News

• T-Mobile drops challenge to FCC's net neutrality rules

  T-Mobile USA has dropped a pending challenge to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's net neutrality rules.

• A stock Android Galaxy S4 from Google will cost you $649

  A special edition, stock Android version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone will go on sale June 26 on the Google Play store for $649, Google announced at its annual Google I/O conference.

• U.S. carriers line up against texting while driving

  The major U.S. mobile operators are all putting their weight behind a campaign against texting while driving that will include a blitz of advertising and a driving simulator touring the country this summer.

• AT&T offers iPhone 5 through pre-paid Aio Wireless

  AT&T launched a new wireless subsidiary called Aio Wireless on Thursday that offers phones like the iPhone 5 with no annual contract.

• Over the top: Internet chat via apps will double text messages sent in 2013

  In 2013, the number of messages sent via chat app will hit 41 billion per day, more than double the number of text messages sent globally, according to data from Informa.

• T-Mobile USA agrees to come clean about 'uncarrier' service plans

  T-Mobile USA's "radical" service plans promising no annual contracts aren't quite as radical as consumers might think, and the mobile operator will change its advertising and offer refunds in a settlement with the state of Washington.

• Samsung confirms limited supply of Galaxy S4, cites 'overwhelming global demand'

  Overwhelming global demand may limit initial supplies of the Galaxy S4 smartphone, Samsung said Wednesday, while both Sprint and T-Mobile USA confirmed there would be delays in their receiving the phones.

• MetroPCS shareholders OK merger with T-Mobile USA

  The merger of T-Mobile USA and MetroPCS cleared its last major hurdle on Wednesday as MetroPCS shareholders overwhelmingly approved the deal.

• Galaxy S4 available on seven U.S. wireless carriers by end of April

  Samsung announced today that its next-generation Galaxy S4 smartphone will be available by the end of April on seven major U.S. carriers, as well as seven retailers.

• ACLU complains to FTC that mobile carriers leave Android phones unsecured

  Smartphones with custom versions of Android offered by large mobile operators in the U.S. are not getting security updates as regularly as phones from Google, or smartphones from other vendors like Microsoft, according to a complaint by the American Civil Liberties Union to the Federal Trade Commission.

• MetroPCS gives shareholders more time to consider T-Mobile bid

  MetroPCS has pushed back a hotly anticipated shareholder meeting that will decide the fate of the carrier's proposed merger with T-Mobile USA.

• Report: Deutsche Telekom OKs richer T-Mobile bid for MetroPCS

  A sweeter offer for the merger of T-Mobile USA and MetroPCS reportedly has been approved by T-Mobile parent company Deutsche Telekom.

• T-Mobile offers iPhone 5 at no upfront payment in trade-in deal

  T-Mobile USA is trying to boost the number of iPhone users on its network by offering the iPhone 5 without down payment to people who bring in their iPhone 4 and 4S smartphones for a trade-in which could also earn them up to US$120 in credits.

• HTC One with 32 GB available from AT&T, Sprint on April 19 for $200 and two-year contract

  AT&T and Sprint Tuesday separately announced plans to start selling 32GB HTC One smartphones on April 19 for $199.99 with a two-year contract.

• Existing Samsung Galaxy S III phones won't work with T-Mobile's LTE network

  Existing owners of Samsung's Galaxy S III will not be able to use the phone on T-Mobile's LTE network, which debuted Tuesday and will reach 200 million people by the end of this year.