BlackBerry Cool readers are very familiar with the application Beyon160. It allows you to use more than the 160 character limit, imposed on BlackBerry users by Verizon, Sprint, Alltel, U.S. Cellular, Bell, Telus, and all other CDMA carriers.
Tag: alltel
Alltel has launched the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230, the first BlackBerry Pearl flip phone. The device is geared towards a younger smartphone user and is meant as an introductory BlackBerry.
This is one of those devices where if you don’t like it, then it isn’t meant for your demographic. Girls, teens and people who enjoy the closure of ending a phone call on a flip phone will love this device.
Features include:
· Internal LCD screen with 240 x 320 resolution
· External screen with 160 x 128 resolution
· SureType QWERTY keyboard
· Trackball navigation
· Built-in GPS with BlackBerry Maps
· 2 mega-pixel camera with video capabilities
· Media player with iTunes and Windows Media Player sync
· HTML browsing
· Expandable memory card slot
· Stereo Bluetooth support
For customers seeking to cut their bills and save during these TETs, Alltel Wireless today announced that they can now add Wireless Internet as a secondary line of service on a Smart Choice Pack for only $40 a month. Typically $60 a month, this option will save new and existing customers almost $250 a year while delivering fast wireless access from the convenience of a laptop or personal computer.
Verizon and AT&T have been neck and neck for the right to call themselves America’s largest carrier, but on January 9th there will be one clear leader. Verizon has announced that their purchase of Alltel, the fifth largest telecom in the United States, will close on January 9th. The merger will bring Verizon’s total share of the market to a whopping 85.2 million wireless subscribers.
The deal includes paying $5.9 billion for Alltel’s privately held equity, as well as assuming $22.2 billion in debt. To finance this massive purchase Verizon Wireless has received commitments from eight financial institutions to provide $17 billion of cold, hard liquidity. It looks like the Verizon ‘can you hear me now’ guy will be working overtime to check up on all his new customers.
|via IntoMobile|
Update: Wow, this thing moved fast. Both Verizon and Alltel are reporting that the the acquisition is now official, with the aggregate value of the transaction being $28.1 billion. Both companies stated that they would like to have the deal completed by the end of the year.
UK-based telecom Vodafone, which has a 45% stake in Verizon, confirm yesterday’s rumors of the big V’s interest in Alltel, the fifth-largest American carrier. The magic number floating around for the Alltel bid is no less than $27 billion.
Vodafone confirms that Verizon Wireless is in advanced discussions regarding the potential acquisition of Alltel Corp. There is no assurance that a transaction will be forthcoming,” the company said in an announcement to the London Stock Exchange.
The acquisition would be the biggest telecom deal since AT&T bought BellSouth in 2006. Adding Alltel’s 13.2 million subscribers to Verizon’s 67.2 million would make them the largest US carrier, usurping AT&T’s 71.4 million customers. Maybe then they’ll get BlackBerrys faster.
What do you think, guys and gals? Is Alltel worth that much, or is it just a play to be number one?
(via Cellular-News)
Lots of guests this week! We talk with both the Yahoo! oneSearch team, as well as Vlingo, the force behind its voice recognition search. We also take some time with Alltel to talk about their upcoming BlackBerry 8330, what plans are available, as well as what it’s like being a CDMA carrier in a GSM world. We also bring in the news, including fresh news on the BlackBerry 9000, a significant raise in BlackBerry’s brand value, the due date for Sprint’s Curve, and plenty more. You can download Episode 27 directly here, get it via feed here, or subscribe via iTunes.
While Sprint’s release date for the BlackBerry 8330 is still in flux, Alltel has gone all official, announcing a May 1st. release date. It’s available for pre-order now on Alltel’s online store for $229.99 after a $100.00 mail-in rebate and a two-year plan.
Bell and Telus up north have already unleashed their devices, but it’s safe to say that most of the big names in the US will have the CDMA Curve ready to rock before WES.
It just doesn’t end, does it? Verizon’s BlackBerry 8830 has been given the red paint job that has become so popular this time of year, and will be available through Verizon’s online store and other retail channels tomorrow for $299.99 on a two-year contract, with a $100 rebate for qualifying voice and data plans. The World Edition is a nice change, since the 8800-series doesn’t get nearly as much colour as the Pearl does. Remember, if you’re ever looking for a quick and painless colour change, DecalGirl has some Solid State skins that can easily do the trick.
A facelifted CDMA Pearl will be available on Alltel this quarter, alongside the LG Scoop and Samsung Muse. The original blue-grey one launched over the holidays, and I guess this red one’s just in time for the coming onslaught of Valentined-up handsets. For info on preorders, head on over to www.alltel.com/style.
Next on the long train of holiday releases is Alltel, who is also busting out the BlackBerry 8130 for holiday season. You’ll be looking at $149.99 after a $100 mail-in-rebate and a two-year plan, but they’re also offering a “My Circle” deal which lets you chose 10 numbers on any network which you can call for free. The features are old hat to most of us by now: GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack, SureType, 2.0 mpx camera with video capture, and preloaded with the Facebook app.
