Fierce Wireless

Quick news from around the Web

@FierceWireless: RT @JohnPaczkowski: #Apple Building 2 Million iPads Per Month, But Shooting for 3 Million. Article $AAPL | Follow @FierceWireless

> Sprint Nextel's Samsung Epic 4G went on sale Tuesday, and according to Sprint the gadget "became one of Sprint's best-selling devices for first-day sales." Release

> Net1 said it launched a mobile payments effort with an unnamed, top-five U.S. wireless carrier. Release

> Alcatel-Lucent completed LTE tests over spectrum for public safety. Article

> Standard & Poor's may upgrade Motorola. Article

Mobile Content News

> Mobile users are flocking to Twitter at record rates. Article

> Google is hoping to debut an Internet-based digital music service that would launch later this year. Article

> Research firm Analysys Mason estimates mobile operators could lose up to $27 billion in annual voice, SMS and data revenue because of customers that decide to switch operators over their mobile content offerings. Article

> U.S. Cellular will use Loopt's location platform to provide LBS services to its customers. Article

> Mobile is playing a key role in Google's renewal of its deal with AOL. Article

> Apple and Facebook could not come to an agreement about connecting Facebook's service with Apple's new Ping social networking program. Article

> Hewlett-Packard's Palm temporarily suspended new webOS developer approvals due to a virtual keyboard leak. Article

> Apple's iOS platform is now the third most popular Internet platform, behind Mac and Windows. Article

> The Mobile Marketing Association announced a repositioning that the group said will help it "get brands and agencies to increase spend on a channel they're now aware of." Article

European Wireless News

> The Wall Street Journal reported that additional carriers will begin selling the iPhone in Germany, bringing an end to Deutsche Telekom's exclusive hold on the gadget. Article (sub. req.)

> Vodafone Germany announced LTE tiered data pricing. Article

And finally... Painting a building with your smartphone? Article

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) recently doubled the number of iPad tablets it is building each month to roughly 2 million, according to a research note from Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty. The news comes amid a sharp jump in the number of competitors entering the tablet market, many of them building devices that run on Google's Android platform.

Apple said earlier this week that it is now able to ship iPads within 24 hours of an order, which could have been made possible by a jump in production capacity. According to Huberty though, Apple wants to boost production even more, and recently indicated to suppliers that it wants to boost capacity to 3 million per month by the fourth quarter. Apple sold 3.27 million iPads during the device's debut quarter.

An Apple spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The list of contenders entering the fray to challenge the iPad and grab a piece of the tablet market seems to be growing by the day. Samsung on Thursday unveiled its Android-powered GalaxyTab. LG has said it will release an Android tablet later this year, as has ZTE and several other companies. Hewlett-Packard has confirmed it will release a webOS tablet early next year, Research In Motion (NASDAQ:RIMM) is reportedly working on a tablet, and Motorola (NYSE:MOT) has been rumored to be working on its own Android tablet device.

Toshiba is the latest entrant; the company said it will sell its Android-powered, 10.1-inch Folio 100 tablet in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The company has not yet decided whether it will release the device in other regions, including the U.S. or Japan, according to the Wall Street Journal.

For more:
- see this AllThingsD post
- see this Business Insider post
- see this WSJ article (sub. req.)

Related Articles:
Samsung unveils GalaxyTab Android tablet
AT&T sees future in tablets beyond iPad
AT&T, Dell, Best Buy bank on tablets
AT&T to launch Dell Streak Android tablet for $300
Rumor Mill: Apple working on 7-inch iPad
HP confirms webOS tablet for early 2011

A watchdog group released a report that attacks Deutsche Telekom, among other companies for their poor labor practices in the U.S.

The report, released by Human Rights Watch, said that Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile USA subsidiary blocked an effort in 2006 to unionize a call center in Allentown, Pa., in part by making workers attend meetings that attacked unions. The report also targeted practices at companies like retailer Tesco and security group G4S for their U.S. labor practices. The report said that tactics generally included threatening workers who wanted to unionize with firing and having the police intimidate workers who wanted to get union literature. 

Deutsche Telekom told the Financial Times that its actions "are absolutely correct and above board. As a company, we respect all rules and laws, even in the U.S. It's baffling that we are being named in this context and firmly reject all the allegations."

This is not the first time Deutsche Telekom has come under fire for its labor practices at T-Mobile. In November 2009, the Communications Workers of America and a German union called ver.d forged an alliance to persuade Deutsche Telekom to allow unionizing at T-mobile. The two unions formed a new organization called TUnion, which CWA President Larry Cohn said at the time was going to try and end the "double standard" of Deutsche Telekom supporting unionized workers in Germany but not in the United States.

At the time, T-Mobile pointed out that despite the CWA's efforts for more than nine years to get T-Mobile workers to unionize, no group of employees as chosen to do so. The company also said that T-Mobile employees have found no need for, or interest in, a union. 

For more:
- see this FT article

Related Articles:
Unions push to organize T-Mobile USA employees
AT&T, CWA reach tentative agreement on new contract

Chinese equipment makers Huawei and ZTE, hoping to cash in on the white-hot smartphone market, each separately said they are preparing to release more devices running on Google's Android platform.

Huawei on Thursday announced its first smartphone specifically designed for the global market, the Android-powered Ideos. The device, which was developed in collaboration with Google, runs Android 2.2 and features a 2.8-inch touchscreen. It will be made in both CDMA and GSM variants. The Ideos will go on sale in Hong Kong next Friday, and is expected to be available later this year in North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia. Huawei, the world's No. 3 infrastructure vendor, said the phone--which features WiFi and mobile hotspot capability for up to eight devices--is designed to be an entry-level phone and likely will be priced at between $100 and $200 depending on carrier subsidies. 

Interestingly, the Ideos features 850/1700/1900 MHz CDMA bands, which could make it a fit for Leap Wireless (NASDAQ:LEAP) or MetroPCS (NASDAQ:PCS). 

ZTE, Huawei's smaller Chinese rival, said it also is increasing its Android ambitions. He Shiyou, head of ZTE's mobile terminals business, told the Wall Street Journal that ZTE will release an Android tablet later this year in Europe, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region. The device will have a 7-inch screen. The company is hoping to release similar products in North America.

ZTE said its first-half handset sales jumped 40 percent, driven by demand in both China and international markets. The company shipped  28 million handsets, with 17 million, or fully 60 percent, going to international markets. ZTE said it released 10 Android phones in the first half of the year with carrier partners in France, Brazil and other countries.

For more:
- see this NYT blog post
- see this WSJ article (sub. req.)
- see this Electronista post
- see this Reuters article
- see this Engadget post

Related Articles:
ZTE hopes Verizon launch will springboard its U.S ambitions
ZTE eyes U.S. handset market as part of worldwide growth strategy
ZTE: U.S. smartphone launch remains on horizon
ZTE in smartphone discussions with Verizon, others
Huawei to make Symbian, Android smartphones in 2009

AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T) said it will accelerate the pace of its transitions for former Alltel markets that it acquired from Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ). 

In a flurry of releases, the nation's No. 2 carrier said former Alltel subscribers in Alabama,  Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Virginia and Wyoming will be transitioned to AT&T by the end of 2010 or the beginning of 2011 instead of mid-2011, as previously scheduled. Former Alltel customers will receive an offer for a new AT&T handset at no additional cost, and customers will be able to choose a device that is comparable to what they have now. Additionally, AT&T said, the vast majority of customers will be able to keep their existing rate plans, and none will be required to assume an additional contract term.

The FCC approved AT&T's $2.35 billion purchase of the assets in June, and said the voluntary conditions proposed by AT&T for the deal are "likely to result in transaction-specific public interest benefits." Most of the conditions involve deals with smaller operators and roaming agreements.

As part of the deal, AT&T netted 1.6 million new subscribers in 79 service areas spread across 18 states. Most of the assets were from the former Alltel properties Verizon was required to divest due to its blockbuster $28.1 billion acquisition of Alltel that closed in January 2009. Also as part of the transaction, Verizon scored around 120,000 subscribers in five service areas in Louisiana and Mississippi that AT&T was required to divest as a condition of its $944 million acquisition of Centennial Communications, announced in late 2008.

For more:
- see this RCR Wireless News article
- see this AT&T release
- see this Bozeman Daily Chronicle article

Related Articles:
FCC signs off on AT&T's purchase of Verizon assets
Report: AT&T's acquisition of Alltel assets nearing approval
AT&T completing asset swap with Verizon in Q1
AT&T completes acquisition of Centennial
AT&T buying some of Verizon's Alltel assets for $2.35B
Verizon requests more time to sell Alltel assets

Article updated Sept. 3 to add Virginia to the list of states in which AT&T is accelerating the Alltel transitions.

Samsung increased its smartphone sales target for the year, and the company hopes to boost both its smartphone market share and handset profit margin into the double digits, a top executive said.

J.K. Shin, the president of Samsung's Mobile communications division, told reporters on the sidelines of the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin that Samsung expects to ship 25 million smartphones this year, up from a previous target of 18 million. That earlier target, announced in February, was itself triple the number of smartphones Samsung shipped in 2009. The recalibration reflects in part Samsung's growing confidence in the smartphone arena.

Additionally, Shin said the company expects to reach a double-digit profit margin from its mobile unit during the third quarter. The company's handset unit posted sales of $6.78 billion in the second quarter quarter, down 5 percent from the year-ago period. The South Korean electronics giant said its telecommunications business--which includes both handsets and wireless network equipment--posted profit of $531.3 million, down 36 percent from the year-ago period. That division's operating margin fell to 7.2 percent in the second quarter, down from 10.8 percent in the year-ago quarter.

Despite the relatively weak second quarter, Shin expressed confidence about the company's prospects. He said Samsung hopes to grab a double-digit global market share for smartphones by year-end, and that the handset maker's smartphone sales likely will double next year compared with this year.

To achieve the lofty goals, Samsung likely will rely on its Galaxy S line of Android phones. The company announced earlier this week it shipped 1 million Galaxy S smartphones in the U.S. market in the gadget's first month and a half of availability.

Android is a key priority for the company. "We are prioritizing our Android platform. Android is very open and flexible, and there is a consumer demand for it," Y.H. Lee, the head of marketing at Samsung Mobile, told Reuters at the IFA show. Samsung also is planning bada and Windows Phone 7 devices.

For more:
- see this WSJ article (sub. req.)
- see this Reuters article

Related Articles:
Samsung unveils GalaxyTab Android tablet
Samsung's smartphone strategy has a Q4 hole
Samsung crows of 1 million U.S. Galaxy S shipments
Samsung teases Android-powered GalaxyTab tablet

Check out this week's most-viewed stories across Fierce's wireless publications:

FierceBroadbandWireless
1. Intel to embrace LTE
2. T-Mobile USA planning upgrade to 42 Mbps HSPA+ in 2011
3. Wireless service plans tailored on subscribers, not on devices

FierceDeveloper
1. Paid apps 70 percent of the App Store--and just a third of Android Market
2. Analyst: Microsoft will spend $400M to market Windows Phone 7
3. Developer Workshop: Advanced Mobile Protection

FierceMobileContent
1. Google acquires Angstro to bolster social networking push
2. App Store adds On the Grid section for location-based apps
3. Google sets sights on iTunes with YouTube movie service

FierceWireless
1. LightSquared 4G buildout plans leak
2. T-Mobile reveals more specs for G2, first HSPA+ Android phone
3. Dissecting wireless carriers' capex

FierceWireless:Europe
1. Mobile network operators: Caught in the squeeze of the mobile business?
2. Rumour Mill II: Vodafone to re-examine overseas assets?
3. Operators respond to demand by hitting the LTE gas pedal

Due to the Labor Day holiday, FierceWireless will not be publishing Sept. 6. We will be back in your inbox on Sept. 7. Enjoy the long weekend. --Phil

Making the rumors official, Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) announced prepaid unlimited data plans for a wide range of phones, including some of its most popular devices.  

The carrier said that beginning today customers can go into stores and purchase unlimited prepaid data on select smartphones and multimedia phones for $30 per month. Multimedia phone customers (those with devices like the LG enV Touch and Samsung Alias 2) also have the option of a $10 monthly data package for 25 MB per month with $0.20/MB overage charges. Verizon said the plans will be available online starting Sept. 28. The prepaid data pricing is identical to Verizon's postpaid pricing.

Verizon said the offering applies to all of its Android phones, as well as its range of  BlackBerry devices from Research In Motion (NASDAQ:RIMM) and its two Palm devices, the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus. Verizon did not say what voice pricing plans have to be coupled with the prepaid data plans, but the company offers 450 prepaid minutes for $45 per month, 900 prepaid minutes for $65 per month and unlimited prepaid voice for $75 per month. The new data plans do not include the costs of texting.

The move comes hot on the heels of several tests conducted by Verizon, including a $50 prepaid monthly unlimited plan across the Southeast.

Other carriers, including T-Mobile USA, offer prepaid pricing plans for smartphones. T-Mobile offers unlimited voice, texting and Web browsing on a prepaid basis for $80 per month.

For more:
- see this release

Related Articles:
Rumor Mill: Verizon bringing prepaid to Blackberry, Android phones
Verizon targets Sprint's Simply Everything with $99 unlimited tests
Verizon trials new unlimited plans in Texas, Louisiana
AT&T will support Straight Talk prepaid service
Verizon trials $50 prepaid unlimited plan

Quick news from around the Web

@FierceWireless: RT @harrymccracken: How the Technologizer community's Apple event predictions stacked up: Article | Follow @FierceWireless

> Microsoft released its Windows Phone 7 operating system to handset manufacturers. Article

> Users will need to purchase new devices to take advantage of T-Mobile USA's planned upgrade to 42 Mbps HSPA+ speeds. Article

> AT&T argues that new U.S. rules on the shipment of lithium ion batteries "could fundamentally change how every U.S. consumer electronics business, including the wireless industry, does business." Post

> Comcast will sell Novatel's MiFi device. Release

> Huawei announced its first Android phone, which it will sell across Europe, Asia and the Americas. Article

> Indonesian regulators are urging BlackBerry maker Research In Motion to block users' access to porn in the country. Article

> Google faces a lawsuit over 3G connection issues on its Nexus One smartphone. Article

> Ascom Network Testing and LG Electronics announced a licensing agreement over LTE technology. Release

> Apple detailed a range of announcements, including a new version of the company's iOS platform, an upgraded line of iPods, a new version of the company's iTunes program and a revamped Apple TV product that supports movie and TV show rentals. Article

> Cellular One of East Central Illinois scored a federal broadband stimulus award of $13 million. Release

> The Wireless Power Consortium launched its Qi 1.0 standard, which the group said enables consumer electronic brands and device manufacturers to bring interoperable wireless inductive charging devices to market. Release

> The Consumer Electronics Association announced TechZone, a venue within the association's upcoming CES 2011 trade show in Las Vegas, that will be devoted to mobile devices and technologies. Release

Mobile Content News

> Skyfire submitted its new browser to Apple's App Store, which the company said will allow iPhone users to view Flash content. Article

> Research firm Frost & Sullivan said the on-deck premium mobile content market is growing despite the proliferation of smartphones. Article

> Voice application firm Vlingo integrated its offerings with those of foursquare. Article

> Nokia is shuttering its Ovi Files service. Article

> Skype Mobile for Android can now work over 3G and WiFi, but only on Verizon Wireless devices. Article

> PCMag.com reports that Samsung will release its answer to Apple's iTunes on Sept. 16. Article

> ChaCha will power a new question service from NBC. Article

> Google's Android Market offers the largest collection of free applications. Article

Broadband Wireless News

> Have we seen the last of M2Z? Commentary

> A new multi-dwelling WiFi installation in Provo, Utah, illustrates a new trend in which community WiFi applications are providing broadband Internet connections that are cheaper and easier to install than cable systems. Article

> Will the prepaid mobile broadband offerings from Clearwire and Virgin Mobile put the squeeze on AT&T? Article

> The FCC issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that pertains to how wireless networks and specialized services should be handled under open access provisions envisioned by the commission. Article

European Wireless News

> The winds of change are blowing in the U.K. wireless market. Article

> On September 1st Orange became the first UK mobile operator to launch High Definition (HD) voice on its network. Article

> Russia's Yota switched on its first LTE network. Article

> Deutsche Telekom's first LTE base station is now up and running. Article

> Shipments of chips for short-range wireless technologies such as Bluetooth, NFC, UWB, 802.15.4 and Wi-Fi will grow 20 percent this year over last year. Article

And finally... "Android users are manly-scented, pork-eating, news-reading, bird lovers, while iPhone users are feminine-smelling, chicken-eating, entertainment-reading fish owners." Release

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) CEO Steve Jobs presided over the introduction of the company's new iPod touch yesterday, among other announcements, and in doing so took a shot at some of the company's competitors. Jobs said Apple is activating over 230,000 iOS devices every day (which includes iPhones, iPads and iPod touches). Then, he said that "we think some of our friends are counting upgrades in their numbers," which many took as a thinly-veiled shot across the bow at Google. Last month Google CEO Eric Schmidt said sales of smartphones running Android now total about 200,000 each day. Google took exception to Jobs' claim. "The Android activation numbers do not include upgrades and are, in fact, only a portion of the Android devices in the market since we only include devices that have Google services," a Google spokesman told Fortune. Article

As has become the norm with high-profile smartphone launches, T-Mobile USA is leaking out morsels of information about the G2, its forthcoming Android device that will be its first HSPA+ smartphone.

On the company's Scoop news site, the carrier revealed that the G2 will have an 800 MHz Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) Scorpion processor, Android 2.2, one-touch quick keys for Google shortcuts and applications and support for Adobe Flash 10.1. The carrier said the G2 will support theoretical peak speeds of 14.4 Mbps. Official photos of the device show a slide-out Qwerty keyboard. Interestingly, the 800 MHz processor is clocked at slower speeds than Qualcomm's Snapdragon processor, which has made its way into many high-end smartphones, including the HTC Incredible and Evo.

T-Mobile has not said which company is making the device, when it will be released or how much it will cost. However, HTC--which made the G1, T-Mobile's first Android phone--is holding a press conference in London Sept. 15 to unveil a new device, which could be he G2.

The device has been hyped by T-Mobile for weeks now, and is part of the carrier's strategy to highlight its upgraded network. T-Mobile plans to cover 100 major metropolitan areas--185 million people--with HSPA+ by year-end. The nation's No. 4 carrier currently has 50 markets and 85 million POPs covered with HSPA+. T-Mobile has been marketing its HSPA+ service as delivering "4G" speeds.

Additionally, the carrier said this week that it will increase data speeds on its HSPA+ network to theoertical peak rates of 42 Mbps in 2011. That upgrade will be made possible by using dual-carrier technology, which uses advanced multiplexing techniques to combine two wireless data carriers into a single carrier. However, new equipment will be needed to access the higher speeds.

For more:
- see this T-Mobile Scoop page
- see this Engadget post

Related Articles:
T-Mobile promises G2, first HSPA+ Android phone
Rumor Mill: HTC to debut new smartphone Sept. 15
T-Mobile loses 93,000 subscribers in Q2; 'too early' for a turnaround
T-Mobile to launch HSPA+ phone in September

Despite a recent report that indicated Sprint Nextel's (NYSE:S) board is debating whether to allow T-Mobile USA to invest in Clearwire (NASDAQ:CLWR), ultimately Sprint does not have final say in the matter.

A report in the Wall Street Journal said Sprint's board is divided on the issue. However, while Sprint owns 54 percent of Clearwire's outstanding shares, and can appoint seven of the company's 13 board members, major decisions like allowing another strategic investor require the approval of 10 board members. So, in theory, while Sprint holds sway on Clearwire's board, it is not the ultimate authority.

T-Mobile has not submitted a formal proposal, so no decision is imminent, the WSJ report said. T-Mobile USA CEO Robert Dotson confirmed in March that that the nation's No. 4 carrier has talked with Clearwire and various cable companies about a possible joint venture to enhance T-Mobile's spectrum position. Clearwire CEO Bill Morrow has said the company is interested in making T-Mobile USA a wholesale customer on its network.

Furthermore, Morrow has indicated that a decision about partnering with a company like T-Mobile is ultimately in Clearwire's hands. "Let's just say, the largest arch enemy of our top shareholder [Sprint] kind of came in and said we're going to offer you great economic terms, I think the reality is, is if that made sense to us, we'd still get that approved," Morrow said during the company's second-quarter earnings conference call. "We'd naturally take into account all actions or what would affect us from a value standpoint."

Sprint does have some control in determining Clearwire's financial position though. If Sprint decides to pour more money into the company, that could dilute the influence and power of other shareholders. Clearwire is speeding toward 80 mobile WiMAX market launches by year-end, but will likely need more investment to continue its network expansion.

For more:
- see this mocoNews article

Related Articles:
Report: Sprint conflicted about T-Mobile investing in Clearwire
Sprint's 4G chief stands behind WiMAX despite LTE rumblings
Sprint may add LTE to 4G arsenal
Clearwire raises $291M in rights offering
A Clearwire LTE switch won't bring wireless harmony overnight
Clearwire to begin testing LTE, promises speeds of 20-70 Mbps

As wireless carriers deploy LTE and mobile WiMAX, it is becoming clear that certain challenges exist. Because of the overwhelming demand for mobile broadband services, wireless operators must consider their network design when evaluating the underlying economics for deploying and delivering 4G.  

Two areas of particular importance are backhaul capacity and offloading traffic. Nearly all operators are investing in new backhaul strategies to help the network cope with all the mobile broadband traffic. In addition, many are exploring ways to offload traffic to local area networks (such as WiFi), which can help operators better manage the traffic on their networks.

During a webinar yesterday, "Wireless Directions: Planning for 2011," hosted by FierceWireless and presented by Mark Lowenstein of Mobile Ecosystems (click here to view a replay of the webinar), Phil Marshall of Tolanga Systems said he expects operators in 2011 to look closely at their network design and move away from a connection-centric focus and toward a media distribution focus in which the network uses local caching, local area networks and other techniques to better manage traffic. "There is an opportunity to time-shift content and manage it intelligently across the network," Marshall said.  

Marshall added that he believes the two most important components in 4G are price and bandwidth, and that by intelligently managing the bandwidth of the network in real-time, operators will be able to more appropriately deal with the capacity crunch--rather than putting the onus on the end user to manage it.

We will be delving into these realities of deploying 4G and more during FierceWireless' "The Future of 4G" Interactive Executive Summit on Sept. 22. The day-long summit will explore the new reality of 4G: from deployment challenges to marketing messages to network intricacies. How are carriers evolving their business models to accommodate the reality of 4G? The event will feature speakers from Sprint Nextel, MetroPCS, Comcast and more. Check out the agenda here and register today. --Sue

Samsung officially took the wraps off its Android-powered GalaxyTab tablet device, positioning it as a rival to Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPad. 

Samsung made the announcement ahead of the IFA consumer electronics conference in Berlin, a little more than a week after teasing the tablet in a highly polished video. As expected, the 7-inch tablet runs version 2.2 of Google's Android platform and has a Cortex A8 1 GHz processor, a 3-megapixel camera and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video chatting, access to the Android Market, support for Adobe Flash 10.1 and WiFi.

Interestingly, Samsung also is positioning the tablet as a voice communication device. The gadget can serve as a speaker phone, and users can connect to it via a Bluetooth headset. The tablet supports HSUPA 5.76 Mbps and HSDPA 7.2 Mbps in the 900/1900/2100 MHz bands.

Samsung also is touting a media distribution service for the gadget that will offer content through "hubs." The hubs, which are Samsung's answer to Apple's iTunes, will allow users to rent movies and TV shows for $3 per day and buy them for between $12 and $20. Digital books also will be available.

Samsung did not give a price for the tablet, but a Samsung product executive, Hankil Yoon, told the Wall Street Journal that the GalaxyTab likely will retail for between $200 and $300, although that will vary depending on carrier subsidies. Additionally, the company said the tablet will be available in Europe in mid-September, and in other markets including South Korea, the U.S. and Asia in coming months. Samsung did not say which U.S. carrier might carry the device.

According to the blog IntoMobile, J.K. Shin, the president of Samsung's mobile communications business, told reporters in Berlin that Samsung will be releasing more Android tablets next year, including ones running on Android 3.5. Samsung also confirmed that the GalaxyTab will be upgraded to Android 3.0 in the future.

And where would a major press unveiling be without some chest-puffing? "Honestly, I don't see anything [about the Galaxy Tab] that is weaker than the iPad," W.P. Wong, the head of Samsung Mobile's product planning team, said in Berlin, according to CNet. Apple sold 3.27 million iPads during its most recent quarter.

For more:
- see this WSJ article (sub. req.)
- see this Engadget post
- see this Reuters article
- see this IntoMobile post
- see this CNet article
- see this PCMag.com article
- see this release
- see these videos, pictures and specs

Related Articles:
Samsung teases Android-powered GalaxyTab tablet
Report: RIM working on a tablet, new touchscreen phone
The temperature of tablets: How the mobile industry is responding to the iPad
Samsung confirms tablet for later this year

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has not abandoned the idea of reclassifying broadband as a Title II common-carrier service, which is seen as a key legal prerequisite for moving forward on codifying net neutrality regulations, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

A senior FCC official told the Journal that Genachowski has not abandoned the idea, and that "all options remain on the table."

The news comes amid renewed debate over net neutrality. On Wednesday, the FCC issued a statement saying it will seek new public comment on two of the thorniest issues surrounding the debate: whether and how the rules should be applied to wireless networks, and how to treat "specialized" services.

This notice comes weeks after Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Google recommended a public policy framework that forbids any kind of prioritization--including paid prioritization--of Internet traffic over wired networks. However, those rules would not apply to wireless networks, an exemption which has been criticized by public interest groups and other companies, including Facebook and Amazon. The proposal also said that certain advanced online services, such as telemedicine and smart grids, should not be covered by net neutrality regulations.

"Recent events have highlighted questions on how open Internet rules should apply to 'specialized' services and to mobile broadband," Genachowski said in a statement. "The issues are complex, and the details matter."

Verizon, AT&T (NYSE:T) and other telcos are opposed to reclassification, as well as rules for wireless networks, and the CTIA has continued to maintain that there is no need to include wireless networks in net neutrality guidelines. Meanwhile, public interest groups have encouraged the FCC to remain aggressive in the debate and not cede ground to corporate interests.

The FCC's notice mentions that AT&T and Leap Wireless (NASDAQ:LEAP) have recently introduced usage-based mobile data pricing plans. "The emergence of these new business models may reduce mobile broadband providers' incentives to employ more restrictive network management practices that could run afoul of open Internet principles," the FCC said.

In other FCC news, the commission terminated the AWS-3 spectrum public interest rulemaking, and notified M2Z Networks about its decision. M2Z had petitioned the FCC to use the spectrum to create a free national wireless broadband network. The FCC is instead considering an auction of the spectrum, which lies in the 2.1 GHz band. The CTIA applauded the move, and said the decision is in line with the goals of the national broadband plan.

For more:
- see this WSJ article (sub. req.)
- see this Bloomberg article
- see this IDG News Service article
- see this NYT article
- see this Broadcasting & Cable article

Related Articles:
Net neutrality - One year at the FCC
Verizon strikes back at critics of net neutrality plan
AT&T backs wireless exemption to net neutrality
Google defends net neutrality plan, claims it's not about Android
De la Vega: Google, Verizon net neutrality agreement is a positive sign
Verizon, Google offer net neutrality pact that exempts wireless

In a bid to sign up more subscribers, T-Mobile USA is going to launch a new promotion that will eliminate the $5 cost of adding a new line of service, according to the research firm Current Analysis.

The promotion, which is dubbed "Kids Are Free Until 2012," will run from Sept. 8 through Nov. 2, Current Analysis said. During that time, new and existing T-Mobile subscribers will be able to add a new line to the carrier's Even More or Even More Plus plans for free. The offer applies to T-Mobile's 750/1500/3,000 minute family plans and 200-minute unlimited family plans. Activation fees, early termination fees and taxes still apply. Even though the effort is targeted at children, customers can add a new line for anyone. Additionally, Current Analysis said, customers on an Even More plan must sign up for an additional two years to take advantage of the promotion.

A T-Mobile spokeswoman declined to comment.

The carrier, which has been busy promoting the expansion of its HSPA+ service to more markets, is trying to get back to positive subscriber growth. T-Mobile reported a net subscriber loss of 93,000 customers in the second quarter, wider than the net loss of 77,000 subscribers it posted in the first quarter and a far cry from its net customer additions of 325,000 in the second quarter of 2009. The company is set to roll out the G2, an Android device that will be its first HSPA+ smartphone.

For more:
- see this TMoNews post

Related Articles:
T-Mobile promises G2, first HSPA+ Android phone
T-Mobile loses 93,000 subscribers in Q2; 'too early' for a turnaround
T-Mobile slumps in Q1, loses 77,000 subscribers
T-Mobile to launch HSPA+ phone in September

The number and variety of wirelessly connected devices is booming. Yet across all operators, service plans for both voice and data are about devices--not subscribers, writes industry analyst Monica Paolini. While there are some workarounds to this problem--most notably by turning a smartphone into a WiFi hotspot--setting up multiple contracts and managing multiple connections is complicated, which could discourage both the sale of devices and connectivity features. Multi-device subscribers need plans tailored to fit their overall individual requirements, thereby allowing them to use different devices at different times and in different places. Commentary

Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) is preparing to launch prepaid unlimited wireless service for its smartphones, according to the blog Engadget.

The blog, which cited leaked internal Verizon documents as well as device boxes showing the phones coupled with the prepaid plans, said that the nation's largest carrier will soon launch the service for its Android smartphones, Palm phones and Research In Motion's (NASDAQ:RIMM) BlackBerry devices.

A Verizon spokeswoman declined to comment.

The blog said that pricing for the phones was not available, but that the plans will come with a $30 option for unlimited data and a minimum $45 option for voice, ranging up to $75 for unlimited voice.

The report comes hot on the heels of several tests conducted by Verizon. The carrier is testing a postpaid plan that offers unlimited talking, texting and data for $99 per month, in retail outlets in Los Angeles and San Diego, according to findings from research firm Current Analysis. The tests represent a $20-per-month reduction from what Verizon currently charges for unlimited talking, texting and data. Verizon also recently tested new unlimited plans in parts of Texas and Louisiana, and a $50 prepaid monthly unlimited plan across the Southeast.

For more:
- see this Engadget post

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