zcallingcard.com

Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) next version of its iPad tablet will support LTE networks and arrive in March, according to a Bloomberg report. An LTE version of the iPad would be Apple’s first LTE product.

The report, which cited three unnamed sources familiar with the device, said that Apple will deliver an LTE iPad before an LTE iPhone because the tablet’s larger battery can more easily handle LTE’s power requirements. Given the release timeframe mentioned in the report, it’s likely that Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) and AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T) will remain Apple’s U.S. carrier partners–at least for now. Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S), which started selling the iPhone in October, is not expected to launch LTE service until mid-year. 

An Apple spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The report also said that the next iPad will support a higher resolution screen than the iPad 2 and will run on a quad-core processor. Mass production of the iPad 3 started this month in China and will break for the Chinese Lunar New Year this month before ramping up to a peak in February.

The higher resolution screen, plus the inclusion of LTE, are steps Apple is taking to keep the iPad competitive with other devices such as LTE tablets from Samsung and Motorola Mobility (NYSE:MMI). Apple, which reports its quarterly earnings Jan. 24, sold 25 million iPads through the first three quarters of 2011.

For more:
- see this Bloomberg article

Related Articles:
Apple sells 17M iPhones in Q4, expects an iPhone sales record in December
Report: Apple preps next iPad for early 2012 release
Apple to dominate tablets through 2015, says Gartner

FierceWireless

With high spirits and chants of “We are the 99%!”, a dozen marchers headed South from Albany to Stuyvesant, New York. The weather for the kick-off was beautiful. Labor leaders and State Senator Breslin, State Assmeblymember McEneny and others joined CWA Vice President Chris Shelton to rally up the crowd in front of the Verizon building, across from the State Capitol and Occupy Albany. Marchers were warmly greeted upon arrival in Stuyvesant, with some locals bringing refreshments to share with the group. Some of the marchers wanted to Occupy Stuyvesant after that but Friday is another big day to send a message to the 1% at Verizon. Onward!
CWA Union News

Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) and Clearwire (NASDAQ:CLWR) are working out the details of a new contract that would extend their existing wholesale deal for another three to five years, according to a report in Bloomberg, citing three unnamed sources who are said to have direct knowledge of the deal.

The contract will allow Sprint to use Clearwire’s network to provide service to its customers after the current deal expires at the end of 2012. Although the details aren’t final, the report said that the price Sprint will pay for Clearwire to handle its traffic is likely to fall.

A new wholesale deal with Sprint would provide a much needed boost for Clearwire, which has said it needs about billion in additional financing to deploy LTE and finance its existing WiMAX operations. However, according to the sources, Sprint won’t provide financing to Clearwire as part of the new deal.

Sprint announced Oct. 7 that it will launch LTE service by mid-2012 using its 1900 MHz spectrum and move away from WiMAX as its 4G technology of choice. In addition, the company said during its earnings call earlier this week that it had signed an agreement with Clearwire that essentially will allow the companies to work together toward a joint LTE network.

The agreement covers cell site selection, site builds, chipsets for devices and is intended to assure seamless handoffs between Sprint’s network and Clearwire’s LTE network.

For more:
- see this Bloomberg article

Related Articles:
Sprint inks deal with Clearwire, predicts up to B in value from iPhone
Sprint drops unlimited WiMAX data for mobile broadband plans
Sprint Chairman Hance vows company will reveal iPhone financial costs
Sprint’s stock plunges following LTE strategy conference
Sprint adds another 1.1M subs in Q2, along with 1.7M WiMAX devices

FierceWireless

A new report by the University of Delaware’s Center for Community Research and Service provides a critical look at the impact of shared services and news sharing agreements on local media markets. The report will be filed today with the Federal Communications Commission to inform its review of media concentration and ownership in local markets.
CWA Union News

The Communications Workers of America today released “As Goes Avianca: How One Company Represents the Problems and Challenges of the Colombia Free Trade Agreement & the Action Plan on Labor Rights.” The case study outlines the challenges that go unaddressed by the proposed agreement’s Labor Action Plan by looking at the actions of the Colombian-based airline as they relate to it.
CWA Union News

LightSquared received approval from its creditors to have Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) take control of its spectrum should LightSquared default on its debt, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

The report which cited unnamed sources familiar with the matter, said LightSquared got its lenders, J.P. Morgan Chase and UBS, to give Sprint a second lien on LightSquared’s L-band spectrum. According to the report, the second lien is a critical part of the negotiations between Sprint and LightSquared on a network-sharing deal. Under the agreement LightSquared struck with its creditors, Sprint will have to pay the first lien holders .5 billion and will take control of LightSquared’s spectrum in the event of a default.

Representatives from LightSquared and Sprint declined to comment.

According to the report, under a network-sharing deal, Sprint would be paid in a mixture of cash and use of the spectrum. The report cautioned, however, that a deal might fall apart. LightSquared CEO Sandi Ahuja confirmed last week that the company had held talks with Sprint, but said there was nothing to announce.

Meanwhile, concerns continued to swirl around how LightSquared’s network interferes with GPS receivers. A final report on the issue was due to the FCC June 15, but a LightSquared spokesman confirmed to FierceWireless that the company is considering asking the FCC for an extension until July 1.

Tim Farrar, an analyst with TMF Associates, said the lien agreement is meant to give Sprint security in case LightSquared goes out of business. However, he said that Sprint would still be obligated to pay .5 billion on the first lien as well as payments to Inmarsat because of an agreement LightSquared has with the satellite firm.

“If they had a deal with Sprint to announce, this would have just been the background to the deal,” he said. “The fact that they came out with this means that there isn’t a deal yet. Until the GPS situation is resolved, it doesn’t really help.”

Farrar speculated that one reason LightSquared might ask the FCC for an extension on submitting the GPS interference report is to try and put together a winning bid for TerreStar Network’s 2 GHz MSS spectrum. Dish Network won the “stalking horse” bid for bankrupt TerreStar Networks’ assets with a .375 billion offer, according to bankruptcy court filings. According to the court papers, Dish will allow TerreStar to extend the deadline for bids until June 27, with a court-supervised auction set for June 30.

For more:
- see this WSJ article (sub. req.)
- see this Reuters article
- see this TMF blog post

Related Articles:
Dish Network lands .38B bid for TerreStar, reportedly outflanking MetroPCS
Seybold’s Take: Why LightSquared’s proposed system will interfere with GPS
LightSquared CEO Ahuja confirms talks with Sprint
Two government agencies say LightSquared’s network interferes with GPS
Lawmakers continue to press FCC on LightSquared GPS interference concerns
FCC’s Genachowski: We won’t let LightSquared operate without GPS interference resolution
Report: Sprint, LightSquared near B/year network-sharing deal

FierceWireless

More rumours of the iPhone 5 have surfaced today thanks to Avian Securities. They sent a note to their clients that based on their conversations with key component suppliers they believe the next generation iPhone will start production this September and that a “launch is likely a very late 2011 or more likely a 2012 [...]

Related posts:

1. Shaw planning for initial wireless launch late 2011
2. Report: Rogers to have 35.7% market share by the end of 2012
3. Clement: Targeting to auction 700MHz spectrum “by late 2012″

MobileSyrup.com

CWA and AT&T have reached a second Tentative Agreement in the Internet Services contract that helps address the issues our members raised after the first agreement was voted down.
CWA Union News

The full committee met Tuesday, June 22, 2010. Both parties provided opening statements including goals and expectations.
CWA Union News

Leap Wireless (NASDAQ:LEAP) and larger rival MetroPCS (NASDAQ:PCS) are at an impasse over a potential merger, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

The report, citing unnamed sources familiar with the discussions, said the two prepaid unlimited carriers opened talks in February, but are now deadlocked over the relative value of each company. Coming to a consensus on that issue will allow Leap shareholders to determine the exchange ratio for trading their shares for MetroPCS shares, the report said.

Representatives for Leap and MetroPCS declined to comment.

Any deal would be similar to the stock-for-stock deal No. 5 carrier MetroPCS proposed for Leap in 2007, the report added. Leap, the nation’s seventh-largest carrier, rejected that .7 billion takeover bid. Since then, speculation has continued to swirl that the two should merge. Reports in February indicated the two carriers had hired outside advisers to explore the possibility of a deal.

Last month, MetroPCS CEO Roger Linquist predicted mergers in the crowded prepaid wireless market soon. Speaking at the Reuters Global Technology Summit, Linquist said ideally there should be three prepaid wireless players. Today there are seemingly dozens beyond MetroPCS and Leap, including the four distinct brands offered by Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S)–Boost Mobile, the recently relaunched Virgin Mobile brand and Common Cents Mobile–as well as TracFone Wireless’ Straight Talk service, running on Verizon Wireless’ (NYSE:VZ) network.

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

Related Articles:
MetroPCS chief sees prepaid consolidation
Carving up the prepaid market
Sprint launches multi-pronged prepaid wireless strategy
MetroPCS surges on revenue, subscriber growth
Report: MetroPCS hires advisers for possible Leap purchase
Report: Leap looking for a buyer

FierceWireless