at&t

Late last month, the FCC issued its 16th Mobile Competition Report, a 400-page document that analyzes in detail the competitive landscape for mobile carriers and the ecosystem that surrounds them.

Congress charged the FCC with answering one simple question in the annual report: Is there "effective competition" in the mobile ecosystem?

But since the 2009 confirmation of Genachowski as the chairman, the FCC has refused to answer the question one way or the other. Here, as in its previous two reports, the commission comes tantalizingly close to the right conclusion, but then backs away from it in the … Read more

Contradicting a report from earlier today, Verizon said it has no plans to acquire Vodafone, either on its own or with a bidding partner.

Citing "usually reliable people," the Financial Times had reported that Verizon was teaming with AT&T to buy Vodafone, in a deal worth $245 billion.

Under the deal, the FT reported, Verizon would acquire the 45 percent stake Vodafone currently owns in its U.S. operations. The remainder of Vodafone's business outside the U.S. would go to AT&T.

But in a regulatory filing made today in response to media … Read more

AT&T and Sprint Nextel said that the HTC One will hit stores on April 19 starting at $199.99 and a two-year contract.

Eager fans can pre-order the phone at AT&T on April 4, and on Sprint a day later.

After plenty of hype and a short delay, the flagship HTC One finally looks ready to come to at least one carrier. The 32-gigabyte version will cost $199.99, while the 64GB version, which is exclusive to AT&T, will sell for $299.99 and a two-year contract.

The phone will come in black and … Read more

Verizon and AT&T could be teaming up to make a huge bid for the world's second-largest mobile carrier, Vodafone.

The deal, if it's signed, would see Verizon and AT&T offer 260 pence ($3.93) per share for Vodafone, representing about a 40 percent premium on the company's share price, Financial Times is reporting today, citing "usually reliable people" who claim to have knowledge of the deal. If signed, Vodafone would be valued at $245 billion.

According to the Financial Times, the deal would be quite complex. Verizon would acquire the 45 … Read more

AT&T plans to begin deploying HD Voice's improved voice calling to customers later this year, an executive with the carrier revealed today.

The feature, which has been long touted by the wireless carriers, uses hardware and software components on both the phone and on the network to significantly enhance voice clarity while reducing background noise. The feature devotes more frequency to handle the amount of audio coming in and automatically kicks in when both handsets support it.

Speaking at the VentureBeat Mobile Summit in Sausalito, Calif., Senior VP Kris Rinne said that the carrier's support for … Read more

AT&T today announced the upcoming availability of the Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9 LTE.

The connected tablet will sell for $399.99, and can be added onto Mobile Share plans, starting at $10 per month.

For those planning to hold onto the tablet for long-term, AT&T is knocking $150 off the price just so long as you commit to a two-year service agreement. Specifically, you get a $100 discount for signing the two-year contract, while an additional $50 comes back to you as a credit activation for tablets purchased in a retail store. The $249.… Read more

Just as expected, carriers have begun to slash prices on Samsung's Galaxy S3 handset in anticipation of stocking the bigger, fancier Samsung Galaxy S4 successor.

AT&T announced this morning that beginning today, its Galaxy S3 will sell for $99.99 with a two-year contract, an instant $100 reduction. Expect other carriers to follow suit.

Galaxy S4 preorders begin on April 16 for AT&T. The $250 in-contract Galaxy S4 cost makes the Galaxy S3 look like a bargain, a tactic that will help the carrier clear old stock to make room on the shelves for the … Read more

The upstart live-TV streaming service Aereo is said to be in partnership talks with AT&T and Dish Network, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Aereo's antenna/DVR technology allows consumers to watch live, local over-the-air broadcast television on certain Internet-connected devices for a fee. If it partners with television and Internet providers it could greatly increase its reach.

This news is likely to be much to the chagrin for several major broadcasters, which are suing the company for copyright violation. ABC, CBS (the parent of CNET), Fox, NBC Universal, and Telemundo, all alleged in a lawsuit filed … Read more

AT&T said today it would begin taking pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy S4, which it is pricing at $249.99 with a two-year contract.

Eager customers can place their order starting April 16. AT&T hasn't yet announced when the smartphone would actually hit stores, and a representative declined to provide a specific date.

The $249.99 price tag is slightly higher than the standard flagship phone, which typically retails at $199.99. But Samsung and its carrier partners are hoping that the Galaxy brand, the improved specifications, and the strong buzz behind the product will … Read more