Looking for Wireless Innovation? Try Comcast

This could be a moment when the U.S. smartphone industry begins to change its ways for the better as pocket-sized supercomputers become essential.

I'm not talking about the launch of the newest iPhone model but about something far more fundamental: How Americans' smartphones access the internet. Cable company Comcast said Tuesday that it would proceed with a long-gestating plan to sell wireless phone service -- with a twist. Comcast's plan essentially involves a hybrid of home broadband and cellular airwaves. Calls, texts and web surfing on smartphones will be routed over Wi-Fi when it's available and, in principle, switch automatically to cellular networks when it isn't.