Round one of the epic battle between Apple and Samsung started last year. The patent war began when Apple accused Samsung of design and format function infringement. Apple claimed that Samsung infringed on patents for software features and as a result, the company was awarded over $1 billion in damages. However, round two is just beginning. Samsung recently claimed that Apple infringed on its patent for encoding mobile communication in AT&T model phones. This claim resulted in an embargo that will be sure to rock the market in the near future. The International Trade Commission (ITC) officially…

The iPhone 5 is six months old. That isn’t stopping happy T-Mobile subscribers from lining up to get it as part of the T-Mobile’s bold new pricing and marketing plans. People were lining up outside of T-Mobile stores this morning across the country. The hype is what one would expect of the launch of a new device, not an aged device adding a new carrier. It demonstrates the popularity of Apple, but is this good news going to translate as well for T-Mobile? Perhaps the real test will come when the carrier pushes forward head to head with the other carriers with the Samsung Galaxy S4, set to launch May 1. If…

Hindsight is 20/20, or so they say. This is important for Leap Wireless as it seems on the surface that their failure to sell a no-contract iPhone was a doomed concept from the start. Last year, the company became the first pay-as-you-go carrier to offer the Apple iPhone. Now, they’re on pace to sell half of the iPhones they committed to sell by June. This means they could get stuck with around $100 million in hardware with no way to get ride of them easily. The obvious reason this didn’t work is the target. Pay-as-you-go carriers focus on lower income or poor credit consumers. These consumers are less…

Knowing your data plan can mean the difference between a normal cell phone bill and a heart attack. 1 in 6 mobile phone customers have experienced some degree of bill shock. 50% of those were hit with charges of $50 or more. This infographic, provided by Xigo, explores the most insane cases of bill shock and how to avoid this happening to you. © 2012 Xigo…

In the competitive world of telecommunications, it’s often a matter of name recognition and trust that help people determine which service to use and which product to buy. The mobile arena is particularly top-heavy with Verizon and AT&T ranking #2 and #3 amongst the top US ad spenders behind Proctor & Gamble Co. At nearly $6 billion in combined advertising spend between the two biggest US mobile service providers last year, the stakes are clearly high when it comes to buying exposure. Here, we take a look at the top spenders in US advertising dollars. This infographic from Kissmetrics…

Verizon has had its share of foibles over the last few months over how their customers interact with their cellular plans. On June 28th, they debut their “Share Everything” plans which will allow up to 10 devices within a family to pull from a common pool of data coverage while enjoying unlimited minutes and messages. “Customers asked, and today Verizon Wireless delivered an industry first,” said Tami Erwin, VP and CMO for Verizon Wireless. “Share Everything Plans are the new standard for wireless service. They are simple; customers no longer have to think about their voice and message…

The unraveling of the AT&T merger with T-Mobile was not entirely bad for the fourth largest mobile carrier in the US. They get $3 billion. It isn’t enough to keep them afloat for more than a year or two, but it does buy them time to find someone else. It gives them time to formulate a plan-B. Unfortunately, they don’t know what plan-B is for them. It was shortsighted of Deutsche Telekom to go into this without a plan-B. Putting all of one’s eggs in a single basket makes no sense when so much as at stake. The company has to regroup quickly. First, they have to make themselves valid by improving the infrastructure….

In the world of public relations, you sometimes have to toot your own horn when others won’t. That seems to be the case with AT&T, a company that has been in need of more victories in light of poor customer relations and retention as well as a legal battle on their hands over the merger with T-Mobile. To that end, they announced today that they activated one million iPhone 4S’ shortly after launch, making it the most successful iPhone launch in the company’s history. With Verizon going through their second and Sprint having their first, it is actually very encouraging news for the telecommunications…

One might think that AT&T was expecting Sprint to file suit against their plan to buy T-Mobile based upon the speed of the response. With a very aggressive style and stance, AT&T had choice words for their competitors and the attempt to block the formation of a super-cell-provider: This simply demonstrates what we’ve said all along – Sprint is more interested in protecting itself than it is in promoting competition that benefits consumers. We of course will vigorously contest this matter in court as AT&T’s merger with T-Mobile USA will: help solve our nation’s spectrum…

Just in case the United States Department of Justice is unsuccessful in their bid to stop AT&Ts attempt to purchase T-Mobile, Sprint has joined the fray by announcing a lawsuit of their own. As predicted, the roadblocks are coming up from every possible direction. “Sprint opposes AT&T’s proposed takeover of T-Mobile,” Sprint litigation VP Susan Z. Haller said in a statement. “With today’s legal action, we are continuing that advocacy on behalf of consumers and competition, and expect to contribute our expertise and resources in proving that the proposed transaction…