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Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) will launch LTE service in 10 markets by mid-year using its new Network Vision multi-mode base stations, according to CEO Dan Hesse. 

Speaking at the Citi Global Entertainment, Media & Telecommunications Conference, Hesse said that four of those 10 markets will be Atlanta, Dallas, San Antonio and Houston, Texas. He added that the company is confident it can deploy LTE as planned but added that sometimes big network transitions do have difficulties, alluding to Verizon Wireless’ (NYSE:VZ) recent spate of LTE network outages.

Hesse added that Sprint can decide whether to deploy LTE faster or slower than anticipated depending on what it deems is optimal for its cash spend.

Earlier this year Sprint announced that it had deployed its first multi-mode base station in Branchburg, N.J., and its first LTE network cluster in Kankakee, Ill., about 50 miles south of Chicago.

Sprint’s extensive Network Vision upgrade will deploy LTE using the company’s 1900 MHz spectrum. The company plans to have 250 million to 277 million POPs covered with LTE by the end of 2013. Sprint also plans to launch at least 12 LTE devices this year.

Hesse added that Sprint has enough spectrum for its Network Vision plans through 2014. The company also envisions using Clearwire’s (NASDAQ:CLWR) TDD-LTE buildout to augment its own FDD-LTE network, which means it will have enough spectrum through 2016 or 2017.

Last year Sprint agreed to pay Clearwire up to an additional 0 million in a series of pre-payments over a period of up to two years for LTE capacity if Clearwire achieves certain buildout targets and network specifications by June 2013.

For more:
- see this webcast
- see this release

Related Articles:
Sprint deploys first LTE cluster, multi-modal base station
Sprint will deploy LTE-Advanced in the first half of 2013
Sprint to launch LTE on 1900 MHz spectrum by mid-2012

FierceWireless

TracFone’s flat-rate Straight Talk service will launch its first smartphone running Google’s (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android platform in September, according to BTIG Research analyst Walter Piecyk.

Samsung Galaxy Precedent

According to Piecyk, the carrier will launch the Straight Talk Galaxy Precedent, made by Samsung, which is expected to be priced at 0. The analyst noted that the smartphone is strikingly similar to the Samsung Prevail, which Sprint Nextel’s (NYSE:S) prepaid brand Boost Mobile sells for 0. The Prevail runs Android 2.2, has a 3.2-inch touchscreen display, and a 2-megapixel camera. Representatives from TracFone, Sprint and Samsung did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

A blog post on Straight Talk’s website promises the Android-powered Galaxy Precedent is “coming soon,” but the post does not provide details, including a launch date and a price.

The device could represent a threat to flat-rate players MetroPCS (NASDAQ:PCS) and Leap Wireless’ (NASDAQ:LEAP) Cricket, which have bet heavily on Android and are trying to attract new smartphone customers. Thus far, Straight Talk’s smartphone offerings have been confined to the likes of the Nokia (NYSE:NOK) 6970 and E71.

“We believe Straight Talk, which is owned by América Móvil, has negotiated a new data wholesale agreement with a major wireless carrier in order to offer these data hungry products,” Piecyk wrote in a blog post. TracFone currently operates as an MVNO using Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ), AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T), and T-Mobile USA’s networks. TracFone’s Straight Talk brand is primarily sold through Walmart.

Piecyk wrote that Straight Talk’s unlimited plan for voice, texting and Web access compares favorably with more expensive plans from Boost, Leap and MetroPCS, which he said, along with T-Mobile, could all feel more pressure. 

“When Straight Talk first entered the unlimited prepaid market, they had a pretty quick impact on the market even though it took time to roll out distribution,” he wrote. “This time around the distribution is already in place and the brand is well known. It could be a tough Q4 for their competitors.”

América Móvil’s U.S. TracFone unit added close to 236,000 net subscribers in the second quarter, significantly lower than the first quarter and the year-ago period. The company blamed the slowdown in subscriber adds on higher churn.

For more:
- see this BTIG blog post (reg. req.)
- see this Straight Talk post

Special Report: Tier 2 wireless carriers clamoring for more smartphones

Related Articles:
Straight Talk drives TracFone’s 236K Q2 net adds
TracFone’s Straight Talk pulls back on Nokia smartphones
TracFone: No plans for postpaid offering
TracFone’s Straight Talk launches Nokia 6790, E71 smartphones
TracFone finishes Q1 with 18.5 million subs

FierceWireless

Rumours around what could be the upcoming Google Nexus device have started up again today. Previous thoughts were that LG or HTC had been granted the rights to develop the next generation of Nexus Android, this was also once pegged with the name as the “Nexus 4G”. Today, BGR is reporting that Google and Samsung will be teaming up to create what might be called the “Google Nexus Prime” (that’s the internal code name at Google). According to the source, the Prime will come with a Texas Instruments OMAP 4460 dual-core processor, have “a monster 720p -resolution display” that’s named “Super AMOLED HD” and run the upcoming Android Ice Cream Sandwich OS.

Probably the most interesting part of the rumour, and what makes the LG and HTC rumour come to life, is how Google might release several higher end Google devices across various carriers at the same time. BGR noted that “Our source indicated that Google could be working with multiple carriers and multiple OEMs on their own “exclusive” Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) halo devices, and that they may all launch around the same time.

Another day, another rumour…
Source: BGR

Related posts:

1. Rumour: Samsung and Google to launch the “Nexus Two”
2. Google promotes new Nexus S on homepage
3. Rumour: “Nexus 4G” will run Android 4.0 and possibly come with a dual-core 1.5GHz processor

MobileSyrup.com

The HTC ThunderBolt will be the first 4G LTE Android smartphone from Verizon Wireless.  Android and smartphone fans have been waiting to find out pricing and details about it.  The prices is expected to now be 9.99 with a launch date predicted sometime in February.

Leaked screenshots show the price of the HTC ThunderBolt as 9.99 for the period of 1/21/2011 to 7/21/2011.  Sales training appears to have started this week.

The HTC ThunderBolt has shown up at Walmart wireless with the description “The HTC ThunderBolt is Verizon’s first 4G LTE phone.”

The HTC ThunderBolt, when it was announced at CTIA, was supposed be the first smartphone from Verizon to offer simultaneous voice and data.  Recently, leaked documents suggest that the data will be 3G data, not 4G LTE data.  Verizon employees were informed that Verizon “cannot promise the experience will be one that is
consistent with [the] brand” and so are advising sales people to “not
reference this functionality as a benefit during your conversations with
customers.”

HTC claims that it is the first phone with integrated video Skype mobile – to any device, from anywhere – no Wi-Fi required via its
front-facing camera.

HTC ThunderBolt is a 4G LTE Android 2.2 smartphone with HTC
Sense,
4.3-inch touchscreen, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, Skype video calling,
mobile hotspots, GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.  Other features include a
builtt-in kickstand, Dolby/SRS surround sound, and DLNA support.

It makes sense that the HTC ThunderBolt will come out before the dual-core Droid Bionic because it has a 1GHz processor.  Verizon probably would not launch their first LTE phone during the iPhone launch starting February 10.  The new Verizon iPhone 4 cannot use voice and data at the same time but will have an unlimited data plan and mobile hotspots option.

WIRELESS AND MOBILE NEWS

On Friday Videotron put a bunch of upcoming devices on their site and quickly removed them. Among them was the BlackBerry Curve 3G (9300)… this was one of them that we didn’t grab a screenshot of it have a chance to look at the pricing. However, confirmation that the Curve 3G is coming can be [...]

Related posts:

1. Confirmed list of BlackBerry devices to get OS 5.0 update
2. MTS to launch BlackBerry Curve 8530 soon
3. Bell prepping to release the BlackBerry Curve 3G

MobileSyrup.com

You can mark August 12th down on your calendar as the date that Bell will be releasing the BlackBerry Curve 3G (9300). We saw this last week pop up in their promo magazine as “Coming Soon”. No word on price plans yet but most likely it’ll be affordable as it’s targeted to reach the back-to-school [...]

Related posts:

1. Bell prepping to release the BlackBerry Curve 3G
2. Proof that Rogers will be releasing the BlackBerry Curve 3G in Q3
3. Fido to launch BlackBerry Curve 8520 on February 2nd?

MobileSyrup.com

Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) said it had a blockbuster opening sales day with its HTC Evo 4G smartphone, which broke the one-day sales record previously held by the Samsung Instinct and Palm (NASDAQ:PALM) Pre. According to Sprint, the number of Evo devices the carrier sold on Friday was three times the number of Instinct and Pre units sold over their first three days on the market combined.

Though Sprint did not disclose the actual sales figure, BTIG Research analyst Walter Piecyk estimated Sprint sold at least 250,000 Evos over the weekend, but noted “it would also be reasonable to speculate that sales could have topped 300,000 this weekend given the pre-ordering appointments that extended throughout the weekend.” David Dixon, an analyst at FBR Capital Markets, was more bullish, predicting the carrier sold 320,000 units, gaining 100,000 new customers and 220,000 upgrades.

Customer interest appeared to take its toll on Sprint’s systems. In a statement, the carrier said some stores–including Best Buy, RadioShack and Wal-Mart–were not able to keep up with the demand. Sprint spokeswoman Michelle Leff Mermelstein told FierceWireless the carrier saw higher-than-normal wait times for activations due to high volumes.

“Our servers were slowed down but we worked hard to make the customer experience a positive one,” in some cases writing activation orders up by hand, she said. “Think of this like calling the airlines during a snowstorm or tropical weather incident where everyone is flooding the call centers at once–call volumes and wait times were longer than we would like to see but we worked hard to process every activation as quickly as possible.” AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T) has recorded similar problems in the past with iPhone launches.

Regarding inventory shortages, Mermelstein said Sprint is “bringing more devices into stores on a regular basis with many stores actually getting daily shipments.” She described the shortages as a “temporary situation,” and explained that the carrier is working with HTC to ease the inventory constraints as soon as possible.

Shortages of high-end HTC phones are turning into a trend, it seems; Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) is having trouble keeping up with demand for the HTC Droid Incredible.

Sprint is banking on the Evo to turn into a solid hit as well as serve as a showcase for Clearwire’s (NASDAQ:CLWR) mobile WiMAX network as it looks to win back postpaid subscribers. The phone costs 9.99 with a two-year contract and after a 0 mail-in rebate for a new line or eligible upgrade.

For more:
- see this release
- see this Bloomberg article
- see this Engadget post
- see this BTIG blog post (sub. req.)
- see this BTIG blog post (sub. req.)
- see this WSJ article (sub. req.)

Related Articles:
Sprint launches HTC Evo amid buzz, bugs
Sprint launching HTC Evo June 4 for 9
4G phones: The promise and the peril
Sprint won’t support Google’s Nexus One

FierceWireless

Yesterday eagle eyed AT&T subcribers may have noticed that their upgrade eligibility changed to June 21st, 2010.
That is very good evidence that the new iPhone is on it’s way, and with the WDC scheduled for the beginning of June, chances are there will be an announcement and launch a few weeks later, similar to last years iPhone 3gs and this years iPad announcement.

–

If you want a great resource to cover the iPhone 2g, 3g, and 3gs, Then check this book out, it helped me get started with iPhone

Att iPhone News, Hacks, App Reviews, How To and jailbreak

1,600 Radio Shack locations will open at 6AM local time on Friday, June 4th for the long-awaited launch of the EVO 4G WiMax Android device from Sprint.  To reward those customers that pre-ordered from the store, the company will be giving those…



(Continue reading at the link above, or visit PhoneNews.com directly)

PhoneNews.com

After TELUS and Rogers announced they will officially release the iPhone 4… Bell sent us an e-mail stating that “Yes, Bell will launch iPhone 4 in coming weeks. We will make more information available soon.”
No other details… but it’s “coming soon”. We just wish we made the June 24th cut but have to settle for [...]

Related posts:

1. Rogers on Bell & Telus launching the iPhone Rogers announced their Q3 2009 results yesterday and revenues…
2. Report: In 2014 Rogers still dominates with 37.8% market share Research and Markets have released their study “1Q10 Canada…
3. Rogers, Bell & TELUS part of OneAPI pilot project Rogers, Bell and TELUS are part of a pilot…

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