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Tag: at-t

  • Nokia Lumia 925 Goes Live at AT&T Starting September 13th for $99.99, Pre-Orders Now Open

    Nokia Lumia 925 made its appearance at T-Mobile last month and now it is set to land at AT&T on September 13th. This is the first Lumia smartphone that features a metal design detail and it will be available for a monthly cost of $21 on AT$T Next plan or for $99.99 in a two-year agreement.

    AT&T Next is a new program that the company launched to allow its customers get a new device every year. Available only to upgrade eligible AT&T customers, AT&T Next lets you purchase a smartphone or tablet devoid of down payments, upgrade fees, and activation fees, and after paying 12 monthly installments you are allowed to trade it in and get a new device.

    Lumia 925, a Windows Phone that is slim, lightweight, and dominated by a 4.5-inch PureMotion HD + Gorilla Glass display, runs on AT&T's 4G LTE network. It sports an 8.7 megapixel camera that packs the usual high-performance optics and camera features Nokia is known for. At launch, the exclusive black version of the Lumia will be available to only AT$T customers.

    A couple of days obviously stand between the 4.5-inch aluminum-clad smartphone and its lovers but pre-orders already began.

  • AT&T Galaxy Note and Galaxy S II Skyrocket Get Android 4.0 Update

    Good news finally for all the AT&T Galaxy Note and Skyrocket users! According to a report, an ICS update for the AT&T Galaxy Note and Skyrocket is ready and would be distributed starting today July 10th 2012. What it means is that users who were hitherto stuck with the older versions of the Android OS will finally get a taste of the relatively new ICS.

    So what does the update have in store for the users of these two smartphones? For the Samsung Galaxy Note users, the update will have apart from the major version change and the tiny bits and pieces changes that come with it is the one major addition of the Premium Suite. This means the S-Memo and the S-Note along with the integrated Wolphram Alpha update. This allows better functionality with the pen which should give users of the Samsung Galaxy Note more reasons to cheer. The remaining bits and pieces updates will also ensure that the phones upgrading from the older Gingerbread will have plenty of goodies to keep their users engaged for a while. For those users who are familiar with the S-Beam, S-Voice and Smart Stay features of the Samsung Galaxy S3, there is however bad news as these changes will not be available in the update.

    Some of the users are expected to get an advance access to the update, but the majority will get it sometime on the 10th. For Skyrocket users they can download the I727UCLF6 update patch from Kies and install it.

    At this point there is a simple piece of advice, just keep your wireless connections on and wait for that alert to appear and enjoy the new ICS when it gets successfully downloaded and installed on your smartphone.

  • Microsoft Compels You to Update – Windows Phone 7.5 Will No Longer Be Optional

    Microsoft makes final preparations prior to compel its users to switch from Windows Phone 7 to Windows Phone 7.5.

    Shortly, Windows Phone 7.5 will not be optional. If you have a smartphone running WP 7 and refuse to make the update to WP 7.5, you will lose the possibility to buy new apps from the Marketplace. Moreover, you will risk being unable to update the ones that you already have. Although this information has been circulated in the past, a new blog post on WindowsTeam confirms the proximity of the event.

    The update does not come without problems. Although some users have had the opportunity to update the operating system for the smartphones with WP, many users have knowingly avoided the upgrade to Windows Phone 7.5. The reason?

    Many of those who have installed the update complained that their virtual keyboard disappears. A user said on one of the Microsoft forums that the problem with the keyboard that disappears is absurd.

    Microsoft partners are also guilty for this issue. After being notified for the first time about the virtual keyboard problem, Microsoft has tried to be operative and worked on an update. Unfortunately, the 8107 update from Microsoft had to go through the mobile operators before reaching the terminal, which is why there have been recorded terrible delays. The AT&T users of Windows Phone 7.5 – the most important mobile operator partner with Microsoft in the U.S. – even today, after 3-4 months after the event have not received the patch.

    On Apple’s terminals this thing would not happen, thanks to the centralized system of updates, which is delivered to the iOS users on the entire planet in one day.

    Ultimately, is worth to note that there will be a prior notice a few days before the “D-Day”, announced on the same WindowsTeamBlog.

  • Rugby Smart – The Most Resistant Samsung Phone

    Samsung will launch on the U.S. market its first phone resistant to water, dust and shocks. Rugby Smart will be available in the first phase on AT&T, following to be launched on other markets.

    Rugby Smart has 122.4 x 65.9 x 12.19 mm and comes with a 3.7-inch WVGA Super AMOLED touchscreen. The phone has two cameras, one of 1.3 megapixels on the front and the other one of 5 megapixels with flash and auto focus, capable of video recording at 720p HD.

    The phone runs Android 2.3 and has a range of up to 8 hours in conversation and 16 days in standby thanks to its 1650 mAh Lilon Poly battery.

    Samsung Rugby Smart is dustproof, can be submerged in up to 1m of water for 30 minutes, and can withstand extreme temperatures.

    Rugby Smart will be available at a price of $ 99.99 for a 2-year contract with AT&T.

    Specifications
    Technology: GSM, EDGE, UMTS, HSPA+
    Operating System: Android 2.3
    Display: 3.7-inch WVGA Super AMOLED display
    External Memory: Supports up to 32GB via microSD™
    Internal Memory: 4GB
    Dimensions: 122.4mm x 65.9mm x 12.19mm
    Weight: 4.2 oz
    Camera: 5MP rear facing with flash and auto focus with HD 720p video capture; 1.3 MP front facing camera;
    Battery: 1650 mAh LiIon Poly
    Talk Time: Up to 8 hours
    Standby Time: Up to 16 days

  • Sprint Opposes Proposed AT&T Acquisition of T-Mobile USA

    Sprint has announced its opposition to AT&T’s proposed $39 billion takeover of T-Mobile USA. According to Sprint, the transaction, which requires the approval of the Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission, and will likely spark a host of hearings in the U.S. Congress, "would reverse nearly three decades of actions by the U.S. government and the courts that modernized and opened U.S. communications markets to competition."

    "The wireless industry has sparked unprecedented levels of competition, innovation, job creation and investment for the American economy, all of which could be undone by this transaction," as the company claims.

    AT&T and Verizon are already by far the largest wireless providers. If approved, the proposed acquisition would create a combined company that would be almost three times the size of Sprint in terms of wireless revenue and would entrench AT&T’s and Verizon’s duopoly control over the wireless market. According to Sprint, the wireless industry moving forward would be dominated overwhelmingly by two vertically integrated companies with unprecedented control over the U.S. wireless post-paid market, as well as the availability and price of key inputs, such as backhaul and access needed by other wireless companies to compete.

    “Sprint urges the United States government to block this anti-competitive acquisition,” said Vonya McCann, senior vice president, Government Affairs at Sprint.

    “This transaction will harm consumers and harm competition at a time when this country can least afford it. As the first national carrier to roll out 4G services and handsets and the carrier that brought simple unlimited pricing to the marketplace, Sprint stands ready to compete in a truly dynamic marketplace. So on behalf of our customers, our industry and our country, Sprint will fight this attempt by AT&T to undo the progress of the past 25 years and create a new Ma Bell duopoly.”

  • AT&T to Acquire T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom

    AT&T and Deutsche Telekom announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which AT&T will acquire T-Mobile USA  in a cash-and-stock transaction currently valued at approximately $39 billion. The agreement has been approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies.

    According to the companies, the acquisition provides "an optimal combination of network assets to add capacity sooner than any alternative, and it provides an opportunity to improve network quality in the near term for both companies’ customers." The companies also said that the acquisition provides "a fast, efficient and certain" solution to the impending exhaustion of wireless spectrum in some markets, which limits both companies’ ability to "meet the ongoing explosive demand for mobile broadband."

    With this transaction, AT&T commits to a significant expansion of robust 4G LTE deployment to 95 percent of the U.S. population to reach an additional 46.5 million Americans beyond current plans – including rural communities and small towns. In terms of area covered, the transaction enables 4G LTE deployment to an additional 1.2 million square miles, equivalent to 4.5 times the size of the state of Texas. T-Mobile USA does not have a clear path to delivering LTE.

    According to AT&T and T-Mobile, their customers will see service improvements – including improved voice quality – as a result of additional spectrum, increased cell tower density and broader network infrastructure.

    The acquisition will increase AT&T’s infrastructure investment in the U.S. by more than $8 billion over seven years.

    "This transaction represents a major commitment to strengthen and expand critical infrastructure for our nation’s future," said Randall Stephenson, AT&T Chairman and CEO. "It will improve network quality, and it will bring advanced LTE capabilities to more than 294 million people. Mobile broadband networks drive economic opportunity everywhere, and they enable the expanding high-tech ecosystem that includes device makers, cloud and content providers, app developers, customers, and more. During the past few years, America’s high-tech industry has delivered innovation at unprecedented speed, and this combination will accelerate its continued growth."

    Stephenson continued, "This transaction delivers significant customer, shareowner and public benefits that are available at this level only from the combination of these two companies with complementary network technologies, spectrum positions and operations. We are confident in our ability to execute a seamless integration, and with additional spectrum and network capabilities, we can better meet our customers’ current demands, build for the future and help achieve the President’s goals for a high-speed, wirelessly connected America."

    Deutsche Telekom Chairman and CEO René Obermann said, "After evaluating strategic options for T-Mobile USA, I am confident that AT&T is the best partner for our customers, shareholders and the mobile broadband ecosystem. Our common network technology makes this a logical combination and provides an efficient path to gaining the spectrum and network assets needed to provide T-Mobile customers with 4G LTE and the best devices. Also, the transaction returns significant value to Deutsche Telekom shareholders and allows us to retain exposure to the U.S. market."

    As part of the transaction, Deutsche Telekom will receive an equity stake in AT&T that, based on the terms of the agreement, would give Deutsche Telekom an ownership interest in AT&T of approximately 8 percent. A Deutsche Telekom representative will join the AT&T Board of Directors.

    The combined company will continue to have a strong employee and operations base in the Seattle area.

    The $39 billion purchase price will include a cash payment of $25 billion with the balance to be paid using AT&T common stock, subject to adjustment. AT&T has the right to increase the cash portion of the purchase price by up to $4.2 billion with a corresponding reduction in the stock component, so long as Deutsche Telekom receives at least a 5 percent equity ownership interest in AT&T.

  • AT&T Acquires Wireless Spectrum From Qualcomm

    AT&T and Qualcomm announced that AT&T has agreed to purchase spectrum licenses in the Lower 700 MHz frequency band from Qualcomm for $1.925 billion. According to AT&T, the move "will bolster the company’s ability to provide an advanced 4G mobile broadband experience for its customers in the years ahead."

    Qualcomm currently uses the licenses to support the service business of FLO TV, a wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm, and the sale follows Qualcomm’s previously announced plan to evaluate strategic options for the FLO TV business. Qualcomm says they expects that the FLO TV business and network will be shut down in March 2011.

    The spectrum covers more than 300 million people total nationwide: 12 MHz of Lower 700 MHz D and E block spectrum covers more than 70 million people in five of the top 15 U.S. metropolitan areas – New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and San Francisco; 6 MHz of Lower 700 MHz D block spectrum covers more than 230 million people across the rest of the U.S.

    As part of its longer-term 4G network plans, AT&T intends to deploy this spectrum as supplemental downlink, using carrier aggregation technology. This technology is designed to deliver substantial capacity gains and is expected to be enabled with the completion of 3GPP Release 10. AT&T expects to begin deploying this spectrum once compatible handsets and network equipment are developed.

    Qualcomm also said that it intends to integrate carrier aggregation technology into its chipset roadmap, to enable supplemental downlink to address increased consumer demand for rich mobile media content. AT&T also expects to deploy this technology.

    The companies anticipate closing the sale during the second half of calendar year 2011.

    Related news
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    iSuppli: Wireless Carriers See Tiers as Key to Rising Profits
    Clearwire and Sprint to Launch 4G in NYC, LA and SF This Year
    Wireless Infrastructure Spending to Rise in 2011 as 4G Deployment Starts

  • iSuppli: Wireless Carriers See Tiers as Key to Rising Profits

    T-Mobile’s move to offer tiered pricing based on bandwidth usage represents the latest development in the wireless industry’s attempt to cash in on exploding demand for mobile data demand, according to iSuppli. Global mobile data traffic is expected to nearly double each year through 2014.

    “We believe that strong execution of a tiered pricing model will translate to significant increases in market capitalization for wireless carriers,” said Steve Mather, principal analyst, wireless, for iSuppli.

    “Rapidly rising demand for wireless data access represents the biggest opportunity of the decade for wireless carriers,” Mather said. “iSuppli’s discussions with leading wireless carriers indicates that tiered pricing, like that offered by AT&T and T-Mobile, represents one of the best tactics to monetize growing demand to access their pipes. Tiered pricing will allow these companies to find data consumption sweet spots, enabling them to segment users into various pricing and data cap buckets, and to prompt upgrades as mobile services become even more a part of consumer’s lives. The flexibility of adjusting both the price and the cap is particularly compelling.”

    For carriers, the stakes are enormous as they try to regain their share value and profitability. “iSuppli’s analysis of the top 15 wireless carriers worldwide indicates operating margins have dwindled to 20 percent in 2010, down from 22 percent just three years ago,” Mather said. “With the rise of data usage and the arrival of tiered pricing programs, we expect margins to rise over the two years from their summer 2010 lows.”


    T-Mobile’s first tiered pricing offer became available in the United States on Nov. 3.

    The first tier is a promotional offer with a two-year contract, priced at $10 per month for 200Mbytes of data. The next tier charges $15 per month on a month-to-month basis, with no contract. Moving up, the next tier charges $30 per month for unlimited data. Finally, tethering costs an additional $15 per month.

    T-Mobile also launched of a variety of Android-powered smart phones with retail prices less than $100 to complement its new service plans.

    The move follows in the footsteps of the tiered program offered by industry benchmark AT&T for the Apple Inc. iPhone and iPad. AT&T charges $15 per month for 200Mbytes, $25 per month for 2Gbytes and tethering for an incremental $20 per month.

    Verizon is also experimenting with a promotional offer of $15 per month for 150Mbytes, $30 per month for unlimited data to phone and $15 per month for 2Gbytes of tethering. It also is charging $20 per month for the phone to be used as a multi-line tethering hotspot.

    “Wireless carriers are intent on spurring incremental data usage among their subscribers,” Mather said. “This strategy centers on enticing more consumers to adopt mobile data access as part of life’s necessities. Two tactics to encourage more data consumption are to experiment with tiered pricing, and to heavily market data-hungry devices.”

    Tiers put carriers back in control of their pipe’s capacity, with a newfound capability to monetize the increasingly essential mobile data demands.

  • Microsoft Unveils Windows Phone 7 Global Portfolio

    Microsoft announced nine new Windows Phone 7 handsets that will be available this October and November from over 60 mobile operators in 30 countries in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific.

    Windows Phone 7 will be available in a variety of form factors from device-makers such as Dell, HTC Corp., LG and Samsung, and from mobile operators including América Móvil, AT&T, Deutsche Telekom AG, Movistar, O2, Orange, SFR, SingTel, Telstra, TELUS, T-Mobile USA and Vodafone.

    All Windows Phone 7 phones will include the Snapdragon processor from Qualcomm. A broad selection of phones will begin shipping in October 2010 with more arriving in 2011, including phones from Sprint and Verizon Wireless.

    The following devices will come to North America, Europe and Asia Pacific in the holiday 2010 timeframe.

    In North America:

    AT&T
    • HTC Surround, United States
    • Samsung Focus, United States
    • LG Quantum, United States

    T-Mobile USA
    • HTC HD7, United States
    • Dell Venue Pro, United States

    TELUS
    • HTC 7 Surround, Canada
    • LG Optimus 7, Canada

    América Móvil
    • LG Optimus 7, Mexico

    In Europe:

    O2
    • HTC HD7, United Kingdom, Germany

    Orange
    • HTC 7 Mozart, including France, United Kingdom
    • Samsung OMNIA 7, including France, United Kingdom

    SFR
    • HTC 7 Trophy, France
    • Samsung OMNIA 7, France

    Movistar
    • LG Optimus 7, Spain
    • HTC HD7, Spain
    • Samsung OMNIA 7, Spain

    Deutsche Telekom AG
    • HTC 7 Mozart, Germany
    • Samsung OMNIA 7, Germany

    Vodafone
    • HTC 7 Trophy, including Germany, Spain, United Kingdom
    • LG Optimus 7, including Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom

    In Asia Pacific:

    SingTel
    • HTC HD 7, Singapore
    • LG Optimus 7, Singapore

    Telstra
    • HTC 7 Mozart, Australia
    • LG Optimus 7Q, Australia

    Vodafone
    • HTC 7 Trophy, including Australia

    “We have a beautiful lineup in this first wave of Windows Phone 7 handsets,” said Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer at Microsoft. “Microsoft and its partners are delivering a different kind of mobile phone and experience — one that makes everyday tasks faster by getting more done in fewer steps and providing timely information in a ‘glance and go’ format.”

  • AT&T Adds IP Voice Services to Virtual Private Network Services

    AT&T announced that new and existing virtual private network (VPN) customers may add VoIP service to the network solution delivered over AT&T’s global network cloud.

    This converged solution is said to enable customers to consolidate their separate voice and data networks, reduce equipment and maintenance costs, and simplify migrating these complimentary capabilities to a common, secure infrastructure.

    By migrating to a common infrastructure, customers are able to take advantage of additional applications as AT&T makes them available, such as unified communications capabilities.

    The AT&T VoIP portfolio is certified for interoperability with leading industry providers of IP-PBX systems, such as SIP Trunking services qualified for Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2, providing support for businesses planning to incorporate a comprehensive unified communications solution in the future.

    The company’s portfolio of VoIP services includes AT&T IP Flexible Reach, a SIP trunking service, which "allows businesses to continue to use the capabilities of their existing IP-PBXs, optimizing their equipment investment."

    AT&T Voice DNA, another product in the VoIP portfolio, is a fully hosted network-based service with advanced features, applications and management tools for customers.

    AT&T customers can access their VPN using virtually any access technology, such as mobile, Wi-Fi, DSL, dial-up and Ethernet.

    “Voice service is as mission-critical for businesses today as it’s ever been, and customers expect their VoIP service to perform as well as their traditional telephone service,” said Shawn Conroy, vice president, AT&T Business Solutions.

    "Adding voice to the network cloud gives customers the ability to determine their optimal level of security, architecture, cost and performance objectives — key differentiators for AT&T,” he said.

    According to AT&t, Today, the company offers Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS)-based services to 163 countries over 3,800 service nodes, and operates 38 Internet data centers around the world. These assets enable AT&T to provide customers with globally-consistent access to capacity and features – when and where they need it most.

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    AT&T Enables VoIP over Its 3G Network for iPhone