Earlier today, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon announced that they have joined the “It Can Wait” campaign, which was created by AT&T in 2012 and is slated to begin circulating advertisements on May 20. The carriers aren’t the only ones working towards eradicating texting while driving, however, with in excess of 200 organizations and companies also slated to come on board.

The goal of the campaign is to bring awareness to the dangers of texting while driving, with it primarily targeting teenage drivers. For this reason, the project is set to run radio, TV, online, and in-store advertisements throughout the summer when teenagers are more likely to engage in the activity. The campaign will run through Labor Day.

As part of the campaign, teenagers and other commuters are being encouraged to make an anti-texting-while-driving pledge, doing so on the official It Can Wait website or via its Facebook account. The campaign is also ramping up on Twitter under the hashtag #itcanwait. Videos are already circulating for the campaign, with everyone being encouraged to share stories for the public on texting while driving.

In addition to the advertisements, It Can Wait’s website also features a texting-while-driving simulation game that demonstrates the difficulties and dangerous in sending a text message while operating a vehicle. While the co-branded aspect of the campaign will end on Labor Day, the project itself will continue beyond it.

SOURCE: PC World

“Sprint is in play” Ergen said of his company’s new deal, with the chairman apparently far more confident that Dish could pick up the carrier than it was about the proposed Clearwire deal earlier this year. Despite making an informal offer for Clearwire, Dish subsequently abandoned its bid after numerous legislation issues arose.

In contrast, Ergen points out, picking up Sprint would only involve paying off the $600m breakup fee that is part of the carrier’s existing sale agreement with Softbank. Dish would cover that fee, the chairman promises, in addition to paying $4.76 in cash and $2.24 in Dish stock for every Sprint share.

“Sprint shareholders will benefit from a higher price with more cash while also creating the opportunity to participate more meaningfully in a combined DISH/Sprint with a significantly-enhanced strategic position and substantial synergies that are not attainable through the pending SoftBank proposal” Charles Ergen, chairman, Dish Network

The payoff for Dish is clear, the company has said. With Sprint included, the TV provider could bundle voice and internet service, in addition to mobile entertainment access, to subscribers: Sprint’s cellular data could provide an alternative to traditional DSL/cable home broadband. For Sprint, Dish argues, the benefit would be not only in cash but Dish’s existing 45 MHz spectrum holding, its roster of satellite TV subscribers, and its network of customer services and technical staff already operating in the US. In all, Dish argues it could achieve savings of around $11bn if the deal goes through.

“The combined national footprints and scale will allow DISH/Sprint to bring improved broadband services to millions of homes with inferior or no access to competitive broadband services” Charles Ergen, Dish Network

Softbank announced its bid for Sprint late last year, offering $2.2bn for the carrier in what it said was an attempt to streamline the US operator’s LTE rollout, plus a shortcut to negotiating better deals for top-tier handsets. Dish came out as a vocal critic of the acquisition soon after.

The Sprint board will now have the option to consider Dish Network’s offer, though – even if accepted – Softbank will have the opportunity to increase its own bid. Dish has a new microsite detailing its proposal, with Ergen even going so far as to compare the suggested deal with Seinfeld. “In terms of our strategy,” the chairman writes, “I often think of the television show Seinfeld … you initially didn’t know exactly where things were going, but it seemed to all come together in the end.”

[via WSJ]

The Quantum name may not be final, but its specs are fixed in place and fall into the mid range, with a 5-inch 720p display and larger-than-normal 13-megapixel rear camera, as well as a slightly smaller than usual 0.9-megapixel front camera. This information is said to come from an anonymous source who provided benchmark screencaps in addition to the phone images and specs.

Speaking of the display, the source is quoted as saying that the display has bad viewing angles. Inside, users will find a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 processor and Adreno 225 graphics. There’s 1GB of RAM, and internal storage space is only 4GB, which is disappointing. Along the bottom edge of the screen are three capacitive buttons that will be familiar to anyone who has used a ZTE handset.

Connectivity includes Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n dual band, NFC, support for 4G LTE, but there’s no mention of Bluetooth. The handset’s screenshots show it running Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. Its one unique feature is a SIM slot, which isn’t common for Spring handsets, perhaps indicating that the smartphone is global. For now, however, ZTE has said nothing about the phone, so file this one away as a rumor until we find out more.

[via Android Police]

Two new news bits are appearing this week in regards to this situation, the first being Dish “holding off” on their legal filing against the Softbank/Sprint merger. Before this week it was apparent that Dish was having none of the deal between the two based largely on their desire to purchase a controlling stake in the mobile company known as Clearwire here in the USA. If the deal went through, Sprint would be able to purchase Clearwire for a pre-discussed price – if the deal did not go through, Sprint would be unable to purchase Clearwire and the price Dish offered up for the business would likely go through. They’ve decided to cut their ties with the whole situation, noting with the FCC that they simply will not be participating in the next round of filings in the regulatory review – that’s it!

That note was according to Reuters while the following bit comes from ZDNet where they’ve attained details surrounding a brand new filing as made public by the DOJ. When the Department of Justice steps in on your business deal, you’ve usually got problems. In this case, it appears that, according to Sprint speaking with ZDNet, “this is a routine request.”

It would appear also that Sprint maintains that they’ll be completing the deal with Softbank by mid-2013 while their purchase of Clearwire has had no updated statuses – so we must assume that they’re good to go as well. The Department of Justice’s letter made clear that the DOJ, the Department of Homeland Security, and the FBI are all “currently” reviewing the Softbank deal for possible issues in national security, law enforcement, and public safety – and they’re just not done yet.

So hang tight, folks, as this deal continues to see as much or more scrutiny than it needs before it gets done (or fizzles.) Have a peek a the timeline below to follow this epic journey back to its source as well!

A regulatory filing has been filed this week by Dish Network that they hope will ultimately leave Sprint on its own without the cash to purchase Clearwire, leaving them able to do so themselves. The following fact list should make this situation rather clear to you – or to the FCC – or both! Have a peek at how this is all about to go down – these are in chronological order, mind you:

1. Sprint owns 50% of Clearwire (and has since before these dealings started last year).

2. Softbank enters into agreement to purchase Sprint (a controlling interest, that is, 70% of the company) for $20.1bn USD. This deal remains under consideration by the FCC to this day.

3. Sprint offers Clearwire $2.90 USD a share for all remaining shares ($2.1bn USD contingent on Softbank deal going through)

4. Softbank limits Sprint’s bid on Clearwire to $2.97 a share ($2.2bn total) and Clearwire accepts. (December 14th, 2012) NOTE: Bloomberg reports here now on January 17th, 2013, that the following is true: “While it has made no decision to reconsider Sprint’s offer, Clearwire said it plans to talk to Dish, which is led by Chairman Charlie Ergen, and will keep its options open by not drawing on financing offered by Sprint.”

5. According to CNET, Dish Network makes an unsolicited bid of $3.30 USD a share for the stocks they’ve just agreed to sell to Sprint, (this being the same 50% of Clearwire not yet owned by Sprint), this totaling $5.15bn USD. Clearwire states that it is “severely limited by its current contractual obligations.” (January 8th, 2013)

6. Dish initiates regulatory filing with FCC that you can access at the FCC right now with a big fat “REQUEST TO HOLD PROCEEDING IN ABEYANCE” neat the head:

“DISH Network L.L.C. (“DISH”) requests that the above-captioned proceeding, for which petitions to deny are currently due January 28, 2013, be held in abeyance, and that the “shot clock” in this proceeding be paused, until the resolution of significant unresolved contingencies concerning Sprint Nextel Corporation’s (“Sprint”) offer to acquire all of Clearwire Corporation (“Clearwire”). In this proceeding, Sprint seeks not only the authority to be acquired by SoftBank Corporation (“SoftBank”); it also requests authority to acquire the stock of Clearwire that it does not already own, as well as de facto control over Clearwire.

But Sprint’s acquisition of control over Clearwire is subject to, among other things, a vote of the non-Sprint shareholders in the face of a higher value offer made by DISH and Clearwire’s response to DISH’s offer. These contingencies make SoftBank’s and Sprint’s applications unripe for consideration.” – Dish Network

They add the following – and a whole lot more that you can read on your own if you wish – including reference to “the Eagle River purchase.” Eagle River is the group from which whoever ends up purchasing the remaining shares of Clearwire will be buying them from, clean and simple. Also included is a reference to “Crest”, this being Crest Financial, a minority stakeholder in Clearwire and one of two groups seeking the FCC’s reconsideration in approving Sprint’s purchase of the remaining stocks in Clearwire (the other being Dish). This is Dish Network’s case:

“Moreover, whether the Eagle River purchase gave Sprint de facto control (as Crest alleges) or not (as Clearwire does), there is no doubt that it facilitates the acceptance of Sprint’s offer to buy the rest of Clearwire. First things first: the Commission should evaluate the propriety of the cursory treatment received by the Eagle River purchase before it takes up the larger SoftBank-Sprint transaction. ” – Dish Network

So it’s a good time had by all! It would seem that if Dish Network is successful detaching Softbank’s deal with Sprint to pick up Clearwire, the remaining stocks would probably be delivered to Dish with a bow. It all depends on the FCC though, of course, and we’ll be watching this deal closely as it continues to unfold through the Spring of 2013.

Bonus! AT&T carefully objected to the Softbank/Sprint acquisition two days after it was announced, well before the Clearwire dealings, too!

[via CNET]

“Clearwire’s spectrum, when combined with Sprint’s, will provide Sprint with an enhanced spectrum portfolio that will strengthen its position and increase competitiveness in the U.S. wireless industry” the carrier said in a statement on the deal today. “Sprint’s Network Vision architecture should allow for better strategic alignment and the full utilization and integration of Clearwire’s complementary 2.5 GHz spectrum assets, while achieving operational efficiencies and improved service for customers as the spectrum and network is migrated to LTE standards.”

Sprint will also provide Clearwire with up to $800m of financing, which will be handled in the form of exchangeable notes with staggered purchasing over the ten months from January 2013. That financing can be used by Clearwire for developing its network.

Although Clearwire is best known for its early entrance into the 4G market with a WiMAX network, the carrier had more recently been planning its transition to LTE. Back in April, it announced the first 31 LTE cities it planned to enable, having partnered with Qualcomm on 4G equipment required for the roll-out.

The deal is contingent on regulatory approval and other factors, not least that Sprint requires its own acquisition by SoftBank to be approved. If all goes to plan, the SoftBank/Sprint acquisition is expected to close in mid-2013.

In total, the deal would value Clearwire at approximately $4.2bn. Whispers of the agreement reappeared earlier this week, tipping a roughly $3-per-share offering.

Since carrier Softbank is already in the midst of a proposed $20.1bn grab at 70-percent of Sprint, Sprint has been forced to request permission from its potential Japanese owners. In fact, the Clearwire transaction is contingent on the Softbank acquisition going through, Sprint says.

If the Clearwire board agrees the deal, Sprint will provide up to $800m in interim funding for the purposes of mutually-decided network development, and be paid on a monthly basis. While it would be an expensive acquisition, taking full ownership of Clearwire would give Sprint a broad swathe of 4G spectrum to play with, which Softbank would presumably use to build out a more competitive LTE network.

[via Reuters]

Sources claiming to be familiar with the situation are now reporting that Sprint and Clearwire are in active negotiations. The sources, cited by CNBC, say that while a deal is not imminent the two companies are involved in active negotiations and could announce an agreement before the end of the year. The sources also point out that any deal between Sprint and Clearwire still faces difficulty in part because Sprint already has a pending deal to sell a majority stake in itself to Softbank.

Sprint has also reportedly been in conversations with a number of Clearwire shareholders including Bright House, Intel, and Comcast with offers to purchase their stock. Sprint is said to be offering roughly $3 per share. An exact price Sprint is considering for the 488 million publicly held shares in Clearwire is unknown.

Sprint has long coveted the wireless spectrum owned by Clearwire and wants to own it all. Sprint’s Softbank deal could see 70% ownership of the company transferring the Softbank by March or April 2012. CNBC says that it sources claim Sprint wants to be able to close the Clearwire deal at the same time it closes the sale for majority of its own company to Softbank.

[via CNBC]

We reported back in May that Verizon was looking at allowing consumers to text 911, something that pleased both the FCC and consumers. Now the big four, in partnership with the NENA 911 Association and the Association for Public Safety Communications Officials International, are seeking to make this a reality over the next year.

NENA’s President Barbara Jaeger offered this statement. “As the public becomes more mobile and embraces new methods for communicating, 9-1-1 has to be ready to answer non-voice requests for assistance. This historic agreement demonstrates the shared commitment of parties to serve the evolving needs of citizens in the digital age.”

The platform needed to enable text-to-911 will be launched in May 2014, with a bounce-back service for those who try to text emergency services in an unsupported area implemented by June 30th of the 2013. The service will allow the deaf and mute to get emergency help, as well as those in a situation where it is dangerous to speak. However, it is being stressed that placing a voice call is still the ideal way to get emergency help and should be used when possible.

In contrast, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint were all given “middling to low marks” in those categories, with voice and text service judged to be particularly disappointing.

However, while Verizon may have got to LTE first, it isn’t deemed the best 4G offering of all the networks. “[AT&T] users reported the fewest problems with that higher-speed service, which most new smart phones now use” Consumer Reports concludes.

It’s prepaid service which gets the biggest nod, however, with Consumer Reports recommending several no-frills and/or regional providers for the individual or family that wants the most for their dollar. US Cellular takes the top recommendation, with Credo Mobile in second place; if you’re not in the coverage of either, Verizon is in third place.

In fact, the organization found, the majority of those who jumped from contract to prepaid made a monthly saving. Two-thirds saved more than $20 per month, helping offset the higher upfront cost of the device.

Verizon has reported that 6-percent of its cell towers are down in the storm’s path, but that its data and switching centers are fine. Sprint and AT&T didn’t offer a statement on how they’ve been affected. Meanwhile, T-Mobile has reported that in New York, 20-percent of its cell network was down, as well as up to 10-percent in Washington. T-Mobile and AT&T announced earlier today that their respective customers in New York and New Jersey will have access to both companies’ networks to increase the odds of getting service in the areas.

Said FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, “The crisis is not over. Over all, the condition of our communications networks is improving, but serious outages remain, particularly in New York, New Jersey, and other hard-hit areas.” The FCC is continuing to expect the worse. Unfortunately, neither carriers nor the Federal Communications Commission have offered a statement on when customers can expect full service again.

Finally, the emergency calls centers that went down as a result of the storm have all been restored. According to the FCC’s Chief of Public Safety, all emergency calls will be received at 911 centers. Still, “a limited number” of emergency calls center still cannot see the caller’s location, and some calls are still being rerouted to other centers.

[via New York Times]

Despite the allegations of spying, Clearwire has announced that it will be using Huawei hardware in its high-speed LTE 4G wireless networks. Clearwire started out using WiMAX for its 4G network, but in new network rollouts, the company is moving to LTE technology. Clearwire plans to start rolling out its new 4G LTE networks in 2013.

Reuters reports that the US government has given the green light to Clearwire’s network rollout using the Huawei equipment. Currently, the biggest shareholder and customer for Clearwire is Sprint. Sprint does plan to use Clearwire’s LTE network that will operate on Huawei hardware.

Clearwire is already using Huawei network hardware for its existing WiMAX network. Clearwire has noted that it will require all hardware vendors and all software to pass extensive testing by third-party company that is approved by the US government to analyze critical infrastructure systems for weaknesses or potential spying software. The company will also be using network hardware from Samsung, Cisco, and Ciena Corp.

[via Reuters]

The statement is not an objection to what Softbank and Sprint are doing – and yet is really, really is. Have a peek at what AT&T says to the groups and the regulators that will be in charge of approving (or denying) the deal in the long run. Notice how simple – and yet powerful – each carefully constructed statement is.

“Softbank’s acquisition of Sprint and the control it gains over Clearwire will give one of Japan’s largest wireless companies control of significantly more U.S. wireless spectrum than any other company. We expect that fact and others will be fully explored in the regulatory review process. This is one more example of a very dynamic and competitive U.S. wireless marketplace, which is an important fact for U.S. regulators to recognize.” – AT&T vice president Brad Burns

The deal earlier this year which would have at AT&T purchasing T-Mobile and its spectrum from German company Deutsche Telekom was shut down due to a wide variety of reasons, not least of all because regulators saw the deal as a sort of monopoly – you can own too much, in other words. Here AT&T doesn’t want to let a deal go through that would sneak up and bite them from behind, especially since it mirrors their own situation so closely.

There will be a set of debates surrounding the regulation of this sale for certain, with both the USA and Japan needing to approve such a massive deal as the majority purchase of Sprint by Softbank here in 2012. Likely we will not see a conclusion to this situation before the end of the year – or if we do, it’ll be an end indeed, rather than a go-ahead.

A new company, New Sprint – fully owned by a Softbank holding company, unimaginatively named HoldCo – will be created to actually purchase the carrier. Post-transaction, Softbank’s HoldCo will own approximately 79-percent of Sprint, and the formerly publicly-traded Sprint will own around 30-percent of New Sprint.

Sprint’s headquarters will remain in Overland Park, Kansas, and three members of the current board will be carried over to a new, 10-member board of directors. If the deal fails because Softbank’s financing doesn’t come through, it must pay Sprint $600m; the same sum must be paid if Sprint goes on to accept a better offer from another company. If Sprint’s shareholders don’t agree on the deal, meanwhile, the carrier must pay “up to $75m” in contribution to Softbank’s expenses.

“This is a transformative transaction for Sprint that creates immediate value for our stockholders, while providing an opportunity to participate in the future growth of a stronger, better capitalized Sprint going forward. Our management team is excited to work with SOFTBANK to learn from their successful deployment of LTE in Japan as we build out our advanced LTE network, improve the customer experience and continue the turnaround of our operations” Dan Hesse, CEO, Sprint

Post-transaction, Softbank will have “one of the largest mobile internet companies in the world” and have “one of the largest” combined subscriber bases between the US and Japan. Combined service revenue will be third highest in the world. Softbank says it will “leverage its deep expertise in smartphones and next-generation mobile networks, and its track record of success in competing in mature markets with large incumbents, to enhance Sprint’s competitiveness in the US.”

More details here [pdf link].

Dell is getting in early on the Windows 8 action, opening up pre-orders for a handful of new machines today, and we learned that a staggering 6 billion people around the world are now using a mobile phone of some type. A leaked T-Mobile release roadmap gives us an idea of when the carrier expects to receive a bunch of different devices, including the Windows Phone 8X. We received a rather in-depth look at an LG Nexus prototype today, and LG delivered a brand new Optimus G “product movie” that aims to get us familiar with the new handset’s features. Netflix released a Windows 8-compatible version of its app today, just ahead of the launch of the OS.

Google could be headed for an antitrust case from the FTC, and it seems that the Apple Maps controversy hasn’t done much to damage consumer enthusiasm for the iPhone 5. Speaking of the iPhone 5, Apple’s latest mobile offering has managed to overtake the Samsung Galaxy S III in web traffic despite being available for a much shorter amount of time, and Google is getting the Play Store ready for the holiday rush. SoftBank is looking to secure $23 billion to buy a majority stake in Sprint, and industry insiders are claiming that the long-rumored iPad Mini will be revealed on October 23 – just a couple weeks from now.

Star Citizen has already managed to raise an absurd $500,000 in funding, while Borderlands 2 was seen outshining its predecessor in a pretty significant way. We learned that the games industry is still on the decline, and ASUS unveiled a brand new Windows 8 VivoBook today. Amazon is now posting a disclaimer about the Kindle Paperwhite’s backlighting, YouTube is rethinking the way it ranks videos for search results, and Anonymous has cut ties with Wikileaks after the website started restricting access and asking visitors for donations.

Finally tonight, we have an unboxing and hands-on with the Huawei MediaPad 10 FHD for you to check out, and Chris Burns tells us why every little piece of Apple news seems to matter so much these days. That does it for tonight’s Evening Wrap-Up, here’s hoping that this weekend is a good one!

Sakuma of course refers to Sprint’s recent not-so-fabulous showing in the market as US-based Verizon and AT&T continue to grow by leaps and bounds. Meanwhile 4th runner-up T-Mobile continues talks to acquire Metro PCS, they together running up ever closer to Sprint’s third-place standing in the states. Sakuma added that, “the strong yen is probably one of the reasons for SoftBank to acquire overseas assets, but I don’t think this deal will be good for SoftBank.”

With a massive $23 billion in loans to finance this purchase, SoftBank has been warned that they’ll have “unacceptably high” levels of debt – so says a brokerage speaking with Rueters on the matter. This adds to the madness that is Sprint’s market value jumping by $2 billion at news this week of SoftBank’s acquisition talks, this bringing the US-based company up to $17 billion in value altogether.

Sprint also currently has a net debt of around $15 billion while SoftBank’s current net debt sits at $10 billion. Banking business group Societe Generale sent a note out this week on the deal saying that “This deal simply appears to be driven by Masayoshi Son’s belief that Sprint Nextel is too cheap, and little more.” Masayoshi is the current CEO and founder of SoftBank.

This sort of deal is just as, if not more, important than the deal that nearly went down earlier this year here in the USA with AT&T attempting to swallow up T-Mobile. Though that deal did not go through in the end, T-Mobile continued to seek options and is now in talks to join forces with another USA-based group Mobile PCS. With Japan-based SoftBank looking into picking up the entirety of Sprint, there’s no knowing what will become of the third-largest mobile carrier in the USA.

“Sprint Confirms Discussions with Softbank on a Possible Transaction

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), October 11, 2012 – Sprint (NYSE: S) today confirmed that it is currently engaged in discussions with Softbank regarding a potential substantial investment by Softbank in Sprint. Although there can be no assurances that these discussions will result in any transaction or on what terms any transaction may occur, such a transaction could involve a change of control of Sprint. Sprint does not intend to comment further unless and until an agreement is reached.” – Sprint

This news also suggests that SoftBank is looking into Sprint so that it might be able to pick up devices from across the world for less than they’re able this moment. This would seem odd, however, as Japan has never been really hurting for smartphones that bring on abnormally high-spec’d amalgamations of technology. With Sprint on their side, they may be looking to get in on the Apple and Samsung game with more solid stakes.

You’ll want to keep your eye on this deal, ladies and gentlemen, as it could mean big things for Sprint here in the USA. Stick to our mobile tag hub to keep up to date with this and other acquisition news as it comes down from around the world.

According to Reuters, local Japanese media have described the rumored acquisition as a way for SoftBank to strengthen its position in terms of devices. Having the Sprint connection would make it cheaper for SoftBank to buy up new phones and other mobile gadgets, it’s suggested.

The Japanese market has never exactly looked poorly catered for in comparison to devices in other regions, however. One recent device included a 13.1-megapixel camera and integrated radiation-scanning functionality, for instance.

Sprint has made potential-acquisition waves in recent weeks over suggestions that it was weighing a counter-offer for MetroPCS in the US, after Germany’s Deutsche Telekom revealed plans to merge the CDMA network with its own T-Mobile USA.

The CDMA carrier’s board is meeting within the next two days to decide whether to chase a deal of its own, though there’s no guarantee that one will be submitted. A company spokesperson declined to comment – as did those from MetroPCS and Deutsche Telecom – though another source claims the German firm is already prepared to fire back with a new offer, and “would consider  better terms if necessary,” should Sprint weigh in.

It’s not apparently the first time Sprint has considered snatching up MatroPCS. Rumors earlier in the year suggested the acquisition had been considered, but was shelved after the board decided the price was too rich for its liking.

However, an upward change in share price has left the carrier looking more solid, and – along with the threat of T-Mobile USA swelling into a more significant challenger – a deal may now be something Sprint can’t afford to opt out of. Together, T-Mobile USA and Metro PCS would have 42.5m subscribers and sales of around $24.8bn.

A deal between the two CDMA carriers, though, might make more sense than with GSM-based T-Mobile USA. There would be significant network infrastructure to be done in order to combine the MetroPCS and T-Mobile USA’s service, though the upside is the promise of an LTE network with claimed data speeds of double what Verizon is currently offering.

Seamless transition between 3G CDMA, WiMAX and LTE is promised, and there’s integrated GPS for adding location data to LBS and apps. A 1.7-inch 160 x 128 LCD on the top panel shows battery life, details on how many devices are connected at any one time, and the status of the data link.

Sierra Wireless reckons the 4G LTE Tri-Fi is good for up to 150 feet WiFi range outdoors, or up to 115 feet indoors, and the hotspot will roll back to EVDO Rev.0 and 1xRTT data connections when you’re at the fringes of coverage. The whole thing measures in at 3.84 x 2.25 x 0.95 inches and weighs 4.87oz with the standard 3,600 mAh battery.

Charging is via microUSB, and the hotspot will also operate as a tethered modem if you plug it in direct to your computer. The Tri-Fi hotspot will go on sale May 18, priced at $99.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate and with a two-year service agreement. Plans, meanwhile, will kick off at $34.99 for 3GB of combined 3G/4G data, rising to $49.99 for 6GB of combined 3G/4G data or $79.99 for 12GB of 3G/4G data.

Register a Google Wallet account within a week of activation and Google Wallet will be instantly credited with $10. Three weeks later, a further $40 will drop into the account. Otherwise it’s the same Galaxy Nexus that we know and love.

That means the same 4.65-inch – and slightly curved – 1280 x 720 Super AMOLED HD touchscreen, the same 5-megapixel camera with 1080p Full HD video recording, and the same WiFi b/g/n and Android 4.0 ICS OS. The CDMA/LTE model is slightly thicker than the HSPA+ version on sale in Europe, but the benefit is a slightly bigger battery too.

Although we’re seeing more Android devices launch running ICS from the off, they’re still the minority, so we’re glad to see more carriers step up. For more on the smartphone, check out our full review of the Verizon LTE version of the Galaxy Nexus.

Then again, there are some level-headed analyses of what these job listings could mean as well. For example, it’s no secret that Apple probably has a very tight relationship with AT&T, and now Verizon and Sprint as well, and in all likelihood they work very closely together when developing new products or services. So having people on the Apple team who are well versed in the systems and services that mobile carriers use is certainly an asset.

On the periphery of all of this is that Apple wants to strengthen its position in the world of voice-over IP. So while it’s probably unlikely that Apple has any designs to overthrow AT&T, it’s very possible that the company wants to give Skype a run for its money. Services like FaceTime already compete for the connected consumer who wants to chat with someone without using traditional phone services, and if Apple can expand that into something more universal, it might have a shot.

[via GigaOM]

That infrastructure, it should be noted, is almost completely undeveloped, but Sprint is making progress in rolling out the new standard in high-speed mobile data throughout its nationwide spectrum. For Sprint, it’s a tough move because it was only a couple years ago that the company fully deployed its previous 4G network, based on Wimax connecivity, which is now seen as obsolete.

Nevertheless, Sprint has given in to the rest of the industry and is now building an LTE network from the ground up. Along with soon-to-be blazing fast connectivity, the Sprint version of the Galaxy Nexus will also bring Google Wallet to the tablet, something the current version of the device does not because Verizon has a conflict of interest in another mobile payment provider, Isis. But Sprint will be able to offer the complete Google Wallet package, available out of the box when the Galaxy Nexus launches on its network.

[via GigaOM]

The break-up is “in the best business interests of both companies” LightSquared says, claiming that the move “will enhance our working capital and provide more flexibility.” The cash is likely to hold the biggest appeal; analysts predicted earlier this year that the company only had sufficient funds for a few months of operations, and has already slashed its workforce to cut costs.

The CDMA carrier “appreciates [LightSquared's] efforts to find a resolution to the interference issues impacting its ability to offer service on the 1.6 GHz spectrum.” it said in a statement, “however, due to these unresolved issues, and subject to the provisions of the agreement … has elected to exercise its right to terminate the agreement announced last summer.”

Nonetheless, the door is left open should LightSquared’s rumored defense against the FCC’s decision prove successful. “We remain open to considering future spectrum hosting agreements with LightSquared,” the carrier says, “should they resolve these interference issues, as well as other interested spectrum holders.”

LightSquared recently retained a high-profile legal team to take on the FCC, expected to allege that the agency’s external testing was flawed and that regulatory precedences have not been observed.

The contract had been for a 15-year deal between the two companies, with LightSquared intending to use a US-wide LTE network to deliver mobile broadband. However, the FCC decided that the satellite technology LightSquared planned to implement would interfere with spectrum already used by GPS, and – deeming the stability of the global positioning system to be far more important – canceled the incipient carrier’s approval.

LightSquared has recently hired a high-profile legal team to take on the FCC, and according to sources will file a defense against the agency’s decision today. That argument – believed to run in the order of 150 pages – will supposedly question the validity of the spectrum testing, as well as chase a new angle on regulatory precedences.

Nonetheless, it’s unclear how long LightSquared can continue operations without a 4G network to sell, and the carrier has already been forced to slash its workforce. Analysts predicted earlier this year that the company had sufficient funding for a few more months, though LightSquared itself claims it could operate for “several quarters” more.

Sprint has the ambition and the desire to be at or near the top of the mobile market in the US, but try as it might it just can’t get there. AT&T and Verizon are behemoth competitors, leaving Sprint in a comfortable position but not one of overarching power. The company has reportedly been trying to ink an acquisition deal since last year.

MetroPCS has nearly 10 million customers and a lot of mobile spectrum, both of which are very attractive. MetroPCS has increased in popularity, especially among consumers who want a smartphone but don’t have a lot of money or are unable to get a contract with one of the major carriers. The buyout discussion was never publicly announced, but numerous media outlets reported on it. It would not have come under anywhere near the level of regulatory scrutiny that the AT&T-T-Mobile deal did, though perhaps that episode has left a bad taste in the mouth of the entire industry for the time being.

[via Business Week]

The survey found that 69% of AT&T customers surveyed were “Very Satisfied” with their customer service experience. This is an improvement from the 65% ratio the year before. AT&T also dethroned the Now Network, which dropped 12 points to 59%. Tying with AT&T a year ago at 65%, T-Mobile has dropped 17 points to a miserable 48%, while Verizon remains unchanged at 60%.

Apparently, AT&T was able to improve customer service without its proposed T-Mobile acquisition, despite its arguments otherwise. However, T-Mobile’s customer service ratings appear to have collapsed along with the failed merger. Perhaps after some regrouping, T-Mobile will be able to recover this year. It was recently revealed that T-Mobile is offering additional support for unlocked iPhone customers on its network.

“HTC can confirm that we’re working with Sprint to provide maintenance releases that will remove Carrier IQ and provide security enhancements and bug fixes beginning in January” the company said in a statement to The Verge today. No specific devices were cited, but the EVO 3D is believed to be one of the handsets affected by Carrier IQ tech.

Although initial outrage centered on the idea that Carrier IQ was sending private message details and other personally-identifiable information back to network operators, it eventually became clear that the truth was somewhat more complicated. Carrier IQ actually offers various tiers of monitoring, tracking not user-activity but how the handset works with the network.

Unfortunately by that point the system had been highlighted by at least one angry US senator, and a class-action lawsuit put together targeting Apple, Samsung and HTC.

The Galaxy Nexus will offer a pure Google experience, boasting the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. Details on the specs haven’t been released, but it should be fairly similar to the Galaxy Nexus on Verizon.

The LG Viper is being touted as an eco-friendly device with a case made entirely from recycled plastic and a charger that’s more energy efficient. It features a 4-inch WVGA NOVA display, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 5-megapixel rear-facing camera, VGA front-facing camera, NFC, and runs Android 2.3.

The two smartphones and the one mobile hotspot are among 15 new 4G LTE devices planned for launch on the Now Network this year, which will include more handsets as well as tablets and data cards. The 4G LTE smartphones can take advantage of the carrier’s Everything plans, including Everything Data Plan with Any Mobile, Anytime that offers unlimited data, texting, and calling to and from any mobile device in the US.

One of the big issues for LightSquared is that without FCC approval, its critical 15-year plan with Sprint for sharing 4G spectrum and equipment is void. Sprint has offered LightSquared a bone with an extension to the deadline for approvals. Sprint has granted LightSquared another 30 days to land the FCC nod.

The original deadline was December 31. The deal with Sprint is critical to LightSquared since it will save LightSquared $13 billion through the end of the decade. LightSquared has a bunch of deals in place already to sell service to retailers like Best buy and Leap Wireless. Not getting approvals for its tech would kill the company before it starts.

[via WSJ]

However, while AT&T’s GSM network has long been lambasted for its shonky iPhone performance, a common source of complaints across the lifespan of the first four Apple handsets, Metrico found that the carrier had much improved. Voice quality, with a 2.8-percent call failure rate, was only slightly behind that seen on Verizon’s version, at 2.1-percent (Sprint lagged in third place, with 3.7-percent) they report, while AT&T’s lead in data speeds was considerably more impressive.

The average AT&T page load on the iPhone 4S took 1.29s, less than half the 2.60s Verizon page load. Sprint fell behind considerably, at 6.44s. Metrico’s testing used 21,000 page downloads both in lab situations and in five unnamed test cities, along with in excess of 8,000 upload/download tests. The voice call testing used 6,000 recorded samples.

Cuttingly, Metrico described Verizon’s iPhone 4S as “well below average” in its call failure performance when compared to Android and other handsets on the same network, suggesting there’s a potential compromise involved if you sate your iOS desires with a CDMA device.

[via ComputerWorld]

However the carrier has now put a stop to that, with a leaked internal memo to staff suggesting that “all iPhone 4S devices will have the SIM locked” and that the “locking occurs during the activation process and is invisible to the customer.” Those wanting to use their handset abroad, on GSM networks, will be directed “to Sprint Worldwide for authentication” though it’s unclear if there will be a fee levied or other hoops to jump through.

Instead, Sprint would prefer subscribers take advantage of their own roaming plans “on a pay-as-you-go basis” for voice and data access. “This SIM lock update will not impact any current iPhone 4S customers (activated prior to 11/11/11)” the memo concludes, so if you got in early then it seems that you’re safe.

Although Apple began sales of an unlocked iPhone 4S today, the handset can only be used on GSM networks not CDMA ones. Still, it’s generally a far cheaper way to use your phone abroad, putting in a local network SIM rather than relying on roaming fees. The flip-side, of course, is the higher initial purchase price to escape the two-year agreement: Apple’s unlocked iPhone 4S starts at $649 for the 16GB model.

[via Mac Rumors]

Apparently, the massive investment that Sprint made in the iPhone has left it in a bad spot financially. Reuters reports that Sprint has said it needs $7 billion in new financing over the next “few years” to shore up operations after the heavy iPhone 4S investment and for network upgrade plans. That big network upgrade would be the updating of its 4G networks to LTE rather than WiMax.

Reuters also reports that Sprint has promised to pay Apple $15.5 billion over the next four years for the iPhone. I have to wonder if the carrier might go broke while selling the iPhone and gaining customers. It doesn’t plan for the money made from the iPhone to exceed its costs of getting the device until 2015. As of now the Sprint market cap is $7 billion.

[via Reuters]

AT&T has been touting that its iPhone 4S will be the fastest because the device supports the carrier’s HSPA+ enhanced 3G network, whereas on Verizon or Sprint, you’d be getting just standard 3G speeds. But in the below video, you’ll see that Verizon and AT&T are neck to neck with Sprint generally behind.

However, the SpeedTest.net comparison shows AT&T way ahead with a download speed of 0.65Mbps, Verizon with 0.26Mbps, and Sprint with 0.16Mbps. The tester claims that the results were similar no matter how he arranged the positions of the devices.

Although the comparison isn’t exactly scientific, it does give you an idea of what you might expect. But speeds will also depend on which part of the country you’re located along with other factors. Sprint looks clearly to be the slowest, but they are hoping to offset that with unlimited data plans. And if you’re still debating on whether to upgrade, then make sure to check out our full iPhone 4S review and our iOS 5 review.

[via iDownloadBlog]

The websites of AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint are now all posting a wait time for new iPhone 4S stock with AT&T saying it’s out 3 to 4 weeks while Verizon estimates new stock arrival by month-end. On Sprint, the larger capacity models are still available, but the 16GB entry-level model is sold out. If you were hoping to get an early iPhone 4S, you can still try your chances at other retailers, such as Target, which is said to still be taking pre-orders.

Apple is said to be upping its iPhone 4S order with supplier Pegatron from 10 million units to 15 million and it could sell more than 25 million this quarter. Pre-orders began on October 7 and the device will officially hit stores starting tomorrow. With online pre-orders being sold out, lines may get quite long with Apple fans hoping to pick up the device tomorrow in-store instead.

If you’re still deciding whether to go for the iPhone 4S, make sure to check out our full review on the next-gen Apple smartphone as well as our review of iOS 5.

[via VentureBeat]

To be doubly clear here, what owning a World Phone means in this case is that you’re supposed to be able to trade out the SIM card in your device to work with whatever carrier you like when you’re traveling abroad, for the iPhone 4S this means that, as Apple says, “whether you’re a GSM or CDMA customer, you can roam GSM networks in 200 countries around the world.” Sounds pretty convenient, yes? It certainly is if you’ve picked up the Verizon Wireless version of the iPhone 4S, at least. We’ve got confirmation of what the rules are exactly from Verizon Public Relations Spokesperson Brenda Raney, who notes:

“It is our standard unlock policy for all Global Phones. You have to have been a customer for 60 days and in good standing (meaning your bill is current) and the phone you want to unlock must be on our network at the time of the request. You call Verizon Wireless before you leave the country and we unlock the SIM. We will honor one unlock every 10 months.” — Brenda Raney, Verizon Wireless Public Relations

Sound easy enough to you?

Then there’s Sprint, jumping in on the iPhone market here for the first time, perhaps taking too big a risk in doing so, having the iPhone 4S not available for international unlocking at all. Ask your local Sprint representative and they’ll tell you the same: roaming internationally on Sprint will only be available with a specific plan chosen from Sprint’s own collection, and no unlocking will be offered at any time in the foreseeable future.

Meanwhile Apple will be releasing unlocked versions of the iPhone 4S ranging in price from $649.00 to $849.00 depending on the GB storage you’d like inside. These devices only have access to GSM networks, on the other hand, so they will not work with CDMA carriers like Sprint or Verizon Wireless inside the states.

Does any of this sway your decision on if or from whom you’ll buy?

Also don’t forget to check out our gigantic reviews of both the iPhone 4S and iOS 5, and don’t you dare feed the trolls!

However, there’ll also be multi-mode CDMA/WiMAX/LTE mobile hotspots on offer, giving mobile data users an option to get online with WiMAX initially and then transition to LTE later, rather than see their modem instantly outdated after Sprint’s agreement with Clearwire expires at the end of next year. Manufacturers HTC and Motorola have already confirmed that they will be providing phones for the new LTE network, though given they’re two of the bigger names that we already associate with LTE devices that comes as little surprise.

Meanwhile Sprint’s Android phones will come with the option to download a new push-to-talk (PTT) app. The carrier hopes to shift people away from iDEN so that it can use the frequency band for further LTE deployment, as well as looking to a deal with LightSquared for coverage in 2015.

The news will come as some frustration to long-time LTE deployment watchers, with the introduction of yet another band used for the 4G technology. Currently AT&T, Verizon, MetroPCS and LightSquared all use different frequencies for their LTE networks, and Sprint will introduce a fifth. In addition to 1900MHz, Sprint will use 800MHz by shifting iDEN users off the frequency by mid-2013 and, eventually, 1600MHz in partnership with LightSquared come 2015.

Meanwhile, Sprint plans to launch a “WiFi offloading technology” sometime this quarter, though details of the system are yet to be revealed. However, it’s presumably a way to shift data use off the mobile network and onto WiFi, likely a preventative measure ahead of the arrival of the iPhone 4S

The news confirms reports late last month regarding Sprint’s LTE ambitions, though it’s unclear whether the carrier does, as those leaks suggested, already have test networks installed and operational. It will need to settle the thorny matter of FCC approval before it can use LightSquared’s system, however.

The prices Sprint has quoted, when you include the $10 per month surcharge for smartphones that the carrier adds on to every smartphone after the initial price, will make the lowest tier start at $79.99. There’s also an unlimited voice and data plan that’ll run at $99.99 a month (or $109.99 with the $10 surcharge, of course.) These prices and the “unlimited” nature of the plans are some of the factors that Sprint is hoping will allow them to stand apart from the new set of iPhone carriers, themselves, Verizon, and AT&T.

Verizon and AT&T will not, as far as we know at this point, be offering any sort of unlimited data plan for the iPhone. All three carriers will offer the iPhone 4S, while Sprint and Verizon will have the iPhone 4 exclusively and AT&T will be the only carrier to continue working with the iPhone 3GS – the only iPhone that a user can get completely for free with a 2 year contract.

Its still unknown if Sprint will launch pre-orders for any model at the same time as the other two carriers and the Apple store. For more information on pricing for all of the iPhone models currently on the docket, head to our posts on-contract and off-contract.

[via Phonescoop]

When Apple unveiled the iPhone 4S yesterday, it was disappointingly without LTE or WiMAX support. Instead, Apple increased the device data speed to support the “faux-G” 14.4Mbps data speeds of AT&T’s HSDPA network, which currently offers other “faux-G” devices such as the HTC Inspire 4G and the LG Thrill 4G. Although not LTE or WiMAX speeds, this is still an improvement over the 7.2Mbps downlink data speed of the 3G iPhone 4.

Hence, when it comes to the iPhone 4S on the other two carriers, the device will be limited to only their 3G networks, which may hit at most 2.5Mbps downlink data speeds. However, they each have their own advantages as well, with big red being touted as the nation’s most reliable network for voice calls and big yellow offering unlimited data plans for the iPhone 4S.

Your choice then boils down to your preference for data speed, voice call reliability, or unlimited data. For more details on the iPhone 4S itself, make sure to check out our hands-on. The device will be available on October 14, with pre-orders starting October 7.

[via VentureBeat]