The proposed debt ceiling bill that Congress is expected to pass in the next day or so will not give the Federal Communications Commission authority to auction additional wireless spectrum. But that doesn’t mean that wireless incentive auctions are dead. Wireless experts in Washington, D.C. say Congress could tack on the authorization for the FCC …

Internet access on the go for business travelers is like water to a fish; it’s a necessity. So it’s not surprising that thousands of passengers who travel up and down the Northeast corridor on Amtrak’s Acela Express train are ready to pull their hair out when the free Wi-Fi is so sluggish it brings their productivity to a halt. In …

AT&T may be looking at new ways to control data hogs on its wireless network. The company is rumored to be considering throttling super-heavy data users and restricting them to slower speeds in an effort to better manage its network and keep up with demand for mobile data, according to the blog 9to5mac. The new policy could start the first …

Children who use cell phones are at no greater risk of developing brain tumors, the latest paper in a series of epidemiological studies suggests. The study, which was conducted in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Switzerland, was recently published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. It surveyed almost 1,000 children between ages 7 and 19. The group looked at …

Motorola Mobility stood its ground in the second quarter of 2011 in the ultracompetitive mobile market, reporting quarterly results slightly ahead of expectations. The company today beat analyst expectations by reporting earnings of 9 cents per share for the quarter on revenue of $3.3 billion. Analysts had expected the company to report earnings of 6 cents a share on revenue …

Vonage is sweetening its Internet calling service by extending its international unlimited calling plans to mobile phones. The company today introduced Vonage Extensions, which basically extends its home voice calling service to any cell phone. This means that customers who subscribe to the company’s $25.99 Vonage World service will be able to make an unlimited number of calls and talk …

A group of 29 universities in the U.S. is banding together to bring ultra-high-speed broadband access to the communities surrounding their campuses in an effort to attract start-ups and spur innovation. The project, called Gig.U, was announced today and aims to build world-class broadband infrastructure to attract high-tech start-ups to areas close to universities. Some of the sectors the project …

AT&T filed additional information to the Federal Communications Commission late yesterday to support its claims that wireless pricing will fall and service quality will rise if regulators approve its $39 billion takeover of T-Mobile USA. AT&T has said since the deal was announced in March that it would benefit consumers with lower prices and improved service quality. Last week, the …

Congressional leaders seem to be throwing everything but the kitchen sink into the debate over the budget and raising the debt ceiling. Now it looks like the incentive wireless spectrum auctions proposed by the Federal Communications Commission may end up as part of a package that is being hashed out by Republicans and Democrats in Washington, D.C. On Monday, Senate …

With the next version of the iPhone just around the corner, some Google Android owners are having smartphone envy. Last week in Ask Maggie I detailed the ins and outs of ditching the iPhone for an Android smartphone. This week, I explain how to make the switch in the other direction. The good news is that it may be a …