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Watchdogs Howl Over AT&T's FaceTime Policy August 22, 2012 AT&T is once again catching a fresh batch of grief over how it's dealing with iPhone users. This time, the carrier is drawing flak from advocacy groups for requiring users to sign up for one of the company's new Mobile Share data plans if they want to use iOS's FaceTime video chat app over AT&T's wireless network rather than WiFi.

'Horrible Problems' May Be Rolling In With the Cloud August 16, 2012 Why does Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak think cloud-based computing will bring "horrible problems" over the next few years? Sounds crazy, but to tell you the truth I think Woz is correct -- to a point. The more we transfer everything to the cloud, the less control we will have over it, according to Wozniak. That's true -- and that's just one of many issues that must be resolved before we embrace the cloud.

Sprint May Not Be Able to Match the iPhone's Pace August 09, 2012 As both Verizon and AT&T rapidly build out their 4G LTE networks in preparation for Apple's launch of the next iPhone this fall, Sprint Nextel is in a very distant third place. The big question is can it keep up? The answer depends on a number of items, including what its customers want most. Do they want 4G LTE speed? Or do they want Sprint, even though it's on the slower 3G net?

FCC Pushes Verizon to Allow Tethering at No Extra Charge August 01, 2012 On Tuesday, mobile carrier Verizon Wireless made a "voluntary" contribution of $125 million dollars to the U.S. Treasury, as part of a Federal Communications Commission consent decree that also slapped down tethering fees the carrier had been charging its customers.

Verizon: A Changing Company in a Changing Industry July 26, 2012 After watching Verizon and Verizon Wireless over the last few decades I have developed a respect and admiration for the company. Some of you, however, have noticed how Verizon is starting to act, well, differently lately. Is something starting to change?

AT&T Feeling the iPhone Squeeze From Verizon July 25, 2012 AT&T delivered a respectable set of numbers in its quarterly earnings report on Tuesday. At the same time, its report on Q2 activity revealed how much it still depends on Apple and its devices for its revenues. First, the numbers: For the quarter ended June 30, 2012, AT&T's consolidated revenues totaled $31.6 billion, up 0.3 percent versus the year-earlier quarter.

Shared Wireless Data Plans: AT&T vs. Verizon July 19, 2012 AT&T Mobility just announced its shared wireless data plans on Wednesday. Verizon Wireless did the same thing a few weeks ago. Verizon has been taking a lot of heat on this topic, but not because it's a bad idea. It's actually a great idea. The problem is its approach, which I'll discuss. I think AT&T's plan will be welcomed in the marketplace.

AT&T Does Data-Sharing Verizon's Way July 18, 2012 AT&T on Wednesday announced new shared wireless data plans, which are similar to the ones Verizon Wireless unveiled in June. Both carriers' offerings let users put up to 10 devices, including laptops, netbooks, tablets and wireless connection USB sticks or cards, on plans that typically feature unlimited talk and texting.

Steering Clear of the Perfect Spectrum Storm June 14, 2012 We all followed AT&T's attempt to acquire T-Mobile last year. That should have been our wake-up call to a growing industry problem: spectrum shortage. Yet it wasn't. AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson says regulators need to quickly figure out how to get more spectrum into the hands of wireless operators or the industry will run out. That is true, and it is a dire warning.

Verizon Lets Many Devices Scarf the Same Data Pie June 12, 2012 Verizon Wireless announced Tuesday a new shared data plan that will work across 10 devices. It will be folded into the carrier's Share Everything Plans, which are scheduled to begin on June 28 for new and existing customers. The shared data plan will offer unlimited voice minutes, text, video and picture messaging. It will allow Verizon customers to choose a monthly access fee per device.

Multitude of Mobile Wallets Could Give Consumers Crowded Pockets June 12, 2012 Sprint, a carrier that offers at least five smartphones preloaded with Google Wallet, is reportedly working on its own digital wallet system, separate from Google's offering. Slides from a presentation on the so-called Touch wallet were recently posted by Android Central. Like Google Wallet, the Sprint digital wallet will apparently be based on the near-field communications standard.

Virgin Mobile Joins iPhone Prepaid Parade June 08, 2012 Virgin Mobile on Thursday became the second prepaid wireless carrier in a week to offer the latest versions of Apple's iPhone for its pay-as-you-go customers. Under the Virgin plan, customers pay the full freight for a 16GB iPhone 4S or 8GB iPhone 4 but can subscribe for voice, text and data plans that range from as low as $30 to $55 a month.

Solving the Sprint Problem May 24, 2012 A quick look at the wireless industry over the last several years shows wave after wave of innovation and success. In fact, success has been bigger than anyone's wildest dreams. However, success does not come to all. Why do some companies, like AT&T and Verizon, seem to hit the ball out of the park, while Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile keep striking out? And what can they do about it?

Verizon Eggs On Data-Chugging Mobile Video With Viewdini May 22, 2012 Verizon Wireless on Tuesday introduced Viewdini, a mobile video aggregation portal. It will run on the company's 4G LTE network and let users search and access videos from a variety of content providers. Partners include Comcast Xfinity, Hulu Plus, mSpot and Netflix. Others, including Verizon FiOS, will be added soon. Viewdini is an Android app that can be downloaded for free from the Google Play store.

Verizon Lets the Sun Go Down on Unlimited Data May 19, 2012 Wireless carriers have begun to realize that when you offer flat-rate, all-you-can-eat deals, it tends to bring out the pig in people. Whether it's food or beer or cellular data, customers will gorge themselves on it, and the buffet arrangement can quickly turn into a money-losing proposition if you don't plan it out just right.

Verizon Nixes Unlimited Data Grandfather Clause May 17, 2012 Verizon will reveal a new shared data policy this summer and end its unlimited data option, according to CFO Fran Shammo. Currently, the company allows customers who had a $30-per-month unlimited data plan before Verizon's switch to tiered plans last July to keep their unlimited plans when they upgrade their phones to LTE devices. That option will soon be eliminated.

Rumored Merger Could Give T-Mobile a Shot in the Arm May 10, 2012 Deutsche Telekom is rumored to be pursuing a merger between T-Mobile and MetroPCS Communications. How the merger may be executed appears to be a moving target at the moment. It could take the form of a stock-swap, giving Deutsche Telekom control of the combined entity, or it could be an initial public offering. Deutsche Telekom reportedly is considering an outright sale of T-Mobile as well.

Sprint's New Tri-Fi Hotspot Finds a Signal Any Which Way It Can May 10, 2012 Sprint is launching a new type of mobile hotspot -- the Sierra Wireless 4G LTE Tri-Fi Hotspot, the first device that will convert LTE, WiMAX and 3G networks into a WiFi signal. Via the portable device, users can access three networks -- Sprint's CDMA 3G network, its WiMax 4G network and its upcoming LTE 4G network.

Will Apple or Google Buy Sprint to Break Into the Wireless Network Biz? May 10, 2012 Recently, I gave a speech at a company and one of the executives raised an interesting question: Will Apple or Google -- or both -- enter the wireless networking fray, just as both have become competitors in the smartphone side of the business? I believe the answer is yes. How is the question.

Big Red Picks Color for New Video Venture May 07, 2012 Verizon Wireless has reportedly entered a multi-year partnership with Color, the mobile social network company launched last year by serial entrepreneur Bill Nguyen of Lala fame. Color offers an app for the iPhone and Android that lets users broadcast live video clips 30 seconds long to their Facebook friends.