Verizon CEO: Windows Phone will play a crucial role in the mobile industry

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At least one high-level mobile exec is optimistic about the long-term success of the Windows Phone. Verizon CEO Dan Mead said today that the Windows Phone has received good traction with OEM’s and thinks both Windows and Blackberry will play a crucial role in the mobile industry. Mead added that there needs to be more… Read More…

Swap n’ save: AT&T offering $100 trade-in voucher for any smartphone

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T-Mobile isn’t the only carrier offering sweet trade-in deals. Starting Wednesday, AT&T is offering at least $100 in trade-in credit for those who swap their smartphone and purchase a new one via AT&T, including the Samsung Galaxy S4, the Blackberry Z10 and the HTC One. Your trade-in phone must be less than three years old… Read More…

Study: Windows Phone hits highest U.S. market share yet

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Maybe there’s some truth to the hilarious and equally ridiculous ad Microsoft put out today, which attempts to differentiate Windows Phone from Apple and Samsung by poking fun at stereotypical users of the leading smartphones. The first quarter numbers from Kantar show Windows making consistent gains in the U.S. smartphone market, as evidenced by growth of 1.9 percentage… Read More…

Cellphone performance report: Data speeds up, fewer calls dropped

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Bellevue-based RootMetrics is out with its 2012 mobile carrier performance review and it shows good news for all four of the nation’s big carriers, with download speeds up and fewer calls dropped. Verizon, though, took the cake for data, text and call speed ratings. AT&T was not far behind, and T-Mobile came in third for overall… Read More…

Netflix to offer $11.99 plan, will allow four simultaneous streams

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Those with big families or lots of movie-loving friends might enjoy this: Netflix will offer a $11.99/month plan that allows for four simultaneous streams. At $8/month, users can currently stream two movies or TV shows at the same time. But in Netflix’s earnings report, CEO Reed Hastings announced the new plan today: A few members with… Read More…

Donate your old phone, support domestic violence aid with Verizon’s HopeLine

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Old cell phones are one of those things in life that just get forgotten — they’re shoved into a kitchen drawer with their coiled chargers, or laid to rest in the crevices of an office. After a run-in with the washing machine or the toilet, sometimes they just get thrown away. After a while, it’s… Read More…

Hoping to halt sinking profits, HTC debuts One smartphone

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The flagship phone that could put an end to HTC’s sinking profits finally hit stores Friday. The long-awaited HTC One is available today by AT&T and Sprint, both online and at their retail stores. You can also purchase it at Best Buy, RadioShack, Walmart, Target, Amazon.com, Costco, Car Toys, Sam’s Club, HSN.com, and HTC.com. Both Sprint and AT&T are… Read More…

Verizon wants to buy Clearwire spectrum for $1.5B

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Both Sprint and Dish Network are looking to buy Clearwire, the Bellevue-based wireless broadband operator that’s most coveted for its spectrum holdings. But now there may be another player in the mix. The Wall Street Journal reports today that Verizon Wireless has offered to pay as much as $1.5 billion to Clearwire for its spectrum leases…. Read More…

AT&T has the fastest LTE network (if you can access it)

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The big U.S. wireless carriers are all fighting over who has the fastest LTE network, touting the speeds that can be obtained over the next-generation networking technology. But who is out in front when it comes to LTE? A new report out today tries to answer that question, and the results may surprise you. AT&T,… Read More…

Can you hear me now? Verizon ranked highest in customer care for fourth time in a row

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For the fourth time in a row, Verizon was recognized by J.D. Power and Associates for the best customer care among national, full-service carriers. The rankings take into account on how well companies provide customer service via telephone, walk-in and online support. Verizon ranked first with a overall score of 766 (based on a 1,000-point… Read More…