4g

Sprint has quietly flipped the switch on its 4G LTE network in some areas of San Francisco, New York, and Washington, D.C., suggesting an official launch may be close at hand.

While confirming a report that first appeared in The Verge, a company spokesperson did not specify which sections of the cities would have access to the speedier network.

"During a pre-launch phase, customers with 4G LTE-capable devices may begin to see 4G LTE coverage in these areas and are welcome to use the network even before it officially launches," Sprint representative Roni Singleton told CNET today, … Read more

U.S. Cellular may not be the nation's largest carrier, but that won't stop it from extending its 4G network.

The regional provider announced this morning that by the end of 2013, it will take its 4G LTE network to cities in three new states -- California, Nebraska, and Kansas -- and will also add new markets in some states where it already has a presence.

If you live in the following states, keep an eye out for a switch from 3G to 4G service in the coming year: Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, … Read more

Save for one handset (the LG Motion 4G), all of MetroPCS' LG handsets have been stuck on Gingerbread.

So when the LG Spirit 4G was released on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (yes, it's not the latest Jelly Bean version, but I'll take what I can get), I was pleased. Not only was the update refreshing, the phone will also be the only other LG device to feature LG's Optimus 3.0 user interface.

On top of that, its current $199 price tag renders it oddly less expensive than some of MetroPCS' midrange Gingerbread phones (like … Read more

Sprint Nextel won't be abandoning its unlimited data plan or current pricing structure any time soon.

The company isn't considering any changes to its current offering, CEO Dan Hesse said during a conference call with investors today.

"We always reserve the right to make changes, but we are not anticipating any," Hesse said.

Over the past few years, Sprint has stuck to the unlimited smartphone data plan even as larger rivals such as AT&T and Verizon Wireless moved to plans with limits and family-style data bundles. Hesse considers the unlimited offering to be Sprint'… Read more

It costs me around $80 per month to operate my iPhone 4S, which will soon be out of contract.

When that joyous day comes, I will very likely ditch AT&T in favor of something like Solavei, one of a growing number of companies offering cheaper, no-contract mobile service.

Specifically, Solavei gives you unlimited voice, text, and 4G data for $49 per month. OK, there's an asterisk next to "unlimited": the 4G data bounty ends at 4GB, after which Solavei throttles you back to 2G-level service. More on that in a bit.

Unlike Walmart's AT&… Read more

HTC's rumored M7 smartphone will usher in cutting-edge audio and photography features, if recent clues are an accurate indicator. A close look at an official HTC infographic teases a "new sound and camera experience" and provides hints of what to expect.

While the last line of the infographic might be the most fun to read, it is the lead-up that tells us where HTC is focused. HTC makes a point of saying that Apple did not change the image sensor size for the iPhone 4S in 2011.

What's more, the handset maker opines that it doesn'… Read more

AT&T announced today that it has added four new markets to its 4G LTE network.

Now, customers in Albany, N.Y.; Calhoun and Dalton, Ga.; and Norfolk-Virginia Beach, Va. will be able to experience the carrier's faster network speed.

With these four new areas, this brings AT&T's total coverage to 141 markets, which includes 170 million people.

While it's great to see AT&T's network expanding, the numbers still lag behind those of Verizon Wireless. Its 4G LTE network covers 476 markets and 273.5 million people.

T-Mobile is reportedly readying a harvest of LTE-enabled devices for this spring, suggesting that T-Mobile's 4G LTE network will be operational by that time

The wireless carrier is expected to release the BlackBerry Z10, Samsung Galaxy Exhibit, and Sonic 2.0 LTE mobile hot spot on March 27, according to a purported road map leaked to TMO News. A screenshot of the road map also lists an LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy S3 launching either March 27 or April 3.

Pricing for the devices was not included.

T-Mobile, which does not yet currently offer 4G LTE, has said before that it … Read more

Today, MetroPCS and LG announced their newest handset, the LG Spirit 4G for $199.

The 4G LTE device features Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, a 4.5-inch Corning Gorilla Glass touch screen, and a 1.2GHz dual-core processor.

It also houses a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash that's capable of shooting 1080p HD video. On the front is a 1.3-megapixel camera for video chatting and vanity shots.

Powering the Spirit 4G is a 2,150mAh battery, which has a reported talk time of 4 hours and a standby time of 200 hours. Users will also get 4GB … Read more