From a network and technology perspective, the $39 billion marriage between AT&T and T-Mobile USA is a no-brainer, but the companies may have to do some smooth talking to get the deal approved by regulators. AT&T and T-Mobile USA, which is owned by German phone company Deutsche Telekom, each use the GSM technology and each …

Wireless subscribers looking for the fastest data network available have been waiting with bated breath for Verizon Wireless’s first 4G smartphone. And now the HTC Thunderbolt is here. But one reader wants to know if he should wait for what might be an even snappier 4G phone on Verizon. In this week’s Ask Maggie column, I answer the age-old question …

AT&T is cracking down on unauthorized smartphone tethering. This week the company has been sending out e-mails and text messages to wireless subscribers who have been using their smartphones as modems to connect laptops and other devices to AT&T’s wireless data network without paying the additional $20 tethering fee. Letters and text messages that have been sent to offending subscribers …

Unlimited data will soon be a thing of the past for all AT&T customers, as the company confirms it will put a cap on data usage for its DSL and U-verse broadband services. The blog Broadband Reports confirmed over the weekend that AT&T will introduce a data cap for its broadband services. Customers who exceed a monthly limit of 150GB …

As new smartphones and tablets come on the scene and as operators tweak service plans with new pricing, it’s getting harder to figure out how to get the most bang for your buck. In this week’s Ask Maggie column, I try to help readers figure this out. I offer some advice on whether one reader should splurge on the 3G-enabled …

Clearwire, which is building a nationwide WiMax network in the U.S., announced today that John Stanton will serve as interim CEO, replacing William Morrow, who resigned from the position and the company’s board of directors. Stanton is currently Clearwire’s chairman of the board. Stanton is well-known in the wireless world having served as CEO of Western Wireless, which was acquired …

PopCap Games doesn’t usually race to be among the first to develop for a new platform of any sort, be it a console or a mobile operating system. But the company is breaking from its tradition and working hard on porting its popular Plants vs. Zombies game to Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 platform. “With Microsoft and Windows Phone 7 we …

Cisco Systems said today that it will cut the price of its consumer video-conferencing product called Umi. The product, which first hit the market in October, will now come in two versions. The original product, which transmits video in 1080p resolution, will cost $499 instead of $599. And the company will offer a $399 version that offers 720p video resolution. …

Apple’s iPad 2 is thinner, lighter, and faster than the original, but is it different enough from last year’s model to entice new customers? That’s the big question. Apple sold more than 15 million iPads in 2010. But this week, when Apple introduced the new iPad 2, some people are disappointed that latest version was still missing key features and …

Verizon Wireless has the best wireless service in terms of phone call quality in many parts of the U.S., according to a J.D. Power and Associates survey released today. The semiannual study measures wireless call quality based on seven factors: dropped calls; static/interference; failed call connection on the first try; voice distortion; echoes; no immediate voicemail notification; and no immediate …