This is why competition is good for consumers: On the heels of Verizon’s surprise announcement yesterday that it’s bringing back unlimited data options, T-Mobile, refusing to be outdone, boosted its own offering. [More]
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Senators Give Yahoo 10 Days To Answer For Massive Breaches
By 2.13.17
Verizon’s $4.8 billion acquisition of Yahoo might still be going forward as planned, but that doesn’t mean the latter company is exempt from answering some tough questions about its massive data breaches: Lawmakers have given Yahoo until Feb. 23 to answer for the company’s actions related to the hacks. [More]
Surprise! Verizon Wireless Bringing Back Unlimited Data Plans
By 2.13.17
Once upon a time, when smartphones were a brand new idea and 4G was still a glint in an engineer’s eye, Verizon offered its customers unlimited monthly data plans. For many years now, though, the company has been trying every trick it can to squeeze its remaining grandfathered unlimited-data customers off their plans. It looked for all the world as though Verizon had well and truly abandoned unlimited data to the era of Blackberry and “Gangnam Style”… until late last night when Verizon announced, surprise! Unlimited data is back. [More]
Ad Watchdog Once Again Asks Comcast To Stop Boasting About Having Fastest Internet & In-Home WiFi
By 2.8.17
Last summer, an independent ad industry watchdog group recommended that Comcast put an end to questionable claims that it offers the “fastest internet in America” and the “fastest in-home WiFi,” but the ever-stubborn Comcast refused to abide by that decision and appealed… only to once again be told to just give it up already. [More]
Verizon And Charter Romance Heats Up; Could Merger Marriage Be On Horizon?
By 1.26.17
Earlier this month, it was reported that Verizon has a thing for big cable companies that begin with the letter “C,” and that it really wants to make out under the bleachers with either Comcast or Charter. Now comes news that Big V has actually begun the courting process with the latter. [More]
Verizon Acquisition Of Yahoo Still Going Ahead As Planned
By 1.23.17
Since the announcement of data breaches consisting of 1.5 billion Yahoo accounts, Yahoo-watchers have had one question: what’s going to happen to the former internet titan’s agreement to sell its internet operations to Verizon for a mere $4.8 billion? In its quarterly and annual earnings report today, Yahoo announced that the deal is still on. It’s just taking a while. [More]
Did Yahoo Wait Too Long To Disclose Massive 2014 Data Breach? SEC Investigating
By 1.23.17
Yahoo, the online company that hosted your email in 2001, was the victim of two huge account breaches in 2013 and 2014, but didn’t tell customers or investors until last year. Now the Securities and Exchange Commission is one of the government entities investigating the breach, to find out whether Yahoo kept the info from its investors for too long. [More]
Verizon Sending All Non-Emergency Calls Made On Recalled Note 7s To Customer Service
By 1.18.17
Even though Verizon recently pushed out a software update that deliberately disables the recalled Samsung Galaxy Note 7, the company says thousands of subscribers continue to use their potentially dangerous devices. Now Verizon is deploying another tactic to block these Note 7 owners from using their phone — rerouting all non-emergency calls to customer service. [More]
Verizon Reportedly Interested In Buying Comcast Or Other Big Cable Company
By 1.17.17
AT&T has been on a buying spree in the last two years, first snatching up DirecTV and its more than 20 million customers, and now trying to acquire the massive Time Warner media empire. The company’s nemeses at Verizon apparently have acquisition envy, and are mulling over a purchase of a cable biggie like Comcast or Charter. [More]
FCC Pointlessly Concludes AT&T’s Free Data For ‘DirecTV Now’ Probably Violates Net Neutrality
By 1.11.17 — Updated: 1.12.17
The controversial Open Internet Order of 2015 (known on the street as “Net Neutrality”) is probably going to be rolled back or ignored under the incoming Trump administration, but with a few days left under the existing FCC leadership, the agency has decided to chime in with its conclusion that AT&T’s decision to not ding its wireless subscribers for accessing DirecTV Now streaming video probably runs afoul of regulations and may ultimately harm competition and consumers. [More]
Yahoo To Kick CEO Off Board, Rename Company To Altaba — If Verizon Deal Goes Through
By 1.10.17
After losing 1.5 billion customer records in two different hacks, what can you possibly pull off for a third act? That’s what Yahoo is wondering right about now. Its answer? Throw the CEO off the board, change names post-haste, and hope that sweet Verizon acquisition is still on track. [More]
Verizon Kicking Another Round Of Data Hogs Off Grandfathered Unlimited Plans
By 1.9.17 — Updated: 1.10.17
Back in July, Verizon made a move to limit its remaining unlimited data customers, telling them to switch to a limited plan or have their lines disconnected. Now, inside sources report that another round of cuts is underway, this time booting customers who use 200 GB or more in mobile data every month. [More]
Verizon Executive: Company Still Doesn’t Know If It’ll Go Through With Yahoo Deal
By 1.6.17
It’s been a few months of “will-they-won’t-they?” with everyone (okay, some people) wondering whether or not Verizon will go through with the $4.8 billion deal to buy Yahoo after not one, but two massive email breaches. Now, a Verizon executive is admitting that the company isn’t sure what’s going to happen. [More]
Convict Sues Verizon For $72M For Allowing Him To Commit ID Theft
By 1.4.17
A Florida man serving ten years in prison for fraud and theft is now suing Verizon Wireless, claiming the company was negligent by not preventing him from using the company’s wireless service and products to commit his his latest identity theft. [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]
Verizon Will Allow Samsung To Brick Remaining Galaxy Note 7 Phones In January
By 12.16.16
Last week, Samsung announced that it will soon push out a software update for the Galaxy Note 7 that will have the effect of rendering the recalled device useless. At the time, Verizon pushed back, saying it would not forward this update on to Note 7 users on its wireless network. The telecom giant has since agreed to allow the phone-bricking update to go through, but not until January. [More]
FCC Warns AT&T, Verizon That Sponsored Data Programs May Harm Consumers
By 12.2.16
While last year’s Open Internet Order — better known as the “net neutrality” rules — stops broadband providers from blocking, speeding up, or slowing down data to or from sources of their choosing, that rule doesn’t explicitly deal with the practice of “zero-rating,” where a broadband provider doesn’t count certain content against the user’s monthly data limit. After recently raising “serious concerns” about this practice, the FCC is now warning AT&T and Verizon that some of their zero-rating programs appear to harm consumers by providing these companies with unfair advantages in streaming video. [More]
Unlocking Mobile Phones Is Theoretically Easier Than It Used To Be
By 11.22.16
It happened: you took advantage of holiday season sales to buy yourself a new smartphone. Now it’s time to sell your old one or hand it down to a relative, but they use a different carrier. How do you make that happen? In some cases, you don’t have to do anything at all. [More]
