Posts Tagged ‘4G’

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Webby Awards: Steve Jobs Gets Honored, Full List of Winners (CBS News/techtalk)
New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg was honored Monday with a Webby award for Lifetime Achievement for his work with the Bloomberg media corporation. The award was presented by Tumblr founder and CEO David Karp, who reminded the audience that if it wasn’t for Bloomberg’s contribution to financial technology, we wouldn’t have found out the cost of Facebook stock shares until Monday. CNET Nearly a dozen celebrities, politicians and tech luminaries paid tribute to late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs at The Webby Awards show. A video featuring president Barack Obama, former president Bill Clinton and others expressing admiration for Jobs, who died last October, was shown to attendees and streamed over the Web. The Verge Actor Richard Dreyfuss gave a strange and oftentimes discursive speech that began with a jab at Facebook and Google. “If you’re going to take our privacy away from us, why don’t you tell us something private about yourselves,” Dreyfus said to an awkwardly hushed reception. “And if you’re going to change our world, why don’t you pay for it, because it’s theft.” USA Today Instagram won Webby Breakout of the Year, Pinterest took home a social media award, and Facebook scored the People Special Achievement for Social Change honor. In addition, Skype won for Best Social Mobile & Apps. For the complete list of winners, visit WebbyAwards.com Read more

After looking at Nielsen’s report titled “Average U.S. Smartphone Data Usage Up 89% as Cost per MB Goes Down 46%,” I wrote:
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Fiercewireless reports that Sprint will modify their 3G data plans and provide an interesting tweak to their WiMAX 4G data on June 24.

Sprint to tweak tablet data plans, will add unlimited WiMAX

Sprint currently offers 3G tiers of 1, 3 and 5GB per month ($20, $45, $60). They will add a 10GB plan for $90 per month. More interesting to people who share and consume a lot of video, for example, is addition of unlimited WiMAX 4G data for the HTC View 4G tablet associated with 3G plans of 3GB or more per month.

While Sprint’s 3G network has a reaonably good reputation for coverage and throughput, the Clear provided WiMAX network is another story entirely.

What’s the Deal with Sprint/Clear WiMAX Service? Coverage Issues or Not?

Unlimited WiMAX based 4G is only useful if you actually can use it.

If you live in one of the areas listed below, you will have the option of using Verzion Wireless’s 4G LTE network starting tomorrow (Thursday, June 16):

Fresno and Sacramento, Calif.; Hartford, Conn.; Boise, Idaho; Fort Wayne and Indianapolis, Ind.; Flint, Grand Rapids and Lansing, Mich.; Dayton, Ohio; Erie, Harrisburg and State College, Pa.; Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C.; Sioux Falls, S.D.; Salt Lake City-Ogden, Utah; Spokane, Wash.; and Madison and Milwaukee, Wis.

The LTE networks in San Francisco and Detroit will get a coverage area boost at the same time.

Verizon Wireless Turns On 19 Additional 4G LTE Markets And Expands The 4G LTE Network In Two Cities On June 16 (Verizon press release)

Of course, you will need to buy a new phone, MiFi or USB wireless modem that works with the LTE network. If you live in one of these areas and have a supported device, Verizon says that: 4G LTE users should experience average data rates of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2 to 5 Mbps on the uplink. This is quite a bit faster than some cable modem and DSL wired services.

As of June 16, Verizon’s LTE 4G network will be available in a total of 74 metropolitan areas.

You’ve probably seen Verizon Wireless’ commercial of three people downloading media to 4G tablets while a rocket speeds to destory a 4G MiFi hotspot. If you have a 4G capable Android phone running OS 2.2 (Froyo) or newer, you don’t need a MiFi hotspot since the phone can become a hotspot itself. However, Verizon Wireless has apparently asked Google to block third tethering apps in the Android Market. These apps are apparently not directly detected by Verizon and provides a way to avoid tethering fees. CNET reports that an advocay group has filed a complaint to the FCC about this blockage because an FCC rule states that Verizon cannot “deny, limit or restrict” applications use by customers.

Complaint to FCC: Verizon mustn’t bar 4G tethering

It should be noted that if tethering apps available outside of the Android Market can be downloaded and installed as a “sideload.”

Video courtesy of Verizon Wireless

If you’ve been following 4G (WiMAX style) provider Clearwire for the past few years, you know that it has some business issues as evidenced by this item published by Computerworld two months ago.

Clearwire gains subscribers, remains in the red

The article’s subtitle read The WiMax operator says it is close to a deal with Sprint on revenue from wholesale users.

This negotiation bore fruit this week when Clearwire and Sprint announced:

Sprint and Clearwire Announce Key Enhancements to Their Long-term Wholesale Revenue Agreements

Sprint is going to pay Clearwire $1 billion for wholesale service in 2011 and 2012.

Sprint’s 4G service is unique in that it does not cap its monthly data usage. Sprint’s 3G data service is typically capped at 5GB.

Clearwire provides 4G WiMAX service to a number of partners including its own retail brand, Clear, as well as Sprint and Time Warner.

This might be a slightly rough ride. So, stay with me on this one.

Yesterday, TmoNews reported:

T-Mobile Confirms New Unlimited Plans, Available Tomorrow

Tomorrow is today (Apr. 13). So, a quick check of this T-Mobile USA web page confirms the report.

http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/plans/cell-phone-plans.aspx?catgroup=individual

The tongue-twisting unlimted plan named Even More Unlimited Talk + Unlimited Text + Unlimited Data is only available for a limited time (still with me?) and sort of has a limit on its unlimited data.

I’m going to let that sentence hang all by itself above so you can reread it a couple of times. Join me back on this paragraph when you’re done. The unlimited data part of the plan is limited to 2GB per month at full 3G speeds. If you go over 2GB, you will NOT be charnged more. However, your data speed for the rest of the billing period will be throttled (slowed down).

Also note that the unlimited data is limited to 3G service. If you have T-Mobile HSPA+ 4G service in your area, there is an optional separate 4G unlimited plan. You can find the details about these options here:

Even More Unlimited Talk + Unlimited Text + Unlimited Data optional services

So, there you have it: T-Mobile USA’s limited unlimited plan for a limited time. Don’t forget about the limited availability time. This deal will not, apparently be offered after this period expires.

All kidding and confusion aside, this sounds like a reasonably good plan.