Verizon

LTE iPhone could be a game changer, especially for Verizon

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated November 19, 2018

If you're looking to handicap which iPhone carrier is ahead in the LTE horse race, one Wall Street analyst points to Verizon and Sprint as the big winner and loser. Indeed, an LTE-enabled iPhone 5 would "change everything," making it "the biggest consumer product launch ever."

Jeffries & Co.'s analyst Thomas Seitz Thursday advised investors to buy Verizon shares, hold onto AT&T and sell Sprint-Nextel. Verizon now has 230 million LTE POPs -- more than all other US carriers combined. As a result, Seitz sees "a share shift towards Verizon, primarily at AT&T's expense."

Sprint expands LTE into four more US cities

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

Sprint has added four more US cities to its 4G LTE network. Baltimore, Gainsville, Ga., Manhattan/Junction City, Kan., and Sedalia, Mo. were added to the high-speed network the carrier launched on July 15. Baltimore residents gain not only LTE, but an upgrade to 3G, Sprint announced.

"As consumers all over the country are becoming more dependent on their smartphones, network quality is becoming more important," according to a statement. Sprint's LTE network began by introducing LTE in 15 cities. The carrier hopes to complete its LTE build-out by the end of 2013.

AT&T denies rumors of employee vacation blackout

Cody Lee ∙ August 27, 2012

Over the weekend, it was reported that AT&T employees were seeing a blackout on vacation dates in late September, likely due to the new iPhone launch. Apple is widely expected to roll out the handset on September 21.

The information seemed spot-on, considering the timeframe matched up with both Verizon blackout dates and previous reports. But it looks like, for whatever reason, AT&T is denying the employee blackout rumors...

Samsung denies new Sydney store copies Apple

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. However, Samsung wants no talk of its new Sydney, Australia store looking "Apple-esque." Particularly while the South Korean company is being sued for allegedly imitating Apple's iPhone and iPad.

Despite the store being located just a block from Apple, using the same Apple minimalism, the same Apple-like packaging and staffed with the same blue-shirted employees, the Cupertino, Calif.-based company "didn't even come into the equation when we were looking for a location," Samsung Australia's vice president of telecommunication, Tyler McGee, tells the Sydney Morning Herald. In the business, we call that a non-denial denial...

JD Power: Verizon most reliable carrier with AT&T far behind

Ed Sutherland ∙ August 23, 2012

Once again, Verizon Wireless is ranked the top U.S. carrier in fewest complaints of dropped calls, transmission problems and slow text messages. This is the 14th time the carrier has led J.D. Power's U.S. Wireless Network Quality Performance Study. AT&T and other major carriers landed further down in the cellular reliability survey.

While Verizon Wireless led in the busy Northeast corridor, it also trumped competition in the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Southwest and Westerns sections of the country. U.S. Cellular was picked as the best carrier in the North Central U.S. for the 12th time. AT&T's reliability was consistently ranked the lowest, except in the Mid-Atlantic and Southwest areas, where it was second to Verizon...

Verizon vacation blackout suggests iPhone 5 may be available September 21

Ed Sutherland ∙ August 21, 2012

It's not often that vacation schedules mean much to anyone other than the person getting some days off. But Verizon's vacation schedule has iPhone fans predicting Apple's newest handset will appear Sept. 21. Today's report mirrors one earlier this month that AT&T is also expecting something big in late September.

Citing a "trusted Verizon employee," TechCrunch writes the carrier has forbidden worker vacations between Friday, Sept. 21 and September 30. The next iPhone "will almost certainly be available in stores" on the first day of that vacation blackout, the blog claims. Earlier this month, we reported on another claim that AT&T (which also offers the iPhone) was preparing for a "huge announcement" during the third or fourth week of September...

iPad mini and iTV in full production, analyst claims

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 25, 2016

Hot on the heels of a pair of reports by usually credible The Wall Street Journal asserting Apple's been working on a set-top box with cloud DVR and premium cable TV content, an analyst wrote in a note to clients today that a rumored iPad mini and an Apple-branded television set are both in full production now.

Based on supply checks, the note calls for 25 million iPad mini units for the September quarter and an additional 30 million units for the December quarter, which would peg iPad mini shipments for the calendar 2012 at a cool 55 million units....

Verizon’s LTE network will soon cover 2/3 of US population

Cody Lee ∙ August 15, 2012

Verizon just announced that it's going to flip the LTE switch on in 34 new markets tomorrow, and will also be expanding its 4G coverage in another 38.

We'll get to the new markets in a moment, but perhaps more interesting is the milestone. After tomorrow's rollout, Verizon's LTE network will be in more than 370 markets, blanketing close to two-thirds of the the country's population...

Major US carriers, Google form mobile payments alliance, Apple not on board

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 13, 2012

In another sign that the industry has high expectations for mobile payments, four major carriers in the United States along with Google and a bunch of other players have struck a mobile payments alliance called Mobile Payments Committee.

The initial members include carriers AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint and T-Mobile USA, but also Google, Isis, VeriFone and PayPal, in addition to financial institutions Wells Fargo and Capital One plus credit card giants American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa.

Apple is conspicuously absent from the list, as is mobile payment startup Square, which last week announced an interesting partnership with Starbucks. The iPhone maker, of course, is believed to be putting NFC circuitry inside the next iPhone and just recently acquired NFC and smart sensors maker AuthenTec for $356 million...

Verizon’s secret 20GB shared data plan

Cody Lee ∙ August 8, 2012

For the two largest wireless carriers in the US, unlimited plans are out. Verizon introduced its new shared data plans back in June of this year, and AT&T has quickly followed suit.

The removal of unlimited plans have left some power mobile users looking for alternative solutions. After all, Verizon's shared data plans only go up to 10GB per month. Or do they?

AT&T to start rolling out new iPad-based POS systems in stores

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 4, 2018

For the past decade, Apple has been setting the bar for retail chains. Its well-placed, well-designed stores have been the envy of all other outlets, with their iOS device-toting salesmen and shopper-friendly layouts.

Several retailers are starting to catch on, though, and have begun remodeling their stores in Apple's image. And it looks like AT&T is next. It seems the carrier is going to start replacing its POS computers with iPads...

FCC tells Verizon to stop blocking tethering apps

Cody Lee ∙ July 31, 2012

This is pretty interesting. Verizon has just reached a settlement with the FCC in their ongoing dispute regarding tethering apps. The carrier will pay out $1.25 million to the US Treasury, and will stop blocking the use of third-party tethering apps.

Unfortunately, the decision only applies to Verizon customers for the time being, as it comes as a stipulation in the carrier's deal to purchase 700 MHz of wireless spectrum from Cox and other cable companies. FCC press release is after the break...