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December 3, 2008 1:27:14 PM CST

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12 Stories

AT&T Rivals Pounce on iPhone Glitches

Dropped calls ring up a marketing opportunity for other networks

New York Times New York Times Aug 29, 08 4:48 AM CDT
(Newser) - Glitches have plagued the new iPhone since its release and AT&T's rivals are gleefully capitalizing on customers' griping, the New York Times reports. It's still unclear whether Apple or the wireless network is to blame, but companies like Verizon aren't letting the opportunity slip by. “A phone is only as good as the network it’s on," crows one Verizon ad. More »

More about:  iPhone • Verizon • AT&T • telecommunications • iPhone 3G • wireless service • AT&T Wireless

Verizon Seeks Alltel Deal, Challenge to Top Dog AT&T

Wireless companies are in negotiations to cover 80 million customers

Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal Jun 4, 08 4:06 PM CDT
(Newser) - Verizon Communications is in negotiations to buy wireless carrier Alltel, a merger that would cover 80 million US subscribers and create the nation's biggest cell-phone company, the Wall Street Journal reports—though the potential $27 billion deal could easily fall through. But if it's consummated, and the feds see no antitrust problems, the new company would surpass AT&T, with 71 million customers, as No. 1. More »

More about:  cell phones • Verizon • AT&T • wireless industry • wireless service • Alltel

 Yes On Phones,
 No On Talking: Poll 

Passengers would use cell's silent features, don't want neighbor yammering in their ear

PC World PC World May 23, 08 4:30 PM CDT
(Newser) - Americans want wireless service on airplanes, but not voice calls, PC World reports. A survey finds 60% would use silent features like texting and email, but 74% think that no matter what, conversations shouldn’t be allowed. Americans "don't want to be forced to listen to the conversation of the passenger sitting next to them," a pollster says. More »

More about:  cell phones • privacy • email • airplane • wireless service • texting • inflight

 Cellphone Sales Drop 

Recession driving down sales

Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal May 20, 08 2:35 AM CDT
(Newser) - The cellphone market is experiencing a significant sales slide, with the most serious decline so far among lower-income users, reports the Wall Street Journal. Studies reveal first quarter sales dips ranging from 5% to  22%. Analysts expect growth to slow even further. The market may be reaching saturation with 83% of Americans owning cellphones. More »

More about:  cell phones • Verizon • BlackBerry • Sprint Nextel • Motorola • wireless service • Bluetooth • market-research

TV Newbie Verizon to FCC: Help Cable Users Switch

Move highlights telecom turf war

Washington Post Washington Post Mar 27, 08 1:26 PM CDT
(Newser) - As Verizon rolls out its subscription-TV service, the company has asked the FCC to make the switch from cable easier for consumers, the Washington Post reports. In its petition, Verizon asked for the authority to shut off its customers’ cable services on their behalf, arguing that the switchover process is “cumbersome” for customers who must do it themselves. More »

More about:  television • FCC • Verizon • telecommunications • wireless service • cable operators • cable industry

Sprint Nextel Takes $29B Loss as Customers Walk

Loss includes huge one-time writedown; company announces cover-everything plan

Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal Feb 28, 08 10:00 AM CST
(Newser) - Sprint Nextel posted a net fourth-quarter loss of $29.45 billion and doesn’t expect a quick recovery, the Wall Street Journal reports. The No. 3 US wireless company will hold off dividend payments and draw down credit lines for protection as more customers leave the service. It has also announced a beefy $100-a-month unlimited plan including voice, web, email, and more. More »

More about:  business • cell phone industry • writedowns • Sprint Nextel • wireless service • losses • cell phone plans

Android Bugs Developers

Google's mobile phone software is proving to be tough to work with

Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal Dec 19, 07 12:28 PM CST
(Newser) - Google may have millions of answers, but software developers say the company’s ballyhooed mobile phone software, Android, misses the mark. “It’s clearly not ready for primetime,” says one Seattle-based designer who’s struggled for weeks with bugs and poor documentation, reports the Wall Street Journal . He’s not alone, as a slew of designers say coding errors plague the software kit. More »

More about:  Google • cell phones • Google phone • Google Android • wireless service • mobile platforms • phone software

Paul Allen to Bid in FCC Wireless Airwaves Auction

Airwave auction draws applications from a diverse group from Google to Chevron to AT&T

Reuters Reuters Dec 19, 07 9:57 AM CST
(Newser) - Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen is joining the competition for wireless airwaves being auctioned by the FCC next month. Allen’s firm, Vulcan Spectrum, applied, as have Google, Verizon, AT&T and others, to bid for the 700-megahertz spectrum that goes on the block Jan. 24, reports Reuters. Allen's investment company, Vulcan Capital, also holds a majority stake in Charter Communications, a cable operator. More »

More about:  FCC • wireless service • municipal wireless • 3G wireless networks • Paul Allen

Wireless Giants Blocking New Mobile Services

Verizon, AT&T, keep competitors away

BusinessWeek BusinessWeek Dec 11, 07 10:54 PM CST
(Newser) - Wireless service giants AT&T and Verizon may be blocking other companies' devices and applications to defeat potential competition. Business Week reports that a discount international cell phone service, a wireless banking service, and PayPal, trying to bring its online payment service to wireless, were all obstructed by one or more of the major carriers. More »

More about:  cell phones • Verizon • Wachovia • AT and T • Sprint • wireless service • PayPal • Nextel • SunTrust Banks

JetBlue Launches In-Flight Email

Airline pairs with Yahoo, Blackberry to bring the (limited) Net onboard

Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal Dec 6, 07 10:32 PM CST
(Newser) - JetBlue is offering email and instant messaging services on an A320 test flight, in a move to equip its whole fleet with wireless access. The tech-savvy, low-budget airline has paired up with Yahoo and Research in Motion to give passengers with laptops or Blackberries the possibility of plugging in, in-flight. But other airlines are jumping on the bandwagon, the Wall Street Journal reports. More »

More about:  Internet • Yahoo • airline • email • American Airlines • Wi-Fi • BlackBerry • JetBlue • wireless service

Meet Prof Who
Gave Google
Its Big Ideas

Tim Wu pioneered net neutrality, inspired new smartphone initiative

BusinessWeek BusinessWeek Nov 8, 07 4:39 PM CST
(Newser) - Google’s newly revealed Open Handset Alliance, which gives smartphone developers and consumers new freedom to match phones, carriers, and apps, found inspiration in the philosophy of cyberlaw trailblazer Tim Wu. The Columbia Law professor is on the vanguard of the net-neutrality conversation, arguing that Internet providers and wireless networks should act like neutral public utilities, barred from prioritizing or denying access, BusinessWeek reports. More »

More about:  Google • net neutrality • wireless service • Open Handset Alliance

MetroPCs Bid For Leap Falls

Withdraws $4.7B offer for rival

Associated Press Associated Press Nov 1, 07 10:09 PM CDT
(Newser) - The proposed multi-billion dollar merger of rival discount wireless service providers has collapsed amid acrimony. AP reports MetroPCS Communications is withdrawing it's $4.7 Billion bid for Leap Wireless International. The Leap board had rejected the bid as "financially inadequate." Both companies allow customers to pay up front for wireless service without a contract.   More »

More about:  cell phones • mergers and acquisitions • broadband Internet • wireless service

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