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20 Mar 2011 21:30

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Biz: AT&T’s T-Mobile buyout: Infrastructure, antitrust concerns at play

  • 35 million subscribers on T-Mobile’s current wireless setup
  • 100M number of subscribers Verizon has, buoyed by a large infrastructure that nobody can touch
  • 95M number of subscribers AT&T has — if the merger goes through, they’ll top Verizon
  • 40M number of subscribers Sprint has; they were also having merger talks with T-Mobile source
  • » It’s all about infrastructure: AT&T is trying hard to play catch-up with Verizon, which not only has more customers and bandwidth, but also now has the iPhone. The bummer for T-Mobile users is that AT&T’s monthly rates are far higher than T-Mobile’s, which as you might guess has people worried. While T-Mobile has tried to get ahead of talk like this, the concerns are enough that many analysts are warning that the deal won’t go through.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

08 Feb 2011 11:01

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Tech: Did Verizon pull bait-and-switch on iPhone buyers with data plan?

  • cool After many years of waiting, Verizon started selling the iPhone on its service. It’s reportedly selling at extremely fast rates – faster than the Droid, even, Verizon’s previous best-selling phone. Apple could break its own sales record, too.
  • lame But, in a sneak attack only made public after a blogger happened to trip upon it, Verizon changed its data-management policy so that “unlimited” data users will see their speeds slow to a crawl if they use too much of it. WTF? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 Feb 2011 23:39

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Tech: Quick facts: Three strikes against Motorola’s new Xoom tablet

  • strike The device, based on Android 3.0 and getting a lot of attention, has a starting price of $799 – which is way higher than the entry-level iPad.
  • strike The data plans are really expensive for 3G usage – 1 gigabyte is $20, and the plans go as high as $80 for 10 gigabytes. That’s right – $80 a month!
  • out And don’t think you’ll get around this with a hotspot like you can with an iPad. Wi-fi won’t be activated unless you buy a data plan! source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 Jan 2011 21:08

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Tech: Smart: Apple washing its hands of Verizon iPhone announcement

  • This is the sort of thing where Apple needs to play it cool, and act like this is just another carrier. Good news, but not big news. The bottom line from Apple is going to be something like, ‘We’re delighted to add Verizon as an iPhone carrier’. That’s it.
  • Daring Fireball’s John Gruber • Offering some perspective on Verizon’s forthcoming announcement, likely about the iPhone coming to the wireless provider (freaking finally). Truth is, this is a smart move. Back in 2006, Apple had a special event for stuff unworthy of a special event (remember the overpriced iPod Hi-Fi?) and they drew a ton of criticism, creating one of their biggest stumbles in recent memory. By having an Apple special event for the Verizon iPhone, they’d run the same risk. So, handing it over to Verizon gets around the problem entirely. Plus, now Verizon can fight with AT&T without Apple getting its hands dirty. Smart. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Oct 2010 12:11

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Tech: Thanks iPhone: AT&T close to toppling Verizon as top wireless carrier

  • 93.2
    million     number of users Verizon has, after gaining nearly a million subscribers last quarter
  • 92.8
    million     number of users AT&T has, after gaining nearly THREE MILLION subscribers in the same period source
  • » Insurmountable no more? After Verizon acquired Alltel back in 2008, they were far ahead of AT&T user-wise. But then the iPhone 4 launch happened. Well, so much for that.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 Oct 2010 10:06

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Tech: Harbinger? AT&T, Verizon to start selling iPads at the same time

  • at&t They’ll begin selling Apple’s iPad, including the 3G version, starting October 28th.
  • verizon Strangely enough, so will Verizon, but they’ll bundle it with MiFi, which is pretty genius. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

09 Oct 2010 19:02

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Tech: News flash: Tech sites use SCARE LANGUAGE to draw hits

  • lame Let’s say you’re a member of the tech press and you need a story on something. TIME TO DIG IN THE APPLE/VERIZON WELL AGAIN! WHOO! At this point, it’s totally cliche and you shouldn’t believe a word that they write.
  • lamer Now let’s say you want to stand out. PC Magazine went the “Rumored Verizon iPhone Crippled on CDMA… For Now” route. Why? Verizon can’t do voice and data at the same time. So it’s crippled. SCARE PHRASES. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

03 Oct 2010 20:36

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Tech: Here’s six bucks: Verizon sorry for all those “accidental” data charges

  • $90
    million     the amount Verizon agreed to pay consumers affected by overcharging
  • just six bucks the amount consumers will actually see in the end – laaaaaaaame
  • what Verizon agreed to refund its customers for overcharging them for data usage. The FCC twisted their arm.
  • why Verizon designed their phones in such a way that you could use data by accident – and get billed for it.
  • who Credit the NYT’s David Pogue for this one – he brought the issue to the attention of a larger audience. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

13 Aug 2010 11:17

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Tech: Google’s all on the defensive after that net neutrality thang

  • We’re not so presumptuous to think that any two businesses could – or should – decide the future of this issue. We’re simply trying to offer a proposal to help resolve a debate which has largely stagnated after five years.
  • A statement from Google • Regarding criticism it has faced since they decided to go down the net neutrality rabbit hole with Verizon. Their suggestion, which was to treat wireless internet networks differently from wired networks, has gone over like a lead balloon with net neutrality fans. Facebook has gotten in on the jabbing too, saying this in a statement the other day: “Preserving an open Internet that is accessible to innovators — regardless of their size or wealth — will promote a vibrant and competitive marketplace where consumers have ultimate control over the content and services delivered through their Internet connections.” Ouch. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

10 Aug 2010 09:36

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Tech: Google and Verizon’s net neutrality deal: As bad as it sounds

  • The agreement outsources the FCC’s powers and authorities to the very industries these rules are supposed to oversee.
  • Public Knowledge Senior Director Sherwin Sly • Discussing yesterday’s deal of an announcement between Google and Verizon. This is the sticking point many other people and groups have, just an FYI. Sure, it’s good for them to talk to the FCC about this kind of thing, but they’re basically trying to set public policy for everyone with a bunch of backroom deals. Sounds shady to us. Many feel that there’s a hidden agenda at work here, and if they do use this self-appointed authority, it could be dangerous. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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