Carriers

What could the Verizon iPhone bring us?

In less than 24 hours, and just over four years after the original iPhone was born, Verizon Wireless is poised to announce its own version of Apple's device. Needless to say, it will be a very big deal for the iPhone in the United States. Not only will it end AT&T's monopoly on the popular handset, but also Verizon Wireless stands to gain millions of new subscribers who've been waiting eagerly for years.

Indeed, it will ensure a very good year for Big Red. Even as it was enjoying a hugely successful CES 2011 with a gallery of 4G handsets and the award-winning Motorola Xoom tablet, the carrier told reporters last Friday that it would be sharing "the latest news" January 11, tomorrow, at 11 a.m. ET at New York's Lincoln Center. The invite didn't mention an iPhone specifically, but given the avalanche of leaks in recent days, all signs on the wireless Magic 8-Ball are pointing to yes.

Yet, even with the big news almost confirmed, there is still plenty we don't know. Just what will the Verizon iPhone offer, for example, and how will it differ from its AT&T counterpart? At its core, it won't vary much. It should have the same design and it shouldn't offer any new features. Remember that Apple is all about consistency and a uniform experience. That said, however, there are a few factors to keep in mind.

Network This, of course, is the biggest "what if." Given AT&T's iPhone troubles, many consumers are looking to the Verizon iPhone to cure their wireless woes. This is understandable, but I'd caution against thinking that Verizon's iPhone experience will be without any problems. Sure, Verizon runs a very tight network ship. You can get it almost anywhere, you can keep a call once you have it, and the carrier continually wins awards from third-party sources. That success has earned Verizon a lot of respect for its voice network and it will hold on to that image zealously. What's more, Verizon has undoubtedly learned from AT&T's misfortunes and it will not follow its rival in underestimating the infrastructure it needs.

Still, you can't forget that you're using a cellular network that's subject to the same factors that affect service on AT&T. Your location, urban density, geography, and how many users are on the network at one time will continue to affect service. Though I hear fewer complaints from iPhone users outside of urban areas, iPhone users in other countries have grumbled. A phone's reception depends on more than just the carrier, as the phone itself also plays a part. We've used plenty of other AT&T smartphones and don't get quite the experience that we do on the iPhone. … Read more

Wireless goes big at CES 2011

Since it precedes two very large wireless trade shows, Mobile World Congress and CTIA, you never know what CES will bring in the way of cell phones. Some years can be pretty quiet, but other years the wireless industry decides to show up in force. Fortunately, CES 2011 was a big wireless event, with two companies in particular, Motorola and Verizon Wireless, pulling out all the stops. You also might call it the "Year of 4G."

Moto goes the extra mile (and then some) It was late last year when we saw the first signs of a big … Read more

AT&T reveals 4G handsets, LTE launch plans

LAS VEGAS--AT&T announced at its Developer's Summit at CES this morning that it will launch its 4G LTE network by the middle of this year. Details of initial markets, pricing, and exact rollout plans are still few at this point, but the carrier says the network will be complete by 2013.

The news, which comes in the middle of a flurry of 4G announcements here, finally puts AT&T on the road to a high-speed data network. Though rivals like Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, and MetroPCS have operated commercially available 4G networks for several months, AT&… Read more

Keeping track of 4G phones

Editors' note: This post was updated January 7, 2011, with new phones.

LAS VEGAS--CES doesn't begin for two days, but we know already that new 4G phones will take center stage at the annual gadget fest in Las Vegas. Sprint beat its rivals to the punch by announcing the HTC Evo Shift 4G this morning, but T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless will have grand unveiling events of their own. It's a good thing, too, considering that U.S. carriers now can really refer to their networks as "4G."

We'll be watching Big Red particularly closely … Read more

Sprint to add 4G in SF on December 28

We knew it was coming, but Sprint confirmed today that its 4G WiMax network would go live in the San Francisco Bay Area on December 28. Sprint customers should be able to access the fast data speeds in most urban regions surrounding the bay including San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose.

Though the carrier has been testing WiMax in the region since September--we've already used it in the CNET offices in San Francisco--the official launch date means the service is ready for commercial use. Also, the International Telecommunication Union recently classified WiMax as an official 4G technology.

Indeed, … Read more

ITU blesses U.S. data networks as 4G

For most of this year, "4G" has became the latest war-of-words battleground for U.S. carriers. But even as Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless rushed to outboast each other with claims of operating the best high-speed data network, the International Telecommunication Union declined to officially acknowledge their respective technologies as 4G.

The carriers, of course, never acknowledged that tidbit--admittedly, "not quite 4G" doesn't sound as exciting--but two weeks ago the ITU decided to cut them some slack anyway. At its December 6 meeting in Geneva, the ITU, an international standards body that officially designates wireless … Read more

Verizon finally updates Mobile Email to 4.0

Mobile Email 4.0 has finally arrived for owners of feature phones on Verizon Wireless. The new e-mail solution boasts an improved method of accessing e-mail that includes a "true push" experience, compatibility with Microsoft Exchange Email, Outlook Calendar sync, and a brand-new user interface.

As a reminder, the Mobile Email app isn't free--it's $5 a month with a Pay as You Go option, but it is included if you have a $15 or higher data plan.

Cricket to debut unlimited music downloads on new Samsung Suede

Cricket Wireless is getting into the music biz this CES. Today, the regional, no-contract carrier revealed a new service plan that wraps unlimited music downloads, playback, and ringtone creation into the customer's monthly charge. For $55 per month, the MuveMusic ("move") plan includes music downloads, ringtones, and ringback tones in an unlimited talk, text, e-mail, and Internet plan. (And yes, labels EMI, Sony, Warner, and Universal are all signed on).

This is the first carrier-driven service that doesn't try to sell you either a separate music subscription or piecemeal ringtones and tracks through an online store. Interestingly, the music is completely tied to the phone. Song files are stored on the phone's microSD card, but aren't transferable to a computer.

And since the all-you-can-eat music buffet is fueled by your monthly plan, customers get access to their beats as long as they settle their bills. Skip a month and the full-track downloads--along with calls, e-mail, texting, and browsing--disappear until the piper's been paid. In that sense, Cricket's musical leanings follow the renter's model.… Read more

Dialed In 154: See ya, suckers! (podcast)

Just when you thought Nicole Lee was all sunshine and rainbows, she ends this week's podcast with the above farewell. Indeed, it was a Grinchy week in the studio as Bonnie shot down my hysterical jokes (well, I thought they were funny), I scolded Sanyo for naming its new phone the "Taho," and Jessica slams the Nexus S for not being special enough. Jessica may have nothing but love, but it wasn't a show filled with holiday cheer.

Cell phone goodness abounded, however, as we talked about even more Verizon iPhone rumors, additional MetroPCS 4G markets, … Read more

MetroPCS adds 4G LTE in New York, Boston

The fifth-largest U.S. carrier may never have had much in the way of 3G networks, but MetroPCS is continuing to close the gap by expanding its 4G LTE markets to major U.S. cities.

Today, New York, Boston, and Sacramento, Calif., join the roster. For now, that gives Samsung the edge among U.S. customers, since the Samsung Craft is currently MetroPCS' only 4G-enabled phone. Although not a smartphone, the Craft was also the first LTE-enabled phone.

MetroPCS' LTE service is also available in San Francisco, Dallas-Fort Worth, Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. Service is also expected … Read more