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LAS VEGAS–T-Mobile USA received three gifts for Christmas: billion in cash, AWS spectrum and some interesting roaming deals. That was the message from Philipp Humm, T-Mobile USA’s president and CEO, during a press event at the Consumer Electronics Show here. Humm noted that the breakup of the company’s anticipated billion acquisition by AT&T (NYSE:T) led to several concessions including T-Mobile receiving a large package of AWS mobile spectrum in 128 Cellular Market Areas (CMAs), including 12 of the top 20 markets.

Humm, who admitted the company had been fairly quiet during the past nine months after AT&T announced its planned (and later failed) acquisition of the company, said that nevertheless T-Mobile has been working hard to keep its focus on its business in the interim. He noted that the company had invested in 250 more T-Mobile-branded retail stores, built partnerships with companies such as SAP and also invested in its 4G network.

On its network specifically, T-Mobile announced it doubled the speed of its 4G network in 12 additional markets, offering HSPA+ 42 to 12 additional markets. The move brings its HSPA+ 42 network to 184 million POPs in 175 markets. In addition, T-Mobile expanded the reach of its nationwide HSPA+ 21 network to nine additional markets, now covering 217 markets across the country and reaching more than 200 million people.

Humm admitted that the company has been impacted by churn and that the brand has been impacted. However, he pledged to reinvigorate the brand and also strengthen T-Mobile’s business-to-business space. Interestingly, Humm also said that the company is open to MVNO businesses and will be focusing on keeping its 4G services thriving. “T-Mobile is back,” Humm proclaimed.

For more:
- see this release

Related Articles:
After collapse of the AT&T/T-Mobile deal, what is AT&T’s Plan B?
AT&T pulls the plug on B acquisition of T-Mobile USA
Report: AT&T’s attempts to sell off T-Mobile assets hit dead end
Dish CEO: We could partner with T-Mobile if AT&T deal collapses 
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FierceWireless

AT&T (NYSE:T) said it now expects its proposed billion acquisition of T-Mobile USA to close by the end of the first half of next year, a few months later than it originally planned, according to a regulatory filing. 

In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, AT&T said the deal will close in the first half of 2012, pending regulatory approval. Previously, AT&T had anticipated the deal closing in March 2012. The Department of Justice sued in August to block the deal on antitrust grounds, and a trial is set to begin Feb. 13. AT&T first announced the deal in late March 2011.

If the merger transaction does fall apart, AT&T will be required to pay T-Mobile parent Deutsche Telekom a billion breakup fee, which includes billion in cash and billion in spectrum and roaming agreements.

The legal troubles for AT&T grew after U.S. District Judge Ellen Huvelle ruled on Wednesday that Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) and C Spire Wireless could continue parts of their lawsuit to block the AT&T/T-Mobile deal. While Huvelle threw out many of the claims Sprint and C Spire, formerly Cellular South, made in their filings, she ruled that the two could continue to pursue claims that the deal will harm the mobile device marketplace. 

Interestingly, AT&T also said in the SEC filing that it now expects its proposed .93 billion purchase of Qualcomm’s (NASDAQ:QCOM) 700 MHz Media FLO spectrum, which was announced in December 2010, to close by the end of the first quarter of next year, later than its previous expectation for the deal to close by year-end. The FCC needs to approve the license transfer.

In August the FCC said it would consider the AT&T/Qualcomm transaction side-by-side with the AT&T/T-Mobile deal. While the FCC did not formally combine the reviews of the two acquisitions, the move was a setback for AT&T and Qualcomm, which argued that the two deals should be evaluated independent of one another.

For more:
- see this SEC filing
- see this WSJ article (sub. req.)

Related Articles:
Judge allows Sprint, C Spire to continue AT&T/T-Mobile legal battle
AT&T prepares for October legal battles over T-Mobile deal
Google wants confidential Android info protected in AT&T/T-Mobile litigation
AT&T’s Stephenson: We will argue for efficiencies from T-Mobile deal
Sprint’s Hesse: DOJ lawsuit against AT&T/T-Mobile won’t prevent consolidation
Cellular South jumps into fray, sues to block AT&T/T-Mobile

FierceWireless

For the second week, thousands of people are jamming Ohio’s statehouse to protest legislation that would wipe out collective bargaining rights for state employees, weaken other workers’ rights and have a devastating ripple effect on families and communities already struggling financially.
CWA Union News

As many reviewers pointed out in reviewing the iPhone 4 from Verizon, although the hardware is almost identical, the major difference is the networks.  Reviewers also noted that on the Verizon 3G network you can’t use voice and 3G data at the same time.

AT&T’s answer to their take on the difference is seen in a new commercial.  It shows a man in a conference room talking on the speaker phone and making a reservation at the same time.  Apple’s official iPhone commercial shows two iPhones on the two networks doing the same functions to the tune of the Blue Danube.

The Verizon iPhone sold out for Verizon presale customers the day it went on sale.  There will be some Verizon stores opening at midnight on February 10 for iPhone sales.  

WIRELESS AND MOBILE NEWS

We knew that Sprint’s new phone was doing well.  The carrier even admitted to shortages not only at their stores, but Best Buy and Radio Shack locations as well.  Now we’re finding that Sprint.com is showing the device out of stock.  There’s an ambiguous “check back later” showing on the handset’s page.  At least with the droid Incredible, Verizon lets people know just how far down the road “later” actually is.  Hopefully Sprint gets out in front of this thing and grabs all the interested buyers they can.

Win one of seven Motorola droid handsets being given out! Click here to see how it works!

NOTE: EVO 4G Out of Stock “Check Back Later” originally appeared on AndroidGuys. If you are reading this elsewhere, it was done without the consent of the author.

• HTC EVO 4G Has Massive Weekend, Leads to Shortages
• EVO Gets “Toasted”; Root and Froyo ROM Released
• Get Your EVO Early – RadioShack to Open Select Stores at 6AM

AndroidGuys

Update: And just like that, Google says its fix is in place and developers are seeing their apps again. Huzzah! [Google]

Original: Apps have been disappearing from the Android Market for a good many of you (and us) for a few days now, and you’ve been screaming for answers. And we hear you. And, believe it or not, Google’s heard you, too. Here’s what Google told us about the problem:

"We are aware of an app visibility issue with certain recent devices. We believe it to be a device configuration problem and are working on a workaround."

We know, we know. You guys and gals won’t be happy until the apps are back in the Market like they should be. But remember that there are thousands and thousands and thousands of you using the Android Market, and we don’t wan things to get worse. (But that said, let’s get this fixed, Google, m’kay?)

Posted originally at Android Central

Sponsored by www.droidappshowcase.com

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