AT&T Stocks Down, iPhone Sales Up

As if anyone is surprised about this one, iPhone sales in the US remain strong and are more than likely responsible for a good portion of AT&T’s estimated 2.36 million new subscribers in the 4th quarter alone.  What’s interesting is that following last Tuesday’s announcement from CEO Randall Stephenson regarding weakened consumer wireline business, the stock took a nose dive (10% in a day, ouch). Read more

Palm Releases Product Update 2.11 For AT&T Treo 680

Just in case you have a Treo 680 on AT&T’s network and you haven’t heard yet, there is a free update available over at Palm.com (PC Link). 

So what’s new?  Read more

Sprint Plays Favorites, Goes Head To Head With T-Mobile, Alltel

It’s called Sprint Pick 3 and if you have Sprint for your mobile service, listen up.  In an as-of-yet unannounced promotion, Sprint customers with plans totaling over $40 per month now have the option to pick 3 numbers as their ‘favorites’.  Customers with plans under $40 have the option to add this feature for $5 per month extra. 

So what exactly does this do for you?  This means unlimited calling to and from 3 numbers.  Assuming that most people have plans that are over $40 a month, this works out to be a pretty decent deal as T-Mobile charges an additional $10/month and Alltel will set you back a $20 premium.

While the plans are not identical, differing in large part by the 2 additional favorites offered by Sprint’s competitors, the pricing is clearly the angle here.  Apparently the no. 3 wireless carrier is trying to pull out all of the stops to reduce customer churn and appeal to potential wireless customers.  Now all they need to do is advertise it…

-wS

[via TreoCentral.com - PC - Mobile]

Read - PC - Mobile

SprintNextel To Unlock Customers’ Phones

In a move that will make many a CDMA customer very happy, the nation’s third largest carrier will now provide the unlock codes to departing customers.  (AP - Mobile, PC Link)

Some would say that this is LONG overdue.  After fulfilling your contractual obligations, or even just paying the early temination fee, the phone is yours - and not everyone carries the “free” phones that carriers offer.  Why shouldn’t you be able to use your current phone?  Especially in the SprintNextel/Verizon/Alltel arena.  Often the same phone is sold through each carrier, but under the current set of “rules,” you would have to repurchase the very same phone again on the new carrier.

The current situation of US Wireless carriers has been frequently compared to the Ma Bell restrictions of yester-year.  Remember when the big telecom forced you to use only their phones on landline telephone service? Seems pretty crazy by today’s standards, doesn’t it?

-wS

“Unlimited? Sure, Just Don’t Use It All The Time” - Verizon Wireless

RCR Wireless News has reported that Verizon Wireless agreed to a $1M settlement over ‘Unlimited’ Ads.  Of course, according to RCR, the Verizon Spokesman emphasized that the “Agreement” was voluntary and does not represent an admission that it’s advertising was deceptive.  First OJ, now this - what’s next? Don’t tell us President Bush has ties to the oil industry and is using his presidency for ill-gotten gains…

Over the last couple of years that we have been following the mobile industry, there have been discussion upon discussion about the carriers’ Unlimited Data plans.  Of course, as many know, it should really be UnlimitedUn-til-We-Decide-You’ve-Used-Too-Much-Bandwidth-Limited.  But since carrier agreements are so easy to read, it should be to know surprise if Verizon decides to can you for using your Sling Box over their data network…Right.  Maybe if you’re the lawyer that wrote the contract, and it’s a slim chance at that.

Not that it’s only Verizon, as other carrier’s are just as notorious for this type of scheming and under-handed behavior (in the eyes of the consumer), but apparently Verizon got a bit of a slap on the wrist today.  Yeah, Consumers.  It’s now Consumers -1, Verizon -1,627,841.  Slow and steady, boys.  Slow and steady.

Oh, and for all of you Slingers out there, Verizon Wireless has supposedly stopped cutting off heavy data users since April of 2007.  Of course, just be sure and keep it under 5 GB, please.