For years, the growing number of video streaming services available to TV viewers has eaten away at the subscriber base for pay-TV services. Traditional cable providers have avoided disaster thus far because even if customers cancel their TV package they still need to purchase their internet access from somebody (and many of us don’t have a choice about where to buy it). But satellite providers like DirecTV and Dish face the looming threat of cord-cutting without anything to offer cord-cutters other than ugly roof decor. [More]
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AT&T And Time Warner Extend Deadline For $85.4B Merger, Promise It’s Still Happening
By 10.24.17
Just over a year ago, AT&T and Time Warner proposed one of the biggest mergers of all time, a $85.4 billion deal that would bring together the owners of CNN, HBO, and DirecTV in a single company. The merger had a deadline of Oct. 22, which the companies have extended for an unspecified “short period of time” to gain regulatory approval in the United States. [More]
DirecTV Won’t Confirm Or Deny Reports It’s Letting Upset Customers Cancel NFL Sunday Ticket
By 9.28.17
DirecTV’s NFL Sunday Ticket is such a massive money-maker for the satellite company that its exclusive arrangement with the NFL for this package was a make-or-break aspect of AT&T’s decision to acquire DirecTV. Yet some reports claim that DirecTV is willing to let subscribers part with this pricey package, which costs around $300 per year, if they simply say they are upset over some NFL players kneeling or locking arms during the “Star-Spangled Banner.” [More]
The 5 Best Parts From John Oliver’s Report On Corporate Mergers
By 9.25.17
You don’t have to read the business pages to know that recent decades have resulted in massive corporate consolidation. Whether it’s air travel, wireless service, internet, banking, or eyeglasses, a number of industries have enjoyed such merger mania that only a few national competitors remain. [More]
AT&T Expands Free HBO Offer To Include All Unlimited Wireless Plans
By 9.12.17
Five months after announcing that customers on its Unlimited Plus plan would get complimentary HBO access, AT&T says members of its cheaper Unlimited Choice wireless option will also be able to stream as much Game of Thrones as they want for free. [More]
Here’s The Stuff You Really Want To Know About Apple’s New iPhone 8 And iPhone X
By 9.12.17 — Updated: 9.19.17
It’s been rumored for months, and recently leaked in detail but finally, confirmation day has come: Apple announced new iPhones and a slew of other stuff today at an event in Cupertino.
[More]
Here’s How Wireless Companies Are Offering Help To Customers In Hurricane-Ravaged Areas
By 8.28.17
In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, wireless networks are experiencing outages, leaving some customers without reliable cellphone service. The four major providers are now stepping up to offer help by way of waiving service fees or offering extra data. [More]
Court Throws Out AT&T’s Effort To Block Google Fiber In Louisville
By 8.17.17
Competition in broadband and cable is scarce at best. That’s in part because when a new player does try to build service somewhere, incumbents like AT&T will pull every legal maneuver they can to try and block it. But one court has now ruled on a contentious case in Louisville, KY, throwing out AT&T’s lawsuit and paving the way for competition to come to town. [More]
Utility Worker Accused Of Shooting Dog During Surveying Work For AT&T
By 7.31.17
A family in Michigan kept their dog safe in their own front lawn, hanging out behind an invisible fence. The problem with invisible fences, though, is that people wandering through the neighborhood don’t know that they’re present. Like the man who was reportedly performing surveying work for an AT&T contractor, and fatally shot the family’s dog, which he thought was attacking him. [More]
Today In Streaming TV: PlayStation Vue Comes To Cable, Facebook TV Coming Soon, DirecTV Now Grows
By 7.26.17
It hasn’t been that long since the idea of being able to get all of your TV through the internet was still some far-off future. But by now, we get streaming TV news from the oldest of old-school companies, AT&T, and the new giants, like Facebook, all at once. So here’s what’s shaking in the world of streaming TV this week. [More]
Here’s What Comcast, Verizon, Netflix, And Everyone Else Has To Say About Net Neutrality
By 7.18.17
The initial comment deadline in the FCC’s proceeding to kill off the 2015 Open Internet Rule — that’s net neutrality, to most of us — has now come and gone. More than 8.9 million comments have already come in since May, blowing away the 4 million comment record set by the last time net neutrality came before the Commission in 2014. [More]
No, AT&T, Comcast, And Verizon Are Not Suddenly In Favor Of Net Neutrality
By 7.12.17
Today’s net neutrality day of action has brought out all the usual suspects in favor of keeping the internet free and accessible, but a few unexpected names have shown up today, too. Along with companies like Google, Netflix, Twitter, Facebook, and Amazon, we’re suddenly seeing AT&T, Comcast, and a couple of telecom lobbying groups out in front, claiming they love net neutrality. But is it true?
Spoiler: Nope. [More]
Why Is Verizon Charging $3/Month For Call-Blocking Service That Others Offer For Free?
By 7.5.17
Verizon Wireless now offers a service that is intended to help users block phone spam and robocalls. It appears to be quite similar to a service launched in late 2016 by AT&T or the anti-scam features introduced by T-Mobile earlier this year. But while those services are both free to use, Verizon customers will have to pay $2.99/month for this option. [More]
There’s A Decent Chance Your Local AT&T Store Is Actually Owned By GameStop
By 6.21.17 — Updated: 6.22.17
When you walk into a store with an “AT&T” sign overhead, you might assume that the employees you’re speaking with work for AT&T. The telecom giant’s sweet-but-bemused store manager character “Lily” may have dominated the company’s TV advertising over the past three years, but what you may not know is that a growing number of AT&T-branded stores are actually owned and operated by third-party companies. [More]
T-Mobile Will Pay Off Verizon Customers’ iPhones If They Switch (And Pay For Insurance)
By 5.24.17
T-Mobile is once again trying to lure away customers from a bigger wireless provider, this time offering to pay off the remaining iPhone (or Google Pixel) payments for Verizon customers willing to jump ship… and also willing to toss away $15/month on insurance. [More]
You Still Hate Your Cable Company As Much As Ever, But Think Your Mobile Carrier’s All Right
By 5.23.17
Every year, a major customer satisfaction survey comes out with an updated look at how the country’s cable, phone, and pay-TV companies are doing. And every year, it turns out the answer is still: really badly. But while many cable companies continue to suck, one trend is clear — the more competition there is, the higher the satisfaction scores tend to be. [More]
AT&T, DirecTV Workers In 36 States Walk Off Job For 3-Day Strike
By 5.19.17 — Updated: 5.25.17
AT&T customers could find it difficult to obtain help this weekend if something were to happen to their DirecTV, U-Verse, or AT&T wireless service, as AT&T union workers walked off the job today following failed contract negotiations. [More]
AT&T, DirecTV Reportedly Overcharged Thousands Of Customers
By 5.17.17
When you get promised one rate and charged another, it’s frustrating. When it happens to thousands of customers getting service from the same company all at once, it’s probably a sign of a systematic problem. And one report now says thousands of AT&T and DirecTV customers have been complaining about exactly that for years. [More]
