Carrier fines, new MVNO, possible iPad delays … Today’s top stories in mobile and wireless:
(No time to read? Watch the video.)
The Federal Communications Commission has shut down due to the Congressional budget impasse, but when commissioners return to work they plan to fine five carriers for abuses of the Lifeline program. That program pays for wireless service for people who can’t afford it. The government says some carriers are signing up the same people repeatedly.
HTC could face an import ban on its flagship HTC One, thanks to a patent dispute with Nokia. But Qualcomm is reportedly coming to the rescue by redesigning one of the chipsets in the HTC One.
If a new iPad mini is on your holiday shopping list, you may need to make other plans. Apple has yet to announce a new iPad mini, and today reports coming out of Asia say that a launch could be delayed by shortages of retina displays. The retina display is used for iPhones and for the full-size iPads.
And Target is expected to offer prepaid wireless service starting this weekend. The retail giant will reportedly be using T-Mobile’s network for its BrightSpot prepaid offering.
And finally, some good news for travelers. The FAA is moving closer to allowing airline passengers to use Wi-Fi during takeoff and landing. But connecting to cellular networks will still be prohibited, meaning phones need to stay in airplane mode.
