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Sprint to FCC: Hurry up on AT&T/T-Mobile deal

Sprint Nextel sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission on Friday asking for the agency to move with more speed in its decision on AT&T's planned acquisition of T-Mobile USA.

Sprint filed an ex parte letter to the FCC, joining Dish Network and Public Knowledge, which filed their own ex parte letters late last month. The document urges the FCC "to act promptly to designate AT&T's proposed takeover of T-Mobile for a hearing before an administrative law judge," which is the next step if the commission is going to block the … Read more

AT&T may honor T-Mobile contracts for good

Our friends at TmoNews got their hands on a very interesting document that foretells how current T-Mobile service plans will be affected if the proposed AT&T merger goes through. Though we've always known that AT&T's will honor T-Mobile's contracts through the end of their life, this employee FAQ says that customers can keep their plans "as long as they want to, even when their term ends and the service continues on a month-to-month basis."

Exactly what that means remains to be seen. In previous carrier mergers, customers were allowed to keep … Read more

Quick Take: AT&T U2800A

The U2800A, made by Huawei, is a low-end phone for AT&T's GoPhone prepaid service. Basic inside and out, the U2800A has a standard candy bar design that measures 4.37 inches long by 1.84 inches wide by 0.56 inch deep and weighs 2.68 ounces. The 1.8-inch display shows 262,000 colors (160x128 pixels).

Features include messaging, a personal organizer, a WAP browser, polyphonic ringtones, USB syncing, M3/T3 hearing aid compatibility, and a speakerphone. The U2800A is just $19.99, but you can get it for free if you purchase it online.

AT&T spells out two new global texting plans

Starting today, AT&T's international travelers can get on board with one of two new messaging plans.

The Global Messaging 200 plan lets you send 200 messages for $30 per month, while more prolific texters and travelers can opt for the Global Messaging 500, which gives you 500 messages to play with every month, for $50.

The plans, which cover instant messages in addition text, picture, and video messages, will let jetsetters text from over 100 countries. Without an international plan, AT&T charges fifty cents per text or instant message sent from abroad, and $1.30 … Read more

AT&T's LTE boot-up: What it means to you (Q&A)

Come Sunday, AT&T will finally flip the switch on its 4G LTE network--in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio--almost a year after announcing its LTE launch plans.

Although AT&T's marketing machine has leaned on the carrier's existing HSPA+ network to fill its 4G gap, AT&T's progress lags three-quarters of a year behind Verizon's LTE network, which now covers over half of the U.S.

Suffice it to say that AT&T customers have been waiting a long time for LTE, hungry for the more advanced 4G technology and … Read more

AT&T responds to Justice Department lawsuit

AT&T filed a response to the Justice Department's lawsuit to block the merger with T-Mobile USA today, claiming the agency fails to understand the benefits of the deal and isn't painting an accurate picture of the competitive environment.

The Dallas telecommunications giant largely brought up the same arguments it first made to regulators: that the deal would allow AT&T to gain access to more spectrum, let the company provide wireless broadband access to more people, and that it would provide more competition in an already competitive industry. The filing also contains specific responses denying … Read more

AT&T reportedly confirms iPhone launch in October

An AT&T executive has confirmed to employees that the next iPhone will launch in early October, Boy Genius Report reported today.

An AT&T vice president has reportedly warned employees to "expect things to get really, really busy in the next 35 to 50 days, so prepare your teams accordingly."

An AT&T representative declined CNET's request for comment.

The BGR report is the latest indicator that the iPhone will come out later than previously expected. While the iPhone has previously come out at the beginning of summer each year, the latest version is launching much later. Early reports had the phone launching anytime between September and October.

But more recently, there have been a wave of reports suggesting an October launch target.

The common speculation is that the next version of the iPhone will be unveiled in later September and hit stores in early October.

The next iPhone is expected to launch at both AT&T and Verizon Wireless at the same time, giving the two carriers an equal footing for the first time. Both versions are also expected to work globally, according to a Verizon executive.

Updated at 8:19 a.m. PT: to include AT&T's response. … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1533: Happy 8,000,000th patent! (Podcast)

We celebrate the patent wars with Zynga while Google's stock gets downgraded. TV Studios think its a good idea to pull back their content on the Web and if you've ever faked a phone call on your cell phone, you're not the only one.

AT&T to focus on LTE network first, then compatible phones

Don't look for a slew of 4G LTE phone announcements out of the AT&T camp anytime soon. Instead, the carrier plans to devote the next few months to building up its LTE network.

Speaking at a Oppenheimer Technology and Communications Conference today, Peter Ritcher, senior vice president for AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets, indicated that the company still expects to launch its 4G network in five markets--Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio--in the next few months, with plans to cover 15 markets by the end of the year.

Instead, AT&T will initially … Read more