US Cellular takes hit on LTE devices, profits halved to $35.5 million in Q3 2012

US Cellular takes hit on LTE devices, sees profits nearly halve in Q3 2012

US Cellular’s latest figures show that while the network saw its revenues remain constant, net profits fell by nearly half compared to the same period last year. It coined $35.5 million in net profit this quarter, down from the $62.1 million it made in Q3 2011 despite bringing in $1.04 billion in turnover both times. The cause of this reduced profitability is said to be down to higher subsidies on LTE devices, which represented a full 50 percent of the company’s smartphone sales in the quarter.

While the carrier has reversed the trend of losing customers, it only managed to add a rather measly 9,000 new customers in the three-month period. That could be part of the motivation behind US Cellular selling off a big chunk of its Midwestern operations to the now cash-rich Sprint — so it can concentrate on areas where business is stronger.

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US Cellular takes hit on LTE devices, profits halved to $35.5 million in Q3 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Nov 2012 07:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Miracast accessories: don’t jump in head-first just yet

As Android 4.2 Jelly Bean+ appears on the Samsung Nexus 10 tablet and the LG Nexus 4, so too does wireless mirroring to device compliant with Miracast – a standard wireless technology that’s not quite hit the market yet. Of course there are some devices that have been revealed already, but it’s important that you understand that if you’ve got a Nexus device – or just want to use Miracast for all your wireless needs – that you don’t just go buying anything with the word “Miracast” attached to it. We’re still in the wild west, as it were.

This is essentially a PSA here – don’t trust everyone at the moment when it comes to the word Miracast being tossed around. Some devices have been released pre-compliant, that meaning they’re able to see one another to a degree, but wont be able to connect without a hitch. Instead what you should be checking is – SlashGear, of course – but also the Wi-Fi Alliance‘s listing of all devices they have certified Miracast compliant.

NOTE: We’ve gone through this information in a slightly different manner previously in a post entitled How does Android 4.2 Jelly Bean wireless display mirroring work?

This list is extremely short at the moment and is limited to an upcoming Echo-P Series Samsung TV, some components that go into TVs in the near future, and a few adapters from various companies. Keep your eyes open for an Actiontec ScreenBeam Wireless Display Adapter, LG Media Dongle, and a Sony Corporation USB Wireless Adapter Module. Each of these products will likely hit the market in 2013.

For now you are, again, in the wild west. This means that you can get products that say they’re “pre-certified Miracast” and have the technology, but are not guaranteed to work with future products. Or current products, in some cases. The two Nexus devices that were just revealed by Google work with Miracast for wireless media mirroring and both the LG Optimus G and the Samsung Galaxy S III are ready for action now as well – now we just need the other end!


Miracast accessories: don’t jump in head-first just yet is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
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AT&T prices Lumia 920 and 8GB HTC 8X at $100, Lumia 820 at $50, Nokias due on Friday

STUB AT&T's Windows Phone pricing Lumia 920 $99, Lumia 820 $49, HTC 8X

AT&T is finally spilling the beans on how much its Windows Phone 8 handsets will set you back if you plump for a two-year deal. Nokia’s Lumia 920 costs $99.99, $50 less than previously speculated, and will come with a free wireless charging plate. If your wallet can’t (or won’t) stretch that far, then you can snag a Lumia 820 for just $49.99, the same price as last generation’s flagship. If you’ve had your eye turned by HTC’s much-lauded Windows Phone 8X, then you can select an 8GB limited edition version in blue or limelight (yellow) for $99.99, or a 16GB device for $199.99. Both of the Nokia handsets will be available to pre-order from the 7th (tomorrow) and available on the 9th (Friday), while the 8X should be rolling around “before Thanksgiving.” Now that ‘Ma Bell has tipped her hand, it’s now down to Verizon, which is expected to make its riposte on Thursday.

Continue reading AT&T prices Lumia 920 and 8GB HTC 8X at $100, Lumia 820 at $50, Nokias due on Friday

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AT&T prices Lumia 920 and 8GB HTC 8X at $100, Lumia 820 at $50, Nokias due on Friday originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Nov 2012 09:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Withings WS-30 anti-slouch connected weighing scales arrive in the US for $130

Withings WS30 antislouch connected weighing scales arrive in the US for $130

Waking up to be greeted by a weighing scale that tells you to stand up straight and buck up your ideas might not be everyone’s ideal morning, but we do love Withings’ gear. The company’s latest, the WS-30, has meandered over from Europe and is now available to order from today in the US of A. It’ll set you back $130, but that’s a small price to pay if you’re planning to make a few positive life changes before the winter forces you to stay inside.

Continue reading Withings WS-30 anti-slouch connected weighing scales arrive in the US for $130

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Withings WS-30 anti-slouch connected weighing scales arrive in the US for $130 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Nov 2012 18:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bluegrass Cellular starts rolling out 4G LTE network with a bit of help from Verizon

Bluegrass Cellular starts rolling out 4G LTE network with a bit of help from Verizon

LTE. LTE. More LTE. That’s what’s currently roaming the minds of wireless carriers in the US of A, and while Verizon, AT&T and Sprint are at the forefront of it all, smaller networks are also looking to get a piece of the “real 4G” pie. The latest one to flip its own Long Term Evolution switch is Kentucky-based Bluegrass Cellular, which was accomplished in large part thanks to Verizon’s LTE in Rural America program and is a culmination of an agreement inked back in 2010. With the initial rollout phase, Bluegrass Cellular’s expected to cover more than 348,000 folks in cities such as Bowling Green, Glasgow, Radcliff, Bardstown and Elizabethtown, offering subscribers in these areas speeds of around 12Mbps down and 5Mbps up. Naturally, Bluegrass plans on bringing LTE to more of its covered markets, with the outfit noting that it “will continue to expand 4G LTE to additional areas in 2013.”

Continue reading Bluegrass Cellular starts rolling out 4G LTE network with a bit of help from Verizon

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Bluegrass Cellular starts rolling out 4G LTE network with a bit of help from Verizon originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Nov 2012 16:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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European Commission clears 2GHz bands for LTE use by 2014, claims 4G pipes wider than the US

European Union flags

European LTE deployments might just be getting started, but the European Commission is already trying to head off any bandwidth problems at the pass. The organization has ordered that 120MHz of normally 3G-only spectrum around the 2GHz band has to be reusable for LTE and other 4G networks by June 30th, 2014. Once the airwaves loosen up, the Commission sees its home continent having an advantage over an LTE-happy US: it expects to have as much as 1GHz of spectrum available for 4G, or potentially twice as much as what Americans might claim. Officials are also mulling plans to repurpose extra slices of 2GHz spectrum that haven’t even been used for 3G and could offer that much more headroom. While an edge over the US in bandwidth might not last after policy changes, it’s hard to complain if the EC move leads to future smartphones whose downloads stay speedy.

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European Commission clears 2GHz bands for LTE use by 2014, claims 4G pipes wider than the US originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Nov 2012 13:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Skype launches prepaid cards in UK: Available in over 1,400 stores, credit starts from £10

Skype launches prepaid cards in UK Available in over 1,400 stores, credit starts at 10

Skype has unveiled a series of prepaid cards for the UK, offering users without a credit card the ability to top-up their accounts starting from £10. A second £20 card will also be available in UK retailers including Asda, Currys, PC World, Sainsburys and bookseller WHSmith, with both denominations redeemable globally through the Microsoft company’s online portal. While Mexico got there first, we’ve been told that more countries can expect their own currency-specific cards later this year. You’ll be able to use the prepaid credit to pay for Skype subscriptions, including unlimited world calling bundles starting from £8.49 per month — all in time for that incoming Windows Phone 8 app.

Continue reading Skype launches prepaid cards in UK: Available in over 1,400 stores, credit starts from £10

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Skype launches prepaid cards in UK: Available in over 1,400 stores, credit starts from £10 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Nov 2012 02:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AT&T Locker opens its cloud to iOS users, offers 5GB of storage free

AT&T Locker opens its cloud to iOS users, offers 5GB of storage free

AT&T’s cloud-based Locker is hardly new, having been made available to Android users since this past September. But, as of today, iOS users on the network now have the option to enjoy that freemium service as well, with 5GB offered gratis. Of course, there are subscription tiers for those of you in need of more robust server space: $3.99/mo will net you 30GB, while $9.99/mo delivers a substantial 100GB. Beyond simple remote file storage, however, subs will also have the ability to share multimedia content across email and social networks (i.e. Twitter and Facebook) using a network connection or WiFi. It’s live in the App Store now, so if you’re keen on what AT&T’s peddling, check out the source below.

Continue reading AT&T Locker opens its cloud to iOS users, offers 5GB of storage free

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AT&T Locker opens its cloud to iOS users, offers 5GB of storage free originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Nov 2012 13:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AT&T and T-Mobile temporarily share networks in New York City and New Jersey, shoulder the post-hurricane load

AT&T and TMobile temporarily share networks in New York City and New Jersey, shoulder the posthurricane load

Communication has been all too spotty across much of New York City and New Jersey since Hurricane Sandy struck the region, and those who can get through on their cellphones have found themselves on particularly crowded networks. AT&T and T-Mobile are providing some much-needed, if temporary, relief: the two have struck a deal to share their GSM and 3G networks in the area with no roaming fees or plan changes while the networks come back, with the best-functioning network taking precedence in any given connection. A return to the normal state of affairs hasn’t been fixed in stone and will likely depend on many, many factors, but it’s a much appreciated gesture for residents who might not have a choice to relocate for a vital phone call.

Continue reading AT&T and T-Mobile temporarily share networks in New York City and New Jersey, shoulder the post-hurricane load

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AT&T and T-Mobile temporarily share networks in New York City and New Jersey, shoulder the post-hurricane load originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Play carrier billing goes live for impulse buyers on Verizon

Google Play carrier billing goes live for impulse buyers on Verizon

Google gave the broadest of targets when it said Google Play carrier billing would reach Verizon in the “coming weeks” — those last two words are often hints from companies that we shouldn’t hold our breath. Call us surprised, then, when Google quietly takes the option live two weeks later. At least one Droid-Life reader has discovered that it’s now possible to load as many as $25 in purchases per month on an existing Big Red smartphone bill and pay through just the one channel. The move puts all four major US carriers on the same page, and gives Verizon subscribers an incentive to splurge on apps and movies for that new Droid RAZR HD… so long as they remember to deal with the financial fallout afterwards.

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Google Play carrier billing goes live for impulse buyers on Verizon originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Oct 2012 14:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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