CTIA 2012
We're on the ground in New Orleans for CTIA Wireless 2012, the largest cell phone event in North America. Tune in here all week for full coverage.
FCC Chair Fires Back at AT&T CEO Over Pricing
Federal Communications Commission chairman Julius Genachowski rejected the idea that the blocked T-Mobile USA acquisition will lead to higher pricers for consumers. AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson recently said that consumers will face higher prices now that the deal has been blocked. Speaking to attendees at the CTIA Wireless trade show, however, Genachowski said that by blocking the deal the wireless industry should see more competition, which should in turn lead to lower costs for consumers. Genachowski said that the FCC is not opposed to mergers, acquisitions, and consolidation, but said that AT&T's attempt to purchase T-Mobile USA crossed the line.
Hands-On: Samsung Focus 2
AT&T had its newest Windows Phone on hand at the CTIA Wireless event and Phone Scoop spent some time with it.
AT&T Boosts LTE Portfolio with Samsung Focus 2
AT&T and Samsung today announced the Focus 2, a low-cost Windows Phone 7.5 Mango smartphone that will support AT&T's LTE 4G network. The Focus 2 features a 4-inch Super AMOLED display, a 5-megapixel camera that captures video in 720p HD, and a VGA user-facing camera for video chats — all powered by a 1.4GHz processor. The device supports mobile hotspot for up to 5 devices and includes 8GB of storage. The Samsung Focus 2 will be available from AT&T beginning May 20 in white for $49.99 with a new service agreement.