cellular

Friday Poll: Upset about Verizon's new plans?

I'm a Verizon customer. I'm currently on month-to-month, contemplating a new phone. But with that new phone comes a new two-year contract. If I sign that contract after June 28, I'll be shoehorned into Verizon's new Share Everything plan.

Share Everything lets users pool data between smartphones, tablets, and USB modems. It starts at $50 per month for 1GB of data; individual device fees are then tacked on top. Those fees range from $40 for a smartphone to $10 for a tablet.

As it's just little ol' me on my plan, I'll be looking at paying $100 for just 1GB of shared smartphone and tablet data, and unlimited talk and text that I don't need. Yippee. I should note, I have a "feature phone," and upgrading to a smartphone should land me into Share Everything territory. For more on how the math works out, check out Executive Editor Roger Cheng's explanation.… Read more

Samsung's branding may spell success for Galaxy S III

Given all the attention that the Samsung Galaxy S III is garnering today, it's easy to overlook some of the finer points.

One detail that has been lost in the shuffle could have long-lasting implications for Android. It's not the 2GB RAM, although that does sound wonderful, and it's not the dual-core processor. Nope, it's not the universal launch date either. Instead, what's really significant is the singular design and branding for the Galaxy S III across all of the five U.S. carriers scheduled to carry it. Here's why.… Read more

Samsung Galaxy S III hits Sprint, T-Mobile on June 21

Samsung Electronics' latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S III, will arrive at Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile USA on June 21.

At Sprint, the highly anticipated smartphone will cost $199.99 for the 16GB version, and $249.99 for the 32GB version. AT&T will sell also sell a 16GB version for $199.99 but will pair it with a 16GB micro SD card for $238.99. T-Mobile also confirmed it would arrive on the same day, but didn't provide pricing information.

Verizon Wireless and AT&T said it would take pre-orders on June 6, but Verizon only … Read more

U.S. Cellular lays new prepaid plans on the table

U.S. Cellular is launching three new voice, text, and data plans today for a prepaid lineup that includes both Android smartphones and feature phones.

Both of the two new data plans include unlimited nationwide voice and messaging. Smartphone owners will get 2GB data for $65 per month, and feature phone users will get 1GB data for $50 per month. The third plan, which excludes data, offers 400 voice minutes, 400 text messages, and 400 picture messages for $35 a month.

Eligible Android smartphones include the Samsung Galaxy S II, Motorola Electrify, HTC Merge, Samsung Mesmerize, Huawei Ascend II, HTC Wildfire S, … Read more

Verizon to ship new Jetpack 890L mobile router

Remember the cute, square Jetpack mobile router Verizon showed off at CES 2012?

Well, Verizon announced today that its new Jetpack 890L will be available on May 24.

This is the second router in the Jetpack line that the company introduced at the show, the first was the Jetpack 4620L that we reviewed just a few days ago.… Read more

U.S. Cellular first carrier to curate Amazon Appstore for subscribers

Regional wireless provider U.S. Cellular has become the first carrier to offer its customers a list of curated apps from the Amazon Appstore. Announced today, these Android users will find a new menu greeting them when they launch the Amazon application. … Read more

Apple's iPad '4G' branding changes across Europe

The whole "iPad Wi-Fi + 4G isn't a real thing" debacle is coming to a close across Europe. Apple has finished changing the wording of the kind of service the iPad offers across all European online stores, according to The Next Web.

Now, all the old "4G" branding is "Wi-Fi + Cellular."

The melee began in March when the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said Apple was violating the Australian Consumer Law by misleadingly labeling its new iPad as 4G-capable -- the crux being that there aren't any 4G networks compatible with the device … Read more

U.S. Cellular launches its own Samsung mobile hot spot

If you are a fan of Samsung's tiny mobile router, the SCH-LC11 mobile hot spot and for some reason don't want to use Verizon, there's now another choice.

U.S. Cellular today announced the launch of the same device on its own network. The company said that for a limited time, the device is slated to cost $50, after a $50 mail-in rebate, in cities that currently have U.S. Cellular's 4G LTE coverage and those that will by the end of the year.

For now, U.S. Cellular offers 4G LTE service in select cities … Read more

U.S. Cellular's Pantech Verse does simple messaging

U.S. Cellular launched the Pantech Verse yesterday, a messaging phone with a vertical slide-up QWERTY keyboard.

Phone like the Verse may seem a dying breed when you consider all the smartphones making a splash at shows like CTIA and on store shelves, but there's an audience for those looking for simple and cheap.… Read more

iPhone 4S picked up by three more regional carriers

Mobile subscribers of three more regional carriers will soon have access to the latest iPhones.

Kentucky's Bluegrass Cellular, California's Golden State Cellular, and Kansas' Nex-Tech Wireless are next on the regional list to carry Apple's iPhone 4S and iPhone 4.

Among the three carriers, Bluegrass Cellular and Nex-Tech Wireless spilled the most beans. Both confirmed on their Web sites that on May 18, each would start offering its customers all three models of the iPhone 4S, and at prices $50 less than those charged by the three nationwide carriers.

The 16GB version will sell for $149.99, the 32GB for $249.99, and the 64GB for $349.99, all with the usual two-year contract. Both carriers will also offer the iPhone 4 for $49.99.… Read more