wireless

Verizon Rakes in Wireless Fees in Latest Quarter

Verizon said Thursday that its profit rose 16 percent in the latest quarter as revenue from wireless service kept rising at a rate that's the envy of the industry.

Verizon, AT&T to Make Joint Bid for Vodafone, Report Says

Verizon and AT&T are reportedly considering a joint bid for Britain's Vodafone that would result in Verizon becoming the sole owner of Verizon Wireless.

AT&T to Buy Alltel's U.S. Wireless Business for About $780 Million

AT&T said Tuesday that it has reached a deal to buy Alltel's U.S. wireless operations for about $780 million to boost its spectrum in rural areas. It will acquire licenses, retail stores, network assets and about 585,000 subscribers from Atlantic Tele-Network.

NFL Live Games Go High Tech

How do you keep fans paying top dollar to attend live gridiron contests in an era when DIRECTV's NFL Sunday Ticket broadcasts every single game into living rooms? Make attendance more entertaining, that's how.

R.I.P., Credit Cards: New Tech May Signal the Death of Plastic

It has been 63 years since Frank McNamara invented the credit card, and those little pieces of plastic are everywhere. But now, a groundbreaking new technology could upend the industry he created.

Why RadioShack Will Never Be Great Again

There was a time when RadioShack mattered -- it was the easiest place to pick up those tech items you had to have, from odd-sized batteries to coaxial cables. Now you can get that stuff everywhere, and RadioShack is dying so fast that even Wall Street's analysts can't keep up with its decline.

Will Apple Go Downmarket With Cheaper iPhone?

When Apple rolls out its next-generation, high-end iPhone 5 this fall, one analyst is predicting the company will also shoot for the low-end market by introducing a second, inexpensive iPhone model that's capable of working with prepaid phone plans.

Apple's China Mobile Deal Has Huge Potential

Apple buys many components for its devices from Chinese suppliers. Now, it's getting more aggressive about selling those devices in the world's largest cell phone market, inking a deal to sell iPhones through No. 1 wireless operator China Mobile, which could substantially boost Apple's earnings.

AT&T's 4G Battle Plan: 15 Major U.S. Cities in 2011

AT&T will spread its 4G LTE network into a large number of U.S. cities this year, a move that puts it into direct competition with Sprint-Nextel's Wimax 4G product and LTE technology deployed by Verizon Wireless. But will its investment in faster wireless pay off?

California's Smart-Meter Controversy: What You Need to Know

Amid health concerns over smart meters, which can wirelessly transmit household energy-usage data to utilities and customers, California's largest utility has proposed a plan that would allow homeowners to opt for regular meters -- at a cost. Here are some facts for consumers to consider.

Where Does the AT&T and T-Mobile Deal Leave Sprint?

The news that the U.S.'s No. 2 wireless carrier, AT&T, is buying No. 4 carrier T-Mobile has squelched hopes that T-Mobile would join forces with Sprint. What else does this deal mean for the No. 3 carrier?

Will AT&T T-Mobile = Bad Customer Service?

What happens when you merge the worst in class with the best in class? AT&T's proposed $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile USA may be good news for investors, but it will likely mean a drop in service for customers, experts say.

Obama Wants to Use WiFi to Cut the U.S. Budget Deficit

U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday proposed that the government auction off its portion of the wireless spectrum to private companies to boost access to high-speed Internet and cut the federal budget deficit.

It's Official: Verizon Wireless's iPhone 4 Arrives in February

At last, a Verizon iPhone. Verizon Wireless made its long-awaited announcement Tuesday, ending years of speculation over when it would carry Apple's world-beating smartphone on its CDMA network. Worth noting: It'll come with an unlimited data plan for $29.99 a month.

Verizon iPhone Buzz Is Building: Five Things It Could Mean

The Apple blogosphere is buzzing with what seems to be solid evidence that finally Verizon will be offering an iPhone to run on its network. The long-expected announcement would be the biggest thing to hit the wireless business since the first iPhone itself. Here are five things it would mean.

Qualcomm Targets Tablets with Bid for Atheros

In a move to help it target tablet computers, cell-phone-chip designer Qualcomm has reportedly offered $3.5 billion to buy Atheros Communications, which has developed chips that connect wireless computers to the Internet.

Motorola Splits Into Two Very Different Companies

Now broken up, the new Motorolas have distinct corporate personalities: the riskier but higher-growth potential Motorola Mobility, which includes Droid smartphones, and the duller but steadier Motorola Solutions, which makes things like bar-code scanners.

2011's Stealth Trend: Wireless Web Remakes the Rural World

If you want to know how the rural developing world could get cheap, easy wireless Internet access, just follow the money: Remittances to those regions total tens of billions each year, and the money flow isn't very efficient. The profits from micro-telcos taking over the business could prime the pump for an information revolution in the hinterlands.

The Year in Tech: Top 10 Highlights of 2010

A broad array of technology news helped define 2010, from the launch of Apple's iPad to the arrival of the app to a supernova of Internet stock gains. Here's a look back at those major stories -- and a glimpse of some highlights you can expect next year.

Chinese Regulators Delay Nokia Siemens Deal to Buy Motorola Wireless Assets

Nokia Siemens's planned acquisition of the bulk of Motorola's wireless-network business likely won't happen this year. Chinese regulators are still reviewing the deal, and Nokia Siemens now expects approval -- and the completion of the purchase -- will have to wait until the first quarter of 2011.

AT&T Adds Public WiFi Hot Spots

Who Pays for Kids' Mobile Use? In the U.S., Parents

Here's one reason why U.S. teens and young adults are luckier than their international counterparts: Unlike in many other countries, most American youths don't have to pay their own cell-phone bills.

Motorola's Problems in a
Single Word: iPhone

After 80 years of tech achievements, Motorola has run into a nemesis unlike others it has overcome in the past. And it's not for lack of trying. Even as Motorola restructures and launches new products, it keeps getting upstaged by the iPhone.

Breaking Up: Motorola to Splits Into Two Companies

In a breakup that's been in the works for the last two years, Motorola says it will officially split into two companies -- Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions -- on Jan. 4.

Cox Communications Launches Cell Network

Cox Communications is taking on wireless companies on its own turf by launching a long-anticipated cellular service in three scattered markets where it already provides cable. But can it compete with all the other wireless companies out there?

Why More U.S. Analysts Are Dialing Russia's MBT

Mobile TeleSystems has been listed on the NYSE for about 10 years, yet few investors know it's one of the few promising plays on the Russian economy's potential snapback. Wall Street is generally high on the stock, with 16 of 23 analysts recommending the shares as a buy.