Sprint is getting into the music distribution game today with the launch of its Sprint Music Plus service.

Partnering with RealNetworks, the free Android application lets users manage their existing music library, as well as purchase new music and ringtones. Individual tracks range from 69 cents to $1.29 each, and you can also purchase full albums and ringback tones and ringtones.

In an effort to attract more spending, Sprint will offer bundles of songs with their respective tones should a subscriber opt to pick up all three at once. Any purchases made will be automatically deferred to the monthly service bill where customers will see itemized charges.

I've spent a few hours with the Music Plus application today and find it to be only average as a media player. Compared with the HTC music player that comes with the Evo 4G, it looks partially finished and lacking. What I do like, however, is the ability to create custom ringback tones for my contacts based on individuals, groups, and special occasions. It was very easy to set up a special ringback for select friends, so that they hear a specific song at certain times of the day.

As handy as it is for users to buy tracks and ringtones, I cannot help but feel bad for novice Android users. Paying $2.50 for a ringtone seems silly when Sprint will sell the full song for $1.29 at the most. There are also other applications in the Android Market that allow for cropping tracks into bite-size tones.

However, as an all-in-one app, it's hard to complain much when things are free. Sprint customers can find Music Plus as a free download in the Sprint Zone application today. … Read more

Verizon Wireless has confirmed with us that it will eliminate one-year contracts starting April 17. Verizon spokeswoman Brenda Raney said that most customers sign up for two-year contracts anyway to take advantage of the lower promotional price. She said customers will still have the option of month to month and prepaid if they don't want to opt for the two-year contract. Existing customers with one-year contracts will not be affected.

Google cracks down on fragmentation, but does doing so put the Android Open Source Project's openness in jeopardy? First an app store, then a cloud streaming service, and now is Amazon planning an Android-based phone? What podcatching app do you use on your Android phone? We have the answers to all of these questions, plus Antuan tries to name as many popular Android devices as quickly as he can in this week's episode of Android Atlas Weekly with Justin Eckhouse and Antuan Goodwin.

In addition to mandating that carriers allow data roaming, the Federal Communications Commission used its regular meeting this week to propose tighter regulations for cell phone signal boosters.

The decision, which actually came yesterday, is part of an ongoing discussion within the wireless industry over whether cell phone signal boosters interfere with carrier networks. Rather than approving a request by the CTIA to ban the sale of signal boosters outright, the FCC issued (PDF) a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that proposes guidelines for using boosters safely and effectively.

"Our goal in this proceeding is to facilitate the development … Read more

It's been almost a month since AT&T dropped the $39 billion bomb that it was intending to acquire T-Mobile. And since that time, the wireless world had talked about little else. Indeed, the news of the potential merger dominated the CTIA show last month, and my CNET colleagues and I have fielded many reader questions over the marriage.

Your concerns about a merger are understandable. If approved by the feds, the deal would not only lump 130 million subscribers under one provider, but also it would result in just one GSM national carrier. Higher prices, customer service changes, and degraded coverage are top of mind for many consumers, but divestiture is another consequence to consider. We'll get into the details below, but the short story is that the combined carrier may have to stop service to your area. And if that happens, you can wind up with a different provider that you didn't choose. It's nothing to panic over, but it is something to keep in mind. So for more on divestiture and what it could mean to you, read on.… Read more

After recently adding four devices to its Android lineup, Alltel is becoming quite proud of its smartphone roster. So proud, in fact, that it issued a press release today simply to talk its Android devices up a bit more.

It took the wireless provider longer than some of its competitors to get started, but now the snowball is growing. Alltel kicked off the year with the LG Axis and most recently began offering the Samsung Gem and the HTC Merge. With price points that start at nearly free, customers have multiple manufacturers and user interfaces to choose from.

It's worth pointing out that almost all of Alltel's products are running Android 2.1 or higher, which is an impressive fact that not many other carriers can boast. Even with most of the specs bordering on midrange at best, at least they have access to much of the Android Market's applications.

And in a sign that the carrier wants to be taken more seriously, Alltel now sells the Motorola Milestone X.… Read more

T-Mobile customers will have an option for a cheaper Even More Plus plan starting April 13, according to a leaked document on TmoNews. They will now have an option of $59.99 a month for unlimited talk, text, and data--it used to be $79.99 a month. However, the document indicated that even though the data is "unlimited," T-Mobile will throttle data speeds after 2GB.

T-Mobile's Even More Plus plans are for T-Mobile customers who bought their phone at full price so they can pay less each month, which can save money over time. Even More Plus … Read more

A variant of the Nexus S optimized for AT&T's network has appeared on Samsung's Web site.

Listed with a model number of GT-I9020A, the handset is strikingly similar to the Samsung I9020T currently supported by T-Mobile. The Web site specifically mentions AT&T and references the carrier's UMTS 850/1900 network bands, but with no announcement from Google or AT&T, this remains strictly unofficial at this point.

Given that Sprint recently unveiled its version of the Nexus S, it would not surprise me to see a Verizon variant offered down the road. … Read more

AT&T has increased its early upgrade and no-commitment prices for new phones. Early upgrade pricing affects those who want to get a new handset but are not eligible for an upgrade, while no-commitment pricing affects those who do not want to sign a new contract.

For early upgrades, pricing will go up to $50 for smartphones and $10 for other phones. For no-commitment deals, fees will increase by $50 for smartphones except for the iPhone and $20 for other phones.

AT&T spokesman Seth Bloom told CNET in an e-mail that "as mobile devices become more … Read more