Tag Archives: RandallStephenson
DirecTV Now streaming rumored to supplant satellite by 2020
AT&T is planning to release a DirecTV-branded streaming video service later this year, but according to Bloomberg, it also expects for that to become its primary video platform soon. Earlier this week, its CEO Randall Stephenson confirmed the Dir...
AT&T CEO talks up plan for LTE Broadcast video network, remains light on specifics
Samsung and others have promised to deliver TV over 4G using the LTE Broadcast standard, and it looks like you can now also add AT&T to the list of those hoping to make it a reality. Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia conference today, AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson confirmed that the carrier intends to use the slice 700MHz spectrum it acquired from Qualcomm back in 2011 for an LTE Broadcast network of its own designed to deliver video to LTE-enabled devices (and lighten the load on the rest of its wireless network in the process). Stephenson didn't offer too many more details than that, however, saying only that the carrier is now almost "all about architecting networks to deliver video," and that we can expect to see the technology "mature in scale within the three-year time horizon." As Fierce Wireless notes, Verizon has also said that it hopes to deploy some type of LTE Broadcast service in time for the 2014 Super Bowl, although it, too, has remained light on specifics beyond that.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, AT&T
Via: Electronista
Source: Fierce Wireless
Mobile Miscellany: week of January 21st, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought a new smartphone from Xolo to India, HTC's crackdown on a custom ROM distributor and the UK's largest mobile spectrum auction to date. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of January 21st, 2013.
Xolo A500 debuts in India with Android 4.0
A new Android 4.0 smartphone known as the Xolo A500 became available within India this week, and from all appearances, it's entirely run of the mill. That said, with a price of ₹6,999 ($130), it may just turn a few heads. The Xolo A500 sports a 4-inch WVGA (800 x 480) display, along with a dual-core 1GHz CPU (Snapdragon S4 Play) and dual-SIM functionality. You'll also find a 5-megapixel rear camera, along with a front-facing VGA shooter. The device includes a 1,500mAh battery, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of built-in storage and supports microSD cards up to 32GB in size. [Fone Arena]
Ofcom kicks off 4G spectrum auction in UK
The largest mobile spectrum auction to date in the UK began this week, which is set to nearly double the wireless resources available to Britons. In all, 28 lots of spectrum are available across the 800MHz and 2600MHz bands, which will add 250MHz of spectrum to the 333MHz in use today. Telefonica (O2), Vodafone, EE, Hutchison (Three), Niche Spectrum Ventures (BT), HKT and MLL are participants in the auction, which carries a total reserve price of £1.36 billion. According to UK regulator Ofcom, the auction will take place in several rounds over the coming weeks. [Android Central]
AT&T CEO reveals interest in smartphone financing
Verizon's Lowell McAdam now has some company. During this week's earnings call, AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson revealed that AT&T is similarly monitoring T-Mobile's shift to drop the subsidized business model and instead provide customers the ability to finance their new smartphone purchase. While Stephenson may lack grace with his words, the intent is clear: "We expect there to be some dynamics in the marketplace that -- and we'll have to respond to some of it -- we find interesting, like the handset financing that they're doing." Curiously, Stephenson admitted that AT&T has considered the approach in the past, but like Verizon, much of how his company responds will depend on consumers' reception of T-Mobile's new approach. [FierceWireless]
US Cellular now offers carrier billing for online shopping
US Cellular announced this week that it now supports carrier billing for online purchases. The system was launched in partnership with Boku, and subscribers may pay for goods at participating merchants by entering their mobile number at checkout and then confirming the purchase with a text message. From there, customers will find the total amount of the purchase added to their wireless bill. [PhoneScoop]
AT&T working to integrate Data Sense for Windows Phone 8
Data Sense is one of the more unique features of Windows Phone 8, which allows users to monitor their data usage and squeeze more from their data plan through the magic of server-side compression. Verizon is the only carrier to support the feature within the US, but that may soon change, as AT&T has revealed that it's "exploring Data Sense and how to optimize the experience" for its subscribers. About damn time, right? [FierceWireless]
HTC forces shutdown of custom ROM site
A provider of many popular Sense-based ROMs is no more. This week, HTCRUU closed its doors and took its repositories offline in acquiescence to legal threats from HTC. Historically, HTC has taken an admirably lax approach to distribution of customized Sense ROMs, which are popular among enthusiasts of the company's smartphones. Naturally, many other sources exist for custom Sense blends, which raises the question of whether this move was but a one-off showing of legal force, or whether HTC will take a more active approach to ending the underground custom ROM community. Those interested can learn more of the situation on Reddit. [Android Police]
Other random tidbits
- Following in the footsteps of Android and iOS, Microsoft has upped the mobile data cap of app downloads and updates for Windows Phone to 50MB. [WPCentral]
- The Meizu MX2 is now available as a subsidized handset for customers of China Unicom. The smartphone can be gotten for free with all two-year plans of ¥226 or more per month, or with all three-year plans of ¥156 or more per month. [GSM Arena]
- Colombia's state-owned telecom, UNE EPM, announced that it would invest $2.5 million to bring LTE services to Barranquilla -- the country's fourth most populous city -- which sports a population of approximately 1.8 million. [RCR Wireless]
- An internal leak has revealed that the HTC 8S will become available at Bell Mobility on February 1st. [MobileSyrup]
- Videotron has announced that it'll begin selling the Nexus 4 on January 30th. Similarly, Fido is accepting reservations (and a requisite $40 deposit) for the smartphone, which it's targeting for an early February arrival. [MobileSyrup 1, 2]
[Buy More Stuff photo credit: jbhthescots / Flickr]
[Mobile Miscellany photo credit: Thristian / Flickr]
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile
AT&T CEO responds to paid 3G FaceTime rumor, says it’s ‘too early’ to talk pricing
AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson has responded to rumors that Ma Bell plans to add an additional levy upon those planning to use FaceTime over cellular. Speaking at the Fortune Brainstorm conference, he's quoted as saying that he "heard the same rumor," but that it was "too early to talk about pricing." Of course, given that response, it looks like the company has at least been mulling an additional levy for the feature. At present, he says his primary focus is to work with Apple on ensuring the video calling technology works smoothly across his company's data network, with iOS 6 due to arrive later this year.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless
AT&T CEO responds to paid 3G FaceTime rumor, says it's 'too early' to talk pricing originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 06:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |
TechCrunch | Email this | Comments Mobile Miscellany: week of June 11th, 2012
Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, Cricket found a new retail channel at Kmart and we received news that the HTC One S will soon arrive at Cincinnati Bell. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of June 11th, 2012.
Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of June 11th, 2012
Mobile Miscellany: week of June 11th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 16 Jun 2012 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | CommentsAT&T CEO predicts data-only plans within two years
The fact that modern smartphones still actually make voice calls may well come as a surprise to many users happy to use their mobile devices as pocket-sized computers. Carriers, on the other hand, seem content to keep the "phone" in smartphone. AT&T's Randall Stephenson told an investor conference this week that he sees a time in which carriers offer up data-only options for subscribers -- a time that may well come in the next two years or so. The CEO said he'd, "be surprised if, in the next 24 months, we don't see people in the market place with data-only plans." It's hardly an announcement, but it certainly comes from a guy who knows a thing or two about where the industry is headed.
AT&T CEO predicts data-only plans within two years originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 12:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |Yahoo! | Email this | Comments AT&T CEO voices regret over iPhone unlimited data model
It's always refreshing to hear the head of a major corporation cop to past mistakes -- particularly in front of a large crowd of on-lookers. AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson admitted some misgivings about the way the carrier handled iPhone data, telling a crowd at the Milken Institute's Global Conference in Los Angeles, "My only regret was how we introduced pricing in the beginning, because how did we introduce pricing? Thirty dollars and you get all you can eat." Stephenson drove the point home by adding, "Every additional megabyte you use in this network, I have to invest capital."
And, for the record, that certainly wasn't the only thing about the iPhone that kept the exec up at night. Stephenson again,
You lie awake at night worrying about what is that which will disrupt your business model," he said. "Apple iMessage is a classic example. If you're using iMessage, you're not using one of our messaging services, right?
No one ahead said it was easy being the chief.
AT&T CEO voices regret over iPhone unlimited data model originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 17:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink |The New York Times | Email this | Comments