at&t wireless

AT&T and Sirius work to make spectrum available

AT&T is looking to put some of its unused spectrum to work in a move that could reshuffle the wireless spectrum deck.

On Friday, the carrier filed a joint proposal to the Federal Communications Commission with satellite radio provider Sirius. In the filing, the two companies proposed a solution to some longstanding interference concerns between AT&T's unused WCS spectrum, which is in the 2.3 GHz band and Sirius's satellite radio service. As part of this new proposal, AT&T agreed to give up about 10MHz of this Wireless Communication Services or WCS … Read more

Regional carriers call AT&T's bluff on spectrum interference

A group of regional wireless carriers is calling AT&T's bluff when it comes to claimed interference issues in the lower spectrum bands of the 700 MHz frequency.

On Tuesday, Cavalier Wireless, C Spire Wireless, Continuum 700, King Street Wireless, MetroPCS Communications, U.S. Cellular, and Vulcan Wireless filed a report to the Federal Communications Commission detailing results from a test conducted that shows there are no interference issues between devices operating in other parts of the 700 MHz spectrum frequency bands and the broadcast TV channel 51, which is right next to the lower A block portion … Read more

AT&T confusing some iPhone 4S buyers about unlimited data

Editor's note: This story was updated at 12:33 PT with a correction. The error message preventing iPhone 4S buyers from keeping their unlimited data plans was limited to the company's mobile site. The story was also updated at 12:50 p.m. PT with a comment from AT&T and further clarification.

Are you one of the many iPhone-owning AT&T wireless users pre-ordering a new iPhone 4S today?

If so, you may want to hold off from ordering through AT&T's mobile Web site, for now anyway. Those looking to upgrade their existing iPhone 3G, 3GS, or 4 will notice that AT&T removes the option to grandfather in their existing Data Unlimited for iPhone plan when moving up to an iPhone 4S. Fortunately, everything seems to be fine when attempting the upgrade process in a non-mobile browser.

Even on the regular Web site, it seems the wording on the AT&T page is a bit confusing, according to GigaOM. Some users are getting tripped up over this statement they see while checking out: "Your new device requires a different Data Add-on Plan than you currently have. We selected a compatible Data Add-on Plan for you. If you want a different plan, you can change the Data Add-on Plan by selecting Change here or from within my AT&T after you receive and activate your new device."

An AT&T representative reached out to CNET regarding this story with this clarification: "We're working on making the online page more clear. We are not removing grandfathered unlimited data plans."… Read more

Wireless spectrum shortage? What spectrum shortage?

There is plenty of wireless spectrum available to meet the demand for wireless data services, but the problem may be that too much of it is in the wrong hands, according to a recent report from Citigroup.

A recent report from analysts at Citigroup, titled "Wireless Data: Supply and Demand Spectrum Control, Not Availability, Is the Real Constraint," suggests that the wireless industry already has a significant amount of wireless spectrum available. The problem, the analysts argue, is that the operators that control the greatest amount of unused spectrum may be under-capitalized or unwilling to build out networks … Read more

Google goes glossy

Links from Thursday's episode of Loaded:

Yahoo launches Search Direct to compete with Google Instant

Google launches an online quarterly magazine

Apple pulls an app that offended many people by claiming it could "cure" homosexuality

The new Ford Focus will use AT&T Wireless to send and receive car data

The New York Times asks Twitter to remove an account that gives a free feed of its articles in preparation for its paywall

The music from the upcoming British royal wedding will be available for download just hours after the ceremony

Research In Motion agrees to disallow … Read more

AT&T, Verizon Wireless join Wi-Fi interoperability group

Wi-Fi is increasingly becoming a major part of wireless operators' strategy to deliver mobile broadband services as wireless data traffic explodes.

A sign of the growing importance of Wi-Fi to carriers is the fact that earlier this week AT&T and Verizon Wireless, the two largest mobile-phone companies in the U.S., joined the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA), a group that since 2003 has promoted interoperability among carrier Wi-Fi networks.

The WBA has developed and implemented a standard for commercial Wi-Fi roaming around the world. The way it works is that WBA members share their customers' log-in credentials to … Read more

Is AT&T trying to break into India's cell phone market?

AT&T is reportedly looking to get a piece of the mobile market in India, according to a story in The Wall Street Journal.

The newspaper reported late last week that AT&T, the second largest cell phone operator in the U.S., is in preliminary talks with Reliance Communications, India's second largest wireless phone company. AT&T on Monday denied it is in discussions with the Indian carrier.

The Wall Street Journal cited unnamed sources and noted the talks are still in the early stages. Reliance officials said that its board had approved the sale … Read more

AT&T execs want more spectrum, lighter regulation

LAS VEGAS--AT&T executives are pushing the government to allocate more spectrum for wireless broadband and back off on regulation in order to keep the mobile broadband growth engine revving.

Ralph de la Vega, head of AT&T Mobility and the new chairman of CTIA, and Randall Stephenson, the CEO of AT&T, each spoke at the CTIA 2010 wireless trade show here Tuesday about how the U.S. leads the world in wireless broadband, but they emphasized the need for more spectrum and a light regulatory touch from the government to keep the momentum going.

De … Read more

AT&T iPhone app collects complaints about poor service

Would you like to let AT&T know when your iPhone has dropped a call? Well, now there is an app for that.

AT&T on Monday released a new application called "Mark the Spot," which lets iPhone users submit complaints about dropped calls, poor service coverage, and less-than-perfect voice quality.

The application is free and available in the iTunes App Store. It uses GPS technology in the iPhone 3G and the iPhone 3GS to pin point where the user is when experiencing the problems. For first generation iPhones, it uses cell tower-triangulation to get a … Read more