Some HTC handsets, potentially including the One X and Evo 4G LTE, are slowly making their way through US Customs, the company reports. A recent update on the HTC corporate website notes that some handsets are passing Customs inspections, despite an International Trade Commission (ITC) ban on the devices entering the US.
Nvidia and Intellectual Ventures have acquired a sizable patent portfolio from IPWireless. The list of pending and granted patents, totaling approximately 500, consists of wireless communications technologies including essential concepts in 3G, 4G, LTE, and LTE-Advanced. The purchase price of the patents bundle were not disclosed.
Apple appears to have found a solution to complaints (mostly from international dealers) that its touting of LTE or "4G" compatibility in the latest iPad model is misleading outside North America. The company has begun changing the name of the LTE iPad model to "iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular" in its online stores, even in the US and Canada. The change has appeared in other stores, including the UK and Australia.
FreedomPop is now taking pre-orders for its embedded WiMax and LTE iPhone 4/4S case, which first appeared in March. The company is the latest brainchild of Skype founder Niklas Zennstrom and aims to offer users ‘free wireless broadband’ using a freemium service model. Users who put down $99 for a case will get up to 500MB of free data per month in an iPhone accessory that offers users the ability to access 4G speeds, FaceTime video calls, as well as the ability to act as an external battery charger.
The Federal Communications Commission has detailed the bidding process for its $300 million 'Mobility Fund' that aims to hasten 3G and 4G deployment in rural areas throughout the US. The funds will be allocated through a reverse auction, requiring companies to submit bids that indicate the amount of cash needed to deploy 3G and 4G networks within the Commission's guidelines.
Thanks to The Canadian Reviewer, an image of the previously rumored 4G LTE BlackBerry PlayBook has emerged at a BlackBerry World breakfast function. As yet, no release date has been confirmed for the device.
The year-old HTC Incredible 2 phone is currently unavailable for purchase on Verizon's web store. While the inference is that the phone will return, as it is listed as "temporarily unavailable," previous leaks suggest an imminent release of the Incredible 4G phone, which has been previously seen listed on Verizon's internal databases.
Sprint is reportedly set to reallocate its 800MHz spectrum to be used for 4G LTE network technology. The company currently uses its 800MHz block for the aging iDEN standard, which is utilized for push-to-talk devices, however network operations president Steve Elfman claims the band eventually will be used for LTE, according to quotes posted by FierceWireless.
Troubled LTE telecom company LightSquared may default on a $1.6 billion loan and reported a net loss of $427 million for the first three quarters of 2011, forcing founder Philip Falcone to consider a "voluntary bankruptcy" to stave off creditors, Reuters reports. The move would buy time for Falcone and his hedge fund Harbinger Capital Partners to find ways to salvage the company, which has hit government resistance to its plan to create a satellite "4G" network.
As expected, HTC and Sprint have formally unveiled the Evo 4G LTE smartphone at a special event in New York City. The handset appears to serve as an LTE variant of HTC's One X, which was introduced earlier this year at Mobile World Congress, though the Sprint model offers several additional upgrades alongside the LTE radio.
Apple has been accused of misleading advertising by Australia’s consumer watchdog the ACCC over its promotion of the new iPad as having 4G capabilities, as no Australian telco currently supports the 4G radio in the new iPad. The ACCC plans to lodge an urgent case before a Melbourne court tomorrow over the issue. It aims to seek ‘injunctions, pecuniary penalties, corrective advertising and refunds to consumers affected.’
China Mobile has confirmed that it is about to commence the wide-scale rollout of a TD-LTE mobile network. The largest telco in the world with 655 million customers has announced that it will deploy 20,000 TD-LTE base stations by the end of 2012, increasing to 200,000 by the end of 2013. The announcement is significant as the iPhone is not currently available on the influential network due to incompatibilities, but an LTE-capable iPhone would support TD-LTE.
Verizon has confirmed that the Galaxy Tab 7.7 will be available exclusively through Verizon Wireless beginning March 1. The 4G LTE tablet features a 7.7-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, and is capable of full 720p recording and playback. The Galaxy Tab 7.7 also supports 1080p playback through HDMI dock or adapter. It will ship with Android 3.2 (Honeycomb).
US Cellular has announced that it is set to offer a 4G LTE mobile hotspot, while the company's LTE network will be expanded to include a variety of cities spread across 14 states. The additional markets to receive LTE service include cities in Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
European smartphone users can expect to have access to 4G wireless networks sometime in 2013. The European Parliament has approved the commencement of a 4G roll-out utilizing the 800MHz band that is currently used by certain broadcasters still using analogue prior to the finalization of a digital switchover due at the end of 2012. The 800MHz band has been identified as one of the more effective frequencies for 4G networks as it can send data over longer distances and offers better in door reception.
Yet another unannounced Samsung device appears to have made its way through FCC testing. The handset, which is referred to by the model code SGH-T769, has been approved for GSM bands and the WCDMA bands that T-Mobile utilizes for its 4G network.
Veteran corporate raider/investor Carl Icahn may have grabbed some of LightSquared's debt. Reuters, citing several sources familiar with the matter, reports that Icahn, along with two others, bought up a total of $300 million of the troubled LTE network provider's loan obligations over the course of 2011. Icahn has declined to comment.
Citing unnamed sources "familiar with the product," Bloomberg reports that the next iPad, expected to go on sale in March, will sport a "high-definition" screen, use a faster processor and be compatible with Long-Term Evolution (LTE) type 4G cellular networks. The claims summarize most of the educated guesses any Apple-watcher might have about the next iPad, but if true the LTE compatibility coming before the iPhone would be an unusual move.
Among the high-end smartphones introduced at CES, LG added its Spectrum handset to the crowd of upcoming Android devices. Electronista took a closer look at the company's new Android flagship, which features 4G LTE connectivity, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and a 720p HD display.
Motorola has introduced the latest device in its Android lineup, the Droid 4. The handset keeps to the tradition that began with the original Droid, advancing the QWERTY slider into the 4G LTE era. The fourth-generation model measures 0.5-inches thick, similar to the earlier models, however the company claims it is the "thinnest and most powerful" QWERTY LTE smartphone.
AT&T appears to be preparing to introduce new Windows 8 tablet next week at CES in Las Vegas. The carrier is holding a special event ahead of CES for developers, with a session to be focused on "Windows 8 tablets super charged with LTE."
Sprint appears to be readying Samsung's Galaxy Nexus handset. Online advertisements point to the upcoming offering, which is touted as the company's "first 4G LTE phone," however the company has yet to make a formal announcement. The placements appear to have been published ahead of schedule, as the ads lead users to a broken link on Sprint's website.
Verizon has finally shed light on the frequent outages that have affected the company's expanding 4G LTE network. In an interview with GigaOM, Verizon network engineering VP Mike Haberman downplayed the recent problems as "growing pains" that are a result of the company's position as "pioneers" rolling out a large deployment of new technology.
Samsung and Korea's KT Telecom are set to unveil a series of laptops with inbuilt 4G WiBro. Samsung, KT and Intel made the join announcement today that they plan to release 4G Wibro capable notebooks after closely working together for much of the past year on the project. They will be among the first notebooks to feature inbuilt 4G wireless connectivity.
GM subsidiary OnStar has teased a revamped infotainment system that takes advantage of 4G LTE networks to expand the range of connected features. The company is currently teasing the new system, which will allow users to participate in video chats via Skype. The faster connection speeds also enables users to access streaming multimedia content.
The ongoing battle between LightSquared, a company that wants to launch a nationwide 4G (LTE) network in partnership with Sprint, and the rest of the GPS industry took another turn today as a leaked draft of a government report concludes that implementing LightSquared's planned network would cause "harmful interference" to about 75 percent of GPS receivers, BusinessWeek reports. The testing contradicts LightSquared's claim that it had found a fix for the issue.
A Sprint executive suggests tablet makers need to outfit their devices with phone features before the 3G/4G models can gain a foothold in the market. The company's director of business product marketing, Jeff Adelmann, argues that users should be able to choose between answering a voice call on their smartphone or tablet.
AT&T has revealed that it will be bringing LTE data services to New York City "very soon." AT&T's Senior Vice President of communications, Larry Solomon, made the announcement at Mashable's Media Summit taking place in the area. Four additional cities, Boston, Washington DC, Athens, and Baltimore, will also be getting LTE.
T-Mobile has announced a new product range that it calls Monthly4G plans. The new plans are designed to allow users to step up to data by adding a Monthly4G plan when users are on existing no annual contract service arrangements. For $60 per month, users will receive unlimited talk, texting and the Internet with the first 2GB of data served up at 4G speeds before it is shaped.
The Senate has introduced a companion bill to the Next Generation Wireless Disclosure Act that could reduce indiscriminate labeling of newer mobile broadband network technologies as 4G. Currently, 4G is attached to HSPA+, WiMAX and LTE networks, even though all have key differences and offer different speeds. If the bill passes, it will require all providers to clearly specify what their networks will offer, including minimum and maximum data speeds.
Google and Samsung are now likely to reveal their flagship smartphone, the Galaxy Nexus running Android 4.0 (also known as Ice Cream Sandwich), on October 18th at the AsiaD: All Things Digital conference in Hong Kong -- with a US exclusive going to Verizon for a limited time, DroidLife reveals. The Samsung phone has turned up in Verizon's internal inventory systems sporting a 4G LTE radio, 720p touchscreen, 5MP rear camera and more.
Although Verizon has been focusing its attention on the upcoming Stratosphere handset this week at CTIA, several Pantech phones were also on hand at the expo. Electronista took a look at the Breakout, Verizon's budget-focused LTE handset. The device is one of the most compact LTE devices, with a feature set that is not far off from the expensive competition.
Start-up wireless LTE provider LightSquared, which has been involved in a feud with the GPS industry over interference between GPS devices and planned 4G LTE cell networks, informed the industry that it would cost up to $400 million to buy equipment LightSquared has developed to eliminate the problem, CNet reports. Without the device, about half a percent of GPS receivers -- about half a million units -- will be disrupted when the LTE networks begin to go online.
Although Samsung's Nexus Prime did not make a showing today at CTIA in San Diego, the company did bring along its Stratosphere handset that will be headed to Verizon. Electronista had a chance to take an early look at the upcoming handset. The device bears a close resemblance to the WiMAX-equipped Epic 4G that is currently offered through Sprint.
Some Motorola Xoom users who have sent their tablets to be upgraded are recieving notices that the company will not be able to meet its promise of a six day turnaround. Several readers have commented at Droid Life that they have received an email stating that the company is "still in the process of completing your upgrade." Some of those reported getting shipping notices complete with FedEx tracking numbers before the company sent the disappointing status update.
Ofcom, the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries has delayed its planned auctions of 4G mobile bandwidth until the end of 2012. The authority did so in response to a number of issues raised by potential bidders since the auctions were announced in March. Ofcom believes that the delay won't impact the actual deployment for 4G services.
Verizon is allegedly throttling the 4G services of some users, in addition to its announcement that it will be throttling 3G services for the top five percent of its data intensive users. A Verizon customer who somehow managed to plow through 60GB of data in 13 days has found that his connection speeds have been slowed to below 3G speeds. This is even though Verizon had explicitly stated that its new throttling policy only applied to its 3G services.
Placeholder pages for the LG myTouch Black and myTouch Q Gray have appeared on the T-Mobile website. Officially, the handsets are noted as "coming soon" but a recent leak gave them a November 2 ship date. The T-Mobile website also claims the smartphones have 1GHz processors and are 4G capable, which contradicts earlier leaks. Both myTouch handsets will also have 5-megapixel cameras, and photos show a front-facing camera for video chat.
Corroborating earlier rumors, HTC's Raider 4G smartphone appears to have passed through the FCC on its way to AT&T. The Commission tested a device that matches the Raider, also known as the HTC Holiday in other markets. The test documents suggest the handset will be supported by AT&T's 4G LTE and 3G HSPA+ networks.
Samsung's upcoming Stratosphere handset has been detailed in yet another leak. An internal document allegedly circulated to Verizon employees shows a chart with full specs for the Stratosphere, along with comparisons to Verizon's other LTE offerings and 4G handsets offered through other carriers. Although early rumors suggested the device may represent Verizon's Galaxy S II variant, the specs suggest it actually competes directly with handsets such as Samsung's Epic 4G sold through Sprint.
Last month a placeholder page appeared on the Verizon website, hinting that a new handset dubbed the Samsung Stratosphere would be revealed soon. Sources at Pocketnow claim to have images for the new smartphone, which they describe as an LTE QWERTY slider. Some have speculated that the Stratosphere may be Verizon's version of the Galaxy S II, which has already landed at the other major US carriers.
Although AT&T has yet to announce when its 4G network will go live, Boy Genius Report has posted multiple photos of a functional AT&T Elevate 4G mobile hotspot connected to AT&T's 4G LTE network in Atlanta. According to a source, coverage in Atlanta was better than in Chicago. That may simply indicate the network is still incomplete. The source found download speeds on the Atlanta test network capable of nearly 25Mbps and upload speeds in excess of 8Mbps. Throughput may change when the system goes live.
AT&T has reportedly begun testing its LTE network in Chicago, though the company has yet to publicly confirm deployment dates for a formal 4G introduction. Images posted on Boy Genius Report appear to show AT&T's Elevate mobile hotspot connected to the LTE network. Screenshots from speed tests show the hotspot achieving maximum download speeds of 13Mbps and upload speeds of 2Mbps.
Motoroola and Verizon are reportedly set to begin LTE upgrades for the Xoom tablet, however the initial rollout is said to be limited to business and government accounts. Unnamed sources have told Droid-Life the companies will be providing LTE upgrades to the pilot groups over the next two weeks, ahead of availability for the general public.
Screenshots have leaked of HTC's first full-size Android tablet, the HTC Puccini. The screenshots show the tablet running Honeycomb with an updated version of HTC's Sense UI. The new UI takes advantage of the tablet's 10-inch screen with a separate number pad on the virtual keyboard. The pen icon seen in the tray seems to indicate that the tablet will support Scribe, like its sibling the HTC Flyer.
MetroPCS has confirmed plans to transition to voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) communications early next year. During a conference call that focused on recent earnings, chief executive Roger Linquist suggested the company is already deploying technology that will be necessary to jump from a circuit-switched voice system to the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) technology.
Sprint has announced that it is now offering WiMAX service to its wholesale customers. The carrier initially will enable businesses to access the 4G network using the Sierra Wireless 250U USB modem, HTC's Detail handset, and HTC's Evo Shift 4G. The company suggests its future roadmap includes a variety of additional handsets, modems, hotspot devices and fixed access points.
Retail chains are beginning to discount the iPhone 4, reports note. Radio Shack has a sale running through Saturday, in which 16 and 32GB models are priced at $170 and $270 on contract instead of their regular $199 and $299. A $100 trade-in credit for previous iPhones applies, potentially lowering the cost of an iPhone 4 to just $70.
Purportedly leaked documents from Canadian carrier Telus suggest the iPhone 5 might ship on October 1. The release date comes along with several, presumably for other products, that are all cast as concrete and not fillers. The choice would be a Saturday but isn't "unrealistic" given how busy phone stores are those days, BGR's tipster said.
A leaked image appears to show marketing materials for 4G Windows Phone devices sold through T-Mobile. Although 4G Windows Phones earlier this year were promised by Microsoft, the company has yet to formally unveil any of the upcoming offerings. The store window decals, which were posted on TmoNews, provide the first evidence that such devices will take advantage of T-Mobile's HSPA+ network.
