carriers

As Apple's first 4G LTE-compatible device, the new iPad has a lot riding on its wings. And because it costs a pretty penny, it makes sense to consider every issue--including which 4G network is right for you.

Whether you know it or not, no two carriers are exactly alike. The same goes for AT&T and Verizon. Although both offer 4G and international roaming (but not on 4G LTE bands), there are different caveats and benefits to each, making for two different iPad experiences. Read on if you want to know what these two companies have to offer (… Read more

The five largest European carriers could face an antitrust inquiry for meetings they've allegedly held since 2010.

The Financial Times, citing sources, reported that Deutsche Telekom, France Telecom, Telecom Italia, Telefonica, and Vodafone have been holding so-called "E5" meetings since 2010 to discuss a host of issues they face. Financial Times' sources say that the company's top executives discussed everything from Apple and Google to mobile payments.

Those meetings have apparently not gone unnoticed in Brussels, where the European Commission confirmed to CNET today that it has "requested information" from the carriers, as well … Read more

What will it take for you to finally ditch that 2G network?

So what if your kids roll their eyes when it takes you forever to watch those videos they want you to check out? Watching some guy test out his bulletproof vest by shooting himself can wait.

And the fact that your co-workers are still gossiping about the time you got everyone lost during that carpool ride because the freeway exit came before your navigation app could load directions? Pfft, they'll be talking about something else soon enough.

Or what about that letter you got last week from … Read more

Mobile phone customers around the world may soon have a way to pay any merchant or any other person with their device.

Today, San Francisco-based Boku unveiled Boku Accounts, a white-label service that will allow wireless carriers to offer their customers a mobile payments system that could work throughout the world. Those mobile users, in turn, will be able to make payments at any credit card terminal either with their phones, or with a special debit card.

Though no carriers have yet formally adopted the new service, Boku says one U.K. operator is well into trials. The company, which … Read more

In the cell phone world, upgrade fees are the root of all evil.

Well, maybe not all evil, but they're responsible for a big portion of it. Apparently, though, carriers don't agree.

Consider that on Friday, AT&T confirmed that it was doubling its upgrade fee from $18 to $36. So now, any AT&T customer who decides to upgrade to a new phone will have to pay a decent chunk of change for the "privilege."

True, AT&T isn't the only carrier to do so and it doesn't charge more … Read more

Sprint Nextel saw its biggest surge in new customers in six years thanks to the iPhone, but that growth came at a hefty price.

Still, Sprint reported a loss of $1.3 billion, or 43 cents a share, on revenue of $8.72 billion in the fourth quarter. That compares with a loss of $929 million, or 31 cents a share, on revenue of $8.3 billion in the year-ago quarter.

The Q4 results included a loss of $241 million, or 8 cents a share, due to one-time costs related to asset charges on property, plant, equipment, as well as … Read more

Simplexity MVNO Services announced today that it will enter into a multi-year partnership with Sprint to launch a third-party branded wireless service slated for spring 2012.

Under the agreement, Simplexity will become a direct wholesale customer and vendor of Sprint's wireless and data network. This means that Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) who do not want a direct relationship with Sprint can get services right from Simplexity if they want to start up another virtual operator.

Terry Hsu, Simplexity's president of MVNO services, told CNET that the company will still provide a full range of privately labeled voice … Read more

How about this for a crazy idea: a cell phone plan that charges you separately for each voice minute, message, and megabyte.

Meet Ting, launched yesterday by Tucows. The new cell phone service for U.S. customers turns the conventional contract on its head by offering plans for various allotments of talk, text, and data.

At the end of the month, Ting credits whatever you don't use, and charges for any extras beyond the plan (but at a higher rate) with no additional penalty fee.

Talk, text, and data bundles range from "XS," where you pay nothing … Read more

It looks like the beginning of 2012 is going to be a piece of a cake for the Verizon Wireless PR team. Unless, you know, something crazy stupid happens.

Last month, RootMetrics dubbed Verizon the top carrier in matters of data coverage. Now today, international marketing research firm and perpetual award giver J.D. Power and Associates named Verizon as the best carrier for customer service.

If this doesn't sound so surprising, that's because Verizon already took home the same title back in July of last year, during the study's first round of surveys. The carrier also … Read more