It appears that a Verizon variant of the LG Optimus II aka Gelato Q handset, known as the VS700 — has just been cleared by the FCC, making this the third operator associated with the upcoming handset.

There was a leaked T-Mobile 2011 Lineup that revealed that the LG Optimus II aka Gelato handset is heading to launch later this year. A recently leaked screenshot (in the first week of June) of Sprint’s inventory system has also revealed the Gelato listing.
The reason this appears to be headed to Verizon, is that the LG Gelato Q that just visited the FCC was given clearance for CDMA/EvDO 850MHz and 1900Mhz frequencies.

We know from T-Mobile’s leaked roadmap, of three LG phones coming to T-Mobile in the near future: the LG Maxx, the LG Maxx Q and the LG “Gelato” Optimus II. Since the “Q” at the end of these names usually stands for “QWERTY,” we can assume the LG Maxx Q will probably have one. This Gelato Q handset’s name also implies that the Gelato would be having a slide-out QWERTY keyboard as well. You may know that the word ‘Gelato’ means Italian ice cream. So you would tend to think that the Gelato might be arriving pre-installed with the Android 2.4 Ice Cream Sandwich OS, which was officially unveiled at the Google I/O 2011 event.

However, if this phone does turn out to be the same as the LG Gelato Q we have already heard about, then we know a bunch of stuff about it already. According to its WURFL XML file, the phone will not launch with ice cream, but instead with Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread, a 800 MHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor (either the MSM7630 or the MSM7230) and a 480×320 pixels resolution screen. Those specs should make the phone a decent contender for the low-end section of the market.

What do you guys think?
Is this the LG Maxx Q, LG Gelato Q, both or neither?
Do you think this is the dual screen device we have seen?
Do you feel there is a market for these lower end smartphones?
Seems the age for these devices keeps getting younger, maybe it suits that bracket best.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

source: FCC

Many have heard about the ATT and T-Mobile merger and the debate around it. Well it seems all this dispute has brought on new action from the FCC. They are now hitting up the other carriers for their opinions on the deal. Before we get to the details, let’s look at what has already happened briefly.

Sprint Nextel, along with thousands of consumers, had filed requests for the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to block AT&T’s proposed acquisition of rival mobile carrier T-Mobile USA. The $39 billion acquisition would create a “Twin Bell duopoly,” giving AT&T and Verizon Communications a combined 82% of the mobile market in the country, Sprint said Tuesday. Approval of the acquisition would take the U.S. mobile market back to the 1980s, when only two carriers had mobile licenses in each area, Sprint said in its 377-page filing.

The FCC’s spectrum auctions that took place in the 1990s,”gave rise to Sprint, T-Mobile, and other wireless carriers, and ushered in an era of competition and growth that has greatly benefited consumers,” Sprint’s representatives wrote. “Wireless competition has sparked a technological revolution in broadband data services, applications and devices. The proposed transaction would turn back the clock on competition and innovation and bring this era of unprecedented wireless expansion and technological innovation to an abrupt, but avoidable, halt.”

The FCC has received more than 10,000 comments about the proposed merger, with many mobile customers submitting one-page form letters from media reform group Free Press in opposition to the deal. Sprint has opposed the deal since the companies first announced it back in March. The deal would merge the second largest mobile carrier in the U.S. with the fourth largest, creating a new leader.

AT&T has argued that it needs T-Mobile’s spectrum to keep up with growing demand for mobile broadband service. Sprint disputed that argument, saying AT&T already controls the most spectrum of any U.S. mobile carrier. AT&T is the “industry laggard” in deploying next-generation mobile broadband, a Sprint source was quoted saying.

These ongoing arguments have led to The FCC sending out a request to carriers asking them for information to help its investigation into the AT&T and T-Mobile deal. Verizon, Sprint, and regional carriers, such as Cellular South and US Cellular were all asked to provide responses to the proposed deal. Each got the same nine questions regarding coverage, cell site ownership, expansion, relationships with AT&T, their future spectrum plans, billing, and competitive reports. The carriers have been given a June 20th deadline, to get their responses filed.

source
FCC Questionnaire (PDF)

What are your thoughts on the merger?
How do you feel about the fact that the FCC is finally looking into it more?
Let me know your thoughts on all of this below.

Verizon is in trouble! The FCC has been called into investigate Verizon blocking access to certain tethering applications. This would violate the open access provision that was put on the Verizon’s C-Block 700 MHz spectrum that they won in the auction back in 2008.

Free Press filed the complaint with the FCC stating that Verizon had blocked access to tethering applications in the Android marketplace.

This being the case Verizon is violating the open access provision.

The open access provision states that that customers have the right to use devices and applications of their choice. By Verizon blocking the Android tethering ability, they are violating that right. By blocking this application, it restricts innovation and opens the door for other companies to follow suit.

Verizon’s spoke person Jeffery Nelson claims that Verizon has not blocked the application and that Google in fact is responsible for managing the Android Market. Developers are required to meet with strict guidelines, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t applications out there that don’t follow compliance. Therefore Google is basically responsible for deciding what apps make it to the market and what apps don’t. Nelson claims that Verizon hasn’t violated any of the FCC regulations but rather has helped bring devices and third party apps to the LTE network through their open development initiative and their plans are to continue.

Free Press which filed the complaint has yet to make any remarks on Verizon’s response, but a representative from Google did release, back in May, that on the Verizon and AT&T networks that customers could not download specific tethering applications from the Android Market. They say they’re not blocking customers from the app, but rather it is unavailable for download on some carriers. They also added that if an application is a direct violation of the terms and conditions of a contract, it can be requested that Google make the application unavailable. This is usually only the case if the app is likely to violate the terms of data usage or something similar.

Verizon says LTE smartphone users can use their free uncapped smartphone tethering app (with a $30 data service package). This is supposed to allow the customers LTE tethering without additional charges.

Source: Fierce Wireless

If you have not already heard about it, this is great news! Apparently the Samsung Galaxy SII rumors are true and this bad boy has been approved by the FCC. What’s so sweet about this device is that it supports 2.4ghz and 5ghz frequencies, meaning it’ll almost certainly come with dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi. We heard this is one of the first phones ever to come with this feature.

Looks like this may also be a hybrid (dual band) device which is great for developers if so. Sources suggest it’s potentially headed to AT&T as well as Canada. Which ever place it will go first it shouldn’t be too much longer before you start seeing images and prices flooding the internet.

For now let us know what you think in the comments box below.

Source: Engadget

UPDATE:
A couple of weeks ago we shared how Verizon Wireless have made a huge mistake and would be paying for it. Now we have more details. They definitely are paying for their mistakes! The FCC is collecting $25 Million from them in fees for this huge error. On top of that fine, at least $52.8 Million is/will be refunded in total so far to customers who inadvertently racked up data charges on their phones over the last three years.

The Federal Communications Commission said the settlement is the largest in its history. They will be checking to see that Verizon does pay out the agreed-to refunds. Verizon Wireless has stated that they will take whatever steps needed to prevent this from happening in the future.

Source: Yahoo
END OF UPDATE:

We know you’ve probably heard it on the news, online or even in your local newspaper. PPCGeeks wants to be able to hear their users concerns so we are sharing this story here on our site as well.

According to FOXNews.com, Verizon Wireless could pay out up to $90 million in refunds to the 15 million cell phone customers who were improperly charged for inadvertent Web access or data usage over the past several years. The investigation started when the FCC asked Verizon, two years ago,  about data charges that appeared on the bills of customers who didn’t have data plans but who accidentally initiated data or Web access by pressing a button on their phones.  Although it’s great to see Verizon owning up to their mistake and trying to correct the problem, questions remain as to why it took Verizon two years to reimburse its customers and why greater disclosure and other corrective actions did not come much, much sooner.” We all make mistakes, but do we make mistakes for this long?

Let us know how you feel about this. Were you one of the customers impacted by this data charge and never even knew it? How does this make you feel about Verizon as a company? We want to hear your stories.

Source: FOXNews.com

The FCC is also investigating $1.99 data charges that are present on customer’s bills. The FCC asked “whether consumers are being charged for minimal, inadvertant use of Verizon’s Mobile Web service, and what notice is being provided to those consumers.” Verizon has until December 17, 2009 to respond to the FCC.

Source: Phone Scoop