AT&T to offer new Smartphone
The new AT&T (AT&T, Bellsouth, Cingular merger) plans to release the SMT 5700 Smartphone following the FCC's approval of the device. It will run Windows Mobile 5 software and feature a 2 mega pixel camera, a full QWERTY keyboard, and micro SD expansion card slot. A release date and price have not been set.
Carriers insisting on fewer mobile phone operating systems
A recent New York Times story reported that the large number of current operating systems on the 2.5 billion worldwide mobile phones is hampering the growth of new services. More operating systems mean higher costs for carriers and software developers, the story said. A November announcement by Vodafone (the largest mobile phone company in terms of revenue) stated that they would eventually only sell phones running Windows Mobile, Symbian, and Linux, which could indicate a growing trend toward fewer operating systems.
Motorola to test alternate energy sources to power cell sites
Motorola plans to test a system that would use wind and solar energy to power GSM cell sites in rural areas. The company will run a trial of the system from April to June in Namibia, teaming with the GSM Association and MTC Namibia (a mobile provider). A country on the southwest coast of Africa, Namibia has just six phones per 100 people.
Sprint adds EV-DO coverage in Southeastern Michigan
Sprint recently announced that it had added 57 wireless cell sites to the Nationwide Sprint PCS Network and Nextel National Network. It also expanded its broadband EV-DO services in the area. In 2006, Sprint added 3,400 cell sites across the country to its wireless networks and plans to add more this year.
Sprint testing all-you-can-talk plan
San Francisco is the chosen test site for a Sprint concept that would offer its customers unlimited voice, text-message, and data services for $120 per month. For an extra $30, customers could also get unlimited mobile broadband access. According to Sprint, the combined $150 monthly fee could save some people money if they dropped their other telephone and Internet services.
Verizon and TiVo launch remote scheduling service
Verizon and the digital video recording leader TiVo have announced the release of TiVo Mobile scheduling, which will only be available from Verizon. The service allows subscribers to schedule recordings on their TiVo Series2 or Series3 boxes from select Verizon devices.
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