Verizon Wireless

The search for the best 3G network

Dan Bowman — Wed, 14 May 2008 11:08:10 -0400

Road warriors who require constant connectivity to the Internet probably will be interested in Computerworld's mini-review to find the "best" 3G network in the United States. Brian Nadel ran tests on mobile broadband offerings from AT&T, Sprint and Verizon, collecting 500 data points from eight different places. Not surprisingly, some of the findings mirror my own experience with the 3G networks in Singapore: The fact is that data are a power drain on laptops, and that constant top-of-the-line coverage is not a given. Brian noted that coverage often is a mixture of old and new technology, with certain areas likely to still be running on older variants. The experience is generally satisfactory though, with speeds ranging from 614Kbit/sec for download, and 337Kbit/sec for download.

For more on the best 3G network:
- check out this Computerworld article

ALSO NOTED: Dell continues to hint at Eee PC clone; 3G iPhone rumors abound in Italy;

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 06:59:50 -0400

> Palm's Centro looks like it's headed to Verizon as well. Article
> The OLPC project may abandon Linux. Article
> Alltel My Circle customers get an extra number for free. Article
> HP iPAQ 900 shows up at the FCC. Article
> Dell continues to hint at Eee PC clone. Article
> Further details emerge on Motorola corporate restructuring. Article
> Mamma Mia! 3G iPhone rumors abound in Italy. Article

And Finally... Brazilian criminals use Eee PC in ATM heist. Article

ALSO NOTED: Palm loss gets revised to whopping $75M; Building an eco-friendly cellular base station;

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 06:59:50 -0400

> 8.9" Eee PC to launch early, sans Intel Atom? Article
> Palm: $25M loss gets revised to whopping $75M. Article
> The Verizon XV6900 (aka the CDMA HTC Touch) arrives this month. Article
> Is Dell working on an Eee PC clone? Article
> AT&T, Verizon to use 700Mhz spectrum to build 4G LTE networks. Article
> First look: Enterprise iPhone firmware. Article
> Hacking a Sprint user account: easier than you might think. Article

And Finally... Building an eco-friendly cellular base station. Article

ALSO NOTED: Verizon, T-Mobile grab more BlackBerrys; Palm 800w coming to Sprint?;

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 07:59:50 -0400

> Verizon's lackluster CTIA phone lineup. Article
> Motorola Q9 gets lime green on Alltel, U.S. Cellular. Article
> BlackBerry 8330 coming to Verizon in May. Press Release
> A first look at the iPhone firmware 2.0 beta. Article
> Palm 800w coming to Sprint? Article
> BlackBerry Pearl 8120 coming to T-Mobile this month. Press Release

And Finally... Yet another BlackBerry 9000 sighting. Article

A close look at Verizon's open initiative

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 07:59:57 -0400

As you already know, Verizon's Open Development Conference took place last week, at which time the company revealed its plans for allowing non-Verizon handsets and applications on the network. But what does Verizon's change of heart mean for corporate customers and individual users? Will we really be able to use phones from other CDMA carriers like Sprint and Helio? What applications will Verizon really allow to run on its network? Is this Open Development thing for real or is it all just a PR stunt? Gizmodo decided to dig into these tough questions and has put together a guide detailing what Verizon's Open Development initiative means for you.

For more on Verizon's Open Development initiative:
- head over to Gizmodo and check out the guide

SPOTLIGHT: 700Mhz auction reaches finale

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 07:59:52 -0400

It's been a long and winding road but the FCC's 700Mhz spectrum auction has finally reached its thrilling conclusion. As expected, Verizon Wireless is the big winner, taking home that highly-coveted chunk of C Block spectrum, open access provisions and all. AT&T and Echostar also won big, with each taking home a number of smaller spectrum slices. And Google? Well, Google might be the biggest winner of them all: the company managed to push its open agenda forward with some success and didn't have to spend a dime. Article

Verizon reveals open development plans

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 07:59:58 -0400

At their "Open Development Conference" in New York today, Verizon Wireless finally spilled the beans on their "Any App, Any Device" initiative. Though there are certain limitations, it seems that the process of submitting, certifying and activating devices and apps on the Verizon network should be fairly straightforward for both consumers and developers. While we still don't have a very clear picture of how the open applications portion of the initiative will go down, we're told that consumers will have the "freedom to download their favorite apps," will be able to choose from "various payment options" and will not be subjected to extended contracts or additional fees.

On the hardware side of things, we have a better idea of how the process will work. A device manufacturer will submit a device to Verizon for testing and certification, which is expected to take about four weeks. Once the device is certified, it is registered in a database of approved devices. At this point, the vendor has two choices: Either sell the device sans voice/data, or buy airtime from Verizon wholesale and then resell it to consumers along with the device. In the latter scenario, the developer will be fully responsible for advertising and distribution, though Verizon will still offer technical support. In the former, a consumer simply purchases a device, validates its serial number on Verizon's website and then sets up an account with Verizon.

Best of all, if you're looking to add devices to your corporate Verizon plan or want write your own applications that will run on the network, you won't have to wait long: According to the company, this should all kick off by the second half of this year.

For more on Verizon's open initiative:
- see Gizmodo's liveblog of the conference
- and Verizon's open development website

An open sea-change

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 06:59:56 -0500

When the question of open cell phone systems has been asked, the answer has seldom involved Verizon. Long considered to be one of the most closed of the major cell phone carriers, Verizon has now embraced the concept of the open network. Verizon's move to allow more devices to use their network is clearly a response to the market forces moving the cell phone world, and an attempt to see more solutions made available to Verizon customers. The real question is whether the new move toward openness will be enough to move Verizon to the front of the cell phone retail market.

For more on Verizon's open network:
- Read the full article at WirelessWeek

AT&T: The most open network?

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 06:59:57 -0500

Following announcements that Verizon plans to open its network to third-party phones and applications, AT&T's wireless-business CEO said that AT&T's network is already open, and will remain more open than Verizon. Since SIM-card identity-management is inherent in GSM networks, he's right--though it seems odd to hear an executive touting a feature the company long fought tooth-and-nail. Whatever could be the impetus behind the new spirit of openness in the cellular telephone market? It might be that vendors hear the substantial footsteps of Google as the search company continues to move into wireless communications.

For more on network open features:
- Read the whole story at DailyTechRag

QUICKLINKS: Verizon opens up to Android; Silent FCC auction;

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 06:59:55 -0500

> Verizon opens up to Android. Article

> Quality is king. Article

> Broadband over New York. Article

> Silent FCC auction. Article