Verizon Powers a Third of iPhone 4s, Analysts Say - PCWorld

Slowly but steadily, ground in the race for the most iPhone users.

ANALYSIS: Verizon iPhone: 7 Facts You Need to Know

According to new data released last week by Localytics, a mobile analytics firm in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Verizon powered 32 percent of all iPhone 4 devices in the U.S. so far this month. Daniel Ruby, the director of online marketing for Localytics, says that his firm collected the data by analyzing which carrier iPhone 4 owners were using to access the 1500 mobile applications that use Localytics as their analytics software. Localytics has several big-name clients that use its software to monitor traffic on their applications, including Skype, Newscorp and Turner Broadcasting, so its data does capture trends within some high-traffic applications.

Localytics notes that Verizon's iPhone share has been inching further upward ever since it started selling a CDMA version of the device in February. The firm found that Verizon powered just under 20 percent of all iPhone 4s after having the device available on its network for one week. That number grew steadily every month afterward, hitting 25 percent of the U.S. iPhone 4 market in April and 29 percent of the iPhone 4 market in June.

Going forward, the firm expects that Verizon will continue to eat into AT&T's market share, especially when the newest iPhone model debuts simultaneously on both networks this fall.

"Although various outlets reported on response to the Verizon iPhone launch being lackluster, the network has managed to pull together a very respectable segment of the iPhone-using market," Localytics writes. "With rumors swirling about the iPhone 5 perhaps launching in September on multiple carriers, Verizon's recent market share gains may be a precursor of what comes this fall."

Although Verizon activated an impressive total of 2.2 million iPhones in the first quarter of 2011, it was still no match for AT&T, which activated 3.6 million iPhones in the first quarter of 2011, a 33% increase over the 2.7 million iPhones it activated in the first quarter of 2010. AT&T also has said that 23% of iPhone activations in the first quarter of 2011 represented new subscribers, meaning the carrier is still attracting new users even though it no longer holds exclusivity rights for the iPhone. Although a survey issued by ChangeWave earlier this year suggested that one in four AT&T iPhone users would switch to Verizon once Verizon got the iPhone, there has so far been no indication of a mass iPhone exodus from one carrier to another.

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Verizon Fixing Two-Minute Connection Delay for LTE Network - PC Magazine

Verizon's LTE network—short for Long Term Evolution—is fast. It's very fast. We've previously reported that you can blow through your entire five-gigabyte monthly allotment of data in about 32 minutes, with download speeds on our own tests maxing out at around 21 Mbps.

Well, perhaps we should have said "34" minutes, because Verizon spokesman Jeffrey Nelson said late last week that those using USB modems on their laptops could experience delays of up to two minutes when switching between 3G coverage and Verizon's LTE network. As well, Business Insider's Matt Rosoff has reported that one sometimes has to physically unplug and reconnect said USB modem in order to switch back to the LTE network.

According to Nelson, a fix for the issue is currently being looked into. As well, the company expects to release USB modem drivers for those running Apple's OSX "relatively soon," he said. Verizon currently sells two different USB modems—a device from Pantech and a device from LG—and it's unclear whether the issue affects both equally or whether one device outperforms the other. Rosoff's issues occurred on the LG version of the modem, for what it's worth.

It currently costs users $250 to pick up either device sans contract. A two-year service agreement discounts either of the two USB modems to approximately $100. However, a user will then be paying—at minimum--$50 per month for Verizon's five-gigabyte data plan. The ten-gigabyte plan jumps up to $80, and both plans come with a $10 per gigabyte penalty for going over the monthly allotment.

On our own roundup of LTE testing around the country, we've noted that the network's download speeds can hover anywhere from five to 12 Mbps, with upload speeds sitting somewhere in the two to five Mbps range.

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Verizon 4G network zips, but all that data will cost you - USA Today

 THE BOTTOM LINE

Verizon 4G LTE service

$100 for 4G USB modem from LG (model VL600, the unit tested) or Pantech (model UML290) after rebate and with two-year data plan. $50 a month for 5 gigabytes or $80 for 10 GB. Each gigabyte over: $10.

Three stars out of four

Pro. Very speedy mobile wireless in 4G coverage areas.

Con. Heavy users will pay a lot for service. No seamless way to go from 3G to 4G when you're out and about. For now, laptop service only. No Mac support yet.

You'd think a blazing fast wireless network was all good. The 4G (fourth generation) mobile network that Verizon Wireless (VZ) launched Dec. 5 certainly qualifies as pretty darn zippy. At least, it was a lot of the time I spent testing a 4G laptop modem in and around New York City.But speed can kill — your wallet.

PCMag.com found that the 5-gigabyte monthly data allowance on Verizon's least-expensive ($50) monthly plan for 4G could be exhausted in a mere 32 minutes at max speeds in its tests. Overage charges fetch $10 a gigabyte. Bummer!

Verizon told me it won't apologize for providing the kinds of speeds that mobile warriors covet. Just know that the heaviest users will pay for the privilege of gulping data, for example, by watching video during their daily commute to the office. (Depending on where you live, you may not consistently get the fastest speeds during your commute.)

Verizon's new network is built on technology called LTE, for Long Term Evolution. It competes with a rival high-speed WiMax network technology pushed by Sprint and Clearwire. T-Mobile also offers its own faster-speed service, which is based on so-called HSPA+ technology. Verizon's entry into the fast lane, given the company's generally solid reputation, is especially significant.

While there's a debate in the industry about just what constitutes 4G, an international standards group puts the milestone at 100 megabits per second. None of the carriers comes close by that measure. Verizon says you'll experience average download speeds of 5 Mbps to 12 Mbps and average upload speeds of 2 Mbps to 5 Mbps. It says that's up to 10 times faster than its 3G networks, a quantum leap no matter what marketing labels you put on it. I sometimes bested those 4G speed results in my tests, though there's an important disclaimer. At this early stage, Verizon's 4G network isn't exactly teeming with users, crowds of whom could slow speeds.

It's what you can do as a result of higher speeds that matters, of course, whether downloading photos in a fraction of the time it would take otherwise or watching high-definition movies without hiccups.

•Where the network is. The new network covers 38 major markets around the country and more than 60 commercial airports nationwide. That's about 110 million people. Verizon expects LTE to be available for the existing 3G coverage area by 2013.

Alas, folks pining for faster speeds on their Verizon smartphones will have to wait a bit longer. Out of the gate, Verizon's service is available only to owners of laptops who spring for a $100 (after rebate) USB modem from LG or Pantech and sign two-year data-plan deals. (The modem price jumps to $250 without a data plan.)

•Hinting at the future. Verizon says LTE will make its way into consumer-oriented smartphones and tablet computers in relatively short order. It will outline plans next month at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. And Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg hinted at other intriguing long-term possibilities for LTE. Speaking at a conference this week, he indicated that 4G LTE could be a substitute in some instances for wired broadband, including cable TV and, perhaps, Verizon's own FiOS service. That means you might be able to get all the TV channels you want over the Internet without having a cord. But FiOS is faster than LTE and better suited for such technologies as 3-D television.

•Pricing. Verizon's 4G pricing appears a bit cheaper than its 3G plans. The company is charging $50 for a 5 GB monthly data plan and $80 for 10 GB, with each additional gig costing $10. But at the highest speeds, heavy-duty users could blow past those limits in a blink. Also, Verizon's data plans for 4G are pricier than rivals' services.

What's more, unlike the Verizon MiFi mobile hot spot card that I use to share a 3G connection with up to five Wi-Fi devices at a time, the LG VL600 model 4G USB modem I plugged into a Dell laptop provided wireless service for just that one computer. The modem is on the bulky side, too, and for now doesn't work with Macs. (Verizon expects to add Mac support soon.) By contrast, the MiFi fits in my pocket. Novatel Wireless, which produces MiFi, says it plans to release a 4G version of the card in early 2011. Novatel won't say which carrier or which technology it will use in the card.

•Fast results. I was certainly pleased by the speeds I got. My download speeds topped out at 23.3 Mbps in the New Jersey Meadowlands and 6.21 Mbps for an upload. I ran tests at Speedtest.net. In my house, I saw impressive download speeds in the 12 Mbps range and generally no slower than 7 Mbps downstream. My Wi-Fi service through Optimum Online cable is faster, but not always by much.

As I drove around the New York metro area or rode a bus, I sometimes experienced 4G speeds but also reverted to 3G in areas that are not yet covered. Other than detecting pages that no longer loaded as fast, the handoff from 4G to 3G was seamless. You can't revert to 4G (even if you drive back into coverage) without pulling the modem out, reinserting it and starting your session over. That's a step Verizon hopes will soon become unnecessary. For now it's a hassle.

Faster speeds are welcome, of course, and Verizon delivers on that promise. But a more economical pricing plan would be welcome, too.

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Will Verizon Pay to Keep the iPhone Out of Competitor's Hands? - PC World

Rumors suggest that Verizon may pay a premium to keep the hot-selling iPhone away from its competitors T-Mobile and Sprint. In other words, they want to keep it exclusive to themselves and AT&T, and this may have helped Apple to get the terms it wanted from Verizon for the (still-rumored) Verizon iPhone.

"We are hearing that [Verizon] does not want iPhone, the hottest selling smart phone, available on T-Mobile USA and/or Sprint and may be willing to pay for exclusivity to itself and AT&T," Kaufman Bros. analyst Shaw Wu wrote Monday in a "report to clients," according to Fortune magazine.

Wu's report, based on information gleaned from "industry and supply channel sources," indicates that not only is Verizon willing to pay extra to keep the iPhone exclusive, but that the deal's economics are "likely to be favorable" to Apple, and "similar to that offered by AT&T."

Wu notes that this is important, because many people have been concerned that "VZ iPhone economics could be less favorable given the strength of Android and higher cost of components, particularly those associated with CDMA.

Wu suggests Apple's hand was strengthened by the 14.1 million iPhones sold last quarter and the market share gains made by AT&T in the last two quarters. What's more, he asserted that Google's Android platform has started to "lose some of its luster" for Verizon.

Sources also told Wu that Verizon may be looking to get its hand in on the iPhone deal, because it does "not have high hopes" for the upcoming BlackBerry 6 OS, according to Apple Insider. Verizon reportedly believes that the release of the new OS will not have a "material impact" on BlackBerry sales.

It's been predicted that a Verizon iPhone would spark a significant migration of AT&T users to Verizon. A Credit Suisse study released in September, for example, forecasted 23 percent of AT&T subscribers would bolt to Verizon if the carrier started offering the iPhone.

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Verizon, ATandT, T-Mobile Join to Launch Isis NFC Payment Service - eWeek

Rival carriers Verizon Wireless, AT&T and T-Mobile will be working together to create a ?national commerce network that aims to fundamentally transform how people shop, pay and save,? the three announced Nov. 16.

The venture, called Isis, relies on smartphones and near-field communications (NFC), which uses short-range, high-frequency wireless technology to pass encrypted information between devices. In countries such as Japan, consumers have used such a service, which essentially turns one?s smartphone into a wallet, for several years now.

Michael Abbott, formerly with GE Capital, has been tapped to lead Isis, which is expected to roll out its service to ?key geographic markets? over the next 18 months.

?Our mobile commerce network, through relationships with merchants, will provide an enhanced, more convenient, more personalized shopping experience for consumers,? Abbott said in a statement. ?While mobile payments will be at the core of our offering, it is only the start. We plan to create a mobile wallet that ultimately eliminates the need for consumers to carry cash, credit and debit cards, reward cards, coupons, tickets and transit passes.?

Between them, AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon offer wireless service to more than 200 million customers, who will have access to Isis. Currently, Isis is working with Discover Financial Services? payment network to develop an infrastructure for the program. Barclaycard US is expected to be the first issuer on the Isis network, offering mobile payment products.

?We believe the venture will have the scope and scale necessary to introduce mobile commerce on a broad basis,? said Abbott. ?In the beginning, we intend to fully utilize Discover's national payment infrastructure as well as Barclaycard's expertise in contactless and mobile payments. Moving forward, Isis will be available to all interested merchants, banks and mobile carriers.?

The day before the Isis announcement, Google CEO Eric Schmidt ? while showing off a device expected to be the Nexus S at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco ? explained that Android 2.3, or ?Gingerbread,? will leverage NFC technology, working with an embedded chip in the phone and a mobile application.

"The theory of the case is that you'll be able to take these mobile devices from everybody, and you'll be able to walk into a store and do commerce and be able to figure out where you are, again with your permission," Schmidt said. "It could eventually literally replace your credit card."

He added that NFC uses a higher level of authentication than the traditional credit card magnetic stripe, making it more secure.

Google competitor Apple is also preparing to get in on the action, and in August hired an NFC expert as its new product manger for mobile commerce, as well as published a number of NFC-related patents over the summer. In addition, Nokia ? no stranger to NFC, having launched a trial NFC payment plan in China in 2006, among other efforts ? plans to push out an upgrade to its Symbian 3-running C7 smartphone in early 2011, enabling the device to handle NFC tag reading, Near Field Communications World reported Nov. 14, citing the French site Teknologik.

?Anytime major industry players agree on a step forward, it's a great step for all involved, especially consumers,? Nokia spokesperson Joseph Gallo told eWEEK. ?In this case, with regards to NFC, it adds further value to the handset and ultimately the consumer by allowing access to new services and digital content on their mobile easily and conveniently.?

The ability to easily share content such as business cards and photos, or to use an NFC mobile device as a travel card, ticket, or loyalty card, Gallo explained, ?adds to the consumer's emotional attachment to the device.?

Bling Nation, a company that uses contactless stickers, called Bling Tags, on the back of mobile phones, has recently been running a mobile payment trial with PayPal and will roll out its solution in early 2011, Forbes reported Nov. 15. The Bling technology is compatible with NFC technology, and so will work with NFC phones, Forbes reports, adding that the company is currently in negotiations with handset manufacturers to incorporate the technology directly into their handsets.

Isis, effective as of Nov. 16, will be based in New York.

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Apple vs. Android Growth: Verizon iPhone and 9 Other Possibilities - PMP Today

The most obvious way is to announce and release a Verizon iPhone, a lot of Americans are not fans of AT&T’s network, therefore choose Verizon instead, at the moment most, if not all of the high-end devices Verizon offer run Android, which is obviously one way that Android has grown so much lately.

apple-vs-android-growth-verizon-iphone-and-9-other-possibilities

If you check out eWeek’s recent article you can see nine other ways that Apple can combat Android, we will talk about them briefly in this article, however check out this link for full details (be aware the article is split across two pages).

Other suggestions include keeping the pressure on with patents, keeping ahead in terms of physical and software design, continuing to innovate and improve on where iOS is failing, fix the antenna issue, use marketing to fight Google, add something exciting to the next iPhone (preferably something that has not been done before) and focus on Google as a competitor rather than all other smartphone options.

Towards the end of eWeek’s article they seem to run out of ideas, they say that Google should look beyond smartphones and also concentrate on future tablets, to be honest I think that Apple has been doing this with all of their iOS updates etc.

We would love to hear your opinions on this article, what do you think Apple should concentrate on to combat Android? Personally, I think the next iPhone’s hardware needs to outdo its competitors rather than close the gap.

Source: Product-Reviews.net

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Rumor: Verizon Staffing Up Call Centers In Preparation For... iPhone? - PC Magazine

Two call centers with previous experience working for Verizon are both looking to staff up—adding thousands of customer service representatives for a, "major wireless cell phone service retailer" that many postulate could be Verizon itself.

If that's the case, is this yet one more sign in the unfolding rumor-mongering that is Verizon's potential iPhone launch?

Apple Insider's Josh Ong says that, "the connection between a flurry of call center recruiting and a Verizon iPhone is tenuous at best." However, both Teleperformance and Ryla both have experience working for Verizon, Apple, or both. The former's pulled double-duty for both companies, whereas Ryla has worked with Verizon for more than ten years.

Ryla's currently hiring for approximately 1,700 new positions across Indiana, Colorado, Virginia, and California. For the 500 or so people the company's seeking in Clovis, California, "The new hires will be answering customer-service calls on behalf of a Ryla client identified only as a Fortune 500 cellular/telecommunications company that expects to increase its marketing and sales," reports Tim Sheehan of The Fresno Bee.

Teleperformance's listing for Pennsylvania positions indicates that employees would, "Take Inbound Customer Service Calls for a major wireless cell phone service retailer."

The locations of its other open positions are a bit more varied—and equally cryptic. Positions in Utah include, "Outbound Sales Reps to sell products to existing customers for a leading software or wireless company," and positions listed in Idaho indicate that an employee would, "Take inbound technical support calls for laptop and mp3 player assistance."

Fanning the rumor flames, Teleperformance vice president of recruiting Marcie Ballard said in an October interview with The Augusta Chronicle that the new positions needed to be lined up by November of this year. More importantly, they would be supporting an existing (and major) wireless client with which the company has secured a brand-new line of business. Unfortunately, Ballard would not say what company that specifically is.

According to a report from Electronista, it would take a given calling center roughly three to four weeks to train employees prior to actually sticking them in a cube. If that's the case, then Teleperformance's November deadline puts the new employees in the chairs right around the January timeframe, assuming delays and time lost for the holidays—and that's the same January, "when many expect a Verizon iPhone to be ready," reports the site.

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Verizon Deal Ends Inquiry Over Fees - New York Times

WASHINGTON — Verizon Wireless, the nation’s largest mobile phone carrier, will pay $25 million to end an investigation into complaints that it had charged 15 million cellphone customers unauthorized data fees over the last three years, the Federal Communications Commission announced Thursday.

Verizon announced this month that it intended to refund money to its customers for the unauthorized charges. Under a consent decree with the F.C.C. announced Thursday, the company also will pay a minimum of $52.8 million in refunds.

The $25 million settlement is the largest payment under a consent decree in the F.C.C’s history, said Michele Ellison, chief of the agency’s enforcement bureau.

“Today’s settlement requires Verizon Wireless to make meaningful business reforms, prevent future overcharges and provide consumers clear, easy-to-understand information about their choices,” Ms. Ellison said. “I am gratified by the cooperation of the Verizon Wireless team in the face of these issues and pleased they are taking the high road.”

In a statement, Verizon said: “We are a company that listens to its customers and in this case we got to the bottom of a problem and resolved the errors. We have taken this action because it is the right thing to do.”

The long road to the settlement began in November 2007, when customers first started experiencing and then complaining about mysterious $1.99 charges on their monthly phone bills for data sessions that they had not initiated.

The F.C.C. said it started investigating last January after a large number of customer complaints about the charges and after reports in 2009 in The Plain Dealer of Cleveland and The New York Times.

The charges affected customers with a “pay as you go” plan for data or Internet access. Verizon said the “vast majority” of the erroneous charges were incurred when software that was preloaded on some phones automatically contacted Verizon’s data service in what the company called an “acknowledgment” session.

Verizon said that in September 2009 it put in place a feature to limit those inadvertent charges. In addition, the company said it had sometimes accidentally charged customers for access to Web sites through links that were not supposed to lead to data charges. Many customers complained that if they had accidentally hit a wrong button on their flip phones, they would be connected to the Internet and charged a $1.99 fee.

The F.C.C. required and Verizon agreed to take steps to prevent such charges in the future. The company said those steps included software changes to remove automatic acknowledgments between Verizon data centers and phones, and new internal controls that would prevent charges when customers accessed free Web site links. In addition, the company will put in place a data charge task force to monitor and resolve complaints. The task force must report regularly to the F.C.C.

The F.C.C. and Verizon also agreed that the company would initiate customer service improvements, including clearer explanations of its pay-as-you-go data charges and ways for customers to avoid extra charges; an online video tutorial to help consumers understand their bills; and additional training for Verizon customer representatives on pay-as-you-go plans.

Verizon has begun notifying customers eligible for refunds, and it will apply credits or, in the case of former customers, mail checks for the refund amounts in October and November. Most of the credits range from $2 to $6, Verizon said. About 77 million of its customers, or roughly five out of six, are unaffected, the company said.

Customers who do not receive a refund but believe they had unauthorized data charges can appeal and receive a resolution within 30 days, the F.C.C. said.

Julius Genachowski, the F.C.C. chairman, said the settlement “will serve as a significant deterrent to others in the future.”

Mr. Genachowski added: “Today’s consent decree sends a clear message to American consumers — the F.C.C. has got your back. People shouldn’t find mystery fees when they open their phone bills, and they certainly shouldn’t have to pay for services they didn’t want and didn’t use. In these rough economic times, every $1.99 counts.”

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Verizon Tiered Data Plan Starts Oct. 28, Runs Through Holidays - PC Magazine

Verizon Wireless will offer a 150MB smartphone data plan for $15 per month starting Oct. 28, a source with knowledge of the plans confirmed Monday.

The tiered pricing option is part of a holiday promotion and will continue through December, the source said.

Verizon's $29.99 unlimited monthly data plan will still be available.

News of the new data plans first surfaced Monday morning on Engadget. The blog said users on the $15 data plan will incur $0.01 overage charges for every additional MB consumed. It also said Verizon will ditch its $9.99 25MB option for feature phones but keep the $1.99 "pay as you go" per MB plan.

Last week, Verizon announced that it would start selling the Wi-Fi version of Apple's iPad at its retail locations starting Oct. 28. The tablets will be bundled with the Verizon MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot in pricing packages that range from $629.99 to $829.99.

Users can purchase 1GB of data for $20, 3GB of data for $35, or 5GB for $50, according to a FAQ about the iPad promotion. Users on the 1GB plan will be charged $20 for each extra gigabyte they consume, while those on the 3GB and 5GB will be charged a $10 overage per gigabyte. Engadget said Tuesday that Verizon will also offer 10GB for $80, also with a $10 overage fee.

For MiFi, FiveSpot, and integrated notebook and netbook modem owners, Verizon will offer 5GB for $50 and 10GB for $80, with $10 overages per gigabyte, Engadget said. USB modem prices will stay the same.

In June, AT&T revamped its data plans and introduced two tiered pricing plans: 200MB for $15 per month and 2GB for $25 per month. Tethering is also available for $20 per month. Existing customers with unlimited data plans, however, can keep them for now.

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An Apple, Verizon Partnership Threatens Android: 10 Reasons Why - eWeek

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By: Don Reisinger
2010-10-14
Article Rating: / 6

There are 5 user comments on this Enterprise Mobility story.

An Apple, Verizon Partnership Threatens Android: 10 Reasons Why
( Page 1 of 2 ) Apple and Verizon have finally partnered up. The hardware maker will be offering its tablet to Verizon Wireless customers starting in a couple weeks. When that happens, the debate over when Apple would finally start its growth strategy in the United States will be over. And then, the debate will turn to how the company will use its Verizon partnership to its advantage. 

Unfortunately for Google, Apple will use its new Verizon partnership to start chipping away at the search giant?s lead in the mobile market. Apple is simply too big and too powerful not to do that. And it undoubtedly has its sights set on Android OS as it attempts to control the mobile market. 

Here?s why Google should be so concerned about an Apple, Verizon partnership. 

1. Android OS is the central Verizon player 

Verizon has made it clear over the past couple years that it?s riding the Android train as far as it will take it. Since AT&T had Apple and the iPhone, Verizon needed something of its own. And it found that with Google and Android. But now that the company is warming to Apple, its desire to work so closely with Android OS might wane. 

2. The focus will be off 

It?s hard to see why Verizon?s focus won?t shift as the company continues to add Apple products to its lineup. After all, Apple commands the kind of respect that few other firms in the industry do. And it will probably help Verizon increase its revenue by a wide margin. It would only make sense for the company to shift its focus from Android OS to Apple. 

3. Steve Jobs plays a role 

Steve Jobs will undoubtedly play a role in the issues Android will now face. For a long time Jobs has been making Verizon salivate over its products. Finally, it has allowed it to get a taste. Verizon won?t pass that up. And Steve Jobs definitely won?t let the moment pass without getting as much as possible for it. That means Android OS will probably get caught in the cross hairs. 

4. If the iPad sells well, Verizon will be off and running 

Quite a bit is riding on the sale of the iPad at Verizon. If the device performs well, Verizon will be far more likely to give in to Apple?s demands and focus its efforts there. If the device doesn?t sell all that well, Android might get a reprieve. But unfortunately for Google, the chances of the iPad not selling well seem slim, which can only mean bad things for the company?s mobile operating system. 

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Verizon says iPhone announcement would come from Apple - Apple Insider

Verizon says iPhone announcement would come from Apple

By Josh Ong

Published: 08:30 PM EST

A Verizon executive responded to reports of a Verizon iPhone by telling the press that any news would come from Apple, not Verizon.

Macworld reports that Verizon President and COO Lowell McAdam made the comments at a press conference at the CTIA conference in San Francisco.

When asked to comment about a story from The Wall Street Journal that Apple will begin building a Verizon-compatible iPhone by the end of the year, McAdam dismissed the story as "one of those things that rolls out every few weeks whether there's a basis for it or not."

"I can't give you any insights," he continued. "But I think Apple is the one that has to make that announcement."

McAdam remains hopeful that a deal will eventually be reached, especially as Verizon rolls out its Long-Term Evolution 4G data network.

?What I?ve always said is I expect at some point in time our business interests are going to align," McAdam said. "I think things like LTE are another great reason why they?d want a device or tablet on that network. But I don?t have anything to say today about timing.?

In September, Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg downplayed rumors of an upcoming Verizon iPhone by telling investors that he hopes Apple will work with Verizon to sell an LTE 4G smartphone.

Despite the remarks, rumors have persisted that a CDMA iPhone will arrive in early 2011.

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Can Verizon IPhone Stop Android Onslaught? - Mediapost.com

Fresh data underscoring Android's remarkable growth seems to come in almost every day now. The latest research, from comScore, shows that the Google mobile platform's share of the mobile market leapt from 13% to 19.6% in the three months ending in August, compared to the prior three-month period.

Android gained ground on all of its major competitors as BlackBerry-maker RIM's market share slipped four percentage points to 37.6%, Apple dipped slightly to 24.2%, and Microsoft dropped from 13.2% to 10.8%. Palm is down to 4.6%.

The comScore figures come a day after Nielsen reported that Android is the most popular mobile operating system among people who have bought smartphones in the last six months. Nearly a third of recent buyers are getting Android-based phones compared to about 25% each for the iPhone and BlackBerry.

Similar to comScore, Nielsen estimated Android's overall market share at 19%, but had a somewhat larger estimate of Apple's share, at 28%, while attributing 31% to BlackBerry. Either way it's more good news for Google and more unwelcome news for RIM, as its leading share of the U.S. smartphone market continues to slide. Apple also has a battle on its hands maintaining its second-place share against the Android surge.

But the company may get a new weapon in its arsenal against Google in the smartphone wars, with a new report saying Apple will begin mass producing a new iPhone model by year's end that would allow Verizon Wireless to start selling the device in early 2011. The Wall Street Journal article, citing people briefed by Apple, said the new model would be similar to the iPhone 4 but compatible with Verizon's CDMA wireless network technology.

Of course, stories and speculation about a Verizon iPhone have become a regular feature of the frothy mobile news landscape. And recent statements by Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg expressing frustration with Apple for not teaming with the carrier seemed to cast doubt on an imminent iPhone from Verizon.

But there's been a steady stream of reports suggesting Apple is building a CDMA-capable iPhone, which would point directly toward striking a deal with Verizon to carry its flagship device. There's little question a partnership with the country's largest wireless operator could help both companies expand their customer bases.

And with Apple executives reading every other day about Android's explosive growth, the company has to feel more pressure to partner with other carriers besides AT&T. It's seen firsthand how Google has profited from making Android available on phones from multiple manufacturers and operators. Apple may stick with making its own phones, but it can certainly open up the iPhone to more carriers.

One trend benefiting all smartphone players is growing mobile content use, according to a new comScore report. More than a third (34.5%) of cell phone subscribers now browse the Web, 32.3% use downloaded apps, 23% play games, and 22.5% access social networking sites or blogs. Text messaging remains the most pervasive activity, with two-thirds of cell users thumbing mobile keypads.

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Verizon Wireless to Pay Millions in Refunds - New York Times

WASHINGTON — Verizon Wireless said on Sunday that it would pay up to $90 million in refunds to 15 million cellphone customers who were wrongly charged for data sessions or Internet use, one of the largest customer refunds by a telecommunications company.

The announcement came in a statement from Verizon Wireless as the company held talks with the Federal Communications Commission about complaints of unauthorized charges and in response to questions about a possible settlement of an F.C.C. investigation into the issue.

Verizon said in its statement that the customers would receive credits from $2 to $6 on their October or November bills or, in the case of former customers, refund checks.

The refunds will be paid to customers who did not have data access plans but who were nevertheless assessed one or more charges of $1.99 because of data exchanges initiated by software built into their phones, or because of charges for inadvertently going online on the phones.

The F.C.C. is likely to press Verizon to pay a penalty for failing to notify customers of the problem, which has been occurring since at least 2007, according to people close to the talks.

Michele Ellison, the chief of the F.C.C. enforcement bureau, said in a statement that the agency was “gratified to see the repayment, but for millions of Americans it’s a day late and a $1.99 short.”

“Getting consumers repaid is just the first step; ensuring this doesn’t happen again comes next,” Ms. Ellison said.

In the last three years, the F.C.C. has received hundreds of complaints from Verizon Wireless customers who said they were charged for data use or Web access at times when their phones were not in use or when they mistakenly pushed a button that activated the phone’s Web browser.

Beginning in 2009, The New York Times and The Plain Dealer of Cleveland, among other publications, reported that customers had been complaining of the charges but had often been ignored by Verizon Wireless. On certain flip phones sold by Verizon, a directional arrow, when pushed, automatically would initiate the phone’s Web browser.

Even if customer immediately canceled the action, they were often charged $1.99 for Internet access, according to the complaints, some of which were detailed by David Pogue of The Times on his blog, Pogue’s Posts.

Customers who contacted Verizon about the charges said that the company had often refused to reverse the charges or discouraged them from blocking the data service on their phones.

Verizon maintained that it had responded appropriately. “Verizon Wireless values our customer relationships, and we always want to do the right thing for our customers,” Mary Coyne, deputy general counsel for Verizon Wireless, said in a statement. “When we identify errors, we remedy them as quickly as possible. Our goal is to maintain our customers’ trust and ensure they receive the best experience possible.”

But Verizon initially played down the issue, telling the F.C.C. in December 2009 that it did not charge customers who had inadvertently started their phone’s Web browser and immediately ended the session.

That month, the F.C.C. formally asked Verizon about news reports detailing the charges. In a letter, Kathleen Grillo, a senior vice president for federal regulatory affairs at Verizon, wrote that, “In order to protect customers from minimal, accidental usage charges, Verizon Wireless does not charge users when the browser is launched, and opens to the Verizon Wireless Mobile Web homepage.”

That statement seems to be contradicted by Verizon’s latest statement. “As we reviewed customer accounts, we discovered that over the past several years, approximately 15 million customers who did not have data plans were billed for data sessions on their phones that they did not initiate,” the company said on Sunday.

“These customers would normally have been billed at the standard rate of $1.99 per megabyte for any data they chose to access from their phones,” the statement said. “The majority of the data sessions involved minor data exchanges caused by software built into their phones; others involved accessing the Web, which should not have incurred charges. We have addressed these issues to avoid unintended data charges in the future.”

The F.C.C. began a formal investigation into the unauthorized charges in January. Formal F.C.C. investigations, in which the agency can seek sworn testimony, are usually not disclosed publicly. The F.C.C. said on Sunday that it began looking into the Verizon issue 10 months ago.

In recent weeks, the company and the commission staff have been wrangling over how long the company had been aware of the problem and whether the F.C.C. would initiate a Notice of Apparent Liability, as formal enforcement charges are known.

As an alternative to formal enforcement, the company and the F.C.C. could enter into a consent decree, in which the company would neither admit nor deny the charges, but would agree to make a voluntary payment to settle the issue.

As settlement talks proceeded last week, Verizon indicated to the F.C.C. that it expected that the total amount of the refunds that it would pay to consumer would be about $50 million, according to people close to the settlement talks.

On Sunday, Jeffrey Nelson, a spokesman for Verizon Wireless, declined to comment on whether the company could narrow the range of $30 million to $90 million in potential payments.

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Verizon Wireless to Pay Up to $90 Million in Refunds - New York Times

WASHINGTON – Verizon Wireless said Sunday it will pay up to $90 million in refunds to 15 million cell phone customers who were wrongly charged for data sessions or Internet use, one of the largest-ever customer refunds by a telecommunications company.

The company’s statement came as Verizon Wireless held talks with the Federal Communications Commission about complaints of unauthorized charges and after questions from about a possible settlement of an F.C.C. investigation into the issue.

Verizon said in its statement that 15 million customers either will receive either credits ranging from $2 to $6 on their October or November bills or, in the case of former customers, refund checks.

In its statement, Verizon Wireless said that the charges affected customers who did not have data usage plans but who were nevertheless billed because of data exchanges initiated by software built into their phones or because of mistaken charges for inadvertent episodes of Web access.

In the last three years, the F.C.C. has received hundreds of complaints from Verizon Wireless customers who said they were charged for data usage or Web access when their phones at times when their phones were not in use or when they mistakenly pushed a button that was preprogrammed to instantly active the phone’s Web browser. Beginning in 2009, The New York Times and The Plain Dealer of Cleveland, among other publications, reported that customers had been complaining of the charges but had often been ignored by Verizon Wireless.

People close to the settlement talks who spoke on the condition of anonymity said they expected the refunds to total more than $50 million.

“Verizon Wireless values our customer relationships and we always want to do the right thing for our customers,” Mary Coyne, deputy general counsel for Verizon Wireless, said in the statement.

The announcement of the refunds might not end the issue for Verizon. People close to the talks said the F.C.C. had been pressing the company to enter into an agreement to pay a penalty for the unauthorized charges, which would serve as a deterrent for companies that might discover similar circumstances but fail to alert customers in a timely manner.

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