The mega-rich can dabble in pretty much any business they want to. Warren Buffet owns everything from furniture stores to ice cream chains. Richard Branson started a commercial spaceflight company, for crying out loud. And yet with demand for high-speed, affordable internet access going only up, up, and up, no new business or venture capitalist seems to be stepping into the fray to provide it. People passionately hate their current cable companies — so what’s stopping an enterprising entrepreneur from making a giant wad of cash entering the telecom game? [More]
at&t
Why Starting A Competitor To Comcast Is Basically Impossible
By 5.10.14
AT&T And DirecTV Meeting Up For Coffee To See If There Is A Merger Spark There
By 5.8.14
After liking each other’s profile photos on OKtelecupid.com, a corporate dating site we just made up, AT&T and DirecTV are taking the all-important next step of meeting up for coffee and chat (along with regular bathroom breaks to text their bankers with updates) to see if wedded bliss is in their future. [More]
T-Mobile Added More New Customers Than AT&T, Verizon Combined
By 5.1.14
Here’s some further evidence that breaking up AT&T’s plan to buy T-Mobile was the right decision: In the last quarter, the little magenta wireless provider added 1.3 million new subscribers, nearly 200,000 more than AT&T and Verizon combined during the same time period. [More]
AT&T Reportedly Interested In Wooing DirecTV, Completing Death Star
By 5.1.14
While the pending marriage of Comcast and Time Warner Cable has had people thinking about DirecTV and Dish giving wedded bliss another try, a new report says a different suitor has DirecTV in its lustful gaze: AT&T. [More]
AT&T Joins Forces With Honeywell To Announce New Inflight Internet Service To Rival Gogo
By 4.29.14
While Gogo Inc. is currently sitting quite pretty with about 80% of all wired commercial aircraft in the United States using its cellular network-based technology to keep passengers on the Internet while in flight. But there’s a new kid on the block ready to shake things up, in the form of an AT&T and Honeywell joint effort. [More]
Amazon’s Phone To Reportedly Offer Mysterious “Prime Data”
By 4.25.14
Because there isn’t a business Amazon doesn’t want to involve itself in, and because it loves throwing the term Prime around, a new report claims the online retailer’s upcoming smartphone will offer “Prime Data,” though what exactly that means is a source of speculation. [More]
Don’t Believe Comcast… Mobile Broadband Is Not Competition For Cable Internet
By 4.24.14
Merger-mad Comcast and Time Warner Cable would have you believe that they are in direct competition with mobile broadband. And Verizon has successfully misled the state of New Jersey into thinking that accessing the web on your phone is the same as having a high-speed data connection to your home. Both of these conceits may someday be accurate, but the reality of the here-and-now is quite different. [More]
AT&T Throwing Its Hat In The Online Video Ring With New Venture
By 4.22.14
Times used to be, the only kids on the block offering online video services were Netflix and Hulu. But slowly, ever so slowly, the smell of money to be made has been luring competitors like Amazon and Youtube and now, AT&T. The telecommunications company announced a new $500 million deal to start its own online video venture. [More]
Spooked By Specter Of Competition, AT&T Considering Gigabit Fiber Expansion In 25 Cities
By 4.21.14
In a move that could theoretically bring something like the actual first glimmering hint of real broadband competition to a couple million more consumers nationwide, AT&T today announced major plans for expansion to their “GigaPower” Uverse service. The expansion could potentially bring the gigabit fiber broadband network to as many as 25 major metropolitan areas. [More]
AT&T, Verizon, Sprint Disabling Samsung Galaxy S5’s “Download Booster” Feature
By 4.11.14
Isn’t it awesome when a smartphone manufacturer comes up with a really interesting feature, only to have it crippled by your wireless provider? That’s what has happened to the Samsung Galaxy S5’s “download booster” functionality that simultaneously pairs available WiFi and LTE service for more rapid downloads. It’s an interesting feature, but one to which AT&T, Verizon and Sprint customers won’t have access, at least at launch. [More]
Comcast Officially Files for TWC Merger, Claims Broadband Competition Is Fine Because You Have A Smartphone
By 4.8.14
It’s a big day for Comcast: not only did they win a big old golden poo this morning, but also they formally took the first step in the regulatory dance that stands between them and their purchase of Time Warner Cable by filing a mountain of paperwork with the FCC. The massive document contains all of Comcast’s explanations for why the merger is the best idea ever… and it’s a doozy. Let’s take a closer look at their arguments, shall we? [More]
8 Things Companies Have Said That Sounded Like April Fool’s Jokes But Sadly Weren’t
By 4.1.14
For the calendar-challenged, we’ll point out that today is April 1, meaning the Internet is full of phony products, fake stories, doctored photos… so, you know, it’s like most days on the Internet. Rather than serve up a “United Charges Upgrade Fee For Merely Being Jealous Of First-Class Passengers” headline, or a post about Comcast CEO Brian Roberts giving up his job to play Gretl Von Trapp in a regional theater production of The Sound of Music, we’re looking back at some stories that would have been appropriate for April Fool’s. [More]
Comcast, Verizon March On To Worst Company Quarterfinals
March 31, 2014
Today, four of the biggest names in Consumerist news, including one former champ, fought it out in the Worst Company Sandbox of… Sand. Each member of this cruddy quartet may be deserving of the Golden Poo, but only two could move on the next round. [More]
Will Netflix Speeds Improve For Verizon, AT&T Internet Customers Anytime Soon?
By 3.31.14
Starting in the second half of 2013, Netflix speeds on several major Internet service providers began to sink drastically as the ISPs allowed Netflix downstream traffic to bottleneck, resulting in slow, fitful delivery to consumers who had paid Netflix for the service and the ISPs for broadband access. Earlier this year, Comcast speeds turned up out of their nosedive when the company made a profitable deal with Netflix, but what about everyone else? [More]
Facebook Gets The Thumbs-Up From Haters, Takes Final Spot In Worst Company Not-So-Sweet 16
March 26, 2014
After more than a week of bloodshed, half of the contenders that dared to dip their toes into the Worst Company wading pool (stocked with laser-equipped piranha and some ill-tempered guppies) have been carried out in Consumerist-branded body bags. The 16 fighters that remain are bruised, but not broken, and one of them will soon be crowned with the coveted Golden Poo. [More]
AT&T Promises: Kill Net Neutrality And You’ll Pay Less For Internet
By 3.24.14
Most of the discussion about net neutrality and paid peering has been about who shoulders the financial burden for increased broadband use — the Internet Service Providers who need to invest in hardware and manpower to meet demand, or the companies like Netflix, Google, and Amazon whose content is so in-demand that it requires extra support from the ISPs? In the end, it doesn’t really matter since it’s the consumer who ultimately foots the bill, but AT&T is making its argument for weak net neutrality by saying it will lead to lower rates for subscribers. [More]
Have Fun Breaking Down This Year’s Worst Company In America Bracket
March 18, 2014
The above bracket will be updated at the end of each day of WCIA competition to reflect that day’s results.
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After going through all of your nominations, then having y’all rank the contenders and eliminate the chaff from the wheat, we’re proud to present the first round match-ups for this year’s Worst Company in America tournament! [More]
Here Are Your Worst Company Contenders For 2014 — Help Us Seed The Brackets!
March 17, 2014
After sorting through a mountain of nomination e-mails, we’ve whittled down the field of competitors for this year’s Worst Company In America tournament to 40 bad businesses. Here’s your chance to have your say on how these players will square off in the bracket, and which bubble teams will get left out in the cold. [More]
