HTC challenges Samsung for first LTE smartphone
The Android smartphone competition is increasingly focused on a two-way conflict between HTC and Samsung, and they have shifted their rivalry to LTE.
Samsung has already created an LTE feature phone for MetroPCS and is tipped to summarize with a full smartphone in the first half of next year, but HTC is also planning a 2011 launch.
This shows LTE handsets coming to market well ahead of expectations, and the two vendors will be particularly keen to gain the initial slot at Verizon Wireless, given the high profile that first movers get in the US. HTC benefited from having the first with Android device at T-Mobile, Motorola with the first Droid device at Verizon, and HTC again with the first WiMax smartphone at Sprint.
Samsung has been too late into the open smartphone sector to claim first prize, but is catching up fast with Galaxy S.
High-Speed 4G Service – Verizon to Activate Its 4G LTE Mobile Network In US
Beginning this Sunday, the network will make faster mobile internet in the U.S. Verizon Wireless this week triggered the largest mobile phone network based on fourth-generation LTE technology in the world, which will cover the outset more than 110 million Americans.
The telephone company explained in a statement that the network LTE (Long Term Evolution) will be activated on Sunday 5 December to become the mobile phone network in the country’s fastest, will initially cover 38 metropolitan areas and more than 60 airports .
LTE is a standard for mobile phone networks to multiply tenfold the data access speed compared to third generation standards. Therefore, it is expected to assume LTE generalization of the real takeoff of the Internet through mobile devices.
Beginning Sunday, Verizon Wireless will operate the largest network of all time. Our initial launch of 4G LTE network provides access to faster mobile and advanced United States more than a third of Americansâ€, today announced its president, Dan Mead.
The head of the U.S. carrier said that by 2013 this network will be completed and all the coverage offered by the company through its network of third generation (3G).
To promote its use among laptop users, Verizon will offer pricing plans that include paying $ 50 a month for 5 gigabytes of data, or $ 80 for 10 gigs. Each additional gigabyte will be charged $ 10. To this must be added the modem, which the company will offer two models, both for $ 250 or $ 99 if you sign a subscription agreement for two years.
Currently there are no mobile phones in the U.S. market that can access this new technology, but Verizon expects the first reaching the market by mid next year.
Verizon to introduce faster 4G Wireless network Dec. 5
Verizon Wireless will start its faster, 4G mobile service Dec. 5, among the first U.S. carriers to introduce such a network as competition for users who spend money on Web browsing and video intensifies.
According to the company, contracts will start at $50 a month, giving users 5GB of data. The company introduced two modems that allow laptop users to connect to the network and it plans to unveil mobile phones for the service next year.
Verizon added that the network, which uses technology called LTE, gives customers speeds ten times faster than older 3G networks, eventually enabling features like high definition video and live television streaming. Verizon is using the faster speeds to lure users from rivals such as AT&T Inc., the exclusive carrier for Apple Inc.’s iPhone, which won’t start a 4G service until next year.
According to the CTIA mobile industry association, Verizon Wireless, based in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, and rivals are vying for customers as the pool of new users shrinks. There are enough mobile devices for 93% of the population.
AT&T, Verizon May Face Unexpected Cash Payments
The companies may forcefully have to pay unexpected cash payment as they have projected higher returns on investments and lower growth in expenses than most of their peers in the Standard & Poor’s 500 index, according to Craig Moffett, an analyst at Bernstein.
According to Moffett, AT&T and Verizon have the two largest unfunded liabilities for retired employees in the S&P 500, accounting for almost 12% of the pension gap for the entire index. They are using aggressive methods to predict how much they will need to spend on retiree health care and pensions and the interest rates the funds are likely to receive. At the end of the day, what you worry about is the ability of these companies to continue to earn attractive returns. The wireless business has to run very fast to outpace these enormous legacy obligations.
According to the spokesperson, Verizon does not expect to make material contributions to its pension fund this year and can’t comment beyond that. The company funds the benefit on a pay-as-you-go basis from operating cash flows. Verizon’s pension plan cost it $1.88 billion in the first nine months of this year, up from $722 million a year earlier. AT&T spent $868 million, down from $1.55 billion in 2009.
Verizon unveils LTE ad ahead of December network launch
Verizon Wireless has unveiled its first TV commercial for its forthcoming launch of LTE services, now promised sometime next month. Lightning Fast, Lightning Strong, Verizon 4G LTE Rule the air on the most advanced 4G network in the world, is the message.
According to the company, the network will be available in 38 markets and over 60 major airports, covering approximately 110 million people, by the end of the year. The operator adds it is aggressively expanding to cover our entire existing nationwide 3G footprint with 4G LTE by the end of 2013.
Verizon is promising the speed up to 10x faster than 3G, which will enable the downloading of movies in minutes, photos in seconds, a song in 4 seconds, and the uploading of a 10MB PowerPoint presentation in less than 25 seconds.
Specific launch dates and pricing details are still not known.
Skype hits Verizon prepaid phones
Verizon Wireless has extended support for its Skype mobile services to more of its handsets, including select prepaid smartphones.
According to the carrier, the three new feature phones that now have access to the Skype app are the Pantech Crux, LG Octane and Samsung Zeal.
This latest news further extends the partnership between Verizon and Skype, originally announced at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona back in February. At the time, Skype was made available to smartphone devices like the Blackberry Storm, Curve and Tour editions and Android devices like the Motorola Droid, Droid Eris and Motorola Devour.
This marks the first time Skype has been made available to non-smartphone devices on Verizon’s wireless network. The feature phones and messaging phones now supported run the BREW platform. While not as robust a platform as Blackberry or Android, BREW is able to run apps like Skype, among others.
Verizon CEO Confirms LTE Smartphone launch
Verizon Wireless has reportedly confirmed that it will launch its first LTE smartphone next February, following statements from current CEO Ivan Seidenberg along with confirmation that the carrier’s forthcoming LTE network has attracted the interest of iPhone manufacturer Apple, following the recent retail launch of the iPad and forthcoming launch of the iPhone.
Verizon is currently preparing to launch its LTE network across 38 markets, with the first markets confirmed for launch in West Virginia. The carrier is promising speeds of up to 12Mbps down and 5mbps up with pricing expected to resemble current offerings.
According to reports, the recently launched $15/150MB data plan as a holiday promotion, suggesting that the offering may be replaced by yet another service plan early next year.
Alcatel-Lucent wins Verizon LTE Deal
Alcatel-Lucent has signed a $4 billion deal with Verizon Wireless. The company will boost Verizon Wireless’s 3G CDMA mobile network and develop the company’s 4G LTE network under a four-year contract.
Alcatel-Lucent will provide infrastructure solutions spanning its entire portfolio including end-to-end CDMA and LTE radio network solutions, IP, optical and microwave backhaul and transport and complete portfolio of professional and network integration services.
Verizon Wireless, which is 45% owned by Vodafone, is launching LTE in 38 US urban areas with a total population of 110 million before the end of 2010, the company announced in October 2010.
Verizon appoints Bob Toohey as the new Global Chief
Verizon has appointed Bob Toohey as the new President of Verizon Communications Inc.’s global business unit.
Toohey will take his new role immediately. The appointment comes after Verizon appointed former Verizon Business President Fran Shammo as the service provider’s executive vice president and chief financial officer of Verizon Communications. Previously, Shammo led the company’s combined consumer and business wireline operations.
Over the course of his 22 year career with Verizon, which began at the former GTE in 1988, Toohey served in various finance, operations and human resources positions. More recently, Toohey served as the Senior Vice President of global customer care and services for Verizon Business.
In his new job, Toohey will oversee marketing, sales, professional services and service delivery for Verizon’s enterprise, mid-sized business and government clients around the world.
Alcatel-Lucent, Verizon & Portugal Telecom Conduct 10Gbps Broadband Connection Trials
Alcatel-Lucent, company specializing in broadband networking, IP and optics technologies, has begun testing the symmetrical 10 Gbps broadband service connections that are delivered across gigabit passive optical networks (GPON). The company is carrying out the test with Verizon and Portugal Telecom.
Portugal Telecom has already carried out the broadband tests at 10 Gbps, while Verizon has successfully carried out field trials using the XG-PON2 fiber-optic transmission technology. The XG-PON2 technology can deliver 10 Gbps, both downstream and upstream.
The speed availability in both downstream and upstream will gain prominence when new applications such as mobile traffic backhaul, remote storage and cloud computing services emerge. Verizon’s field trials were carried out in Taunton, Massachusetts. The field trials employed the XG-PON2 technology and utilized the same kind of fiber-optic used in current FiOS network connection. The resultant upstream speeds were eight times quicker than the speeds achieved by conventional GPON technology.
According to Verizon’s Director of Technology, Vincent O’Byrne, new applications will drive the use of upstream bandwidth on the wire line network. Asymmetric applications such as remote computing, remote file storage and telemedicine will also drive the demand for upstream bandwidth requirement.
