u.s. cellular

Teaming up with Nuance, U.S. Cellular just unveiled a voice-mail-to-text solution that unfortunately is not free.

In the Chicago-based carrier's defense, the big boys like Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile all charge for the privilege of using their visual voice mail software, typically $2 to $3 a month. U.S. Cellular's product is right in line with the market, and expects to tack on an extra $2.99 to monthly phone bills if customers subscribe.

Don't get me wrong, visual voice mail is a technical achievement right up there with sliced bread in terms of convenience. I personally don't feel, however, that I should have to pay for a carrier-branded service when Google offers its Google Voice application for free. In fact, besides not having to cough up a red cent for it, Google Voice is much more capable. Not only does it list calls in an e-mail-style inbox, it transcribes spoken messages to text--or tries to, at least. … Read more

U.S. Cellular is getting into the 4G LTE network game, launching a tablet and a smartphone as its first LTE devices in March.

The nation's sixth-largest wireless provider will inaugurate its LTE network with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G LTE tablet, followed by the Samsung Galaxy S Aviator smartphone.

Samsung's Galaxy S Aviator features a 4.3-inch WVGA Super AMOLED Plus touch screen, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, and a front-facing camera for video chats. It runs Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread. For its part, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 (reviewed) runs off the Android 3.… Read more

CES, shmee-ee-es. Why wait for the country's largest consumer electronics show to announce new products and services when you can break the news yourself over Twitter?

That must have been the logic behind U.S. Cellular's tweet this afternoon promising a 4G LTE smartphone and tablet by March and April, respectively.

Although the nation's sixth-largest carrier hasn't shared much more about its product plans, U.S. Cellular does advertise on its Web site that its forthcoming 4G LTE network will launch in Iowa, Maine, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin in early 2012, keeping on-track with … Read more

U.S. Cellular is stuffing its pockets with more Gingerbread.

Next week it starts stocking the Huawei Ascend II, an Android 2.3 smartphone that first debuted for Cricket. The rather modest touch-screen phone has a 3.5-inch display, a 5GB camera, and Swype preloaded on the virtual keyboard.

The carrier will offer it for free--after a $100 mail-in rebate--on its Web site next week. Alternatively, you can swoop by a store beginning in early January to pick it up in the flesh.… Read more

The HTC Wildfire S for U.S. Cellular certainly packs a punch for such a small device. But it's not for everyone.

The Wildfire S has a 3.2-inch touch screen, a 5-megapixel camera, and it runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread with HTC's Sense interface. As with other entry-level smartphones, it doesn't break any new ground, and its specs are far from top of the line. Still, if you're looking for a bargain and your hands aren't too big, this phone (free after a rebate) holds some appeal. The phone is ideal for first-time users … Read more

Just over a year after enthusiastically telling CNET that U.S. Cellular wanted the iPhone, the carrier's CEO has changed her mind.

During the company's third-quarter earnings call today, Mary Dillon said that U.S. Cellular considered adding the iPhone to its lineup, but that Apple's "terms were unacceptable from a risk and profitability standpoint." Dillon didn't offer specifics, Fierce Wireless reported, but she added that the potential strain on the carrier's data network was not a factor.

Though U.S. Cellular's decision may come as surprising following the arrival of the … Read more

U.S. Cellular has just announced the PCD Wrangler, which isn't as exciting as its name makes it out to be.

This basic clamshell phone won't wow anyone with its features and design--it only has a 2.2-inch QVGA display, a 1.3-megapixel camera, a microSD card, a speakerphone, GPS, stereo Bluetooth, and not much else.

But it does have one important thing going for it, and that's durability. The Wrangler has apparently been designed to withstand water, extreme temperature, dust, shock, poor weather conditions, and scratches to the screen.

There's no word on pricing and availability just yet, but since the phone has already made an appearance in U.S. Cellular's online store, we're sure it'll be any day now.… Read more

Starting next month, U.S. Cellular customers will be able to get their hands on the HTC Wildfire S, HTC Hero S, and HTC Flyer tablet. All will run Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

The Hero S has a 4-inch qHD Super LCD touch screen, a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera, and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera. The U.S. version of the HTC Kingdom, it'll be available for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate, so long as you've got a data plan.

The more budget-friendly and basic HTC Wildfire S has a 3.2-inch display and a 5-megapixel camera. … Read more

Keeping up with its promise to deliver eight smartphones this year, including one from Motorola, U.S. Cellular unveiled that it will offer the Motorola Electrify later this month for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate.

Similar to the Motorola Photon 4G for Sprint, the Electrify features a 4.3-inch qHD display, a dual-core 1GHz processor, 16GB of internal memory, an 8-megapixel camera, and a front-facing VGA camera. The Android 2.3 Gingerbread phone also has an HDMI port, comes with the Webtop app, and is compatible with such accessories as the HD Station.

U.S. Cellular did not … Read more