The Cell Phone Junkie

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

T-Mobile Thursday announced new No Annual Contract mobile broadband starting as low as $15. The plans will be available on tablets, mobile hotspots and USB sticks. Plans include:

• 300MB on a 1-week pass for $15
• 1.5GB  on a 1-month pass for $25
• 3.5GB on a 1-month pass for $35
• 5GB on a 1-month pass for $50

The plans are available starting Sunday May 20^th.

Press Release:

T-Mobile Introduces New No Annual Contract

Mobile Broadband Service Passes

New Passes, Available May 20, Offer Flexible, More Affordable Access to High-Speed Internet on the Go on an Advanced Lineup of 4G Tablets, Mobile Hotspots and Laptop Sticks

Bellevue, Wash. — May 17, 2012 — T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced that its new, flexible and worry-free No Annual Contract mobile broadband service passes will debut May 20, making it easier for customers to enjoy access to high-speed Internet on the gowhenever they want. With T-Mobile’s new, more affordable No Annual Contract data passes, customers can experience T-Mobile’s blazing-fast 4G network speeds across a variety of mobile broadband devices including tablets, mobile hotspots and laptop sticks – with no strings attached.

Starting at just $15, T-Mobile’s lineup of No Annual Contract mobile broadband passes delivers a pay-in-advance, overage-free solution that offers an allotment of mobile data, making it possible for customers to choose a pass that best fits their data needs without committing to a two-year contract:

• 300MB 1-week pass for $15
• 1.5GB 1-month pass for $25
• 3.5GB 1-month pass for $35
• 5GB 1-month pass for $50

“Although most of our mobile broadband customers choose postpaid rate plans for the best device prices and data rates, we know that many of our customers want the flexibility to be able to experience mobile broadband without committing to an annual contract up front,” said Jeremy Korst, vice president of marketing, T-Mobile USA. “With better pricing and new features like an auto-refill option and a simpler purchase experience, T-Mobile’s No Annual Contract mobile broadband passes make it easier and more affordable than ever to experience high-speed Internet on the go on a range of devices.”

T-Mobile^® offers a variety of 4G mobile broadband devices that, when connected to T-Mobile’s high-speed 4G network, offer customers fast access to the Web, e-mail, gaming, movies and more, while on-the-go.

• T-Mobile’s lineup of mobile, connected tablets, including the Samsung Galaxy Tab^™ 10.1, the Samsung Galaxy Tab^™ 7.0 Plus and the T-Mobile^® SpringBoard^™ with Google^™,  deliver a premium on-the-go entertainment and Web experience, making it possible to stream movies on a road trip or shop online while the kids play at the park.
• The T-Mobile^® Sonic^™ 4G Mobile Hotspot and the T-Mobile 4G Mobile Hotspot are ideal for staying connected on-the-go with colleagues and clients or providing Internet on the go for the family on vacation. Providing simultaneous access to T-Mobile’s 4G network for up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices, customers can use their mobile hotspots to connect their iPad^® devices, laptops, music players, portable gaming devices and e-readers, among other devices, to T-Mobile’s high-speed 4G network.
• T-Mobile’s laptop sticks, including the HSPA+ 42-enabled Rocket^™ 3.0 USB Laptop Stick, are perfect for customers looking for a blazing-fast mobile Internet connection on their laptop.

Availability

T-Mobile’s new No Annual Contract mobile broadband passes are expected to be available beginning May 20 at T-Mobile retail stores, select dealers, national retailers and online at http://www.t-mobile.com. More information on T-Mobile’s mobile broadband offerings is available at http://mobile-broadband.t-mobile.com.

Passengers on Virgin Atlantic flights from London to New York will soon be able to make in-flight phone calls using their mobile devices. Up to six people will be allowed to talk at a time, and phones will still have to be turned off at take-off and landing. The service is expected to be available on 20 A330 Airbus planes by the end of the year. The service is being provided by AeroMobile, and passengers will be charged what they usually pay for international roaming calls.

Source: BBC

Verizon Wednesday announced plans to eliminate the $30 per month unlimited data plan in use by current 3G customers.  Speaking at the JP Morgan Media and Telecom conference, CFO Fran Shammo said data customers on the unlimited 3G plans will be migrated to tiered 4G LTE plans when they purchase new devices.

Verizon’s data share plan is scheduled to launch in mid-summer but no pricing details have been announced. Shammo said that he believes this new plan will make it easier for families and small businesses to connect multiple devices. Shammo also noted that by the end of 2013, the LTE footprint will be equal or larger to that of the current 3G network.

Verizon responded to The New York Times Thursday, saying the loss of grandfathered unlimited plans will be limited to those purchasing new subsidized devices for use on the carrier. Users who do not upgrade their devices or who choose to upgrade at unsubsidized prices will be able to keep unlimited data. Here are the stipulations:

• Customers will not be automatically moved to new shared data plans. If a 3G or 4G smartphone customer is on an unlimited plan now and they do not want to change their plan, they will not have to do so.
• When we introduce our new shared data plans, Unlimited Data will no longer be available to customers when purchasing handsets at discounted pricing.
• Customers who purchase phones at full retail price and are on an unlimited smartphone data plan will be able to keep that plan.
• The same pricing and policies will be applied to all 3G and 4GLTE smartphones.

Source: Fierce Wireless – Verizon and MacRumors

Starting Friday May 18th, iDEN devices will no longer be for sale through any official Sprint sales outlet. According to an FAQ from Sprint, the devices will be still available via third party retailers, but will only work through mid-2013. Starting mid-July, users will no longer be able to add new activations to the network, though equipment changes and device swaps will be allowed. Finally, the iDEN international direct connect add-on will raise from $10 to $15 per month, effective for all existing users starting May 18th.

Source: iDEN FAQ Document 04_25_12 – ISN via InsideSprintNow

HTC Tuesday announced that the delivery of the One X and EVO 4G LTE would be delayed due to an issue with US customs. According to HTC:

“The US availability of the HTC One X and HTC EVO 4G LTE has been delayed due to a standard U.S. Customs review of shipments that is required after an ITC exclusion order. We believe we are in compliance with the ruling and HTC is working closely with Customs to secure approval. The HTC One X and HTC EVO 4G LTE have been received enthusiastically by customers and we appreciate their patience as we work to get these products into their hands as soon as possible.”

HTC infringed on Apple smartphone patents last year according to the U.S. International Trade Commission. Per the ruling, starting on April 19th, future imports of offending devices are blocked. The One X went on sale at AT&T stores earlier this month, but is now listed as out of stock. The EVO 4G LTE is set for sale at Sprint stores this Friday.

Source: The Verge, Android Central and iMore

Verizon Tuesday announced that 28 new markets and 11 existing markets will have LTE rollouts or expansions this week. Per Verizon, the new markets bring the total to 258, now covering 2/3 of the US population. By the end of the year 140 additional markets are expected to come online, pushing the total to 400 across 49 states by the end of the year. A full list of markets can be found on Verizon’s site.

New Markets:

• Thibodaux and Lake Charles, La.
• Hyannis/Mid-Cape, Mass
• Benton Harbor/St. Joseph, Mich
• Biloxi/Gulfport/Pascagoula and Oxford, Miss
• Atlantic City/Toms River, N.J.
• Dickinson and Williston, N.D.
• Ashtabula, Bucyrus and Defiance, Ohio
• Eugene/Springfield, Ore.
• Lancaster, New Castle, Northern Cambria County, Oil City/Franklin, Somerset and York, Pa.
• Myrtle Beach, S.C.
• Mitchell, S.D.
• Paris, Texas
• Burlington/Northern, Vt.
• Fredericksburg, Harrisonburg, Martinsville and Staunton/Waynesboro, Va.
• Sheridan, Wyo.

Expansions:

• Denver, Colo
• Dover, Del.
• Fort Myers and Lakeland, Fla.
• Hagerstown, Md.
• Canton, Lima, Mansfield, Toledo and Youngstown/Warren, Ohio
• Erie, Pa.

Source: Verizon via Phonescoop