The Cell Phone Junkie

The FCC this week approved the current iDEN, 800MHz band for use by LTE and other 3G services. According to the report, the band was previously limited to 2G technology use, and the change will allow Sprint and others with these spectrum holdings to deploy upgraded networks. Sprint received 3GPP certification for the Specialized Mobile  Radio (SMR) Band Class 26 change, and the FCC’s approval removes a challenge to allow operation on contiguous channels without spacing requirements and bandwidth limitations. The restrictions had kept operations on 800 MHz spectrum limited to 2G services, and the technical limitations dated from an older FCC order before Sprint merged with Nextel in 2005. The FCC also took steps to continue to mitigate against interference with public-safety operations in the 800 MHz band.

Source: FCC and Fierce Wireless

IDC Thursday released Q1 2012 numbers for worldwide smartphone marketshare. Comparing the OS’es, Android now has 59% of the total smartphones in the world, followed by iOS with 23%. Third place belongs to plummeting Symbian with 6.8%, and forth to BlackBerry with 6.4%. Rounding out the top six include Linux with 2.3% and Windows Phone now making up 2.2%.

Source: Engadget and Business Wire

AT&T Wednesday began refarming some of the spectrum it uses for 2G services to expand its 3G/4G networks. The 1900MHz spectrum will assist with both voice and data, and comes two months after the carrier began notifying customers with 2G-only phones that the changes were coming. AT&T said it has provided 2G-only customers with options for upgrading their devices, including discounts on new ones.

Source: Fierce Wireless

Nine months after it began the process, Google closed Tuesday on the acquisition of Motorola Mobility for $40 per share in cash, or about $12.5 billion. According to Google:

The acquisition will enable Google to supercharge the Android ecosystem and will enhance competition in mobile computing. Motorola Mobility will remain a licensee of Android and Android will remain open. Google will run Motorola Mobility as a separate business.

No word yet on how the transaction will effect employees, or the day to day product innovation by Motorola.

Press Release:

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – May 22, 2012 – Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) announced today that the acquisition of Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) has closed, with Google acquiring MMI for $40.00 per share in cash.

The acquisition will enable Google to supercharge the Android ecosystem and will enhance competition in mobile computing. Motorola Mobility will remain a licensee of Android and Android will remain open. Google will run Motorola Mobility as a separate business.

Sanjay Jha, who revived Motorola’s Mobile Devices business and led the company through this acquisition, has stepped down as CEO, although he will continue to work with Google to help ensure a smooth transition.

Dennis Woodside, who has overseen integration planning for the acquisition and previously served as President of Google’s Americas region, has become CEO of Motorola Mobility.

Larry Page, CEO of Google, said, “I’m happy to announce the deal has closed. Motorola is a great American tech company, with a track record of over 80 years of innovation. It’s a great time to be in the mobile business, and I’m confident that the team at Motorola will be creating the next generation of mobile devices that will improve lives for years to come.

“Sanjay Jha, who was responsible for building the company and placing a big bet on Android, has stepped down as CEO. I would like to thank him for his efforts and am tremendously pleased that he will be working to ensure a smooth transition as long-time Googler Dennis Woodside takes over as CEO of Motorola Mobility.

“I’ve known Dennis for nearly a decade, and he’s been phenomenal at building teams and delivering on some of Google’s biggest bets. Dennis has always been a committed partner to our customers and I know he will be an outstanding leader of Motorola–and he’s already off to great start with some very strong new hires for the Motorola team.”

Dennis Woodside, CEO of Motorola Mobility, said: “Motorola literally invented the entire mobile industry with the first-ever commercial cell phone in 1983. Thirty years later, mobile devices are at the center of the computing revolution.

“Our aim is simple: to focus Motorola Mobility’s remarkable talent on fewer, bigger bets, and create wonderful devices that are used by people around the world.”

Dennis Woodside has hired a small number of leaders who will immediately join Motorola’s executive team, including Regina Dugan (former Director of DARPA), Mark Randall (former supply chain VP at Amazon and previously at Nokia), Vanessa Wittman (former CFO of Marsh & McLennan), Scott Sullivan (former head of HR at Visa and NVIDIA), and Gary Briggs (former Google VP of Consumer Marketing). In addition to these new leaders, many members of Motorola Mobility’s team will continue in their current roles: Iqbal Arshad (Product Development), Marshall Brown (Chief of Staff), Fei Liu (Mass Market Products), Dan Moloney (Home), Scott Offer (General Counsel), Mark Shockley (Sales), Mahesh Veerina (Software & Enterprise) and Jim Wicks (Consumer Experience Design).

Woodside added: “Motorola Mobility has many outstanding leaders, including people who were behind the original RAZR in 2004 and recent successes like the Droid and RAZR MAXX. Our colleagues joining the team come from varied backgrounds, from DARPA to Amazon and NVIDIA, but they all share a track record of leading innovation at speed, and a great deal of excitement about the mission ahead.”

As they do each quarter, Fierce Wireless analyzed the numbers from Strategy Analytics and posted charts on the top carriers in the US for the previous quarter.  In Q1 2012, Verizon remained in the top spot with 109.8 million subscribers, edging out AT&T’s 103.9 million.  Both saw healthy growth with Verizon adding just over a million customers, and AT&T adding ¾ of a million.  Keeping the third spot, Sprint added 1.1 million users, bringing them to 55.8 million.  T-Mobile finished fourth with a gain of 187k, finishing at 33.4 million.  Rounding out the top 8 include Clearwire at 11 million, Metro PCS at 9.5 million, Leap Wireless at 6.2 million, and US Cellular at 5.8 million. Slots 9 through 12 belonged to C Spire, ATN, Cincinnati Bell, and Ntelos, each with under a million subscribers.

Source: Fierce Wireless

Full Gallery

Virgin Mobile’s payLo service received a price drop on Monday. A new plan offers unlimited voice and text along with 50MB of data for $40 per month. The plan works with feature phones only. payLo also offers 1500 minutes/messages along with 30MB of data for $0 per month, or 400 minutes for $20.

Source: Sprint and payLo via Phonescoop

US cable companies Bright House, Cablevision, Comcast, Cox and Time Warner announced Monday they’d partnered on a nationwide hotspot network. Dubbed “CableWiFi, the network of 50,000 hotspots is currently operating in New York City, LA, Philadelphia, Tampa and Orlando. A roll out to locations across the country will occur in the next few months. The network is geared to meet mobile data demands, offsetting cellular data where possible. No word on a rollout schedule or pricing, if any, for use of the service.

Source: BusinessWire via The Verge

Chinese regulators Saturday approved the proposed acquisition of Motorola by Google. The deal, announced in August of 2011, has Google picking up Motorola for $12.5 billion. The China approval was the last, following the US, European Union and others to finalize the deal. All parties expect closure to occur within the week.

Source: Android Central

Inside Sprint Now posted new Sprint data offerings starting Friday for hotspot and tablet devices. Options now include a 2GB plan for $20 per month, or 6GB for $50 per month, each with $.05/MB on-network overage rates. Also new, international data add-on packs. For those travelling to Mexico or Canada, options include 55MB for $30, 175MB for $75, or 325MB for $125 per month. Those looking to travel outside these areas can choose from 2 worldwide options, 40MB for $40 or 85MB for $80. The North American plans have an overage rate of $4 per MB, and the worldwide pack is $10 per MB.

Source: Inside Sprint Now

AT&T Thursday announced new markets coming online with 4G LTE service. Markets include:

• New Orleans and Baton Rouge, LA
• Naples, FL
• Hickory Hills, Palos Heights, Alsip, Country Club Hills, Oak Lawn, and Evergreen Park, IL

AT&T has launched 4G LTE in 38 markets covering over 74 million Americans.

Source: AT&T via Phonescoop