AT&T Points The Finger At Google When Asked About Timely Android Updates

When AT&T was asked why the carrier took so long to respond to Android updates on their smartphones, CEO Randall Stephenson responded with “Google determines what platform gets the newest releases and when. A lot of times, that’s a negotiated arrangement and that’s something we work at hard.” This seems to imply that Google had the bigger hand as far as when a current update is pushed to devices. Naturally, this caused the search giant to be somewhat confused. And while we could naturally see why an update might take some time to reach carrier devices with different technologies, skins and other variables, we’re thinking AT&T is just looking to pass the buck here. With expected confusion, Google’s spokesperson responded with the following:

“frankly we don’t understand what he is referring to”

So, it doesn’t appear that the answer was ultimately answered here but rather deflected and passed on to Google’s court. We’ll see if someone from AT&T’s camp can clear the matter up for us and get the ball rolling on some of these devices still running Froyo.

Source: Pocket Now

AT&T Also Launching Family Data Plans soon

In a move that mirrors rival Verizon, AT&T will also be offering family data plans later this year. At CTIA 2012 this week, AT&T CEO Ralph de la Vega told CNET that he’s “very comfortable with the plan that will be offered to our customers,” though no specific dates were announced at this time.

Historically, de la Vega had serious doubts about such plans due to the complexities of billing and implementation. He seems to have had a change of heart, however, most likely as a response to Verizon’s similar announcement in February. Now we have to see which carrier actually rolls out their plan first.

Family data plans allow for higher capacity data plans that can be used over multiple devices with single account billing. This will presumably help spark sales of more devices to each household.

Make sure to check out all CTIA news here!

Source: thenextweb

HTC Gives Statement On AT&T Locking The One X’s Bootloader, Tells Customers To Blame AT&T, Not HTC

AT&T’s decision to lock the bootloader of its HTC One X smartphone has definitely upset more than a few individuals. Because people are outraged over this restriction and have been offered no explanation from AT&T directly, they have taken to the chatrooms and forums to voice their anger. HTC has taken immediate notice of this terrible situation and has offered an official statement regarding this matter:

“HTC is committed to listening to users and delivering customer satisfaction. Since announcing our commitment to unlockable bootloaders, HTC has worked to enable our customers to unlock the bootloader on more than 45 devices over the past six months. In some cases, however, restrictions prevent certain devices from participating in our bootloader unlocking program. Rest assured, HTC is committed to assisting developers in unlocking bootloaders for HTC devices and we’ll continue to unlock additional devices in the future”.

In other words: HTC is ok with unlocked bootloaders on its devices, but AT&T isn’t ok with this on its new flagship phone. HTC hasn’t changed its stance on working with the developer community, but for now– it’s working on unlocking other devices instead of the One X on AT&T’s network. Looks like AT&T customers would best splurge on the unlocked Tegra 3 version if they want to enjoy the full experience of the device because it doesn’t look like AT&T will be allowing any tinkering on its version anytime soon.

Thoughts?

Source: MoDaCo

HTC One X for AT&T posted for sale on Craigslist for $675

I always tell people that you can find anything on Craigslist these days. I found an Ikea computer desk for $50 ($200 retail) and the owner was literally down the street from where I lived. Now for those of you who live in the LA area and are anxiously waiting for the arrival of the HTC One X for AT&T, there is a seller on CL that has just posted one for $675 for whomever is curious enough to set up a rendez-vous. The ad appears to include the phone, original box and booklets and we can assume that the charger and other accessories are included as well.

It’s safe to say that the phone should be in mint condition seeing as how it is not even released yet in the States. It’s a certainty that the seller has already received many emails inquiring about this hot item, where he got it, and so forth. My guess is that he is a developer or tester for HTC and has decided to part with it. Crazy, right? The price isn’t too bad, however it’s used. Would anyone be willing to jump on this deal to claim early bird status for the HTC One X? I know I would be jealous!

Source: Phandroid

AT&T will release the HTC One X by the end of the week?

BGR just heard from a “trusted source” that AT&T could announce the HTC One X tomorrow and release it by the end of the week or possibly early next week. As you already know the AT&T version is supposed to be identical to the global version with the exception of the processor. Because of LTE compatibility, AT&T won’t get the NVIDIA Tegra 3, but will instead get the a 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor. Of course Sprint has already cooked up their version of the One X that is known as the EVO 4G LTE and should be out by late May or early June. Stay tuned folks because this week looks a lot better all of a sudden.

via BGR

Employee Training Begins for the HTC One XL at AT&T, Adds Another Release Date to the Mix

April 22 appears to be a big day because not only is that the day Verizon‘s $30 upgrade fee is kicking in but that may be the day that the HTC One XL drops as well as the Inspire 4G reaching its EOL or end of life. According to leaked photos web-based training (WBT) has started at AT&T for the One XL. Another leaked photo (below) shows that the Inspire 4G will see its EOL on the 22nd of this month. The leaked photo above (as well as the one below) is thanks to XDA member EGBTMagus.

It was also said that an HTC Rep previously stated that the Vivid would replace the Inspire at its listed price point and the ONE XL would take over the Vivid’s old price point. The One XL, like the One X, is said to be delayed until May 6th. Until the day the official announcement breaks however, nothing can be confirmed. If it’s true though we should see the HTC flagship phone within the month. Keep it locked here as we will update you as the story breaks. Stay tuned!

Thanks Kevin!

Source: XDA

Staten Island and St. Louis Now Seeing LTE Service From AT&T as it Expands Coverage

For those of you on Staten Island who are patiently waiting and secretly jealous of those areas around you (like Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens) of having AT&T LTE service then you’re in luck as AT&T has flipped up the ON switch for you. You can now enjoy AT&T 4G LTE speeds in your area. And even more good news as folks in St. Louis can now enjoy the same service as well.

This is apart of the 12 city push that AT&T announced back in March and is following the launch of the service in three areas on April 8th. So go out and enjoy your new break-neck speeds on your 4G device and if you haven’t purchased one yet maybe the rumor of the Galaxy Nexus on AT&T might entice you to consider one. Hit the break to read the official press release. And for those folk left on the list of cities who are patiently waiting for this service don’t worry I’m sure you’ll get some LTE goodness sometime in the near future. Enjoy!

AT&T 4G LTE Expands in Staten Island

More customers to benefit from ultra-fast mobile Internet on the latest LTE devices

NEW YORK, April 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — AT&T* has expanded its 4G LTE network in Staten Island, bringing more customers the latest generation of wireless network technology. The expanded coverage is part of its ongoing rollout across the market. AT&T 4G LTE coverage now includes all five boroughs.

AT&T 4G LTE provides several benefits, including:

Faster speeds. LTE technology is capable of delivering mobile Internet speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G. Customers can stream, download, upload and game faster than ever before.
Cool new devices. AT&T offers several LTE-compatible devices, including new AT&T 4G LTE smartphones and tablets, such as the first LTE Windows Phone Nokia Lumia 900, Samsung Galaxy Note™, and Pantech Element™ tablet.
Faster response time. LTE technology offers lower latency, or the processing time it takes to move data through a network, such as how long it takes to start downloading a webpage or file once you’ve sent the request. Lower latency helps to improve services like mobile gaming, two-way video calling and telemedicine.
More efficient use of spectrum. Wireless spectrum is a finite resource, and LTE uses spectrum more efficiently than other technologies, creating more space to carry data traffic and services and to deliver a better network experience.

“We’ve seen positive response from customers on our 4G LTE launch, and as today’s expansion shows, we’re continuing our rollout of fast LTE speeds to more areas of Staten Island,” said Tom DeVito, Vice President General Manager for New York and New Jersey.

AT&T’s 4G Network
AT&T customers have access to the nation’s largest 4G network, covering nearly 250 million people. Even as 4G LTE expands, AT&T customers are able to enjoy widespread, ultra-fast and consistent 4G speeds on their compatible device as they move in and out of LTE areas. AT&T has two 4G networks that work together for customers, LTE and HSPA+ with enhanced backhaul. With other carriers, when you travel outside of their LTE coverage area, you’re on a much slower 3G network.

Limited 4G LTE availability in select markets. Deployment ongoing. 4G LTE device and data plan required. Up to 10x claim compares 4G LTE download speeds to industry average 3G download speeds. LTE is a trademark of ETSI. Learn more about 4G LTE at att.com/network.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

4G LTE From AT&T Available in St. Louis

Customers to benefit from ultra-fast mobile Internet on the latest LTE devices

ST. LOUIS, April 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — AT&T* has turned on its 4G LTE network in St. Louis, bringing customers the latest generation of wireless network technology. AT&T 4G LTE provides several benefits, including:

Faster speeds. LTE technology is capable of delivering mobile Internet speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G. Customers can stream, download, upload and game faster than ever before.
Cool new devices. AT&T offers several LTE-compatible devices, including new AT&T 4G LTE smartphones and tablets, such as the first LTE Windows Phone Nokia Lumia 900, Samsung Galaxy Note™, and Pantech Element™ tablet.
Faster response time. LTE technology offers lower latency, or the processing time it takes to move data through a network, such as how long it takes to start downloading a webpage or file once you’ve sent the request. Lower latency helps to improve services like mobile gaming, two-way video calling and telemedicine.
More efficient use of spectrum. Wireless spectrum is a finite resource, and LTE uses spectrum more efficiently than other technologies, creating more space to carry data traffic and services and to deliver a better network experience.

“We continue to see demand for mobile Internet skyrocket, and our 4G LTE network in St. Louis responds to what customers want from their mobile experience – more, faster, on the best devices,” said Nancy Garvey, AT&T’s vice president/general manager for the Greater Midwest Region.

AT&T’s 4G Network

AT&T customers have access to the nation’s largest 4G network, covering nearly 250 million people. Even as 4G LTE expands, AT&T customers are able to enjoy widespread, ultra-fast and consistent 4G speeds on their compatible device as they move in and out of LTE areas. AT&T has two 4G networks that work together for customers, LTE and HSPA+ with enhanced backhaul. With other carriers, when you travel outside of their LTE coverage area, you’re on a much slower 3G network.

Limited 4G LTE availability in select markets. Deployment ongoing. 4G LTE device and data plan required. Up to 10x claim compares 4G LTE download speeds to industry average 3G download speeds. LTE is a trademark of ETSI. 4G speeds not available everywhere. Learn more about 4G LTE at att.com/network.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

Major U.S. wireless carriers team up to fight cellphone theft

For those of you that like to buy used phones on eBay or Craigslist, we have some good news. The four major wireless carriers are teaming up along with the U.S. government to build a central database of stolen cellphones. I don’t understand why this wasn’t started years ago.

Currently, Verizon Wireless and Sprint block any phones that have been reported stolen. Unfortunately AT&T and T-Mobile don’t, but now all four will work together in an effort to reduce crime and hopefully the resale value of stolen goods. Many of these stolen phones end up on eBay or Craigslist, and some are even exported to China, Latin America, and Africa.

Of course, nothing is foolproof because hackers might be able to use software to alter the identity of any stolen phones. Unfortunately even that’s not considered a crime, but hopefully that will change with legislation. Either way, the carriers need to do something and this is a start. Final details are yet to be worked out, but the proposed outline has.

Source: wsj

Daily Steals Offering Unlocked HTC One X For $630.00

 

So you live in the States and want in on the quad-core HTC One X before everyone else? You may want to head on out to Daily Steals as soon as possible. Right now, they have the unlocked One X for sale for a mere $630. That means you have a chance to be the cool kid in class or in the office by owning one of the first quad-core devices. Keep in mind that this device is not the LTE version (the LTE version features a Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor) and while it could work on AT&T & T-Mobile bands, it’s likely not going to be optimized, so you may see slower than normal 3G and/or HSPA+ speeds. But hey, all we really care about on the device is the Tegra 3 and Beats Audio anyways.

Prospective buyers will want to hurry as they only have until tonight to get in on the deal.

Source: Daily Steals

 

New AT&T LTE markets go live today

 

Just as they previously announced, three new markets went live today. Bloomington and Muncie, IN and Bryson-College Station, TX now have AT&T’s fastest data offering available. The new markets are part of a previously announced 12-market expansion. We’ve seen first hand how fast LTE can be on AT&T’s fledgling network, but they still have some catching up to do with coverage compared to Verizon. This latest expansion closes the gap a little.

With the announcement of the HTC One X at Mobile World Congress, AT&T is bringing another high-end device to join the ranks of phones like the Samsung Skyrocket, the HTC Vivid, and the LG Nitro and take advantage of the extra speed that comes with LTE. Just mind your data cap, at these speeds you’ll reach it in no time.

 

Source: androidcentral