The $49 billion merger of AT&T and DirecTV began so long ago, there aren’t many of alive who can tell the origin story of this long-delayed marriage. Today, it looks federal regulators are willing to give their blessing to the union. [More]
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Bar Sues NFL & DirecTV, Alleging NFL Sunday Ticket Is Illegal Monopoly
By 7.16.15
NFL Sunday Ticket — a pricey add-on sports package that offers live access to every out-of-market Sunday afternoon NFL game — is exclusively available through DirecTV, and will remain that way for years to come. But some bar owners allege that the satellite company’s deal with the NFL creates an illegal monopoly. [More]
T-Mobile Plans To Cover Canada & Mexico At No Extra Charge, But You Must Opt-In
By 7.9.15
We’ve heard numerous stories over the years of Americans who unwittingly or inadvertently tallied up huge voice and data bills while roaming internationally in Canada or Mexico, and wireless providers have been perfectly happy with the substantial fees they earn each year off callers traveling north and south of the border. Today, T-Mobile announced that, starting next week, all its Simple Choice plans will cover calls and data usage in many areas in Canada and Mexico. [More]
AT&T Claims 11.7M People Could Get Gigabit Fiber If DirecTV Merger Approved
By 7.6.15
AT&T and DirecTV are still hoping their mega-merger is on track for approval. While they wait, the FCC has been asking them to clarify some of their earlier statements about why this deal is a good idea for the public. And buried in those new answers is the nugget that post-merger, AT&T plans to bring fiber networks to almost 12 million customers… kind of. [More]
Report: AT&T, DirecTV Merger Likely To Be Approved By Justice Dept. With No Conditions
By 7.1.15
It’s been over a year since AT&T and DirecTV publicly announced their intention to become one big happy mega-media company, and the two are clearly getting a little restless waiting for their approvals. However, it looks like they are about to get the green light they so badly want. [More]
AT&T, CBS Make Nice And Sign New Contract, Avoiding Network Blackout
By 7.1.15
In a nice change for consumers, a content company and a distribution company managed to save everyone the rigamarole of a blackout and a finger-pointing yell-a-thon when they instead settled their differences and negotiated a new contract hours after the old one expired. [More]
Smaller Cable Companies Concerned About AT&T/DirecTV Merger’s Impact On Prices For Regional Sports Networks
By 6.19.15
As we’ve seen with the ongoing locals sports broadcasting messes in Houston, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia, pay-TV operators with exclusive regional and team-specific networks sometimes put too high a price on their content, meaning other providers can’t afford to carry these stations and large swaths of fans are left in the dark. And a trade group representing small and midsize cable operators are worried that this problem may only get worse without certain conditions being put on the pending $49 billion merger of AT&T and DirecTV. [More]
AT&T Faces $100M Fine Over “Unlimited” Data Plans
By 6.17.15
Last year, the Federal Trade Commission sued AT&T over its alleged failure to disclose to subscribers of “unlimited” data plans that their data might actually be throttled. The future of that case is in limbo right now, but today the Federal Communications Commission announced its intention to fine AT&T $100 million over its unlimited data plans. [More]
Comcast Accused Of Deliberately Sabotaging Houston Sports Channel
By 6.11.15
Comcast Sportsnet Houston, which had exclusive access to Houston Rockets and Houston Astros games, was on the air less than a year when it was forced to declare bankruptcy in 2013. Not even a year later, the station — once valued at $700 million — was sold off to a joint venture of DirecTV and AT&T for a whopping $1,000. A new lawsuit accuses the cable company of deliberately submarining CSN Houston. [More]
Appeals Court Won’t Hold Up Enforcement Of Net Neutrality Rules
By 6.11.15
A number of lawsuits filed by telecom and cable companies and their associated trade groups in recent weeks had hoped that the court would block the FCC from enforcing the new net neutrality rules that are slated to kick in tomorrow, June 12. But with the clock ticking to reach that deadline, a federal appeals court has denied this request, meaning that the Open Internet Order will go into effect (at least until lawmakers do their best to de-fund it). [More]
Report: AT&T Wireless Program To Let Subscribers Get Free Data From Advertisers
By 6.11.15
Data is a precious resource for mobile consumers and the wireless companies that serve them. The two are always in a trade-off: data caps, overage pricing, unlimited plans, zero-rating… there are loads of different iterations (and shenanigans) in that sphere. And now, reports indicate AT&T might be trying out a new one. [More]
RadioShack, AT&T, And Verizon Come To Agreement Over Customer Data
By 6.10.15
When quasi-relevant electronics retailer RadioShack declared bankruptcy earlier this year, one worry for consumer advocates was that the company would sell the bushels of consumer data that it has collected on people while selling them batteries. The new owners of the RadioShack brand, General Wireless, agreed to strict terms for consumer data, which now includes segregating data from purchases of AT&T and Verizon Wireless merchandise. [More]
AT&T Exec Says Wireless Companies Soon Won’t Be Footing Bill For Customers’ Devices
By 6.3.15
During the first decade-plus of the 21st century cellphone boom, most of us paid only a fraction of the full retail price for our phones because the wireless companies were willing to pick up the rest in exchange for locking us into 2-year contracts. But with more service providers pushing subscribers into plans that have them paying full price for their devices, the days of getting a new $650 phone for only $200 are quickly fading into memory. [More]
AT&T Still Trying To Wriggle Out Of Federal Throttling Lawsuit
By 5.29.15
Seven months after the Federal Trade Commission sued AT&T’s wireless division for allegedly misleading customers about “unlimited” data plans, and nearly two months after a judge denied AT&T’s attempt to dismiss the case, the Death Star is still trying to choke the government’s lawsuit into submission. [More]
AT&T Wants To Be Able To Charge Video Streaming Services For Exemption From Customers’ Data Caps
By 5.28.15
Data caps on home broadband stink, but they’re also a reality for millions of internet users (and probably soon for all of us). And as the FCC’s new open internet rules go into effect in the coming days to protect net neutrality, they’re also becoming one of the main ways in which ISPs can soak up extra cash from consumers and businesses alike. [More]
AT&T Will Try To Make First Amendment Case Against Net Neutrality
By 5.22.15
When you think of the Internet and First Amendment issues, your mind probably conjures up images of people being able to freely express themselves online through websites, videos, and social media. But if you’re AT&T, the First Amendment was created to give Internet service providers the authority to have some sort of editorial control over the data they carry. [More]
AT&T Ditching 2-Year Contracts At Walmart & Other Retailers
By 5.21.15
In the latest move to nudge new customers into paying full price for their phones, AT&T is going to stop offering 2-year contracts through third party retail stores like Walmart and others. [More]
Survey Says: 30% Of People Who Admit To Tweeting While Driving Do It “All The Time”
By 5.19.15
While we’ve heard of people doing things they shouldn’t be doing while they’re driving — like playing the guitar and taking selfies, not to mention texting — it’s still shocking to look at the numbers tied to distracted driving. A new survey says the trendy thing to do behind the wheel now is using social media like Twitter, with plenty of people admitting they do it “all the time.” [More]
