AT&T’s iPhone sales declined in the third quarter, but that should come as no surprise following Apple’s earnings earlier this week.

AT&T benefited greatly, and exclusively, from the new iPhones previously released by Apple in the third quarters of 2009 and 2010. That didn’t happen this year, and AT&T’s year-over-year wireless revenue growth slowed as a result. The company reported $3.6 billion in profit, declining more than 70% from the year-ago period. Revenues were down 0.3% to $31.5 billion. Read more

SAN DIEGO — The heads of the three largest wireless carriers in the country shared the big stage but no news this morning at CTIA Enterprise & Applications 2011. The 90-minute opening keynote session was “full of platitudes” and signified nothing new, Jan Dawson, chief telecoms analyst at Ovum, remarked in a tweet.

Sprint Chairman and CEO Dan Hesse took the role of industry cheerleader as this year’s chairman of the CTIA board, adding: “Those of us in the wireless industry should be thankful that we’re arguably in the most important industry in the world.” Read more

Apple hit a new record last Friday, surpassing 1 million pre-orders for the new iPhone 4S in the first 24 hours. The previous one-day record, held by the iPhone 4, was 600,000 pre-orders.

The iPhone 4S is the first iPhone available at more than one U.S. carrier at launch. Apple has greater reach now with AT&T, Sprint and Verizon. None of the carriers broke down pre-order sales figures, though more details should come after the iPhone 4S is available for purchase (and begins shipping) this Friday.

Following its pre-order run, it appears all but certain that Apple will break all other previously established records with the iPhone 4S at launch and going forward. Volume totals are likely to be shared by Apple and the carriers when each of the companies release their quarterly earnings in the coming weeks. Read more

**As published in RCR Wireless News**

AT&T Inc. added 1.1 million subscribers during the last quarter, bringing its total to 98.6 million customers. The carrier reported $3.6 billion in net income on revenues of $31.5 billion. Profits are down 10% from the year-ago period, but revenues are up 2.2%.

The carrier, which is pressing ahead with plans to acquire T-Mobile USA Inc. to become the largest carrier in the country, reported 9.5% growth in wireless revenues. Data revenues jumped 23.4% from the previous year. Read more

**As published in RCR Wireless News**

Mobile commerce gained some considerable momentum today when it was announced that the four largest national payments networks would be joining Isis. The national mobile commerce joint venture between Verizon Wireless, AT&T Mobility and T-Mobile USA Inc. will get a significant boost with the help and support of Visa Inc., MasterCard Inc., American Express Co. and Discover Financial Services.

The new partners come on board two and a half months after Isis abandoned plans to build a proprietary payment network with Discover and Barclays Plc and repositioned the venture to become more of an open mobile wallet initiative. Read more

**As published in RCR Wireless News**

I switch smart phones like they’re going out of style. Mostly because they are always going out of style. I’ve broken more carrier contracts and paid for more devices at full retail price than I care to admit.

Last month, it all happened again. I’m one of those defectors who ditched their iPhones with AT&T Mobility and switched to Verizon Wireless.

I’ve been an on-again, off-again iPhone customer with AT&T Mobility through every version that Apple Inc. has released since the summer of 2007. I’ve had many ups and downs with the device and the quality of service AT&T Mobility provides. As a result, I have been tempted away various times along the way to other carriers and devices. But I kept coming back for more. Read more

**As published in RCR Wireless News**

NEW YORK — It finally happened. Verizon Wireless (VZ) is bringing the iPhone 4 to its network, putting to rest a question that’s plagued the wireless industry for years.

After trumpeting the strengths of the carrier’s recently launched LTE network, Verizon Wireless announced that its first version of Apple Inc.’s (AAPL) hit device would only enjoy 3G speeds on its CDMA network.

Verizon has known for some time that “the company that basically invented the smart phone market would have to have a place on our network,” said Lowell McAdam, president and COO at Verizon Communications Inc., Verizon Wireless’ parent company. “Today we are extremely gratified, and I can’t think of a better word, to announce that the iPhone 4″ will be on Verizon’s network. Read more

**As published in RCR Wireless News**

LAS VEGAS — The only thing missing from the Consumer Electronics Show is connectivity. Trying to find a signal of any kind during this geek fest has become more frustrating with each passing year. Today has been no different. In fact, it seems to be even worse.

While AT&T Mobility made all kinds of noise about 4G this morning at its developer conference, my AT&T devices were barely holding on to a 2G signal. Sure, the event was deep inside the bowels of the Palms Casino Resort, but that just begs the question: If AT&T’s coverage sucks there, why did it choose to hold an event for press, analysts and developers there? Read more

**As published in RCR Wireless News**

Each and every jump from one network technology to another presents wireless infrastructure vendors with a chance for new business. And sure enough, changes are afoot in the infrastructure space again today as mobile operators make their climb to fourth-generation networks.

While recent newcomers are making significant wins outside the United States, it’s mostly the incumbents that are winning the biggest network contracts here in a country that has arguably become the early leader in 4G technology deployments.

LTE has presented telecom gear makers with a window of opportunity to shake up the space and see market shares slide every which way between competitors new and old. Read more

**As published in RCR Wireless News**

Vertical markets present wireless carriers with a host of new opportunities and challenges. Just because wireless technology and enterprise infrastructure should work together doesn’t mean they do. As carriers target these new customers and encourage them to move from a wired to a wireless world, they’re adapting their business strategies according to the trends and problems that businesses face in each market.

Carriers Climb the Vertical Ladder (PDF)