Ofcom wants huge 4G license fee hike, costs may be passed on to you-know-who

Ofcom wants to atone for 4G auction shorfall

Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator, has proposed an astronomical price hike for networks using the country's radio spectrum, which in some cases would quadruple fees currently being paid.

On Thursday, the government body announced plans to cover the financial failure of this year's 4G spectrum auction, which brought in £1.2 billion less than chancellor George Osborne had envisioned.

If the plans are approved it could mean EE's licensing costs 4G services on the liberated (meaning available for 4G speeds) 900Mhz and 1800Mhz bands could jump from the current £24.9m to £107.1m.

Vodafone and O2 would face a 432 per cent increase in its fees, from £15.6m to £83.1m, while Three would see its bill raised from £8.3m to £35.7m.

The fee increase, which will undoubtedly be fought by all those affected, comes at a time when all of the four major networks are investing countless millions in upgrading their infrastructure for 4G services.

Footing the bill

However, if Ofcom is successful with its plans, it's unlikely that it'll be the likes of EE and Vodafone eating 100 per cent of the price hike. Consumer experts have warned that any up-charge would probably be passed on to smartphone users.

Adam Kirby of uSwitch.com said: "The size of these figures may come as bad news to the mobile networks, but more worryingly could sound alarm bells for consumers.

"The proposed new costs reflect a huge leap in the amount networks will have to pay the regulator for using the spectrum - our concern is that it will be consumers who are left to foot the bill."

A spokesperson for Vodafone criticised Ofcom's plans, saying it could limit the spread of 4G services around the UK.

The company said: "We are disappointed that Ofcom is proposing a 430% increase in the fees we pay for our existing spectrum at a time when we are investing more than ever in vital national digital infrastructure.

"The regulator should be encouraging such private sector investment in infrastructure and new services like 4G, which will benefit consumers, businesses and the wider British economy for many years to come."

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/ofcom-wants-huge-4g-license-fee-hike-costs-may-be-passed-on-to-you-know-who-1188419

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Pantech Vega Secret Note goes official, packs a ton of features

As expected, Pantech took the wraps off its latest Android phablet. The Pantech Vega Secret Note packs a chock full of top shelf specs headed by a fingerprint reader, stylus, and LTE-Advanced support.

The specs of the Pantech Vega Secret Note allow the phablet to easily go head to head with the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. The latest member of the Vega family packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC, 3GB of RAM, 5.9” 1080p LCD display, and 13MP main camera coupled with front-facing unit capable of capturing Full HD videos.

Pantech Vega Secret Note official photos

The phablet has 32GB of built-in memory which can be further expanded. Full connectivity suite is unsurprisingly built-in. The OS on tap is Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.

The Pantech Vega Secret Note measures are 159.4 x 81.5 x 8.85mm, while its weight tips the scale at 190 grams. The device is powered by a 3,200mAh battery.

The phablet will be available on all three major carriers in Korea in black or white. The estimated off-contract price is around $839.

Source (in Korean) | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/pantech_vega_secret_note_goes_official_with_a_chock_full_of_features-news-6960.php

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BlackBerry considers a split-up in search for a buyer

Bloomberg reports that BlackBerry could be forced to consider splitting itself up in order as its potential buyer might not be able to find the funding to afford the buyout.

As we reported earlier Fairfax Financial Holdings has offered BlackBerry the cool $4.7 billion. However, BlackBerry might even get a lot more than this if the company gets divided in several pieces.

SAP AG, Cisco Systems and Samsung Electronics have all been approached by BlackBerry advisers, but have responded that they are only interested in parts of the company. Breaking up would mean that the company will be able to sell its patents and enterprise network (its most valuable assets) to the highest bidder.

"If you break up the company, you're going to get more than the company is worth right now," Sachin Shah, a strategist in special situations and merger arbitrage at Albert Fried & Co, told Bloomberg.

We'll continue to follow how BlackBerry's situation progresses as time goes on. It's quite probable that the Canadian company is going to get sold. However, the real question is what will happen to it after the deal?

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/blackberry_said_to_consider_a_splitup_in_search_for_a_sure_buyer-news-6959.php

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Samsung Galaxy Note 3 now available on Verizon

Samsung and Verizon launched the Galaxy Note 3 today, right on schedule. The phablet flagship costs $299.99 with a two-year contract or $699.99 off contract.

Verizon is also offering the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch accessory. It can be yours for $299.99, but is currently compatible only with the Galaxy Note 3 phablet and the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition. Samsung will add compatibility with mode devices later this year through a software update.

If you want to know more about those gadgets you can check our Galaxy Note 3 review and Galaxy Gear review.

The Wi-Fi-only Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition has also hit the shelves in the USA today. The slate is available through various US retailers and costs $549.99 for the 16GB model and $599.99 for the 32GB version. The Wi-Fi-only model is powered by the Samsung's own Exynos 5420 Octa chipset, not the Snapdragon 800.

Via | Verizon | BestBuy

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_note_3_now_available_on_verizon-news-6958.php

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Hands on: Sony Smartwatch 2 review

We're currently putting the Sony SmartWatch 2 through its paces in our in-depth review, so check back here soon for the full review!

With all the hoo-ha surrounding the Samsung Galaxy Gear, we've take another close look at the other smartwatch - and one with a more obvious name too.

The Sony Smartwatch 2 doesn't attempt to do as much as the recently-announced Galaxy Gear, but it's a sleeker and more focused beast as a result.

Shorn of the need to speak to your wrist, the Smartwatch 2 instead becomes a companion to smartphones running Android 4.0 and above, offering more basic functionality.

The Smartwatch 2 is decently designed - there are metal and rubber watch straps to choose from, and without the camera that adorns the Gear you've got far more flexibility, as most standard straps fit the watch.

It looks far more like a watch than the Samsung version for one simple reason: it doesn't have to turn off. The power key on the side is there for when you want to fire the display up a notch, but in general standby mode the display will revert to a low-power clock face.

It's a little tricky to hit that side button, but it's chunky and easy to find without twisting your wrist in a rather unnatural way to see where you're pressing.

Otherwise, the design of the Smartwatch 2 ticks all the boxes we could have hoped for, in that it's sleek, light enough to be unobtrusive and looks premium. Most importantly of all, it doesn't look like a geeky smartwatch. It's more something like a fashion house of Diesel's nature might come up with.

The main draw of the Smartwatch 2 (Sony is keen to point out this is actually the third or fourth iteration of its wrist-based gadgetry, but the naming convention took precedence here) is the fact it's not only touchscreen based but runs a heavily cut-down version of its Android overlay.

It's a very simple system to cycle through, with homescreens expanding as you download more apps for your watch. These are increasing all the time, and while there's no specific number to crow about, privately Sony is pretty chirpy about how far ahead of its South Korean watch-rival it is in terms of app numbers.

The screen is 1.6-inches with 220 x 176 resolution, which is smaller and lower res than the Galaxy Gear. It's not high resolution either, and feels like a companion device when flicking through the apps rather than giving the 'headliner' feel that you get with the Gear.

That said, at least Sony's Smartwatch 2 is water resistant, coming in with an IP57 rating to make it something you can keep on the wrist when washing up.

It's also got a much longer battery life, with 6-7 days apparently easy to manage if you only use it to get text notifications and call updates on the arm.

And the final kicker? It's only going to cost around £170. The Gear will be nearly double that.

Early verdict

The Sony Smartwatch 2 is the ideal companion for your Android Ice Cream Sandwich or above smartphone, making it an almost universally appealing device.

It's got sleek lines, a lower price and a decent range of apps available at launch, making it a toy you can legitimately ask for at Christmas and then spend all day playing with.

The Smartwatch 2 doesn't suffer from the lag we've seen with so many other smartwatches, and a long battery life makes it a much better proposition for the charging-naysayer than the Galaxy Gear.

Technologically speaking, it doesn't have the specs to match the Gear, nor does it have the functionality.

But for those looking for a simple device that quietly alerts them to texts, calls and Facebook updates, this could be an ideal candidate to replace the Timex.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/reviews/gadgets/sony-smartwatch-2-1161409/review

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Apple reportedly halves the iPhone 5c production orders

Apple iPhone 5c might be in trouble. The latest report coming from the guys over CTechCN, suggests Apple has halved the iPhone 5c production to 150,000 units per day compared to the initial 300,000 order. CTechCN has proven trustworthy with numerous iPhone 5c leaks in the past and there is a good chance it is right once again.

The Apple iPhone 5c was rumored long before its premiere as an affordable alternative to Apple's flagship, helping the company storm the world's biggest market - China. Unfortunately the case turned out to be different and the 5c was priced quite close the iPhone 5s flagship.

It appears that China has not reacted particularly favorably to the iPhone 5c and the country's thriving gray market has dropped the price of the smartphone to $500, good 30% lower than the official asking price of $725. This being a market that is much quicker to adapt to demand, the price drop probably suggests consumer interest is as low as we expected it will be.

Even though the iPhone sales were off to a record-breaking start Apple didn't share a breakdown of those. We guess the iPhone 5s is the one behind the huge numbers though, while the unlikable iPhone 5c is just being the unattractive wingman.

Source 1 | Source 2

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_iphone_5c_production_reportedly_halved-news-6957.php

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LG outs G Pro Lite - 5.5 qHD, stylus, dual-core, this month

This is the new LG G Pro Lite. It's meant to bring some of the Optimus G Pro experience to a more money-conscious crowd and brings the welcome bonus that is a digital pen. It will offer a single and dual-SIM option and be available this month in South America, followed by Russia, China, India and various markets in the Middle East and Asia.

LG G Pro Lite official photos

The LG G Pro Lite sports a 5.5" qHD (960 x 540 pixels) LCD display, dual-core MediaTek MT6577 1.0 GHz processor, 7.2 Mbps HSDPA, 1 GB of RAM, 8 gigs of on-board storage along with a microSD card.

LG G Pro Lite

There's a Stylus Pen, which has its own slot in the phone and stereo speakers. On the inside Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 is in charge of operations.

The dual-SIM variant has capacitive touch keys with a dedicated Hot Key for switching SIMs, whereas the single-SIM option features a regular home button. The rest of the highlights include an 8 MP snapper with a backside-illuminated sensor and a 1.3 MP front-facing camera.

The LG G Pro Lite weighs 161 g and measures 150.2x76.9x9.4 mm. It will come in Black and White color options and will make its world debut this month in Latin America followed by select Asia markets and, Russia. The price is yet to be confirmed.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_outs_g_pro_lite__55_qhd_stylus_dualcore_this_month-news-6956.php

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Samsung said to release the Galaxy S5 in January

According to Korean media outlets citing sources inside Samsung, the Galaxy S5 will see its official announcement in January next year. The earlier than expected release is dictated by the disappointing sales of the Galaxy S4.

It appears that despite the excellent sales performance of the flagship, Samsung is still not really pleased and think it could've done better. As a result, the company is pushing the Galaxy S5 release to mid-January, instead of March as was the case this year and May as it was in 2012.

The actual market availability of the next Samsung flagship is tipped for February, which makes sense if the actual announcement is pulled for the start of the year.

As far as actual specifications of the Galaxy S5 are concerned, Samsung is expected to debut its 64-bitExynos 5430 chip, which will feature 8 cores with Heterogeneous Multi-Processing capabilities.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is tipped to boast an updated 16MP camera with enhanced low-light performance and optical image stabilization. Earlier, the company unveiled its ISOCELL image sensor, which is expected to debut on the upcoming flaghip.

All of the information above is nothing more than speculation and hasn't been confirmed by Samsung in any way. However, given that Samsung has pushed its last flagship 10 months after its predecessor, it won't be a surprise if we get another update just as quickly.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_suggested_to_release_the_galaxy_s5_in_january-news-6955.php

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HTC One Max appears in public, plus details on the fingerprint scanner

The One Max edges closer to reality

The HTC One Max is becoming increasingly more likely as the almost constant stream of rumours, leaks and speculation reaches tipping point - and now it has apparently been spotted in public.

According to a posting on the Chinese social site Weibo, on user managed to snap a picture of the HTC One Max in action while riding on public transport - and it looks huge.

Of course there's no guaranteeing that this picture is legit - it could of course be the work of someone who's a dab hand on Photoshop - but it appears to be consistent with rumours of a 5.9-inch, full HD device with the same stylings as the HTC One.

Fingers at the ready

That's not all though, as Chinese site Ctech has also spotted an image on the same social site which refers to the fingerprint scanner touted for the rear of the One Max.

While there's not a huge amount of detail to be gained here, it appears the HTC One Max will be able to recognise all your fingers, from thumb to pinkie, potentially allowing different digits to perform different tasks.

This could see great functionality over Apple's TouchID system which features on the iPhone 5S - where users can unlock and makes payments with their print, but do little else.

Various reports suggest HTC may be planning a One Max launch event sometime in the next week or so, with October 15 and October 17 being mooted as possible dates.

• What we know so far: HTC One Max release date, news and rumours

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/htc-one-max-appears-in-public-plus-details-on-the-fingerprint-scanner-1188261

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Nokia Lumia 1320 said to be big screen Batman phone

Nokia's not given us everything, not yet

Nokia is expected to announce six devices at its October 22 event, and one of them we might be seeing is the Nokia Lumia 1320 Windows phone.

The first we heard was from evleaks, who first tweeted that the "Batman" codename was being used for the Lumia 1320 although didn't elaborate further.

This was followed up when sources speaking to The Verge said that the handset will be the top low-end Windows Phone with specs comparable to the Lumia 625.

It's all part of the plan

Nokia is reportedly packing the 1320 with a large screen in the same vein of the 625, while the Dark Knight will also include a 5MP rear snapper and front-facing VGA camera.

Nokia has done dealings with Batman before with a special bat-themed Lumia 800 to tie in with the release of The Dark Knight Rises - although there's no guarantee of a superhero tie-in come launch.

We're expecting the Nokia Lumia 1520 phablet handset to be unveiled at the big Nokia event later this month, but what else has Nokia got up its sleeve? We'll either die heroes or live long enough to find out.

• Is the Nokia Lumia 1020 the camera phone you deserve, or the one you need right now?

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/nokia-lumia-1320-said-to-be-big-screen-batman-phone-1188239

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NTT DoCoMo unveils extensive roster of phones, Galaxy J in tow

NTT DoCoMo unveiled a whole roster of new devices for its Winter 2013/Spring 2014 lineup, not just the Xperia Z1 f. Some of those are current devices, though some seem to have differences.

Samsung Galaxy J SC-02F

The Galaxy J is a Galaxy S4 LTE-A version, with a 5" 1080p Super AMOLED screen, Snapdragon 800 chipset, LTE-Advanced connectivity (as all S800-powered phones here) and a 13MP camera. It packs a 2,600mAh battery.

The Samsung Galaxy J will launch at the end of October.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 SC-01F

Then there's the Galaxy Note 3, which is virtually identical to the global version of the N9005 Note 3 (that's the Snapdragon 800 one), except it packs FeliCa NFC, much like the rest of the new devices.

The Note 3 will be released on October 17. The NTT DoCoMo will also be carrying the Galaxy Gear smartwatch, though the launch date for that one is unclear.

LG G2 L-01F

The G2 seems almost identical to the global version, except it has a 2,900mAh battery, not 3,000mAh. And unlike the Korean version, it doesn’t seem to have a card slot to compensate.

This one will be available on October 11.

Sony Xperia Z1 f and Xperia Z1

The Sony Xperia Z1 is virtually identical to the worldwide version, it will launch October 24. The mini version, Z1 f, will come out later at the end of December.

Fujitsu Arrows NX F-01F

The Arrows NX challenges the Xperia Z1 with a 5" 1080p LCD screen, Snapdragon 800 chipset, Android 4.2, 13MP camera and an IP58 certification.

It has a 3,200mAh battery and will launch on the same date as the Z1, October 21.

Sharp Aquos ZETA SH-01F / Dragon Quest

Sharp has a water-resistant 5" 1080p phone too, the Aquos Zeta. It has a Snapdragon 800 chipset and a 16MP camera, plus a 3,000mAh battery. This one is slated for the beginning of November.

The ZETA will have a special Dragon Quest-themed version coming out in December too.

Sharp Aquos EX SH-02F

Later on in January, NTT DoCoMo will release a smaller Snapdragon 800-powered Android 4.2 phone by Sharp, the Aquos EX. This one has a 4.5" 1080p LCD screen, a 13MP camera and a 2,120mAh battery.

Disney Mobile F-03F

Fujitsu has a kid-friendly Disney-themed phone for the middle of December, but the specs are pretty great for a kid phone – a 4.7" 720p screen, Snapdragon 800 chipset, 13MP camera, 2,600mAh battery and IP58 certification.

Juniors2 SH-03F

Sharp has a kid-friendly phone as well, the Juniors2. It's lower-end with a 4.1" qHD screen, dual-core Snapdragon S4 Plus chipset (2x 1.5GHz Krait). It has a small 1,660mAh battery, slower Xi LTE (75Mbps downlink and 25Mbps uplink) and a 12MP camera, but it still comes with IP57 certification.

This one will come out in February.

P-01F and N-01F feature phones

NTT DoCoMo has two feature phones coming out, one at the beginning of November and one at the end. Both are flip phones with 3.4" FWVGA screens, 7.2Mbps HSDPA and IP57 certification. The first one is by Panasonic and has a 5MP camera, 0.9" external display and 800mAh battery.

The second one is by NEC and has a higher-resolution 8MP camera, bigger 1,010mAh battery and a 0.8" external screen.

Fujitsu Arrows Tablet

Fujitsu has also made a 10.1" tablet with a WQXGA screen (2,560 x 1,600), Snapdragon 800 chipset, Android 4.2 and IP58 certification. The tablet is powered by Android 4.2 and a 9,600mAh battery.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/ntt_docomo_unveils_extensive_roster_of_phones-news-6954.php

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iPhone trade-in coming to UK Apple Stores soon?

Would you go direct to Apple to upgrade?

Apple looks set to roll out an iPhone reuse and recycling programme in the UK in the coming months and if it does, it will allow customers to bring an old iPhone into an Apple Store and exchange it for some credit towards a new one.

It's already launched in the US in August, but according to a source who spoke with 9to5Mac, Apple has begun preparing training materials for a UK based version of the iPhone trade in service and has even started training staff in a few stores.

Old for new

The service won't likely launch until staff in all stores are trained up, but when it does you can expect to be offered a price for your old phone based on its condition.

However, assuming the system is the same as that in the US, the credit must be used then and there and can only be used towards a new iPhone, so if you're looking to jump ship this isn't the way to go.

Apple has offered a similar scheme online for a while now and the online version is actually more flexible as you're not limited to just trading in an iPhone or only using your credit on a new iPhone. On the other hand it's a whole lot less convenient as you have to ship your device to Apple.

Whether convenience will win the day here remains to be seen, but it looks like customers will soon at least have the option.

• Has this news got you eyeing up a new iPhone? Then see what we thought of the iPhone 5S.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/iphone-trade-in-coming-to-uk-apple-stores-soon--1188198

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Case-maker SPIGEN releases another image of Nexus 5

Case-maker SPIGEN leaked the Nexus 5 yet again with a nice photo of the back. It was no mistake either, the Google+ post is tagged #google #nexus5.

The image shows the characteristic large circle around the back camera, which according to a leaked manual is an 8MP OIS-enabled shooter.

There's also an obscured peek at the front and the 5" 1080p screen, showing the stock wallpaper that debuted with Android 4.2. Considering 4.3 brought its own default wallpaper and the Nexus 5 is supposed to launch with Android 4.4 KitKat, this is likely an old render.

Still, is it just us or is the side bezel of the phone a gold color (and so are the "BE READY" letters)? It's probably just a case SPIGEN is working on, but as we've seen recently, gold is the hot new color to have recently, so Google and LG may have hopped on that train too.

According to an earlier leak by SPIGEN, the Nexus 5 will launch on October 31, but newer info suggests October 30 is the date.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/casemaker_spigen_releases_another_image_of_nexus_5-news-6953.php

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Windows Phone 8.1 may feature on tablets too

Getting ready for the big screen?

Word's afoot that Microsoft is supposedly planning on bringing its Windows Phone platform to larger devices - namely tablet computers.

According to Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows (yes, that is its actual name), a Microsoft engineer has spilled the beans on plans for the Windows Phone 8.1 update.

The source claims that Windows Phone 8.1 will support screen sizes between 7 and 10 inches, while an update ahead of this - codenamed "GDR3" - will see 5 to 6-inch display support.

GDR3 could potentially arrive alongside the much-hyped Nokia Lumia 1520 at the Nokia World event on October 22 - so keep an eye out for that.

One app fits all

We've already heard that Microsoft is looking to unify its desktop, tablet and smartphone systems, and according to the report Windows Phone 8.1 will allow developers to create one app which works across WP smartphones and Windows RT slates.

If Windows Phone 8.1 does turn up supporting the larger screen sizes mentioned it would be directly challenging all the Windows RT and Windows 8 tablets, which could lead to some serious confusion amongst consumers.

Paul Thurrott himself has noted this information comes from just a single source within Microsoft, and although he says it's "verified", we're not getting carried away just yet.

• Want to know more about Microsoft's mobile OS? Check out our Windows Phone 8 review

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/tablets/windows-phone-8-1-may-feature-on-tablets-too-1188179

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