Feld, legal director of Public Knowledge, said in a statement. ”Apparently it has nothing to do with network management. It’s a tool to get more revenue from developers and customers.” Read on for more. More →

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mobile
February 28, 2012
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T-Mobile bails on HSPA+ 84 plans, heads straight for LTE

By on February 28, 2012 at 7:25 AM.

T-Mobile bails on HSPA+ 84 plans, heads straight for LTE

T-Mobile on Tuesday revealed from Mobile World Congress in Barcelona that it is abandoning plans to update its current HSPA+ network with speedier HSPA+ 84 technology. The nations’s No.4 carrier currently supports theoretical maximum download speeds of 42Mbps across much of its HSPA+ network. T-Mobile had previously announced intentions to upgrade its back end to double its theoretical download ceiling to 84Mbps, however in light of its recent announcement that it will adopt more modern Long Term Evolution technology for its 4G network, the carrier has decided that its resources are better spent on LTE. According to The Verge, T-Mobile will utilize the same 1900MHz spectrum it had intended for HSPA+ 84, and refarm it for LTE. More →

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Breaking
February 26, 2012
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HTC One X unveiled: Quad-core Tegra 3, HD display, LTE, launches on AT&T by end of April

By on February 26, 2012 at 3:40 PM.

HTC One X unveiled: Quad-core Tegra 3, HD display, LTE, launches on AT&T by end of April

HTC on Sunday unveiled a trio of new smartphones at Mobile World Congress, capped off by the flagship of flagships: the HTC One X. BGR took the wraps off of this stunning smartphone back in November, and the details within our exclusive report are now confirmed. The One X features a quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor clocked at 1.5GHz, a 4.6-inch 1,280 x 720-pixel high-definition Super LCD 2 display, an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 1.3-megapixel front facing camera for 720p video chats, 1GB of RAM, 32 GB of internal eMMC storage (AT&T version has 16GB), embedded 4G LTE and Sense 4.0 atop Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich — and it’s all packed into a case that is just 9.27 millimeters thin. The phone also includes Beats Audio across all multimedia apps, not just HTC’s music player, and 25GB of free Dropbox storage for two years, which includes several iCloud-like Sense features such as auto-uploading photos. Read on for more. More →

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mobile
February 24, 2012
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ZTE to debut eight new smartphones at MWC

By on February 24, 2012 at 12:15 AM.

ZTE to debut eight new smartphones at MWC

ZTE is looking to make a big splash at next week’s Mobile World Congress, bringing eight new smartphones powered by Android and Windows Phone to the event. The company had previously announced three Android smartphones, the Mimosa X, PF200 and N910. The Mimosa X comes equipped with a NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor, a 4.3-inch qHD display, Ice Cream Sandwich, 4GB of internal storage, a microSD slot, a front facing camera and a 5-megapixel rear camera. The flagship PF200 will sport an unspecified 1.2GHz chipset along with a 4.3-inch qHD display, LTE connectivity, Android 4.0, an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. Meanwhile, the N910 comes with a 1.5GHz processor, Android 4.0, a 5-megapixel rear camera and 2-megapixel secondary camera. Specific details of the five remaining handsets are unknown, however ZTE says they will combine LTE and multicore processors to differentiate them, reports SlashGear. The company is looking to become one of the world’s top three handset manufacturers by 2015. More →

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mobile
February 16, 2012
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AT&T 4G LTE service goes live in Tampa, FL and Durham, NC

By on February 16, 2012 at 12:15 AM.

AT&T 4G LTE service goes live in Tampa, FL and Durham, NC

AT&T announced on Wednesday that its lightning fast 4G LTE network has launched in two new markets. Subscribers in the Tampa-St. Petersberg, Florida area and in the vicinity of Durham, North Carolina now have access to AT&T’s LTE service, which was recently determined by Metrico Wireless to be even faster than similar services offered by Verizon Wireless. ”We’ve seen positive response from customers on our 4G LTE launch, and as today’s expansion shows, we’re continuing our rollout of fast LTE speeds to more areas in the Triangle,” said AT&T’s VP/GM of Mobility and Consumer Markets in the Carolinas, Laurent Therivel, in a statement. AT&T vice president and general manager, AT&T Mobility & Consumer Markets for West, Central and North Florida Rich Guidotti added, ”We continue to see demand for mobile broadband skyrocket, and our 4G LTE network in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area responds to what customers want from their mobile experience — more, faster, on the best devices.” One of two similar press releases from the carrier follows below. More →

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Business
February 15, 2012
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FCC to block rollout of LightSquared 4G LTE network

By on February 15, 2012 at 8:30 PM.

FCC to block rollout of LightSquared 4G LTE network

LTE startup LightSquared is about to be dealt the final blow in a longstanding battle that has seen its dream of becoming “America’s dumbest pipe“ shattered. Controlled by hedge fund manager Philip Falcone, LightSquared had plans to deploy a nationwide 4G LTE network in the United States that would be licensed to wholesalers and utilized by carrier partners such as Sprint. LightSquared’s network was found to cause interference with spectrum used by various GPS navigation and tracking solutions, and though frequency bleeding caused by GPS network inefficiencies are to blame according to LightSquared, the Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday said it would not allow LightSquared’s network to launch. “NTIA, the federal agency that coordinates spectrum uses for the military and other federal government entities, has now concluded that there is no practical way to mitigate potential interference at this time,” FCC spokesman Tammy Sun wrote in a letter on Wednesday. “Consequently, the Commission will not lift the prohibition on LightSquared.” The FCC did acknowledge that the GPS industry must address the interference its networks are causing in order to free up neighboring spectrum for use by consumer broadband networks. More →

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