zte

U.S. approval of Sprint-Softbank deal may hinge on China

As a condition for approving Softbank's $20 billion acquisition of Sprint Nextel, the U.S. government is seeking oversight of network equipment purchases to prevent gear from Chinese suppliers Huawei Technologies and ZTE from becoming part of the U.S. infrastructure, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The two companies have already attracted the criticism of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee, which released a report last October that accused Chinese telecommunications gear makers of being threats to U.S. security and that discouraged U.S. companies from buying their equipment. In January, the U.S. Department of Justice … Read more

T-Mobile announces Sonic 2.0 4G LTE mobile hot spot

In addition to unveiling its contract-free data plan, T-Mobile announced a number of devices that will be available on its 4G LTE network, including the Sonic 2.0 mobile hotspot.

Available now for $149.99, the Sonic 2.0 is the carrier's first LTE hot spot and it can connect up to eight devices.

The device is manufactured by ZTE and features a 1.77-inch color screen (which displays information such as signal strength, battery level, and number of connected devices), a microSD card slot that is expandable up to 32GB, and it works with both Windows 8 and … Read more

May the Sprint Force not be with you

Manufactured by ZTE, the Sprint Force is a mid- to entry-level device that comes with a very affordable $49.99 sticker price, after users sign a two-year contract. A prepaid, contract-free version is also available from Boost, under the name Boost Force for $199.99.

But even with that price and the phone's positive features (4G LTE, NFC, and a nearly unsullied version of Android 4.0 to name a few), the handset is plagued by the poor performances of both its camera and audio speaker. This renders it an unsavory choice for Sprint users, especially since the carrier … Read more

Cricket Wireless dials up Engage LT as next Android phone

Cricket Wireless this week announced a new Android smartphone with the Engage LT. Manufactured by ZTE, the handset is now on sale for $179.99 at the no-contract carrier.

You'd be forgiven if you thought this new model sounded similar to a current offering; it's nearly identical to the ZTE Engage announced in late 2012. In fact, it's hard to imagine how Cricket plans to position the two devices considering just how closely they resemble each other.

The Engage LT runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and features a 4-inch display, a single-core 1GHz processor, 1GB … Read more

Sprint's Force brings LTE, but no Jelly Bean

If you didn't get enough new phones from Mobile World Congress this week, then I have good news for you. Sprint today followed through on a previous leak by announcing the Sprint Force, an Android smartphone made by ZTE.

Running on Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 and powered by an 1.5GHz dual-core processor, the Force Sprint has a 4-inch WVGA (480x800 pixels) capacitive touch screen display and, for a smartphone at least, a relatively compact build (4.88 by 2.54 by 0.47 inches; 5.4 ounces).

Inside you'll find Wi-Fi, a 5-megapixel main camera with … Read more

AT&T Mobility CEO says he's open to Firefox OS

BARCELONA, Spain--AT&T has cracked open the door to Mozilla's recently unveiled Firefox mobile operating system.

"I think there is room for more" operating systems, said Ralph de la Vega, CEO of AT&T Mobility, in an interview with CNET.

When asked whether the industry could support multiple operating systems, de la Vega affirmed the sentiment: "absolutely."

Ultimately, it comes down to consumer demand, he said. If people are vocal about the desire for a Firefox phone and there's a likelihood of succeeding, AT&T will provide a device, de la … Read more

Stacking up the tablets, large and small, of MWC 2013

Mobile World Congress is generally all about phones, but this year there are a fair number of tablets out and about. Feeling like you're losing track? Check out the roundup below, covering the biggest hits (HP Slate 7 and Samung Galaxy Note 8) and a few unknowns (ZTE, anyone?).

Supersize me: Meet the 5.7-inch ZTE Grand Memo

BARCELONA, Spain--Tossing its name into the supersize phone ring, ZTE demoed its Grand Memo at this year's MWC. Strutting a massive 5.7-inch screen, the handset belongs to the company's family of 4G LTE-enabled devices, which includes the hyped-up flagship, the Grand S, launched at CES in January. The Grand Memo will be available in China starting in March, with a later European launch in Q2.

Design If you're like me and you think LG's "phablet," the Optimus G Pro, looks a lot like the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, wait until you get a … Read more

ZTE at MWC 2013: Join us Monday (live blog)

BARCELONA, Spain--Get all the details of ZTE's Mobile World Congress press conference right here.

CNET's Brian Bennett, photographer Stephen Shankland, and I will be bringing you the news, photos, and commentary from the event, which begins at 7 a.m. PT on Monday.

ZTE is expected to build upon its expanded presence at last year's show and go big with the smartphone announcements. The company has in the past unveiled phones here that don't make it to the U.S., although it has made progress in its relationships with the U.S. carriers.

You can tune … Read more

Sprint Force LTE expected on March 1

Sprint may soon announce an entry-level Android smartphone, the Sprint Force LTE, according to Engadget. Manufactured by ZTE, the phone should run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and feature modest hardware specifications.

Details include a 4-inch display, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage and a 5-megapixel rear camera. Additionally, the Sprint Force LTE could have a 1-megapixel front-facing camera, a 1,730mAh battery, and support for Sprint's growing LTE network.

Sprint and ZTE have become quite cozy over the last few years, most recently collaborating on the Sprint Flash. With but a … Read more