Yesterday, AT&T announced that it has flipped the switch on its LTE network in 14 new markets this week. Places like Peoria, Illinois; Des Moines, Iowa; and St. Cloud, Minnesota now have access to the carrier's 4G network.
Obviously, if you're an AT&T customer with an LTE-capable device in one of these areas, this was huge. But the even bigger news is that this latest rollout brings the total number of AT&T LTE markets to 461—39 shy of Verizon...
When it comes to smartphone satisfaction, carriers are key. That's the central finding of J.D. Power, which Thursday released its latest study indicating Apple and Samsung lead in satisfaction across all four major U.S. providers.
When it comes to the iPhone, customers of long-time Apple partners Verizon and AT&T love the Cupertino, Cupertino, company's smartphone lineup, more than any other smartphone brand.
As for South Korean Samsung, Sprint customers report are most satisfied by the Galaxy family of smartphones. Which U.S. carriers do the best job supporting smartphones? According to the study, AT&T and Sprint report the greatest satisfaction, followed by T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless...
The leading wireless telco in the United States, Verizon Wireless, this morning released its third quarter results revealing 3.9 million iPhone activations (which is different than the actual unit sales).
It's the same as its previous quarter and 26 percent up from 3.1 million iPhone activations in Q3 of 2012.
Apple's share of total smartphone activations at the Big Red carrier, however, has jumped from 43 percent in the second quarter of 2013 to as much as 51 percent of the 7.6 million total smartphone activations in the third quarter.
Due to iPhone supply constraints, there will be some carryover in sales to the fourth quarter, Verizon cautioned. Year-over-year smartphone activations at the carrier were up by 26 percent and revenue improved 4.4 percent to $30.28 billion, CFO Fran Shammo said in an earnings call with investors. More tidbits after the break...
Apple's new iPhone 5s became the top-selling smartphone in the US during September. New numbers show the 5s and 5c were among the top three smartphones sold by all four major domestic carriers.
Helped along by record sales, the iPhone 5s also replaced Samsung's Galaxy S4 as the best-selling smartphone among AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile, according to Canaccord Genuity Friday...
Over the weekend, a number of Verizon customers reported that they were able to upgrade to the iPhone 5s (and other handsets) without losing their grandfathered unlimited data plan—something the carrier put a stop to last summer.
As we expected, this was the result of a software glitch, and Verizon fixed it first thing Monday morning. But here's something we didn't see coming: the company says it will honor the orders and let customers keep their unlimited plans...
Last summer, Verizon put an end to grandfathered unlimited data plans by forcing customers to move to one of their new Share Everything plans when they upgraded their smartphone at the subsidized price.
But within the last few days, several VZW customers have reported that they were able to upgrade to one of the new iPhone models either online or at a third-party retailer without losing their unlimited data...
It looks like we're 2 for 2 when it comes to unlocked iPhones on Verizon's network. As you all know, I picked up my Verizon iPhone 5s on launch day, but I haven't been able to test it out with a GSM sim card until today.
I walked into Walgreens just a few hours ago, and picked up one of T-Mobile's No Annual Contract kits that contains the SIM card starter kit. Unfortunately the SIM card that came with the kit was one of the old-school normal sized SIM cards (people still use those?), so I had to break out a pair of scissors and cut it down.
After a few minutes of manicuring the SIM card down to a nano size, I was ready to rock and roll. I popped out my Verizon SIM, inserted my T-Mobile SIM, and sure enough, I was on T-Mobile's "4G" network.
With Apple not offering pre-orders for the iPhone 5s, folks hoping to score the handset on launch day will have to make their way to a local retailer. A number of outlets will be selling the new iPhones on Friday, including Walmart and Radio Shack.
What time should you get there? Well some folks have already been in line for several days now. But if you're not that committed, we recommend getting there as early on Friday morning as possible. It looks like most retailers are opening at 8 am...
Looking to grab Apple's new iPhone 5c? Then you better keep your credit card handy. It appears that pre-orders for the new handset are set to begin Friday, September 13—that's tomorrow—at 12:01 am Pacific Time.
The information comes from U.S. carrier partners Verizon and Sprint, who have both posted pre-order info on their websites. Apple hasn't confirmed the time yet, but it has in year's past coordinated with the providers...
As we continue to uncover interesting tidbits following Apple's introduction of the flagship iPhone 5s and the plastic iPhone 5c this morning, a little-appreciated fact has now come to light. Both new iPhones are offered in four different hardware varieties each versus three different cellular versions of the iPhone 5.
The consolidated 5s/5c models offer more LTE bands than before, but the coolest thing is that in the United States a single version now supports AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile. Additionally, a different version of the handsets will provide compatibility with Sprint and Japan's KDDI and Softbank carriers.
Previously, there used to be two different US flavors of the iPhone 5, one for the AT&T and T-Mobile and the other for Verizon and Sprint networks...
Apple's much-expected iPhone 5C, noted for its multi-colored plastic body and inexpensive price, could become known for something more: mortally wounding cellular contracts. The test could come this month as Apple unveils the less-expensive iPhone at around what analysts believe will be $400-$500, unsubsidized. For the first time, US carrier T-Mobile - which doesn't require subscribers sign a two-year contract - will go head-to-head against traditional carriers AT&T and Verizon.
Both carriers may lose customers to T-Mobile as all four domestic carriers offer the new iPhones simultaneously, analysts say. While both AT&T and Verizon provide a subsidy on the iPhone's price in return for a two-year contract, T-Mobile lauds its absence of such a requirement. T-Mobile began selling the iPhone in April of 2013...
It's official, Verizon has reached an agreement with Vodafone to buyout its 45% stake in Verizon Wireless for $130 billion. The news comes after several months of rumors and speculation, and a report from The Wall Street Journal this weekend.
The deal, which is expected to close by the beginning of next year, is significant for a few reasons. For one, it will put Verizon in full control of the largest wireless carrier in the US. And two, it will rank as one of the largest acquisitions in history...