carriers

Microsoft's new Windows Phone 8 devices will hit stores this fall. And support from carriers like Verizon Wireless will be crucial if the company stands a chance of competing with smartphone giants, Apple and Google.

Microsoft today took the wraps off Windows Phone 8, the next iteration of its mobile software for smartphones. Device makers Nokia, Huawei, Samsung and HTC have all committed to building Windows Phone 8 devices, Microsoft said. So far all four major wireless carriers, including Verizon Wireless, are onboard as well, which is good news for Microsoft. The big question now is how much support … Read more

Virgin Mobile USA will soon be the latest pre-paid carrier to get Apple's iPhone 4S, according to a new report.

Citing people familiar with Sprint's plans, Dow Jones says that the iPhone will arrive on Virgin Mobile USA -- a wholly-owned Sprint subsidiary -- as early as next month.

Sprint joined AT&T and Verizon as the third major U.S. carrier to offer the popular handset last October.

The move would follow Apple's deal with Leap Wireless's Cricket, which marked a beginning of the iPhone's jump into the prepaid market. That deal, announced last week, … Read more

Given all the attention that the Samsung Galaxy S III is garnering today, it's easy to overlook some of the finer points.

One detail that has been lost in the shuffle could have long-lasting implications for Android. It's not the 2GB RAM, although that does sound wonderful, and it's not the dual-core processor. Nope, it's not the universal launch date either. Instead, what's really significant is the singular design and branding for the Galaxy S III across all of the five U.S. carriers scheduled to carry it. Here's why.… Read more

Regional wireless provider U.S. Cellular has become the first carrier to offer its customers a list of curated apps from the Amazon Appstore. Announced today, these Android users will find a new menu greeting them when they launch the Amazon application. … Read more

Google is switching up Android in an effort to gain some control from wireless carriers.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the tech giant is planning to grant early access of new releases of the operating system to several mobile-device makers at once and also sell the phones directly to consumers.

Until now, Google would work with only one device maker to create "lead devices," according to The Wall Street Journal. Only once the "lead device" was produced would the company give access of the software to other mobile makers. Also, all phones were sold via … Read more

Looks like the Big Red is about to get even bigger.

Verizon's 4G LTE network, which already covers the largest amount of markets and people compared to any U.S. carrier, is expanding its reach to 28 new markets starting May 17.

These areas include: Houma/Thibodaux and Lake Charles, La.; Hyannis/Mid-Cape, Mass.; Benton Harbor/St. Joseph, Mich.; Biloxi/Gulfport/Pascagoula and Oxford, Miss.; Atlantic City/Toms River, N.J.; Dickinson and Williston, N.D.; Ashtabula, Bucyrus, and Defiance, Ohio; Eugene/Springfield, Ore.; Lancaster, New Castle, Northern Cambria County, Oil City/Franklin, Somerset, and York, Pa.; Myrtle Beach, … Read more

Verizon has launched a new Global Data Package for those traveling overseas.

The company announced today that its new Global Data Package will deliver 100MB of data per month to customers for $25. The special rate is available only to those customers who have a domestic data package, and it allows them to access e-mail, surf the Web, and engage in other data-heavy tasks.

Before travelers sign up for the service, however, they should beware that it's available in 120 destinations around the world, including Mexico, Canada, and all of Europe. When traveling to Asia and Africa, however, compatibility … Read more

Apple is making bank on wireless carriers' high iPhone subsidies. And although carriers aren't too pleased with the amount they have to pay per subsidized unit sold, there is little chance that they'll abandon their partnerships with Apple anytime soon, according to an analyst.

According to All Things Digital, which obtained the letter to investors, analyst Avi Silver of research firm CLSA believes that Apple has inked multiyear agreements with carriers that prevent companies such as AT&T or Verizon from changing iPhone subsidy pricing anytime soon. More importantly, the analyst believes that Apple has locked the … Read more

In an effort to minimize "bill shock" for cell phone customers, or the surprise people experience when they are charged unexpected or ambiguous overages and fees, the Federal Communications Commission launched a new site that will keep track of carriers that alert their customers when they approach or exceed their plan limits.

During the fall of last year, several top phone carriers (all of which cover over 97 percent of U.S. wireless phone customers) agreed to begin sending out free overage alerts to their customers starting October 2012.

These warnings would notify their subscribers if they've … Read more