Then there are the detailed technical issues, the standards and specifications that the FCC requires all handset makers to meet.įollow this with the carrier's own to-do list, supported by weeks of testing and tweaking to get each handset just right, and you start getting a sense of what it takes to get a new phone up and running on an established carrier. Like all things in tech, connecting a hunk of plastic and metal to an invisible network is easier said than done.įirst, there are the practical issues to consider: Is this a GSM or CDMA network is it LTE, HSPA+, or 3G - or all three? Which radio frequency bands will the phone use to draw network resources? Smartphone batteries: Problems and fixes.Mind-numbing mobile plans do buyers no favors.Why the US is poised for off-contract shift.Emerging markets: The smartphone battleground.