Sometimes it’s necessary to remind children very sternly that unbuckling their seatbelts in order to more effectively wallop their brother is not okay while you’re driving. At those times, a parent probably wants to make sure kids know they are not in a joking mood, but maybe need some help making sure they can yell effectively while driving. So why not let the car help? [More]
can you hear me now
Can A Harley Be A Harley Without All The Noise? Company Introduces Its First Electric Motorcycle
By 6.19.14
Growing up in the home of the Harley-Davidson, none other than Milwaukee, WI, I can conjure up the sound of a Harley’s engine just by closing my eyes. Such a skill could be handy for anyone longing to hear that distinctive rumble when faced with the company’s first electric motorcycle, just introduced today. [More]
Goodness Gracious — Please Tell Us The FCC Isn’t Going To Allow Cellphone Calls On Planes
By 11.22.13
It hasn’t even been a month since the Federal Aviation Administration said it would finally let airline passengers use devices like tablets and phones from gate to gate, but now another federal agency is considering letting loose the hounds of Hades: The Federal Communications Commission is considering allowing travelers to make phone calls in midair. [More]
Verizon Wireless Will Watch Everything You Do If You Don't Opt Out
By 11.17.11
Verizon Wireless is sending emails to customers this week informing them that the company will now begin storing their browsing history, location, app usage data and more, in the name of providing “more relevant” mobile ads. The company says it won’t “share any information that identifies you personally,” and the email includes instructions for customers who want to opt out of the tracking program. [More]
Verizon Admits That Bill Shock Alert System Needs Work
By 9.22.11
Verizon Wireless has a system that’s meant to alert customers if their current voice, data or text usage patterns are likely to push them into having to pay overage charges, but the company admits that it has some reliability issues. [More]
Verizon Customers Complain About Slow Service Brought On By Strike
By 8.19.11
As 45,000 Verizon workers strike, the company faces battles on multiple fronts. Not only must Verizon contend with picketing workers, but strained staff resources and the accompanying backlash from customers who contend service has gotten slower. [More]
Verizon Goes To Court To Battle Picketers
By 8.11.11
Amid the labor dispute in which 45,000 Verizon landline workers are striking due to Verizon’s insistence at restructuring pensions, health care and workplace procedures, the company has filed several court actions accusing picketers of thuggish behavior. [More]
45,000 Verizon Workers Strike, Sending Company Into Contingency Plan
By 8.8.11
A block of Verizon workers took to picket lines after negotiations between unions and the company broke down. The 45,000 striking workers represent a fifth of Verizon’s workforce, and the company has enacted a contingency plan to make sure customers experience a “limited disruption in service.” [More]
FCC Asks Verizon To Investigate 911 Calls Dropped Amid Snowstorm
By 2.23.11
When several thousand Verizon customers needed to dial 911 during a January snowstorm in the D.C. area, they were left hanging by the provider. The FCC has asked Verizon to investigate why an estimated 10,000 911 calls were dropped. [More]
Verizon Gets First Crack At 'PlayStation Phone'
By 2.14.11
Sony Ericsson officially unveiled the Xperia Play, the device the public has long dubbed the “PlayStation Phone.” [More]
Verizon Sues Over FCC's Net Neutrality Rules
By 1.21.11
Unhappy with the FCC’s net neutrality rules that have yet to take effect, Verizon filed suit in a federal appeals court. in December, the FCC ruled that while wireless providers can throttle internet use based on what kind of content users are attempting to access, they can’t block access to competitors. Non-wireless ISPs generally aren’t allowed to throttle internet use. [More]
Verizon Tells Us We Can't Return Phone Because We Bought It On A Promotion That's Over
By 12.27.10
Andrea and her husband took advantage of a Verizon buy-one-get-one-free promotion, taking comfort that if either didn’t like their new devices, they could return them thanks to Verizon’s 30-day guarantee. But the company has refused to let her husband exchange his device because the BOGO promotion had ended. [More]
What Annoys You Most About Your Mobile Phone?
By 10.5.10
From AT&T to Zoom Mobile, we here at Consumerist have fielded complaints from every domestic mobile carrier we can think of. Additionally, just about every company has been labeled “the worst” by scores of readers. But today, instead of picking on any one carrier, we want to get at the bigger issue of what’s bothering cellphone users in general. [More]
Someone Paid Half My Cell Phone Bill By Mistake
By 6.1.10
Don’t you just hate it when someone pays your phone bill instead of theirs by mistake? Such a mishap befell James, who noticed an $82 credit on his Verizon account that turned out to have come from someone who intended to pay their own bill. [More]
I Live In A Place Can You Hear Me Now Guy Fears To Tread
By 5.31.10
Craig most definitely can’t hear you now because he’s stuck in a Verizon dead zone. The cell phone provider offered to sell him a coverage extender for $200, but he felt like he was being shaken down and is choosing to bail. He writes: [More]
Sorry, You May Have To Wait Two More Years For A Verizon iPhone
By 5.12.10
Despite rumors that Apple’s iPhone would soon be available on carriers other than AT&T, recently unearthed documents paint a different picture: they apparently confirm that AT&T and Apple signed a five-year exclusive deal in 2007, which means no Verizon version until at least 2012. [More]
AT&T Also Claims To Cover More Countries Than Exist
By 4.15.10
Competition is fierce in the mobile industry, so if your rival claims coverage in over 220 countries, you damn well better match him. Even if there’s only 192. “Our coverage goes up to 11…” (Thanks to Justin!) [More]
Here's The List Of 'Countries' Verizon Covers
By 4.13.10
Verizon may be exaggerating when it says it offers coverage in more than 220 countries, but at least it isn’t just making the number up. [More]
