Hasta La Gadget!

It wasn’t too long ago that the Samsung Galaxy Camera was officially announced, revealing Samsung’s plans for an Android-based camera. Given that it will be powered by Android, we expect that some of its features will require an internet connection of some kind, whether it via WiFi or 3G/4G networks. Well if you were wondering from which carrier you might be able to pick up the Galaxy Camera, thanks to an FCC filing it looks like AT&T will be the carrier you’ll want to visit. The FCC filing has revealed two devices – the EK-GC100 and the EK-KC100, both of which feature HSPA-based 3G radios on the 850MHz and 1900MHz bands, which is basically the same bands used by AT&T and some Canadian carriers. There was no mention of 4G, although Samsung did state that there will be 3G and 4G versions, so perhaps we might see them pop up later. At this point in time it is unclear as to whether AT&T will be the only carrier offering the Galaxy Camera, but stay tuned for more updates! Until then, who’s planning on getting the Galaxy Camera, or are you perfectly happy with the camera on your Android-based device as it is?

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Samsung Galaxy Note 2 variants for AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon stop by the FCC, T-Mobile’s Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 arrives at the FCC,

FCC meetings can be momentous occasions under the right circumstances, although it’s seldom the case that we see the agency pass two potentially far-reaching measures in one sitting, like we just saw on Friday. To start, regulators have voted in favor of a proposal that will review spectrum sale rules and might drop the case-by-case determinations in favor of a more consistent screening mechanism. The reexamination will also consider a change to the ownership rules surrounding wireless frequencies that treats bands below 1GHz differently than those above — the better to address a chorus of smaller carriers that don’t like all the prime spectrum going to the companies with the most existing clout, namely AT&T and Verizon. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski argues that reform could spur innovation through more competition, although dissenting Commissioner Robert McDowell is worried that consistent rules will somehow create “uncertainty.”

Side-by-side with the review, the FCC is proposing an incentive-based reverse auction strategy to have TV broadcasters voluntarily give up their spectrum for cellular and data use. The multi-phase approach would have TV providers set the price at which they’re willing to sell their spectrum to the FCC; those that just can’t bear to part with their airwaves would be corralled into a tighter band range to make for larger available frequency blocks in the auction that follows. As with other FCC proposals, there’s likely to be a long interval between the auction vote, the review and any definitive rulemaking, let alone an impact — auctions by themselves can take years to play out. Still, any success with the measures could head off spectrum crunches while simultaneously preventing any solutions from consolidating too much power and creating their own problems.

[Tower photo via Shutterstock]

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

FCC votes in favor of rethinking spectrum holding rules, goading broadcasters into wireless selloffs originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Sep 2012 21:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has begun — what looks to be — a long process of reclaiming broadcast television spectrum. The process will essentially involve paying television broadcasters to give up some of their public airwaves voluntarily. They will then be auctioned off to wireless carriers to use for internet service.

The FCC has set a goal of having all of this completed by June 2014. Then again, FCC officials said the auctions themselves were unlikely to take place before the 2014 deadline. The FCC and Congress have estimated that the auctions could generate around $15 billion. A portion of that would go to television broadcasters who gave up public airwaves, while $7 billion of the earnings would be used to build a nationwide emergency network for public safety officials.

The entire process will have three components. The first thing would be the reverse auction, where television broadcasters will voluntarily sell their spectrum back to the government. After that, there will be a “repacking” of broadcasters who didn’t participate in the auction. This is to make sure the spectrum is being used efficiently and there are big enough sections of spectrum to sell to wireless carriers. The final step will be a forward auction, in which the wireless providers would bid on available spectrum.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said that this will be the first-ever incentive spectrum auction. He also mentioned, that when it was originally proposed in 2009, no one thought it could work. However, the proposal passed today and Genachowski believes it offers broadcasters and wireless providers a great opportunity. Verizon has even said that it’s happy that the FCC is doing this.

However, not everything is set in stone yet. The next step in the process is that many of these items will be opened to the public for comment. Once the period for public comment passes, the FCC will evaluate the information and create another, yet formal proposal that will be voted on by the FCC.

[via The New York Times]

Image via Flickr

FCC approves auction to reclaim broadcast TV spectrum is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

AT&T is close to securing a major victory in its battle against the spectrum crunch. While it’s not quite a done deal, FCC chairman Genachowski has submitted a proposed order to FCC commissioners that would authorize AT&T’s deployment of its LTE service within a 20MHz portion of the 2.3GHz (WCS) band. The deal is unique in that the spectrum is currently reserved for satellite radio, and the reallocation would mark the first of its kind within the WCS band. As you may recall, AT&T previously conceded to a 5MHz dead zone on both ends of Sirius XM’s operating frequency in order to mitigate interference concerns, and it seems the move was sufficient to gain the chairman’s support.

Also looming on the FCC’s to-do list is the decision of whether to approve AT&T’s purchase NextWave and its unused WCS spectrum. If it’s any indication, however, Chairman Genachowski seems bullish on the reallocation and has suggested that the agency may authorize another 30MHz of the WCS band for mobile broadband use. AT&T has previously said that it could feasibly deploy LTE over the 2.3GHz spectrum within the next three years. One group fighting the deal is the Competitive Carrier Association, which posits that AT&T’s purchase of such a significant chunk of spectrum on the secondary market is anti-competitive in nature. It’ll no doubt be interesting to see if the argument gains any traction with the FCC. In the meantime, you can view remarks from the agency’s spokesperson after the break.

Continue reading FCC chairman green-lights AT&T’s use of WCS spectrum for LTE with proposed order

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

FCC chairman green-lights AT&T’s use of WCS spectrum for LTE with proposed order originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Sep 2012 07:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you liked the look of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 when we reviewed it back in May, but were holding out for a T-Mobile 4G variety, then your patience might soon be rewarded. A Tablet-shaped device from Samsung sporting the model number SGH-T779 has just popped up at the FCC. While that code name might not tell us much, the T-Mobile branding, and the 4G logo are a little easier to make sense of. There was another model, SGH-I497, that went through the FCC with the same ID — which had a distinct AT&T / Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 flavor to it — so betting fans might consider the odds of this being the same thing, but for another operator, as being reasonable. Those who prefer not to chance the hand of fate, likely only need wait a short while, however, for this to pop up on the network’s store to find out.

Filed under: Tablets

Samsung SGH-T799 tablet turns up at the FCC wearing T-Mobile’s 4G colors originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 26 Sep 2012 13:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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