Add to del.icio.us     Digg this

Jul. 29, 2009

Verizon Wireless is getting ready to offer a new BlackBerry Storm in September, new Google Android handsets and Motorola smartphones, plus a Palm Pre early in 2010, according to Verizon Communications CEO Denny Strigl in a conference call with wireless analysts late yesterday.

The mobile carrier continues its excellent relationships with LG Electronics and Samsung as well, he said during the call to discuss second-quarter financial results.

Strigl's comments confirmed some earlier reports, but the timing of the Palm Pre hasn’t always been clear. The “early next year” part about the Pre would indicate Sprint’s exclusivity on the device won’t last very long. Sprint launched the device in June.

As for Apple's iPhone, Strigl said it has been successful in expanding the overall smartphone market, and the wireless carrier did notice an impact in the last couple weeks of June, when the $99 iPhone and $199 iPhone 3GS went on sale.

Asked about the current aggressive pricing environment, CFO John Killian said Verizon isn’t losing business to competitors. Its churn rate has more to do with the economy and people losing their jobs, especially since the fall of 2008.

The mobile carrier also offered a bit more clarity on its LTE plans. The current game plan calls for conducting LTE trials in Seattle and Boston later this year, with a commercial launch in up to 30 markets next year.

Verizon's plan is to continue expansion in 2011 and 2012, with the ultimate goal to cover all its POPs with LTE by the end of 2013.

Add to del.icio.us     Digg this

    This article was featured on Business 5.0 and on Tech Blog.

Source: Verizon Wireless.