Proponents of White Space broadband hope to use the unlicensed and partially vacated spectrum created by the shift to digital television to create a new broadband delivery systemn (and sell hardware using this technology). A coalition of major companies, including Google, Microsoft and Dell recently conquered the objections of Dolly Parton and the broadcasting industry to get FCC approval, and are now moving forward with the technology's first tests. The first tests in the United States of the technology will take place in Claudeville, Virginia, where local schools are getting an added perk:In this instance, the technology is providing backhaul access between the Internet and the local area's Wi-Fi network. Ideally, white space broadband would be used to provide rural last mile access at lower prices.

As part of their "project dark" campaign aimed at improving their U.S. competitive fortunes, T-Mobile has unveiled a slew of new pricing plans. The plans, which don't seem remotely as fascinating as some leaks had suggested, are broken down into two-year contract "More Plus" plans, and contract-free "Even More Plus" plans. There's various pricing depending on minutes or services, but the key "Even More" plan offers unlimited talk, texts and web for $99.99, while biggest "Even More Plus" plan offers the same thing, without a contract, for $79.99. Why is the non-contract price cheaper? Because under "Even More Plus" plans, you pay less for service but you pay full purchase price for a handset.

Continuing their quest to launch eighty markets in eighteen months, Clearwire has announced a slew of new launch markets for November and December. Most notable is Clearwire's much-anticipated launch of the Mobile WiMax service in Chicago and Philadelphia, two markets that have either already unofficially gone live or have been accepting business customers.

As we noted yesterday, AT&T had an explosive quarter, activating 3.2 million new iPhones, 40% of which were purchased by customers new to AT&T. While AT&T has been working to extend their exclusive iPhone distribution agreement with Apple, there's hints that AT&T is preparing for the deal to end.

AT&T has unveiled their third quarter earnings, which among other things indicate the company added the most iPhones ever in a single quarter. According to AT&T, they activated 3.2 million iPhones during the third quarter, with forty percent of those customers new to AT&T.

Rumors now suggest that Verizon's new Android-based Droid phone could be officially announced on October 28, and launched on November 9. Many people are getting postcards inviting them to Motorola and Verizon's October 28 press event. Droid is Verizon's attempt to take on AT&T and the iPhone, and early impressions of the device seem very positive -- though given Verizon's history with closed networks and crippled devices, you have to wonder where the catch will be. The Droid launch is so important to both companies, Verizon and Google have even started pretending they don't hate each other.

Sure, heavy wireless broadband users might call it pure madness, but there are some smartphone users out there who like to ditch the 3G data plan and simply use free Wi-Fi when it's available. To stop this utter insanity (well ok, to further bloat already plump revenues), Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless and AT&T have decided to make $30 data plans for smart phones mandatory. AT&T only recently joined this party. The Consumerist noting how AT&T's deadline for ditching your 3G plan has been extended to October 31, but you'll need the following: story continues..

Last week we noted that Walmart had joined the wireless industry, by offering a new prepaid cellphone service and "unlimited" wireless data. In joining the industry Walmart also apparently decided to embrace the wireless industry's definition of unlimited: namely something with very real limits.

Google's taking their invasion of the wireless space one step further with plans to actually build their own phone, according to The Street. Unlike the existing Android-based phones made by other manufacturers and then sold and often subsidized by carriers, Google is planning to build an unlocked phone they'll then offer directly via retail channels. The move would help hoist a more European approach upon the U.S. Wireless market, enabling consumers to choose their device first -- then go about shopping for a carrier. It also of course could alienate hardware partners and further anger the telcos, who already see Google as a huge threat to their revenues.

With the FCC poised to extend network neutrality principles to wireless services, and carriers like AT&T now allowing Skype over 3G, mobile VoIP is finally gaining traction. It will be a slow climb, suggests Gartner Research. According to Gartner, 50% of mobile voice will be VoIP end to end by 2019, and 30% of mobile voice traffic will originate via content websites that have embedded the functionality into their services.

Google and Virgin America today announced via the Google blog that the two companies would be teaming up to offer Virgin customers free Wi-Fi service on every Virgin America flight between November 10, 2009 and January 15, 2010. Like Delta, American Airlines and United, Virgin is using Aircell's "Gogo" in-flight broadband service. Gogo usually costs $7.95 for smart phone access on flights of any length, $9.95 for regular access on flights of three hours or less, and $12.95 on flights of more than three hours.

Last summer Verizon hinted that they were gearing up to offer discounts for bundling wireless service with TV, DSL or FiOS (they currently only offer wireless users one bill). Today Verizon announced that those bundles had arrived -- at least for consumers in their Northeast and Mid-Atlantic markets.

Ending what's been a long and often thorny relastionship, Sprint has agreed to acquire Sprint affiliate iPCS for $426 million. The Schaumburg, Illinois based company was the last major Sprint affiliate, offering Sprint service to roughly 700,000 customers in the Midwest. In 2008 iPCS legally got Sprint to stop advertising its Nextel service in iPCS territory, arguing it was a breach of contract. iPCS also filed an unsuccessful suit to stop Sprint's creation of the spun-off Mobile WiMax Clearwire venture. The companies will freeze all ongoing litigation "with a final resolution to become effective upon closing of the acquisition," according to Marketwatch.

A few weeks ago Verizon began taking aim at AT&T and Apple by running a suite of ads that mocked AT&T's loose 3G coverage. The company also announced they'd soon be offering new android-based phones. As part of their promotion for the new phones, Verizon's launched a new countdown clock that marks October 30 as a date to watch, though they don't say whether that's a launch date or a date for further announcements. They've also cooked up this spot that takes competitive jabs at what the iPhone doesn't do. The Boy Genius Report has an early hands on look at the new "Droid," so you can make up your own mind.

If you needed any further evidence as to why AT&T and Verizon are so worried about Google Voice, Lifehacker highlights how users have been using Google Voice to make unlimited wireless calls, something many of our users have been doing for a while now. You of course know that most carriers have plans that allow you to call certain favorite numbers without eroding your minutes (Friends & Family, MyFaves, A-List).

Back in 2004, Intel was busy hyping WiMax as "the most important thing since the Internet itself," and blogs and technology analysts were prematurely proclaiming the wireless technology a third pipe competitor to DSL and cable. At the time we tried to temper some of that enthusiasm, noting that WiMax most likely would be a niche player in a very big pond.

Retail juggernaut Walmart announced this morning that the company is now offering nationwide cellphone and mobile data service. According to the company, they're offering two wireless plans starting October 18.

As noted earlier this week, T-Mobile Sidekick users were not only treated to a week-plus long outage, it appeared that they'd lost all of their data as well. Microsoft, who took over the Sidekick system when they acquired Danger Inc. early last year, has now announced that users will in fact be getting their data back. "We are pleased to report that we have recovered most, if not all, customer data for those Sidekick customers whose data was affected by the recent outage," says the company. "We plan to begin restoring users’ personal data as soon as possible, starting with personal contacts, after we have validated the data and our restoration plan."

As expected given their investment into Clearwire and Sprint's Mobile WiMax joint venture, Time Warner Cable today announced plans to offer wireless broadband service. The service is going to be launched December first in the so-called North Carolina Triangle -- Raleigh, Durham, Cary and Chapel Hill -- as well as in Charlotte and Greensboro.

The Wi-Fi Alliance (a 300 member group including heavyweights like Apple, Intel and Cisco) has announced Wi-Fi Direct, a new peer-to-peer wireless networking approach that aims to simplify the way consumer devices connect. According to the Alliance's press release, the new specification will allow Wi-Fi devices to connect to one another without joining a traditional home, office, or hotspot network.