Although AT&T executives initially dismissed technical issues that popped up during the early days of DirecTV Now as no big deal, the company’s top tech executive admits now that the company wasn’t prepared to deal with the streaming service’s rapid growth. [More]
telecom
NYC Suing Verizon For Failing To Make FiOS Available To All Residents
By 3.13.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
The more choices a consumers has, the better. That’s why New York City has been pushing Verizon to finally make good on its promise to offer FiOS to all residents. Months after NYC warned Verizon it was in default of an agreement to do just that, the city is now following through on its threat to sue Verizon for breaking its promise. [More]
Comcast CEO Loves His Company So Much, He (Maybe) Wants To Move In With It
By 2.9.17
A number of great business tycoons — like Bob Belcher and James McGill, esq. — have lived where they work, so why shouldn’t Comcast’s favorite son, CEO Brian Roberts, take up residence inside Kabletown Tower? [More]
30 Stories We Didn’t Expect To Write In 2016
By 12.30.16
As a wise internet meme once said, some things are worth waiting for. Often, we end up waiting for them for so long, that when they finally do come to pass, we can’t help but be a bit shocked. And some things… Well, we never expected in the first place. [More]
T-Mobile Offered To Forward Your Number To A Random Stranger’s Device Today
By 12.7.16
Today, T-Mobile announced a new feature that’s useful for users with multiple devices and multiple phone numbers: Digits, which lets customers link their numbers and devices to receive calls. There was a problem with beta signups for the service, though: it was showing people who tried to sign up other customers’ phone numbers. [More]
AOL Still Exists, Laying Off 500 People
By 11.17.16
Six months after Verizon Communications paid $4.4 billion to buy AOL and its collection of media and technology companies, the top honcho at the ‘90s Internet brand says they’ll be laying off about 5% of the staff today, with around 500 employees expected to get their walking papers. [More]
Verizon: Yahoo Has To Prove Impact Of Data Breach Isn’t “Material”
By 10.13.16 — Updated: 11.1.16
It sounds like Yahoo has some explaining to do if it wants Verizon to go ahead with the $4.8 billion deal to buy its internet business: Verizon says it’s inclined to declare the impact of the massive data breach that affected at least 500 million Yahoo users as a “material” event. [More]
AT&T Trimming Its Phone Financing Plans Down From Four Options To Two
By 5.23.16
Now that all four of the major wireless carriers are firmly on the installment plan bandwagon, AT&T is trying to set itself apart by simplifying its phone financing options.
[More]
Report: Sprint Changes Its Mind Again, Will Kill Off Two-Year Contracts After All
By 5.20.16
Sprint can’t seem to decide what it wants to do with two-year contracts: after announcing in January that it would join the other major carriers in ditching the two-year deals, Sprint backtracked a month later and said it would still offer them to existing customers. That resolve may not have stuck, as a new report claims the wireless company is again preparing to eliminate two-year contracts. [More]
Sling TV Says Comcast-Owned NBC Stations Are Blocking Its Ads
By 7.31.15
There’s a rumble brewing in telecom town: Sling TV is accusing Comcast of keeping its ads off some NBC stations’ airwaves. Which is exactly what the big bad cable company in its recent marketing campaign would do, Dish Network-owned Sling says. [More]
Add Comcast To The List Of Rumored Merger Partners For T-Mobile
By 6.17.15
Not one to sit around and sulk after ditching its $45 billion bid to buy Time Warner Cable – or let a rival cable company beat it to the altar – the Lords of Kabletown are reportedly making eyes with the wireless industry, flirting with the idea of buying T-Mobile. [More]
Former FCC Commissioner: “We Should Be Ashamed Of Ourselves” For State of Broadband In The U.S.
By 6.18.14
In Washington, DC today, a group of internet industry executives and politicians came together to look back on the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and to do a little crystal-ball gazing about the future of broadband regulation in the United States. Former FCC commissioner Michael Copps was among the presenters, and he had sharp words for the audience about the “insanity” of the current wave of merger mania in the telecom field and the looming threats of losing net neutrality regulation. [More]
Sprint Sets Nextel Execution Date: June 30, 2013
By 5.30.12
Remember 2004-2005? Let’s go back there now… Remember… back when people still thought Revenge of the Sith was going to redeem the prequels… Ok, let’s not remember, it’s too painful. Anyway, in late 2004, Sprint and Nextel announced a “merger of equals.” And now, after billions of dollars in mistakes, they’ve finally announced that Nextel will officially die on June 30, 2013. What does this mean for Nextel customers? Yes, apparently they still exist! [More]
FCC Asked To Address Misleading And Confusing Billing
By 10.16.09
In August, we wrote about upcoming investigations and possible actions by the FCC on several different areas of the consumer telecommunications experience. Several consumer groups filed comments on the first issue, truth in billing, this week, and we wanted to share some of their concerns and suggestions.
Google Invites Privacy-Concerned Users To Move To Remote Village
By 8.12.09
The Onion reports that Google’s new privacy policy requires users who wish to opt out to relocate to a remote ghetto and abandon all contact with the outside world. (Photo: kalle svensson)
This Is A Picture Of Comcast's Headquarters In Philadelphia
By 4.3.09
The above picture of the huge video screen in the lobby of Comcast’s headquarters in Philadelphia pretty much sums up everything you need to know about Comcast as a company.
Customer Bills Phone Company For Time Wasted, Gets Paid
By 1.9.09
It’s the dream of every angry customer — sending a bill to the company that wasted your time. Well, it’s finally happened.
Customers Seeking Better Customer Service Buy Bundles From Telecoms, Not Cable Companies
By 8.2.07
Well done Charter, people would prefer to buy bundled services from AT&T because they think phone companies provide better customer service than cable companies. Both cable companies and telecoms rank towards the bottom of the American Customer Satisfaction Index.
