Carriers

AT&T to Plow More Billions Into Spectrum Hunt
November 07, 2012

AT&T on Wednesday announced that it will boost capital spending by as much as 16 percent to $22 billion a year for the next three years to upgrade its wireless and wireline networks. The increase is necessary to compete with Verizon Communications, which is currently upgrading its own network.

Verizon's New Ad Campaign Is a Load of Half-Truths
November 01, 2012

Why is Verizon Wireless telling half-truths in its latest advertising campaign? It does make the company look better than its competitors, but here's the problem: When customers realize what they're led to believe is only a half-truth, they will be very upset with Verizon. So why risk that damage to the brand and the customer relationship?

ItsOn Snags VC Funding for a la Carte Mobile Data Service
October 31, 2012

Why would venture capitalist firm Andreessen Horowitz lead a $15.5 million B round of funding for a company that's been working in stealth mode since 2008 on a technology it won't showcase until 2013? Because that company, ItsOn, was cofounded by a couple of former Cisco executives, Greg Raleigh and Charles Giancarlo.

Escaping the Clutches of a Cellphone Contract
October 30, 2012

Wireless carriers are putting more energy into prepaid. It's a normal evolution. As quality phones became cheaper, prepaid brands like Sprint's Boost and Virgin Mobile have been able to offer better phones -- even a selection of smartphones, including the iPhone. Those better products, along with the availability of 4G network speeds, have increased prepaid demand.

Sprint Customers Flee to Speedier Networks
October 26, 2012

With recent news of Softbank's proposed $20.1 billion investment hovering in the background, Sprint Nextel has reported less-than-pretty earnings for the third quarter 2012. The carrier posted a net loss of $767 million, compared with a net loss of $301 million in the third quarter of 2011. It also lost about 459,000 contract customers for the quarter.

Roam Control Could Muscle You Out of a Tight Spot
October 26, 2012

Minimal signal bars? In the middle of nowhere? Your phone should automatically roam onto alternative networks designated by carrier roaming agreements, but sometimes it doesn't -- the phone can appear biased towards your home network. I've been looking at Roam Control, an Android app -- not available in Google Play -- that lets you force your phone to roam.

AT&T Slips in Subscriber Growth, Dials In on Current Customers
October 25, 2012

AT&T added fewer new subscribers than expected in its most recent quarter, blaming iPhone 5 supply constraints for the relatively flat growth. The company added 151,000 customers to long-term service contracts during the past quarter. Rival Verizon, the country's largest wireless carrier, reported last week it signed on 1.5 million net new customers.

Foreigners Gobbling Up American Pie
October 25, 2012

If Sprint Nextel closes its deal with Japan-based Softbank, then more of the good old-fashioned American wireless telephone industry will be subject to foreign control -- three out of the top four wireless carriers in the U.S., in fact, will have their headquarters overseas. Is that a good thing or bad thing? It's all about branding.

Isis Tiptoes Into Chilly Mobile Payments Water
October 22, 2012

Isis, a joint venture of AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, has debuted its long-awaited mobile wallet initiative in Austin and Salt Lake City. It joins a number of other initiatives -- Square and Google Wallet, to cite just two examples -- competing in the nascent mobile payments industry. Whether Isis will gain more traction than they have, however, remains to be seen.

Kinder, Gentler, Perhaps More Annoying Copyright Alert System Coming Soon
October 22, 2012

The Center for Copyright Information and major Internet service providers are preparing to roll out within weeks the Copyright Alert System, designed to cut down on online piracy. AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Cablevision volunteered to work with the CCI to develop a system of electronic messages to users suspected of illegally downloading digital entertainment content.

Softbank Gives Sprint a $20B Shot in the Arm
October 15, 2012

Softbank has agreed to pay $20.1 billion to acquire a 70 percent stake in Sprint Nextel, the companies announced Monday. The move is seen as a way for Softbank to grow overseas as its local market declines, and it could help Sprint, which has seen serious customer erosion, undergo a necessary turnaround.

Softbank Tosses the Dice With $20B Sprint Deal
October 15, 2012

It's official. Sprint Nextel and Softbank are getting together. If the deal is approved, Softbank will own 70 percent of Sprint Nextel. That means this is not really an acquisition. Rather it is an investment. However, as a majority owner you can expect Softbank to steer the Sprint ship. This is great news for Sprint Nextel and for Softbank.

Softbank Billions Could Put Sprint Back in the Game
October 11, 2012

Sprint Nextel confirmed on Thursday that it was in talks with Softbank of Japan, giving credence to rumors circulating in the press. The deal would likely give Sprint a boost and help the struggling company finance its ongoing turnaround efforts. Sprint is currently the third largest mobile carrier in the U.S. after AT&T and Verizon.

Sprint Needs More Fighting Spirit
October 11, 2012

What's next for Sprint Nextel? It has been pondering its future for years and that is its problem. It doesn't seem to realize it has to take the next step and act. Pondering is good. You want to make sure you don't make mistakes. However acting is the next step to realize your dreams, and Sprint doesn't act. It appears that is one of its big problems. Don't get me wrong. I like Sprint. I like the management, the workers and the technology. Sprint could be a great company. So why isn't it?

MetroPCS Deal Could Change the Game for T-Mobile
October 03, 2012

T-Mobile announced that it will acquire rival carrier MetroPCS to create a larger company. The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2013, following shareholder and regulatory approvals. Until then, T-Mobile and MetroPCS will continue to operate as separate companies. When the deal is closed, T-Mobile will be a separate customer unit of the combined company.

Can Apple Get By With 'Nobody's Perfect' Defense?
October 02, 2012

The new iPhone 5 has a bigger screen, a faster chip and a thinner display. It also has a share of problems, including complaints about WiFi performance. However, this weekend Apple reportedly fixed an iPhone 5 bug that had caused the handset to use Verizon mobile data when the phone should have been connected to a WiFi network.

T-Mobile Sells Off Towers to Feed its 4G Needs
September 28, 2012

Crown Castle International is acquiring rights to operate 7,200 of T-Mobile's cellular towers in a $2.4 billion deal that will give the carrier's owner, Deutsche Telekom, cash to expand its 4G LTE network in the U.S. The deal will allow Crown Castle to operate T-Mobile's towers for 28 years. Both companies expressed satisfaction with the sale, with T-Mobile announcing the cash would help fulfill its "Challenger" strategy.

Bump Up Your Carrier's Lousy Signal With a Femtocell
September 27, 2012

If you've been experiencing choppy voice quality or dropped calls from your mobile provider at your home or workplace, there are steps you can take to correct the problem. Cellular phones use radio signals to communicate, and like any other radio, signal propagation issues -- including topography, obstructions, distance to tower and interference -- affect quality.

Mobile Carriers Could Lose Premium Services Game
September 21, 2012

Mobile network operators are investing enormous sums into their next-generation LTE networks out of necessity, and with the release of the iPhone 5, with 4G/LTE capability, operators are under even greater pressure to offer LTE services in order to stay competitive. The success of these investments relies on carriers' ability to effectively monetize LTE.

New iPhone? Now Hook Up With the Best Network
September 20, 2012

So, now that you're getting a new Apple iPhone, which network is best? Yesterday you didn't have to think about it, since it was only available on AT&T. Today, however, it's harder to decide. It's offered by Verizon, Sprint, C Spire and even a few prepaid carriers. So which carrier is really the best choice for you?