Tag Archives: tmus

Apple, Samsung Impact? 2-For-1 iPhone, Galaxy 7 Deals Roil Market

T-Mobile US on Wednesday unveiled a 2-for-1 deal for Apple ’s ( AAPL ) new iPhone SE amid reports that buy one, get one free (BOGO) deals boosted sales of Samsung’s Galaxy S7 smartphones in the first three months of 2016. The 2-for-1 deals vary. T-Mobile ( TMUS ) rolled out a buy one, get one “half off” promotion for Apple’s iPhone SE, which hits store shelves on Thursday. T-Mobile recently ended a similar 2-for-1, half-off the second device, promotion for older iPhones, including the 6 series. AT&T ( T ) in early February rolled out an iPhone buy one, get one free deal for both new and existing customers. AT&T required that the second phone be a newly activated line. An AT&T spokeswoman said the 2-for-1 offer has not been extended to the new 4-inch-screen iPhone SE, which starts at $399. Both AT&T and T-Mobile offer financing plans with monthly installment payments. T-Mobile customers would pay about $600 for two iPhones SE devices under the new promotion. All four U.S. national carriers — including Verizon Communications ( VZ ) and Sprint ( S ) — have offered BOGO deals for Samsung’s new flagship device, the Galaxy 7 series. Some analysts have bumped up estimates for Galaxy 7 sales, owing to the 2-for-1 deals in the U.S., says a Reuters report . Samsung reports earnings in late April. According to a Nomura report, Samsung has pushed U.S. wireless firms to offer the 2-for-1 deals, in order to boost demand. Analysts, however, say phone upgrades by U.S. wireless subscribers in the first quarter were again lower than normal, continuing a trend from Q4. Apple’s release of the iPhone 7, likely in September, could spur more upgrades, analysts say. T-Mobile stock was up a fraction in afternoon trading in the stock market today . Image provided by Shutterstock .

T-Mobile Ramps Data-Only Plans, Apple Adds Verizon Wi-Fi Calls

T-Mobile US ( TMUS ) is expected to announce data-only wireless plans soon, targeting consumers adept at using Internet calling apps or making free calls over Wi-Fi networks. The “Uncarrier”-branded wireless firm’s plans will include unlimited text messaging but no voice service, according to reports. T-Mobile’s data-only plans will range from two gigabytes of data at $20 monthly up to 22 GB at $95 a month, said TmoNews . T-Mobile’s move comes shortly after Apple ( AAPL ) provided improved support for Wi-Fi calling in its iOS 9.3 software update. Apple initially supported Wi-Fi calling when it rolled out the iPhone 6 in September 2014. T-Mobile was first to support Apple’s free Wi-Fi calling, followed by Sprint ( S ) and then AT&T ( T ) in 2015. Verizon Communications ( VZ ) says that it will offer the iPhone’s Wi-Fi calling feature to its subscribers following the iOS 9.3 software update. Apple released its new iOS 9.3 operating system in tandem with the new iPhone SE , announced March 21. Wireless firms have upgraded their 4G wireless networks to voice over LTE (VoLTE) technology. VoLTE sends voice calls over 4G networks as data. VoLTE is similar to, but technically not the same as, voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services that have been offered via fixed-line broadband and Wi-Fi networks. Microsoft ’s ( MSFT ) Skype is the biggest VoIP calling service. AT&T and Verizon are still working on making their VoLTE systems interoperable so that their customers can make and receive calls to both networks, analysts say. VoLTE-based calling apps from Facebook ( FB ), Alphabet ’s ( GOOGL ) Google and other Internet firms have been anticipated, but technical issues remain, analysts say. Wireless firms have already lost significant revenue to free texting apps such as Facebook’s WhatsApp.

Facebook, Google, Amazon May Be Caught Up In Netflix Regulatory Flap

Netflix ’s ( NFLX ) revelation that it has reduced the quality of video streaming to the wireless customers of AT&T ( T ) and Verizon Communications could complicate Web regulatory issues for Internet giants such as Alphabet ’s ( GOOGL ) Google, Facebook ( FB ) and Amazon.com ( AMZN ), says a Guggenheim Partners analyst. Netflix last week fessed up to throttling video to AT&T and Verizon ( VZ ) customers for several years, but not to the wireless subscribers of Sprint ( S )or T-Mobile US ( TMUS ). Netflix says it lowered video quality to protect its own customers from exceeding the monthly data caps of AT&T and Verizon. Sprint still offers unlimited data plans while T-Mobile typically slows network speeds rather than imposing overage fees, said a report. Paul Gallant, an analyst at Guggenheim, says Netflix’s policies do not violate federal “net neutrality” rules, which bar Internet service providers from throttling, blocking or prioritizing Web traffic. The rules apply only to ISPs, not Internet firms, noted Gallant. The Federal Communications Commission in February, 2015 expanded net neutrality rules to wireless networks for the first time. A federal court is expected to rule on a legal challenge to the FCC’s new net neutrality rules in April. “Getting ‘caught’ doing this may put Netflix on its heels in Washington at a time when important (Internet) policies like interconnection pricing and zero rating are fluid and could go either way,” said Gallant. T-Mobile and Comcast ( CMCSA ) have adopted video policies referred to in the telecom industry as “zero rating” because streaming does not count toward monthly data caps and there are no payments involving content partners. FCC chairman Tom Wheeler has pushed for competition between Internet video providers, also called over-the-top (OTT), and the pay-TV industry. “ISPs have long complained that they are being unreasonably singled out for regulation within the Internet ecosystem. This Netflix report may highlight for government officials the leverage possessed by large Internet companies,” added Gallant. “Slowing streams to specific wireless (users) implies a range of steps a large edge provider could take to disadvantage an ISP relative to its competitors. With video becoming a rising priority of Internet giants like Google , Amazon, and Facebook , the issue of interconnection fees and zero-rating services will remain important battlegrounds — with the current FCC actively supporting OTT-based competition.” Image provided by Shutterstock .