Not getting the cell phone reception that you need?  Maybe you should bring your own femtocell repeater on your next trip.  Sprint has been selling them under the Airave brand name since late last year.  Now Verizon Wireless is joining the fray, offering their Verizon Wireless Network Extender for a one-time charge of $250.

You’ll need to hook it up to a broadband connection in your home (or hotel) and the ability to get a GPS fix on the device but once connected the Network Extender will provide both voice and 1xRTT data speeds to mobile devices in the vicinity.  Verizon claims coverage of up to 5000 square feet, which should cover a pretty decent sized house, or most of my apartment building here in NYC. 

Verizon claims that it uses about 40Kbps of bandwidth per call, which isn’t too bad.  You can even lock it down so only you and your friends can use the device.

AT&T has their own femtocell product in development with an expected release later this year.  Theirs will support 3G data services, though I’d imagine that will put a much bigger hit on the bandwidth requirements.

So if your travels find you on the road in locations where your Verizon Wireless phone isn’t working so well, just bring your own cell tower with you.

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You know the rule when it comes to Apple rumors; if someone claims they “heard it”, it is probably false.

Nevertheless; 9to5mac.com has a pretty decent list of evidence trying to make the case for a CDMA/EVDO enabled iPhone.

There are several CDMA operators in the world that are large enough for an order of iPhones. Verizon alone has over 80 million customers (once the Alltel merger is completed) AND a very extensive 3G network.

Despite the promise of “iPhone killers”, nobody has made a phone that comes close to the success of the iPhone, and it is obvious that some operators that said no to the original iPhone are pretty pissed off at that decision.

Source: 9to5mac.com

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It’s hard to be a mobile phone designer nowadays. Virtually every feature you think of has already found its way into a phone somewhere. So in their quest to invent a feature not found in mainstream phones, LG decided to add a Bluetooth headset to their newest handset.

It’s actually not a bad idea, and the phone itself has pretty decent specifications (2MP camera, sliding keypad, removable memory card, 5 way joystick). The headset slides right into the back of the phone, and charges when docked.

Of course, a cool looking phone still won’t prevent you from looking like a dork when you walk around all day with a headset glued to your head. The LG Decoy is available from Verizon Wireless for $179.

Product page: Verizon Wireless – LG Decoy (via Engadget)

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No and no.

Most of the world (and the iPhone) uses the GSM system. GSM is the technology used by T-mobile and AT&T in the USA.

Verizon (and Sprint) use CDMA. This is a totally different system, and the innards of the phone are completely incompatible.

There is no "hack", trick or software enhancement that can turn a GSM device into a CDMA device.

Of course this isn’t what you want to hear, and I can fully understand that you really really want an iPhone on Verizon. But the only solution is to forget about it, or switch to AT&T.

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This is suddenly a hot topic. New phones are appearing on a rival network, but you are still under contract with your current operator. Canceling your contract will result in an early termination fee of up to $200, but what do you do if you want to keep your current number when you switch provider?

In most cases, it’s possible to port your number from operator A to operator B, without the contract at operator A coming to an end (and resulting in that ETF).

Once you’ve done the number port by calling operator B, call operator A and tell them you want a "win-back". This will assign your old line a new number and keep it active, thus avoiding the pain of the termination fee. In most cases you’ll see the ETF on your invoice, but once you do the win-back, it will be credited right away, so don’t wait too long to call them.

Of course, this means you’ll be stuck paying for 2 lines, but if you only have a couple of months left with operator A, then it means you can get that shiny new iPhone/Blackberry you’ve been dreaming of.

Of course, sooner or later all operators will have pro-rated termination fees, making this entire post obsolete.

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The JetBlue in-air communications division seems pretty serious about getting services available to passengers. They just purchased the Airfone network from Verizon.  

The purchase includes 100 ground to air transmission stations as well as any remaining corporate and government customers (commercial airlines discontinued the service some time ago).

LiveTV plans to use the network for voice, email and other online services.

JetBlue Airways Corp’s LiveTV unit said it has agreed to buy Verizon Communications Inc’s Airfone network as aims to develop in-flight email and Internet services, The Wall Street Journal said on Monday.

The companies did not reveal the purchase price, it said.

JetBlue and other airlines, such as Continental, use LiveTV’s satellite-based television programming service to provide in flight entertainment.

Source: Reuters / WSJ

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From rumor to purchase in under 24 hours… That has to be a new record. The deal is worth $28.1 billion, which includes a massive $22 billion in Alltel debt. The combination will have almost 80 million subscribers which  makes it the largest operator in the world.

The deal is schedule for completion by December 2008 and the press releases make it obvious that Verizon fully intends to merge Alltel into the existing customer pool. Poor Alltel subscribers

Source: Bloomberg

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The "big 5" US mobile operators are possibly going to become the "big 4".

MSNBC reports that Verizon is willing to drop a whopping $27 Billion on Alltel, turning them into the largest operator (by far) in the world.

Unlike previous mergers in the mobile marketplace (Sprint+Nextel), this one would be much easier, since both operators use the same wireless technology (CDMA) and even have a very similar handset lineup.

The culture differences between both companies may prove to be the biggest hurdle; Alltel is an highly rated operator, with award winning customer service, and Verizon is known for useless service and mind boggling policies.

It’s also too early to determine whether Verizon would convert Alltel customers into Verizon victims, or leave things the way they are. Either way, Verizon would save millions a year on roaming costs they current pay Alltel. My one hope is that Chad (the Alltel commercial guy) can finally put the "can you hear me now" guy out of his misery. That alone would be worth $27 Billion to me.

Source: MSNBC

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I always knew that we were getting a bad deal in the US when it comes to mobile broadband; but an ad in this months T3 shows just how crappy things are.

UK users can get a 1Gb broadband account, with a free modem for just GBP10 a month (around $20). Extra data is available for a little more ($30 for 3Gb or $50 for 7Gb). The modem is free, shipping is free, there is no activation fee, and the contact is just 18 months.

For comparison, here are the current US mobile broadband (stand-alone) rates:

All these rates are based on a 2 year agreement with the cheapest available modem option.

I’m sure that a $20/month 1Gb plan would sell like crazy in the US, which is probably why none of the operators would dare sell it. Imagine selling something your customers actually want…

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It’s clear that I know (too) little about Verizon, because when I came across their press release announcing a new, cheaper data plan for their smartphone lineup, I was surprised that it had taken them this long…

E-mail and Web for Smartphone is available for $29.99 monthly access with a qualifying voice plan through business sales channels, at www.verizonwireless.com and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores, including those in Circuit City. The plan is currently available on the Verizon Wireless SMT5800; the Verizon Wireless XV6800 and the MOTO Q9m. Other devices will be added within the next few months. An E-mail and Web for BlackBerry® plan is currently available.

It’s not a bad deal, considering they offer pretty decent EVDO coverage, though it’s not immediately clear whether the plan is available for current customers who are paying upwards of $59 for their smartphone data.

Source: Verizon Wireless

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