verizon

Verizon was in the running for a LTE Windows Phone, but turned it down

December 29, 2011 | By Surur

verizon We posted what was an unverified rumour 2 days ago about AT&T getting the Nokia Lumia 900 with LTE and Verizon not.

With Thurrott now revealing that Verizon will not be getting any LTE Windows Phone 7 units the rumour is now on a bit more solid ground, meaning the rest of it is probably also correct.

According to the rumour the Nokia Lumia 900 with LTE was pitched at Verizon, but the carrier turned it down. It seems now Verizon has turned down all high end Windows Phone 7 handsets.

Our anonymous tipster said the CDMA carrier may be back for a Apollo/Windows Phone 8 handset in the fall.

The rest is not from our source, but it seems Verizon does not have much faith in Windows Phone, and certainly not enough to stock a high-end handset. We suggest our readers who are thinking of buying such a device no longer waste their time on Verizon and move to AT&T, as certainly nothing will be forthcoming from them anytime soon.

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Verizon and AT&T testing a Nokia LTE Windows Phone

December 12, 2011 | By Surur

CNET is reporting US carriers AT&T and Verizon are testing a LTE version of the Nokia Lumia 800.

We reported earlier that Nokia is set to release the Nokia Lumia 900 on AT&T and Verizon, which, while it will resemble the Lumia 800, will feature a much bigger 4.3 inch screen and some other changes. It may be that this new story was shaken loose by that rumour.

CNET notes the lack of LTE support has been seen as a critical issue for the U.S. carriers, which are increasingly focusing on 4G devices and services. Verizon had earlier said LTE was critical for a Windows Phone on their network.

Support for the technology is expected in Windows Phone Tango with Nokia’s new handset expected to run the OS update also.

AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel, Verizon Wireless spokeswoman Brenda Raney, and Nokia spokesman Keith Nowak all declined to comment.

Read more of our coverage on LTE and Windows Phone here.

Rumour: Nokia Ace coming to both Verizon and AT&T in Q1 2012

December 9, 2011 | By Surur

We have just received a hot tip about the upcoming Nokia Ace, confirming the leaked specs and also adding LTE to the mix.

The phone will apparently Nokia’s first LTE device, and the first they will be marketing in USA – sorry Lumia 710.

According to our tipster the hardware is ready to go, and the device is just waiting for the Tango OS. Nokia is pushing for a late-January release, while a mid-March release is more likely.

AT&T is guaranteed the device, but apparently Verizon is also pushing hard to be a launch partner.

The specs is as leaked earlier – 4.3" screen, 8megapixel camera, 16gb storage, Windows Phone Tango OS , 1.4Ghz CPU, LTE support.

Is this the device our readers will be waiting for? Let us know below.

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US CDMA/LTE Windows Phones coming at CES 2012?

November 7, 2011 | By Surur

LTE-symbol PCMag reports from Microsoft’s New York event that the delay in new CDMA Windows Phone 7.5 handsets was a timing issue.

Andy Lees said the lack of CDMA is "no limitation of the OS, it’s a timing thing between the operator and the OEMs."

What may be keeping CDMA Mango handsets back however may be lack of LTE support, but Greg Sullivan notes other manufacturers have access to the same LTE Mango update that Nokia does.

Nokia has already committed to building LTE Windows Phones, but other manufacturers are expected to follow soon.

"I don’t think there’s any kind of head start [Nokia] gets, but I think Stephen [Elop} was more aggressive in terms of getting out there with the news," Sullivan said.

PCMag, without noting a source, claimed Verizon Wireless is expected to announce a Nokia Windows Phone at the CES trade show in mid-January. The phones will likely support LTE also.

PCMag also tried to probe for a launch date for the next version of Windows Phone, but notes “Lees demurred, but couldn’t resist the hint of a smile when someone mentioned the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona in late February.”

Verizon Wireless showing up for the Nokia Lumia launch

October 26, 2011 | By Surur

nokia-world-vzw-badge1

There has been rumours of a release of a new Windows Phone 7 handset on Verizon, with Nokia being a front runner candidate.

This Verizon employee, identified by his badge, floating around the Nokia World conference, adds further fuel to the fire.

Hopefully we will see a better CDMA Windows Phone 7 handset on Verizon soon.

Via thisismynext and WindowsphoneDaily.com

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New Verizon (Nokia) Windows Phone on the way?

October 26, 2011 | By Surur

verizonwp7

Perennial leaker MS_nerd has just tweeted that a new Verizon WP7 handset will be announced “real soon”.

Verizon only has a lone Windows Phone 7 handset, the HTC Trophy, so is certainly overdue for an update. If announced today it is likely to be a Nokia Windows Phone 7 handset, with FierceWireless posting yesterday that a CDMA handset is coming from the company.

Of course it may also be another WP& OEM trying to steal Nokia’s thunder, which would still be all good

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Microsoft hints at LTE Windows Phones in 3-6 months

October 20, 2011 | By Surur

lte Andy Lees, President of Microsoft’s Windows Phone Division, recently spoke widely about Windows Phone 7 to the Seattle Times.

Most answers were pretty standard, but one particular comment did strike me. When asked about 4G support in Windows Phone 7 he said:

"All the phones in the U.S. are 4G. What’s interesting with this release, instead of all the phones coming out on the same day, there will be a season that will carry on into the next year that will include LTE phones as well."

Presumably the first part of the sentence refers to HSDPA+, which AT&T and T-Mobile calls 4G. This will obviously not fly on CDMA networks, hence their rush to LTE.

Andy confirmed that LTE phones will be coming, and that they will be part of this wave of Windows Phone 7 handsets, which will extend into next year.

Now I may be over-interpreting, but with the Tango release, rumoured to bring LTE support, supposed to drop early next year, I suspect we will likely see a CDMA handset sport LTE first, likely on Verizon, in the first 3 months of next year. A season can not be 9 months long after all?

Are we parsing a bit too much into a throw away statement? Let us know below.

Via WPCentral.com

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LG LS831 is a Windows Phone 7.5 handset for US CDMA carriers

October 5, 2011 | By Surur

The LG LS831 has just passed through FCC. The device is known to be a Windows Phone 7.5 handset as it has shown up before in WP Bench Benchmarking rankings. The FCC entry now reveals the handset is a CDMA device, meaning it is likely heading for Verizon or Sprint in the USA.

The information should be some reassurance to CDMA users in USA, many who have been complaining that they appear to be left out of the new wave of Windows Phone 7.5 handsets coming this fall.

HTC Trophy, HTC Arrive running Mango start showing up on Verizon, Sprint shelves

September 24, 2011 | By Surur

We know the Mango update is rolling our pretty soon in US, with current rumours pointing to September 27th for both Verizon and AT&T. Now we have reports that new handsets will be sold with the OS already installed.

Via WPCentral.com we have pictures taken at the Verizon store at Broadway & 17th Street, New York of a HTC Trophy running Mango, and similarly an HTC Arrive running Mango showed up at a Sprint Store in Vegas.

Of course what we are all hoping for is brand new handsets running Windows Phone 7.5, but as usual we suspect the CDMA carriers will be last on the list to receive these.

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Verizon Mango update also coming on the 27th September

September 23, 2011 | By Surur

We believe AT&T will roll out the Windows Phone 7.5 Mango update on the 27th, and now Verizon customer support appears to suggest the CDMA carrier will be launching the software update on the same day also.

Of course customer service reps are not always the most knowledgeable and accurate in the world, but the 27th seems as likely a day as any to bring all those HTC Trophies up to date.

Via WPCentral.com

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Verizon CEO Expects Third Mobile Platform to Emerge in 12 months

September 21, 2011 | By Pradeep

Even though Nokia CEO Stephen Elop is telling the fact that Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform will be the third mobile ecosystem after iOS and Android, industry leaders are still considering RIM and others are still in the race for the spot. Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam considers Samsung’s Bada, Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7.5, or RIM’s forthcoming QNX-based BlackBerry are the competitors.

The carriers are beginning to coalesce around the need for a third ecosystem,” said McAdam. “Over the next 12 months I think it will coalesce and you will start to see one emerge as a legitimate third ecosystem.”

TechCrunch’s Jordan Cook thinks it will be between RIM and Microsoft, and expect Microsoft to come out ahead.

Noting that messaging alone will not save Blackberry he observed “messaging in Windows Phone Mango is absolutely killer. Each contact is its own thread, and whether you’re chatting it up on Facebook, in texts, in emails, basically anything, Mango threads it all together into one cohesive conversation. Add to that speech-to-text capabilities and Mango is an easy sell.”

Maybe that’s why 44% of buyers are considering Windows Phone 7 handsets…

Source: Techcrunch

(Note: The article has been modified to correct a misunderstanding about the attribution of a quote. Surur)

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Is the Samsung Omnia 7 coming to USA with a front-facing camera in tow?

September 8, 2011 | By Surur

The Samsung Omnia 7 is one of the most attractive Windows Phone 7 handsets, and so far could be found mainly in Europe.

Now a dual mode GSM/CDMA version of the handset, the SGH-i708, has just passed though the FCC sporting a front facing camera.

The handset sports an extra button on the left of unknown purpose, and has a 2000 mAh battery, but otherwise seems to be the same Samsung Omnia 7 we know and love.

The handset may be coming to Verizon or Sprint, where I suspect it would have done well earlier in the year. However, despite the handset never being available in USA, we are in a global village, and I believe most potential Windows Phone 7 users will know it is an old design, which rather suggests either laziness on Samsung’s side or a massive delay.

Would our CDMA-using readers still buy the handset? Let us know below.

Rumour: Multiple Nokia Windows Phones coming to USA, but not Nokia Sea Ray

August 9, 2011 | By Surur

Nokia Sea Ray not coming to USA?

The (unofficial) Nokia Blog is spreading a rumour that, despite some evidence to the contrary, the Nokia Sea Ray is not in fact coming to USA.

That does not however mean USA would be bereft of Nokia Windows Phone 7 handsets, recently revealed as a major priority for the company.

According to The Nokia Blog’s sources T-Mobile and AT&T are both getting Windows Phone devices that are in the affordable range. Meanwhile Verizon is getting a different Windows Phone of the more high-end variety, which should cheer users unhappy with the relatively pedestrian specs of the Nokia Sea Ray.

Of course if such a wave of handsets were to come to USA it will likely mean they will not be arriving this year. Would our readers in USA prefer a Sea Ray now or to wait for a better Nokia handset later? Let us know below.

Thanks Sean for the tip.

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