Cheapest Unlimited Data Plans

Average Cell Phone Voice Minutes Used by Age

The smartphone data usage trend and the decline in cellular voice minute usage are concerning to the telecom industry.  In theory, you really don't really need to buy talk time minutes if you have a data plan or only use WiFi for making VoIP calls.  Carriers are constantly pushing their fast new 4G LTE networks but in reality, they compete with Free WiFi.  So as a consumer you should be smart about what you buy.  Here is a list of data plans in order of pricing. The trick is buying a phone on the provider network or having an unlocked phone that works on any of these networks.

Virgin Mobile - No Contract plan for $25 per month which includes unlimited data, text, and 300 calling minutes on 3G.

Tracfone / Net10 - No Contract $45 per month with unlimited data, text, and talk on 3G.

MetroPCS - No Contract for $40 per month with unlimited talk, and text. Some data roaming charges may apply as the network is limited in size but they do have an LTE network that is fast.

Boost Mobile  - No Contract: for $40 per month with unlimited talk, text, data, no roaming charges. 3G is available with some phones.

T-Mobile (Best Value!)- No Contract for $40 per month which includes unlimited data on 3G and 4G HSPA+ Blackberry phones will cost you $50 per month for unlimited data.  If you are an older customer hopefully you have been grandfathered into their old plan which costs $25 per month.  

Sprint - Requires a 2-year contract for $69.99 per month which includes unlimited data, text, and calling.

AT&T data plan - plans range in price from $15 for a 200 MB data plan and $25 per month for 2 MB. If are conscious about downloading video on WiFi their pricing plans might work for you. Caution because just like texting they have crazy data charges of $10 per 1 GB of data if you go over and the data is not reusable on monthly basis.  AT&T is also rolling out a 4G HSPA+ network.

Verizon Wireless - Requires customers to buy a mobile package that is more than $30 per month and you’re limited to 5GB per month.  They do have an LTE network coming out in 2011 but this will require you to purchase an LTE compatible phone.

Top Most Expensive Cell Phones

Cell phones are an absolute necessity nowadays and although the majority of the sets sold are branded as 'entry-level' phones, there is considerable demand for premium phones. Vertu, a division of Nokia, had a monopoly in the luxury phone market till recently but it seems that its days of reign are over as more and more companies are now manufacturing uber-luxury phones which are targeted towards the richer sections of the society. Let's have a look at some of the most expensive cell phones in the world. The following list does not follow any particular order.

1. Goldvish "Le million" ($1,000,000)

The "Le million" by Goldvish is widely regarded as the world's most expensive mobile phone. The phone features 120 carat of diamonds (VVS-1 grade) and it has been designed by eminent designer, Emmanuel Gueit. Goldvish is a Geneva based company and it has many other diamond-encrusted models which are a bit reasonably priced than this one.

2. Vertu Signature Cobra ($310,000)

This is a limited edition phone and only 8 pieces are available in the market worldwide. It features a pear-cut diamond, a white diamond which is round in shape and more than 400 rubies. There is also a cheaper version of this phone available which does not have any rubies encrusted on it. It is being offered at an attractive price of $115,000.

3. Goldstriker iPhone 3GS Supreme ($320,000)

In 2009 this phone, designed by Stuart Hughes, was declared as the world's most expensive phone. The phone is made from 271gm of pure gold and there are more than 200 diamonds on the cell phone. There is an Apple logo on the back of the phone which has a large number of gems. The home button is made from a single piece of diamond (7.1 carats). This is easily one of the most beautiful looking luxury phones available in the market today.

4. Diamond Crypto Smartphone ($130,000)

This beautiful looking phone has been designed by peter Aloisson, a luxury accessories designer. The phone has been encased in a platinum base and it has more than 50 diamonds. The USP of this phone is that there are as many 8 rare blue diamonds. Even the navigation key of this phone has been encrusted in 18Carat rose gold. It is very interesting note that this cell phone, originally worked on Windows CE.

4. VIPN Black Diamond Smartphone ($300,000)

The body of this cell phone has been made from polycarbonate and it features a cutting edge mirror that has been adorned with diamonds. The cell phone has a 400 MHz processor, a 4MP camera and a 256 TFT screen.

5. Vertu Diamond ($88,000)

The Diamond is part of the many high-range premium mobile phones by Vertu. The handsets are made from platinum and they are fully diamond encrusted. Only 200 such handsets are available in the market today and the most expensive one is priced more than $90,000.

6. Motorola V220 Special Edition ($51,800)

This special edition Motorola phone is studded with 1,200 diamonds and the keyboard is made from 18 carat gold. The phone is priced at $51,800. Media reports suggest that this phone has caught the fancy of football stars and film stars but the general rich class has stayed away from this model. The price that some of these phones command is a gentle reminder to us that all of them are beyond our reach but it is surprising to know that people are actually eager to pay such amounts for a cell phone!

About The Author: Kelly is a writer. She loves writing, travelling and playing. These days she is working on technology used in cell phones.

Apple Claims iPhone 5 100 Mbps Download Speeds? Really?

Is This Really True?  Maybe in a Vacuum.  Hype or Not?

Here is the Current Speed Test for Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile LTE

Better Battery Life? 

You rely on your iPhone. So a thin, light design and outstanding battery life are important to you. But so is a fast data connection. LTE wireless technology is built for speed, but adding it to a phone can create bulk and drain battery life quickly.  (Really?)  iPhone 5 does LTE the right way — optimized for better battery life and designed for ultrafast connectivity in a thin profile. The very things you want most from your smartphone.

100 Mbps LTE When Verizon & LTE Max out at 50Mbps?  

iPhone 5 supports more networks all over the world. That includes advanced networks such as HSPA, HSPA+, and DC-HSDPA. Browse, download, and stream content at ultrafast speeds. Dual-band 802.11n wireless connectivity accelerates your Wi-Fi experience, too — up to 150 Mbps.

Google TV & Broadband Internet $70 Month

How many people are sick of paying $200 per month for cable, internet, phone and TV that you hardly use?  Most people don't realize it but we are all subsidizing channels like ESPN for those who don't necessarily watch the channels.  If Google launches a Nationwide fiber to the home network as it is testing in Kansas City, Missouri.

The traditional cable TV industry like Time Warner, Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-Verse, Comcast are going to be in big trouble protecting their margins if this happens.  The only reason they would disrupt the traditional cable monopolize is because they will likely make more money from local targeted advertising.

Here are some highlights from this article at FastNetNews below..

Sergei Brin and the team at Google want to move ahead on a plan to run fiber to 10’s of millions, maybe hundreds of millions of homes. That’s implied by the $70/month price, which is high enough to be quickly profitable if 20-30% of homes sign on. Google’s research says they’ll get that high a rate, but no one is sure until they actually offer the service to 170,000 homes in Kansas City.

The box has two terabytes, enough for 500-1000 hours of HD video and/or a fine home music collection. It also has eight tuners, so it’s almost impossible to have a problem with too many simultaneous shows. With two HD channels fitting in 7 meg and almost no sites effectively downloading at more than a meg or two, it's rare for most people to max out at 10 meg. For the small amount of time they do, many aren't willing to pay.

There is empirical examples of surprisingly low high speed take rates from Sweden, France, Britain, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, and California. A difference of $10 to $30 discourages 3/4ths of the customers. Google is looking for $70/month for a gig, compared to 10 meg cable at about $50 and 3 meg DSL at about $35. Cable in Kansas City can easily offer 20 or 30 meg for the same price and possibly 50-100 meg.

A $50 difference between 10 meg cable and 50-100 meg DOCSIS has been standard in the U.S. and the take rate on the higher speeds has been so low no company will reveal it. Cablevision is coming down to $70 and we’ll soon know if it helps. All of these prices are approximations and available with different deals and bundles, of course, so none of these comparisons are exact.

HBO and other networks are refusing to sell to Google at a price Google considers reasonable.

Marin County Cell Phone Reception Review

Marin County Cell Phone Reception Dead Zones

(Click on the Map to Submit a New Location)

I was shocked recently on our family vacation how poor the cell phone reception was in Marin County.  I would be surprised if cell phone companies Verizon, Sprint & T-Mobile had any satisfied customers in the area.  The terrain is quite hilly and the trees are enormous.  It is one of the most beautiful areas in the County but probably has the worst cell phone reception of anywhere I have ever visited or vacationed with a reasonable population density.  This area is also the home to thousands of commuting technology professionals who work in San Francisco and rely on coverage during their daily commutes.

West Marin County especially almost had no reception at all.  This was surprising to me because of the population density and the amount of tourism and residents.  I would guess it is also a safety nightmare for emergency services in the area.  There are long stretches of road that have no signal and the roads are dangerous.  There are bicyclist all over the narrow roads that don't have any shoulder to ride on.  The roads are steep, have lots of blind curves and make for hazardous driving conditions if you are not alert behind the wheel.  I would imagine there are lot of car accidents.

Here is a list of cities, highways and locations in the area that had NO RECEPTION for T-Mobile and Verizon.  AT&T had a weak signal in many of these locations.

Bolinas - No signal
San Anselmo - No signal
Muir Woods National Monument - No Signal
Highway 1 in West Marin - No Signal most of the way
Panoramoic Highway - No Signal
Ridgecrest Blvd. - No Signal
Sleepy Hollow - No Signal
Butterfield Rd. - No Signal
Stinson Beach - 2 bars of 2G Edge on T-Mobile

AT&T probably had the best reception in the area and this seemed to be the carrier of choice for most residents in the area.  If any reception was available it was likely 2G and downloading data or email was virtually impossible.  I would imagine that there are lots of AT&T Microcells used by residents in the area.

I was not able to review Sprint's coverage in the area but it is likely not much better.  Thankfully I am a  T-Mobile customer and was able to make and receive phone calls through WiFi at our friends house.  T-Mobile WiFi phone calls save the day once again.

I would imagine there is lot of resistance from the residents for installing cell phone towers in the area.  I would characterize the population of residents to be quite "earthy".  I have found these communities and the City Council's o be quite resistant to the installation of cell phone towers or new antennas.  

How to Select an AT&T Shared Data Plan

Shared Data Plan Options

Mobile Share plans from AT&T allow customers to share data across multiple devices. These new plans allow families to share a single bucket of data with smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices, plus get unlimited domestic voice and text Up to ten devices can share the same plan, which includes tethering and access to AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots. Learn more about the data plan that works best for you and your mobile devices at https://www.att.com/mobileshare.  Watch this video which explains how to choose a plan and various options.

AT&T & Verizon Shared Data Plans Compared

Comparing AT&T & Verizon Buckets of Data for Multiple Devices

AT&T requires customers to have at least one smartphone on a plan. Data bucket pricing is staggered at $40 for 1 gigabyte; $70 for 4 GB; $90 for 6 GB; $120 for 10 GB; $160 for 15 GB; and $200 for 20 GB. Adding a required smartphone runs $45 per device on the 1 GB plan; $40 on the 4 GB plan; $35 on the 6 GB plan; and $30 on the remaining plans. “Basic” and “messaging” devices, or those that are not considered smartphones, runs $30 per device; laptops, mobile hotspots, and wireless modems run $20 per device; and tablets and gaming devices run $10 per device.  AT&T includes access to 30,000 wifi hotspot locations with a plan like this.

In comparison, Verizon Wireless charges $50 per month for 1 GB of data; $60 for 2 GB; $70 for 4 GB; $80 for 6 GB; $90 for 8 GB; and $100 for 10 GB. For customers needing more, the carrier charges $10 for each additional 2 GB. Device pricing is at $40 for each smartphone; $30 for each “basic” phone; $20 for each wireless modem or hotspot device; and $10 per tablet.

Both carriers charge $15 per GB for data usage over the plan.  Both carriers also do not distinguish between 3G and LTE data received.  Slow or fast the pricing is exactly the same.

This still begs the question about why tethering costs are so high?  Tethering is still the easiest option if you have one 4G LTE device and it's very easy to do when you create a wifi hotspot.  This option is still the easiest and cheapest if you have T-Mobile. 

Tell Us Where Vodafone, O2, Three, T-Mobile UK Black Spots Are

UK Black Spots Map Survey

Endemol TV producition is looking for mobile phone users in the UK who experience blackspots and deadzones.  They would like to interview people in the UK suffering from poor reception who use Vodafone, Three, O2 or T-Mobile.  Deadzones.co.uk only has about 100 poor reception areas in the map currently and could use a few more contributors.  Please add pins to the map or email us or comment below if you can help contribute to the story that Endemol is doing.  Are UK mobile phone consumers able to get out of their contracts if they experience poor reception or bad patches in areas where the mobile phone companny promises coverage?

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Why Does Your Phone Signal Fluctuate Standing Still?

The influx of smartphones and tablets accessing video and pictures has increased the amount of data flowing across cell phone networks.  Cell phone towers can only hold so many more concurrent phone calls or users accessing video or data.  Cell towers can typically handle up to 500 simultaneous voice users at once while drastically less and only about 50 data users. Once this capacity has been reached, the cell tower rejects the calls or data connection which ends up dropping those calls.  You may even see full bars on your phone which is a good indicator of network congestion.

This is why it's usually impossible to get good data access inside stadiums during games with thousands of people clogging the network. This theory of network data congestion holds true with too many people accessing data on the same cell tower.  Everyone is competing for the same access on the cell phone tower and the tower only has so much capacity.  The more people accessing data on a cell tower, the weaker the signal. You might notice the strength of your cell signal in a certain area change depending upon the time of day because of rush hour or you are near a heavily populated area.

The number of simultaneous callers on a single tower was the primary cause for dropped calls years ago.  However, smartphones and their ability to view and stream data can put considerable strain on tower data and voice backhaul. All these factors cause the cell tower cell signal strength to constantly change or breathe.

This is one of the main reasons why many Verizon customers have suddenly started experiencing a lack of coverage in areas that they previously had 3, 4, or 5 bars of signal strength.  Coverage is not guaranteed and coverage maps don't really mean much these days.  It's up to you to submit your coverage complaints to our map where you experience frequent poor coverage.  Deadcellzones.com seems to be the only service that is trying to hold carriers accountable for coverage the promise in areas.  

Top 5 Major Troubleshooting Network Connectivity Issues

There can be many reasons behind network connectivity troubleshooting issues. It can be hardware failure, router failure, interruption because of other electronic devices and internet service provider’s planned outages.

Before starting the troubleshooting, we should scan our PC with anti-virus to check if it is free from malware and viruses. After running an antivirus scan, we should delete cookies and temporary files from our computer, as they may be the reason behind our computer’s slow performance. We should also call up our internet service provider and ask if there is any problem with their service or any kind of planned outage in our area.

Modem or wireless dongle issues

This is the simplest step that can solve the network connectivity problem without putting in much time and effort. All you have to do is shut down the modem from the main switch, and start it back after two minutes. In case of hardware or modem failure, we won’t be able to see any indicator on the modem.

Computer’s task manager issues

Network troubleshooting should always begin with opening the computer’s task manager. After opening the task manager, just select networking. The networking section will show if the internet connection is active or not. If the connection is not active, we should check the modem or wireless dongle indicator.

Check network settings & version of device driver

Network connectivity issues can also occur if network service settings are incorrect.  One should check service settings, login settings, and adopter settings if we are not able to get connected to the network even if the network signals are strong.

Network settings will automatically change whenever we reinstall our computer’s operating systems or device drivers. After reinstalling the operating system or device drivers, we should check if the version of our ISP’s device driver is compatible with our new operating system or not. We will have to download a compatible version in case if the old one is not compatible.

Check the network’s cell signal strength

The browser and other applications on your computer will not work if the ISP's signal strength is very low. Our computer’s task manager can show us our internet service provider’s signal strength. A number of factors around our computer can reduce the network’s signal strength. Devices like Microwave, radio, mobile phone and other electrical devices should be kept at least 1m away from our computer as they can interfere with internet service provider’s signals and reduce the signal strength.

Signal strength can also reduce in case of too much load on the internet service provider’s network. There is nothing much that we can do in this situation, except for calling our ISP to log a complaint.

Problems while authentication

If we are putting an incorrect user name or password in the network settings, we will get an error that says “authentication failure”. In this case, we should try to reset our password or just call the internet service provider’s customer service number.

A proper, consistent and logical approach is necessary for troubleshooting network connectivity issues. Hitting your PC will not help. There is no need to be tech-savvy to understand some basic connectivity issues. The above tips can help you to solve basic issues all by yourself.

About the author: Kelly Marsh is a blogger by profession. She loves writing on technology, health and parenting. Besides this, she is fond of computer technology. She also likes reading various articles on DIY health & gizmo watch.

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Which Cable Companies Share WiFi Hotspots?

Cable Free WiFi Hotspot Consortium 

A group of major U.S. cable companies has joined forces to offer a new Wi-Fi network that will allow each other's high-speed Internet customers to use their Wi-Fi networks across the country.  A group of 5 cable providers announced plans to partner on the deployment of 50,000 “metro Wi-Fi” hot spots under the “CableWiFi” brand. The service will allow customers of Bright House Networks, Cablevision, Comcast, Cox Communications, and Time Warner Cable to access the Wi-Fi networks when roaming outside of their home cable provider’s footprint.

The cable providers' partnership is similar to how cell phone carriers allow their customers to roam on other networks when traveling. That's intentional: The cable companies say they are looking to compete with mobile carriers' new 4G networks that make broadband-like speeds available everywhere.

"We believe that Wi-Fi is a superior approach to mobile data, and that cable provider is best positioned to build the highest-capacity national network offering customers fast and reliable Internet connections when away from their home or business broadband service," said Kristin Dolan, Cablevision's executive vice president of product management and marketing

For years a number of cities throughout the U.S. have floated the idea of vast Wi-Fi zones offering free Internet access, but the results have been spotty at best, often hindered by complicated business issues and even political considerations.  The roaming partnership comes as the cable industry is seeking to differentiate its offerings from rival phone and satellite companies—and when the entire pay-TV industry is trying to keep up with consumers watching greater amounts of video on mobile devices.

A similar roaming agreement was announced in 2010 by Comcast, Cablevision, and Time Warner Cable but it has had limited impact. The hot spots appeared on customer's devices under the separate brands of Cablevision's Optimum, Time Warner Cable's Road Runner, and Comcast's Xfinity. The service wasn't fully built out in some of the denser areas—like Manhattan—and some customers reported difficulty signing on and getting decent Internet speeds. Cablevision's hot spots have been around since 2008, but only 30% of its broadband customers have used them. Cablevision said that about 250,000 customers use its Wi-Fi every day.

The bulk of the hotspots are currently located in New York City and the surrounding tri-state area. A handful of other markets, including Los Angeles, Orlando, Philadelphia, and Tampa are also included from the onset. The cable companies expect to add more coverage and availability over time.  Cable operators say they will continue to increase the number of available hotspots, particularly in high-traffic locations such as parks, beaches, shopping areas, malls, cafes, restaurants, and sporting and concert arenas.

Wireless carriers are increasingly relying on Wi-Fi technology to help offload traffic from their oversubscribed networks, particularly in crowded areas. But new "femtocell" technology may give carriers an edge over their rivals. Though many carriers are aggressively deploying Wi-Fi hotspots on their own, cable companies would like a piece of the action.

AT&T and Verizon Wireless already offer something similar. AT&T has for years given its smartphone customers free access to AT&T-run Wi-Fi hotspots. AT&T owns more than 20,000 of them in the United States, many of which are located in Starbucks coffee shops and the like. AT&T also has a huge number of hotspots operating in the Times Square and theater district of Manhattan. It put this Wi-Fi network up years ago in part to help reduce the capacity crunch on its cellular network in that area. AT&T has made it seamless for smartphone subscribers to connect to Wi-Fi. As long as they are using an AT&T device, it automatically authenticates with the available AT&T Wi-Fi hotspot.

A new standard called "Passpoint" coming this summer from the Wi-Fi Alliance governing body will allow carriers to automatically switch customers to their Wi-Fi hotspots in crowded areas, without requiring any authentication from the user. That kind of seamless transition will make Wi-Fi a much more appealing option than it is currently for cellular customers.

How will it work? Subscribers will use their log-in credentials for their service provider through a new website called "CableWiFi.com." The credentials will allow them to gain access to the Wi-Fi hotspots run by their own provider, as well as those operated by the other four providers.

Sprint Femtocell Growth Up 240% in One Year

Sprint (NYSE:S) now counts 600,000 femtocells on its network in 2012 according to this Fierce Wireless article. This is a big jump from the 250,000 femtocells Sprint said it had deployed as of March of 2011. Sprint also it plans to update its Airave femtocell product to support CDMA services over its 800 MHz network and to enable the products to better work together to coordinate coverage.  The updates would be available sometime in 2012.

What is a Sprint femtocell and how much does it cost? Femtocells are essentially mini cellular base stations that users can install in their house or workplace for voice and data coverage, and can route the resulting cellular traffic through a standard wireline Internet connection.  The device made by Samsung costs around $99.99 and carriers a $5 monthly fee.

What does the growth of femtocell usage say about carrier macro networks and WiFi alternatives?  It says that carrier macro networks are still very congested and that most people are still using their cell phone and smart phones to access data at home and in the office.  Will consumers finally learn to use WiFi whenever possible?  T-Mobile allows customers to make WiFi phone calls and it works great.

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T-Mobile + MetroPCS Is Good For Consumers

A MetroPCS (NYSE: PCS) and T-Mobile USA owned by Deutsche Telekom (NYSE: DTEGY) merger makes a lot of sense for the following reasons.  Here are 10 reasons this would be good for consumers.  

1. Keep the integrity of a discount carrier intact.  
2. MetroPCS has LTE spectrum that T-Mobile USA could use.
3. More purchasing scale 43M customers (MetroPCS 9M + T-Mobile 34M)
4. T-Mobile & MetroPCS have dead zone coverage gaps both can fill.
5. Consumer friendly unlimited data plans would likely continue at both companies. 
6. Fewer competing customers on a network = less data congestion.
7. Consumers might have the option of using a GSM or CDMA 3G phones.
8. T-Mobile HSPA+ 4G is very fast and the network is not congested.
9. MetroPCS 4G LTE is very fast and the network is not congested.
10. MetroPCS has been very aggressive using femtocell and DAS to improve coverage.

Deutsche Telekom is considering a stock swap transaction. However, I would support raising more capital in a T-Mobile USA IPO after the acquisition. MetroPCS shares jumped almost 30% instantly on the deal and currently has a market capitalization of around $3 billion.  MetroPCS seems to have plenty of cash in the bank of $2B and has annual revenue of approximately $5B.  So the combination would appear to be a strategy combining entities to have more scale for handset purchasing and spectrum allocation.  Considering the closest competitor is AT&T and Verizon who each have 90 to 100M+ subscribers.

MetroPCS has began deploying their LTE network before Verizon. MetroPCS is currently built around a CDMA 3G voice network and would be incompatible with T-Mobile’s GSM/HSPA network. However, in the future T-Mobile could use MetroPCS's LTE channels.  Reuters reported in an article "MetroPCS and T-Mobile are not a good technological or customer fit, one analyst said".   MetroPCS is a CDMA carrier in 3G and T-Mobile is a GSM carrier.  However, LTE is LTE and new handsets should be cross carrier compatible if the industry does the consumers right.

A combination of Leap Wireless 7M subscribers also makes sense in the future but right now LTE spectrum is more important to T-Mobile I would bet.

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What is Phone Bill Cramming?

Phone Bill "Cramming" is the placement of unauthorized or misleading charges on phone bills.  Ever wonder what those strange charges are on your home phone or cell phone bill?  Crammers use confusing telephone bills in an attempt to trick consumers into paying for services they did not authorize or receive, or that cost more than the consumer was led to believe. One company Billing Services Group makes a living by scamming customers like you and me.  They charge you for "enhanced services," which may include the following:  collect calls, voicemail services, streaming video service, identity theft protection services, directory assistance, and one job skills training services.

Billing Services Group (Ticker: BILL) placed charges on nearly 1.2 million telephone lines on behalf of a serial phone crammer. The charges were supposedly for "enhanced services," such as voicemail and streaming video, that consumers never authorized or even knew about.  The Federal Trade Commission is seeking a civil contempt ruling against the nation's largest third-party billing company, alleging that Billing Services Group (BSG) placed more than $70 million in bogus "cramming" charges on consumers' phone bills.

What should you do?  Review your telephone bill every month with fine-tooth comb. Treat your telephone service like any other major consumer purchase or service. Ask yourself the following questions as you review your telephone bill:

• Do I recognize all the charges listed on my bill? 
• What services did the charges provide?
• Does my phone bill include charges for calls I did not place or services I did not authorize? 
• Are the rates and line items consistent with my quoted price? 

Please comment below if you have any other evidence of carriers colluding and experience about getting refunds.  

Apple Selling Lots iPads to Schools

Schools Using iPad as Teaching Tool

Apple is selling lots of iPads to school systems around the U.S.  School systems including San Diego and Redondo Beach have funding initiatives for this effort.  The iPad is a fabulous tool for teachers to use as a curriculum tool for their students.  

WiFi only iPad 2's are only $399 while the iPad 3 is priced at $499.  "The iPad price cut unlocked some education demand for customers who had a bit more price sensitivity," said Tim Cook on the earning conference call today.  At this price iPads could last for a long time in schools if properly cared for.  It makes sense for school systems to purchase these devices for all students in the classroom.  

Verizon & AT&T Waiting For iPhone 5 LTE?

Are Verizon & AT&T Consumers Waiting for iPhone 5 LTE? 

Verizon & AT&T scared Apple investors over the few days by reporting poor iPhone sales on their earnings calls.  At the same time, Apple sold 35 million iPhones in the quarter largely supported by Japan and Asia.  It has been rumored that the iPhone 5 will be debuted around October of 2013 just in time for Holiday sales.  However, is the iPhone 5 LTE really that revolutionary?  Yes, speeds are faster but the content experience is still the same and the iPad experience is better.

I tend to think that the iPhone will become a lost leader and the iPad will take its place.  Why?  Content is consumed much easier on a larger screen.  4 inches on the iPhone vs 10 inches on the iPad is just a better experience.  If you are away from WiFi just tether your iPhone to your iPad and you don't need a separate iPad data plan.  

Throttling vs Network Optimization of Traffic

Data Throttling vs Network Optimization of Traffic

The widespread use of smartphones, tablets and other sophisticated mobile devices – coupled with accelerating consumption of rich multimedia applications such as streaming video, live TV, social media, and instant video chat – is driving operators' evolution to LTE and other 4G network architectures for delivering mobile data services. Bytemobile's latest Mobile Analytics Report indicates that a tablet already generates three times the data volume generated by a comparable smartphone. With next-generation technology, including faster networks and larger devices supporting higher-resolution videos, the data generated from a single YouTube clip could increase by five times. Managing network capacity has become not only the single most important business challenge for operators and many are using different techniques.

Throttling mobile data is a method by reducing the speed of packets delivered to the user on the network.  Throttling is typically done when a user has exceeded the amount of data in a plan or is congesting the network by downloading too much video or content in an area.

Network optimization is a different technique used by the carriers.  It involves caching and compression to reduce the strain on the network.  The goal is to not reduced the user experience while preserving bandwidth on the network.

Bytemobile® Smart Capacity™ platforms enable mobile operators to deliver the best possible experience to their subscribers under all network conditions and to differentiate their services based on subscriber usage. The company's solutions have been deployed in the mobile networks of more than 130 operators worldwide to manage escalating demand for capacity due to video and other rich multimedia content and applications. With Smart Capacity, mobile operators can improve utilization of existing capacity and control operating expenses, while increasing revenue growth and profitability. Bytemobile is the industry leader in video optimization with 50 operators under contract.

Byte Mobile's US customers include: AT&T laptop division, Metro PCS, Alltel, Cricket and Sprint.  Verizon & T-Mobile are not currently customers and may be using a different method of detecting high data volume users and throttling them instead.  MetroPCS is the most widely deployed customer in the US to date.

ByteMobile competitors in include Flash Networks, Open Wave, Cisco, Ericsson, Allot, Sandvine.

To learn more, visit Bytemobile.com.

Which Carrier Has The Fastest 3G & 4G Network?

T-Mobile USA HSPA+ and the AT&T LTE networks are the nation's fastest "3G" and "4G" networks, respectively, among Tier 1 U.S. carriers, according to a new study from PCWorld.  AT&T, T-Mobile top network speed tests.

PC World conducted tests on the networks of the four Tier 1 carriers in 13 cities: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle and Washington, D.C. The tests were conducted by Novarum, a strategic wireless consulting firm, and used smartphones suggested by the carriers.

Among "3G" networks, T-Mobile's HSPA+ network performed the best, with average downlink speeds of 3.84 Mbps. AT&T's HSPA+21 network came in second, with average downlink speeds of 2.62 Mbps. Verizon came in third with average speeds of 1.05 Mbps and Sprint came in fourth, with average speeds of 0.59 Mbps.

AT&T's LTE network provided the best downlink speeds among 4G networks, topping out at an average of 9.56 Mbps. That bested Verizon Wireless' (NYSE:VZ) LTE network, which had average downlink speeds of 7.35 Mbps. However, Verizon's LTE network beat AT&T's in uplink speeds, with an average uplink speed of 5.85 Mbps compared with AT&T's 5.15 Mbps.

How Much is Verizon's Upgrade Fee?

Used Car Salesman at Verizon Wireless Stores

A $30 upgrade fee is ridiculous and out of principle you should leave the arrogant carrier.  A "used car salesman like experience" is what you will likely expect going into a Verizon Wireless store today.  Verizon is now charging existing customers a new $30 upgrade fee to any existing customers purchasing new mobile equipment at the discounted price with a two-year contract.  Verizon is letting some lucky customers trade in their phones to reduce the fee a bit, but how that helps will depend very heavily on what kind of user you are.   All negotiable.

Negotiation and hassle is basically what Verizon would like their customers to deal with.  Nothing is straightforward and it sounds like everything is negotiable.  Atleast that is why my wife said on her last trip to a Verizon Wireless store and that what it sounds like with the new $30 upgrade fee that is negotiable. Verizon bogus statement says:

"This fee will help us continue to provide customers with the level of service and support they have come to expect which includes Wireless Workshops, online educational tools, and consultations with experts who provide advice and guidance on devices that are more sophisticated than ever.While the upgrade fee is not unique to Verizon Wireless, most devices can be traded in with our green friendly trade-in program at verizonwireless.com/tradein as a way to save money or potentially offset the fee completely."

Top 5 Management Tools for Legal Practitioners

Working in the legal field keeps you on your toes with something new happening every day. Practicing law is a career where no two days are ever the same. However, with all the interesting daily events that come with the job, things can get slightly hectic. That is why it is key for legal practitioners to be able to manage and organize their work efficiently. Luckily, thanks to developing technology, there are now a number of options and tools out there that can help legal practitioners manage their work more efficiently.

The workflow at legal practices require constant organization and great attention to detail. It is essential to ensure that the firm and its cases run smoothly as much as possible. As stated on https://www.clio.com/law-practice-management-software/, when lawyers have all that they need in one place, ie, one software tool, it can make their work lives much easier and allow them to focus more on cases. Having an all in one tool to collect all the data needed for legal practitioners to pursue their daily work efficiently is no longer too good to be true. As developments in technology have allowed for software tools to aid lawyers specifically in their daily tasks.

Here are 5 management tools that can take your firm to the next level.

1- All In One Software Management 

Legal practitioners take on a lot of paperwork and deal with numerous colleagues and clients on their average day at work, which is why getting a software management tool to help them juggle all their tasks and keep them organized would be particularly essential for them. All in one management software can help all the legal practitioners out there organize all their work and correspondence in one place. It allows lawyers to keep track of all their cases and share them with any company employees that are on the case as well. In short, it is a great way to monitor everything without having to worry about losing track of any files or forgetting any important paperwork that needs submitting when you are working on a timely case. 

2- Cloud Storage 

Some legal practitioners prefer to have different software systems for different purposes. If that is the case for you, then you should invest in a cloud storage software that would allow you or your company to store every little bit of paperwork or important documents in a safe place where they can never be lost. There are a number of software options that can provide this service to legal practitioners and their firms. Many of that cloud storage software can offer bonus services on top of the basic subscription but if storage is the main thing you are looking for, it is still a very helpful tool.  

3- Accounting And Billing Software

Among the useful management tools for legal practitioners is software that would help them keep track of all the finances coming in and out of their firms. Accounting software would help lawyers keep track of all the expenses and financial transactions that have to do with cases or employees of the firm. Billing clients is also an important part of the finances that any legal practitioner needs to be able to manage and stay on top of at all times. Investing in accounting and billing software can help legal attorneys manage all their clients’ invoices and be aware of what is paid and what is due. 

4- Time-Tracking Software 

Legal practitioners get their money through billing clients, usually by the hour. That is why one of the most important tools that any lawyer needs to manage their work is time-tracking software. This way, they can activate the software whenever they are meeting with a client to get accurate calculations on how much time they spent with them and how much they can charge them later. There are a number of software options available for legal practitioners to choose from that offer this feature, but they can alternatively invest in separate software for that sole purpose.

5- Intracompany Communication Software Solutions 

Legal practitioners often work in big firms with a large number of employees, many of which may be involved in one case at the same time. It is particularly important for all the lawyers working in the same firm, or together in one case, to stay connected and communicate everything that comes up with the group. That is why intracompany communication software solutions might come as a handy tool for lawyers. This type of software usually works on different devices with some options offering mobile apps that come with the subscription. 

Being a lawyer or practicing law in any form is very rewarding. It is an interesting career that is guaranteed to keep those involved happily busy. But with this type of business, it is important to be on top of everything happening with your firm by managing all the files, documents, and communications. Software services have been developing over the years to help legal practitioners manage their work easily and efficiently so that they can keep track of all their cases. Some services even offer all-in-one software while others you would need to invest in separately. In the end, it all comes down to what you need and what you believe can best help your firm become more efficient, and effective.

How To Use iPad or Phone as Boarding Pass

Paperless Boarding Pass on iPhone Wallet

Save a tree and the hassle of printing a boarding pass.  A paperless boarding pass enables airline passengers to download their boarding pass on their cell phones or personal digital assistants (PDAs). This innovative approach streamlines the customer experience while heightening the ability to detect fraudulent boarding passes. Each paperless boarding pass is displayed as an encrypted two-dimensional bar code along with passenger and flight information. TSA security officers use scanners to validate the authenticity of the boarding pass at the checkpoint.

Airlines will make this option available when passengers choose their method of boarding pass delivery.  Here is an example of using the boarding pass on an iPhone.  The 2nd example is how to save your boarding pass as a PDF file by printing it.  Then email the PDF to yourself and save it to your iPad, iPhone, Android Phone or tablet device.  It is important that you download and save the document prior to arriving at the airport.  You don't want to mess with trying to download the document at the airport if the network is congested.

Save Boarding Pass as PDF File

iPhone Boarding Pass

iPad Boarding Pass

 

Prepaid Wireless Networks Uncovered (MVNO's)

Which Network Are You Really On?

Unlike the major carriers (ie. Verizon Wireless, Sprint / Nextel, T-Mobile, AT&T), Amp'd, Boost Mobile, TracFone, MetroPCS & Virgin Mobile do not own its own network of cell towers. These prepaid cellular phone companies are all MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operator). MVNOs buy large batches of minutes from the traditional wireless carriers, piggybacking on their national networks. Amp'd leases Verizon's network, Boost Mobile uses Nextel's network, TracFone uses AT&T's network and Virgin uses Sprint's network. Hence, the reason we do not list these carriers in our list of coverage complaints. If you experience dead zone while using any prepaid phones please submit their respective network operator.

Yosemite KOA Campground Needs Cell Coverage Help

Yosemite KOA Campground Dead Zone

We are located at 6323 Hwy 140 in Midpines, CA 95345 at the Yosemite West/Mariposa KOA Campground. We see about 45,000 people in our campground in our summer season all with cell phones and no coverage. Our local phone company is now removing our payphones. Our cell phone customers will have no way to access 911 or other emergency services. The complaints we receive for no cell phone coverage is now affecting our business and business reviews. We would appreciate any help in this matter as this is a very big concern for us and our customers. Please feel free to contact us for any questions you might have.  Read more Cell Reception in Yosemite National Park

iPhone 4S Speed Test Chart

iPhone 4S Download Speeds Compared

iPhone 4S data speeds are the fastest on AT&T compared to Sprint and Verizon. A study performed by Metrico Wireless did 21,000 Web page downloads nationwide with the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 over the networks of the nation's largest three carriers. Metrico also ran more than 8,000 data download and upload tests and generated about 6,000 voice calls with recorded human voices. The tests were performed in a certified lab as well as several locations in five unnamed cities.

AT&T was twice as fast as Verizon in Web browsing with the iPhone 4S, recording average page load times of 1.29 seconds, compared with Verizon's 2.60 seconds. Sprint's version of the phone took an average of 6.44 seconds for Web browsing page loads. In terms of specific data download speeds, AT&T had an average speed of 3.2 Mbps, compared to 1.0 Mbps for Verizon and .5 Mbps for Sprint, one-fifth the speed of AT&T. The peak data download speed on AT&T was 6 Mbps over its 3G GSM HSPA+ network. 

American Roamer Changes Name to Mosaik

American Roamer Unveils New Corporate Name and Branding Strategy at Mobile World Congress - Branding strategy better represents the company as the global leader in geospatial network intelligence

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - BARCELONA, Feb. 27, 2012 – American Roamer, the global source for geospatial network intelligence, today unveils its new company name, Mosaik Solutions, at Mobile World Congress (Hall 2.0, Booth #2D26). The new name and brand launch is a culmination of efforts over the past several years as the company expanded its talent, scale, capabilities and clientele globally. The new name will help better reflect the company’s position as the leading source for coverage solutions for the global network ecosystem.

Mosaik Solutions maintains the largest mobile network coverage catalog in the world, including all common mobile technologies. In order to provide its clients with the most current intelligence available, the global coverage catalog is evaluated and updated each quarter.

Mosaik Solutions also provides telecommunications coverage patterns, wireless spectrum depth, network configurations, and licensing data. The company’s geospatial, analytical, creative and web solutions are tailored to meet each client’s needs. As the most comprehensive and accurate source for geospatial network intelligence, Mosaik Solutions helps clients acquire and retain customers, make sound business decisions and execute with a solid information base.

With more than 20 years of experience in the geospatial network intelligence industry, Mosaik Solutions has a team of graphic designers, computer scientists, GIS specialists and telecommunications industry experts. The company works with large clients such as Verizon, Time Warner, On-Star and Comcast while supporting the needs of smaller companies as well. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has recognized Mosaik Solutions as the best available choice for wireless coverage intelligence in the United States.

“Mosaik Solutions has grown well beyond America – it is global. Our capabilities are beyond mobile and roaming – we have intelligence solutions for the entire network ecosystem,” said Bryan Darr, CEO, Mosaik Solutions. “As a company that provides the most robust, creative and technical solutions on the market, we wanted a name that clearly conveyed who we are and what we provide. We take disparate pieces of intelligence and create elegant solutions to help clients manage customer expectations and empower them to make better strategic and tactical business decisions.”

For more details, please visit www.mosaik.com.

About Mosaik Solutions Mosaik Solutions is the global source for geospatial network intelligence. The company maintains the largest mobile network coverage catalog in the world, including all common mobile technologies. To provide its clients with the most current intelligence available, the global coverage catalog is evaluated and updated quarterly.

With more than 20 years of experience, Mosaik Solutions also provides telecommunications coverage patterns, wireless spectrum depth, network configurations, and licensing data delivered through geospatial, analytical, creative and web solutions tailored to meet client needs. This comprehensive and accurate geospatial network intelligence helps clients acquire and retain customers, make so und business decisions and execute with a solid information base.

Best iPhone 4S Battery Charger Case

What is Cell Phone Data Throttling?

Data Caps vs Data Throttling

Cell phone data throttling works by limiting (throttling) the rate at which a phone accepts and sends data to the network.  Data caps work by charging you additional fees per MB you use over your allotted data plans.  Mobile phone data throttling is a reactive measure employed by the cell phone networks to regulate network traffic and minimize bandwidth congestion. 3G and 4G throttling occur typically when a heavy user of data has exceeded their monthly data limit. AT&T, Verizon, Sprint & now T-Mobile use wireless data bandwidth throttling to help reduce a user's usage of data. Carriers do this action to limit a user's upload and download speeds on mobile applications.

Some carriers like AT&T & Verizon may not throttle your data but will begin to charge you extra for exceeding data plans as well which we call data caps.  Carriers like T-Mobile and Sprint who offer unlimited data plans will limit or (throttle) your speeds if you exceed their monthly thresholds.  We think there is a need for carriers to provide better applications for measuring mobile phone data usage.

Mobile video is congesting networks  & continues to be 66% of network traffic volume.  Mobile video download traffic is already exceeding forecasts from 2010 and carrier networks are struggling to keep up with the growing data demand.  This is another reason why we think data caps are also killing the mobile phone application ecosystem.  

Why Are Mobile Phones Mysteriously Dying

Cell Phone Industry Conspiracy Theory 

I am growing skeptical of an wireless industry that could be using shenanigans to make smartphones die.  Why would a carrier install a bug or make your software fail for a few select customers?  Because your phone is likely out of a contract and they want you to upgrade and need the revenue.  We have no idea or control over the software that is being installed on our phones.  Automatic updates happen frequently and have no control over it.  Therefore, we would never know if T-Mobile or Verizon in particular are purposely causing our phones to die with corrupt software and calling it a hardware failure.

I am a conspiracy theorist when it comes to carrier fraud and there is not reason why my laptop can last for 8+ years and my phone continually craps out after 18 months.  This has happened repeatedly and I am beginning to think that there is corruption within the industry to drive sales.  It happened to my wife who has a Verizon Droid and now me how has T-Mobile G2 Android phone.

I can't wait until the day something like this is uncovered by a techie similar to the Carrier IQ monitoring software that was being installed on our phones.  If anyone has any evidence to substantiate my claims I would like to know in the comments below or send me an email.   I can see a class action coming very soon if someone uncovers evidence.

The only evidence I have is that our phones have died on Friday or Saturday each time.  Anyone else experience this on similar days?  Super convenient for you to just run into a T-Mobile or Verizon store to boost their business.   SCAM!

I have not experienced or heard of these problems with Sprint or with AT&T.