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.

Fix WiFi Reception With Multiple iPads on the Same Network

If your home has multiple iPads in your home or office running on the same network you should be aware of this problem. My home has 3 iPads: iPad 1, iPad 2 and an iPad Mini and our reception was getting worse and worse.  I noticed over time that each iPad was dropping the WiFi network more and more.  Each iPad would drop reception while searching from the Safari and Chrome browser and also while downloading from the App Store.

The first thing I did was to change the WiFi DNS settings to Google at 8.8.8.8.  This improved speeds a little bit but the connections kept dropping.

I took me a while to figure it out but I realized each iPad had the same name.  By simply changing the name of each iPad the reception problems improved drastically.

Verizon Fios apparently views devices with the same name on the network as the same device and thus each of the iPads were competing for the same IP address from the router.  

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?

Related Articles:
UK Black Spots
UK Black Spots Map

Discover how to start and run a business from your smartphone

Getting a business off the ground used to be overwhelming and complicated. Well, this is not the case anymore. If you have a smartphone, you are good to go. It does not matter that you do not have the latest generation computer or that you cannot afford to invest in expensive equipment. You can get into business thanks to mobile technology. Indeed, a computer or even a notebook would be better, but for day-to-day operations, a smartphone is enough. You may not be able to start your own web design services, but you can make money with your smartphone. If you are curious to find out more, please continue reading.

If you want to become a mobile entrepreneur, here are some ideas for you

Given the current circumstances, you should give mobile entrepreneurship a try. It is expected that things will not get back to normal for a long, long time, so you might as well make sure it works out in your favor. You have the chance to make a name for yourself in the business world and you should take advantage of it. The idea of becoming a mobile entrepreneur is similar to that of becoming a freelancer, the main difference being that you are not interested in working for someone else. If all you need to get started is a good business idea, any one of these ideas can take you on the roadmap to success.

Launch a niche brand on Instagram

The popularity of social media continues to grow, which means that users will demand better experiences. If you would like to monetize Instagram, you are going to have to make an effort. You do not need to be a big celebrity like Kylie Jenner, but you do have to make your peers trust you no matter what niche you decide on. Speaking of which, the best monetization methods include selling shortouts for other brands, driving traffic to certain products and earning a commission, and talking about yourself. The last one does not seem complicated, does it?

Trade stocks

Yes, trading in stock is an actual business. It enables you to make a profitable living. Download a trading app and put your money into the account. It is necessary to sign up with a brokerage firm to obtain the trading platform. You are at the beginning of your investing journey. If you are not looking forward to spending hours at an end making investments, become a passive investor. Choosing the right broker is essential because it can make the difference between securing a substantial income stream and experiencing unpleasant disappointment.

Edit videos for businesses

You can make a full-time income as a video editor. Arranging video shots is not overly complicated and your smartphone can help you in this sense. There are apps that handle every aspect of video editing. The best thing of all is that you do not have to be tech-savvy to edit videos for social media or blogs. An online video editing business provides much-needed financial freedom. You can choose to be paid by the hour or by project.

Leverage the power of mobile technology and start a phone-friendly business

A smartphone saves you a lot of time, as you can work from anywhere at any time. 2020 smartphones are really smart and they enable you to do some pretty incredible things. Depending on your business, operational methodology, and size, you can build your own company with just a smartphone. Pay attention to the fact that a smartphone is versatile, but it cannot do everything. Certain types of businesses cannot run on a smartphone. It is necessary to make a hefty investment, which is not good news if you are short on cash.

If you do not want to become a mobile entrepreneur and would like to go on a different path, consider a home equity line of credit. If you have built up enough equity in your home, you can use that money to pay for unexpected costs. Getting back on topic, some businesses present more challenges, while others simply adapt to being run on mobile devices. If used correctly, a smartphone can transform you into an entrepreneur. Choose the phone that you will use for business purposes. Additionally, you will want to:

• Install apps that you can use across several platforms – If you have not been living under a rock, you have most certainly heard about G Suite, the collaboration and productivity apps powered by Google. You can work on the go, overcoming productivity setbacks. Adopt cloud technology and problems will become a thing of the past.

• Keep it simple – You might be tempted to download all sorts of apps, thinking that they will help you enhance your workflow. The result is that you keep switching between apps and, eventually, lose your head. It is better to keep things simple. The fewer apps you have on the phone, the better.

• Link your business email to your phone – Configure your email account to your Android or iOS device through the email application included as default. This way, you can answer important messages on time and your inbox will not be full. Keep on top of what is happening at all times. Set a password on your mobile device for added security.

So, you enjoy conducting business from your smartphone. You can work from the local park without fearing that you will lose important calls or messages. As the novelty of working from your mobile device fades away, you will understand that all the important information is stored on your phone. Find a place to store documents, images, videos, and other types of files. The storage space on your smartphone is limited, not to mention that you could risk losing it all.

If you do not want to complicate yourself, stick with Google. To be more precise, let Google back up your stuff. Everything will be stored in the cloud, which means that you will not lose important data. Cloud storage is perfect whether we are talking about PDFs or PowerPoint presentations.

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.

How To Control Alt Delete MacBook, iPad & PC

Troubleshooting your iPad, PC, and Mac with these steps 

Best Tips To Write Your First Resume

Still a college student or a fresh graduate, resume writing is essential to land you a great first job. You might have wet your feet already writing some resumes – or perhaps never. Either way, getting to know what you need to include (or not) in your resume is a no brainer. Ironically, though, most applicants, including seasoned ones, fail to pay attention to details that matter. You might have wondered, rightly, why your resume is not getting through – despite all your efforts. This mini-guide will help you stand on your feet and land your first dream job. 

One also helps you not to think about: "write my research paper for me or a resume" as you may find some cool expressions for you.

Keywords In Job Openings 

Obviously, you should look first at what your prospective employer is asking for. Most applicants miss requirements listed in job openings and simply apply. This is a huge mistake. You really need to do your homework getting to know about your job opening and your employer. There is advice already about resume strategies, resume tips for college students, and resume for college students with no experience. More, you could find services to get exceptional jobs, resume tips, and how to write a great resume. This is all fine. Yet, all you need, in fact, is to work on writing resumes. That’s, you do have to write with the best, as some services promote to get a first great resume. Instead, you should work on your search and analytical skills to identify patterns you use in your resume. In plain English. You should look for keywords your potential employers use in job openings to use in your resume. This is seconded by research about your employer so you are familiar with common language at your employer’s. Don’t be lazy. Do your first steps of writing a great resume but doing deep research. This really shows and almost always pays off by a phone call for an interview. There are already great resources to help you get started in your search activity matching up your qualifications and your employer's requirements. Perhaps, the expression: “Write my essay for me cheap” is widely popular among college students and fresh graduates. Take notes. Pay attention to details. Pick clues. You will be simply on track.

Search Resume Samples For Your Industry 

Unless you are creative enough and have some experience, you might need some resume samples for help. Templates are now a standard and used widely by starters and veterans. There are so many benefits, in fact, in looking for inspiration in sample resumes:

• Templates offer an easy way to navigate the applicant tracking system (ATS) prior to a hiring manager reading any resume.
• Templates offer you a custom format to use for your own purposes.
• Templates are simply designed and created for specific jobs and industries.
• Templates are so conveniently updatable and/or publishable. 

Just pick what suits you best. This might need a bit of shopping for your right design and format. Indeed, resume samples are everywhere. Make sure you choose one applicable to your qualifications and current job situation.

Most Relevant Info First

Employers do not spend much time reading resumes. So, you should be brief, professional and organized. In fact, resume organization is a killer. That’s why, you should do your best to make what matters most first in your resume. For example, you should organize your resume so you include highlights of your experience or skills first. This should give your employer, in a very succinct way, a complete idea of who you are as an applicant. There could be as many ways to organize your resume. However, you choose how to grab your employer’s attention according to your pre-application search. For guidance, https://resumethatworks.com/engineering-resume-writing-services offers amazing tips on how to design and format your resume by profession, industry, experience and more.

Language Skills 

So, you can speak different languages? Show it! This is only one great way to impress your employer. Today, jobs require juggling many skills in different locations. If you are multilingual, you’ve got for sure an edge. Fresh from college or still a student, having language skills is an eye-grabber for hiring managers looking for outstanding interns. Even better, having language skills qualifies you for jobs starting online and moving offline. That’s, you could join as an online intern for your language skills only to be hired locally (or abroad) later. Languages, just as self-confidence, show on- and offline.

Education Information 

As a student, you are most likely to have more to say about education and less about job experience. This is just fine. After all, employers looking for applicants like yourself are not looking for long experience but knowledge and skills. So, you should ensure you list all your relevant academic qualifications and skills. If you are a straight-A student, make sure you mention your overall GPA in your resume. If you have job-related extracurricular learning experiences, you should not hesitate to mention that as well. Follow a chronological order in listing all your educational information and experiences: most recent first. The overall emphasis should be, in short, on your abilities, skills and knowledge. You can have a lack of time because of studying so don't be afraid to ask help from professionals from essaywritingservice.ca and save more time for writing an impressive resume.

Background and Knowledge 

In addition to education, you have much more to say about your background and knowledge. This is not just about filling up extra space in a resume. Instead you’re showing your potential employer as wide as possible your range of knowledge and skills. These could include, for instance, any previous volunteering or community learning experiences. Giving your potential employer a clear picture of your background and knowledge in context makes your resume a killer.

Unrelated Jobs 

Often, you might have some jobs you believe are unrelated to a current post you’re applying for. Again, you need to read job requirements carefully to see if you are going to include any of such jobs or not.

Contact Information 

Don’t forget to include your most relevant and up-to-date contact information. Include your full name, address, email, LinkedIn and social media links (if applicable).

Wrap Up

Your resume is your entry to a new world of job opportunities. Most importantly, make sure you do your homework right by matching job requirements up to your education and skills. This gives employers a great impression of you learning more about your future workplace.

As a student or a fresh graduate, education, knowledge, and skills are important and are looked for by hiring managers. In your resume, be straightforward, brief, and include only all relevant education and job information and experiences. Include all important contact information so you are reachable, including your social media links.

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.

JiWire Free WiFi Finder for iPad

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How to Find Free WiFi Hotpots Using JiWire iPad App

55% of US Wi-Fi hotspots are now free as compared to 25% around the World.  JiWire manages 450,000 hotspot locations in its database compared to Boingo which has 325,000 Worldwide locations.

San Francisco-based mobile WiFi hotspot aggregator JiWire has raised USD 20 million in series C funding and has now raised a total of $45M to help consumers use these locations.  JiWire provides a database and mobile applications for users to easily find and connect to wireless broadband connections for free.

JiWire's areas of growth include broadening its investment in advertising technology & additional M&A opportunities from someone potentially like Google.  The growth capital will be used to expand JiWire's leadership in location-based advertising and to expand on the growing popularity of ad-supported WiFi hotspots.

Free mobile WiFi hotspot growth is growing 5X faster than cell phone towers and could disrupt AT&T & Verizon's 4G business models someday soon.  JiWire has 145,000 free wifi hotspots in the database and claims to reach an audience of 52M people across 4,000 cities, 9,000 hotels, 8,500 cafes, 205 airports and 3,000 other locations.  As mobile phone users start using iPads vs iPhones more data subscriptions become less meaningful and WiFi becomes more important. The JiWire find WiFi app is also available on Android as well.

Deadcellzones.com plans to the effort of WiFi becoming a ubiquitous form of free data communication unlike cellular which still has millions of dead zones and areas where connectivity is impossible.   Building out ad supported WiFi hotspots are starting to make more economical sense than cell phone towers in most cases.  It was great to see Boingo go public last week and we are shareholders.  However, Boingo subscription based business model might be challenged by a company like JiWire if they were able to get together with Google. 

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.

Related Articles:
Where is MetroPCS Expanding Coverage?

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.  

4 Types of Approach to a Successful Online Business

Are you planning to start your own online business soon? If you are a budding entrepreneur, launching your business online will be a great start. It is the perfect option for those who want to have a more flexible and convenient work schedule. Although they are fairly inexpensive, online businesses are great investments because they offer a lucrative source of income and growth potential. They can run 24/7 and may reach customers from all over the globe. However, you should also be aware that an online business may not always work out. Around 90% of businesses online fail within 4 months of launching. If you want to be part of the successful 10%, you have to be fully prepared.

To help you out, we've listed 4 of the most effective approaches in gearing your online business towards success.

1. Competitive Research

The online market is saturated with startups from various industries. To stay at the top of the game, you need to stand out and you can only do this by knowing who your competitors are first. A firm understanding of your competition will give you a solid idea on how to improve your business by learning what other people are saying about them. You need to know your competition's strengths and weaknesses so you can use it to your advantage. You can start understanding your competition by checking out their website, search engine results, reviews, and local listing. Looking at your competition's social media accounts is highly recommended so you can get an idea of how they manage their branding through the content they share. Reviews and comments on YouTube and other websites are also a great way to know what customers like and don’t like about your competitors.

2. Optimizing Your Online Presence

Did you know that more than 70% of consumers in the US go online to make their purchases? With this high rate, it only makes sense to invest in digital marketing strategies that yield actual results. The digital marketers at https://www.digitallogic.co/ have found that improving your SEO, social media management, website, and content material can significantly increase your return on investment. As there are several aspects and platforms included in your overall online presence, it is best to sit down and assess which elements you should work on the most. First, you need to understand your business needs, goals, and budget. Once you have defined those factors, you will be able to work on relevant digital marketing strategies that are best suited for your business. It is best to implement a digital marketing plan that can support your company’s growth on a long-term basis.

3. Stay Up to Date with Trends

Do you remember why Nokia, a huge mobile phone brand, failed? Because they did not adapt to change. Thanks to advancements in technology, various industries are becoming more flexible. Change is rapid and inevitable, so to thrive and remain successful in the industry, you need to keep up with the trends. To do this, you must customize your company’s social media accounts and news feeds to reflect the latest, relevant, and most trending topics. Subscribing to newsletters, online magazines, and journals can help you stay up to date with the latest trends. You can also set up Google Alerts to provide you with updated news on popular trends from all over the world. Additionally, asking for your customer’s feedback can be of great help as it enables you to improve your services or products. Networking would also do wonders in keeping your company up to date with the new, relevant trends through making connections with key people of influence in the same industry. 

4. Working on Your Branding

Like any other form of business, you need to build and establish a reputable brand to make a name for yourself. Aside from the visual aesthetics of your website and products, you need to fulfill your promises and make sure each customer's concerns are heard. Encouraging posting of reviews on your social media accounts or adding these on your website will enhance your brand image as well. Aside from your competitors, you also need to monitor what people are saying about your business and work on that feedback accordingly.

Technology has rapidly evolved over the years. For any business to grow, one must keep up with the demands of the ever-changing market landscape. To ensure your business success in the online world, constant innovation and creativity are needed. So, consider the above approaches based on your business needs, goals, and budget, assess which areas you can improve, and get to work!

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.