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What’s faster, 3G GSM or EVDO? I’ve always wondered that myself, and have basically been resigned to the fact that it’s going to vary by region. Apparently, Computer World wasn’t satisfied with that answer. They went out and tested the 3G networks of AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon. So who came out on top? I guess you’ll have to find out after the jump.

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Just a few notes to round out the week. No matter where we turn, we cannot get away from the iPhone. Maybe RIM will silence the Apple fanboys with the BlackBerry Thunder.

Read the rest of Mobile Notes: Future phone, 3G iPhone, Treo, LiMo…

There’s something to be said for the company that goes its own way. That, despite its status as the No. 5 operator in a market, decides that they’re going to do their own thing, no matter what their competitors decide. Unfortunately, such a maneuver could kill you in the wireless industry. And so Alltel has committed to LTE to drive their 4G platform. It’s not like it was a hard choice. AT&T and Verizon chose it, which means that all the top handsets are going to feature LTE technology. Why purposely separate yourself from such a potentially robust market?

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Are you ready to succumb to the latest trend in communications? No, it’s not the iPhone. Nope, not the BlackBerry Bold. It’s not any phone, per se, but rather every phone. People are ditching their landlines and going cellular-only en masse. The only question that remains is whether you’re ready for the lifestyle. There is enough familiarity and security in a landline that will keep many users around, even if they don’t use it much. But if you’re looking to cut costs and consolidate your phone usage, it might be time for a switch.

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With the barbs tossed between Verizon and Google last week, one probably wouldn’t expect the nation’s No. 2 carrier to join Android. Actually, it probably wasn’t going to happen even before that, as the two companies had a little tiff over the open-access rules for the 700 MHz auction. Not to let the open revolution slip through its fingers, Verizon has joined Android’s rival, LiMo. They now hold the final seat on the foundation’s board of directors.

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It’s the oldest line in the book: Give me time, I can change. Sometimes it’s a sincere overture, sometimes it’s a crock. So what does it mean when Sprint says it? I’m not quite sure. But CEO Dan Hesse has said that turning the ship around won’t happen today, tomorrow, next month, or even next quarter. So what are shareholders to think of this? Essentially, Hesse is saying that they’ll be losing money until (at least) the end of this year. But please, keep your money with us, because it’ll pay off in the long run. With so much at stake, it’s tough to decide what to believe.

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So there was a story making its rounds yesterday about a product called iPhone Black appearing in a drop-down box on the AT&T website. So the Internet clamored. What does it mean, what does it mean? Well, it probably means nothing. And if it does mean something, so what? Errors pop up on websites all the time. But anything for the iPhone, I suppose.

Read the rest of Mobile Notes: iPhone shortage (!!), T-Mobile, Opera Mini, Sprint…

We’ve got all of the first quarter reports in from the major carriers, so it’s time to see who has the highest churn. Well, duh, it’s Sprint, considering they lost over a million subscribers. But who had the most loyal customer base? That would be Verizon. They had a 0.93 percent postpaid churn, and 1.2 percent overall. Their competitors, according to the press release: Carrier X, Carrier Y, Carrier Z. Gee, I wonder if we can figure out who is who!

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All the hoopla in the mobile world this morning is about the new BlackBerry, which was announced at midnight. It’s called the BlackBerry Bold. Look for it on AT&T sometime this summer. Until then, your links:

Read the rest of Mobile Notes: Sprint, Google, BlackBerry, Carphone Warehouse…

Yet another small cell company is absorbed by the big boys. SureWest Communications, a company that services the greater Sacramento area, has been acquired by Verizon Wireless. It’s not a huge transaction, as SureWest had only 50,000 customers, which is a drop in the pan to Verizon’s 67.2 million. But they will be able to strengthen their imprint in Sacramento, which covers about 3.8 million people.

Read the rest of Verizon picks up SureWest Communications…