Posts Tagged ‘Verizon’

T-Mobile Launches Caller ID Feature Today

Wednesday, July 13th, 2011

Let’s be real. Home phones are falling to the way side. Many people don’t even have one anymore, opting to use their cell phone as their main line. But, what’s the one thing to miss about land lines? Caller ID.

Well, T-Mobile has taken an edge advantage over its competitors and added the first Caller ID for mobile phones. The new feature launches today and is powered by Cequint.

Let me ask you this: when you get a call from a number that is not programmed as a contact in your phone, do you wish you knew who it was before you answered? Maybe you don’t even answer the call because the caller is not identified. T-Mobile plans to change that scenario.

Now, to be clear, we’re not talking about recognizing contacts who’s phone numbers are manually programmed into your mobile phone (everyone has that feature). We’re talking about a program that identifies the name and location of an incoming call that is unbeknownst to you. What’s even cooler is if you chose, you can simply click a button and that contact information will be stored in your phone.

At first glance, the mobile phone Caller ID seems great, but after taking a closer look, there seems to be a few kinks in the system. First of all, the program can only give the name of incoming calls from landlines. Incoming calls from mobile phones will provide only the city and state, not the caller’s name. Second of all, T-Mobile will be charging extra for the service ($3.99/month). And thirdly, since Verizon Wireless withholds the names of their customers, the Caller ID will not display those names when calling a T-Mobile device.

This raises the question of whether it is even worth paying for the Caller ID, when you can look up the name corresponding to a land line online. If the service doesn’t provide Caller ID for mobile phones, which are more difficult to identify yourself, is it worth it?

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Verizon Ends Unlimited Data Plan but the Glass is Still Half Full

Wednesday, July 6th, 2011

Even though you can eat all you want at an all-you-can-eat buffet, you can’t stay in the restaurant forever. Verizon echoes this sentiment by ending its unlimited data plan starting July 7, 2011.

Under the new tiered data plan, users pay according to the amount of data they use:

  • $30 per month for 2 gigabytes
  • $50 per month for 5 gigabytes
  • $80 per month for 10 gigabytes
  • And $10 for every gigabyte you use over your allotted data

Don’t panic too much though. About 95% of Verizon’s smart phone subscribers use less than 2 gigabytes of data each month, says spokeswoman Brenda Raney.

Also, customers who are currently using an unlimited plan will still be able to upgrade to another 3G or 4G LTE smart phone and keep their unlimited plan.

They seem to be following suit with AT&T and T-Mobile who scrapped their unlimited plans awhile ago when smart phones became prevalent. While this will be a thorn in the side of customers everywhere, Sprint is still a small beacon of hope because they are the last of the major carriers who are still offering the unlimited data plan.

***If you are still in distress, you might want to check out an awesome iPhone app called Onavo which compresses your data thereby decreasing your data usage and saving you money! It also gives you detailed monthly reports on how much data you are using. You’re welcome =) ***

So what are your thoughts?

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By Your Powers Combined – AT&T and T-Mobile Together in the Senate

Thursday, May 12th, 2011

In a Senate committee meeting on Wednesday, AT&T stood behind its decision to purchase T-Mobile, saying that the two companies united have a greater capacity for success in the wireless provider industry without “derailing” the competition. AT&T chairman and CEO Randall Stephenson claimed that with the acquisition of T-Mobile USA, AT&T would be able to provide high-speed wireless services to 97 percent of the US population as well as [the widely advertised term] fewer dropped calls.

The deal was first made public in March when AT&T revealed its plans to purchase T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom for $39 billion. If the deal is finalized, AT&T would become the leading wireless provider in the US, surpassing big-hitter Verizon Wireless, with more than 102 million subscribers.

Following the announcement, The Federal Communications Commission and the Justice Department began looking into the union to decide whether or not the companies are abiding by requirements stated in the Communications Act and FCC rules, as well as whether or not the acquisition is in the best interest of the public. Perhaps AT&T and T-Mobile combined are too large. 

Wisconsin Democrat Herb Kohl expressed his concern that a “duopoly” would occur if AT&T purchases T-Mobile. “Should this deal be approved, AT&T and Verizon will control close to 80 percent of the national cell phone market,” said Kohl. Should that be the case, the market power would completely shift, thus spoiling healthy competition in the wireless spectrum.

AT&T defended the deal, arguing that it will help with the growing demand for wireless services. Stephenson also assured the committee that purchasing T-Mobile will allow for less wireless congestion in over-crowded markets, thus benefiting consumers.

The jury is still out on whether the deal will be approved or denied and it sounds like it may take over a year to come to a conclusion.

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Verizon’s iPhone Released: What You Should Know

Thursday, February 10th, 2011

The moment that many have been waiting over 3 years for has finally arrived.

This morning, tales of early morning lines building outside of Apple and Verizon stores across the country are being shared as people race to get their hands on Verizon’s iPhone device.

Yes, this is the same iPhone 4 that was released last summer on AT&T. But both dissatisfied AT&T customers and loyal Verizon patrons who always wanted to be with the “in crowd” couldn’t wait any longer.

Besides a minor difference with the antenna, the phone – by and large – is exactly the same.

But if you are on the fence about changing to Verizon’s offering, there are some factors that may sway your opinion.

- PROS:

Less dropped calls – Sure we may be beating a dead horse here, but those who were able to grab Verizon’s device have noted that AT&T’s penchant for dropping calls isn’t just lip service. For the time being, the popular opinion is that Verizon’s network just handles calls better. Simple as that.

Personal hot spot – Verizon’s device can act as a hot spot for up to 5 devices. You can use it via Wi-Fi, or tether it using a USB port or Bluetooth. The hot spot feature runs $20 a month.

Unlimited data plan – For $30, Verizon offers unlimited data usage while AT&T offers up to 2GB for $25. Verizon’s generous offer may only be a short-term deal however, as Verizon hinted that it may push to put a cap on excessive data users.

- CONS:

Slower data network – While Verizon gets the people’s vote for better call service, it was also reported in numerous reviews that AT&T’s iPhone is flat out faster. Which is more important to you?

Verizon’s CDMA technology – AT&T’s GSM technology allows it to do things which Verizon’s cannot. Looking to talk while surfing the web? No can do.  CDMA also breaks down text messages after 160 characters and only works in 40 countries compared to GSM’s 220.

The iPhone 5 – Apple has said nothing about releasing the fifth installment of the iPhone series. Still, each summer since 2007, a new device has been churned out like clockwork. The iPhone 4 does not include a dual core processor, LTE availability or NFC technology – all things which are rumored to be included in upcoming smartphones later this year. The iPhone 5 would be an ideal candidate to include those features as well.

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iPhone Nets Verizon Record Launch Day Sales

Friday, February 4th, 2011

To the shock of absolutely nobody, Verizon enjoyed “the most successful first day sales in the history of the company” Thursday morning with its pre-orders for the iPhone.

Those who missed out will now have to wait until next Thursday to get it. That’s when the device hits stores.

Between the hours of 3 and 5 a.m. Thursday, Verizon broke its sales record for a first-day launch and sold out sometime between 7:30 and 8:10 a.m. The exact number of pre-orders has not been released however, which makes some question whether Verizon is holding back its supply to generate more buzz (like it needs it or anything).

The giant wave of orders had to be expected, I’d imagine. For years now, those who swear by Apple and those who swear about AT&T were one in the same – stuck in a mobile Catch 22, if you will – but Verizon’s January announcement ensured that will no longer be the case.

Since then, comparisons have been made with the intent of deciding once and for all which is the better carrier for the coveted smartphone. The verdict for now seems to be slightly in favor of Verizon, but we’ll have a better outlook once the masses get their hands on it.

And it seems a good amount of Verizon’s masses will be. Apple Insider reported that 54% of Verizon’s Android and Blackberry users plan to make the switch to the almighty iPhone. Yikes.

Again, the madness doesn’t stop here. February 10 at 7 a.m. will be the proverbial ‘dinner bell’ for anxious iPhone junkies who will no doubt stampede their way into Apple and Verizon locations across the nation.

Also, good news for those vampires who shunned sleep to make those early morning orders – some are expected to get their iPhones a full three days before they hit the streets.

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Verizon Sues FCC: Net Neutrality Battle Heats Up

Friday, January 21st, 2011

It was just a month ago that the FCC took aim at internet service providers by adopting rules to regulate internet access.

Today the first counter-punch was thrown as Verizon Communications filed a federal lawsuit to challenge the order.

In a press release sent out addressing the matter, the company said it was “concerned by the FCC’s assertion of broad authority for sweeping new regulation of broadband networks and the Internet itself.”

This comes after a December decision by the FCC to put a set of rules in place in an attempt to regulate ISP’s ability to control traffic on both broadband and wireless networks.

On the surface, it sounds like the FCC’s heart is in the right place. Its mission allegedly is to stop any unreasonable favoritism or discrimination against web sites or applications that come across a network. It’s been a topic of concern for years now.

But as with all things government-related, the concern is about how much power the government should have in addressing matters on a public platform such as the internet.

Verizon’s quick counter is highly strategic. The case is filed in U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia which ruled in a similar case that the FCC exceeded its authority in attempts to sanction Comcast for blocking web traffic and has hired the same successful attorney from the case to represent them.

Word has gotten out that Verizon is also attempting to pick the judges as well, but they might be getting a bit carried away there.

No matter which way the ruling turns out, this battle is far from being over. Plan on many more of these types of suits and counter-suits on the matter throughout the rest of the year.

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It’s Official: Verizon to Carry iPhone in February

Tuesday, January 11th, 2011

Since 2008, the rumors persisted.

Will Verizon land the iPhone?

For those patient Verizon-loyalists and Apple lovers, you can rest easy. Today the mobile giant held a press conference in New York to officially announce it would begin carrying the wildly-popular device beginning “early next month”.

Some of the details of the announcement include:

  • iPhone will be available for pre-order on Feb. 3 and in-store on Feb. 10
  • 16 GB device will be $199.99, while the 32 GB device will cost $299.99 (both w/ 2 yr. contract)
  • It will run on Verizon’s 3G network
  • Wifi hotspot feature enables you to connect up to five separate devices

For years the iPhone was exclusive to AT&T, forcing consumers into limited options. Those happy with their Verizon service would have to change carriers to get the iPhone. Those unhappy with their AT&T coverage couldn’t jump ship if they wanted to keep the iPhone.

Now, the options are plentiful and it wouldn’t be a big shock to see a host of customers sever ties with AT&T ASAP.

Also interesting to observe is what will happen in the great smartphone race. While Blackberry holds at the No. 1 spot in the market, Google Android has just moved past the iPhone for the No. 2 position. Android devices have been well-received over the last year and had a dominant showing at CES last week.

Can it withstand the hype and built-in fan base the iPhone carries with it? Some think not. Android, through all of its successes, originally acted as an iPhone substitute for those unable and unwilling to go to AT&T to get it. Has Google shown enough with Android to maintain a loyal following?

It’s worth nothing that since the two run on different types of networks, AT&T phones will not be able to run on Verizon and vice-versa. So anyone looking to make the switch would have to buy a brand new device. That should be a huge boost to help propel it back ahead of Android and perhaps Blackberry as well.

Like two men fighting for the affection of a lady, Verizon and AT&T have traded barbs, scoffing at the idea of the other being the better suitor for the iPhone.

“The iPhone is built for speed, but that’s not what you get with a CDMA iPhone,” an AT&T spokesman said.

“AT&T is known for a lot of things, but network quality is not one of them. Typically companies try to call attention to their strongest suit,” replied a Verizon spokesman.

Looks like we have a full-fledged mobile battle on our hands.

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