23/04/2013 - Sprint brings Data Link and Static IP to its LTE network
Most of the hullabaloo around Sprint's nascent LTE network has focused on the consumer. But, don't worry, the carrier hasn't forgotten about its precious business customers. Today it announced that Data Link and Static IP would be coming to its latest iteration of 4G. For those of you not familiar, Data Link carries a guarantee of 99.9 percent availability -- something craved by enterprise types. And it covers not just handsets and hotspots, but kiosks, sales terminals and can even serve as a backup plan for wired service. The ability to assign a static IP address will also be welcomed by IT departments that need to tightly manage wireless devices. And, just in case you're not covered by the Now Network's LTE just yet, both services are available on 3G as well. For more, check out the PR after the break.
19/02/2013 - ADATA's Dash Drive Air brings power, streaming and bling to your phone
Hole in your life for a rechargeable battery, wireless hotspot, media streamer and a hot block of sparkle? ADATA's got the gadget for you. The company has just announced the DashDrive Air AE400, combining a 5,000mAh battery, 802.11 b/g/n wireless hotspot and hardware that'll stream media from a USB drive or SD card to a mobile device. ADATA has priced the unit at £52.99 in the UK (we're waiting on US pricing) but we're sure it won't be out of place no matter what trendy nightspot you regularly frequent.
ADATA Announces Global Launch of Wireless Storage Reader / Power Bank - DashDrive Air AE400
Share Pictures, Music and Data Anywhere While Charging Your Portable Device
Taipei, Taiwan - Feb 19, 2013 - ADATA[TM] Technology, a leading manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules and NAND Flash storage application products, today announces the release of the DashDrive Air AE400, a versatile wireless reader that can read and stream data from USB storage media and SD memory cards, and also functions as a power bank that can charge other mobile devices.
As smartphones and tablet computers continue to replace traditional desktop systems in worldwide markets, wireless network availability and power charging sources become omnipresent requirements. The AE400 can be an easy to operate wireless hotspot, with support for 802.11 b/g/n wireless networking. When functioning as a network bridge, the internet connection can be shared by up to 10 devices at the same time.
As a storage reader, the AE400 enables wireless data transfer between mobile devices and SD cards, USB flash drives, or portable HDDs. It supports up to 3 users simultaneously streaming 1080P video, or up to 5 users simultaneously streaming 720p video. Supported operating systems include iOS, Android, Windows (XP, Vista, 7, 8), OS X, and Linux 2.4+. The DashDrive Air Elite App (for users of iOS 5.0 & Android 2.3 or later versions) is free for download from both the Apple App Store and Google Play.
The surface of the AE400 gleams with a modern, hexagonal lattice design, giving a hint of the potent integral power bank within. The power bank has a capacity of 5000 mAh, which translates to a charging capacity of approximately two full charges for a smartphone. This combination of functions: USB storage & card reader, and power bank, make the DashDrive Air AE400 an extremely versatile and multifunctional addition that can reduce the number of electronic accessories needed for full data access on-the-go.
Availability
The DashDrive Air AE400 will be available through selected distributors and resellers in the Europe at the MSRP of £52.99.
01/02/2013 - Verizon to offer new 3G-only prepaid plans beginning today
Verizon's got a new set of prepaid plans for smartphone users that are hoping to keep costs down. The monthly plans, which appear to be restricted to a small number of phones unable to access Big Red's LTE network, both offer unlimited talk and text; on the data side, the $60 plan grants you 500MB while $70 bumps that ceiling up to 2GB. Head below to the sources to get all the necessary info.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Verizon
Via: PhoneScoop
Source: Verizon Wireless (1), (2)
09/11/2012 - Opera Web Pass goes live in Malaysia, provides short-term mobile data access on demand
Opera introduced a new approach to pay-as-you-go mobile data today, but unless you currently live in Malaysia, you'll only be able to read of the latest advancement. Known as the Opera Web Pass, the service is geared to those without data plans and allows users to purchase short term access from their local carrier. In its current form, mobile providers are given the flexibility to determine which subscriptions to offer, such as an hour or day of internet use, or even quick access to individual apps like Facebook or Google+. Naturally, the service could also be a great value for travelers. For its part, Opera insists that Web Pass should be extremely easy for carriers to implement with their servers. For the time being, however, Opera Web Pass is currently only available to subscribers of DiGi Telecommunications, which partnered with the Norwegian company to develop and test its service. If you're curious to learn a bit more, feel free to hit up the source links below.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile
Opera Web Pass goes live in Malaysia, provides short-term mobile data access on demand originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Nov 2012 04:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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TechCrunch | 
Opera (1), (2) | Email this | Comments
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07/11/2012 - Microsoft partners with Devicescape to give WP8 users access to over 11 million WiFi hotspots
Microsoft has secured access to over 11 million WiFi hotspots for Windows Phone 8 users today by inking a deal with virtual network provider Devicescape. Hoping to help people avoid pesky data overages, this partnership uses Windows Phone 8's Data Sense feature to locate participating hotspots from Devicescape's group of pre-approved WiFi access points. When launched, the app pulls up a Bing-powered map displaying nearby hotspots and vets them based on their signal strengths. Now before you start dreaming of watching your entire Netflix queue on your shiny new Lumia 920, keep in mind that Verizon's currently the only US carrier on the Data Sense bandwagon. Hopefully Microsoft's customer-friendly approach to mobile data will motivate other service providers to follow suit as more Windows Phone 8 handsets become available.
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Microsoft
Microsoft partners with Devicescape to give WP8 users access to over 11 million WiFi hotspots originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Nov 2012 22:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkGizmodo | Devicescape | Email this | Comments
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16/07/2012 - Nielsen: Android Leads the Market Share in USA
According to Nielsen's research, 51.8 % of US users that own a smartphone are choosing Android as their operating system. Apple comes second with the 34.3% of the market share. 03/07/2012 - T-Mobile 'network data issue' knocking some subscribers offline
Over the last couple of hours we've seen a steadily increasing flow of tips from users reporting their T-Mobile data service is completely out on 2G, 3G and 4G,, and now the company has confirmed the problem. According to the tweet from its official account the "network data issue" is only affecting service for some of its customers, which jibes with the reports we've received of some users still connecting without a problem. There's no ETA for a resolution, but we'll let you know when we hear more about what's going on.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
T-Mobile 'network data issue' knocking some subscribers offline originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Jul 2012 23:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |@Tmobile (Twitter) | Email this | Comments
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28/06/2012 - T-Mobile brings out new mobile data plans mainly for the suits and ties, makes overage optional
T-Mobile just updated its prepaid data plans a month ago, and now it's the corporate crowd's turn for a shakeup. The new (and quite frankly daunting) array of primarily business-minded plans is based around whether or not you'd rather face throttling or overage fees if you push past a set cap. Overage Free plans for subsidized (Classic) and unsubsidized (Value) devices are largely self-explanatory and slow down that bandwidth cap-busting hotspot, modem or tablet until the next month. The High-speed plan range costs lower as a matter of course, but you'll be dinged to the order of two to 10 cents for every megabyte over the limit. That said, there's some bargains to be had versus other carriers, especially with the 5GB and 10GB plans. Provided you're happy with T-Mobile's coverage, it may be worth signing up to eke out a few extra dollars in savings every month.
T-Mobile brings out new mobile data plans mainly for the suits and ties, makes overage optional originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 07:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkPhone Scoop | T-Mobile | Email this | Comments
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25/06/2012 - Virgin Media revamps mobile tariffs with Premiere plan, tells Three UK and T-Mobile to keep up
Virgin Media is announcing a new set of tariffs in order to compete with its UK network rivals. The Premiere plan is an attempt at winning the hearts and minds of customers used to Three UK's One Plan and T-Mobile's Full Monty. For £21 per month, users will get all-you-can-eat data, unlimited texts, unlimited calls to UK landlines and 2,500 minutes to other cellphones. Meanwhile, a lower-spec Starter tariff will offer a teasing deal for new customers for £18 per month, but that figure drops to £13 if you also sign up for the company's other Cable TV and Broadband services. Subscribers will also have free and unfettered access to all of that Underground WiFi when the service starts charging users of other mobile networks in the autumn.
Virgin Media revamps mobile tariffs with Premiere plan, tells Three UK and T-Mobile to keep up originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Jun 2012 04:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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16/05/2012 - Verizon CFO says grandfathered unlimited plans on the way out
Verizon Communications CFO Fran Shammo shattered many a hopes and dreams today speaking at the J.P. Morgan Technology, Media and Telecom conference. During his address, Shammo indicated that customers who have been grandfathered in to the unlimited data plan may soon find themselves pushed into tiered territory, with the debut of the carrier's shared data plans. "Everyone will be on data share," Shammo said, clarifying that, "a lot of our 3G base is on unlimited... [and] when they migrate off 3G they will have to go to data share." Obviously, with many customers clinging desperately to their truly unlimited usage in the shift to LTE, such a move would ruffle more than a few feathers. It's not clear if this will affect customers who have already made the leap to LTE devices or if it will be limited to customers migrating from 3G phones after a particular cut off date. We've reached out to Verizon for comment, but so far Big Red is keeping mum. We'll just have to take Shammo at his word for now. We hope you like data caps. To hear the comments in full hit up the source link.
Update: We just finished listening through the entire webcast (we're still waiting for the transcript) and found the quote that is going to make most customers shake their fists in anger:
"LTE is our anchor point for data share. So, as you come through an upgrade cycle and you upgrade in the future, you will have to go on to the data share plan. And moving away from, if you will, the unlimited world and moving everyone into a tiered structure data share plan."
Doesn't get much clearer than that, but we're still hoping Verizon will come back and say Shammo was speaking out of turn... fingers crossed.
Verizon CFO says grandfathered unlimited plans on the way out originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 13:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkFierceWireless, Mobileburn | Verizon | Email this | Comments
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19/04/2012 - Verizon shared data plans are due in mid-summer, target users with multiple devices
On a call discussing Verizon's Q1 earnings report, CFO Francis Shammo has once again touched on the company's promised shared data plans, targeting their launch in mid-summer. He also noted that he expected this to drive growth in the wireless business, because the plan is apparently designed to allow customers to easily add "other devices" to it. You can do your best to tease more meaning out of his statement from the full transcript at Seeking Alpha, we'll be carefully considering how many data hogs are allowed at our share house for the summer.
Verizon shared data plans are due in mid-summer, target users with multiple devices originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |Seeking Alpha | Email this | Comments
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27/03/2012 - Leaked doc indicates T-Mobile could raise 5GB and 10GB data prices on April 4th
Leaked doc indicates T-Mobile could raise 5GB and 10GB data prices on April 4th originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Mar 2012 03:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |TmoNews | Email this | Comments
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21/03/2012 - Virgin Mobile USA's text and data services are out across the USA
As customers of Sprint's contract-averse MVNO have probably noticed, Virgin Mobile has been having a national outage of its text and data services for at least several hours now. While we're hearing from some customers it's been out all day, acknowledgement of the disruption only just became Facebook official. There's no word yet when it will be resolved however, as we're only getting the "engineers are working to resolve it" boilerplate for now. Until then we'd suggest enjoying the few activities that are still possible without wireless internet access, if those are even still a thing.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Virgin Mobile USA's text and data services are out across the USA originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 19:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |@Virgin Mobile US (Twitter), Virgin Mobile USA (Facebook) | Email this | Comments
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09/03/2012 - FCC counters Verizon, aims to dismiss its data roaming complaints
Verizon and the FCC have been going at it for sometime over a variety of issues, but one of the more notable has been the data roaming rules that narrowly passed last year. In May of 2011 the carrier filed suit against the commission, claiming it had overstepped its authority by demanding larger providers enter into to voice and data roaming agreements with its smaller "competitors." The regulatory agency has finally responded in kind, by saying that Verizon's case is invalid and that its powers are clearly spelled out under Title III of the Communications Act of 1934. Now its just a matter of waiting to see if Big Red's case is indeed dismissed, or if the FCC is headed to court. Stayed tuned to find out -- we know we will.FCC counters Verizon, aims to dismiss its data roaming complaints originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 13:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkPhone Scoop | FCC | Email this | Comments
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30/01/2012 - T-Mobile launches 'truly unlimited' Full Monty contract, wants to give you everything
When the Fully Monty launches on February 1st, it'll be accompanied by a new Android app that adds one-click connectivity to those WiFi networks. The deal isn't available SIM-only, although T-Mobile UK's Head of Propositions, Ben Fritsch, told us that the new deal is pitched at users looking to take the smartphone plunge. Its existing collection of tariffs will also see a similar refresh -- but there's no details on those just yet. American readers can gaze with envy at the full release below.
T-Mobile launches 'truly unlimited' Full Monty contract, wants to give you everything originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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30/01/2012 - Verizon shared data plans show up in employee training materials, still on track?
[Thanks, Anon]
Verizon shared data plans show up in employee training materials, still on track? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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19/01/2012 - Virgin Mobile targets March 23rd to throttle data, take candy from children
[Candy photo via Shutterstock]
Continue reading Virgin Mobile targets March 23rd to throttle data, take candy from children
Virgin Mobile targets March 23rd to throttle data, take candy from children originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 08:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkAndroid Central | Virgin Mobile | Email this | Comments
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18/01/2012 - T-Mobile, Walmart do another kumbaya with contract-free unlimited family plan for 3G users
Remember that 4G plan that T-Mobile and Walmart started collaborating on last year? Well, the two companies are making yet another announcement, teaming up on an improved Family Mobile Plan with unlimited 3G talk, text and web. For those who like cheap dates with no long-term commitments, the news gets even better at $45 per month for the first line ($35 for each additional line) with no contract necessary. There is a bit of a catch as your data speed gets throttled after you exceed your cap -- 5GB if you sign up before March 16 and 250MB if you sign up after that. But, hey, that's still better than being charged overage fees. You also have to pay a one-time $25 Starter Kit fee for each line.
T-Mobile, Walmart do another kumbaya with contract-free unlimited family plan for 3G users originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
PermalinkAndroid and Me | Walmart | Email this | Comments
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16/01/2012 - 2012 Brings 2.5 Million New Viruses. The Main Target: Android Smartphones
2012 will bring a total of over 2.5 million new viruses, a marked increase in malware dedicated to mobile devices and attacks against large organizations, according to the report released by the German IT security company G Data.14/08/2011 - Mobile Internet Connections - Reliable Targets for Hackers
Researcher Karsten Nohl, an expert in data security, started a campaign against the major mobile operators in order to determine the adoption of more stringent measures to secure data traffic created by the users of mobile internet services.05/11/2010 - iSuppli: Wireless Carriers See Tiers as Key to Rising Profits
T-Mobile’s move to offer tiered pricing based on bandwidth usage represents the latest development in the wireless industry’s attempt to cash in on exploding demand for mobile data demand, according to iSuppli. Global mobile data traffic is expected to nearly double each year through 2014. 18/10/2010 - Verizon's tiered data plans hitting October 28, smartphones still getting unlimited option?
- Smartphone owners will choose between $15 for 150MB with $0.10 / MB overage, or $29.99 for unlimited access. This stands in contrast to AT&T, which offers another 50MB (for a total of 200MB) at the $15 price level or 2GB for $25 with no unlimited option.
- As we've already seen with the MiFi-equipped iPad, there'll be $20, $35, and $50 tablet plans for 1GB, 3GB, and 5GB, respectively, all with overage of $10 per gigabyte. There will also be a $80 plan for 10GB with the same overage rate.
- MiFi, FiveSpot, and integrated netbook / notebook modem owners will choose between $50 / 5GB and $80 / 10GB plans. The MiFi and FiveSpot will also have access to the tablet-centric $35 / 3GB plan as part of a 90-day promo. All of these plans have overage priced at 1GB for $10.
- Feature phones will need to choose between $1.99 "pay as you go" (though it's not clear what that means -- could be unlimited at $1.99 per day, but we really don't know), $15 for 150MB, or $29.99 for unlimited. The old $9.99 / 25MB option will be killed off.
- USB modem pricing remains unchanged at $39.99 for 250MB or $59.99 for 5GB. We'd say this means Big Red is strongly discouraging folks from buying these right now.
[Thanks, Jay]
Update: We're being told that the $1.99 pay as you go option on feature phones is simply the current $1.99 / MB option. Thanks, anonymous tipster!
Verizon's tiered data plans hitting October 28, smartphones still getting unlimited option? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Oct 2010 15:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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18/10/2010 - T-Mobile to intro $10 data plan for smartphone data lightweights?
It's getting pretty clear that T-Mobile is rethinking its mobile data strategy, what with all the prepaid plans, data throttling and WiFi calling going on, and TmoNews says it isn't done shaking things up -- the carrier will reportedly introduce a 200MB data plan specifically for smartphone owners at $10 a month. Before you voice your hatred of tiered data pricing, know that Magenta will reportedly retain the existing $30 unlimited data plan, unlike its blue-and-white rival, and customers who pick the cheaper option will apparently be able to upgrade on the fly. If and when the option debuts in November, it could make that next batch of smartphones all the more accessible. Perhaps you'll be able to afford an LG Optimus T for the young'uns after all.T-Mobile to intro $10 data plan for smartphone data lightweights? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Oct 2010 01:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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14/10/2010 - Warning, heavy users: T-Mobile just now turning on data throttling?
Warning, heavy users: T-Mobile just now turning on data throttling? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 04:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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13/10/2010 - T-Mobile busts out new prepaid plans with data options, mix-and-match voice and text
If straight-up data is more your thing, you'll want to check out the T-Mobile Jet (pictured), T-Mobile's first dedicated prepaid data stick. The new modem commemorates the launch of a handful of prepaid data options, including $10 for a weekly allowance of 100MB, $30 for 300MB monthly, and $50 for 1GB monthly. We'd hoped that T-Mobile would resist the urge to cap data and follow through with the bandwidth throttling option instead, but then again, we suppose things work a little differently in the prepaid market. Look for the Jet to hit retail online on the 18th of this month, followed by in-store availability on the 20th. Follow the break for the full press release.
T-Mobile busts out new prepaid plans with data options, mix-and-match voice and text originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Oct 2010 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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