Cell phones and smart phones

It may sound like a carnival act, but new research shows that if someone knows your age, they can probably predict whether or not you’ve ever dropped and broken your cell phone.

Most of that onus is squarely on the shoulders of Americans under age 44, Recon Analytics found in a consumer study done in partnership with AT&T.

Out of those who self-admitted their oopses, 77% were between ages 18-29. Seventy-four percent of consumers between the ages 30 and 44 also fit into that category.

When it comes to furthering the fault-finding, those people in those demographics admitted that they had dropped their phone in the toilet or bathtub, thrown it against the wall, or were just a complete oaf and dropped their phone while removing it from their purse or pocket.

“Most people are clumsy,” Roger Entner, founder and analyst at Recon Analytics, told ConsumerAffairs. He said that for something people can spend as much as $1,000 on, they sure don’t take care of it.

But, does this mean you should get phone insurance?

With an estimated 1.5 phones being lost, stolen, or damaged every second, is the situation important enough that consumers should have phone insurance to protect against lost or stolen devices, accidental damage from handling physical or liquid damage, and out-of-warranty malfunctions?

Maybe.

If you paid good money for your phone and if having to repair or replace it would be very expensive for you, then it’s a “yes” if you can afford it, Todd Stern at The Money Manual told ConsumerAffairs.

Entner agrees. “If you’ve dropped your phone more than one time a year, insurance makes sense. On the other hand, phone insurance isn’t cheap. The younger you are, the more careless you are with your device which means that device insurance pays off,” he said.

Plus, if you’ve got small kids who handle your phone – or you could use some peace of mind – the extra protection could come in handy.

“As the mom of three young kids, I can tell you first hand - a smartphone is never out of arm’s reach for this generation,” Emily Wiper, vice president and general manager of AT&T New England, told ConsumerAffairs.

“Phones aren’t just a mechanism enabling traditional connection, they’re mobile research devices, calculators, and entertainment screens. One in four people lose or damage their device every year and that number is growing with a smartphone in exponentially more hands!”  

What should consumers look for – and how to get a good deal – on phone insurance

Stern agreed with Wiper, saying that at a minimum, consumers should look for an insurance plan that covers damage, lost phones, and theft. And if consumers take part in the insurance that the major carriers offer, they might get a wide number of devices covered under one umbrella.

For example, Wiper noted that AT&T’s plan covers connected laptops, tablets, and smartwatches – and all that does with those devices like battery chargers and SIM cards. 

Stern said that consumers might be surprised to find phone insurance might be already built into things they’d never even think about. He recommends that phone owners ask their credit card providers if there’s phone damage insurance that’s part of their arrangement.

One he pointed to was the Chase Freedom Flex card which provides a maximum of $800 per claim, with a limit of two claims per 12-month period, and a $50 deductible per claim.

“The catch is that you must use that credit card to pay your monthly phone bill,” he said.

There are other places consumers should look, too – especially renters.

“A lot of people don’t realize it, but many renters insurance policies will cover a cell phone under certain circumstances,” Sean Burgess, Lemonade's chief claims officer, told ConsumerAffairs.

“While theft is probably the most common, your phone is also covered for things like vandalism, fire, or other damages—even if you’re traveling abroad. If you’ve simply lost or misplaced your phone, however, your insurance policy isn’t likely to cover it.” 

Consumer complaints about customer service have generally been rising across nearly all industries since the pandemic but wireless providers may have finally flipped the script. At least, that’s the finding of a new study.

J.D. Power’s 2023 U.S. Wireless Customer Care Study (Vol.1) found that more wireless providers have improved how they deal with customers, including reducing the time it takes to resolve a problem. On J.D. Power’s customer satisfaction scale, wireless providers have improved their standing by 14 points.

“After a period of fighting through staffing challenges and investing heavily in more dynamic, advanced tool-enabled digital customer support solutions, wireless providers are now reaping the dividends of that hard work in the form of faster customer care resolution and more satisfied customers,” said Ian Greenblatt, managing director of technology, media & telecom at J.D. Power. 

“It is particularly noteworthy that we’re seeing consistent improvement in both digital/automated and live channels via interaction with in-store and phone-based representatives. It is clear from the data that the top-performing wireless providers take a systemic, channel-coordinated approach to customer care and problem resolution.”

Praise for people

ConsumerAffairs has noted more positive reviews of wireless providers in the last 12 months.

Back in late November, Roxanne, of Mound, Minn., had nice things to say about the staff at a T-Mobile store in Chaska, Minn.

“Thank you to Erin, Nick and Josh…for making our Black Friday shopping experience that we were dreading so absolutely fabulous!” Roxanne wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “They each had the patience to answer all of our questions, explain what we needed to do and when, and even giving us a follow-up call.”

Hartney, of Mason, Ohio also credited the AT&T staff she encountered for making her experience a positive one.

‘Made my day’

“I had an issue with my husband's phone and called customer service feeling frustrated but was greeted by this wonderful young man named Torron!” Hartley told us. “He had such great energy and a positive attitude that it just made my day better!”

According to J.D. Power’s rankings, T-Mobile had the best showing among major providers  with a score of 829 on a 1,000 point scale. Metro by T-Mobile ranked highest in the mobile virtual network operators segment with a score of 832, followed by Cricket (830) and Boost Mobile (825).

Consumer Cellular ranked highest in the value mobile virtual network operators segment for the 14th consecutive volume with a score of 869, followed closely by Mint Mobile, with a score of 864.

At a time when mobile phone plans can be a concern for consumers who are trying to save money, Cricket Wireless is giving consumers an opportunity to try its network for free with the launch of the tryCricket app in the Apple App store.

Being a low-cost carrier, Cricket doesn’t always get the same ink that the wireless big boys like AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile do, but it has 13 million subscribers who apparently like the service. As an example of that, earlier this year Cricket ranked number one in Customer Service and Purchase Experience for the second consecutive time in a J.D. Power study.

Another question that might be asked is about coverage areas. Riding on the backbone of AT&T, Cricket users have access to the same coverage area, a fact not lost on ConsumerAffairs reviewer Francisco, of Berber, Calif.

“I've used Cricket Wireless for over a year now. Before this, I actually used Metro By T-Mobile, he wrote in his review of the company. "When I compare both cellular companies I actually get better coverage almost wherever I go. Although where I live it's kind of slow sometimes but most of the time I'm able to do most of my things. Usually, I need to have the internet when I go to work in which Cricket does the job.”

Comparing prices, the Cricket plans that ConsumerAffairs reviewed were far more straightforward than the larger carriers, with four-person plans going for $100 a month. 

The only thing that might be a barrier for some is that Cricket is all about simple and essential vs. bells and whistles. If you or someone in your family is a data hog and constantly streaming videos, you need to know that if Cricket’s network gets busy, it “may” temporarily slow speeds.

How this try-before-you-buy offer works

On the surface, it may sound confusing that someone who’s on a T-Mobile plan can actually try another carrier service without changing phones or SIM cards. But in the digital age, someone came up with the bright idea of “eSIM,” which allows mobile customers to switch services without having to physically switch out a SIM card.

Jeff Moore, principal of Wave7 Research, thinks highly of eSIM.

“There are several benefits of eSIM for simplifying consumer experiences, including the ability to switch carriers more easily, the ability to have more than one number associated with a device, and the ability to easily choose a carrier when traveling abroad," he said.

The tryCricket offer is only available for iPhones at the moment, but an Android version could come later. When someone signs up for the tryout, they’ll get a temporary phone number with 3GB of data with unlimited talk and text during the trial period. If they like what they see, then they can port over their current phone number. The tryCricket app is available here.

T-Mobile will use SpaceX’s Starlink satellites to expand cellular coverage, connecting consumers’ phones with satellites orbiting the earth.

The wireless provider announced an agreement with the Elon Musk-owned company – the first of the major cellular providers to offer service from space. 

You may have seen ads from most of the cellular providers, coloring in the areas where they have coverage. While there is a lot of color on most of those coverage maps, there are some white spaces – gaps in the coverage. Melissa, a T-Mobile customer in Onstead, Mich., says she lives in one of those gaps.

“We have 5 phones connected to the T-Mobile network,” Melissa wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “When we are home not one phone gets network service. We can only use our calender, alarm clock, and camera on our phones.”

T-Mobile says there are plenty of cellphone users who have Melissa’s problem. Despite powerful LTE and 5G wireless networks, the company says well over half a million square miles of the U.S., in addition to vast stretches of ocean, are untouched by cell signals from any provider.

That should be changing, albeit slowly, at T-Mobile. The company said it will offer plans that will include satellite coverage, along with the current plans that only use cell towers. 

Most users won’t need a new phone

The satellite networks will use T-Mobile's mid-band spectrum. Because of that, most consumers who sign up for the expanded coverage won’t have to buy a new phone. The new satellite plan will start with texting services in a beta test early next year.

“We’ve always thought differently about what it means to keep customers connected, and that’s why we’re working with the best to deliver coverage above and beyond anything customers have ever seen before,” said Mike Sievert, CEO of T-Mobile. “More than just a groundbreaking alliance, this represents two industry-shaking innovators challenging the old ways of doing things to create something entirely new that will further connect customers and scare competitors.”

Musk said the agreement will benefit consumers while improving safety and security, noting that it “means there are no dead zones anywhere in the world for your cell phone.” 

T-Mobile’s announcement did not contain any information about what the new satellite coverage will cost.

Wireless companies spend lots of money on ads that urge consumers to switch providers. But a new study suggests that consumers find the process of purchasing a new phone or wireless plan less pleasant than in the past.

J.D. Power’s 2022 U.S. Wireless Purchase Experience Study found a number of reasons for this diminished satisfaction. Consumers who participated in the study and who purchased a wireless phone or switched to a new provider in the last six months said the transactions are taking longer to complete.

They also complain that they’re having to do much of the work themselves because of a decline in customer service. Ian Greenblatt, managing director at J.D. Power, says it might be a result of the upheaval in the job market caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Staff retention constraints, shorter representative tenure, and less training are leading to a longer time to complete the purchase, more perceived effort from the customer, and ultimately, a decrease in satisfaction,” Greenblatt said. “As consumers increase their device usage and reliance, the purchase experience becomes that much more important. The study finds that respondents believe they’re paying more and receiving less.”

Happy T-Mobile customer

Among the big three wireless operators, T-Mobile was rated as the easiest to deal with by consumers posting their feedback at ConsumerAffairs. Jacqueline, of Virginia Beach, Va., recently told us about a good experience.

“I had Toure from customer care assist me today in transferring my phone from the Sprint network to the T-Mobile account,” Jacqueline wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “She went above and beyond on customer service. She followed through the entire process and got me where I needed to be. She was amazing and T-Mobile should be so grateful to have her on their team!”

Sammy, of Bloomfield, Colo., told us about a frustrating experience with Verizon when he switched from AT&T and tried to transfer four lines on his plan.

“Only three lines were transferred and they forgot to transfer my fourth line,” Sammy told us. “And when I called to [activate] that fourth line they keep telling me that they cannot verify my information.”

Virtual mobile network operators did better in the J.D. Power survey than the legacy carriers. While T-Mobile had a satisfaction score of 797, Cricket led mobile virtual network operators with a score of 821. Metro by T-Mobile ranked second, and Spectrum Mobile ranked third, with both earning satisfaction scores above 800.

Consumers are increasingly using their cell phones and smartphones to access the internet as much as they use them to talk, and those growing data demands on mobile networks are causing problems. 

The J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Wireless Network Quality Performance Study found that an increasing number of consumers are reporting problems with network quality. The most common reported problem is slow data or failure to load content.

“An uptick in wireless and device usage was bound to catch up to network quality,” said Ian Greenblatt, managing director at J.D. Power. “Wireless customers are increasingly adept in data usage and streaming, meaning they’re less inspired and more aware of problems. 

J.D. Power tracked customer satisfaction with wireless service across five different regions in the U.S. It found that Verizon Wireless ranked highest in all five regions, achieving the fewest network quality problems per 100 connections (PP100) in call quality.

An analysis of ConsumerAffairs reviews of the Big Three wireless providers shows that consumers give the edge to AT&T:

AT&T: 3.9 stars

Verizon: 3.5 stars

T-Mobile: 3.2 stars

Updated phones can help

Sometimes the perception of service improves when new equipment is involved. Kenneth, of Elmhurst, N.Y., said he was shocked at how much faster his T-Mobile service was when he upgraded phones.

“With the newer phones we got, they all so far worked flawlessly and T-mobile is the only carrier to have 5G on the phones too,” Kenneth wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “We have sim cards spread out between all the carriers based on level of use so it's as cheap as possible for us overall and I can say that one carrier has great signal, T-mobile.” 

In fact, J.D. Power found that the number of problems is significantly lower when 5G is available. When wireless customers reported issues, the survey found that it mostly involved streaming audio and video quality, slow loading times, and calls not going through.

Cheaper plans may be problematic

Our analysis of ConsumerAffairs reviews also suggests that customers with the most expensive plans report the fewest problems with network quality. Herbert, of Palmetto, Fla., has a Verizon plan with up to 50 gigabytes of data usage.

“After the usage they claim you will be slowed to .6 Mbps to 3.0 Mbps, which is still fast enough to surf the net and perform email, etc.,” Herbert told us. “Well it doesn't work that way. They slow the data to .01 Mbps up to .26 Mbps which doesn't even allow you to surf the net.”

With inflation at a 40-year high, more customers may be tempted to move to lower-priced plans. While they may pay less money each month, the level of satisfaction may also go down.

With the planet now in its seventh year of the hottest in recorded history, not only are people trying to keep cool, but their smartphones would like to, as well. Phones already have enough heat-producing processes on their own – enabling a device’s camera, apps, and calls – but added environmental heat can lead to battery drain, performance problems, and even a complete shutdown.

There are ways to prevent this from happening, though. ConsumerAffairs surveyed the landscape of advice and found these tips from AT&T, T-Mobile, Xfinity, Asurion, and others. We’ll start with AT&T’s six best tips:

Don’t subject your wireless device to extreme temperature changes. If you and your phone are out in 90+ degree temperatures, it might seem logical that the best way to cool down is to quickly move to an air-conditioned area. Turns out that idea isn’t a smart one, though. “Bringing your electronics from a 90+ degree sunny day to a well air-conditioned room is a great way to moisten the interior of your device,” AT&T told ConsumerAffairs. “Allow your phone to transition gradually to the cooler temperatures by putting it in your purse or pocket before entering the room.”

Keep multiple wireless devices stored separately.  Another hmm-worthy tip AT&T offered was that if you’re carrying both your smartphone and a tablet or laptop, keep them separated and away from each other. The carrier said that since each electronic device conducts heat of its own, stacking them or keeping them pressed up against each other intensifies the heat and obstructs airflow that can keep them comfortably cool.

Don’t leave your wireless device in the car. If you go shopping or running errands in the sweltering heat, it would be wise to take your phone with you instead of popping it in the glove box. Heat is heat, and compartments in the car can suffer just as much as things that are exposed to direct sunlight.

Reduce the risk of overheating from within your phone

While keeping the phone out of the sun's glare can help immensely, AT&T said there are several apps that can help monitor your phone’s temperature and alert you when overheating is a risk. Here are 10 that ConsumerAffairs found expressly for Android phones. As for iPhones, How To's Guru suggests the CPU-Z or System Monitor apps.

In offering suggestions for keeping phones cool, TechRadar suggests removing the case and turning off some of the more intense energy-sucking apps, like games. 

Additional pieces of advice offered by Asurion – the tech insurance provider – were lowering your screen brightness, turning off Bluetooth, and turning on airplane mode, especially if your phone has little or no signal.

When ConsumerAffairs surveyed tips from Xfinity (previously known as Comcast), it suggested that on top of turning off Bluetooth, phone users should also turn off GPS and Wi-Fi to reduce the device’s energy demands.

Finally, device users can go the insurance route, too. Most wireless providers have insurance options that cost a fraction of the price it would cost to replace your phone. Here are AT&T’s device coverage options, T-Mobile’s, and Verizon’s. 

In emergency situations such as a stroke, time is of the essence. To cut down on emergency response times, AT&T has upgraded its system so that wireless 911 calls are routed to the appropriate call centers more quickly.

The new nationwide enhancement – “Locate Before Route” – will use location-based routing so that AT&T can more accurately identify where a wireless 911 call is coming from. The feature will use a device's GPS and hybrid information to route the call.

Previously, wireless 911 calls were routed based on the location of cell towers. Given a tower’s typical 10-mile coverage, emergency responses were sometimes delayed. According to AT&T, those delays sometimes increased when a call was made within the border areas of a 911 call center where state, county, or city boundaries overlap.

“In today’s environment, over 93% of the US Population have cell phones and rely on these for communications. It is critical that when they dial 9-1-1 the call routing is going into the closest dispatch center. This will be a game changer for wireless 9-1-1 calls," said Kim Zagaris, a retired fire chief and the technology and policy advisor of the Western Fire Chief Association, in a comment sent to ConsumerAffairs. 

"With the new release of AT&T location-based routing, a device can be located and routed within 164 feet of the device location. Taking away the transfer time of the past systems and be quicker response for emergency personal responding saving valuable time.”

The nationwide rollout of AT&T's new feature has already started and is available in 16 states – Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Kansas, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota. The company promises that other regions will be rolled out over the next several weeks, and company officials hope to have the country completely covered by the end of June.

AT&T addresses possible privacy concerns

In an email to ConsumerAffairs, an AT&T spokesperson said mobile customers can feel confident that the new location feature will not cross any privacy lines. 

"The handset location used for Location Based Routing is only used when a caller places a 9-1-1 call," the spokesperson said, adding that a 911 caller’s location is only shared with public safety professionals at the call center and the data is delivered via dedicated links to the center.

AT&T is raising prices on its older mobile service plans for the first time in three years. However, customers on its newer plans will not see any changes at this time.

The monthly fees on AT&T's older packages are increasing by $6 a month for single-line customers and up to $12 a month for families, according to various reports. Subscribers will have the option to avoid the price hike by switching to new unlimited plans.

“The price increases mark a high-profile reversal for an industry that has mostly competed for new customers with discounts, free phones and low-priced family plans—even after shrinking to a three-player market with the purchase of Sprint Corp. by T-Mobile US Inc. in 2020,” Bloomberg reported.

AT&T explains its reasons

In a statement to ConsumerAffairs, AT&T said it is asking its customers to check out its other offerings. 

“We are encouraging our customers to explore our newer plans, which offer many additional features, more flexibility for each line on their account and, in many cases, a lower monthly cost,” a company official told us. 

AT&T says customers who switch plans will gain access to 5G service and ActiveArmor, an app feature that will give its customers advanced security features like identity monitoring. 

Inflation and changes to prices

Consumers who are concerned about paying more for mobile service may have less to worry about than they thought. According to In2013Dollars.com and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for wireless telephone services are 52.01% lower in 2022 versus 1997 (a $26.01 difference in value).

While it’s not something AT&T has ballyhooed in its marketing campaigns, the company has been warning investors that it’s feeling the pinch of inflation like everyone else.

Despite rising wages taking a bigger bite out of the company's bottom line, CEO John Stankey said on an earnings call last month that AT&T's customer base was "satisfied" with the value the company has been putting back into its products and services.

“Our history would suggest that we know how to do that, and we can do that. And we'll be very smart and judicious as we have to apply it,” he said.

A new study conducted by researchers from Ruhr University explored how consumers’ smartphone use may affect their health. According to their findings, reducing time spent on smartphones over the long term can work to improve consumers’ overall well-being. 

“The smartphone is both a blessing and a curse,” said researcher Julia Brailovskaia. “It’s not necessary to completely give up the smartphone to feel better. There may be an optimal daily usage time.” 

Limiting smartphone use

The researchers divided over 600 participants into three groups for the study. One group of participants didn’t use their phones at all for one week, a second group reduced their smartphone use by one hour each day, and a third group didn’t change their behavior with their phones. The researchers then interviewed the participants one month and four months later to learn about their lifestyles, mental health, and their life satisfaction. 

Ultimately, the researchers learned that cutting back on time spent on smartphones was beneficial. The participants reported less anxiety and depression symptoms and an overall healthier lifestyle. Spending less time on smartphones led to more physical activity and less cigarette smoking.

“We found that both completely giving up the smartphone and reducing its daily use by one hour had positive effects on the lifestyle and well-being of the participants,” said Brailovskaia. “In the group who reduced use, these effects even lasted longer and were thus more stable than in the abstinence group.” 

The researchers explained that there isn’t a set rule for consumers when it comes to how much time they should spend on their phones. The study showed that the group that cut back smartphone use by one hour each day during the study had limited their screen time by about 45 minutes within the first four months of the study. 

The team hopes consumers understand that they don’t need to stop using their smartphones entirely. Instead, cutting back on smartphone use can help consumers long-term. 

There have been a few bumps in the road as telecom companies roll out 5G service, but many industry experts say that’s to be expected with the deployment of what is essentially a new technology.

Earlier this year, there was a delay in turning on 5G service in areas adjacent to airports after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) raised concerns about possible interference with navigation systems. 

On Wednesday, the FAA warned that 5G wireless service could interfere with radio altimeters in Boeing 737s. That said, the agency said it does not see a safety issue for planes operating in areas where the 5G environment has been rendered safe for aviation.

What consumers say

An analysis of ConsumerAffairs reviews suggests that consumers have also experienced mixed results in the early days of 5G. Douglas, of Kingsport, Tenn., told us he has had good results so far with Cricket Wireless's unlimited 5G plan.

“I have used the service for over 6-months now and continually exceed the 22GB usage threshold,” Douglas wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “I have never been ‘throttled’ or slowed-down and get consistent LTE download speeds of 100-200Mbps and am able to stream full HD video. I am still in a 4G market as of writing this review but have noticed my phone switching between 4G/5G for the last few weeks and expect that 5G will be deployed soon.”

Jackie, of Oxford, Conn., reports satisfactory results from another small player, PureTalk. Even in a rural area, she says she’s receiving 5G service.

“I live off the beaten path and have always had some issues with cell service but that is a thing of the past with PureTalk,” Jackie told us. “I now have 5G coverage where I used to have 0 bars."

But Aja, of Memphis, Tenn., reports that she has 5G connectivity issues on T-Mobile, an issue she thinks might be related to her carrier.

“Didn't have service in multiple places (where) my AT&T worked just fine,” Aja wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “Additionally even when I had full bars on 5G, half the time content wouldn't load."

More 5G devices coming

The major wireless companies have recently stepped up the pace of their 5G rollouts, and equipment manufacturers have responded with more 5G devices. A study from ABI Research projects the launch of more always-on 5G portable device models in 2022 and predicts sales could top 12 million by the end of this year.

At the same time, major carriers are beginning to turn off their 3G networks since they need to redeploy the spectrum to 5G users. That raised concerns this week that many security and health monitor devices could go dark since they use the older, slower wireless frequencies.

AT&T began saying goodbye to 3G on Tuesday. It’s an expensive proposition, as it projects to cost the company around $130 million to sunset the service. But with 5G now becoming the industry standard, the telecom likely feels 3G is an albatross it no longer needs.

The shutdown will create immediate problems for an estimated 10 million people who have older phones, smartwatches, Kindle readers, roadside assistance systems, and home alarm systems.

AT&T is the lone wolf in saying goodbye to 3G at the moment, but that won't last for long. T-Mobile is shuttering its 3G systems on March 31, and Verizon is retiring its 3G service on December 31. With its purchase of Sprint, T-Mobile will reportedly phase out that provider's LTE network on July 1.

The impact on services and customers

ConsumerAffairs took a look at who and what may be impacted short term by AT&T's move. Here's what we found:

Impacted phones: AT&T has released a laundry list of all the phones that WILL continue to work on its network after 3G goes away. That list is available here. It’s a safe bet that if a phone is NOT listed and the user has an AT&T account, then it will either need to be replaced or the user will have to find another service provider that will support the device.

An important side note to people who have aging parents – many of the millions of consumers who have 3G in their lives are older users. Adult children may be called on to help their parents find a new provider or update their phones.

Other impacted devices: Other than phones, people who have 3G Kindles, fall protectors (medical alert systems), and some automotive systems (such as in-car crash notification systems and roadside assistance systems like OnStar) will also have to update their devices or find replacements.

CNN reports that General Motors (GM) – the company behind OnStar – started pushing out updates to Chevrolet, Buick, and Cadillac owners months ago.

“As a general rule, most cars built in the last five years with connectivity are using 4G modems. If the car does run on 3G, the manufacturer may offer an upgrade program or the wireless carrier can provide an adapter with a modem that can be plugged into a vehicle,” CNN reported.

Alarm/security systems: In advice to its customers, Vector Security said that alarm system providers should have already reached out to their subscribers to ensure that there is no lapse in service for your system.

The company has published a list of questions that consumers can ask their providers if they want to start the process of updating their system. Those questions include:

• Will the 3G sunset impact my security system?

• When are cellular carrier changes expected to roll out in my area?

• What is your company’s timeline and plans for customer updates?

• Can I update my system in advance, or do I need to wait for a tiered rollout?

• Will I be charged a service fee to upgrade my system? If so, how much?

• Do I need to purchase new equipment, or will it be provided free of charge?

• How can I schedule a service call to update my system, if needed?

Is AT&T offering special deals to help impacted customers?

The company hasn’t said whether it’s giving any special discounts or compensation to customers affected by 3G’s sunsetting, but they did for at least one ConsumerAffairs reviewer. 

Jason, from Angelgrove, Del., said he wasn't being given a direct answer about whether his phone/plan was impacted by the 3G change. Finally, he ended up speaking to a supervisor who gave him a one-time $10 credit “out of their infinite generosity and remorse.”

The bottom line? Just ask if AT&T can provide you with assistance. The worst thing the company can do is say no, right?

As consumers spend more and more time on their smartphones, researchers continue to conduct studies that explore how that time is affecting overall wellness. 

Experts from Texas A&M University recently found that spending a lot of time on smartphones can negatively impact consumers’ posture. Bad posture can lead to chronic pain over time, so the team suggests adopting ergonomic interventions that can correct posture issues. 

“When we started this study a few years ago, it was because we had determined that college students were the heavy users of smartphones,” said researcher Mark E. Benden. “Now those same levels we were concerned about in college students are seen in 40-year-olds and college students have increased to new levels.” 

Finding better posture habits

The researchers had over 500 college students complete a 35-minute online survey that asked questions about how much time they spent on different devices, their current stress levels, pain they regularly experience, and their typical posture when using electronic devices. 

Ultimately, the majority of students identified their smartphones as the device they were using most frequently. However, the participants’ pain had less to do with what devices they were using and more to do with how they were positioned while using their devices. 

Very few students reported using their phones while sitting with proper posture in a chair at a desk. Instead, most of the students said they used their phones primarily when sitting on the couch or in other positions that lead to poor posture. The researchers said sitting in these positions most likely contributes to the pain some students may feel. 

To combat this, the team hopes ergonomic interventions that prioritize good posture will become more widely used – especially among those who spend a lot of time on electronic devices. 

“Now that we are moving toward hybrid and/or remote workspaces for our jobs, college students are taking habits formed in dorm and apartment rooms during college into young adulthood as employees in home offices,” Benden said. “We need to get this right or it could have adverse impacts on an entire generation.” 

After finding loopholes in its anti-robocall STIR/SHAKEN initiative, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is tightening up the requirements for phone companies. Effective immediately, carriers are prohibited from accepting calls from any voice service provider that hasn’t implemented the new caller ID authentication standards or filed a detailed robocall mitigation plan with the FCC. 

The new requirement is an important element of the agency’s anti-robocall effort. Without it, there’s no guarantee that a carrier can accurately verify the accuracy of Caller ID on an incoming call. As of 1:30 PM EST on Wednesday, the FCC said that 4,798 companies had filed in the Robocall Mitigation Database.  

“The FCC is using every tool we can to combat malicious robocalls and spoofing – from substantial fines on bad actors to policy changes to technical innovations like STIR/SHAKEN,” said Acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “Today’s deadline establishes a very powerful tool for blocking unlawful robocalls.  We will continue to do everything in our power to protect consumers against scammers who flood our homes and businesses with spoofed robocalls.”

Despite good intentions, things could still go wrong

In its announcement, the FCC recognized that even though STIR/SHAKEN should improve the quality of caller ID information, a robocaller could still trick the system and place calls disguised as a “legitimate” caller -- much like the ruse behind Caller ID spoofing.

“This improved information will help verify the phone number from which the call was made – or flag that it is not verified – and help blocking services both at the consumer level and before the call reaches the consumer,” the agency wrote. “But consumers should remain vigilant against robocall scammers. The FCC is committed to continuing to fight against malicious spoofing and illegal robocalls.”

Until there is a truly perfect system, the FCC says there are ways a person can possibly reduce a robocaller’s chances of getting through. Several wireless/mobile companies have added protections that consumers can use to give them some added peace of mind. Those include:

• AT&T: Mobile security and call protection services.

• Google Project Fi: Call blocking options for Project Fi wireless service.

• Sprint: Call blocking options using My Sprint.

• T-Mobile: Call-protection options to identify or block potential scammers.

• U.S. Cellular: Automatic network call identification, labeling, and blocking app options.

• Verizon: Call Filter FAQS for screening and blocking unwanted calls.

There are also landline and device solutions (like those offered via Apple’s iPhone) that consumers can add to their arsenal. The FCC provides a list of those, along with links to those add-ons, here.

Verizon has updated its free Call Filter app with a “Neighborhood Filter” to cut down on the number of scam calls customers receive from numbers with their same area code and prefix. 

The tactic is called “neighbor” or “neighborhood spoofing,” and scammers use it to trick people into answering their call. Verizon said the filter allows customers to silence and send these types of calls straight to voicemail. 

“The Neighborhood Filter is the latest enhancement to Call Filter, which gives you the power to block or avoid many of these robocalls at no cost,” the carrier said in an announcement. “While Call Filter auto blocks high risk (Potential Fraud) calls, you may choose to block all spam risk levels in order to silence spam callers from reaching your device with just a few taps on the free Call Filter app or by going to My Verizon.”

Allowing certain calls 

If a call you wanted to receive was thwarted by the filter, Verizon says there’s an option to select “Ignore Filter” in the post-call details in the Call Filter app. Selecting this option will prevent the call from being blocked again in the future. 

“The filters can be removed at any time by tapping ‘Remove’ next to the neighborhood in the ‘Other Filters’ section of the ‘Block Management’ page,” Verizon added. 

In addition to filtering out suspicious calls coming from the same area code, customers can choose to add up to ten other neighborhood numbers that scammers have targeted them with. Adding more numbers will cost an extra $3 per month through the company’s Call Filter Plus service. 

The company said the new filter is part of its “ongoing commitment” to protecting customers from unwanted calls. Verizon noted that over 78 million of its customers have been shielded from over 13 billion unwanted calls as a result of its efforts to combat robocalls. 

“We have been driving adoption of STIR/SHAKEN, an industry-wide effort that helps verify that a call is in fact from the number displayed on the Caller ID and not spoofed,” the company said. “And we recently confirmed that we met the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) industry mandate to sign calls with STIR/SHAKEN.” 

Verizon’s updated Call Filter app is available now for Android and iOS. 

Chalk one up for AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon in the fight against robocalls. On Wednesday, the phone carriers stated that they are now fully compliant with the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) anti-robocall STIR/SHAKEN protocol. Wednesday was the deadline for major phone carriers to make sure the new protocol was in place.

Going forward, there will be some awfully sad scam artists trying to hoodwink consumers into buying extended warranties and soliciting illegal solicitations. Within the U.S. wireless segment, AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile have nearly 270 million subscribers who are now supposedly out of reach of robocallers.

Add to that customers who use other carriers. As an example, T-Mobile provides STIR/SHAKEN implementations with AT&T, Comcast, Spectrum Voice from Charter Communications, and UScellular. Verizon Wireless does the same with Altice USA, Bandwidth, Brightlink, Clear Rate, Google Fi, Inteliquent, Intrado, Magicjack, Peerless, and Twilio.

What does STIR/SHAKEN mean and how does it work?

STIR/SHAKEN are acronyms for the Secure Telephone Identity Revisited (STIR) and Signature-based Handling of Asserted Information Using toKENs (SHAKEN) standards. 

In simple terms, what that means for consumers is that any call coming through a phone network would have its caller ID "signed" as legitimate so that anyone getting a call knows it’s a real person, not a robocaller, on the other end.

"It's great that the largest carriers are finally doing more to protect their customers. Frankly, most providers could have done more years ago, but here we are. Let's celebrate where we're at,” Teresa Murray, Consumer Watchdog, at the Public Interest Research Group told ConsumerAffairs.

Robocalls are still a threat

Murray said consumers shouldn't think that all illegal robocalls are going to magically stop overnight. The reason is because the majority of phone calls pass through multiple networks. 

“Think of it like a relay race, with the baton being handed to the next runner. Most calls get handed off to more than one carrier. So unless every part of the network is using the required caller ID verification, it's possible for some illegal robocalls to slip through,” she said.

ConsumerAffairs asked Murray what consumers can do to add a further layer of protection against getting scammed by a robocall. Here’s what she offered:

• Never confirm or provide personal information to any caller you weren't expecting. Not your name, your ZIP code, your shoe size ... Nothing. If you think the call could be legitimate, call the company back at a number you look up independently.

• Don't be fooled by what the caller ID says. Bad guys can still spoof their numbers to look like it's a local call or coming from a known business.

• If you do pick up the phone and realize it's an illegal robocall, just hang up. Don't push any buttons to be taken off their call list. Pressing buttons just confirms that they've reached a live person.

• Don't be tricked if a caller knows your name, address, family members' names, or even your Social Security number. All of this information was exposed for half of the adult population in the Equifax data breach of 2017.

• Don’t provide your full name on your voicemail message. There’s no sense in giving a scammer more information than they may have had already.

• Never pay bills or debts with gift cards. Period. Full stop. Gift cards are for gifts or to make a purchase for yourself. No legitimate operation accepts gift cards to pay for an obligation.

• If someone calls you and says you’re supposedly a victim of fraud, or you’re behind on taxes, or your grandchild is in jail, call someone you trust before you do anything. Just saying what’s going on out loud can help someone realize it’s a scam.

• Register all of your phone numbers with the federal Do Not Call Registry. It won't stop most illegal calls because con artists generally don't care whether they break the rules. However, your ability to lodge a report about the call with state or federal officials can start with showing that the caller violated the DNC List.

• Report illegal robocalls or DNC List violations to the FTC. You should note the number on your Caller ID and any number left on the message that you’re supposed to call back. You should also report illegal calls to your state attorney general.

Lastly, Murray recommends that consumers contact their carrier if they feel like they’re getting an abundance of robocalls. You can ask whether the company is compliant with STIR/SHAKEN protocols and see what else can be done to stop the unwanted calls. 

“I'd recommend people use the terminology 'STIR/SHAKEN' because the carriers know darn well what you're talking about and they can't dodge your question with some fluffy, ambiguous answer about how much they focus on their customers,” Murray said.

By now, just about everyone on the planet has a cell phone or smartphone. For wireless companies like AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile to gain new subscribers, they usually have to take them from their competitors.

All three companies offer generous sign-up incentives and make boasts about their coverage area, but is one of these companies better than the others? When we checked the overall ratings ConsumerAffairs reviewers gave the big three, we found that not a lot separates them in their customers’ eyes.

Based on 693 reviews, ConsumerAffairs reviewers give AT&T a rating of 3.2 stars. It’s slightly ahead of Verizon, with 3 stars based on 961 reviews. Both trail the newly combined T-Mobile and Sprint entity with 3.3 stars, based on 704 reviews.

With the big three virtually neck-and-neck, we decided to do a deep dive into the reviews to see what reviewers like and dislike about the companies and see if any themes emerge.

AT&T

Farhad, of Seattle, was a very unhappy AT&T customer when he posted a 1-star review to our site in April.

“After almost 18 years with AT&T wireless service, I am forced to cut the tie,” Farhad wrote. “The reason is pretty simple. It is due to their poor customer service, un-helpful management and not to mention their outrageously high service rates. While their service is ok, their agents mislead customers to add plan that supposedly would reduce my monthly cost, instead it went up.”

There are several 1-star reviews in which the main grievance was a promotion not living up to how it was presented. While it’s possible that customers misunderstood how it worked, it does suggest that the pitches often lead to misunderstandings.

“I transferred cellular service from Verizon wireless August 5, 2020, enticed by a $700 offer to trade in my and my wife’s cell phones and port our numbers to AT&T wireless,” James, of Covington, Georgia, wrote in a ConsumerAffairs post. “The offer was supposed to go into effect 60 days from the date I signed up. I have made numerous attempts to get AT&T to resolve this issue, they even gave me a case number and promised it would be taken care of by January 4, 2021. I am getting the runaround but not the credits for moving my services to AT&T.”

But Sonia, a reviewer from Houston, gave AT&T a 5-star review after she switched from another company.

“I have great service,” she wrote. “I used to have another provider but I used to lose signal all the time and it wasn't cheap. So now with my provider, I have service and haven't had any issues on signal or anything. Plus I get my devices and on a way that I can afford to pay. Am happy with it.”

Patricia of Warrenville, Illinois, found something to complain about even as she gave AT&T a 5-star review.

“I love the service, have never had any problems,” she wrote. “Very few calls dropped. However, I do feel their plans are expensive compared to others. Customer service is also good. Selection of phones is very good.”

Verizon

Verizon has its share of 1-star reviews, with common problems being mistakes on bills and issues with customer service. Charles, of Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, said he liked the coverage area Verizon provided but finally couldn’t put up with the level of customer service he received.

“It is impossible to get through to a person who can actually do something about Verizon's mistakes,” Charles wrote. “And when you try it will eat up gobs of your time and leave you frustrated and defeated.”

Charles wrote that the last straw was when the company billed him $13,000 instead of his normal $124 a month. He said customer service reps he communicated with agreed it had to be a mistake, but no one could do anything about it. 

Misty, of St. Augustine, Florida, had just the opposite experience. She wrote in a 5-star review that she called Verizon in tears about her bill.

“I spoke with Shantelle,” Misty wrote. “She listened to me cry as I explained my situation. Before anything else she made sure I was ok and spoke to me in a calm voice. Once I was ok she went on to address my issues. So many times she assured me it would be ok. She took care of every single issue and even a few I myself didn't see! I truly felt cared about by the end of our conversation. She definitely changed my feelings.”

There appear to be very few issues with Verizon’s coverage area. Most of the dissatisfaction appears to stem from frustration in trying to resolve some kind of issue with a phone or plan.

T-Mobile

Customer service is a common topic in 1-star reviews of T-Mobile, which recently merged with Sprint. Sometimes we’ll get bad reviews about a particular store from one reviewer, but then we’ll receive a positive review from someone in another city who will praise the local store in a 5-star review. Like the other two major carriers, misunderstandings about plans show up in some T-Mobile reviews.

“T-Mobile ran a promo to receive free phones, via monthly credits for every old phone number ported in,” writes Erick, of St. George, Utah. “The T-Mobile rep confirmed our phones were eligible and ported the numbers for us.”

Erick said the first bill was correct but that the second one included a charge for one of the “free” phones.

“Subsequent follow-up was told we weren’t told, though should have been, that our phones weren’t eligible for the free phone promo,” Erick said.

Rona, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, gave T-Mobile a 5-star review in which she said she’s happy with both the service and her plan’s terms.

“All unlimited, no slowdowns or sharing for considerably less than any other provider,” Rona wrote in her ConsumerAffairs post. “They are always willing to change us to the best available deal all with no contract. They don't need to lock you in. You stay because your bill is always right, perfect connection anywhere.”

Do your research and choose the best plan for you

When it comes to the big three wireless providers, some consumers have encountered problems while others haven’t. Problems with customer service appear common in all three.

When it comes to selecting a wireless provider, give strong consideration to the monthly cost and the provider’s coverage area where you live. If you are considering a special promotion, make sure you completely understand it and ask questions.

As you do your research, be sure to check out ConsumerAffairs’ guide to wireless services, which also includes reviews for some independent providers.

Earlier this week, LG Electronics announced that it will stop making smartphones by the end of July. While it’s getting out of the smartphone game, the company is reassuring customers that support for its phones won’t cease immediately. 

In a press release posted Thursday, LG said it will provide customers with three iterations of Android operating system updates from the year the device was purchased.

“The three OS update guarantee applies to LG premium phones released in 2019 and later (G series, V series, VELVET, Wing) while certain 2020 models such as LG Stylo and K series will receive two OS updates,” the company stated.

Losing market share

LG’s decision to exit the mobile business was driven by a loss of market share that it experienced over the last several years. A Statista report found that the company’s smartphone shares declined from 15.4 million units in early 2015 to 11.4 million by early 2018.

If you’re wondering why LG is waiting until July to jettison its smartphone division, the answer is that it simply can’t cut ties quite yet. The company said it still has to fulfill contractual obligations with carriers and partners, so consumers will still be able to buy LG smartphones for a little while longer.

Consumers’ choices among Android smartphones are about to get smaller. LG, which has been making mobile phones since 1995, has announced that it will get out of the smartphone business July 31.

Once a major player in the industry, the Korean electronics giant has consistently lost market share over the last decade to the likes of Apple, Samsung, and many other small manufacturers.

LG has steadily lost out to both high-end producers as well as the smaller companies. According to Statista, LG’s smartphone sales declined from 15.4 million units in the first quarter of 2015 to 11.4 million in the first quarter of 2018.

The company said getting out of the smartphone business will allow it to focus on more lucrative business lines, such as making parts for electric vehicles and robots. Its home appliance division, which boomed during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, will also get more attention.

In addition to smartphones, the company’s consumer products include washers, dryers, and television sets. LG recently introduced its flagship mobile device, the WING 5G, featuring “pro-quality video recording, triple rear cameras, and 5G connectivity.”

The WING 5G carries a retail price of just under $1,000. Meanwhile, competitors like Samsung and Apple are selling their top-of-the-line handsets for $1,100 or more. LG’s low-end smartphones, such as the KG K51, retail for less than $200, making it a low-margin product.

A move to outsourcing

Some industry analysts have pointed out that LG had already begun moving away from smartphones and outsourcing more and more of the production to subcontractors -- squeezing profit margins even thinner.

“The big bosses start to think, ‘Why are we in this business?’ if all we are doing is putting our brand on it,” Tom Kang, a researcher at Counterpoint Research, told The Wall Street Journal.

Other former industry leaders now exist largely in name only. In the early 2000s, Nokia and Blackberry were market leaders. Other manufacturers now make products for both brands.

T-Mobile has quietly updated its privacy policy to state that it will begin sharing customers’ web and mobile app data with companies for third-party advertising on April 26 unless they opt out. 

The change to the carrier’s privacy policy was made last month, but the Wall Street Journal first reported on the update on Tuesday. Under the new policy, users’ web and device usage will automatically be sent to advertisers who will use that information for ad targeting. 

T-Mobile said the change will also apply to Sprint customers. However, business accounts and children’s lines won’t be affected by the change. 

“We’ve heard many say they prefer more relevant ads so we’re defaulting to this setting,” a T-Mobile spokeswoman told the Journal. 

Opting out 

T-Mobile users can opt out of having their data used for targeted advertising by going into the T-Mobile app, visiting the MORE tab, and then tapping “Advertising & Analytics.” From there, users can toggle off the setting that says “Use my data to make ads more relevant to me.” 

Users can also opt out by visiting MyT‑Mobile.com and selecting “Profile, Privacy and Notifications” under the “My Account” dropdown menu. Under “Advertising & Analytics,” toggle off the option that says “Use my data to make ads more relevant to me.” 

Sprint customers can log in to their Sprint account, visit “My Account Preferences,” and scroll down to “All about my account.” Then, they can select “Manage advertising and analytics preferences” and select the line they want to update. Click the “OFF” radio button to end the use of data to make ads “more relevant” to you. 

Smartphone addiction affects nearly 40 percent of college students, according to a study published Tuesday in Frontiers and Psychiatry. Researchers say that means just as many young adults may be suffering from poor quality or insufficient sleep. 

For the study, researchers asked 1,043 students between the ages of 18 and 30 at King's College London to complete two questionnaires about their sleep quality and smartphone usage. The findings revealed that around 40 percent of the students could be classified as “addicted” to smartphones -- and those students were more likely to report poor sleep quality. 

More than two-thirds (68.7 percent) of students who were defined as smartphone addicts had trouble sleeping, compared with 57.1 percent of those who were not addicted to their device. Those most likely to exhibit addictive behaviors surrounding smartphone usage were those who used their phone after midnight or for four or more hours during the day. 

“Our study provides further support to the growing body of evidence that smartphone ‘addiction’ has a negative impact on sleep”, said Dr Ben Carter, a co-author of the paper and senior lecturer at the Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience at King’s. “The association is still significant even after adjusting for daily screen time use.”

The study found that people who put down their device more than a hour before they went to sleep were less likely to display an addictive relationship with their phone. 

“Of those that stopped using their device more than an hour before bedtime, 23.8% exhibited addiction, compared to 42% of those stopping less than 30 minutes before bedtime,” the study authors wrote.

Establishing good sleep habits

Because sleep has such strong ties to mental health problems, the researchers say it’s important for young people to create and stick to a good sleep routine. 

“The negative impact of smartphone use on sleep is very concerning from a mental health perspective,” said Dr Bernadka Dubicka, the chair of the faculty of child and adolescent psychiatry at the Royal College of Psychiatrists. “Many young people have struggled with their sleep and mental health during this pandemic and poor quality or insufficient sleep can be both a symptom and a cause of mental health problems.” 

Avoiding smartphone usage -- or any LED spectrum light source -- before bed can help keep melatonin levels (often referred to as the “sleep hormone”) where they should be prior to sleep. 

“Keeping a good sleep routine is vital for young people’s health and wellbeing and young people should try to limit their smartphone use late at night, for example, by charging their phone in a different room to their bedroom,” Dubicka said. 

T-Mobile has agreed to stop running ads with unsupported claims about the current state of its 5G network.

The National Advertising Division (NAD) of the Better Business Bureau said T-Mobile’s recent 5G advertising could make customers think that T-Mobile and Sprint’s combined networks have led to the creation of benefits that don’t actually exist yet. 

In the advertisements in question, T-Mobile falsely claims that it has the "the best 5G network," "highest capacity in history," and the "most reliable network," according to the NAD. The NAD said the ads did not “reasonably convey a present-tense message that the aspirational future benefits from T-Mobile are presently available to consumers.” 

The group also took issue with the ad’s depiction of "magenta and yellow beams rapidly shooting from tower to tower, speeding through server rooms across cities and over vast landscapes.” The NAD said the ad is misleading and conveys the “unsupported message that the touted benefits of the merger will be imminently realized by consumers.” 

To clear up any confusion, the group is asking T-Mobile to modify its wording in the ad so that consumers don’t think the benefits of the merger are immediate.

T-Mobile said it “supports the self-regulatory process” and has agreed to dial down exaggerated and presently unsupported claims like, “You’ll get the best 5G network.” 

When the new iPhone 12 hits the streets on October 23, it will be met with a throng of consumers wanting to take one home. 

According to WalletHub’s new 2020 iPhone Survey, 44 percent more Americans are planning to buy a new iPhone compared to 2019 -- and 73 percent more think the new iPhone is worth going into debt for.

Finding the perfect plan for each and every consumer’s pocketbook can be a maddening experience. But the personal finance website found that consumers who spend a little time researching all the plan variations can actually save $933 (or $2,280 over two years), simply by picking the right one.

The best plans

Using its own cell phone calculator, WalletHub did a fair amount of number crunching on what special plans and bonuses providers are dangling in front of a consumer. Here are two of the more impressive differentiators:

• The best way to get the new iPhone: WalletHub found that the no-contract individual plan from Visible is the best way to get the new iPhone, beating plans from all three major carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile/Sprint, Verizon).

• Bonus savings: For even more savings, WalletHub’s advice is to keep your old phone. Individuals can save up to $1,690 and families can save up to $2,663.

Words of caution

WalletHub asked technology watchers about some of the pitfalls that consumers should take into consideration when buying a new phone. Here are two that ConsumerAffairs found to be particularly interesting:

How much cheaper must a 2-year agreement be for a cell phone user to sacrifice the flexibility of not having a contract?

“With a 2-year plan, the consumer loses flexibility, for example, in terms of cell phone service plans. The contract may dictate a plan which they wouldn't otherwise choose,” said Qihong Liu, Ph.D., a professor of Economics at the University of Oklahoma.

Liu went on to say that the benefits will likely vary from consumer to consumer. 

“Some choose the contract because they get to have the latest phone without paying the whole cost right away. Others like the contract because it is cheaper,” Liu said. 

To what extent does the secondary market for cell phones (e.g. eBay) alter the price comparison for no-contract plans?

When that question was put to Hemant Bhargava, Ph.D., a professor of Technology Management at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, he had this to say: “Contract plans that provide (or force) a smartphone usually have a price premium to cover the seller’s risk of giving you the phone upfront. So, you’re better off if you can bring your own phone - even if you buy from a secondary source like eBay.”

Rather than worrying about the authenticity and quality of the phone, Bhargava suggests that consumers look for a reliable seller with a high rating history and good reputation. 

“Alternately, there are very high-quality budget phones that cost the same as a used flagship phone and will be just fine for most buyers,” he concluded.

AT&T has announced that it’s giving customers the option to combine different unlimited plans on each line of their account. 

On Monday, the carrier said its new “Unlimited Your Way” program will let customers choose either the Starter, Extra, or Elite unlimited plan for each line instead of requiring all lines to have the same plan. 

"We recognize that individuals have different wireless needs and not all family members want the same rate plan," said David Christopher, executive vice president of AT&T Mobility, in a release. "With the launch of Unlimited Your Way we're making it simple – now customers can pick the best combination of unlimited wireless plans for each family member – all with access to fast, reliable and secure nationwide AT&T 5G included at no extra charge."

Greater flexibility 

The company said that allowing customers to mix and match unlimited wireless plans could result in savings by better accommodating the wireless needs of each line user. 

For example, if a person who works from home went with the Unlimited Extra plan for its hotspot data, another line user could use Unlimited Elite for HBO Max entertainment; another two lines could stay on Unlimited Started if they don’t need those features. That combination would cost $160 per month while keeping everyone on Unlimited Elite would cost $200 per month. 

The three plans on AT&T’s new program for those with multiple lines are the Unlimited Elite, which has up to 100GB of “premium” data for $45; the $35 Unlimited Extra plan, which has up to 50GB of premium data; and the $30 Unlimited Starter, which has up to 30GB of premium data. 

AT&T’s new mix and match unlimited plan option for families is available starting today. 

Verizon has cut a deal with America Movil to acquire Tracfone, the leading stateside prepaid mobile provider in the U.S. The $6.25 billion price tag includes $3.125 billion in cash and $3.125 billion in Verizon common stock. The deal should close sometime in mid-2021.

Thanks to mergers made in the past few years, like the one between T-Mobile and Sprint, the wireless industry has gradually become smaller. The number of players is shrinking, and those that remain are becoming more powerful.

This deal is no different. With the single stroke of a pen, Verizon gains a tremendous amount of prowess from what Tracfone brings to the table. The purchase means Verizon will add another 21 million subscribers under its corporate banner, more than 90,000 retail locations in businesses like CVS, Family Dollar, and BestBuy, and a firm foothold in the value wireless market. The ledger addition is even more impressive since Tracfone raked in $8.1 billion in 2019.

Good news for Tracfone customers

Verizon says that once the acquisition is put to bed, it expects to bring its 4G LTE and 5G networks to Tracfone customers. It also plans to further develop Tracfone’s distribution channels and expand the brand’s market opportunities.

The complete portfolio of Tracfone brands -- Tracfone, Net10 Wireless, SafeLink Wireless, Straight Talk, Page Plus Cellular, GoSmart Mobile, Telcel America, Simple Mobile, Walmart Family Mobile, and Total Wireless -- will also get the benefit of being in the Verizon family.

“Since its launch, Tracfone has developed strong consumer brands and has established itself as a clear leader in the value mobile segment. This transaction firmly establishes Verizon, through the Tracfone brands, as the provider of choice in the value segment, which complements our clear leadership in the premium segment,” commented Ronan Dunne, Executive Vice President and Group CEO, Verizon Consumer Group. 

The deal may also be good news for Tracfone’s employees. Verizon says it will welcome into its fold each and every one of Tracfone’s nearly 850 valuable workers.

T-Mobile promised last year that it would provide internet connectivity to 10 million underserved student households if its merger with Sprint was approved. Now, the company has outlined its plan to make good on that promise. 

In an effort to close the “homework gap,” the company has opened up applications for its “Project 10Million” plan. T-Mobile has set aside $10.7 billion for the program, which will go toward providing connectivity to low-income families and students who are part of a national school lunch program. 

“Project 10Million gives eligible households 100GB of data per year and a FREE mobile hotspot for 5 years,” the carrier said on its website. “Plus, participating school districts have the option to apply the value of the free program, up to $500/year per student, towards additional data plans based on your students needs.” 

Increasing access to reliable internet

T-Mobile noted that internet connectivity has become even more crucial as many schools have shifted to online learning. 

“Even before the pandemic, more than 9 million of America’s 56 million school-age kids did not have access to reliable internet and could not complete after-school assignments,” the carrier said in a statement. “Now, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, an unprecedented 50 million students are learning remotely. Those without reliable internet connectivity will face an even bigger schoolwork gap as they are unable to participate in any type of online classroom learning.” 

School districts can get more information about Project 10Million or apply for the program here. Once an application is approved, students in the school district can get a free hotspot and 100GB of data over a year, or around 8GB per month. 

AT&T has emailed some customers to tell them that they need to replace their device in order to continue receiving service, Android Police reports. 

Thousands of customers received a notice telling them that their device "is not compatible with the new network and you need to replace it to continue receiving service.” 

The notice refers to the fact that the carrier is planning to drop its 3G network. However, AT&T didn’t explicitly mention in the email that consumers’ phones will continue to work until February 2022. That information was reportedly only mentioned in a link within the email. 

The email went on to say that AT&T makes “getting a new device online easy” before naming various fast and free shipping options.

“Someone who just skims over the mail without clicking the red ‘Learn More’ button might conclude they need a new phone right now,” Android Police noted. 

More follow-up needed

In a post on AT&T’s forum, one subscriber asked if the email they received was a scam since it was poorly worded and “sounded fishy.” 

“I just received an email from AT&T that their network is no longer compatible to my device and I must upgrade. First off, this email to me sounded fishy. There was odd letters and numbers in the email address line,” the user wrote. “With this ongoing pandemic unfortunately you have to be very careful what's real and not a scam. Is this legit or no?” 

While the email appears to be legitimitate, Android Police says AT&T should probably follow up with another email “explicitly making clear that genuinely unsupported devices will only stop working in a year and a half, not tomorrow.” 

In an effort to curb unwanted robocalls, T-Mobile has announced that it will offer a free scam-blocking service to all T-Mobile, Metro, and Sprint customers. 

The carrier said Thursday that it’s opting to offer the service for free, unlike rival Verizon, which charges many customers $7.99 per month for the service. 

"People are being robbed. People are being scammed," CEO Mike Sievert said on a call with reporters. "This industry shouldn’t be profiting from this phenomenon.” 

T-Mobile’s scam-blocking services are now part of a program called Scam Shield. The service includes free caller ID and call blocking, free enhanced caller ID (which lets people know when an incoming call is “verified”), and a free second “proxy” number to prevent scam calls from coming to personal phone lines. Customers can also change their number if they are getting too many spam calls.

Scam Shield is the first initiative to be taken by T-Mobile since it merged with smaller rival Sprint. 

“Now that Sprint is a part of T-Mobile, we can take on even bigger problems, so today, we’re taking on one of the biggest pain points in wireless — scams and unwanted robocalls,” Sievert said in a press release Thursday. 

He added that the COVID-19 pandemic has only increased the number of scam calls consumers are receiving. 

“Scam Shield has never been more needed than it is right now. Scammers see COVID-19 as an opportunity to take advantage of Americans at their most vulnerable. When we saw that happening, we knew we had to take bold, swift action. With Scam Shield, T-Mobile customers get fewer scam calls, period … and it’s all because of our advanced network.”

While the spring semester didn’t close out like most college students anticipated, there’s likely to be lots of companies stepping up to make sure the fall semester starts off with a few pluses.

For one, Verizon announced Friday that it’s rolling out a new discount for graduate and post-graduate college students in the United States. To make sure no one’s left out, Verizon is also giving the same deal to undergraduates.

Starting July 2, Verizon’s “discount1” gives students up to $25 off per month. The company is throwing in 12 months of Disney+, along with Apple Music.

“The last couple of months have been challenging for students, and being able to stay connected is crucial for their education. At Verizon, we are committed to supporting student learning at all stages and we are proud to extend our support to college and graduate students as they prepare for success,” said Frank Boulben, senior vice president of consumer marketing and products at Verizon. “This offer will give college students access to our best pricing on the nation’s most reliable network.”

There’s a slight catch...

As with almost every “good deal,” there are some caveats. Actually, with Verizon’s new promotion, there’s several:

• The new discount is available to new and existing Verizon wireless customers on Mix & Match wireless unlimited plans.

• The deal only works for Verizon’s Unlimited plans.

• The “up to $25” is actually $10 for one line and $25 for two.

• A maximum of two lines can be used.

• There’s also a technical limitation that caught ConsumerAffairs’ eye. The fine print of Verizon’s deal says that “in times of congestion, your data may be temporarily slower than other traffic.”

To learn more and check eligibility, Verizon wireless customers can visit the company’s website here.

T-Mobile’s new CEO Mike Sievert has announced that the wireless carrier’s offer of free service for first responders is now available. 

Members of state and local public and nonprofit law enforcement, fire, and EMS agencies can get ten years of free mobile service through T-Mobile’s “Connecting Heroes” program. 

“We know first responder agencies face tough budget decisions, but they shouldn’t have to decide between critical equipment and wireless services,” T-Mobile said. 

The carrier has pledged $7.7 billion over the next decade to fund the program for first responders. Those who receive free service will get unlimited talk, text, and 4G / 5G data.

T-Mobile unveiled its plan to offer free service for first responders when it was pushing to receive regulator approval for its merger with Sprint. The carrier has now completed the merger and plans to eliminate Sprint’s brand name by mid-summer. The combined company will operate under the T-Mobile brand name. 

In addition to the Connecting Heroes plan, T-Mobile also plans to offer a $15-per-month Connect wireless plan with unlimited talk, text, and 2GB of data now that the merger has been completed. The carrier has also promised free internet for 10 million households to increase internet access among children in the U.S. and help close “the homework gap.”

Goodbye, Sprint? Yep -- T-Mobile is eighty-six'ing its new partner's brand name by mid-summer, according to FierceWireless.

Despite Sprint's 33 years as a telecommunications brand, T-Mobile feels confident that having a single flagship is a smarter move than confusing the market with two brands or running the risk of cannibalizing itself.

T-Mobile hasn't given a specific date for dropping the Sprint name, but reports are circulating that it's likely August 2. 

Out of the gate, the changes consumers will see first are the typical branding resets that happen when one company buys another -- invoices, signage, etc.

As for Sprint customers smitten with their current plans, T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert promised at an investor event earlier in the week that they can and won't be required to change over…yet. Eventually, T-Mobile would like to see all its customers on the same page to make life easier. 

5G Sprint phones could be an issue

In a recent study by Waveform, 22 percent of T-Mobile and 19 percent of Sprint subscribers were “extremely excited” about the coming of 5G. However, the Sprint side of that equation -- more than 10 million customers -- might not be so excited with the anticipated changes.

The biggest question swirling around is what will happen to the 5G-enabled phones marketed by Sprint in 2019. The complete answer is still in the ether somewhere. 

According to CNET, Sprint's Galaxy S20 phones will be brought along for the upgrade to T-Mobile's ever-expanding 5G network. Older Sprint 5G phones from 2019 will not be getting updates to enable access to T-Mobile's 5G network. However, those phone models will be able to ride on the existing Sprint 5G signal until it, too, is sunsetted.

For owners of the 5G-enabled Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, OnePlus 7 Pro 5G, and LG V50 ThinQ 5G, sorry, but they'll be downgraded to 4G LTE.

Finally, PhoneArena reports that consumers who purchased the HTC 5G Hub should receive a $12.50 monthly credit for the rest of their installment plan. For those who paid full-retail upfront, a one-time $300 bill credit will be applied.

T-Mobile announced on Wednesday that it has officially merged with Sprint. Under the $23 billion merger, the combined company will operate under the T-Mobile name. 

The completion of the merger follows a long period of debate between the carriers and state attorneys general, who argued that eradicating the fourth carrier would be anticompetitive. However, state officials have withdrawn their opposition to the merger in recent months. New York Attorney General Letitia James said in February that her state would not appeal the merger decision, in part because of the jobs T-Mobile promised to create.

“We are gratified that the process has yielded commitments from T-Mobile to create jobs in Rochester and engage in robust national diversity initiatives that will connect our communities with good jobs and technology,” James said at the time. 

“We hope to work with all parties to ensure that consumers get the best pricing and service possible, that networks are built out throughout our state, and that good-paying jobs are created here in New York.”

Expediting 5G rollout

The merger received approval from a federal judge back in February, with T-Mobile CEO John Legere calling the decision a “huge victory.” He thanked the court for its “thorough review of the facts we presented in our case.” 

“We’ve said it all along: the New T-Mobile will be a supercharged Un-carrier that is great for consumers and great for competition,” Legere said. “The broad and deep 5G network that only our combined companies will be able to bring to life is going to change wireless … and beyond. Look out Dumb and Dumber and Big Cable – we are coming for you … and you haven’t seen anything yet!” 

T-Mobile has argued that joining forces with rival Sprint will pave the way for a faster rollout of nationwide 5G. Earlier this year, T-Mobile promised to unveil “America’s first transformational nationwide 5G network and services” once combined with Sprint. The carrier said the change could “supercharge innovation throughout the U.S. economy.” 

Conditions of the deal

The FCC has been on board with the merger for some time now. Chairman Ajit Pai has expressed optimism that the deal will give the U.S. an edge in the race to deploying 5G.  

“After one of the most exhaustive merger reviews in Commission history, the evidence conclusively demonstrates that this transaction will bring fast 5G wireless service to many more Americans and help close the digital divide in rural areas,” Pai said in an August statement. 

As part of the merger, T-Mobile CEO John Legere has agreed to step down. COO Mike Sievert will take his place. 

The company has also agreed to help establish satellite TV company Dish Network as a fourth major wireless company for the sake of preserving competition. T-Mobile also said it would uphold its previous promise to offer "the same or better rate plans" for three years.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced on Tuesday that it will require all phone carriers to comply with the STIR/SHAKEN protocol by June 30, 2021 as part of its ongoing effort to shrink the volume of robocalls.

“These rules will further the FCC’s efforts to protect consumers against malicious caller ID ‘spoofing,’ which is often used during robocall scam campaigns to trick consumers into answering their phones,” the agency said in a statement. 

The STIR/SHAKEN protocol helps combat nuisance calls by allowing phone companies to verify that the caller ID information matches the caller’s actual phone number. 

“Widespread deployment of STIR/SHAKEN will reduce the effectiveness of illegal spoofing, allow law enforcement to identify bad actors more easily, and help phone companies identify calls with illegally spoofed caller ID information before those calls reach their subscribers,” the agency said. 

Robocalls cost consumers millions 

The FCC estimates that fraudulent robocall schemes cost consumers around $10 million annually. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has said that combatting unlawful robocalls and malicious caller ID spoofing is his number one priority.

“We know that these calls are a major concern of millions of Americans, and scam calls in particular can result in very real financial losses and serious consumer frustration,” Pai said in 2018, when the agency initially began pushing carriers to adopt the protocol. “We are therefore committed to using every resource in our tool box and working closely with private, public, and international partners to combat unlawful robocalls and spoofing.”

Implementing a 2021 deadline for the adoption for the STIR/SHAKEN protocol carries out provisions in the TRACED Act, which was passed by Congress last year. The regulation gave the FCC more authority when it comes to its efforts to combat illegal robocalls. 

FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworsel applauded the agency’s latest effort to reduce robocalls but lamented that it wasn’t done sooner in light of the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be increasing the volume of robocalls. 

“We are seeing alarming reports of an increase in calls from scam artists hawking fraudulent cures and taking advantage of so many people in so many households who are stuck at home,” Rosenworcel said in a statement. “So, let me state this as clearly as a I can: there should be swift and harsh action holding accountable those preying on the vulnerable during this disaster.”

Motorola has announced a February 6 release date for its reboot of the Motorola Razr, a phone that dominated the cell phone universe before Apple released the iPhone in 2007.

The new phone will be available for preorders on January 26, but it isn’t clear if there will be a stampede to get in line. The new phone will sell for $1,500 -- well above the cost of an iPhone 11. Then again, cost might not be such a big headwind.

CNN reports that the company initially planned to release the Razr in early January, but it pushed back the release date because it feared it would not have enough product on hand to meet demand.

The phone can be purchased directly from Motorola and will be available exclusively to Verizon customers, at least in the beginning. The carrier is offering a payment plan of $62.49 a month -- again, well above the monthly payments for an iPhone.

Motorola teased the release in late November, playing on nostalgia for the original Razr. But plenty of industry insiders immediately questioned whether consumers would be that nostalgic, especially at that price point.

Foldable screen

A unique feature of the second-generation Razr is a foldable screen, a concept other manufacturers have struggled with. Samsung stubbed its toe when it introduced the Galaxy Fold, a device that retailed for $2,000. The phone took flak for alleged defective hinges and fragile screens.

This is the second time Motorola has tried to revive the Razr. The last time was 2011 when it introduced the Droid Razr, which failed to generate the anticipated sales.

Motorola has earned a reputation for building a solid phone for an affordable price in recent years. Its Moto Play devices have been very popular among gamers who value the big screens and longer battery life.

Motorola’s most popular phones are the ones with the smallest price tags. The MotoG7 is available for around $300. It features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 octa-core processor and an ultrawide 5.7" Max Vision HD+ display. The device is designed for optimal performance for games, movies, and photos, and it also features a 12 MP camera.

It seems that wireless carrier Virgin Mobile will be going the way of the dinosaurs in less than a month. 

In a recently released FAQ on its site, the company said that Virgin Mobile USA service will be discontinued at the beginning of February. Those who use the service will be transferred to Boost Mobile, which is operated by Sprint. The company said that it has appreciated the loyalty of its customer base and hopes that all users will find great service moving forward.

“To ensure that we offer the best service to our customers, we regularly examine our plans. At this time a decision to discontinue the Virgin Mobile USA service has been made. As we are committed to providing you with great service, we will transfer your account to our sister brand Boost Mobile,” the company stated.

Transferring accounts

When a larger company with a broad customer base goes under, it’s natural for consumers to have some anxiety over how their information and service will be handled. In this case, Virgin Mobile says that switching customers to Boost Mobile should be a pain-free process.

“In most instances, your existing account will be transferred to Boost Mobile with your device, and a comparable or better Boost Mobile service plan at no extra cost to you,” the company said. “You will keep your phone number, and your monthly payment date will remain the same as long as you continue on time payments until the transfer to Boost Mobile is complete.”

Though phone numbers and payment dates should stay stable in most cases, the company’s FAQ does note that certain payment systems like Paypal will be affected by the transfer. For more details on this and other changes, visit the company’s website here.

Earlier this year, Google announced that it would be upgrading the messaging capabilities of its Android devices by 2020. Now, with time to spare, all U.S. consumers who use these devices will have access to RCS messaging. 

Google’s Senior Director of Product Management Sanaz Ahari tweeted late last week that all U.S. Android users would gain access to RCS starting Monday, though she noted that updates would need to be made to Carrier Services and the company’s messaging app.

When another Twitter user asked when RCS would be available to other countries, Ahari gave a curt “Stay tuned.” 

RCS messaging

RCS -- or Rich Communication System -- has been touted as the next innovation in messaging technology, but it isn’t exactly new. Apple’s iMessage and Facebook’s WhatsApp already include several of its distinguishing features, such as photo and video sharing, group messaging, and location-based functions. 

Back in October, the four major U.S. wireless carriers announced their intention to develop and deploy RCS messaging through the Cross-Carrier Messaging Initiative (CCMI). The goal of the initiative is to ensure that Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile can meet evolving industry standards when RCS is rolled out more broadly in the U.S. and globally. 

AT&T has activated its 5G network in ten cities. The faster network is available to consumers with a Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G.

“Millions of consumers and businesses across Birmingham, Ala., Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Providence, R.I., Rochester, N.Y., San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose, Calif. market areas can now access AT&T’s 5G network using the Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G,” the carrier said in an announcement. 

AT&T was criticised earlier this year for rolling out a “5GE” network, which stood for “5G Evolution” and was essentially just upgraded LTE. The 5G network that was switched on today is actual 5G that uses low-band 850MHz spectrum technology. It’s similar to the 600MHz network that T-Mobile recently turned on. 

Nationwide expansion plans

AT&T added that “low-band 5G availability will continue to rapidly expand.” The cities slated to receive the network in the first half of 2020 include Boston, MA; Bridgeport, CT; Buffalo, NY; Las Vegas, NV; Louisville, KY; and New York City, with more to be added throughout the year. 

“We believe 5G technology will be game-changing, and we continue to help drive this next wave of innovation,” said Scott Mair, president of AT&T Technology Operations, in a statement. “We were the first in the U.S. to offer commercial mobile 5G, and this is the next step as we build to nationwide service in the first half of 2020.”

AT&T said its high-band spectrum -- 5G+, which is even faster than 5G -- will be coming at a “later date.” The carrier said 5G+ was designed to “serve high-traffic areas and places like arenas, campuses and more.” It’s currently offered in parts of 23 cities.

A coverage map of the current low-band 5G markets can be viewed here. 

Lawyers for Sprint and T-Mobile will be in court today, arguing that their proposed merger should be allowed to move forward. The U.S. government has already approved the deal.

But a group of state attorneys general -- all Democrats -- have gone to court to block the merger, which would reduce the number of major wireless providers from four to three. The state officials argue that would harm consumers.

The complaint involves more than reducing the number of wireless companies. The suit contends that as the smaller players, both Sprint and T-Mobile offer packages with rates that are more affordable for low-income consumers. With these companies merging, regulators argue that those low rates will likely go up.

As a condition for approving the merger, the Justice Department required Sprint and T-Mobile to provide assistance to Dish Network so the pay-TV provider can launch a competing wireless service.

Sprint agreed to sell Boost, its prepaid wireless business, to Dish in order to help it get up to speed. Dish would also get a network of towers and billions of dollars in spectrum as part of the deal.

‘Not adequate’

In their complaint, the state officials reject that remedy, arguing that Dish’s wireless network would not be an adequate substitute for what both Sprint and T-Mobile now offer.

At issue is whether there is now a competitive landscape in the wireless industry. Sprint and T-Mobile say there is, noting that other non-traditional providers like Charter and Comcast have recently launched mobile services.

“Millions of Americans rely on mobile devices at work, at home, and to organize their lives. Competition between the mobile companies has resulted in better coverage and cheaper, more reliable service for all of us,” said Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, when the suit was filed in June. 

Year-long investigation

Healey said her office participated in a year-long investigation which concluded that the proposed merger would give the new company the power to raise prices, significantly reduce competition for customers, lower quality, and cost thousands of retail workers their jobs. 

“We are challenging this merger to protect a service that matters to everyone,” she said.

Healey and her colleagues argue that the competition between T-Mobile and Sprint has lowered prices for all mobile phone subscribers. Since 2009, they say the average cost of mobile service in the United States has fallen by roughly 28 percent.

Sprint and T-Mobile, meanwhile, have said they need to join forces because, as individual companies, they lack the financial resources to build out 5G networks to compete with Verizon and AT&T.

If you’re looking for a wireless provider, ConsumerAffairs has gathered thousands of reviews of cell phone companies. You’ll find them here. 

If you asked consumers who they have to thank for their love of mobile phones, most would probably say Apple, or Nokia, or Samsung. Truth be known, though, it’s really Motorola that deserves the nod for creating the world's first commercial handheld mobile phone, way back in 1983.

But, despite all its innovations ranging from bag phones to flip phones and clam phones, Motorola has pretty much fallen off the map in the last few years, losing considerable consumer prowess over the last few years at the hands of Apple and Samsung. 

But, the company says to call off the EMS units because it’s going to try and regain its flagship space

Razr sharp? Better be.

The first box Motorola has checked off is a new Moto Razr, an Android-based foldable smartphone styled after the original Razr.

“The reimagination of the Razr some 15 years after the original isn't just a play on nostalgia, it's a fully formed flip phone with a whole host of fun and functional features,” is how Mike Lowe at PocketLint took to Motorola’s return home. However, he hedged his outlook with a qualifier.

“Sure, the processor isn't the best going, the cameras aren't a particularly prominent feature, and the battery life might well be questionable (we can't say for certain just yet),” Lowe said.

The second -- and maybe more important -- box Motorola hopes to tick is a phone that supports 5G, the highly anticipated technology that will give consumers the fastest service they’ve ever had. Reports say that when the company launches a “premium smartphone” sometime in early 2020, that device will have 5G capability.

None too soon, either

Motorola has taken it on the chin from ConsumerAffairs reviewers, and if Lowe’s comment about the Razr addressing issues with “build quality in a proper and convincing way” is true, then it’s none too soon.

Reflecting on his frustrations with a previous Motorola phone, Mike of Winter Haven, FL wrote that he dreaded turning on his device, “because there are always 20 to 26 updates that need to be made every time I turn it on. It is never endless and it is a pain (in) the butt. So I turned it off forever. I have accomplished what I needed to do and now use it as a doorstop.”

While some consumers having nothing but good things to say about their Moto phones, the company still has some work to do on the customer service end, particularly when things go bad.

“My phone has LED burn for the second time. There (sic) phones are shotty (sic) at best,” remarked David of Orangevale, CA. “They only give options to lose your phone for 10 days or have to redo a new one with a deposit that most people don't get back even after a fight. They need more options for their crappy phones.”

For years, Sprint failed to keep an accurate count of how many low-income customers it serves through the federal Lifeline program, according to regulatory documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. 

The Journal, which obtained the documents through a public information request, found that an error in how the carrier counted subscriber usage of the Lifeline service during the years 2013 and 2014 caused dormant accounts to be kept live. Subsequently, Sprint was allowed to continue collecting subsidies for those customers. 

In one instance, a customer in Oregon died but her account retained its “active” status for months. The problem was found to be widespread, affecting thousands of accounts across the nation. Sprint discovered the problem, but it never commented on how many subscribers it lost after remedying the issue. 

Sprint’s Lifeline mistakes 

Sprint is facing a separate investigation and a potential settlement with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The agency found in September that Sprint improperly collected millions of dollars in federal subsidies for 885,000 Lifeline customers whose accounts had gone dormant. 

The carrier said its error was caused by a 2017 issue affecting the system it used to calculate usage and eligibility for Lifeline subscribers.  

“While the facts make clear that Sprint did make a mistake, it is also clear that Sprint corrected that mistake and cooperated with regulators,” a Sprint spokesman told the Journal, noting that the two incidents are separate and unrelated.

In an effort to drum up support for T-Mobile’s upcoming merger with Sprint, the carrier has promised to roll out three new programs if the deal takes place. 

At an event on Thursday announcing T-Mobile’s plan to launch 5G in early December, the carrier gave details on three new programs that will join its roster of services if the $26.5 billion merger happens as planned. 

T-Mobile said its “first planned Un-carrier moves for the proposed new T-Mobile” will include new programs that will rely on the new company’s “transformational network.” 

Should the merger take place, the following initiatives would be cleared to move ahead, bringing “accessibility and connectivity to the most deserving and underserved consumers across the country,” according to T-Mobile: 

• Connecting Heroes Initiative. A pledge to offer free 5G access — including unlimited talk, text, and smartphone data — to every first responder at every public and non-profit state and local police, fire, and emergency medical technician location across the U.S. for the next decade.

• Project 10Million. A new program designed to “eradicate the homework gap that exists for millions of children by offering free service and hotspots and reduced cost devices to 10 million households around the U.S. over five years.” 

• T-Mobile Connect. A new $15-a-month phone plan option which T-Mobile says is for “everyone, especially lower-income consumers.”

Combined 5G network

CEO John Legere has been making a case for the merger ever since it was first proposed a year and a half ago, saying that joining forces with Sprint will enable the creation of a “spectacular” 5G network. 

Legere noted on Thursday that the deal “has taken longer to close than we thought it would.” He added that critics of the deal “have yet to realize that what they want is what we want.” The company says that combining T-Mobile and Sprint’s networks will create "ridiculous amounts of network capacity” and will enable the creation of several enticing and competition-increasing programs for consumers. 

“Only the New T-Mobile’s transformative 5G network will FINALLY have the capacity and reach to make the BOLD moves we announced today that are squarely aimed at SOLVING inequities that have huge impacts on our society,” Legere said in a statement. 

The Federal Communications Commission and the Justice Department have each given official approval for the merger. However, the deal is still opposed by 18 state attorneys general who argue that it will harm competition and raise prices for consumers.

T-Mobile CEO John Legere announced Thursday morning that his company’s nationwide 5G network will be activated on December 6. 

The carrier had already launched its 5G network in a few markets, but the nationwide rollout will bring the network to 5,000 cities and towns before the end of the year. Legere says the network will eventually cover 200 million customers and boast speeds ten times faster than current LTE speeds by 2024.

At launch, T-Mobile will only have two devices that are compatible with the 5G network: the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus 5G and the OnePlus 7T Pro 5G. 

Seeking support for merger 

The carrier is marketing its 5G initiative as “5G for Good” and using it as an opportunity to garner support for its upcoming merger with Sprint. 

"This deal has taken longer to close than we thought it would,” Legere said. “Some people are still asking questions -- the right questions. But these people have yet to realize that what they want is what we want.” 

T-Mobile President Mike Sievert said in the announcement that the carrier plans to combine its low-band 600MHz spectrum and its ultra-high mmWave holdings with Sprint's 2.5GHz mid-band signals to create "ridiculous amounts of network capacity." 

“This is something we could never do if the merger doesn't happen,” Sievert added. 

The Federal Communications Commission and the Justice Department have each given official approval for the merger. However, the deal is still opposed by 18 state attorneys general who argue that it will harm competition and raise prices for consumers. 

AT&T has agreed to pay $60 million to settle a five-year-old complaint by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which took issue with the company’s use of the word “unlimited” to describe data plans that reduced data speeds.

In 2014, the FTC alleged that AT&T did not adequately inform consumers who signed up for “unlimited” data plans that their speeds were subject to throttling once they exceed a certain amount of data usage.

The agency levied a $100 million fine that AT&T challenged in court. The two sides have settled on the lower amount of $60 million

“AT&T promised unlimited data—without qualification—and failed to deliver on that promise,” said Andrew Smith, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “While it seems obvious, it bears repeating that Internet providers must tell people about any restrictions on the speed or amount of data promised.”

The practice began in 2011

The FTC said it traced the company’s throttling back to 2011 when mobile data was relatively new and networks were smaller. Both AT&T and Verizon marketed fixed amounts of monthly data for a set price.

For a higher price, AT&T offered an unlimited data plan, but the FTC says the company began slowing speeds after customers used as little as 2 gigabytes during a billing period.

A spokesman for AT&T said the company has not used that data management tool “in years” and that it agrees that the FTC’s position is in the best interest of consumers.

That position calls for AT&T and other telecom providers to clearly state that “unlimited” data plans may be subject to slower speeds after a certain amount of data is used.

AT&T’s latest unlimited plans

This week, AT&T introduced three new unlimited data plans that contain no data caps. However, the company disclosed that in areas of high network congestion some data may be slowed.

Under the terms of the settlement, AT&T is not allowed to make any claims about the speed or amount of its mobile data, including that it is “unlimited,” without disclosing any material restrictions on the speed or amount of data. 

The settlement also requires that the disclosures be made in a way that consumers are sure to see them and not buried in the fine print.

“For example, if an AT&T website advertises a data plan as unlimited, but AT&T may slow speeds after consumers reach a certain data cap, AT&T must prominently and clearly disclose those restrictions,” the FTC said in a statement.

As for the $60 million AT&T is paying in the settlement, the FTC says the money will be used to provide partial refunds to current and former customers who signed up for unlimited plans before 2011. Affected consumers will not be required to submit a claim for the refunds. 

Starting November 3, AT&T will begin rolling out modified versions of three Unlimited plans. Two new unlimited plans will be offered -- AT&T Unlimited Starter and AT&T Unlimited Extra. 

The cheapest plan, the Unlimited Starter plan (which is replacing the current Unlimited & More plan), starts at $65 for a single line or $35 per line for four lines. The plan has no high-speed data cap -- however, in areas where there is data traffic congestion, the subscriber is subject to having his or her data speed throttled.

The Unlimited Extra plan starts at $75 per month (or $40 per line each month for a family of four) and adds 15GB of mobile hotspot data. It has a data cap of 50 GB per month. 

The third plan that will be offered is called AT&T Unlimited Elite. It will cost $85 monthly, or $50 per line for four lines, and include HBO, higher video streaming resolution, 30GB of mobile hotspot per line, and 100GB of data before it gets throttled.

Rollout begins November 3

The new AT&T Unlimited Starter and AT&T Unlimited Extra plans will launch on November 3, while the AT&T Unlimited Elite plan will be available in the coming weeks. AT&T added that it will “share more information on 5G for consumers” relative to the new plans later this year.

“AT&T remains laser focused on offering the best unlimited options on the nation’s best and fastest network,” David Christopher, general manager, AT&T Mobility said in a statement. “These plans offer incredible value with performance, speed and reliability on the network you deserve.”

T-Mobile has announced that it will be offering firefighters, police, and other first responders the same discount it gives military veterans. 

Starting November 1, the Magenta First Responder plan will be open to eligible "state and local law enforcement officers, firefighters and EMS personnel” and their families. First responders can get 50 percent off family lines by enrolling in the plan, which is the same discount the carrier began offering active military members and veterans last year. 

T-Mobile says its military plan saves families over $1 billion annually, and it wants to help first responders “and everyone who counts on them” save just as much while staying connected. 

"At T-Mobile, we're on an unrelenting mission to change wireless for good. With Magenta First Responder, we'll put money right back in the pockets of our nation's first responders and their families," said T-Mobile CEO John Legere in a statement. 

“Magenta Military forced AT&T and Verizon to respond and altogether created a wave of change that we estimate saves military families more than a billion dollars every year,” Legere added. “This is what we do. We spark a reaction. And Magenta First Responder will do the same.”

Four lines for $100 

Those who subscribe to T-Mobile’s Magenta plan can get four lines for $100 with taxes and fees included, which is a savings of $60 off the company’s normal price. A single line costs $55 per month, two lines cost $40 each, and three lines cost $30 each.

The cheaper plan includes the same features offered under the standard Magenta plan, including unlimited texting and data, a basic Netflix subscription, and 3GB of high-speed mobile hotspot connectivity.

To qualify for any of the plans, the first responder must be the account holder and have a valid first responder line. T-Mobile added that, for a limited time, first responders, active duty military, and veterans can also get 50 percent off the latest Samsung smartphones with bill credits.

All four major wireless carriers have issued a press release saying they are teaming up on a project called the “Cross-Carrier Messaging Initiative” (CCMI). 

Through the initiative, Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile have agreed to “develop and deploy [a] standards-based, interoperable messaging service” known as Rich Communication Service (RCS) messaging, which may eventually replace standard SMS messaging that consumers use now. The carriers are endeavoring to bring RCS to Android smartphones in 2020. 

The companies said CCMI has been designed with the aim of ensuring that carriers enable the same RCS features that the upcoming industry standard promises. Those features include high-quality pictures and videos, better group chats, and more. 

In the announcement, Verizon said the CCMI service will: 

• Drive a robust business-to-consumer messaging ecosystem and accelerate the adoption of Rich Communications Services (RCS)

• Enable an enhanced experience to privately send individual or group chats across carriers with high-quality pictures and videos

• Provide consumers with the ability to chat with their favorite brands, order a ride share, pay bills, schedule appointments, and more

• Create a single seamless, interoperable RCS experience across carriers, both in the U.S. and globally

Replacing SMS messaging

RCS has for years been touted as promising replacement for SMS, which could bring features found in iMessage and WhatsApp to texting. However, support among carriers has been limited, and those that have adopted it “sometimes did so without adhering to the international standard for interoperability called the ‘Universal Profile,’ The Verge notes. 

The publication spoke with Doug Garland, the general manager of CCMI, who confirmed that there will be a standalone app for Android phones that supports the standard by next year. Garland added that the CCMI aims to make sure that user chats are “private” and that the app being developed delivers “an experience [customers] can trust.”

Since October 1, a number of AT&T customers have reported problems accessing their voicemail. An inability to access voicemail has been reported by both iPhone and Android users in several states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Nevada, and North Carolina.

Android users have complained of seeing error messages when trying to access voicemail while iPhone owners have said they’re experiencing problems accessing Visual Voicemail.

In response to complaints posted in a 40+ page thread on the carrier’s support forums, representatives for the company claimed that the issues stem from a "vendor server problem.” A statement given to The Verge on Wednesday was similarly light on details. 

“A recent software update to some devices may be affecting our customers’ voicemail,” the company told The Verge. “We are working with the device manufacturer to issue a patch to resolve this and apologize for any inconvenience this has caused.”

At this time, no timeline has been given for the deployment of the patch. 

For now, AT&T is advising customers experiencing the issue to either wait patiently for the fix to roll out or have their mailbox rebuilt. The latter move would result in the deletion of any saved messages or messages received during the outage, The Verge noted. 

Samsung has provided more details on a security flaw affecting some Galaxy devices.

Earlier this week, users reported an issue with the fingerprint reader on Samsung’s Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10 devices. The flaw could potentially let anyone unlock a phone with their own fingerprint. 

Samsung explained on Friday that the bug was caused by an issue with the silicone cases that protect the devices’ screens. The issue made the phone act as if a valid fingerprint had been registered.  

“This issue involved ultrasonic fingerprint sensors unlocking devices after recognizing 3-dimensional patterns appearing on certain silicone screen protecting cases as users’ fingerprints,” Samsung said in a statement. 

A fix is on the way

The company said it plans to release a software patch next week that will fix the issue. In the meantime, users are urged to refrain from using front screen protective covers in order to ensure “optimum fingerprint scanning.” 

“To prevent any further issues, we advise that Galaxy Note10/10+ and S10/S10+/S10 5G users who use such covers to remove the cover, delete all previous fingerprints and newly register their fingerprints,” Samsung said. 

After the update is released and installed, Samsung says users should plan to scan their fingerprint “in its entirety, so that all portions of your fingerprint, including the center and corners have been fully scanned.”

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Wednesday gave its official approval to the merger between T-Mobile and Sprint, voting 3-2 to approve the deal. The vote was split along party lines, with the FCC’s two Democratic Commissioners voting against the $26.5 billion acquisition, Reuters noted. 

Democratic Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel reiterated her concerns about the takeover in an op-ed for The Atlantic, saying that the deal would reduce the number of major wireless carriers in the U.S. to three. In a piece published Wednesday morning, Rosenworcel argued that the merger would negatively impact competition and increase prices for consumers. 

“These state officials understand something fundamental: With less competition, rates rise and innovation falls. All the evidence demonstrates that this holds true in the mobile-phone industry too,” Rosenworcel wrote. “If this merger succeeds, consumers will pay the price.”

Geoffrey Starks, the other Democratic Commissioner who voted against the merger, said that last month there was “no credible way that the merger before us can proceed” until Sprint could be investigated for allegedly misappropriating Lifeline subsidy funds for around 885,000 consumers who weren’t active subscribers of Sprint’s service. 

Republican Commissioners vote in favor

In contrast to the Democratic board members, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has said that he’s fully on board with merger, which was approved by the Justice Department over the summer. 

Pai says the deal will support two of the FCC’s top priorities of “closing the digital divide in rural America and advancing United States leadership in 5G.” T-Mobile has promised to build out rural broadband and 5G, sell its Boost prepaid brand, and keep prices on hold for three years. 

The other Republican commissioners, Brendan Carr and Michael O’Rielly, have also said they support the takeover and voted to approve the deal. 

Opposition from states

The deal still faces opposition from a bipartisan group of state attorneys general, who have filed a lawsuit seeking to block the so-called “anticompetitive megamerger.” 

The states involved in the suit are New York, California, Texas, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Virginia, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia. 

Neither the DOJ or the FCC will close the merger until the suit is resolved. 

In the eleventh hour, opponents have emerged to object to T-Mobile’s proposed merger with Sprint.

The Justice Department signed off on the merger in July but opponents haven’t stopped their campaign against it. But the government’s approval came with a complicated set of requirements aimed at transforming Dish Network into a wireless operator.

The Justice Department approved the merger over the summer when it concluded that Dish would build a low-cost network that would take the place of Sprint.

But a group of seven economists and antitrust experts say the court should reject the DOJ’s proposed solution, calling it “doomed to failure” and “a remedy that does not meet the standard of restoring the competition currently provided by Sprint.”

The seven economists say that for the next seven years, anyone signing up for Dish Network service will be getting rebranded T-Mobile service, which the economists contend is not actual competition.

The economists argue that it’s not even a sure bet that Dish will ever actually build its own network -- and even if it does, it’s all but certain that network won’t reach as many people as Sprint.

Last-minute attempt

The economists’ filing is a last-minute attempt to convince the court to block the government’s approval of the merger before it takes effect. The proposed settlement has to be approved in court as serving the public interest.

For T-Mobile, the stakes couldn’t be higher. If the court determines the merger doesn’t serve the public interest, it could have to start all over again.

The economists who signed the letter urging the government to block the deal says the facts are on their side. Hal Singer, an economist at Georgetown University, says the government needs to prove that reducing the number of wireless carriers from four to three won’t harm consumers.

AT&T, deeply in debt after a series of acquisitions, has agreed to sell its assets in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The telecom giant says it plans to sell both its wireless and wireline networks for $1.95 billion to Liberty Latin America. The deal requires the approval of U.S. regulators.

Presumably, AT&T would use money from the transaction to pay down some of its debt from the purchase of DirecTV and Time Warner. But the sale would reduce the debt only slightly since AT&T’s long-term debt totaled $159 billion at the end of the second quarter.

The proposed transaction includes network assets, including spectrum; real estate and leases; customers, including 1.1 million wireless subscribers; and contracts. At close, approximately 1,300 current AT&T employees will move to Liberty Latin America. 

“I’m proud of AT&T’s history in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands,” said Jose Davila, AT&T vice president-general manager for the region. “I’m especially proud of our network and the recent network enhancements that have helped AT&T rank as the fastest network in Puerto Rico.”

Closing in mid-2020

The proposed sales agreement would provide AT&T $1.95 when the deal closes. AT&T said if the Federal Communications Commission and the Justice Department agree, the deal could close within six to nine months.

AT&T, which is one of the two largest wireless providers in the U.S., has been looking for ways to reduce its massive debt. It has previously stated that it plans to cut its debt by $20 billion in 2019.

Earlier this year AT&T sold its interest in Hulu, a popular streaming service, pocketing $1.43 billion in the deal. It also spun off some real estate, getting approximately $2.2 billion for WarnerMedia’s Manhattan offices.

Continuing its plan to reduce its debt, AT&T said it plans to use free cash flow after dividends to continue to monetize initiatives. With the completion of this deal, the company says it will have increased monetization efforts this year by more than $11 billion.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced on Tuesday that it has opened an investigation into Sprint after finding that it improperly collected millions of dollars in federal subsidies. 

The funds were taken in through the FCC’s Lifeline program, which helps low-income consumers with a $9.25 monthly subsidy on phone and broadband services. Sprint argues that the money in question was collected due to confusion about a rule change that occurred in 2016. 

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai called it “outrageous” that the funds were taken from roughly 885,000 consumers who weren’t active subscribers of Sprint’s service. The FCC said Sprint disregarded its “non-usage rule,” which requires Lifeline providers to de-enroll subscribers who don’t use their phones. 

“Lifeline is an important component of our efforts to bring digital opportunity to low-income Americans, and stopping waste, fraud, and abuse in the program has been a top priority of mine since I’ve been at the Commission,” Pai said in a statement. 

“It’s outrageous that a company would claim millions of taxpayer dollars for doing nothing. This shows a careless disregard for program rules and American taxpayers,” he said. “I have asked our Enforcement Bureau to investigate this matter to determine the full extent of the problem and to propose an appropriate remedy.” 

Collected in “error”

In statements to the media, Sprint claimed the subsidy payments were collected in error after a rule change regarding how usage and eligibility for Lifeline subscribers must be calculated went into effect.

“While immaterial to Sprint’s financial results, we are committed to reimbursing federal and state governments for any subsidy payments that were collected as a result of the error,” a company spokesperson said. 

Sprint noted that it immediately reported the error to the FCC and state regulators. 

“When the error was discovered, we immediately investigated and proactively raised this issue with the FCC and appropriate state regulators. We also engaged an independent third party to review the results of our review and the effectiveness of our operational changes,” the spokesperson added. 

Possible impact on merger with T-Mobile

The FCC had previously expressed its support of Sprint’s plan to merge with T-Mobile, but FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said Sprint’s mistake “directly impacts” the agency’s views on the matter. 

In a statement, Starks said the alleged misconduct “amounts to corporate malfeasance” if found to be true. 

“There is no credible way that the merger before us can proceed until this Lifeline investigation is resolved and responsible parties are held accountable,” he said. “Without the benefit of the findings of this investigation into what appears to be the worst case of Lifeline violations in FCC history, it is impossible for us to trust in the integrity and completeness of the record, evaluate the character and fitness of the applicants, and exercise our statutorily defined obligation to grant only license transfers that serve the public interest.” 

T-Mobile has just offered another reason to have the new Apple Card. The wireless carrier says it will provide up to 3 percent cash back on in-store purchases when customers pay with Apple’s new credit card.

As an added bonus, T-Mobile says it will also give back 3 percent for one-time bill payments if made in T-Mobile stores and paid with the Apple Card with Apple Pay.

“T-Mobile’s iPhone offer just got better,” the carrier said in a blog post. “On top of 50 percent off the latest iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max with eligible trade-in, customers can also receive 3 percent Daily Cash for all purchases, including the new iPhone, the new Apple Watch Series 5 and the new seventh-generation iPad, when they use Apple Card with Apple Pay in T-Mobile stores.”

Apple rolled out its new credit card last month. Like many regular credit cards, it doesn’t have an annual fee and it offers 3 percent cash back on Apple purchases and 1 percent on all other purchases. 

The card got a rather lukewarm reception from personal finance experts who note that most cards now don’t charge an annual fee and offer rewards as generous or more than what the Apple Card pays. Deals with vendors like T-Mobile, however, may change that narrative.

‘All about giving value’

“We’re all about giving customers the best value in wireless, and we’re doing it again by offering 3 percent Daily Cash on Apple Card,” said John Legere, CEO of T-Mobile. “More options. More value. And cash back, including on Apple’s newest products. It’s just the Un-carrier way.”

Starting today, any customer will receive 3 percent Daily Cash for all purchases at T-Mobile, including the new iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, the new Apple Watch Series 5 and the new seventh-generation iPad, as well as one-time bill payments when they use Apple Card with Apple Pay in T-Mobile stores.

T-Mobile’s iPhone customers can apply for the Apple Card through the Wallet app on iPhone and start using it right away with Apple Pay in stores, in apps, and on websites.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro has announced he will add his name to the list of states lobbying to block T-Mobile’s merger with Sprint, bringing the total number of state attorney generals who have expressed their opposition to the merger to 18. 

In a statement published Wednesday, Shapiro pledged his commitment to protecting Pennsylvanians’ access to “affordable, reliable wireless service.” 

“The merger between T-Mobile and Sprint would severely undermine competition in the telecommunications sector, which would hurt Pennsylvanian consumers by driving up prices, limiting coverage, and diminishing quality,” he said. “I’m proud to stand with my colleague Attorneys General in opposing this merger and advocating on behalf of Pennsylvania consumers.”

Growing list of opponents

Shapiro joins the following other states in seeking to block the “anticompetitive megamerger”: New York, California, Texas, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, Oregon, Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. 

In July, the Department of Justice approved the merger on the condition that the carriers sell some of their assets to Dish Network. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has also said it supports the deal. 

However, pushback from so many state attorneys general threatens to derail the merger of the nation’s 3rd and 4th largest mobile wireless networks. State officials argue in the suit that the merger will harm competition and raise prices for consumers. Following news that the deal had received DOJ approval, New York AG Letitia James reiterated her concerns on Twitter. 

“I remain deeply concerned about the T-Mobile/Sprint megamerger & the irreparable harm it will cause to millions across the country,” she wrote. “Despite approval from the DOJ, the deal is bad for consumers, innovation, and workers.” 

New York City is suing T-Mobile, accusing the wireless carrier of violating consumer protection laws a total of 2,200 times in various parts of the city, Reuters reports.

In its complaint, New York City's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) claims that T-Mobile engaged in “pervasive” illegal sales tactics at 56 of its Metro by T-Mobile stores. 

The city says it has evidence that the carrier sold used or reconditioned phones as new and tacked on taxes that were excessive or appeared to be “made up.” The complaint also accuses T-Mobile of getting customers to e-sign leasing contracts without informing them of the charges or requesting their consent. 

In one case, a customer thought she had purchased a phone advertised at $599 but later learned that she had unwittingly signed up for a 12-month lease costing $2,191.30. 

“With this scheme in place, Defendants have deceived NYC consumers about things as basic as the actual price of the phone to things as complicated as the terms of financing,” the complaint states.

In a statement, T-Mobile said it’s looking into the allegations as they appear to be “at odds with the integrity of our team.” 

Separately, New York is fighting to prevent T-Mobile’s $26.5 billion merger with Sprint. The state’s attorney general, Letitia James, is leading a group of states in suing to block the deal, which she argues is “bad for consumers, bad for workers, and bad for innovation.”

On Wednesday, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai made his approval of the T-Mobile/Sprint merger official. 

Although critics have argued that allowing the two carriers to join forces would reduce competition in the industry, Pai contends that the deal would help promote competition, expedite the nationwide deployment of 5G, and help shrink the digital divide. 

“After one of the most exhaustive merger reviews in Commission history, the evidence conclusively demonstrates that this transaction will bring fast 5G wireless service to many more Americans and help close the digital divide in rural areas,” Pai said in a statement. 

The conditions included in the FCC’s draft order would “promote robust competition in mobile broadband, put critical mid-band spectrum to use, and bring new competition to the fixed broadband market,” the Republican commissioner added.

“I thank our transaction team for the thorough and careful analysis reflected in this draft Order and hope that my colleagues will vote to approve it,” he continued. 

Help with 5G deployment

Pai, who signaled his intention to approve the deal back in May, believes that if T-Mobile and Sprint become one company, the combined entity will be in a better position to compete with rivals in the effort to launch 5G. 

“Consumers will directly benefit from improvements in network quality and coverage, which in turn will foster innovation in a wide variety of sectors and services (itself creating significant public interest benefits),” the FCC said in a statement. “Moreover, the transaction will help to close the digital divide by bringing robust 5G deep into rural areas, with enforceable conditions in the draft Order requiring coverage of at least 99% of Americans within six years.”

Following months of skepticism over the merger, the Department of Justice (DOJ) gave its approval of the $26.5 billion deal last month on the condition that Sprint sell its prepaid assets to Dish network. The DOJ said the new agreement will "enable a viable facilities-based competitor to enter the market.” 

The merger is still opposed by more than a dozen state attorneys general. These officials argue that the merger will harm competition and raise prices for consumers. Democratic FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel also said she’s still “not convinced that removing a competitor will lead to better outcomes for consumers.” 

“But what I am convinced of is that before the FCC votes on this new deal negotiated by Washington, the public should have the opportunity to weigh in and comment. Too much here has been done behind closed doors,” she said in a statement regarding the FCC’s draft order.

Last week, the $26.5 billion merger of T-Mobile and Sprint gained approval from the Department of Justice. However, the deal -- which hasn’t yet closed -- still faces opposition from close to a dozen state attorneys general.

A lawsuit filed by these officials argues that the merger will harm competition and raise prices for consumers. Following news that the deal had received DOJ approval, New York AG Letitia James reiterated her concerns on Twitter. 

“I remain deeply concerned about the T-Mobile/Sprint megamerger & the irreparable harm it will cause to millions across the country,” she wrote. “Despite approval from the DOJ, the deal is bad for consumers, innovation, and workers.” 

“This deal is based on speculative promises & will increase prices for consumers & greatly reduce competition. The American people deserve access to affordable, reliable wireless service & this deal is not the answer.”

At a status hearing on Thursday, the states involved in the suit aiming to block the deal plan to ask for the October 7 start date of the merger trial to be pushed back to December 9. State AGs argue that they are owed more time to prepare since T-Mobile and Sprint didn’t provide all the details of their settlement with the DOJ by the deadline of June 28. 

EFF also opposes the deal 

Separately, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) chimed in on Tuesday to express its opposition to the merger. In a statement, the organization raised the concern that “5G hype” could have clouded the DOJ’s judgement when choosing to green-light the deal. 

“The Sprint-T-Mobile merger has been the subject of a lot of 5G hype,” EFF said. “EFF has called attention to the political leveraging of 5G before, and this merger is the perfect example of how it can be weaponized to blow holes in consumer protection laws.” 

“From the outset, Sprint and T-Mobile repeatedly over-represented, claiming the merger would bring 5G wireless services to all Americans. The companies’ argument is that Americans must accept fewer choices at higher prices if they want to see these new services. This is just untrue.” 

Like the state attorneys general involved in the effort to block the merger, EFF argues that the deal is anticompetitive. The group says 5G could still reach all U.S. consumers through “government-regulated licenses” that promote competition.

“Those licenses can be modified with new policies to promote competition and access. In particular, instead of approving anti-competitive mergers, the government could simply change the terms of the licenses it gives companies for their use of spectrum, the radio frequencies used to transmit services,” the group said. 

Spansive of San Bruno, Calif., is recalling about 950 Spansive Source wireless, multi-phone chargers.

Metallic accessories attached to phones placed on the chargers can overheat while phones charge, posing a burn hazard to users.

The firm has received one report of a metallic phone accessory overheating when placed on the charger. No injuries have been reported.

This recall involves Spansive Source wireless multi-phone chargers capable of powering up to six phones simultaneously, four wirelessly and two more via USB ports located at the base of the charger.

The recalled chargers were sold in both white and charcoal colors, each with a green label at the bottom. “Spansive” is printed on the chargers.

The chargers, manufactured in China, were sold exclusively online at Spansive’s website www.spansive.com for about $200. Only chargers sold on May 23 -- 24, 2019, which are identifiable by a green label on the bottom of the charger, are included in this recall.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled phone chargers and return them to Spansive for a full refund. Spansive is contacting purchasers directly about the recall.

Consumers may contact Spansive at (800) 426-6251 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (PT) Monday through Friday, by email at support@spansive.com or online at www.spansive.com and click on “Spansive Source Recall Notice” at the bottom of the page for more information.

Now that Dish Network has been set up as a fourth wireless provider in the wake of Sprint and T-Mobile’s merger approval, the satellite TV company isn’t waiting for the ink to dry.

Dish Chairman Charlie Ergen has made clear he plans to push ahead immediately in building out a 5G wireless network, an enormously expensive undertaking. In an interview with Axios just hours after the Justice Department greenlighted the merger, Ergen said he hopes to be providing 5G service in at least one market by the end of 2020.

Dish stepped into the role of wireless provider as a condition for regulators to allow Sprint and T-Mobile to merge because of worries the combination would reduce competition and hurt consumers. Both merger partners provided assets to Dish, including spectrum, to help it get up and running.

Part of the problem facing the satellite TV provider is that it currently has no existing wireless network. It will have to build a 5G network from scratch while its competitors will build on top of their existing 4G LTE networks.

Getting a boost from Boost

Dish is acquiring Sprint’s Boost Mobile as part of the deal and Ergen said one of the first steps the company will take is to make the prepaid service more competitive, even expanding beyond the prepaid market.

The deal approved by the government requires T-Mobile and Sprint to open up dozens of retail locations to Dish, as well as more than 20,000 cell sites. Dish will also get “a seven-year wholesale agreement allowing it to sell T-Mobile wireless service under the Dish brands.”

While that most likely will help, Dish still faces significant challenges in leaping into the wireless business. However, it has strong incentives to do so. Satellites are aging technology and 5G could prove to be a much faster and more efficient way to distribute video programming.

Keeping pace with DIRECTV

Dish competitor DIRECTV is owned by AT&T which is currently building its own 5G network. For Dish to remain competitive it may have to bite the 5G bullet.

Roger Entner, a telecom analyst and founder of Recon Analytics LLC, told Bloomberg News that Dish will likely have to spend at least $20 billion dollars in the short term to build a network that could make use of the massive amounts of spectrum it owns.

And that may be just the beginning. More spending will be needed to establish a retail network and market the new service, competing with the huge ad budgets of Verizon, AT&T, and the newly combined Sprint and T-Mobile.

T-Mobile and Sprint have finally received approval from the Justice Department to move ahead with their $26 billion merger. 

The agency has been clear that its main goal is to preserve competition in the mobile industry. With that aim in mind, the DOJ said it wouldn’t sign off on the deal unless Dish Network replaced Sprint as the fourth major wireless carrier. 

Within the past few days, the companies agreed to sell some assets to Dish and Dish agreed to buy them. Dish will pay roughly $5 billion for Sprint and T-Mobile’s wireless assets, Bloomberg reported Thursday. 

Under the deal, T-Mobile and Sprint will be required to open up dozens of retail locations to Dish, as well as more than 20,000 cell sites. Dish will also get “a seven-year wholesale agreement allowing it to sell T-Mobile wireless service under the Dish brands.”

If T-Mobile and Sprint fail to meet the terms of the agreement, the Justice Department and a handful of state attorneys general offices will file a lawsuit to block the merger. 

Dish as the fourth carrier

After stepping into its role as a fourth major U.S. carrier, Dish says it will start working towards the goal of building a 5G network that will reach 70 percent of the nation’s population by June 2023.

In a statement, the DOJ said the new agreement will "enable a viable facilities-based competitor to enter the market.” 

“Further, the settlement will facilitate the expeditious deployment of multiple high-quality 5G networks for the benefit of American consumers and entrepreneurs,” the Department said, adding that the proposed agreement is open to public comment for 60 days. 

Before the merger can take place, it must receive official approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC has already said it supports the deal and is prepared to give its approval when the time comes. 

The deal is still opposed by several state attorneys general who argue that it will harm competition and raise prices for consumers.

The role of satellite company Dish in the proposed merger of T-Mobile and Sprint has been a key sticking point for the Justice Department, which has said it wouldn’t approve the deal unless Dish replaced Sprint as the fourth major wireless carrier.  

Now, Dish has agreed to pay $5 billion for Sprint and T-Mobile’s wireless assets, Bloomberg reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. With that condition agreed upon, the Justice Department could approve the $26.5 billion merger as early as Thursday. 

A new major carrier

Under the deal, Dish will pay $1.5 billion for Sprint's Boost prepaid mobile business and around $3.5 billion for spectrum assets, according to Bloomberg. The company won’t be able to sell the assets for three years, and it will be required to offer cell phone service and will get “a seven-year wholesale agreement allowing it to sell T-Mobile wireless service under the Dish brands.”

With Dish poised to take Sprint’s place as a fourth major wireless carrier, the Justice Department’s condition of preserving competition in the mobile industry will be met. The Wall Street Journal reports that the DOJ is more than likely to approve the deal now that Dish has agreed to step in as a competitor in the industry. The FCC has already said it supports the deal. 

The merger is still opposed by at least ten state attorneys general who argue that it will harm competition and raise prices for consumers.

The proposed merger between Sprint and T-Mobile has a week to go before it runs up against a July 29 deadline. Despite a lot of opposition, the deal could be close to approval.

Fox Business reports the Justice Department has informed all parties that barring any last minute issues the U.S. government will likely give its approval before the deadline. But the situation apparently remains fluid.

The network reports negotiators made significant progress last week in resolving some of the issues that thus far have prevented approval. While the two smaller wireless companies have made what some say is a compelling case for their merger, the fact remains there are powerful  groups opposing it.

Democratic lawmakers, joined by labor unions and consumer groups, have urged the Justice Department to block the deal. They point out that the merger would reduce the number of major wireless companies from four to three.

They also maintain that Sprint and T-Mobile tend to be the carriers of choice for low-income consumers because of their lower rates. They worry that if the two smaller companies become one bigger one, those rates will go up.

A new fourth carrier

To ease those concerns the parties have worked toward helping Dish Network create a fourth wireless provider, utilizing assets from both Sprint and T-Mobile. Earlier this month the Justice Department pressed the merger partners to make additional concessions to help Dish’s wireless service get up and running.

Specifically, German telecom company Deutsche Telekom, which would control the two merged wireless providers, was reportedly asked to give up more spectrum for Dish’s new service. More recent negotiations have reportedly been aimed at making sure Dish’s wireless service would be a strong competitor in the U.S. market.

Attorneys general

Democratic state attorneys general are other opponents who must be won over. While they don’t play a regulatory role in approving the merger they have the legal resources to go to court to try to block it. 

At this point, simply delaying the merger might be the same as blocking it. In April, Sprint and T-Mobile announced a July 29 deadline for completing their merger. If that deadline is missed, both parties might simply walk away.

Meeting that deadline now hinges of gaining Justice Department approval. The Federal Communications Commission has already signed off on the deal.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has been clear that it’s skeptical of the proposed merger of T-Mobile and Sprint. Now, the DOJ is reportedly considering filing a lawsuit to block the $26.5 billion deal if the two telecom providers do not reach a settlement by next week, CNBC reports. 

Citing “people familiar with the negotiations,” CNBC says the DOJ intends to sue to block merger if T-Mobile, Sprint, Dish, and T-Mobile’s parent company Deutsche Telekom can’t reach an agreement on issues that have been holding up the deal. 

In April, the Wall Street Journal reported that the companies had been told by Justice Department officials that the merger was not likely to be approved as structured. The Department has expressed concern that the merger -- which would reduce the number of carriers to three -- could negatively affect competition in the industry and lead to higher costs for consumers. 

Dish Network’s role in question

To assuage the DOJ’s concerns, T-Mobile and Sprint recently agreed to sell the prepaid brand Boost and make Dish a fourth wireless provider to ensure competition in the industry. The DOJ said earlier this month that it was close to approving the deal if the Dish conditions were met.

However, Deutsche Telekom is reportedly concerned that if it allows Dish to use T-Mobile’s new network while Dish builds out its own infrastructure, a cable or technology company could swoop in and buy Dish and use the T-Mobile network. Deutsche Telekom wants Dish to be cut off from the T-Mobile network if it’s purchased by a cable company, but the DOJ has said it’s not willing to allow that. 

The companies had previously announced a July 29 deadline for completing their merger, but they must first gain Justice Department approval. The Federal Communications Commission has already said it supports the deal. 

Now, reports say that if the companies can’t reach a settlement by the end of next week, the Justice Department may sue to block the merger. The ultimatum comes a month after a group of U.S. state attorneys general sued to block the merger on the grounds that it would cost consumers more than $4.5 billion a year. 

The Justice Department (DOJ), which had been highly skeptical of the proposed T-Mobile-Sprint merger, may be getting closer to approving the deal. But if the merger is to get the green light, DOJ says more concessions may be in order.

Specifically, German telecom company Deutsche Telekom, which would control the two merged wireless providers, would have to make concessions, according to a report by CNBC. The Justice Department has reportedly softened its stance on the merger when it was suggested that Dish Network could emerge as a fourth wireless company.

The German company and the Department of Justice are reportedly close to an agreement to give up air space to Dish for a wireless service. If all the details are worked out, sources say a deal could be announced as early as next week.

Dish Network’s role is key

Justice Department sources say the government’s reservations about the T-Mobile merger with Sprint could be addressed by Dish Network emerging as a fourth wireless provider. According to CNBC, the government is taking steps to ensure Dish can emerge as an effective player in the wireless industry.

The government is pressing Deutsche Telekom to be generous with Dish, giving it unlimited access to its network. So far, sources say the two merger partners have resisted those efforts.

Sources have told CNBC that Dish would have limited access to a combined T-Mobile/Sprint network, allowing it access for no more than seven years. After a grace period, Dish would be required to operate on its own network.

Complicating factor

The evolution of 5G service could be a complicating factor. Dish, a cable TV provider, doesn’t have a 5G network but said it plans to build one soon.

But at this point, a deal appears to be more likely than it did a month ago. CNBC reports Dish and T-Mobile have come to a rough agreement on terms, including a revenue-sharing agreement.

Dish may also purchase additional spectrum and prepaid wireless carrier Boost Mobile from the combined Sprint/T-Mobile.

In April, Sprint and T-Mobile announced a July 29 deadline for completing their merger. To meet that date, they have to gain Justice Department approval. The Federal Communications Commission has already signed off on the deal.

For several hours on Tuesday morning, AT&T wireless customers in a handful of states were unable to call 911 from their cell phones, according to a report from The Verge. The issue was reported by officials in Texas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Washington, Florida, and several other states.

In a statement, AT&T confirmed the service outage and said the issue had been resolved as of approximately 8:00 AM.

"Earlier this morning some wireless customers may have been unable to connect to 911," the company said. "This has been resolved and we apologize to anyone who was affected."

While the outage was still active, several local law enforcement officials and fire departments used social media as a way of informing AT&T customers of alternate ways of contacting emergency services. 

“Our 911 Comm Center received notice that AT&T is experiencing outages with their mobility wireless 911 that may affect calling in,” tweeted a sheriff’s office in Winnebago County, Wisconsin. “Please have our non emergency number handy if you need us.  920-236-7300” 

A fire department in Arlington, Texas recommended calling from a landline, since the outage didn’t impact AT&T’s landline services. 

“AT&T is experiencing nationwide 911 service outage which is effecting the ability to call 911 on a cellphone,” the Arlington Fire Department tweeted. “Until the issue is resolved, AT&T customers can access Arlington 911 by either calling 817-274-4444 or utilizing a landline.” 

It’s not uncommon for consumers to be toting around portable chargers or looking for the nearest outlet to plug in their dying phones. But a new study suggests that the type of charger you use could be negatively impacting your device’s battery life.

Researchers discovered that consumers who utilized wireless chargers for their smartphones, known as inductive charging, are more likely to lose battery life faster due to the rapid transfer of heat between the device and the charger. 

Finding the right charger

Wireless charging options have become vastly popular, as both consumers and manufacturers have become enamored with the freedom that comes with ditching a traditional wired charger. 

However, researchers at the University of Warwick say that wireless chargers create a great deal of heat that is generated by both the charger and the device. When phone batteries reach high temperatures, they burn out faster. 

With this information, the researchers conducted an experiment that compared wired chargers to wireless chargers, but there was a catch. 

One of the keys to using wireless chargers is properly aligning the device onto the charger. If they are out of alignment, even more heat is generated and transmitted between the devices, which will cause the battery to die much faster. So, the researchers tested the outcomes of smartphones charged with traditional wired chargers versus those properly aligned on wireless chargers and those misaligned on wireless chargers. 

The researchers utilized all three of the charging methods and did an internal scan of the phones after 50 minutes to see how the different methods affected the phone’s battery life. While wireless changers present tons of convenient factors, whether aligned or misaligned, the phones reached higher temperatures at a faster rate, which ultimately led to shorter battery life. 

Higher temperatures, shorter battery life

When aligned or misaligned on a wireless charger, phones reached over 30 degrees Celsius, whereas devices plugged into a wired charge never passed 27 degrees Celsius. The wireless chargers themselves heated up to over 35 degrees Celsius when the phone was misaligned and 33 degrees Celsius when the phone was properly aligned. 

The researchers did find that phones tended to cool down about halfway through a charging cycle when on a wireless charger; however, when misaligned, it stayed at the peak temperature for much longer. 

The researchers note that work is being done on wireless charging systems to prevent any long-term battery issues, but consumers should know what they’re giving up now for the added convenience. 

At a court hearing on Friday, a New York official announced that the state attorneys general of Massachusetts, Hawaii, Minnesota, and Nevada have joined a lawsuit aiming to block the proposed merger of T-Mobile and Sprint.

In early June, nine states and the District of Columbia sued to stop the $26.5 billion deal from taking place. The lawsuit seeks to stop the merger on the grounds that it will harm competition and raise prices for consumers.

“When it comes to corporate power, bigger isn’t always better,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said of the merger, which would shrink the number of nationwide wireless carriers in the United States from four to three.

Arguments against the merger

T-Mobile and Sprint have argued that joining forces is necessary to deploy 5G wireless networks and effectively compete against Verizon and AT&T. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has said it intends to approve the merger.

However, lawmakers and labor groups have argued that if the two companies are combined, it would harm competition, raise prices, and lead to over 28,000 lost jobs.

“Millions of Americans rely on mobile devices at work, at home, and to organize their lives. Competition between the mobile companies has resulted in better coverage and cheaper, more reliable service for all of us,” Attorney General Maura Healey told Cape Cod Today.

“Our year-long investigation found that the proposed merger would give the new company the power to raise prices, significantly reduce competition for customers, lower quality, and cost thousands of retail workers their jobs. We are challenging this merger to protect a service that matters to everyone.”

The Department of Justice, which has been hesitant to approve the deal, has requested that T-Mobile and Sprint sell Boost Mobile in order to receive approval. Dish Network is reportedly negotiating the purchase of spectrum and Boost Mobile from the two companies, according to Bloomberg.

The old saying “two’s company but three’s a crowd” apparently does not apply to mergers. Dish Network has reportedly emerged as a major player in Sprint and T-Mobile’s bid to become one company.

Bloomberg News quotes people close to the situation as saying Dish is negotiating the purchase of spectrum and Boost Mobile from the two companies that are trying to gain approval of their proposed merger from the Department of Justice (DOJ).

The Antitrust Division at DOJ has reportedly been cool to the idea of Sprint and T-Mobile joining forces because it would reduce the number of major carriers from four to three. Previously, some DOJ officials have reportedly suggested the government go to court to block the merger.

Spinning off assets -- especially those that overlap -- is a common practice among merger partners in the same industry to assure the government that it won’t have monopolistic power.

Approval may be close

According to Bloomberg, DOJ is getting close to flashing a green light for the two wireless providers, with an approval coming as early as this week. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has already signed off on the deal, saying the engineering specs appear to be in order.

When Sprint and T-Mobile announced their plan to merge they said they required the synergy of their two companies to build out a 5G network that could compete with Verizon and AT&T. But according to Bloomberg, DOJ approval could hinge on the two proposed partners selling off enough assets that another company could buy them and launch a new wireless service.

Analysts say Dish is a logical player to take up that role because it already has significant spectrum that has gone unused. Taking assets from T-Mobile and Sprint, the reasoning goes, could turn Dish into a major wireless player.

Congressional opposition

While the DOJ may be softening its position toward the proposed merger there is still opposition among elected officials, who fear T-Mobile and Sprint -- both favored by lower income consumers -- would raise their prices if they become one company. Earlier this month, nine states and the District of Columbia filed a suit in U.S. District Court to block the merger.

“I have repeatedly raised serious antitrust concerns about the harmful effects of merging T-Mobile and Sprint, two of the four remaining nationwide wireless carriers,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). “This merger would harm competition and consumers, and I am pleased that action is being taken by state attorneys general to block it. Now, the Justice Department must take similar action to stop this transaction.”

Klobuchar and other lawmakers opposed to the merger say T-Mobile and Sprint are favored by low-income consumers because both offer no contract plans, prepaid and no credit check plans, and unlimited, text, voice, and data plans.

As the density of Americans owning a smartphone continues to grow -- currently at 87 percent -- the use of those smartphones as the consumer’s go-to digital device is also growing.

However, a new Pew Research Center study discovers that smartphone owners who use a phone as their online connector, use them differently than they might with a regular computer.

If you’re guessing it’s the younger consumer -- the 18-to 29-year-olds -- leading the way, you’d be right. That group’s use is trending from 41 percent in 2013 to 58 percent in 2019. But, the growth is consistent across all demographics. Take the share of adults ages 30 to 49, for instance. Their use of a smartphone to go online has nearly doubled – from 24 percent in 2013 to 47 percent today.

“These trends are part of a broader shift toward mobile technology that has changed the way people do everything from getting news to applying for jobs,” wrote Monica Anderson, a senior researcher at Pew.

“Indeed, mobile devices are not simply being used more often to go online – some Americans are forgoing traditional broadband at home altogether in favor of their smartphone. A majority of adults say they subscribe to home broadband, but about one-in-four (27 percent) do not. And growing shares of these non-adopters cite their mobile phone as a reason for not subscribing to these services.”

Wait a minute

Dropping broadband to do… everything via the phone? Like watch movies, listen to music, and shop everything?

Yep. And there are two simple reasons:

• For one, smartphones have become so, well, smart, that digital consumers can do everything they want or need to do online. Pew found that the 45 percent who go that route has nearly doubled, many citing the savings from ditching their monthly home broadband subscription. In addition, 80 percent of those non-broadband users say they’re simply not interested in getting high-speed connections at home.

• And, two, consumers are simply moving away from buying desktops, laptops, and tablets. That piece of the pie has fallen from 53 percent in 2013 to 30 percent today.

I’m fine as it is, thanks

Don’t care about broadband? You’re represented in the study, too. On the non-broadband user side, Pew notes that crowd never had high-speed internet at home to begin with, don’t show much interest in having it in the future.

“In previous Center surveys, Americans of all kinds have linked not having broadband to a number of disadvantages -- including difficulties finding job information or less access to government services,” Anderson said. “Despite these perceived challenges, non-adopters show little interest in becoming home broadband users in the future.”

T-Mobile and Sprint’s pending $26.5 billion merger is facing new opposition.

A group of at least 10 state attorneys general are in the midst of preparing a lawsuit to block the deal, Reuters reports, citing sources familiar with the matter. The lawsuit is being led by New York Attorney General Letitia James.

“When it comes to corporate power, bigger isn’t always better,” James said of the proposed merger, which would reduce the number of wireless carriers to three from four. “The T-Mobile and Sprint merger would not only cause irreparable harm to mobile subscribers nationwide by cutting access to affordable, reliable wireless service for millions of Americans.”

Since the two providers announced their intention to merge last April, the merger has faced stiff opposition from government agencies and consumer groups. Critics contend that if the deal is approved, competition would be harmed and consumers could see higher prices.

Government pushback

Though T-Mobile and Sprint say the deal would lower prices for consumers, several Democratic lawmakers argued last year that the deal could impact lower-income people.

“T-Mobile and Sprint have led the way in offering wireless products and service options that are more appealing to lower-income consumers, including no contract plans, prepaid and no credit check plans, and unlimited, text, voice, and data plans,” eight senators said in a statement last May.

Justice Department officials voiced similar concerns last month.

“T-Mobile has a reputation for aggressively seeking to cut prices and improve service to woo customers away from market leaders Verizon Communications Inc and AT&T Inc, and staff may want to preserve that dynamic,” Reuters reported.

The FCC, on the other hand, has said it supports the deal because of its potential to speed up the deployment of 5G in the U.S and increase coverage in rural America.

T-Mobile and Sprint have until July 29 to complete their merger.

Before the Department of Justice considers approving the $26.5 billion merger of T-Mobile and Sprint, the agency reportedly wants the two companies to “lay the groundwork” for a fourth carrier, according to Bloomberg.

The Justice Department has been hesitant to approve the deal, as it doesn’t believe the merger will be in the best interest of consumers. Back in April, the DOJ expressed concern that the merger would negatively affect competition in the industry. It also challenged the companies’ assertion that the merger would lower costs.

Now, a source familiar with the matter has informed Bloomberg that DOJ officials are demanding that the two telecom companies create a fourth carrier in order to get the deal approved. The request would mitigate the DOJ’s concern that T-Mobile would have less incentive to drop costs as a way of attracting customers after joining forces with Sprint.

“T-Mobile has a reputation for aggressively seeking to cut prices and improve service to woo customers away from market leaders Verizon Communications Inc and AT&T Inc, and staff may want to preserve that dynamic,” Reuters reported last month, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Pending approval

While the new condition might assuage one of the DOJ’s chief concerns, it would go against the carriers’ argument that combining would help them compete with Verizon and AT&T and lower costs for consumers.

Last week, reports surfaced that Justice Department officials recommended that the merger be blocked. The news was fresh on the heels of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai saying he would approve the deal on the basis that it would help speed up the deployment of nationwide 5G and help close the digital divide in America.

Bloomberg notes that if T-Mobile and Sprint are unable to convince the Justice Department to approve the deal, the government would sue in court to “block the tie-up.”

“State attorneys general, who can enforce antitrust laws, are also concerned the merger threatens competition and could join a U.S. challenge or sue on their own if the Justice Department approved it,” the publication pointed out.

The Justice Department’s antitrust division has recommended filing a lawsuit to block the $26.5 billion merger between T-Mobile and Sprint, Reuters reported Wednesday. The publication notes that Justice Department officials do not appear to believe that the merger will be in the best interest of consumers.

“T-Mobile has a reputation for aggressively seeking to cut prices and improve service to woo customers away from market leaders Verizon Communications Inc and AT&T Inc, and staff may want to preserve that dynamic,” Reuters said, citing sources familiar with the matter.

In April, the Wall Street Journal reported that the companies had apparently been told by Justice Department staff that the merger is not likely to be approved as currently structured. The Department reportedly expressed concern that the deal would negatively affect competition in the industry. It also challenged the companies’ arguments that the merger would drive down costs.

News of the DOJ’s skepticism about the proposed merger comes just a few days after the head of the FCC said he supports it on the basis that combining the two telecom companies will speed up the deployment of 5G and help close “the digital divide in rural America.”

Arguments against the merger

The Justice Department is expected to make a final decision on the merger in about a month, sources told Reuters.

While Sprint and T-Mobile contend that joining forces will create jobs, lower prices for consumers, and lead to better 5G service, lawmakers and labor groups have argued otherwise.

“T-Mobile and Sprint have led the way in offering wireless products and service options that are more appealing to lower-income consumers, including no contract plans, prepaid and no credit check plans, and unlimited, text, voice, and data plans,” eight Democratic senators said in a statement last year.

In August, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) opposed the merger, arguing that over 28,000 jobs would be lost if the companies are cleared to merge.

​Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Ajit Pai announced Monday that his agency intends to formally recommend the approval of the merger of T-Mobile and Sprint on the basis that it will expedite the deployment of 5G in the U.S.

“Two of the FCC’s top priorities are closing the digital divide in rural America and advancing United States leadership in 5G, the next generation of wireless connectivity. The commitments made today by T-Mobile and Sprint would substantially advance each of these critical objectives,” Pai said in a statement.

Pai said the combined telecom company would help the agency fulfill its mission of shrinking the digital divide and bringing faster mobile broadband to consumers in rural areas.

If their union is approved, T-Mobile and Sprint have promised to deploy a 5G network that would cover 97 percent of the nation’s population within three years of the merger’s finalization, and 99 percent within six years. Additionally, 85 percent of rural Americans would be covered within three years and 90 percent covered within six years.

Pai said the two companies would suffer “serious consequences” if they fail to uphold their FCC commitments.

“These consequences, which could include total payments to the U.S. Treasury of billions of dollars, create a powerful incentive for the companies to meet their commitments on time,” he said.

The $26.5 billion merger between T-Mobile and Sprint is still awaiting approval by the FCC and the Justice Department. In April, the Wall Street Journal reported that the two providers had been told by Justice Department officials that the merger wasn’t likely to be approved as currently structured.  

Facing opposition

Sprint and T-Mobile have argued that joining forces will lead to better 5G service, the creation of U.S. jobs, and the ability the better compete with larger rivals. However, lawmakers and labor groups have contended that the merger could lead to price increases and job losses.

“T-Mobile and Sprint have led the way in offering wireless products and service options that are more appealing to lower-income consumers, including no contract plans, prepaid and no credit check plans, and unlimited, text, voice, and data plans,” eight Democratic senators said in a statement last year.

Back in August, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) formally opposed the merger. The group argued that over 28,000 jobs would be lost if the companies are combined.

Smartphones affect nearly every facet of our day-to-day lives, and researchers from the University of Washington say there are consistent trends that govern why we pick up and put down our devices.

“For a couple of years I’ve been looking at people’s experiences with smartphones and listening to them talk about their frustration with the way they engage with their phones,” said researcher Alexis Hiniker. “But on the flip side, when we ask people what they find meaningful about their phone use, nobody says, ‘Oh, nothing.’ Everyone can point to experiences with their phones that have personal and persistent meaning.”

According to Hiniker, her project hinged on one important question: “How do we support that value without bringing along all the baggage?”

Understanding smartphone use

The researchers began by interviewing participants from three different age groups -- high school students, college students, and adults -- to determine what prompted them to either pick up or put down their smartphones.

The researchers found that the reasons for beginning or ending smartphone use was the same across all age groups. Participants were likely to use their phones when: in a socially awkward situation, in an unoccupied moment, they were waiting for a message, or when beginning a boring or repetitive task.

Similarly, the recognition of having spent too much time on the phone, coming across content they’d seen already, or being occupied by other things was what pushed participants to put their phones down.

“This doesn’t mean that teens use their phones the same way adults do,” said Hiniker. “But I think this compulsive itch to turn back to your phone plays out the same way across all age groups.”

Tailoring smartphone use

While many studies about smartphone use look for ways to curb the technology addiction, the researchers of this study were curious to gauge participants’ feelings towards their smartphone use.

They started this practice by asking the participants to come up with ways to moderate their smartphone use. While many participants offered solutions that would lock users out, effectively barring them from using their devices, many didn’t feel that using their phones was something to be ashamed of, or that it should be prevented.

“If the phone weren’t valuable at all, then sure, the lockout mechanism would work great,” Hiniker said. “We could just stop having phones, and the problem would be solved. But that’s not really the case.”

Because a number of participants felt they were using their phones to enhance their connection to the world, Hiniker encourages future software updates to allow consumers to interact with their technology in the best way they see fit.

“People have a pretty good sense of what matters to them,” she said. “They can try to tailor what’s on their phone to support the things that they find meaningful.”

Staying connected

Smartphone use has been targeted in recent years, especially when a study revealed that the devices were being charged with the increase in traffic deaths and injuries.

Despite that, consumers chose smartphones as their preferred device, and researchers continue to explore how using them is affecting our day-to-day lives. A recent study found that social connection is at the heart of why consumers are so attached to their smartphones.

"There is a lot of panic surrounding this topic," says Professor Samuel Veissière. "We're trying to offer some good news and show that it is our desire for human interaction that is addictive -- and there are fairly simple solutions to deal with this."

In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), T-Mobile and Sprint announced a deadline extension for their $26 billion merger. The telecom companies now have until July 29 to get FCC and Justice Department officials on board with their proposal to merge.

Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that the two companies had been told by Justice Department staff that the merger isn’t likely to be approved as currently structured.

This week, Makan Delrahim, head of the Justice Department’s antitrust division, said he’s not sure whether he will greenlight the deal.

“I have not made up my mind,” Delrahim said in an interview with CNBC. “The investigation continues. We’ve requested some data from the companies that will be forthcoming. We don’t have a set number of meetings or a timeline.”

Consumer groups argue against the merger

The merger would combine the nation’s third and fourth largest telecommunications companies. Both Sprint and T-Mobile have insisted that the merger is crucial to their ability to compete with their larger rivals ahead of the nationwide rollout of 5G technology.

The deal has hung in the balance since it was first announced last April. It has faced stiff opposition from consumer groups who argue that the merger would lead to higher prices for consumers, as well as the loss of up to 30,000 jobs.

The 4Competition Coalition, one of the groups that has spoken out against the deal, published a statement this week reiterating that its members believe the merger should not be approved.

“In the year since T-Mobile and Sprint announced plans to merge, they have failed to show that this deal is in the public interest and complies with antitrust law,” the group said. “The companies seem to believe PR and spin will carry the day, but we believe that, based on the facts and the law, this proposed merger should be blocked.”

Following news that its proposed merger with T-Mobile may be on the ropes, Sprint has reportedly told regulators that its business may not be as stable as it appeared, according to the Wall Street Journal.

“[Sprint] has touted adding new wireless connections for six straight quarters. What it didn’t say until now is that many of those gains were free lines or existing customers that switched services,” the Journal said.

Sprint’s “recent gains in so-called postpaid connections… were driven by free lines given to existing Sprint customers,” the report continued.

Earlier this week, the WSJ reported that Justice Department staff recently informed the two telecom providers that the merger is unlikely to be approved as currently structured. T-Mobile CEO John Legere refuted that the merger is in trouble, tweeting that the premise of the Journal’s story was “simply untrue.”

Not on a ‘competitive path’

Sprint told regulators that, given the state it’s in, it’s unlikely to survive as a standalone company.

In a recent filing with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Sprint attempted to make a case for the merger by claiming that its ability to compete in the industry would be diminished if the merger isn’t approved.

“Sprint is in a very difficult situation that is only getting worse,” Sprint’s lawyers wrote. “Sprint’s lack of low-band spectrum is at the root of these network problems … Simply put, Sprint is not on a sustainable competitive path.”

The company added that its network is “deficient” and that it’s “losing customers, and it cannot generate enough cash to invest in its network, pay its debt obligations, and compete effectively.”

“Absent completing its transaction with T-Mobile, Sprint will have limited options, and is likely to be forced down either a repositioning path and/or a restructuring path,” the FCC filing continued.

The planned merger of T-Mobile and Sprint would reduce the number of carriers from 4 to 3, which critics argue could hurt competition and drive up costs for consumers. The companies have argued that the opposite would be true, claiming that the merger will result in more efficiencies that allow the combined company to reduce costs.  

T-Mobile's mobile banking service, which launched as a pilot program last November, is now available nationwide. The mobile carrier partnered with digital bank BankMobile to offer the service, which has no fees for overdrafts or ATM use.

“Americans paid $34 billion in overdraft fees in 2017. That’s not even counting all the other fees banks charge. And consumers earned next-to-zero interest on their account balances. T-Mobile MONEY changes the game,” the carrier said in a press release.

T-Mobile said checking account customers can earn 4 percent Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on balances up to $3,000 as long as they deposit at least $200 each month. For every dollar over $3,000, the account will have a one percent APY.

Customers can also opt in to T-Mobile’s “Got Your Back” overdraft protection, so that “when the unplanned happens, they can go in-the-red, up to $50, without penalty” on the condition that they bring the account back to a positive balance within 30 days.

Helping consumers keep their money

The app also gives account holders a way to transfer money, make mobile check deposits, pay bills, send checks and even pay with mobile wallets, including Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay.

T-Mobile says its banking app is intended to help customers keep more of their money than they would if they had an account through a big bank.

“Traditional banks aren’t mobile-first, and they’re definitely not customer-first. As more and more people use their smartphones to manage money, we saw an opportunity to address another customer pain point,” T-Mobile CEO John Legere said. “You work hard for your money … you should keep it … and with T-Mobile MONEY, you can!”

A published report is casting new doubt on the proposed merger of Sprint and T-Mobile, a union that already faces opposition from some consumer groups and lawmakers.

The Wall Street Journal cites “people familiar with the matter” as saying the two telecom providers have been told by Justice Department staff that the merger is not likely to be approved as currently structured.

None of the parties involved -- T-Mobile, Sprint, and the Justice Department -- have responded to media requests for comment.

The Justice Department’s antitrust division is examining the proposed $26 billion deal to determine if it would negatively affect competition in the industry. The merger would reduce the number of major carriers from four to three. That, consumer advocates say, would lead to higher costs, especially since both T-Mobile and Sprint tend to serve lower-income customers than AT&T and Verizon.

According to The Journal, Justice Department staff met with representatives of both companies in early April and expressed their concerns about the deal. They also reportedly challenged the companies’ arguments that the merger would make both entities stronger and lower costs.

Ability to compete

Sprint and T-Mobile have steadfastly maintained that the merger is important to their ability to compete with their larger rivals when it comes to deploying a 5G network, which is more expensive than current 4G network technology.

In a blog post last month, T-Mobile CEO John Legere made a case for the merger, saying it would enable the creation of what he termed a “spectacular” 5G network that would allow for wireless high-speed internet service in underserved areas.

Legere said consumers using the planned T-Mobile-Sprint home internet service would get speeds of 100 Mbps and higher. The system would be so simple, he wrote, that consumers would be able to install it themselves.

Legere also said 5G networks will give large wired ISPs more competition than they’ve ever had before, which he predicted would lower prices for internet service. Legere has not said what 5G service would cost but has said on occasion that it would be less than what consumers are now paying for a wired connection.

Other opposition

In addition to reported opposition from the Justice Department, several Democratic lawmakers have spoken out against it.

“T-Mobile and Sprint have led the way in offering wireless products and service options that are more appealing to lower-income consumers, including no contract plans, prepaid and no credit check plans, and unlimited, text, voice, and data plans,” eight senators said in a statement 11 months ago.

In August, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) -- a union that represents 700,000 workers -- formally opposed the merger, arguing that over 28,000 jobs would be lost if the two companies are combined.

T-Mobile has started testing an in-home internet service that will cost consumers $50 per month.

Initially, the service will only be available to “a limited few T-Mobile customers” on an invite-only basis. The company says its goal is to connect up to 50,000 households this year, mainly in rural and underserved markets.

T-Mobile said its plan to deploy 5G home internet on a larger scale is riding on the approval of its pending merger with Sprint. The service will eventually be supported by the faster 5G network, which the companies have argued can only be deployed if the merger is cleared.

“If T-Mobile’s pending merger with Sprint is approved, with the added scale and capacity of the New T-Mobile, the Un-carrier plans to cover more than half of U.S. households with 5G broadband service – in excess of 100 Mbps – by 2024,” the company said in a press release.

In response to concerns that the merger will limit competition and raise costs for consumers, the carrier has repeatedly claimed that the opposite will be true. In its announcement of the pilot, T-Mobile once again highlighted the potential savings for consumers.

“Today, consumers typically pay around $80 per month for wired in-home broadband service – $960 per year. Thanks to lower prices and more competition, one economist estimates that the New T-Mobile will save customers up to $13.65 billion a year on home broadband by 2024,” the T-Mobile said.

Aiming to fight ‘Big Cable’

The company said it has already started sending invitations to customers eligible to participate in the pilot. Customers won’t have to pay for the LTE receiver / router that will be sent to them by T-Mobile. However, they will have to set it up themselves.

Next week, the FCC will take its final round of comments on the proposed merger of T-Mobile and Sprint. The pilot appears to be a way of demonstrating how the combined company can eventually use 5G connectivity to provide internet that is capable of competing with cable companies.

“Two weeks ago, I laid out our plans for home broadband with the New T-Mobile. Now, we’re already hard at work building toward that future,” said John Legere, CEO of T-Mobile. “We’re walking the walk and laying the foundation for a world where we can take the fight to Big Cable on behalf of consumers and offer real choice, competition and savings to Americans nationwide.”

The proposed merger of T-Mobile and Sprint is still pending, but T-Mobile CEO John Legere has said 5G is one good reason for its approval.

Without a merger, he says both companies would have a difficult time building out their 5G networks the way their customers would want. With the merger, he says the new 5G network would be spectacular.

In a blog post this week, Legere revealed just how spectacular he thinks the combined company’s 5G network would be. Legere said consumers using the T-Mobile-Sprint home internet service would get speeds of 100 Mbps and higher. The system will be so simple, he writes, that consumers can install it themselves.

Best of all, he writes, 5G will give the large cable companies more competition than they’ve ever had before. Because of 5G’s massive capacity, consumers will be able to rely on wireless service for their internet service and get speeds as fast or faster than fiber optic connections. And though he made no mention of what 5G service will cost, Legere said it will be less than what consumers are now paying for a wired connection.

Opposition to the merger

The proposed merger would reduce the major wireless players from four to three and because of that, there are plenty of people who are against the merger. In December a group of consumer groups, labor unions, and industry associations formed the 4Competition Coalition, a new alliance aimed at derailing the merger.

The groups say reducing the number of wireless providers will give consumers fewer choices. T-Mobile and Sprint have countered that as separate, stand-alone companies they will not be able to compete with AT&T and Verizon in the 5G environment.

Earlier this year, two separate House committees held hearings on the proposed merger, voicing concern that low-income consumers make up a sizable portion of the two companies’ customers and could face higher prices as a result of the merger.

New York’s attorney general has made the same argument, but in his blog post this week Legere disagreed.

‘Competition’

“We’ll give millions of Americans – especially those in underserved rural areas – more choices and options for connecting to the internet and participating in the digital economy,” he wrote.

In his post, Legere used the word “competition” several times, making a case that combining T-Mobile and Sprint would not result in higher costs for consumers but might even bring them down.

“With our best-in-class 5G network we will offer a meaningful new option to millions of Americans in the form of New T-Mobile Home Internet,” Legere promised. “New T-Mobile’s business plan is to have 9.5 million customers for our in-home broadband service by 2024. We will bring competition, period!”

Legere says T-Mobile plans to test a home internet service using a 4G router and the carrier’s existing LTE network. Once the merger takes place, he says it will be upgraded to include 2.5 GHz spectrum and 5G compatible hardware.

In a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), T-Mobile CEO John Legere vowed not to increase prices for three years if the carrier’s $26 billion merger with Sprint is approved.

"To remove any remaining doubt or concerns about New T-Mobile’s prices while we are combining our networks over the next three years, T-Mobile today is submitting to the Commission a commitment that I stand behind – a commitment that New T-Mobile will make available the same or better rate plans for our services as those offered today by T-Mobile or Sprint," Legere said.

"We believe this merger makes consumers better off, and we're willing to put our money where our mouth is. Period,” Legere added.

Opposed by numerous consumer groups

T-Mobile and Sprint have argued that joining forces is necessary to introduce 5G services, as it will create a stronger competitor to AT&T and Verizon.

However, a number of consumer groups oppose the deal, arguing that eliminating one of the four largest carriers would reduce competition, cost thousands of jobs, and lead to higher prices for consumers. Legere addressed these concerns in the letter.

“Critics of our merger, largely employed by Big Telco and Big Cable, have principally argued that we are going to raise rates right after the merger closes. I want to reiterate, unequivocally, that New T-Mobile rates are NOT going to go up. Rather, our merger will ensure that American consumers will pay less and get more.”

Last week, a pair of U.S. House panels announced that they will hold a joint hearing to discuss the proposed merger of T-Mobile and Sprint.

At the hearing, which is set to take place on February 13, the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Judiciary Committee will “examine the merger’s potential impacts on consumers, workers and the wireless industry.” The CEOs of both wireless providers will testify at the hearing.

In December, the merger gained approval from U.S. national security officials. However, the deal must be approved by the FCC and DOJ before it can take place.

On Wednesday, February 13, two U.S. House panels will hold a joint hearing to discuss the proposed merger of T-Mobile and Sprint.

The hearing will “examine the merger’s potential impacts on consumers, workers and the wireless industry,” the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Judiciary Committee said in a press release.  

T-Mobile CEO John Legere and Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure are both set to testify at the hearing.

“A merger between T-Mobile and Sprint would combine two of the four largest wireless carriers and the carriers with the largest numbers of low-income customers,” the Committees said in a joint statement.

“As the Committees with oversight of the Federal Communications Commission and Department of Justice, we must hold this hearing to examine the effects on important issues like jobs, costs to consumers, innovation and competition,” said Pallone, Nadler, Doyle and Cicilline.  “We look forward to examining this merger from the perspective of what is in the best interest of consumers and hardworking people.”

Despite approval, opposition remains

Last month, the Sprint and T-Mobile merger was granted approval from U.S. national security officials. The news came just days after a number of parties announced their opposition to the merger.

Critics of the deal say it would reduce competition, cost thousands of jobs, and lead to higher prices for consumers. T-Mobile and Sprint have argued that joining forces is necessary to introduce 5G services.

“I am looking forward to sharing the benefits of the T-Mobile / Sprint merger with the House Commerce and Judiciary Committees on 2/13,” T-Mobile CEO John Legere said. “It’s a great opportunity to explain why it’s good for consumers, good for competition and good for the country.”

Before T-Mobile’s $26 million takeover of Sprint can take place, the deal must be approved by the FCC and DOJ.

T-Mobile has been granted approval for its proposed merger with Sprint following “several months of negotiation with company representatives,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

T-Mobile said in a statement late Monday that the $26 billion takeover was cleared by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).

The company said the U.S. Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Defense (collectively referred to as Team Telecom) also confirmed that it has no objections to the merger.

“We are pleased to achieve both of these important milestones in the journey to build the New T-Mobile," said T-Mobile CEO John Legere. "We are a step closer to offering customers a supercharged disrupter that will create jobs from day one and deliver a real alternative to fixed broadband while delivering the first broad and deep nationwide 5G network for the United States...We look forward to continuing our discussions with the remaining regulatory agencies reviewing our transaction to share our story and subsequently achieve similar positive results.”

Facing opposition

T-Mobile and Sprint filed the proposed deal with the FCC on June 18. Obtaining approval by CFIUS was an important step in the process of moving forward with the deal, but the merger must still be approved by antitrust officials, including the FCC and DOJ.

Following a brief delay in September, the FCC has resumed its review of the proposed merger of the two wireless providers.

The deal is opposed by a number of parties, including a group called the 4Competition Coalition Last week, the group announced a new alliance aimed at preventing the merger from happening.

Critics of the deal say it would reduce competition, cost thousands of jobs, and lead to higher prices for consumers. If the two companies merge as planned in the first half of 2019, the number of wireless providers in the United States will drop from four to three.

T-Mobile and Sprint have argued that joining forces is necessary to introduce 5G services.

California regulators have dropped their proposal to levy a surcharge on text messages made by state residents. The California Public Utilities Commission said a new ruling by the FCC prevented the state from adding a tax on text plans.

"On Dec. 12, 2018, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a declaratory ruling finding that ‘text messaging’ is an information service, not a telecommunications service, under the Federal Telecommunications Act," the CPUC said in a statement.

The CPUC said that texting could have been subject to state tax under California law if it were considered a telecommunications service.

"In light of the FCC's action, assigned Commissioner Carla J. Peterman has withdrawn from the CPUC's Jan. 10, 2019 Voting Meeting" the text tax proposal.

“Illogical, anticompetitive and harmful to consumers”

Last week, the agency said it was pushing for the text tax in the hope that it would help increase funds for programs that provide telecommunications services to low-income residents. A vote on the measure was set to happen on January 10.

The proposed measure faced stiff opposition from the wireless industry, business groups, and others.

The CTIA, a trade group representing wireless companies, argued that the measure would have created inequity "between wireless carriers and other providers of messaging services," such as WhatsApp, iMessage, and Skype.

"Subjecting wireless carriers' text messaging traffic to surcharges that cannot be applied to the lion's share of messaging traffic and messaging providers is illogical, anticompetitive, and harmful to consumers," the CTIA said in a legal filing.

State residents also voiced their opposition to the idea.

"Of course California wants to tax your text messages. They would tax your toilet use if they could, " one Twitter user said.

A proposal to merge T-Mobile and Sprint is facing new opposition as a group of consumer groups, labor unions, and industry associations have formed the 4Competition Coalition, a new alliance aimed at derailing the merger.

The groups say the public interest will not be served by reducing the number of major wireless providers from four to three. T-Mobile and Sprint have suggested that as separate, stand-alone companies they will not be able to compete with AT&T and Verizon in the 5G environment.

But the new coalition declares that consumers will suffer if the merger is allowed because they will have fewer choices.

Higher prices?

"If this merger is approved, consumers would likely face a price increase of more than 15 percent in many cases for their wireless service – without seeing any of the benefits that these companies promise,” said Phillip Berenbroick, public knowledge senior policy counsel for the 4Competition Coalition. “The proposed merger is anti-competitive and presumptively unlawful.”

Berenbroick says consumers need more wireless choices, not fewer. He says moving from four nationwide carriers to three “would be a disaster."

The 4Competition Coalition bases its opposition on the contention that the merger, as presently constituted, does not conform with U.S. antitrust laws. The group says the combined company would have both the ability and the incentive to raise prices and block new companies from entering the market.

At the heart of its opposition, the 4Competition Coalition said it believes reducing the number of major cellular providers from four to three would result in higher prices for everyone. It points out that both Sprint and T-Mobile are currently mavericks in the industry, but if they joined forces they would no longer have the incentive to pressure their competitors to keep prices low.

Impact on workers

The group says the merger would also be bad for workers. The Communications Workers of America estimates the union of the two providers would result in the elimination of up to 30,000 jobs in the U.S.

It also contends that rural consumers would be the big losers.

“The truth is the deal does nothing to help out rural Americans and could mean they pay even higher prices or lose coverage altogether,” the group said in a press release. “Indeed, the proposed transaction will likely raise costs for rural consumers due to the increased cost of roaming associated with the elimination of Sprint from the wireless marketplace.”

"Consumers deserve more competition from our wireless industry, not less," said Jeff Blum, DISH Network senior vice president for Public Policy and Government Affairs. "Sprint and T-Mobile have not shown that this merger as it is currently proposed will serve the public interest.

The merger is currently being considered by two government regulators, the Federal Communications Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice.

California is considering enacting a tax for text messaging to help fund a program that makes telecommunications services available to low-income consumers.

In a filing, the state’s Public Utilities Commission said adding a texting surcharge could help keep its Public Purpose Programs afloat. As consumers have migrated toward texting instead of making phone calls, the voice call revenue for these programs have dropped.

The budget rose to $998 million in 2017 from $670 million in 2011, and revenue from the telecom industry that funds the program fell to $11.3 billion last year from $16.5 billion in 2011, according to a report from California’s Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).

“This is unsustainable over time,” CPUC stated in its report.

"Parties supporting the collection of surcharges on text messaging revenue argue that it will help preserve and advance universal service by increasing the revenue base upon which Public Purpose Programs rely. We agree," CPUC said.

Wireless industry pushing back

A vote on the tax -- which would likely appear as a flat surcharge in the small print of bills -- hasn’t yet happened. While the proposal is on the table, the wireless industry, business groups, and others are expressing their opposition to the idea.

"Of course California wants to tax your text messages. They would tax your toilet use if they could, " one Twitter user said

The CTIA, a trade group representing wireless companies, has argued that texting is an information service on par with email, not a telecommunications service subject to the agency’s ability to tax services.

"Subjecting wireless carriers' text messaging traffic to surcharges that cannot be applied to the lion's share of messaging traffic and messaging providers is illogical, anticompetitive and harmful to consumers," CTIA's filing said.

Jim Wunderman, president of the Bay Area Council business-sponsored advocacy group, called the proposal “a dumb idea.”

“This is how conversations take place in this day and age, and it’s almost like saying there should be a tax on the conversations we have.”

“May be a wash”

The CPUC contends that enacting a texting surcharge would have a minimal effect on consumers.

"If more surcharge revenues come from texting services, less would be needed from voice services," a CPUC spokesperson told the Mercury News in San Jose, California. "Generally, those consumers who create greater texting revenues may pay a bit more, whereas consumers using more voice services may pay less."

Several business groups fighting the proposal have calculated that the new charges for wireless consumers could total about $44.5 million a year.

From the start, the proposed merger of T-Mobile and Sprint has never been popular with consumer advocates. This week, 14 consumer groups joined forces to oppose it.

Leaders from the 14 organizations signed a letter to the top Democrats on the House Judiciary and Energy & Commerce committees. In addition to laying out their reasons for opposing the deal, the groups ask the two lawmakers -- who will become committee chairmen in January when the Democratic majority takes control -- to hold hearings on what such a merger would mean for consumers.

The groups lining up against the merger include:

• American Antitrust Institute
• Center for Media Justice
• Common Cause
• Communications Workers of America Consumer Reports
• Fight for the Future
• Free Press Action
• The Greenlining Institute
• National Consumer Law Center, on behalf of its low income clients
• New America’s Open Technology Institute
• Open Markets Institute
• Public Knowledge
• Rural Wireless Association Writers
• Guild of America West

Higher prices, fewer jobs

The groups say the merger would undoubtedly lead to higher prices for consumers, especially those who rely on both services' pre-paid plans, among the cheapest in the industry. The Communications Workers of America says the merger would lead to the loss of up to 30,000 jobs.

“Wireless is one of the few telecommunications markets where we see real head-to-head competition delivering benefits for consumers," said George Slover, senior policy counsel at Consumer Reports. "We need to preserve this dynamic that comes from having both T-Mobile and Sprint in the marketplace, competing vigorously and independently against each other, and against AT&T and Verizon."

T-Mobile and Sprint have argued their case for the merger by saying that if they are left to compete as individual companies they will be at a severe disadvantage to AT&T and Verizon when it comes to building a 5G network.

The consumer groups, however, say the purported benefits of the merger are purely speculative. They argue that hearings in the House will help clarify the issue.

‘Strong incentives to collude’

Diana Moss, president of the American Antitrust Institute (AAI), says the merger would be a tipping point in the wireless industry, creating a “Big 3” with strong incentives to collude rather than compete.

"Consumers and workers have a right to competition," she said. "DOJ should block this deal.”

This isn't the first time T-Mobile and Sprint have sought mergers, though never with one another. Most recently AT&T tried to acquire T-Mobile, a deal that was rejected by the Justice Department in 2011.

At a recent conference in Barcelona, T-Mobile’s Chief Financial Officer said there’s a possibility that the company’s $26 billion acquisition of Sprint will be finalized as early as the first quarter of 2019.

At the end of April, T-Mobile agreed to buy Sprint, saying the two companies needed to join forces so they could build a robust 5G network that can compete with Verizon and AT&T.

The deal is currently being scrutinized by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ). The FCC is studying the engineering aspects of combining T-Mobile and Sprint, while the Justice Department is examining the competitive aspects.

T-Mobile’s CFO J. Braxton Carter said on Friday that the companies have provided 25 million pages worth of documents to the DOJ and filed a 600 page public information statement with the FCC. The companies have also held meetings with other U.S. government departments.

“The only remaining thing that is happening is depositions with the DOJ, which have started and will be completed in a few weeks,” Carter said at the conference, according to Reuters. “At this point, it’s more pointing to the second quarter as more probable (but) it could still be first quarter.”

Carter noted that, together, the two smaller telecom companies can create a much faster network.

"The combined assets of Sprint and T-Mobile can create 8 times the 5G capacity that either of us could do on a standalone basis and 15 times the speed," the executive said.

Opposition from consumer groups

Earlier this week, federal regulators kicked off the first auction of 5G spectrum. Germany is expected to start its 5G auctions early next year.

The merger has been the target of opposition from consumer and labor groups, who have expressed concern that the deal could hurt consumers.

Back in May, a group of Democratic lawmakers said they worried a merger would result in higher costs for consumers. In August, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) predicted that the merger would result in the loss of 24,000 retail jobs.

Meanwhile, T-Mobile has said that the merger will be good for consumers.

“This is another step forward in creating the new T-Mobile, so we can deliver on our promise to bring robust competition to the 5G era, giving consumers more for less and creating jobs,” John Legere, T-Mobile's CEO, said in a statement.

Sprint announced on Tuesday that customers with more recent phones will get access to a faster 4G LTE network, as well as more monthly hotspot data at no additional cost.

Users of the company’s “Unlimited Plus” and “Unlimited Freedom” plans will now get 50GB of 4G LTE data each month. “Unlimited Premium” customers will receive 100GB monthly, up from 50 GB.

The new monthly data allotment comes “just in time for holiday travel” and also as the carrier is turning on its faster 4G LTE Advanced network across the United States. More than 225 cities are now able to access gigabit speeds.

The company says the network upgrades are paving the way to 5G.

"We've supercharged our network with some of the most advanced technologies in wireless to give customers an even better data experience," said Dr. John Saw, Sprint chief technology officer, in a statement. "LTE Advanced is critical for meeting customers' growing demands for data, and it's an important stepping stone to launch mobile 5G next year."

Preparing for 5G

Sprint says most of the latest “flagship” devices it sells -- including Apple's iPhone XS and XS Max; Samsung's Galaxy S9, S9 and Note 9 and LG's V30+, G7 ThinQ and V40 ThinQ -- are compatible with the faster network, which offers customers speeds up to twice as fast as before.

All four major wireless carriers are working toward the deployment of 5G. Verizon has already launched its first version of 5G in four U.S. cities and AT&T plans to launch its 5G network for mobile devices later this year.

Sprint plans to have its first 5G mobile device ready for purchase around March 2019, Roger Solé, Sprint's chief marketing officer, told USA TODAY.

T-Mobile shareholders have voted in favor of the company's merger with Sprint, a deal that would reduce the "big four" wireless carriers down to three.

The companies have said their union is necessary for the two smaller telecoms to develop the needed infrastructure to offer a robust 5G network to compete with Verizon and AT&T.

“This is another step forward in creating the new T-Mobile, so we can deliver on our promise to bring robust competition to the 5G era, giving consumers more for less and creating jobs,” said John Legere, T-Mobile's CEO.

Legere proudly points to his company's record of disrupting the wireless industry and says joining forces with Sprint will make the wireless landscape even more competitive. Both Verizon and AT&T are moving ahead with 5G deployment, offering the upgraded service in a handful of markets before the end of the year.

The bulk of T-Mobile shareholder approval of the deal came from Deutsche Telekom Holding B.V., holder of approximately 63.5 percent of T-Mobile common stock. But that was the easy part.

Regulators still considering the deal

The deal must still clear the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Justice Department. The FCC is studying the engineering aspects of combining T-Mobile and Sprint. The Justice Department is examining the competitive aspects.

Consumer advocates have already come out against the merger and several Democratic senators have expressed concern that combining the two wireless providers could result in higher prices for consumers, particularly those who purchase the companies' low-cost prepaid wireless plans.

In May, the lawmakers sent a letter to the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and the FCC to express their thoughts on the areas of the merger they considered problematic.

“As more than three-quarters of American adults now own smartphones, including many who depend on these devices for their primary connection to the internet, an anticompetitive acquisition in the wireless market could result in higher prices for American consumers or force some people to forego their internet connection altogether,” the lawmakers wrote.

New York reportedly questions the deal

In recent days, New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood has reportedly opened an investigation into the proposed deal over similar concerns.

According to a report in the New York Post, Underwood’s staff already views T-Mobile’s MetroPCS service and Sprint’s Boost and Virgin Mobile services as aggressive and has asked executives at both companies for clarification on how pricing would be affected.

Legere, meanwhile, is expressing confidence the deal will clear every regulatory hurdle, telling Bloomberg News that discussions with regulators have gone well and "we feel pretty good about our chances."

How many old smartphones do you have taking up space in a desk drawer? According to a recent study by eBay, 40 percent of consumers have two or more unused devices.

There are a number of ways to get rid of these unwanted and largely outdated phones, but eBay has launched a program called eBay Instant Selling that allows consumers to sell unwanted devices and get paid instantly in the form of an eBay voucher.

While consumers have to spend the money they get on eBay, the company says they'll typically get more for their old phones than if they use traditional trade-in programs. On average, eBay says it will get the seller as much as 40 percent more than a phone retailer would pay.

"Millions of Americans have unused phones in their homes and simply don't realize how much their devices are worth, probably because trade-in values are typically so low," said Alyssa Steele, vice president of Hard Goods at eBay. "With Instant Selling, people can find out exactly how much their phone is worth, and sell their phone within a matter of minutes to immediately help fund the holidays, or maybe something off their personal wish list."

Getting started

To get started, go to eBay.com/s/phone. Enter information about the device you're selling and you'll be told if it is eligible for Instant Selling. Significantly older devices probably aren't.

Next, add some images of the device, click the list button, and accept the terms. You'll then receive an instant voucher that can be used toward the purchase of a new device on eBay. Ship your phone using an eBay shipping label you can print.

There are other methods of disposing of your unwanted device. When the new iPhones came out last month, ConsumerAffairs researched the values a consumer could expect to get from selling or trading in their old models.

We found that if you traded in your device to Apple, the values ran from $70 for an iPhone 6 to $525 for the most recent iPhone X. But consumers should definitely shop around since other online tech buyers might offer more.

When ConsumerAffairs checked prices for that same iPhone 6 on certain exchange sites, we found better prices than those that Apple offered, but lower values than Apple was allowing for factory unlocked iPhone 7 models.

Other options

Other companies, such as Gazelle, offer a way to sell both Apple and newer Android devices. The amount consumers receive largely depends on the type of device and its age.

Meanwhile, to protect your privacy and sensitive information, our friends at Techlicious point out there are six things you should do before handing over your old device to a stranger.

• Back up data and settings

• Back up photos and videos

• Back up texts and call logs

• Encrypt your data

• Disable factory reset protection

• Perform a factory reset

On Friday, T-Mobile officially launched a new program that gives consumers three years to pay off certain smartphones, rather than the usual two years.

The following phones will be eligible for the 36-month extended payment plan: the Samsung Galaxy S8, S9; the LG G7 ThinQ; and the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR. Those who qualify for the plan could pay “as little as $10 a month for your new smartphone” when they trade in an eligible device, according to T-Mobile.

The devices that are eligible for trade-in include:

• Apple iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus; Samsung Galaxy S8 series, Note8; Google Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, Pixel, Pixel XL; LG V30, G7

• iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s+, iPhone 6, iPhone 6+; Samsung: GS7 series, Note 5, GS6 series; LG: V20, G6; Motorola: Z2 Force; One Plus: 5, 5T, 6.

• iPhone 5C, iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone SE; Samsung: GS4 series, GS5 series, Note 4; HTC: 10; LG: G5, G4, V10; Motorola Nexus 6; One Plus: 3, 3T, X, 2, 1

Depending on the condition and model of the device being traded in, customers could get up to $360 in bill credits toward the purchase of a new phone.

New deals

In a press release about the new extended payment option, T-Mobile's CEO John Legere pointed out that a family of four can sign up for the T-Mobile Essentials plan and get a new device for $50 per month per line with autopay.

“T-Mobile ONE includes all the extras — the industry’s best travel benefits, a personal Team of Experts for all your customer care needs, Netflix included for families, unlimited mobile hotspot and so much more. Starting Friday, well-qualified customers with trade-in and T-Mobile’s new 36-month EIP can get 4 lines of T-Mobile ONE and four new phones for as little as $50 a month per line with autopay,” the CEO said.

Legere also made sure he didn’t miss an opportunity to take a shot at the competition.

"Everyone knows we’ve got America’s fastest 4G LTE network and now we’ve got some of the best deals of the year on new smartphones. We’re not messing around," Legere said. "Forty dollars a month will only get you data on Dumb and Dumber’s congested networks. At T-Mobile, $40 a month will get you a hot new smartphone AND unlimited, so you can unleash everything that new phone is capable of doing!"

As Hurricane Florence touches down in the southeastern region of the U.S., Verizon Wireless has been preparing its network for the brunt of the storm.

The wireless provider has been working to ensure its network stays up and running for its customers, as well as for first responders who rely on the network to respond to emergencies. Prior to the hurricane, Verizon had been sandbagging and topping up backup generators and deploying mobile cell sites.

Because fewer and fewer people have landlines, wireless networks staying up during storms are more important than ever. It is for this reason that Verizon has tried to stay on top of its game in its prep for Hurricane Florence.

“I don’t have a magic crystal ball to predict the future,” said Karen Schultz, spokesperson for Verizon. “But I can tell you that we maintained 98 percent reliability during Hurricane Harvey and 90 percent of our network remained up in Florida during Irma.”

Free service during the storm

Verizon Wireless will also be offering free calling, texting, and data to customers between September 14 and September 17. The promotion will be available for postpaid and prepaid customers who live in Georgia, Virginia, and North and South Carolina.

“As we enter the final hours before Hurricane Florence makes landfall, we hope this allows our customers in these areas to worry about one less thing and focus on their safety and security,” said Russ Preite, president of the southeast market for Verizon Wireless. “This is just one way we can help residents as the potentially dangerous storm challenges the Southeast coast.”

Verizon has also lifted the speed caps on its data service for all first responders in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Maryland, Florida, and Virginia.

T-Mobile has launched a new customer service initiative called Team of Experts, which gives its postpaid customers in different regions across the U.S. their own “dedicated” group of customer care representatives.

The service team can be reached by dialing 611 or messaging straight from the T-Mobile app or iMessage using Apple Business Chat.

“‘Your call is important to us’ are the six emptiest words ever robo-spoken,” said John Legere, CEO of T-Mobile. “People are fed up with horrible customer service that puts cost control ahead of customer happiness.”

Cutting down on customer frustration

T-Mobile’s new service gets customers in touch with real customer service representatives quickly, without having to listen to a robot voice or push a series of buttons on a phone menu.

“While other brands mechanize customer service, we’re going the other way – no bots, no bouncing, no BS. With Team of Experts, we’re tearing up the traditional playbook, killing the phone menu and putting people at the center of customer care, like they should be. Because at T-Mobile, our customers have always been rock stars to us,” Legere said.

The carrier also promises to shrink call times by offering more callbacks, 24/7 support, and “asynchronous” messaging help to help solve the problem fast. If a customer has to contact T-Mobile again regarding the same issue, the same team will still be there.

“They’re going to make sure that it is solved and that you’re happy with the resolution,” said Callie Field, T-Mobile’s executive VP of customer care.

However, Field acknowledged that “Team of Experts” may not completely eliminate wait times

“Sometimes there’s some things you can’t avoid — like wait times. Because let’s face it, sometimes your team’s just busy,” Field said. “The difference is that when we’re busy, we’ll promise to you that we’ll handle you in a way that puts your time first. Our default option is that when you call, instead of waiting for us, schedule a time and we’ll call you back. So it’s your time — not our time — that matters.”

Music-related announcements

To mark the beginning of the initiative’s launch, T-Mobile is giving customers one year of free Pandora Plus streaming. Users will be able to get a code to unlock their free Pandora Plus subscription in the T-Mobile Tuesdays iOS and Android app on August 28.

T-Mobile also announced that it’s partnering with Live Nation to give its customers access to last-minute reserved tickets to otherwise sold-out shows "at first day prices." On Live Nation’s website, users will be able to look for a T-Mobile Reserved Seats icon starting 30 days before select shows, confirm their T-Mobile account, and get access to the event.

This Friday, T-Mobile will launch a plan just for customers who only use their smartphones for its basic services.

The carrier’s Essentials plan includes talk, text, and data for a lower price than its other basic plan, T-Mobile One. The Essentials plan will cost $30 per line for a family of four -- $10 less than T-Mobile One. While customers will still get unlimited data, text, and talk, the plan does not include perks like international data or hotspot capabilities.

"The Un-carrier wants to make it easy," CEO John Legere said in a press release. "Give customers the options they want, but keep it simple, stupid!"

Slowing services

The company pointed out that it has the right to slow a customer’s connection if they are in an area with “heavy network demand.” Essentials customers will be first in line to experience slower speeds in these instances.

The company said in its press release that video “typically” streams at 480p, or DVD quality. T-Mobile said that its One Plus plan includes HD streaming, twice the data speed abroad, and other perks, like in-flight texting and unlimited music streaming. The Plus plan costs $10 per line more when added to a family plan, or $15 more for a single line.

T-Mobile’s Essentials plan will be available nationwide starting Aug. 10. The plan starts at $60 for a single line, $30 for the second line, and $15 per line for lines 3-6. The plan will cost an additional $5 per line for those who don’t sign up for autopay.

Over the past two years, consumers have been benefiting from competition between wireless companies, as cell phone providers have been rolling out unlimited data usage and lower bills as a means of securing customers.

Now, with new consumer-price data, the continued hype over promotions seems to be fading out. According to the Labor Department, the consumer-price index -- an indicator of current offers from wireless providers -- showed a 0.3 percent increase in June from last year.

“In terms of promotional intensity, things have cooled quite a bit,” said Jeffrey Moore, lead researcher at Wave7 Research.

CTIA -- a telecommunications trade group -- reported that 95 percent of American adults now own cell phones. In all, they used 15.7 trillion megabytes in mobile data in 2017 -- up from 4.1 trillion in 2014. These numbers complicate the work of wireless providers that need to spend money to keep up with the ever-increasing demands of the industry, and also try to keep and win new customers.

Cutting back on discounts

Back in February, executives at Sprint and T-Mobile -- two companies that have been most aggressive in cutting prices -- revealed they would be cutting back on discounts for the remainder of the year. Though T-Mobile made a bid to acquire Sprint in April, the deal raised eyebrows in the Senate, as many Senators feared it would decrease competition for consumers and, ultimately, raise prices.

Former Sprint executive Matt Carter reported that both Sprint and T-Mobile have been leading the charge among wireless providers when it comes to offering discounted pricing plans in an effort to gain subscribers. However, doing so leaves the companies with less money to not only pay their debt, but also invest in network upgrades.

“At some point in time, you have to have some stabilization around your pricing plans to be able to meet all the various needs they have,” Carter said. He also noted that when Sprint and T-Mobile cut back on price discounts, it allowed “AT&T and Verizon to hold steady” on their pricing plans.

The fine print in wireless plans

Sprint recently announced a new wireless plan, offering customers a tiered plan that replaced its previous five lines for $100 option. Sprint’s new top tier plan with five lines will cost customers $22 per line per month -- a $20 increase from the previous promotion.

Like other wireless companies, Sprint is also offering customers plans with a choice of the video-streaming service Hulu and the music-streaming service Tidal, as well as a more basic unlimited plan.

“Including that kind of content is becoming important,” said Dow Draper, Sprint chief commercial officer. Draper also noted that customers’ bills are likely lower than before when factoring in the additional benefits of the new plans.

Similarly, AT&T has been offering customers subscriptions to DirecTV and HBO, while T-Mobile began offering access to Netflix with wireless plans.

Last month, Verizon unveiled a new -- but also pricier -- unlimited data plan entitled “aboveunlimited.” The new plan allows customers to select different tiers of unlimited data plans within one single plan. Despite the raise in price, Verizon executives are confident with the new plan, as it gives customers the opportunity to choose the plan that best suits their needs for every person in the family.

“I think it’s fair to say objectively based on our performance since some of our competitors changed their offerings, we’ve not seen any increase in our churn,” said Ronan Dunne, president of Verizon Wireless. “We’ve continued to see high levels of customer engagement and satisfaction.”

The U.S. Commerce Department is allowing China’s ZTE to partially resume business operations while regulators mull over whether its seven-year ban should be lifted.

From July 2 through August 1, the company’s restrictions will be temporarily eased so that ZTE can provide support for telecom networks and ZTE phones that were available to the public on or before April 15, when the company was initially banned from receiving crucial parts from U.S.-based suppliers.

It’s not clear whether a permanent order will follow, but ZTE is expected to be in full compliance with U.S. demands by Aug. 1, Bloomberg reports.

The telecom giant was hit with the ban almost three months ago after it failed to follow through with penalties it received for exporting sensitive technology to Iran and North Korea. It was forced to shut down operations and has been largely inactive since then.

In May, President Trump said he was considering lifting penalties on ZTE as a favor to Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Trump administration and ZTE settled on a deal that required the company to pay another $1 billion in fines, replace its management team, and hire U.S. compliance officers.

Last week, ZTE followed through with the terms by firing its executive team and appointing a new chairman. The company has reportedly lost at least $3 billion since it was forced to cease major operations in April.

Last month, the Senate voted unanimously to reinstate the ban on ZTE citing national security concerns.

Samsung users are grumbling about their Galaxy S9 and Note 8 phones randomly sending out photos and texts to people in their contact list. The glitch reportedly leaves no record of anything ever being sent.

News of the problem started showing up in Samsung’s community support forums and spread quickly across the techsphere. While Samsung hasn’t released an official explanation, people who’ve experienced the mishap report the fault rests with Samsung Messages, Galaxy devices’ default messaging app.

"S9+ sent my entire photo gallery to my girlfriend last night, wrote one Galaxy S9 owner on Samsung’s support forum. "Last night around 2:30 am, my phone sent her my entire photo gallery over text but there was no record of it on my messages app. However, there was record of it on tmobile logs. Why would this happen?" As hard as he tried to find an answer, the user said no one in the comments section of the forum could figure out why it happened.

However, there are plenty of theories elsewhere as to why this is happening. Some of the complainers say they’re T-Mobile customers, which led techies to question if the issue was related to one of T-Mobile’s RCS (Rich Communication Services) updates. When ConsumerAffairs asked T-Mobile for comment, a company spokesperson referred us to Samsung.

Another hypothesis is that the problem affects only shared plans because some customers report the photos had been sent only to partners or family members.

Is there a fix?

In a statement to ConsumerAffairs, Samsung said that it will be continuing to monitor the issue.

"Samsung has reviewed this matter thoroughly these past few days; however, there were no hardware or software issues found to be relevant to this particular case. While there have been no known similar customer reports globally, we will continue to investigate this issue further. We encourage any customers who may have questions or concerns to contact their local Customer Service center at 1-800-SAMSUNG," a company representative said

While Samsung has yet to report a definitive fix, but TechCrunch reported two possible fixes for those concerned about their Galaxy S9 and Note 8 phones.

The first solution involves going into the phone’s "app settings" and turning off Samsung Message’s ability to access your storage. The upside is that taking that step will prevent the phone from sending anything -- including photos -- that’s stored on your phone. The downside is that you’ll have to turn permissions on again if you want to send photos or files through the Samsung Messages app.

The second solution is to stop using Samsung Messages until the company says the issue has been resolved and switch to a third-party messaging app instead.

Helmets R Us of Tacoma, Wash., is recalling about 9,700 Rollerblade helmets.

The helmets do not meet the federal safety standard, posing a risk of head injury.

No incidents or injuries have been reported.

This recall involves Rollerblade-branded Helmets R Us helmets, used in schools’ physical education programs. The recalled helmets are white and Rollerblade is printed on the side in black.

They were manufactured from September 2011, through April 2017. Model 16, SK-501N and the manufactured date (in MM/YYYY format) are printed on a label on the inside of the helmet. “Distributed by: Helmets R Us” is printed on another label inside of the helmet.

The helmets, manufactured in China, were sold to schools nationwide for use in physical education programs from September 201,1 through April 2018, for about $16.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled helmets and contact Helmets R Us to receive a free replacement helmet. Helmets R Us is contacting all known purchasers directly.

Consumers may contact Helmets R Us toll-free at 877-777-9287 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (PT) Monday through Friday, by email at helmet.recall@helmetsrus.net or online at http://helmetsrus.net for more information.

Former AT&T employees are speaking out against the company for allegedly pushing unethical sales practices on its sales teams in hopes of getting customers to subscribe to its streaming service, DirecTV Now. The groups says that consumers paid for unexpected services once they were subscribed. The company’s subscription service currently has 1.46 million subscribers.

According to an investigative report by Hawaii News Now, employees were getting fired for engaging in the very practices that upper management had been encouraging.

The report details how sales representatives would offer customers a trial service of DirecTV Now and promise to cancel the subscription for the customer prior to the automatic renewal that would cost $35 per month. Cancelling the trial for customers goes against AT&T’s policy, but employees were urged to go ahead with the practice.

“We were told by managers to cancel it to avoid any future headaches, but a lot slips through the cracks,” said Abraham Buonya, a former AT&T employee and Hawaii’s leading AT&T salesman for two years.

Getting into trouble

Though encouraged by upper management to cancel subscriptions -- even though it was against policy -- many AT&T employees say they didn’t always cancel customers’ subscriptions, leading to charges of $35 per month. Some subscribers were paying the $35 for up to seven months, despite not ever using the DirecTV Now subscription.

In some cases, AT&T sales representatives would allegedly sign a customer up for three DirecTV Now subscriptions on one single account.

All of this supposedly occurred while AT&T was running a promotion that gave customers the DirecTV subscription for just $10. However, AT&T’s system allowed employees to sign up a single customer for three individual subscriptions on one credit card, thus increasing the total number of subscriptions and meeting the quota placed on AT&T retailers.

“My manager picked up my iPad, which was signed in under me, made a fake email and then activated a DirecTV Now subscription on the email and then said if I can do it, here you go, you can do the next one,” a fired AT&T employee told Hawaii News Now.

The former employees say retailers used a similar tactic when customers came in to buy a new phone. Sales representatives would tell the customers that the purchase carried a fee, even though it didn’t. The fee could be waived, however, if the customer agreed to sign up for a trial of DirecTV Now. The trial -- which was $10 -- cost less than the fee, and customers would oftentimes agree to try the service.

“Last fall, we detected some simultaneous customer orders and cancellations of a free product trial,” an AT&T spokesperson told Hawaii News Now. “We determined some employees had violated our policies and based on our findings we took appropriate action.”

Why was this so important?

Because of the tight competition amongst AT&T retailers nationwide, many stores allegedly felt compelled to go to great -- even unethical -- lengths to be the top store. Phones don’t pull in as much of a revenue for AT&T, and so TV sales are an important part of day-to-day transactions.

Hawaii had been one of the top DirecTV Now subscription sellers in the country, though an employee who asked to remain anonymous said that roughly 90 percent of those sales were done unethically.

Buonya reported that goals for stores “would be met” no matter how lofty they seemed to employees.

“They kept pressuring us to do it,” Buonya said. Buonya was among five people at his store that were fired.

Both current and former AT&T employees are encouraging customers to be extra diligent when reviewing their statements. The phone company also reported they will be reversing unauthorized charges for customers that were affected by these sales tactics.

“Check your statements,” a current employee said. “I have no doubt that there are still people that are being charged.”

Apple's security for its locked iPhones is said to be ironclad, but a cybersecurity expert says it can be circumvented, as long as you have a Lightning cable connecting the phone to a computer.

As a security feature, an iPhone can only be unlocked if you enter the correct password, and to prevent someone from guessing, the device only gives a user 10 tries. After that, a user is locked out, sometimes permanently.

The issue was in the news a couple of years ago after police seized the iPhone belonging to a man who murdered co-workers attending a holiday party in San Bernardino, Calif. Apple refused to unlock the phone, forcing authorities to turn to outside experts in an effort to crack the device.

'Brute force'

According to Matthew Hickey, a security expert and co-founder of Hacker House, a cybersecurity firm, it's not that hard to open a locked iPhone using a "brute force" method. In a series of tweets, Hickey said that if you connect the phone to a computer using a Lightning cable and enter passwords using the keyboard, instead of typing directly on the phone, you can enter an unlimited number of passwords with no adverse consequences.

When technology websites began reporting this over the weekend, Apple responded, saying it's not true. Technology site Engadget reports an Apple spokesperson as saying the phones have no vulnerability and the claim that they do is "the result of incorrect testing."

Hickey, meanwhile, posted a video on Vimeo, demonstrating his methods of cracking an iPhone.

WhatsApp will be discontinuing support for Nokia S40, Android Gingerbread, and iOS 7, the Facebook-owned messaging app announced in a blog post.

Consumers with these operating systems will be unable to create new accounts, but they can continue to use the app until support ends.

“We’ll no longer actively develop for [old] operating systems, [so] some features might stop functioning at any time. If you currently use an older operating system, we recommend upgrading to a newer version,” the blog post states.

Here are the operating systems WhatsApp has already stopped working with:

• Android versions older than 2.3.3

• Windows Phone 8.0 and older

• iPhone 3GS/iOS 6

• Nokia Symbian S60

• BlackBerry OS and BlackBerry 10

WhatsApp will cease support for Nokia users on December 31 of this year and February 1, 2020 for users of older Android and iOS versions. WhatsApp warned that some of the app’s features may stop working in the meantime as they are no longer "actively developing" for the operating systems.

Consumers with older operating systems are encouraged to upgrade to newer versions, such as iOS 8+, Android OS 4.0+, or Windows Phone 8.1+.

“Once you have one of these devices, simply install WhatsApp and verify your phone number on the new device. Keep in mind that WhatsApp can only be activated with one phone number on one device at a time,” WhatsApp said.

WhatsApp noted that upgrading to a phone running newer software will leave behind previous conversations since there’s currently no way to transfer chat history between devices. Chat history can, however, be attached in an email. Those interested in this option can learn more about it here.

Chinese telecommunications equipment maker ZTE announced that it has resumed trading following a two-month suspension, which ended last week.

Back in April, ZTE was hit with a seven-year ban on buying U.S. components after it was caught illegally trading with Iran and North Korea. The company said the ban would threaten its survival and likely hurt many U.S. companies.

As part of a deal to keep the company in business, ZTE agreed to pay up to $1.4 billion in penalties to the U.S. government and $400 million in escrow to cover any future violations. ZTE also agreed to replace its management team within 30 days, open itself up to U.S. inspections of its sites, and improve public disclosure of its supply chain.

The company said in filings on Tuesday that it would restart business operations “as soon as practicable,” but the sales ban will not be lifted until ZTE pays the fines.

The company added that it would re-publish its first-quarter financial results after assessing the impact of the seven-year ban and the settlement agreement.

Shares of ZTE Corp reportedly tumbled 42 percent as it resumed trading in Hong Kong following the two-month trading halt, which began April 17.

“While the nightmare is now over, ZTE will likely have to deal with many changes,” analysts Edison Lee and Timothy Chau at Jefferies told Bloomberg. “We expect significant near-term selling pressure and a volatile stock price.”

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross confirmed to CNBC on Thursday that the Trump administration has struck a “definitive agreement” with Chinese telecom company ZTE involving a $1 billion fine and $400 million in escrow.

The news follows reports that ZTE had agreed in principle to the deal, which would end its seven-year ban on doing business with crucial U.S.-based suppliers including Qualcomm, Corning and Google.

In addition to the $1 billion penalty, the deal requires that the company change its board of directors and executive team within 30 days. The settlement also includes a U.S.-chosen compliance team.

"We are literally embedding a compliance department of our choosing into the company to monitor it going forward. They will pay for those people, but the people will report to the new chairman," Ross told CNBC.

Stringent settlement

The $400 million in escrow included in the deal is intended to cover any future violations.

"If they do violate it again, in addition to the billion dollars they are paying us up front, we had them put $400 million in escrow. The total deal is $1.4 billion. That money will be forfeited if they violate anything ... and we still retain the power to shut them down again," Ross said.

"This is a pretty strict settlement," Ross added. "The strictest and largest settlement fine that has ever been brought by the Commerce Department against any violator of export controls."

Ross said the settlement serves as a warning to other companies not to mess with U.S. trade policies.

"This should serve as a very good deterrent not only for them but for other potential bad actors," he said.

Critics cite national security threat

Lawmakers from both sides have pointed out that removing the ban could pose a potentially serious threat to national security. Before the deal had officially gone through, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed his concern on Twitter.

“If these reports are true, @realDonaldTrump has put China, not the United States, first. By letting ZTE off the hook, the president who roared like a lion is governing like a lamb when it comes to China. Congress should move in a bipartisan fashion to block this deal right away,” Schumer tweeted.

In a statement on Thursday, Schumer said, "When it comes to China, despite [Trump's] tough talk, this deal with ZTE proves the president just shoots blanks."

ZTE has agreed in principle to a settlement that would lift a U.S. Commerce Department ban preventing it from receiving crucial parts and components from American suppliers.

The ban was put in place after ZTE was found to have broken a 2017 agreement by illegally shipping goods to Iran and North Korea.

The Chinese telecom company halted major operations in May as a result of the seven-year ban imposed in April, which the company called a “death sentence.” Later in the month, however, President Donald Trump tweeted that he was pushing the Commerce Department to work with ZTE to lift the ban.

On Tuesday, the Commerce Department said that although “no definitive agreement has been signed by both parties,” the tentative deal includes a $1 billion fine against ZTE plus $400 million in escrow in case of future violations.  

"The Commerce Department plans to amend its 2017 settlement agreement and count the $361 million ZTE paid as a part of that, allowing the United States to claim a total penalty of as much as $1.7 billion, the sources said,” according to Reuters.

The deal would also require that the company replace its board and executive team within 30 days. The amended settlement agreement has not yet been signed, the sources added.

Met with concern  

Chuck Schumer (D - New York) said on Tuesday that the preliminary agreement shows Trump put China first -- a dramatic shift from his “America first” stance.

“If these reports are true, @realDonaldTrump has put China, not the United States, first. By letting ZTE off the hook, the president who roared like a lion is governing like a lamb when it comes to China. Congress should move in a bipartisan fashion to block this deal right away,” Schumer tweeted.

Mark Warner (D - Virginia) echoed the concerns previously expressed by lawmakers on both sides when he said that the move would pose a security threat.  

"If these reports are accurate, this is a huge mistake," he said in a statement. "ZTE poses a threat to our national security. That's not just my opinion – it's the unanimous conclusion of our intelligence community."

President Trump has said that reviving the embattled company is "reflective of the larger trade deal we are negotiating with China and my personal relationship with President Xi."

The United States and China have reportedly agreed on a “broad outline” that would end the seven-year ban on ZTE buying American technology, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Although the details haven’t been ironed out, the agreement would involve major changes to management and potentially heavy fines, sources familiar with the matter told the Journal. If the deal goes through, ZTE’s business would be saved.

The company said previously that it had halted “major operating activities” as a result of the ban, which prevented it from receiving parts from many of its most crucial U.S.-based suppliers, including Qualcomm.

Not off the hook

As part of the agreement, Beijing offered to remove tariffs on billions of dollars of U.S. farm products. However, one of the WSJ’s sources said “the White House was meticulous in affirming that the case is a law enforcement matter and not a bargaining chip in negotiations.”

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told CNBC that ZTE is “not going to get off scot-free” and that it still faces fines, as well as “very severe compliance measures, a new board of directors, [and] a new management team.”

Talk of the tentative deal comes after President Trump announced earlier this month that sanctions against ZTE had cost "too many jobs in China." In a tweet, he pledged to get the company back in business.

“President Xi of China, and I, are working together to give massive Chinese phone company, ZTE, a way to get back into business, fast. Too many jobs in China lost. Commerce Department has been instructed to get it done,” he said.

Lawmakers express concern

Trump’s pledge to save the embattled company was previously met with concern from lawmakers in both parties, who argued that overturning the ban could pose a potential security threat.

"ZTE is a Chinese telecommunications company that has been exhaustively investigated by the U.S. intelligence community, other areas of the government and the U.S. Congress,” said Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Maryland).

“They're widely suspected of spying for the Chinese government, and we cannot allow them to infiltrate U.S. networks or give them access to the U.S. market while they continue to be beholden to their government," Ruppersberger said.

Last Thursday, the House Appropriations Committee voted unanimously to accept an amendment to a bill that upheld sanctions against ZTE.

On Thursday, the House Appropriations Committee voted unanimously to accept an amendment to a bill that would uphold sanctions against ZTE.

The action comes days after President Donald Trump sent out a surprising tweet calling for the Commerce Department to help give ZTE "a way to get back into business, fast.”

The amendment’s author, Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Maryland), said the amendment will stop the Commerce Department from renegotiating sanctions on ZTE.

“Supporting this amendment will show that the U.S. government stands behind the sanctions that it enacts, and will enforce them. It also further prevents foreign companies beholden to their governments from further infiltrating our U.S. networks,” Ruppersberger said in a statement.

Banned from receiving essential parts

Last month, Chinese smartphone maker ZTE was hit with a denial order that prevents it from receiving parts and components from U.S.-based vendors. As a result of the seven-year ban, ZTE recently announced that it had been forced to shut down its “major operating activities.”  

The ban was handed down after the government determined that ZTE had violated the terms of a 2017 settlement by failing to fire employees involved in illegally shipping U.S. equipment to Iran and North Korea. ZTE said previously that it was working to get the seven-year ban suspended.

A day after Trump tweeted about his intent to help the company, he followed up with another tweet that said ZTE "buys a big percentage of individual parts from US companies" and that the company is "reflective of the larger trade deal we are negotiating with China and my personal relationship with President Xi."

Security threat

Lawmakers from both parties were quick to point out the potential security risks of overturning the seven-year ban. Democrats and Republicans argue that Chinese telecom companies spy on Americans and steal intellectual property.

"ZTE is a Chinese telecommunications company that has been exhaustively investigated by the U.S. intelligence community, other areas of the government and the U.S. Congress,” Ruppersberger said.

“They're widely suspected of spying for the Chinese government, and we cannot allow them to infiltrate U.S. networks or give them access to the U.S. market while they continue to be beholden to their government," Ruppersberger said.

Senator Marco Rubio (R - Fla.) tweeted Monday that the U.S. would be "crazy" to allow ZTE to operate in the U.S. "without tighter restrictions."

"Any telecomm firm in #China can be forced to act as a tool of Chinese espionage without a court order or other review process," Rubio said.

Ruppersberger said the amendment will "prevent a foreign company that is beholden to its government – and that ignores embargoes – from infiltrating the devices and networks that are now indispensable to American life.”

Days after President Trump offered an unexpected lifeline to China by tweeting that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping were “working together” to give ZTE “a way to get back into business, fast,” U.S. lawmakers are pushing back on the president’s talk of abandoning legislation that prevents the company from doing business with the U.S.

ZTE was banned from receiving parts and components from American suppliers for seven years after it violated the terms of a 2017 settlement created after it breached sanctions on Iran and North Korea.

Trump’s decision to revisit the penalty came as a surprise to many as it appeared to represent a drastic shift from his “America First” stance. On Monday, Trump defended his earlier pledge to help the company.

"ZTE, the large Chinese phone company, buys a big percentage of individual parts from U.S. companies. This is also reflective of the larger trade deal we are negotiating with China and my personal relationship with President Xi," he said in a tweet.

However, lawmakers have expressed concerns that equipment made by the telecommunications firm could pose a security threat.

Question of security

Senator Marco Rubio (R - Fla.) tweeted Monday that the U.S. would be "crazy" to allow ZTE to operate in the U.S. "without tighter restrictions."

"Any telecomm firm in #China can be forced to act as a tool of Chinese espionage without a court order or other review process," Rubio said.

“I hope the administration does not move forward on this supposed deal I keep reading about,” Rubio said at a Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Asia policy, referring to a potential arrangement that would ease the ban on ZTE in exchange for elimination of new Chinese tariffs on certain U.S. farm products, first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

“They are basically conducting an all-out assault to steal what we’ve already developed and use it as the baseline for their development so they can supplant us as the leader in the most important technologies of the 21st century,” Rubio added.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called the plan "a bad deal if there ever was one."

“The toughest thing we could do, the thing that will move China the most, is taking tough action against actors like ZTE," Schumer said. "But before it’s even implemented, the president backs off. This leads to the greatest worry, which is that the president will back off on what China fears most — a crackdown on intellectual property theft — in exchange for buying some goods in the short run."

The U.S. and China are preparing to continue trade talks in Washington this week, which some say is a key reason Trump has decided to revisit the ban.

"A reversal of the ZTE decision could temporarily tamp down trade tensions by allowing the Chinese to make concessions to the U.S. without losing face," Eswar Prasad, a professor of trade policy at Cornell University, told The Associated Press.

"Trump may have recognized that backing off on ZTE clears the path for him to claim at least a partial victory in the US-China trade dispute based on the concessions the Chinese seem prepared to offer,” Prasad said.

President Trump announced on Sunday that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping are working together to help ZTE, the world’s fourth-largest cell phone maker, save jobs after it pleaded guilty to selling U.S. technology to Iran and North Korea and then violated the terms of the settlement.

The two sides "are working together to give massive Chinese phone company, ZTE, a way to get back into business, fast," Trump said in a tweet, adding that he has instructed the Commerce Department "to get it done."

ZTE previously agreed to pay $1.2 billion as reparation for selling U.S. technology to Iran and North Korea. It later violated the terms of the settlement by failing to fire or discipline the employees who were involved in the illegal actions.

As penalty for its actions, the Commerce Department imposed a seven-year ban on the company that prevented it from buying parts from U.S. manufacturers. ZTE said the Denial Order would “severely impact” its business. Experts called the ban a “death sentence” for the company.

Last week, ZTE disclosed that it had halted "the major operating activities of the company” as a result of the ban.

Surprising turn of events

President Trump’s lifeline to China is being viewed as a drastic shift from his “America First” stance. President Trump has in the past accused China of stealing U.S. jobs and vowed to crack down on what he says are unfair trade practices.

A few hours later, President Trump followed up with another tweet: "China and the United States are working well together on trade, but past negotiations have been so one sided in favor of China, for so many years, that it is hard for them to make a deal that benefits both countries. But be cool, it will all work out!"

"A reversal of the ZTE decision could temporarily tamp down trade tensions by allowing the Chinese to make concessions to the U.S. without losing face," Eswar Prasad, a professor of trade policy at Cornell University, told The Associated Press.

"Trump may have recognized that backing off on ZTE clears the path for him to claim at least a partial victory in the US-China trade dispute based on the concessions the Chinese seem prepared to offer,” Prasad said.

The two countries are preparing to continue trade talks in Washington this week.

"The President's tweet underscores the importance of a free, fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial economic, trade and investment relationship between the United States and China," said White House deputy press secretary Lindsay Walters in a statement.

Chinese telecommunications firm ZTE has announced that it has ceased its main business operations as it attempts to figure out how to proceed under the ban preventing it from receiving parts from U.S. suppliers.

“As a result of the Denial Order, the major operating activities of the company have ceased,” the company wrote in an exchange filing.

Last month, the U.S. government imposed a seven-year ban forbidding the company from getting parts from U.S.-based suppliers, such as Qualcomm and Dolby. The ban was handed down after ZTE was found to have violated U.S. export restrictions by illegally shipping goods to Iran, lying about it, and then failing to reprimand employees who violated the law.

Intent on resolving the ban

ZTE said previously that the ban would “severely impact” its business and likely hurt many U.S. companies. The company said on Sunday that it had submitted a request to the U.S. Commerce Department for the suspension of the ban.

ZTE now says it is trying to have the ban modified or reversed.

The company said it has been in touch with the U.S. government “in order to facilitate the modification or reversal of the Denial Order by the U.S. Government and forge a positive outcome in the development of matters.”

ZTE said in its statement that it has sufficient cash and will adhere to its commercial obligations.

“As of now, the company maintains sufficient cash and strictly adheres to its commercial obligations subject in compliance with laws and regulations,” the company wrote.

ZTE sees the next two weeks as crucial to its effort to resolve the situation with the U.S. government. “The company is currently working hard to speedily resolve this impasse,” said an email allegedly sent to Bloomberg senior staff.

A group of Democratic lawmakers -- led by Senators Amy Kloubach and Elizabeth Warren --  recently expressed their concern over the potential merger between T-Mobile and Sprint.

Currently touted as the number three and number four cell phone providers in the country, the senators’ main concern involved the effect a deal would have on consumers nationwide, namely higher costs for services.

“T-Mobile and Sprint have led the way in offering wireless products and service options that are more appealing to lower-income consumers, including no contract plans, prepaid and no credit check plans, and unlimited, text, voice, and data plans,” the senators wrote.

The lawmakers sent a letter to the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to express their thoughts on the areas of the merger they considered problematic.

“As more than three-quarters of American adults now own smartphones, including many who depend on these devices for their primary connection to the internet, an anticompetitive acquisition in the wireless market could result in higher prices for American consumers or force some people to forego their internet connection altogether,” the letter noted.

The merger takes shape

As reported in late April, T-Mobile made a formal bid to acquire Sprint for an all-stock deal of $26 billion. Initial news of the merger sparked debates in the political sector, as the U.S. Justice Department was tasked with deciding whether it would allow the companies to join forces -- reducing the number of cell phone providers from four to three -- or block the deal.

T-Mobile stands behind its decision to combine forces with Sprint, promising consumers a 5G network capable of competing with the likes of Verizon and AT&T.

John Legere, T-Mobile’s CEO and the proposed head of the merged companies, said in a recent conference call that adding Sprint to his company’s network will only help to bring customers “the highest capacity network in U.S. history.”

Legere is also confident that teaming up with Sprint will allow the two companies to achieve things for their customers that would be impossible on their own. He calls the combination a “fierce competitor” that will produce lower prices for consumers.

Will the past predict the future?

Mergers like the one proposed by T-Mobile and Sprint have been presented before the Justice Department in recent years, but they almost never come to fruition. In fact, the companies tried to merge once before in 2014, but their plans were thwarted after regulatory concerns were voiced by the Obama administration.

Regulators believed consumers benefited from having four major players in the arena, and since the wireless market could support them all, they remained as separate entities.

This time around, the senators are hoping for a similar outcome. The group sent the letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and Makan Delrahim, the Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division. The lawmakers were certain to note the hesitation from their predecessors in forging ahead with the merger, as less competition will more than likely lead to higher prices for consumers, as well as a decline in innovation.

“To date, T-Mobile and Sprint have exerted competitive pressures on their larger rivals in the wireless telecommunications industry, helping drive down prices, eliminating harmful contract requirements, and making more expansive and consumer-friendly data platforms the norm,” the senators wrote.

“The wireless business is already very concentrated - there were six national companies as recently as 2003 - and a deal that would further consolidate power is troubling,” Senator Elizabeth Warren noted in a New York Times op-ed. “Having fewer competitors emboldens businesses to raise prices and force consumers into long-term service contracts because they know people don’t have many options.”

A message bomb is circulating on WhatsApp that can cause the Android app or even an entire Android device to crash, according to reports. The bug occurs when a specific malicious message is sent to a device.

“As with any message bomb, it involves sending and receiving a specially crafted message with hidden symbols in between spaces. Tapping on a portion of the text will basically make the app 'expand' the hidden symbols, potentially overloading the app and even the OS," SlashGear explains.

So far, at least two variations of the message bomb have been identified. In one version, a black dot warns recipients of what will happen if they tap on it. Another message says, “This is very interesting” with an emoji of a laughing face.

Hidden symbols

Although seemingly brief, the messages contain tens of thousands of invisible "left-to-right" and "right-to-left" control characters that can overload WhatsApp, causing the app to freeze up or the whole mobile operating system to go down.

Users have reported that the text bomb is capable of affecting both the Android and iOS versions of WhatsApp, but so far only Android phones have been completely taken down by the bug. iPhone’s operating systems appear less likely to fall victim to the disruptive bug, but iPhone users have reported that their app has crashed.

Facebook, WhatsApp’s parent company, hasn’t issued a statement on the bug. That statement, as well as a solution to the message bombs, is likely to come in the next few days. In the meantime, consumers should be sure not to open any suspicious messages they receive.

Chinese electronics maker ZTE said it has submitted a formal request to the US Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) asking it for a reprieve of the order preventing it from doing business with U.S. technology exporters.

The filing comes roughly a month after the Commerce Department imposed a seven-year export ban on the company after finding that it lied to American officials about reproaching employees who violated U.S. sanctions on North Korea and Iran. The company pleaded guilty to the charges in March last year and was hit with $1.2 billion in fines.

ZTE previously said that the technology purchase ban threatens its existence and is likely to hurt many U.S. companies.

“The Denial Order will not only severely impact the survival and development of ZTE, but will also cause damages to all partners of ZTE including a large number of U.S. companies,” ZTE said in a statement last month.

Stay of the Denial Order

The company’s filing to the Shenzhen stock exchange on Sunday did not give details of its request, but it did say that it had provided supplemental material at the BIS's request.

ZTE Chairman Yin Yimin previously called the export ban “unfair and unacceptable” since the company had self-reported the settlement violations to Washington. The company implied that its lack of disciplinary action toward the 35 employees in question wasn’t an intentional act of defiance.

The company added that, if necessary, it could “take judicial measures to protect the legal rights and interests of our company, our employees and our shareholders.” No litigation against the U.S. has been started at this point.

The export ban came amid growing trade tensions between the U.S. and China which centered on technology-related intellectual property.

As expected, T-Mobile has formally made a bid to acquire rival Sprint in a $26 billion all-stock deal.

The question now is whether the U.S. Justice Department will allow the union or whether antitrust regulators will block the deal, since it would reduce the number of major wireless carriers from four to three.

These proposed deals have been blocked in the past because regulators have said changing the status quo would reduced competition and harm consumers. In announcing the deal, T-mobile anticipated those concerns, trumpeting what it said would be the pro-consumer benefits.

Among the benefits, T-Mobile says the combined companies would have the resources to develop a robust 5G network to compete with Verizon and AT&T.

T-Mobile touts consumer benefits

"The new company will be able to light up a broad and deep 5G network faster than either company could separately," T-Mobile said in its press release. "T-Mobile deployed nationwide LTE twice as fast as Verizon and three times faster than AT&T, and the combined company is positioned to do the same in 5G with deep spectrum assets and network capacity."

The company cited other possible benefits to a merger: the combined company will have lower costs and greater economies of scale, allowing it to lower prices to consumers. As a bonus, it said the merged company would employ more people than the two companies do separately, creating thousands of new jobs.

“This combination will create a fierce competitor with the network scale to deliver more for consumers and businesses in the form of lower prices, more innovation, and a second-to-none network experience – and do it all so much faster than either company could on its own,” said T-Mobile CEO John Legere.

Hard sell?

As the two smallest major wireless companies, T-Mobile and Sprint have explored ways to join forces in the past. The Obama administration opposed such a merger between the two wireless companies the last time it was proposed. It isn't clear where the Trump administration will come down on the question.

The Justice Department is currently in federal court, seeking to block the proposed merger between AT&T and Time Warner. Even though that union would be a so-called vertical merger -- joining two non-competing companies -- the government alleges the merged entity would be too big and powerful.

Craig Moffett, a founding partner at the Wall Street firm MoffettNathanson, told CNBC Monday morning he believes there is a "50-50 chance" the deal will win approval.

T-Mobile and Sprint, the smallest of the big four wireless providers, reportedly plan to merge, creating a bigger rival to AT&T; and Verizon.

In an exclusive report, Reuters says the two telecom companies have been quietly negotiating details of their union and could be ready to announce a deal as early as next week. Neither company has publicly commented on the report.

A combination of Sprint and T-Mobile would create a wireless company with more than 127 million customers and reduce the number of competitors in a nearly saturated wireless market. For mobile communications companies to grow, they usually have to take customers away from their rivals.

Would require regulatory approval

Since a merger would reduce the number of companies offering wireless services, the deal would have to win approval from federal regulators, including the antitrust division of the U.S. Justice Department.

This would not be the first attempt to shrink the number of telecom competitors through merger. AT&T; attempted to merge with T-Mobile back in 2011, a deal that encountered so much opposition from the Justice Department that AT&T; eventually backed away.

Consumer advocates were vocal opponents of the deal as well, with an official at Consumers Union warning that the merger would have “dangerous consequences” for mobile customers.

But the Communications Workers of America backed the proposed deal, saying it would create 96,000 new positions while protecting existing jobs.

Changes in the industry

The wireless landscape has changed significantly since 2011, with the smaller players increasing the size of their networks and independent providers like Cricket Wireless and Boost Mobile providing consumers with more low-cost options.

Regulators might see the merger as reducing the number of providers, but they might also view the deal as creating a more powerful competitor for AT&T; and Verizon, the two dominant companies.

For their part, Verizon and AT&T; have moved toward becoming content providers. Verizon offers a TV programming service and recently acquired Yahoo. AT&T; owns DIRECTV and is currently defending its deal to acquire Time Warner in court after being challenged by the Trump administration.

Reuters reports its sources agree that a successful agreement to merge T-Mobile and Sprint is not a certainty. The two companies' main shareholders are trying to agree on a corporate structure that protects their interests.

Chinese electronics maker ZTE issued a statement today in response to the government’s decision to ban the company’s American exports for the next seven years. In its statement, the company warned that the ban could threaten its survival and negatively impact American companies.

“The Denial Order will not only severely impact the survival and development of ZTE, but will also cause damages to all partners of ZTE including a large number of U.S. companies,” ZTE said.

Illegal shipping and false statements

The ban was handed down earlier this month, one year after ZTE pleaded guilty to illegally shipping telecoms equipment to Iran and North Korea. The company agreed to pay $1.19 billion in penalties.

However, the U.S. said that ZTE made "false statements" to the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) while the investigation was still ongoing. The false statements centered around the disciplinary actions it took toward employees who were involved in the incident.

ZTE allegedly violated the terms of a 2017 plea agreement by giving employees who acted illegally full bonuses. The company also admitted that it did not fire all 35 of the employees who violated the law.

The denial of export privileges will keep ZTE from getting parts or software from U.S.-based suppliers, such as Qualcomm and Dolby.

Efforts to comply

Now, the company is saying that it tried to comply with the US and invested “tremendous resources in export compliance.” It said measures were taken against employees who may have been responsible for the incident. Additionally, ZTE said it spent $50 million on an export control compliance program in 2017.

"It is unacceptable that BIS insists on unfairly imposing the most severe penalty on ZTE even before the completion of investigation of facts, ignoring the continuous diligent work of ZTE and the progress we have made on export compliance," the company said.

ZTE says it will continue its efforts to “resolve the issue through communication.”

The company added that, if necessary, it could “take judicial measures to protect the legal rights and interests of our company, our employees and our shareholders, and to fulfill obligations and take responsibilities to our global customers, end users, partners and suppliers."

A leaked internal memo suggests that ZTE has assembled a crisis team to deal with the situation.

Antitrust lawyers at the Justice Department are reportedly investigating AT&T and Verizon for possible collusion.

Published reports cite people close to the investigation as saying the government is trying to determine whether the rival wireless carriers have worked together to make it more difficult for consumers to switch from one cell phone company to another.

The Justice Department has a policy of not commenting on potential investigations.

Specifically, the probe is focusing on whether the two telecom giants have tried to block embedded SIM (eSIM) technology, a way to make it easier to switch from one communication system to another.

According to Engadget, eSIM integrates the identification technology contained on the plastic SIM card and places it into the device's processor or modem. That way, consumers can switch carriers without having to get a new SIM card.

Customer retention

For major wireless companies, losing customers to another carrier is costly. Not only does the company lose revenue, it must spend money through marketing to gain a new customer to make up for the one it lost.

Bloomberg News reports that Apple, which has been a major developer of eSIM technology, is one of the parties raising the collusion complaint. The news service quotes a Verizon spokesman as saying the whole matter is "a difference of opinion" with hardware makers on what the standard should be for the switching technology.

“Any good government inquiry is looked at and ultimately decided on merit,” Verizon's Rich Young told Bloomberg. “That was the case in 2016 and we are very confident the government will reach the same conclusion this time.”

More customers plan to switch

The data site Statista notes that consumers increasingly are looking for better deals from cell phone companies. In the spring of 2008, it counted 17.7 million wireless customers who planned to switch to another carrier. By the spring of 2017, the number had grown to over 25 million.

AT&T is already involved with the Justice Department in a lawsuit over its proposed merger with Time Warner.

The government argues that the combined company would be too big and powerful. However, AT&T says merging its wireless business with a content producer like Time Warner would not harm competition.

Earlier today, Chinese electronics maker ZTE was hit with a seven-year ban on American exports from the U.S. Department of Commerce. The restriction will keep ZTE from getting parts from U.S.-based suppliers, such as Qualcomm and Dolby.

The ban comes a year after ZTE allegedly violated the terms of a 2017 settlement.

In March 2017, the electronics giant pleaded guilty of illegally shipping telecommunications equipment to Iran and North Korea and agreed to pay $1.2 billion in penalties. The company was also supposed to revoke the bonuses of any employees involved.

However, the company was found to have violated the terms of the settlement when it was discovered that employees who engaged in illegal conduct were not penalized. Some of them even got their full 2016 pay bonuses.

Didn’t honor the agreement

"ZTE made false statements to the U.S. Government when they were originally caught and put on the Entity List, made false statements during the reprieve it was given, and made false statements again during its probation," Secretary of Commerce Wilbur L. Ross, Jr. said in a statement.

“ZTE misled the Department of Commerce. Instead of reprimanding ZTE staff and senior management, ZTE rewarded them. This egregious behavior cannot be ignored.”

A senior department official told Reuters that ZTE, “provided information back to us basically admitting that they had made these false statements.”

“We can’t trust what they are telling us is truthful,” the official continued. “And in international commerce, truth is pretty important.”

The export ban comes amid escalating tariffs and growing fear of a trade war between the U.S. and China.

Consumers were bombarded with nearly 2.75 million robocalls in February, up 24 percent over February 2017, according to YouMail, a visual voicemail service.

That works out to more than 98 million robocalls per day, a new record volume counted by the YouMail Robocall Index.

"We know the robocalling problem continues to bedevil U.S. consumers and businesses by wasting our time, costing us money and causing untold levels of frustration for Americans in all walks of life," said Alex Quilici, CEO of YouMail.

Quilici says consumers should avoid answering calls from unknown numbers and instead let them go directly to voicemail. He also recommends an app that blocks robocalls.

Government agencies, meanwhile, may take steps to reduce the number of these computer-generated calls, which are illegal when made to cell phones.

In recent years, robocalls have become a favorite tool for scammers, allowing them to target thousands of potential victims in a matter of seconds.

United front against robocalls

In the next few weeks, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) plan to hold joint events to fight illegal robocalls -- especially those that employ caller ID spoofing, a tactic which makes it appear as though the call is coming from a different number, exchange, or area code.

“Scam robocalls and deceptive spoofing are real threats to American consumers, and they are the number one consumer complaint at the FCC,” said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. “We’re committed to confronting this problem using every tool we have. I’m pleased to announce these efforts in our continued work with the FTC to protect consumers.”

On March 23, the two agencies will conduct a policy forum to explore the regulatory challenges in controlling the proliferation of robocalls. Specifically, the forum will look for ways to allow telephone companies to block calls generated by machines. Registration is not required for this event.  It will be webcast at fcc.gov/live with open captions.

Then on April 23, the two agencies will co-host a technology expo for consumers at the Pepco Edison Place Gallery in Washington, D.C. The event will feature technologies, devices, and applications to deflect unwanted robocalls.

Additional information is available here.

While the FCC previously proposed rules designed to curb robocalls, a coalition of consumer groups says the rules need more teeth. The FCC proposal would allow voice service providers to block some "spoofed" robocalls.

BlackBerry Limited is suing Facebook over patent infringement, according to a lawsuit filed in a U.S. District Court in California.

In the lengthy 117-page lawsuit, BlackBerry claims that Facebook “created mobile messaging applications that co-opt Blackberry’s innovations,” and use a number of patents that made BlackBerry’s products “such a critical and commercial success in the first place.”

"[W]e have a strong claim that Facebook has infringed on our intellectual property, and after several years of dialogue, we also have an obligation to our shareholders to pursue appropriate legal remedies," BlackBerry said in a statement.

Patents held by BlackBerry include message encryption, battery and message notifications, and combining messaging with gaming.

Facebook dismisses claims

Blackberry contends that Facebook, its Instagram photo sharing app, and its WhatsApp messaging service use technologies -- such as cross-platform sharing -- that are based on existing Blackberry patents.

"As a cybersecurity and embedded software leader, BlackBerry's view is that Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp could make great partners in our drive toward a securely connected future, and we continue to hold this door open to them," BlackBerry said.

Facebook dismissed the claims and said it plans to fight back.

“BlackBerry’s suit sadly reflects the current state of its messaging business,” said Facebook’s Deputy General Counsel Paul Grewal. “Having abandoned its efforts to innovate, BlackBerry is now looking to tax the innovation of others. We intend to fight.”

Blackberry is seeking “redress for the harm caused by Defendants’ unlawful use of BlackBerry’s intellectual property,” which may include injunctive relief and damages accounting for lost profits.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed new rules aimed at curbing unwanted robocalls, but a coalition of consumer groups argues the rules don't go far enough.

The FCC proposal would allow voice service providers to block some "spoofed" robocalls -- calls that appear to originate from a local number when they could be made from overseas.

But in comments filed with the agency by the National Consumer Law Center, Consumers Union, the Consumer Federation of America, Consumer Action, National Association of Consumer Advocates, and Public Citizen argue the proposed rule is already behind the curve.

“The FCC rules do something: they allow telephone companies to block spoofed calls from numbers that do not actually exist. But spoofers have simply moved to make fraudulent calls from real numbers—meaning that the rules do not cut down on the spoofed calls at all,” said National Consumer Law Center Senior Counsel Margot Saunders.

Saunders likens it to closing one door of a double door to keep the mice out, but if the second door is open, the mice will simply use it.

"Moreover, the rules are not even mandatory so telephone companies are free to ignore them,” she said.

Recommendations

The groups call for some type of meaningful authentication for all calls, along with a robust robocall-blocking tool. That, they say, would take care of most of the problem.

Scammers have made extensive use of robocalls in recent years, since the technology allows one operator to make a large number of calls at once. When a recipient answers, a recorded voice is designed to keep them on the line. Since a large percentage of scam calls end in hang ups, it allows a fraudster to focus on the few potential victims who are still listening when the message ends.

The consumer groups say the FCC rule should require telephone companies to provide free, effective caller ID authentication for every call, along with free call-blocking services. Some mobile providers already have that capability.

“Bad actors are continuing to find ways around the rules to prevent fraudulent robocalls and take advantage of consumers, but there is more that can be done to protect consumers,” said Maureen Mahoney, policy analyst at Consumers Union.

“The FCC should ensure that consumers can control the calls they receive by requiring that phone companies provide blocking technology free of charge to consumers.”

Staggering number of robocalls

In 2016, the YouMail National Robocall Index (YNRI) estimated that somewhere around 2.3 billion robocalls were made in the U.S. in the month of January alone, a staggering 51,523 calls per minute.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says some types of robocalls are permitted under the law. For example, your doctor's office may use a robocall to remind you of an appointment. Political messages may be delivered with a robocall, as can messages from debt collectors.

However, using a robocall to sell any type of product or service is illegal. When you get one of these calls, you should hang up immediately, the FTC advises.

Telecom giant AT&T is moving ahead with plans to develop its 5G wireless network, but company CEO Randall Stephenson says the first device to connect to the super high-speed network won't be a smartphone.

In a conference call following Wednesday's AT&T earnings report, Stephenson said smartphone manufacturers are still on the drawing board when it comes to making a 5G phone. So Stephenson says AT&T will produce a device, called a "puck," that will act like a mobile hotspot, allowing consumers to connect their existing devices to the 5G network.

AT&T has not said when the puck would be available or how much it would cost. However, Stephenson says the device will be a way for customers to sample the 5G service before purchasing a 5G smartphone.

"We're getting the equipment manufacturing moving, we're getting the supply chains moving, we're doing the sell-side acquisition, we're doing all the build type work, but getting the handsets at scale penetrated into the market will slow things down," Stephenson told investors and analysts.

"So, that's why we're going to be offering pucks in the first part of our deployment in these 12 markets, so it is a mobile solution."

Will work like a modem

Stephenson says consumers will be able to use the pucks like a modem. Once connected, they will be able to access the internet using AT&T's 5G network with a full gigabit throughput.

But Stephenson said he thinks one of the biggest advantages 5G will offer is a huge reduction in latency, the time between an online command is entered and when it is executed. Reducing latency will make 5G more efficient for certain uses, such as virtual reality and self-driving vehicles.

"People say 5G and you're thinking about speed," Stephenson said. "And speed and throughput are important. But the most important element is latency and having low latency 5G is the first technological innovation that truly gets us to low latency."

Twelve markets this year

A month ago AT&T announced that it would deploy 5G wireless service in at least a dozen markets by late 2018, as the first step in a nationwide build out. In December, Verizon also announced it planned to offer 5G wireless service in up to five U.S. markets in 2018.

Telecom experts say the transition from 4G to 5G will be a fundamental, not incremental, change. Instead of being limited to connecting hundreds of millions of cell phones and tablets used by people, 5G networks will support billions of connected things.

Stephenson told analysts that once a nationwide wireless 5G network is up and running, it could replace most fiber optic networks.

Consumers who may have received a new smartphone over the holidays should take steps to protect it from phony apps. Security experts are warning that hackers can use malicious versions of these programs to fool users into sharing sensitive personal information.

Using smartphone apps, hackers can steal passwords, credit card and banking account information, and information about people in your contact lists. Criminals can even infect your smartphone with malware, dupe you into sending money, or lock your phone and demand ransom to unlock it.

Phony apps can sometimes be difficult to spot since they’re often promoted on websites or through marketing emails, which can appear to be legitimate offers from a leading brand in e-commerce.

Unfortunately, consumers fall victim to this kind of scam more than you think. Just a few months ago, a fake version of the mobile app WhatsApp was downloaded by more than a million consumers.

Avoiding phony apps

In this digital age, it’s crucial for consumers to take the time to research the technology they use in their daily lives -- especially before handing over money, sharing personal information, and downloading apps.

To protect your smartphone, experts from the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities recommend taking the following precautions:

• Use official app stores. Consumers are urged to only download apps from official app stores such as Google or Apple. Additionally, investigate any potential downloads beforehand since the screening processes of these official stores aren’t foolproof.

• Stay up to date. Keep your phone’s operating system up to date, especially with system patches tagged as “critical security update.”

• Protect personal information. Be wary of apps that ask for permission to access information unrelated to the performance of the app, like access to contacts, text messages, administrative features, stored passwords, or banking and credit card info.

• Don’t be fooled by reviews. Reviews can be forged by criminals, and a high number of downloads can simply indicate that the scammer was successful in fooling a large number of victims. Before downloading an app, always look at the developer to make sure it’s a brand you recognize.

• Watch for typos. Poor grammar or spelling mistakes in the description of an app is a red flag, since malware campaigns often feature a lack of marketing professionalism.

• Delete what you’re not using. If you are no longer using an app on your phone, delete or uninstall it.

• Use parental controls. To protect your child’s device, consider enabling parental controls on their device so you have the power to review any downloads.

• Go the extra mile. If you believe you have downloaded a phony app, do more than just delete the app. Some phony apps can make themselves “invisible” and look as though they have been deleted, so be sure to restore your phone to its factory settings and change all passwords.

Researchers say certain instruments in today’s smartphones could enable hackers to guess a user’s PIN. 

A new study, led by Dr. Shivam Bhasin of Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU), found that common sensors in most smartphones–such as accelerometer, gyroscope, and proximity sensors–may highlight a significant security vulnerability in smartphones.

Using a combination of information gathered from six different sensors found in smartphones and machine learning algorithms, the researchers were able to unlock Android smartphones with a 99.5 percent accuracy within just three tries when the device had one of the 50 most common PIN numbers.

Shows which numbers were pressed

Researchers used the sensors in a smartphone to show which number had been pressed by its user based on how the phone was tilted and how much light was blocked by the thumb or fingers. 

“The hack exploits unintentional physical activity of the phone that is captured by the sensors.

When a user enters their PIN, the sensors detect activity,” Bhasin, senior research scientist at the Temasek Laboratories at NTU, told ConsumerAffairs.

“This activity is slightly different for each digit and can be distinguished for each digit.

Using machine learning algorithms, a PIN recovery mechanism is developed on this idea, to find the whole 4-digit PIN.”

Beat previous success rate

The technique the researchers used beat the previous best phone-cracking success rate of 74 percent for the 50 most common PIN numbers. 

The hack showed that by measuring unintentional physical activity of the sensor, it’s possible to capture a user’s private data. Although the study was limited to PIN numbers, the researchers say other private data (like a user’s daily routine) could potentially be exploited. 

The researchers say the hack can be used to guess all 10,000 possible combinations for four-digit PINs. However, for the proposed hack to take place, the attacker would need a malicious app to access sensor data. 
To keep cell phones safe, Bhasin recommends being extremely selective about apps and websites, as hackers typically bury malware in seemingly harmless features.
The researchers also recommend choosing PINs with more than four digits, as well as using secondary identification, like fingerprint scans, two factor authentication, or facial recognition software where applicable.

The full study has been been published online in the Cryptology ePrint Archive.

An international study presented at suggests being addicted to a smartphone can create a chemical imbalance in the brain.

To assemble the subjects, the researchers used standard tests to measure the extent of attachment to and dependence upon a mobile device. Dr. Hyung Suk Seo, professor of neuroradiology at Korea University in Seoul, identified a small group of young people as being "addicted" to their smartphones. 

He and his team then used magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to measure their brains’ chemical composition.They found that, compared to healthy control subjects, smartphone-dependent subjects showed higher ratios of gamma aminobutryic acid (GABA) to glutamate-glutamine (Glx).

GABA is a neurotransmitter that slows brain signals, while Glx increases neuron activity.

"The increased GABA levels and disrupted balance between GABA and glutamate in the anterior cingulate cortex may contribute to our understanding the pathophysiology of and treatment for addictions," Dr. Seo said in a release.

Moreover, Dr. Seo expressed concern for the clinical implications this imbalance could have on young people’s anxiety and depression. More research is needed, but the team’s smartphone-dependent subjects showed marked improvement following cognitive behavioral therapy.

Designed to be addictive?

Adam Alter is author of the book about smartphone addiction, "Irresistible." On the NRR Program "Fresh Air" in March, Alter said technology is designed to be addictive.

"If I'm addicted to, say, World of Warcraft, the minute I start firing up the game ... my brain will look [in a scan] very much like the brain of someone who's addicted to heroin and is preparing the next hit," he told interviewer Dave Davies.

Management consultant Simon Sinek agrees that certain technology is addictive. But the most addictive technology, he says, is the one that connects people.

"We know that engagement with social media and our cellphones releases a chemical called dopamine," Sinek says in a video interview that has gone viral on YouTube. "That's why when you get a text, it feels good. Dopamine is the same chemical that makes us feel good when we smoke, when we drink, and when we gamble."

Nomophobia

Science has even come up with a name for smartphone addition -- nomophobia, an abbreviation of “no mobile phobia”. And it's not a recent discovery.

As early as 2012, 84 percent of consumers in a Time magazine poll said they couldn't go a single day without their mobile phones. One in four told survey-takers they check their phones at least every 30 minutes.

But experts say that, in itself, may not signal addition. A sales person constantly using a phone to check email from clients and stay in touch with the office may only be maximizing an important tool, which is different from someone checking Instagram every 30 minutes.

Psychologists have developed a number of tests designed to reveal smartphone addiction. Tell-tale indicators include the number of times a person checks his or her phone during a given period, whether a phone interferes with relationships with family and friends, and sleeping with the device.

Despite sky-high sales, Samsung has faced criticism about the durability of its Galaxy smartphones, and the performance of Samsung’s newest Galaxy S8 and S8+ models in water may once again prove to be a disappointment to customers. 

Before competitors like Apple debuted their own sturdier, more water-resistant devices, Samsung led the pack last year with a commercial showing Lil Wayne dousing his Galaxy S7 Edge in champagne. Reviewers celebrated the new generation of Galaxy smartphones and their supposed ability to withstand up to 30 minutes of water exposure. 

But the Galaxy S7 Active model failed water dunking tests conducted by Consumer Reports later that year. Facing criticism, Samsung agreed to give S7 Active owners a free exchange if they encounter “issues related to water damage.” Even then, the warranty only applied to people who had their phones for less than a year.

In subsequent marketing material, Samsung assured customers that the apparent problem had been corrected. Samsung’s new Galaxy S8 and S8+ models “are water and dust resistant, faster, and more efficient...,” an advertisement says. Which means what exactly? "...which means you are too,” the S8 advertisement says.

But Samsung’s promises are only as good as its guarantees. If the Galaxy S8 phones prove to also hold up poorly in water, just as the S7 Active did, can customers get a new phone, or at least their $800 refunded? This is a question that Samsung has yet to answer. 

The dreaded “moisture detected”

My husband purchased the Galaxy S8+ largely because of its advertised durability, including the IP68 label certifying the phone can handle submersion in up to five feet of water for thirty minutes. Consumer Reports, the independent testers who exposed the flaws in the S7 Active, gave glowing reviews of the S8 models. The organization dunked the S8 phones in pressurized tanks and reported that they operated normally “right after” retrieving them and continued to function well 24 hours later.

Based on this, we weren’t very worried when my husband's phone fell out of his pocket at a marina several weeks ago. He quickly snatched the phone from the water and it seemed to work fine immediately afterward. 

When he tried to charge the Galaxy that evening a notice appeared: moisture detected in the port. We tried placing the phone on rice and on a fan for days at a time, but the phone still refused to charge due to “moisture." 

Of course, Samsung Galaxy owners have experienced far worse catastrophes than this -- the recall of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones due to their occasional tendency to explode has left a major dent on the company’s reputation. But with no working battery, my husband's Galaxy was as good as useless. By our estimates, the phone wasn’t in the water for longer than ten seconds.

This does not appear to be a problem that is unique to us. YouTube videos and user-submitted comments online – including a forum on the Samsung webpage itself – tell similar stories of a Galaxy S8 that will not charge because of “moisture detected.” 

One commenter on the Samsung site said that her S8 was “barely splashed” before the moisture detection notice appeared. Another with the same problem couldn’t recall her phone ever being exposed to water at all. 

Based on users’ online comments, no official policy is in place from Samsung for these scenarios, meaning customers are left to effectively wait and see what the company tells them.

The AT&T website is clear when it comes to its older model, the Galaxy S7. Samsung will replace  “any Galaxy S7 active under its standard limited warranty, should water damage occur,” the company tells customers.

When my husband and I visited our local AT&T store for help, workers were fairly certain that the S8+ should also be covered for water damage under that same warranty, and we were told to contact Samsung directly. 

The customer service representative at the Samsung call center deflected when I told her that we dropped the phone in water for just a moment. The Galaxy S8 “is water resistant,” she said, “not waterproof.”

She said that Samsung would consider repairing the phone, if we were willing to send it in and wait at least five business days while they inspected it. Given the vagueness and lack of documentation, we opted to pay our insurance deductible instead.

Samsung won’t disclose its policy to reporters

When contacted repeatedly by ConsumerAffairs, Samsung’s press team refused to explain how it handles water-damage claims for the S8 phones, agreeing only to comment on the S8 off the record.   

Paraphrasing the “off the record” information, I was given points nearly identical to Samsung’s advertising that did not answer whether water damage is covered by a warranty. A press release I was sent did nothing to clarify the issue.

Samsung later agreed to send ConsumerAffairs a prepared statement, but that was similarly empty on answers. “Any consumer with questions about a Samsung product should contact us directly at 1-800-SAMSUNG,” it says. "While every customer inquiry we get is different, we look into each inquiry we receive and work to resolve it on a case-by-case basis."

Two AT&T employees, one Samsung call center worker, and two Samsung spokespeople later, and there are still no definitive answers about how Samsung will handle complaints from customers encountering water-damage issues with S8 Galaxy phones. The best advice we can provide is to not let your phone get wet, no matter what the advertising says. 

Back in the last millennium, Congress tried to increase competition in the telephone industry and passed a gigantic bill that, a few decades later, has created a patchwork in which some types of consumers enjoy plenty of companies competing for their business while others enjoy nearly none.

Residents in affluent areas, for example, often have multiple broadband carriers offering high-speed fiber connections at competitive prices while rural consumers are stuck with slow-speed telephone lines.

But of everyone affected by the legislation, no one has fared worse than prisoners and their families. Local and state governments, seeing an opportunity to make a few bucks off the backs of prisoners, have cut deals with private providers who operate the jailhouse phone systems, charging exorbitant rates to those unlucky enough to place or get a call from prison.

You might think the courts would outlaw the practice, but despite a few limited actions, that hasn't been the case so far. Just yesterday, a federal judge in California pitched four lawsuits challenging the price-gouging, according to a Courthouse News Service report. 

"Grossly excessive" rates

Plaintiffs had charged that Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties had contracted with Global Tel Link Corp. and Securus Technologies, allowing them to charge "grossly excessive" rates to inamtes and their families.

The plaintiffs had argued the Ninth Circuit has recognized a First Amendment right to telephone access, and that the commissions amount to unconstitutional taxes on that right.

But U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers granted a motion by the counties to dismiss the suits.

“That the commissions charged may result in higher phone rates, which, in turn, may reduce the frequency and length of phone calls made, does not constitute a governmental restriction on plaintiffs’ constitutional rights,” Gonzalez Rogers wrote in a 26-page order.

Gonzalez Rogers said the Ninth Circuit ruling applied to prisoners who were denied access to a telephone and did not deal with pricing issues.

The judge also turned aside the claim that the counties were in violation of antitrust laws, noting that state law bars antitrust action against governmental units.

When you answer the phone, you sometimes know the person on the other end of the line is a scammer in the first few seconds of conversation.

But if you're a T-Mobile customer, you might know before you even answer the call. Thanks to a recently introduced, free feature from the mobile provider, your phone's caller ID will display the message "scam likely."

The carrier says its Scam ID service flashes the warning when it sees an incoming call from a number used by a known scammer. It says the service works on all cell phones that have Caller ID.

Consumers aren't required to install anything and it's provided on all post-paid plans. Last month T-Mobile expanded the service to all Metro PCS customers.

Scam Block

A companion service, Scam Block, actually blocks calls from known scammers from ringing a customer's phone. It's available on all post-paid plans at no additional charge.

Since launching in April, T-Mobile says Scam ID and Scam Block have identified or blocked more than 243 million calls and estimates the services have prevented more than $130 million in scams.

“Scam ID and Scam Block are perfect examples of what the T-Mobile and MetroPCS are all about—we give you more without asking more from you,” said Mike Sievert, T-Mobile's chief operating officer. “These advanced protection technologies put our customers in control, and even better, they are totally free!"

Scammers keep bankers' hours

T-Mobile says it's also learned something about scammers' habits since it launched the new service. Most scammers, it says, like to work normal business hours, from 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday.

Peak time for scam calls is late afternoon. On average, it identifies a half-million scam calls per hour as the business day draws to a close.

Scammers also try to hide their tracks by using a new number every few calls. Of over 500,000 scammer phone numbers the system identified, T-Mobile says only around 24,000 numbers repeatedly make scam calls.

You might remember the days when the operator would instruct you to deposit more coins if you wanted to continue your pay phone call. A New Mexico company, Dialing Service, has been instructed to deposit $2.88 million for calls it already made.

The problem is that the calls in question were robocalls and they were made to wireless phones without consumers' consent, thereby raising the hackles of the Federal Communications Commission.

In 2013, the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau formally warned Dialing Services that it could be held liable for robocalls its customers were making in violation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. The TCPA prohibits autodialed phone calls, robocalls, or texts to wireless phones in most instances unless the caller has the prior express consent of the called party. 

Following the citation, the Bureau investigated and determined that Dialing Services’ platform was still being used to make unlawful robocalls.  The fine reflects the Commission’s determination that Dialing Services was involved in making 180 unlawful robocalls after being warned to stop. 

The Commission has made clear that a third party, such as a platform provider, may be liable under the TCPA if the platform provider is so involved in the placement of a call that it essentially made the call. 

The Commission determined that Dialing Services played a significant role in the illegal robocalls, and thus should be held liable for violating the TCPA.  For example, Dialing Services’ platform automatically blocks the originating telephone number and enables caller ID spoofing. 

What's the best smartphone on the market at the moment? It's a highly subjective question, since consumers value different things.

But to get a handle on which devices are doing the most to satisfy their customers, the Consumer Sentiment Analysis (CSA) service at Strategy Analytics scanned smartphone reviews posted by U.S. consumers.

It found that early adopters have given the Samsung S8, which was introduced in April, an average rating of 4.57 out of 5, making it the highest rated smartphone on the market.

The phone boasts new screen dimensions and an artificial intelligence (AI) assistant called Bixby. In the first 40 days the phone was on the market, the study found more than 1,500 buyer reviews.

Display is winning fans

Reviewers specifically commented positively on the Galaxy S8 display. The term "display" appeared in almost one-third of all reviews of the device.

Reviewers also had good things to say about the camera. The survey gauged sentiment "very positive" and noted that the camera got a mention in 19% of all reviews.

On the other hand, users didn't seem all that impressed with Bixby. The survey found the AI assistant got a mention in only 4% of reviews, and those that mentioned it were marginally negative.

"Based on our analysis of the first 40 days of buyer reviews, Strategy Analytics believes that Samsung's Brand Equity and an impressive new display are the primary reasons that the Galaxy S8 has achieved Apex Product status in the US smartphone market," said Adam Thorwart, lead analyst and author of the report.

He also said the phone's display, which is 14% larger than previous models, is a big selling point with early adopters.

Comeback

It would suggest the phone is helping Samsung recover from its disastrous launch last year of the Galaxy Note 7, whose battery tended to overheat and catch fire, requiring a complete product recall. But until that defect emerged, the Note 7 was at the top of Consumer Reports' smartphone rankings.

Samsung is preparing the release of the follow-up device, the Galaxy Note 8, which TechRadar calls "the biggest comeback story in phones." Samsung has not revealed a release date but confirmed that it will occur later this year, which could coincide with an expected Autumn release of Apple's iPhone 8.

Since this is the 10th anniversary of the original iPhone release, tech sites like CNET expect Apple to pull out all the stops, with major redesigns and features.

A robocaller who allegedly placed calls claiming to be from TripAdvisor picked the wrong company to impersonate. Consumers who were on the receiving end of the calls complained to TripAdvisor, which did a bit of sleuthing on its own and identified Adrian Abramovich of Miami as the culprit.

TripAdvisor then complained to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which had been hearing from other consumers and companies, including Spōk, a medical service that links hospitals and physicians. Spōk had also fingered Abramovich and dropped a dime on him as well.

Today, the FCC proposed fining Abramovich $120 million for making nearly 100 million spoofed robocalls in violation of the Truth in Caller ID Act. 

The FCC said that consumers who received the calls were told to press 1 to hear about vacation promotions from TripAdvisor, Marriott, Expedia, Hilton and others.

Those who did so were then transferred to overseas call centers where operators tried to sell them timeshares and other vacation packages. 

Abramovich used what has been called “neighbor spoofing,” the FCC said, choosing phony numbers with the same area code and exchange as the numbers he was calling. This led consumers to think the call might be from someone they knew.

Earlier today, the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau also issued a citation to Abramovich for apparent violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act’s robocall limits and the federal wire fraud statute, which could result in additional fines and penalties.

An old rule of thumb in the consumer protection business is that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. But Virgin Mobile insists that's not the case with its latest offer -- one year of unlimited talk, text, and data for $1.

Not only that, but the $1 deal also includes membership in the "Virgin Inner Circle," which includes perks like a free one-night stay at a Virgin hotel or a companion ticket for flights to the U.K.

There is, however, one hitch: you must buy a new iPhone from the Apple Store or the Virgin Wireless website. That will set you back anywhere from $400 to $970. 

The fine print

The offer becomes effective today and the $1 deal is only for customers who sign up within the first 30 days. After that it reverts to a six-month offer. When the promotional year or six months is up, service will be $50 a month.

Even with those provisos, it's a rather dramatic promotion. Angela Rittgers, chief marketing officer at Virgin Mobile, said the company's "biggest struggle is how to make sure consumers understand there is no gimmick behind this," according to a report in Ad Age. 

Sprint made a similar offer last week, offering consumers a free year of service if they switch from AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon and provide their own device. Sprint owns Virgin Wireless, which may explain the similarity.

Virgin Wireless hasn't exactly set the world afire. It trails most of its competitors and there had been reports last year that Sprint was planning to scale it back, but Rittgers says the $1 deal may be sufficiently disruptive to give Virgin a much-needed boost, saying it's "the longest test drive someone will ever take."

With consumers increasingly using their mobile devices for all electronic transactions, including banking, there is growing concern about the security of mobile devices.

The National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, part of the Commerce Department, says ensuring the security of the information that a mobile device accesses, stores, and processes is a difficult cybersecurity challenge with no easy solution.

It finds that security controls haven't kept up with the risks posed by smartphones and tablets. This can be a critical issue in business environments, when employees are using personal devices to connect to a corporate network.

Security tips

Android device users should not use unknown, free, and unsecured Wi-Fi connections without VPN technology. At the same time, keeping your phone's Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled all the time makes it easier for hackers to access your phone.

App downloads can also be a security risk. When you download an app, obtain it from a known, reputable source. Just like you would on a PC, avoid clicking on links unless you are completely sure of the source.

Passwords on mobile devices are just as important on mobile devices as they are on PCs. Try to use complex passwords and change them frequently.

"As Android system and mobile internet usage continues to grow, traditional antivirus apps are no longer sufficient," said Pan Qi, Vice President of Cheetah Mobile, which this week introduced a free mobile security app, CM Security Master.

Threats to government networks

A report issued in April by the Department of Homeland Security underscored the threat to the U.S. government. Despite being a minor segment in the overall marketplace, the report said mobile devices used by government employees "represent an avenue to attack the back-end systems containing data on millions of Americans," not to mention the sensitive information about governmental functions.

The report notes that in the U.S., there are no requirements requiring carriers to run encryption or provide privacy protections on their networks.

Consumers who want to improve the security of their Android devices have lots of options. Tech site Tom's Guide provides recommendations for the best mobile security apps in three categories.

Learn more in the ConsumerAffairs Cell Phone Buyers Guide.

A New Jersey Congressman would like to energize the federal agencies he thinks should be doing more about the problem of fires and explosions caused by lithium-ion batteries.

The problem is not exactly new. The batteries have been causing problems for years, in hoverboards, laptops, smartphones, e-cigarettes and other gadgets, and Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.) says the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should do something about it.

In a letter to the heads of each agency, Pallone is asking for a briefing to find out what, if anything, is being done. He notes that both agencies made an initial effort but that not much appears to have happened since then. 

Known fire risks

“For at least a decade, the known fire risks associated with lithium-ion batteries has resulted in countless Americans suffering from burns and disfigurements,” Pallone wrote. “It is a welcome start that CPSC has directed staff to address battery hazards, and that FDA has conducted a public workshop to explore the dangers of e-cigarette batteries. But work at both of your agencies has only just begun to address known battery safety problems that have harmed consumers. The federal government – through CPSC, FDA, and other agencies – must take even more decisive action with regard to the batteries themselves.”

Specifically, Pallone asked:

• What are CPSC and FDA doing to collect data on the number of incidences of dangerous battery safety failures, such as fires or explosions?
• What research has staff at CPSC and FDA done to inform policy actions, such as a consumer product safety rule or other safety standards?
• What are CPSC and FDA doing to coordinate with each other and with other federal agencies?
• Do CPSC and FDA have adequate resources to address battery safety problems in consumer devices?

Pallone is the ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. His letter went to CPSC Acting Chairman Ann Marie Buerkle and FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb.

Comcast has been edging into the wireless communications business for quite awhile and now its Xfinity Mobile network is doing a quiet roll-out. The service resells Verizon's 4G LTE network and what Comcast says are 16 million wi-fi hotspots to reach just about every corner of the country.

The wi-fi hotspots are in commercial locations and also in customers' homes. Comcast routers have a separate channel that provides coverage to nearby Xfinity customers. The goal is to use wi-fi as much as possible to avoid burning up the more expensive Verizon bits.

Xfinity customers can sign up for the service at the new Xfinity Mobile website. It's available in all markets where Comcast already provides cable service. Sign-ups are restricted to Comcast’s 25 million subscribers.

Unlimited data, talk, text

Xfinity Mobile features an unlimited data, talk, and text plan starting at $65 a month for up to five lines ($45 per line for customers with Comcast’s top X1 TV packages), or $12 per GB a month a la carte. The unlimited option has been reduced to $45 a month through July 31 for the network’s first customers.

If it works as planned, Xfinity Mobile will put Comcast into direct competition with incumbents like AT&T and T-Mobile, as well as with wi-fi-based networks like Google Fi.

Which cell phone service is right for you? Check the ConsumerAffairs Cell Phone Buyers Guide. 

Consumers are often blasted by spam text messages that are either seeking to sell them something or, even worse, steal their personal information. But in a recent report, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is reminding everyone that they don’t have to take these messages lying down.

The agency points out that spam text messages are often illegal and that consumers need to be careful about how they handle them and what information they reveal.

“Text message spam is a triple threat: it often uses the promise of free gifts or product offers to get you to reveal personal information; it can lead to unwanted charges on your cell phone bill; and it can slow cell phone performance,” the agency said.

Protecting yourself from text message spam

The FTC notes that unsolicited commercial email messages or text messages to wireless devices are illegal under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). There are a few exceptions – such as if the sender has a relationship to the recipient or if they come from political or fundraising organizations – but for the most part consumers need to give their consent before they can legally receive messages.

However, as many of us are aware, that doesn’t stop companies or individuals from sending them. To protect yourself from text message spam, the FTC offers the following tips:

• Delete text messages that ask you to confirm or provide personal information: Legitimate companies don’t ask for information like your account numbers or passwords by email or text.
• Don’t reply, and don’t click on links provided in the message: Links can install malware on your computer or device and can take you to spoof sites that look real but whose purpose is to steal your information.
• Treat your personal information like cash: Your Social Security number, credit card numbers, and bank and utility account numbers can be used to steal your money or open new accounts in your name. Don’t give them out in response to a text.

You can also: 

• Put your cell phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry.
• Report spam texts to your carrier by copying the original message and forwarding it to the number 7726 (SPAM), free of charge.
• Reviewing your cell phone bill for unauthorized charges, and reporting them to your carrier.

The FTC also asks that consumers who receive unwanted commercial or regular text messages file a complaint with the agency here or here.

The fight over net neutrality is turning nasty. Although it's a topic that doesn't stir much interest in your average consumer, those who have opinions hold them very strongly.

Take Craig Sillman. He's a Verizon vice president in charge of what is called "public policy" (i.e., lobbying), and he is not happy with groups that describe themselves as "public policy" advocates, like Free Press and Fight for the Future.

Sillman says a lot of these groups are just out to raise money from their supporters and will say whatever it takes to make their point.  

"You gotta understand, there are a lot of advocacy groups out there that fundraise on this issue," said Sillman. "So how do you fundraise? You stir people up with outrageous claims. Unfortunately, we live in a time where people have discovered that it doesn't matter what's true, you just say things to rile up the base."

So is this a gotcha' incident? Something Sillman said behind closed doors? No, oddly enough it's part of a video released by Verizon recently. It's what you might call a "fake news" video in which an apparent Verizon employee identified only as "Jeremy" questions Sillman as though he were a reporter.

But despite Sillman's rather self-serving claim, non-profit advocacy groups aren't the only ones expressing concern about the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman's plan to deep-six net neutrality rules -- and not everyone is driven by financial motives.

"Open and equal access"

“The internet must remain open and accessible to everyone,” said Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan in a recent statement. “Open and equal access to the internet is crucial to information sharing and competition. The FCC’s proposal would allow internet service providers to pick winners and losers among content providers and their customers. I urge the FCC Commissioners to vote against this proposal.”

Sillman would perhaps say that Madigan is just saying what she thinks voters want to hear, but judging from the mail and the reader statistics that let websites like ours count how many people read a given story, net neutrality is not exactly a barn-burner topic.

It is true that conservative interests and Republicans tend to favor deregulating big telecom companies like Verizon, AT&T, and Comcast while liberals and Democrats generally want to treat them like utilities, regulating rates and requiring that all users get the level of service they're paying for.

In the case of net neutrality, the rules put in place by the Obama-era FCC require companies like Verizon to treat all traffic equally. Since Verizon owns AOL, Yahoo, and other content providers, critics say it might tend to favor its own traffic over competitors. This is the allegation that Sillman and new FCC Chairman Ajit Pai say is strictly theoretical and doesn't have to be dealt with until and if it actually becomes a problem.

Critics like Madigan disagree. "Existing net neutrality rules prohibit internet service providers like AT&T or Comcast from discriminating among customers and content providers. They also ensure that when consumers purchase internet access, they can reach the content of their choice without interference and that any website can reach customers without having to negotiate or pay for special access," she said.

What could actually happen if net neutrality rules are scrapped? Madigan lists these possibilities:

• Consumers being unable or forced to pay to access certain websites;
• Decreased competition as start-ups fight for access with larger, established companies; and
• Telecommunications companies that also own media companies giving preferential treatment to media content they own, putting smaller content providers and their customers at a disadvantage.

"No evidence of systemic failure"

FCC chair Pai has argued that there was no need to implement the net neutrality rules in the first place. 

"There was no evidence of systemic failure in the Internet marketplace. As I said at the time, 'One could read the entire document . . . without finding anything more than hypothesized harms.' Or, in other words, public-utility regulation was a solution that wouldn’t work for a problem that didn’t exist," he said in a speech late last year. 

The FCC is expected to vote at its May 18 meeting to eliminate the new rules. Free Press, one of the groups that drew Sillman's wrath, has been trying to raise $100,000 to fight the repeal.

"It's official. Trump and Pai plan to destroy net neutrality," says the FreePress.net site, insisting it's not too late. "Chairman Pai could still back down if he wants to leave the dark side."

Verizon has set a new record, although it's not one they were aiming for. The company posted its first-ever net loss of wireless subscribers during the first quarter of 2017.

Most Wall Streeters are blaming the loss on the price war that has broken out in the once-peaceful oligopoly that is the wireless business in the U.S. But others, including hordes of former Verizon subscribers, blame poor service and an inability to reach anyone who can help with problems.

"After lowering my data plan because of paying for data I wasn't using month after month Verizon took away free data I was given for LIFE with my new phone purchases," said Barbara of Kuna, Idaho, in a ConsumerAffairs review a few days ago.

"After calling them to find out why, I was told the free data was given to me for my data size not the phone purchases. I've been with Verizon for over 10 years and have been disappointed by them before. This is the last straw. Just another way Verizon stabs you in the back while pretending to be giving you something for being a valued customer," Barbara said.

Dawn of Birmingham, Alabama, says Verizon "has become impossible to deal with." She said she called Verizon when her new iPhone began shutting down, overheating, and otherwise misbehaving.

"They had me talk to three different people asking the same exact questions before finally agreeing to issue me a replacement phone which was still under warranty. This took over 45 minutes," Dawn said.

"Then I happen to be on my account checking my bill and the order for the replacement phone was on credit hold for some reason...not sure why because my account is current," she said. "Jumped on chat and this person tells me I now have to call the order department to confirm the order before it's shipped out. Why should I have to do this - wasn't the 45 minutes on with customer service enough of a confirmation to ship the stupid phone?"

$20 a month for nothing

"It's only $20 but it was so annoying that I took my four smartphones to AT&T. The network is OK and the website is easy to navigate, unlike the Verizon site which is like a carnival funhouse," he said. 

It's not only longtime customers who are miffed. Kayla of Spring, Texas, has only been with Verizon a month but is already irate. 

"I have been with Verizon for about a month and the customer service is horrible. I spent an hour on the phone with someone who still cannot tell me what my bill is actually going to be. Also, found it odd that I would want to file a complaint and asked why? I have been nearly paying $400 a month for 3 phones. That is why," Kayla said.

Unlimited data

Verizon has been trying to stop the hemorraghing. It brought back unlimited data plans in February for the first time since 2011. That helped a little but took a big bite out of earnings, illustrating the difficulty of turning around a mature business that has run out of room to grow. Verizon executives, however, insist things are going well.

“Our first-quarter results again demonstrated that customers value a high-quality network experience,” said Chairman and CEO Lowell McAdam in a press release. “To build on our loyal customer base and the third-party recognition we have received for network leadership, we extended our wireless and fiber network capabilities, began offering an unlimited pricing option and expanded our opportunities in new markets. We’re executing on strategies to capture future growth and create long-term shareholder value.”

The primary problem Verizon faces is that just about everybody who could want a smartphone already has one, so it's not a growing market. Meanwhile, T-Mobile and Sprint are nipping at its heels, takiing customers away with more nimble marketing plans.

Verizon has been trying to diversify into entertainment and information through its purchase of AOL and Yahoo, but any returns from those businesses are likely to be far down the road, many analysts feel.

Check the ConsumerAffairs Cell Phone Buyers Guide to find the phone and service plan that are right for you. 

A watch used to be considered pretty smart if it kept fairly accurate time. Now it has to be smart enough to connect with your iPhone or other smartphone so it can display messages, email, and so forth.

Or does it?

The latest entrant in the smartwatch derby is the Wear24 from Verizon, and unlike its competitors, it doesn't need a smartphone to function.

Verizon says the watch operates automatically using your existing phone number for sending texts and making calls. It contains a SIM card similar to those used in smartphones, except that the card is embedded, meaning it can't be removed. Verizon can address the card directly and turn your service on or off and make other adjustments. 

Of course, Wear24 does more than just tell time, which is no longer considered very smart. According to Verizon, it will also: 

• Stream all the music you want, phone-less, from Wear24 to a pair of Bluetooth headphones. Perfect for outdoor fitness activities and leaving your smartphone behind. 
• Ask Google as many questions as you want. Ask Wear24 to "set a timer," "play rock music," and more. 
• Browse and download Google Play apps directly on the watch without having to install them onto your phone.

Verizon says the smartwatch will be available in stores and online from Verizon starting May 11 for $349.99. Customers also have the option of purchasing the smartwatch for $299.99 with new 2-year activation. You can add the smartwatch to an existing Verizon Plan for $5 monthly access, plus taxes & fees.

“This is a promising step forward in securing IoT for the masses,” Mark Bartolomeo, vice president of IoT at Verizon, said. “The GSMA’s adoption of security certification through Verizon’s Security Credentialing Service will ensure standards for operators and manufacturers across the board, creating a more secure and consistent approach to IoT security moving forward.”

Similar 4G-connected smartwatches are set to hit the market soon, including LG’s Watch Sport on AT&T’s network.

Comcast has finally rolled out the wireless service it's been working on for the last few years. Called Xfinity Mobile, it will be available to existing Comcast customers and newcomers who agree to bundle wireless and Comcast home internet service.

Pricing is competitive, ranging from $45 to $65 per line per month, depending on how many other Comcast services are bundled. The $65 figure is $15 less than Verizon's charge for a single unlimited line and $25 less than AT&T's.

Comcast is also offering a pay-per-gig option of $12 per gigabyte for customers who don't use much data. That's much cheaper than any options from major carriers.

Comcast is hoping the attractive pricing for its wireless services will help reduce cable-cutting -- the dread practice of consumers getting rid of their cable service and relying on over-the-air and streaming video.

The other major carriers are also offering bundling in the markets where they are able to do so, but none has cut wireless prices quite as much as Comcast.

Wi-fi plus 4G LTE

Xfinity Mobile is using a combination of 4G LTE service that it is reselling from other carriers as well as its own 16 million wi-fi hotspots, located in commercial venues and subscribers' homes. Comcast has been quietly installing wireless routers that contain a public channel as well as a private one for use only by the subscriber.

"We’re doing mobile differently by bringing our customers the best networks and a product designed to save them money in an increasingly data-driven world," said Greg Butz, president of Comcast Mobile. 

We hear a lot of complaints about cell phones -- smartphones in particular. But one group of people who don't seem to complain as much are those who use their devices to operate other connected devices.

That was an unusual detail that turned up in J.D. Power's latest Full-Service Smartphone Satisfaction Study.

The researchers found overall satisfaction with smartphones, no matter what kind, was 49 points higher among customers who also used voice-activated home assistants such as Amazon Echo. If a customer had a smart thermostat or smart appliance, satisfaction was even higher.

"Customers with connected home devices are able to improve the comfort, convenience and security of their living spaces with their smartphone devices," said Kirk Parsons, senior director and technology, media & telecom practice leader at J.D. Power. "They are more satisfied with their smartphones because they can take advantage of smartphone functionalities that other customers may not be aware of."

Connectivity makes a difference

Parsons says consumers seem to prefer products that connect with other devices, and manufacturers who provide that feature, he says, will have an advantage.

But even though a smartphone might have the capability, it's only customers who take advantage of it who seem to have the higher level of satisfaction. And the more you use it, the more satisfied you tend to be.

The study found that no matter the brand, customers expressed greater satisfaction. In the past year, Motorola had the biggest increase in overall satisfaction, rising by 15 points. HTC was 12 points higher, with Apple rising by six points.

Among carriers, AT&T logged the biggest increase in overall smartphone satisfaction, followed by Sprint, Verizon Wireless, U.S. Cellular, and T-Mobile.

Apple topped the list in overall satisfaction in the full-service carrier segment, followed closely by Samsung. Apple was also number one in overall performance and features.

Standard Innovation, an Ottawa-based company, has agreed to pay a $3.75 million settlement over allegations that its We-Vibe vibrators secretly track and record user information, according to Courthouse News.

We-Vibe vibrator models have been sold since 2014 and feature the ability to connect and be controlled by users’ smartphones through the We-Connect app. However, lead plaintiff N.P. accuses the device of recording information on how it’s used in real time and transmitting it to servers in Canada.

“While the We-Vibe device gives a unique way to intimately communicate and interact, Plaintiffs allege that Standard Innovation also programmed – without its customers’ knowledge or consent – the We-Connect application to collect a substantial amount of information about its customers’ usage habits,” the suit states.

Collecting “intimate details”

N.P. claims she bought the $130 We-Vibe model without knowing that it recorded her most “intimate details. . . including the date and time of each use, the vibration intensity level selected by the user, the vibration mode or pattern selected by the user, and incredibly, the email address of We-Vibe customers.”

Preliminary approval of the class settlement was granted on Monday by U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall. It solidifies an agreement that Standard Innovation will pay $3.75 million to a settlement fund that will provide restitution to the approximately 300,000 consumers who bought the product and the 100,000 who used the linked app.

Those who used the linked app will receive approximately $500, while those who simply purchased the product will be paid around $40. The agreement has not yet stipulated how much of the settlement fund will be paid to the class counsel.

While Standard Innovation has not admitted to any wrongdoing, it has agreed to destroy any data that it collected through the product and will revise its privacy policy.

What to do

Editor's note:  This story is about a class-action lawsuit. If you are among the class of consumers described in the suit, you may eventually be eligible to participate in whatever compensation the court awards, if any. Unlike what many people think, you do not "join" a class action -- you are either in the class covered by the action or you are not. 

Often, consumers included in an award do not need to take any action, as the defendant is required to contact them directly. In other cases, the court and the attorneys who brought the case will issue instructions when the case is settled.

Please note that under our Privacy Policy, we cannot provide you with the names of other consumers who may be similarly affected. 

Please see our Class Action Guide for more information. 

Brick-and-mortar retail really is in trouble. Latest casualty: RadioShack, or more precisely its successor, General Wireless. It was formed to take over the RadioShack name and some of its assets after the original RadioShack filed for bankruptcy in 2015.

Now General Wireless, which was formed by Sprint Corp. and the former owners of the original RadioShack, has thrown in the towel and filed for bankruptcy. The business operated Sprint stores within RadioShack locations but just couldn't generate the foot traffic needed to keep the lights on.

The problem comes down to convenience. If you can order an HDMI cable from Amazon Prime and have it delivered to your door tomorrow (or even later today in much of the country), why would you get in your car, drive to an obscure strip mall, and pay a premium for the item, then drive back home in afternoon traffic?

Chances are you wouldn't, and therein lies the problem for brick-and-mortar stores. 

Inventory burden

Besides the problem of attracting custoners, there's the whole question of inventory, something not often considered by consumers, who understandably have no reason to care about it.

But take that most pedestrian of RadioShack items -- speaker wire. If you're moving your home theater speakers around, you may find yourself needing more wire. The neighborhood RadioShack store probably has a few 100-foot spools of wire, but it may well sell only two or three per month, meaning it has to finance the cost of a carton of spools over a year or two. 

The nearest Amazon warehouse, by contrast, has a lot more wire but it most likely ships it out as fast as it can restock it, cutting its inventory financing cost drastically.

This is known as turnover -- the amount of time an item sits moldering on a shelf running up finance charges. The supermarket business is very low-margin but it has high turnover -- you need milk and bread every few days. Speaker wire? Not so much.

So what it means for consumers is that there'll be more strip mall spaces opening up for yoga and nail salons. Oh, and also plan ahead next time you rearrange your home theater system since you'll need to order your speaker wire a day in advance.

Your smartphone is already equipped with the ability to let you know how much battery life it has left. Now, a new app called WakeMode can give it the ability to let you know how much battery you have left.

WakeMode, launching today, can evaluate your fatigue levels based on the quality and amount of sleep you got the night before. Beyond helping users keeping tabs on their “internal battery level,” WakeMode provides tips on how to boost your energy throughout the day and get better sleep at night.

Its sleep evaluation technology was developed by SleepRate, a medical tech sleep solution company. The company claims its sleep monitoring technology has an edge over other sleep trackers because it uses machine learning to create individualized sleep improvement plans.

Fatigue analysis

The app initially uses motion and heart rate to get a feel for your sleep patterns, then it gets to work creating a personalized sleep improvement program. Keeping the app in the loop regarding your sleeping habits and activities, such as when you napped or how much alcohol you drank, boosts the accuracy of its fatigue analysis.

Armed with an accurate sleep analysis and actionable fatigue-fighting tips, users can combat any obstacles standing in their way of getting a good night’s sleep.

“With SleepRate, we gave our users the opportunity to learn about and improve their sleep patterns, but we also wanted to give them a way to be more engaged and understand how better sleep could affect their lives,” said SleepRate CEO and founder, Dr. Anda Baharav.

“WakeMode enables users everywhere to actually see how their sleep habits affect their day and encourages them to commit to an actual lifestyle change in order to improve their sleep habits and alertness during the day.”

Energy updates

The app, which evaluates your fatigue levels on a number scale, aims to keep users perky throughout the day by pinpointing opportunities for fatigue regulation.

Certain times may call for a caffeinated beverage while others may require a nap. To combat a very low internal battery, the app may suggest heading to bed to replenish your battery. Customizable notifications indicate critical fatigue levels and optimal bedtimes.

WakeMode (available for Android or iOS) is also equipped with social sharing, so users can receive motivation from their friends and family.

What's the latest mobile device that's got everyone's attention? It doesn't have a lightning fast microprocessor or HD screen.

But it makes phone calls and sends text messages, along with a handful of other things a smartphone might do.

Nokia has introduced a new phone that's old. CNET, which is covering the Mobile World Congress, says the Nokia 3310 is causing quite a stir in the tech world. It's a remake of the classic "candy bar" phone that Nokia launched around 2000, when the iPhone was just a glimmer in Steve Jobs' eye.

'Modern classic reimagined'

On its website, Nokia calls the 3310 "a modern classic reimagined." At first glance, the lines of the phone are familiar, with a smooth, iconic silhouette. It has a larger screen than the original, but it only takes up about half the phone.

"The custom designed user interface brings a fresh look to a classic, whilst the 2.4” polarized and curved screen window makes for better readability in sunlight," the company said.

Nokia's short video clip (below) demonstrating the phone has gone viral, with nearly 1.8 million views on YouTube at last count.

Month-long battery charge

While your smartphone battery may have to be recharged daily after running countless apps, Nokia says the battery charge on the 3310 should be good for an entire month.

When Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone in 2007, he envisioned the device as a replacement for the PC, designing it to be used like a computer. According to Jobs, a keyboard or keypad should not be taking up half the device since it is rarely needed.

The Nokia 3310 is several steps back from that, going back to the future, when life was simpler and so were phones. But nostalgia may not be the only reason this throwback phone has attracted attention.

Attractive price

While the latest smartphones with all the bells and whistles can cost north of $700, the Nokia 3310 sells for 49 euro, translating into a little less than $52. And there are a couple of upgrades -- Gameloft has updated the original Snake game.

Nokia obviously believes it has a winner on its hands. It originally aimed the phone at developing countries, where many consumers still use old-school cell phones.

But it might also find a market in the U.S., especially among consumers who feel they don't have to be immediately responsive to the latest email from the office. If it's really important, they'll call, won't they?

With a hand from technology, beginning birdwatchers may become seasoned pros in no time. Earlier this year, Subaru added a birdwatching app called eBird to its infotainment system. Now, binocular-wielding birders can use their smartphone as a bird song identification tool.

Song Sleuth, a new app for iPhone users, aims to embellish a birdwatcher’s ornithological knowledge by offering up information on nearly 200 North American birds.

Birders can use their smartphone to record, recognize, and identify the songs of nearby feathered creatures with the help of the app’s algorithm-based identification software. Song Sleuth says its software is similar in concept to what is used in speech recognition software, but specifically tailored to the unique acoustical characteristics of bird songs.

Bird song familiarization

Pushing past novice birdwatcher status will require a knowledge of bird species as well as bird songs, and Song Sleuth aims to help familiarize users with both. In addition to helping birdwatchers identify bird songs, the app includes a bird reference guide.

"Song Sleuth is one of many tools that can help identify a bird, but its true benefit is helping people become better birders by familiarizing them with known birdsongs in a logical, familiar way," said bird expert and illustrator David Sibley, who lent his expertise to the development of the app.

The way the app works is simple. To identify a nearby bird’s song, push the record button in “Record and ID” mode. When you are done recording, click the button again. From there, you will see the three most probable birds in the “Likely Matches” screen.

Making the final identification

To whittle down the list of matches, users can play example recordings of the likely matches, use the reference guide, or compare spectrograms of the example recordings with the recording created.

Once the bird’s song has been matched to its species, you will have the option of geotagging the recording with the correct species, adding a note, or downloading the audio file to share with friends.

Song Sleuth is currently available on the App Store, with an Android version expected to become available this fall.

Verizon Wireless joined the club this week, announcing that it, too, would offer an unlimited data plan -- something that the market had begun to dictate.

Consumers now use their smartphones as computers, and they are accustomed to having unlimited internet use on their PCs at home. They demanded the same from their wireless devices and carriers had begun to give it to them.

Now, all of the wireless companies offer an unlimited data plan in some form. However, no one provides unlimited data, at the fastest speeds, period. Network capacity, after all, is a finite resource. So there are certain limitations.

Here are what your choices now look like:

Verizon Wireless

The new Verizon Unlimited plan, introduced on Monday, costs $80 for unlimited data, talk and text on one smartphone line if you also sign up for paper-free billing and AutoPay. Four lines cost $45 per line, also with unlimited data, talk, and text on smartphones and tablets, again with the requirement of paper-free billing AutoPay.

Here's the caveat: after 22 GB of data usage on a line during any billing cycle Verizon may "prioritize usage" behind other customers in the event of network congestion. This is similar to other carriers' restrictions.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile is the disrupter that got all of this started. Its All Unlimited Plan offers unlimited text, talk, and data for $70 for one line and $40 a line for four lines, when using AutoPay.

It makes a point of saying the $160 for four lines also includes taxes and fees, something the other carriers don't do. T-Mobile's caveat is that when the network is congested, the top 3% of users, which translates into about 28 GB a month, may notice slower speeds.

AT&T

AT&T's unlimited data plan is available to customers who also have DIRECTV or U-verse. If you have one of those services, you get unlimited data on all eligible devices covered by your plan.

You also get unlimited talk and text including calls to Mexico and Canada, and talk, text, and data in those countries when you add AT&T Roam North America.

The cost is $100 for the first line and $40 for additional lines.

Straight Talk and Cricket

Straight Talk Wireless and Cricket Wireless are prepaid services that gained traction in the marketplace as phone service you could use without being bound by a contract. As an indication of how fast things have changed in this space, that is no longer a distinction. Instead, both now try to compete on price.

Straight Talk, sold through Walmart, provides unlimited data, but only a certain amount is at full high-speed. For example, the Unlimited Nationwide Plan costs $55, but speeds slow to 2GB after you go through the first 10 GB in a billing cycle. It's $45 when the high-speed allowance is just 5 GB.

Cricket costs $70 -- $65 when you enroll in AutoPay. Currently, mobile hotspot is not available on Cricket, but the company says it does not reduce users' speed, regardless of the amount of data they use. However, it says speeds may vary, depending on location and device.

Researchers say a new smartphone app could help C-section patients reduce the length of their hospital stay after delivery.

The results of a new study showed that the app helped to reduce the length of a hospital stay after a cesarean section from the average of 3.7 days to 2.7 days. These findings were presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Practice Management Meeting.

Although it’s too soon to tell if patients who used the app had any adverse outcomes, such as surgical site infections or urinary tract infections, study author Dr. Attila Kett says early results are promising.

Lowered cost

Four weeks prior to their scheduled C-sections, women downloaded the app on their smartphones. The app notified them of upcoming appointments, provided pre-surgery information, and facilitated remote post-surgery health checks such as pain control and wound recovery.

The app appeared to be an effective means of improving the quality of care while lowering costs from hospital stays. The first 30 women to use the app left the hospital an average of one day sooner after delivering via C-section.

While insurance companies are required by law to pay for 96 hours of hospitalization after C-section, Dr. Kett says it’s safe and preferable to leave the hospital sooner if the mother and baby are healthy.

“The app empowers women by putting them in control of their health care needs,” said Dr. Kett, division chief of obstetric anesthesia at Saint Peter’s University Hospital in New Jersey.

Return on investment

The costs required to participate in the program (which employed a variety of methods to enhance and fast-track patient recovery) and to develop the app were outweighed by the savings that came as a result of shortened hospital stays after C-section, the researchers noted.

The return on investment was 216% in the first year and is estimated to be higher (282%) in years to come. The authors say the study highlights the value of Perioperative Surgical Home (PSH) care programs and physician-led care.

Korean electronics giant Samsung says it has completed an investigation of the fires that forced it to withdraw its flagship Note 7 smartphone from the market, and it has pinned the blame on defective batteries.

At a news conference in Seoul, DJ Koh, head of Samsung's mobile communications business, said the company's investigation, backed up by various independent probes, found a short circuit within the battery may occur when there is damage to the separator "that allows the positive and negative electrodes to meet within the jellyroll."

The company was forced to recall the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 just weeks after its release when there were dozens of reports of the phones exploding or catching fire. In a couple of cases, the incidents occurred aboard commercial aircraft shortly before takeoff.

The company re-released the phones weeks later with a different battery configuration. But it wasn't long before there were reports of similar incidents, some of them dramatically captured on video and posted on YouTube. Samsung was then compelled to withdraw the newer Note 7's from the market.

Separate factors

In its report, Samsung said the investigation identified separate factors in both batteries that led to the defect -- factors that were unique to each battery.

Based on what it learned from the investigation, Samsung said it has implemented new internal quality and safety processes to ensure safety, including an "8-Point Battery Safety Check." It also announced formation of a Battery Advisory Group of external advisers to maintain "a clear and objective perspective on battery safety and innovation."

“For the last several months, together with independent industry expert organizations, we conducted thorough investigation to find cause to the Galaxy Note7 incidents.” Koh said, “Today, more than ever, we are committed to earning the trust of our customers through innovation that redefines what is possible in safety, and as a gateway to unlimited possibilities and incredible new experiences.”

Meanwhile, Samsung is said to be moving ahead with its plans for the Galaxy Note 8, the successor to the ill-fated Note 7. However, a release date for the next phone is far from certain.

It's not just teenagers who spend their days texting. Sending short text messages over a mobile device has become the preferred way to communicate, even at work.

Texting is also being pushed on businesses, with the argument that it's the most effective way to communicate with customers and employees.

Maybe sending general marketing information to customers via text is something to consider, but TeleMessage, which provides secure messaging systems for businesses, warns that transmitting sensitive business information via text is inherently risky.

It even says using consumer chat apps like WhatsApp and iMessage for business purposes can be playing with fire. Yet, it cites surveys showing nearly all employees are using their smartphones to transmit work-related information.

TeleMessage says the most common threat is an employee losing his or her smartphone. When that happens, it says 68% of victims never recover their phones. The person who finds it then has access to the text messages sent and received on the device.

Phones can be hacked

Beyond lost or stolen phones, there's concern about hacks. TeleMessage says it only takes one text to hack 950 million android phones. It says one Android flaw produced six critical vulnerabilities on 95% of Android devices.

As employees are embracing consumer messaging apps, IT administrators are increasingly concerned about employees downloading the latest popular messaging app and using it to send and receive the company's latest sales figures and other information that shouldn't fall into the wrong hands.

Other reasons

The technology website ZDNet agrees that employees should avoid texting for business purposes, arguing email is always a preferred way to communicate.

But ZDNet doesn't cite security concerns as a reason for not using texts for work-related communication. It points out that texts tend to be viewed as more casual, and there is the risk an employee won't give information transmitted in a text the attention it deserves.

It points out email provides a more business-like platform and leaves a more robust paper trail in the event of litigation.

With the holidays just around the corner, there may be a few parties or family gatherings in your future. If you’re a parent, you’ll likely be facing many additional holiday-related stressors.

While each app has its own forte, this selection may help take away some of the stress a parent often feels while navigating a busy holiday season with kids.

Apps for a worry-free holiday

• AllerGuarder. Food is a primary focus at holiday gatherings, but food allergies are more common than you might think. One in 13 children in the U.S. is affected by food allergies. To make sure your feast doesn’t trigger an allergic reaction, have kids wear the AllerGuarder bracelet. It can communicate with an app on your smartphone to remind you not to feed a child at your gathering something they’re allergic to.
• Picniic. Families have a lot to juggle around the holidays. The various parties and functions on each family member’s schedule can be difficult to coordinate, but Picniic can help parents stay organized. With Picniic, the whole family can see and update their schedule on one central home hub.
• Presence. Will you be heading out of town over the holidays? If so, home security may be at the forefront of your mind as you pull out of the driveway. This app can turn your unused smartphone or tablet into an internet security camera with motion detection. While you’re away, you can sign into Presence on another mobile device to see real-time video and audio of your home. The app will even send you an alert when motion is detected.
• Giftster. Holiday shopping can send stress levels flying. Keeping track of gift ideas while also sending out your own holiday wish list can cause mental clutter for all but the most Type A individuals. With Giftster, parents can stay on top of their gift-giving game. This app makes it easier to organize gift lists ahead of time, which can help reduce your overall stress. 

Technology has taken the reigns of many positions once held exclusively by humans. From self-checkout lanes to automated phone operators, tech-driven interactions are becoming commonplace.

Works with your schedule

To start, buyers submit their mortgage pre-approval paperwork on the app. After documents have been verified and approved by a Reali employee, users can get started sifting through available houses.

If a particular house piques your interest, you can schedule an “on-demand open house.” And rather than being met at the front door by a real estate agent, you’ll have the ability to unlock the door yourself.

Bluetooth beacons

Flat fee

Reali charges a flat $2,950 administrative fee. At close of escrow, 2.5% of the selling price gets returned to the buyer as cash back. On a $1.7 million property, the company estimates that buyers would get back around $40,000.

For weeks, airline crews have been warning passengers not to use or charge Samsung Galaxy Note7 smartphones. Now the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has taken it a step further, banning the devices from commercial airliners entirely.

“We recognize that banning these phones from airlines will inconvenience some passengers, but the safety of all those aboard an aircraft must take priority,” said Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “We are taking this additional step because even one fire incident inflight poses a high risk of severe personal injury and puts many lives at risk.”

Samsung has recalled the phones, withdrawn them from sale, and stopped manufacturing them, but an unknown number are still in the hands of consumers and are still being used.

There have been documented instances of the phones becoming dangerously hot and even bursting into flames. A fire anywhere is dangerous, but it's a critical threat aboard airplanes.

“The fire hazard with the original Note7 and with the replacement Note7 is simply too great for anyone to risk it and not respond to this official recall,” said Elliot F. Kaye, chairman of the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission. “I would like to remind consumers once again to take advantage of the remedies offered, including a full refund. It’s the right thing to do and the safest thing to do.”

Samsung and the CPSC issued recalls for the devices on September 15, 2016 and again on October 13, 2016. On October 11, 2016, Samsung suspended the manufacture and sale of the Note7.

What to do

The FAA issued these bits of advice for travelers:

• If passengers attempt to travel by air with their Samsung Galaxy Note7 devices, they will be denied boarding. 
• Passengers who attempt to evade the ban by packing their phone in checked luggage are increasing the risk of a catastrophic incident.  Anyone violating the ban may be subject to criminal prosecution in addition to fines.
• Passengers currently traveling with Samsung Galaxy Note7 phones should contact Samsung or their wireless carrier immediately to obtain information about how to return their phones and arrange for a refund or a replacement phone. 
• If an airline representative observes that a passenger is in possession of a Samsung Note7 device prior to boarding an aircraft, the air carrier must deny boarding to the passenger unless and until the passenger divests themselves and their carry-on and checked baggage of the Samsung Galaxy Note7 device. Passengers absolutely should not pack the phones in their checked luggage.
•  If a flight crew member identifies that a passenger is in possession of a Samsung Galaxy Note7 device while the aircraft is in flight, the crew member must instruct the passenger to power off the device, not use or charge the device while aboard the aircraft, protect the device from accidental activation, including disabling any features that may turn on the device, such as alarm clocks, and keep the device on their person and not in the overhead compartment, seat back pocket, nor in any carry-on baggage, for the duration of the flight.
• The Samsung Galaxy Note7 device is now considered a forbidden hazardous material under the Federal Hazardous Material Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-185), which forbid airline passengers or crew from traveling with lithium cells or batteries or portable electronic devices that are likely to generate a dangerous evolution of heat.

Samsung is feeling the heat from its disastrous handling of the fire-prone Galaxy Note 7 smartphones. Critics are comparing the bungled response to the Note 7 crisis to Samsung's handling of a rash of washing machine fires in Australia a few years ago.

Samsung recalled 150,000 Australian washing machines in April 2013 after a series of house fires were blamed on the machines. But first it tried to get consumers to use tape and a plastic bag to solve the problem, a solution that only increased consumer outrage and was itself blamed for several more fires.

Consumers in the U.S. have also reported fires in their Samsung washers, as we reported a few weeks ago, but so far no recall has been issued. Federal safety officials, however, warned consumers that the machines could shake themselves to pieces and cause injuries or damage.

Repercussions from the Note7 debacle are rippling through all corners of Samsung's business. A report today says that an expected deal with FCA (formerly Chrysler) has been delayed while Samsung, South Korea's largest company, tries to work its way through the aftermath of the smartphone recall and subsequent market withdrawal.

FCA and Samsung had been reported to be close to a deal involving electronic components for the company's Chrysler, Jeep, Fiat, and other auto brands.

The fallout from the Galaxy fires threatens to tarnish Samsung's other consumer products, which have experienced their own problems with unexpected fires and, more significantly, with a response that is best described as business as usual.

We heard from Lyn of Palm Harbor, Fla., about the red-hot charger that came with her Samsung tablet.

"Charger got so hot we had to use gloves to remove it from the wall. Went to the AT&T store ... where we purchased it, they told us we would have to contact AT&T corporate to get a replacement. Called corporate and we were told to contact the manufacturer," Lyn said. "We did and were informed that they would not replace charger. The warranty only covered the device. If you can't charge it you can"t use the device!!! Stay away from Samsung products. No Samsung, No FIRES."

Microwaves

Samsung microwaves have for years generated red-hot consumer complaints about fires, most recently from Bill of Palm Harbor, Fla.

"Bought new Samsung microwave (me21h706mqs) and after one week it caught on fire at the plastic piece in rear corner. Lucky we were at microwave watching or whole house could have caught on fire. Huge plastic smoke and horrible smell," Bill said in a ConsumerAffairs review a few days ago. Bill called Samsung and after calling three different numbers got little satisfaction.

"Samsung was not impressed their unit caught fire and really did not care. Said they would send tech in 2-3 days. ... Basically they hung up on me after I requested someone come out on Monday to remove."

Tracy of Winston-Salem, N.C., said she was boiling pasta when her microwave caught fire.

"I wasn't even using the inside of the microwave at the time. I was using the exhaust fan for I was boiling pasta on the stovetop. Flames all in the microwave, I had to use the fire extinguisher. I am so glad I was home when this happened! My model number ME18H704SFS."

By-the-book

A common theme in many of the microwave fire complaints submitted by ConsumerAffairs readers is the by-the-book response from Samsung's customer service representatives.

"Purchased Samsung Microwave Model Number ME18H704SFG on 07-03-2016 from HHgregg. They delivered the Microwave on Saturday 07-09-2016. Used the Microwave Saturday and Sunday. Monday morning 07-11-2016 my wife screamed 'FIRE' so I ran to the Kitchen where the Microwave door was open and a flame about 4-5 inches long was jetting out ... I got the Fire Extinguisher and put it out then unplugged it," said Joey of Sicklerville, N.J.

Joey said he called Samsung and "spoke to a lady there who gave me a transaction number and said a product specialist would call me back within 4 hours." The return call didn't happen, Joey said, but eventually a service call was scheduled for several days later. Like other owners of burned microwaves, Joey said he didn't want service, he wanted a new microwave.

 "I told her I did not want them to attempt to repair this unit and give it back to me. She said the service person would not take the unit but would take photos and send to Samsung where they would determine if it could be repaired. I told her I would not let that unit back into my home. She said if you refuse the service then you will be left with a broken microwave," Joey said.

Ovens & ranges

You expect a range to get hot but, ideally, the heat is confined to the oven and cooking surfaces. That's not always the case with Samsung ovens and ranges, consumers say.

"Our two year old Samsung NE58F9500SS began sending strong fumes of burning plastic upon oven preheat," said Nancy of Midlothian, Va. "Repeated email and phone contact with customer service about this fire hazard was a test of patience. Each contact told us to wait 24 more hours and we would be contacted by someone. Days passed. No oven. No stove. Wires attached to the back of the oven, melted. Plastic on the terminal block melted. This is DANGEROUS and deserves immediate attention," Nancy said. "We paid $1,533.35 for this poor workmanship and poor service."

Remi of Piscataway, N.J., wasn't as lucky as Nancy.

"I opened the broiler to place a tray inside and flames shot out of it and singed face and hair. The fire department, EMT and PSEG responded to the incident. The oven was tagged 'defective' and the gas line was shut off," Remi said. "I have been in constant communication with Samsung regarding the oven. I inquired about being compensated for food due to the 'loss of use' and was told that they do not provide compensation."

"Last week, I was advised that they would swap out the oven. I advised them that before I would commit to this resolution, I was like to know the cause of the fire. I was informed that this information could not be released to me," Remi said. "As a consumer who purchased this item, was injured by it and could have received extensive damage to my house, I believe that I should be informed of the cause and/defect of the unit."

Dinner was interrupted at Sheila's home in Albany, Ga. "Yesterday in the middle of preparing dinner, the range shot fire with a loud explosion. Samsung does not stand behind their products and you would think that a new stove that we paid $900.00 for would last longer than 2 1/2 years," she said.

Refrigerators

We haven't seen many reports of Samsung refrigerators actually igniting, but many consumers have complained of conditions that they thought were fire hazards.

"After 4 years of owning a French door Samsung refrigerator (RF267AARS/XAA), the coils started freezing up. I called out a Samsung repair service and they discovered that the evaporator coils had melted my liner and it is not repairable. It was so badly burnt inside that I am surprised it did not catch fire," said Jerri of Dripping Springs, Texas.

"When I contacted Samsung customer service about this hazard, I was put on hold for 30 minutes and then told that they could only refund me a partial credit for the refrigerator. When I asked if there have been similar problems with other refrigerators, they could not tell me," Jerri said.

Donald of North Kingstown, R.I., found singed components in his freezer compartment.

"After removing the cover in the freezer that covers the coils I found a lot of burnt areas and cracks in the freezer compartment. Also the defrost sensor was also burnt," he said. "I replaced the sensor and also took pictures of the freezer compartment showing the burnt areas and areas where the compartment was bubbling up from heat. This frig is a fire hazard."

Not everyone is so lucky. 

"Caused damage throughout house," said a consumer in Australia who asked to remain anonymous. "Had temporary accommodation for a year. Everything lost. Fire brigade recognised incident as a fridge fire. Fortunately happened when house was empty overnight. Samsung deny all liability and claim a waste bin must have caught fire in front of the fridge!"

Dishwashers

Aurelia of Wentzville, Mo., didn't have a fire in her Samsung dishwasher but was afraid that she was about to. She said numerous repair visits failed to resolve a water leak. After the last repair, "we ran a load [and] after 40+ minutes we got the LC* warning light."

"This indicated water to electric leak, it's recommended to shut off circuit to the unit to prevent further damage or fire.," Aurelia said. After all the attempts to repair her dishwasher, she said she expects to be told she is out of warranty and on her own.

Samsung has denied the incidents are linked and has said its warranty and repair services are adequate to handle the problems. Whether that is sufficient to reassure consumers is the question the company must now face.

The educational system has been greatly enhanced through technology in recent years. While smartboards, interactive maps, and a plethora of online tools have benefited students in the classroom, having access to something as basic as the internet outside of school also lends a huge advantage.

Unfortunately, not all students are able to go online outside of school. Children of families that can’t afford expensive smartphones or other internet-connected devices can often lag behind, which contributes to ever-widening educational and opportunity gaps. But a new announcement from Sprint may go a long way towards evening the playing field.

The company announced today that it will be giving away one million internet-connected devices and providing four years of internet access to low-income high school students across the U.S. It marks the largest corporate initiative to bridge the digital divide and close the “Homework Gap," according to the company.

“Education is the foundation for our society to prosper, and the internet is an incredibly powerful tool for learning. But it’s a huge problem in America that we have 5 million households with children that lack internet connections. Those kids have a huge disadvantage and we are failing them. All of us at Sprint are committed to changing this by providing 1 million students in need with free devices and free wireless connections,” said Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure.

Equal opportunity to succeed

Sprint’s new initiative, called the 1Million Project, may go a long way towards giving low-income children an equal opportunity to succeed. A report from the Pew Research Center found that students who come from low-income families are four times more likely than middle- and upper-income students to have no access to broadband internet. This is a big problem, since the report also found that 70% of teachers are assigning homework that requires some kind of web access.

Not having access to the internet also tends to lower parent engagement in their children’s education. Teachers often choose to correspond with parents via email these days, and online grading systems make it possible for parents with an internet access to keep tabs on how their child is doing in class. Not having those connections can result in parents who are simply out of the loop.

And when it comes time for a student to graduate, not having internet access could hamper future prospects. Applicants often have to apply for jobs online, and students wishing to learn more about scholarship opportunities and college applications will find the information on the internet.

Providing devices

In order to accomplish its goal, Sprint will be partnering with various non-profit agencies and manufacturers to provide free devices. Students may choose to receive a smartphone, laptop, tablet, or hotspot device, along with 3GB of high-speed LTE data per month.

For students who go over the 3GB limit, unlimited data at 2G speeds will be available. Students who choose a smartphone will be able to use it as a hotspot and can use the device for unlimited domestic calls and texts while on the Sprint network.

Funding for the initiative will come from donations from device manufacturers and through special events, donation drives, and other events hosted by Sprint and the Sprint Foundation. A pilot program is planned for launch in January of 2017.

Net neutrality is supposed to mean that all content on the Internet is treated equally by carriers, but wireless carriers are finding ways to push the envelope.

In the latest example, AT&T is lifting wireless data caps for customers who also subscribe to DirecTV or U-Verse, meaning those customers can watch life or recorded shows on their wireless device without burning up their monthly data ration. 

To take advantage of it, you'll need the latest DirecTV app, already available for iOS and coming soon for Android.

Verizon, meanwhile, has added NFL mobile service to its Go90 short video service on the "zero rating" list. Verizon Wireless customers can watch either without eating into their data cap. But be careful! If you gorge on ESPN or YouTube, it's a different story -- each digit will count against you.

You can thank T-Mobile for starting all this with its Binge On service, which offers zero data usage counts for a long list of video attractions.

It's basically a marketing ploy intended to encourage customers to load up on services from the same provider -- to get both wireless and satellite or cable TV from AT&T or Verizon. 

It's a sore point, though, for consumer activists, who say that while the zero rating deals may be technically legal, they violate the spirit of net neutrality. They're pushing the Federal Communications Commission to clamp down on the practice, but so far the FCC has apparently found nothing actionable about it.

For those who suffer from a chronic physical or mental health condition, life can feel lonely. Social support may be hard to come by, as your daily struggles may not be completely understood by friends and loved ones.

But an app called ReachOut may help those dealing with issues such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, PTSD, mental illness, or substance abuse find a circle of people who truly understand.

After creating an account, users choose what challenges they are facing. From there, users can browse through a collection of conversations from others who are facing similar challenges.

Social network of support

During times in which health issues seem unrelenting, a social network of people who are understanding and supportive is vital. That’s why ReachOut, as its name implies, lets users reach out to others to offer support.

Those in need of support can share their own story and hear stories from others who are walking the same road. If a thread or person is particularly helpful, users can save them to revisit later.

The ability to access support groups via an app may be beneficial to those who are unable to leave the house, as well as those who may not be quite ready for an in-person support group.

ReachOut can be downloaded for free on iTunes or GooglePlay.

Peer support group for anxiety

Stress, anxiety, and depression are common, especially among older adults. Online support groups can often play a big role in helping anxious or depressed people feel less isolated.

Pacifica is an app that combines cognitive behavioral therapy with relaxation and wellness techniques to help individuals break the cycle of their anxiety.

Similar to ReachOut, Pacifica lets users connect and chat with with others who are dealing with similar issues. Users can scroll through “communities” (insomnia, work stress, and relationships, to name a few) and find others who can relate to their struggles.

Pacifica is available on the web, as well as for iPhone or Android.

Everyone tries to be on their best behavior in Washington, hoping Congress won't get annoyed and crush them. Too bad no one told Sprint about that before it joined Southwest and Delta airlines in staging a spectacular display of poor redundancy.

It all started Tuesday when the Fairfax County (Va.) Police Department issued a warning that some cell phone calls weren't getting through to its 9-1-1 center. Then it narrowed it down a bit more, pinpointing Sprint as the carrier that was having problems.

As the day wore on, the problem spread to D.C. and on into Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and the tristate peninsula known locally as the Eastern Shore. Sprint chimed in and said that some landline calls were also going nowhere.

What could it have been?

Like the Southwest and Delta failures, the Sprint debacle started small and then quickly got out of hand when backups didn't work as expected and small failures cascaded into big ones.

Sprint said a fire in D.C. caused problems at Sprint's data center in Reston, Va. How a fire across the street from Sprint's switch in D.C. caused issues 20 miles away wasn't quite clear, but apparently, emergency Sprint generators in D.C. didn't kick in as they were supposed to and, as so often happens, one thing led to another.

Things were apparently back on track Wednesday morning. As far as is known, no one was harmed because of the outage, but it was another reminder that the systems consumers count on to be there when they need them don't always come through. 

And by the way, emergency responders for years have insisted on referring to the nationwide emergency number as "9-1-1" -- with dashes -- on the theory that if we call it "nine-eleven," panicked callers may look in vain for the "11" button on their keypad. 

Could be, but in the age of texting, do we really expect anyone to text "9," then "-," then "1," then "-" and so on?

Just asking.

Parents of kids who are constantly glued to devices may desire a way to surreptitiously incorporate a few learning experiences into their screen time.

Now, a new app called Finny may be able to help parents make device time productive.

The average kid now spends more than seven hours a day on media and devices, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. And more often than not, it’s games and social media apps that capture a child’s attention.

By enabling parents to transform an unproductive app into an occasionally educational experience, Finny sees itself as a platform that can help end device addiction.

Monitors device usage

“Their games, your rules,” is the motto behind the app, which is free for Android and iOS. A hybrid of parental control and education, the app works by monitoring device usage.

Not only does Finny give parents an idea of how their 7 to 14 year olds are spending their time on mobile devices, it can keep kids from wasting time on unproductive apps.

Before a child can become too consumed by an unproductive game or app, Finny will interrupt with a learning moment. Educational interruptions could be anything from the introduction of new academic content, reinforcement of old academic content, or the promotion of physical activity.

Promotes balance

"We love the idea of taking an everyday occurrence, like a child playing on a smartphone, and turning it into a learning opportunity," Liza McFadden, president of the Barbara Bush Foundation, said in a statement.

"Innovation in the EdTech arena -- like the work that Finny is doing -- has the potential to make a positive impact on families,” McFadden adds.

And Finny seems to have already had a positive impact on many families. In a study, over 90% of users reported improvement in their child’s device habits.

For kids, the platform may offer another benefit: a more peaceful household.

“I don’t have to argue with my parents over screen time anymore,” says the child of a Finny user, adding the app helps him balance his device time.

Sometimes it can be risky mixing business and pleasure. The International Association of Information Technology Asset Managers (IAITAM) is warning businesses such a risk could occur if employees download the insanely popular Pokemon Go app on company-owned devices.

The association has recommended corporations prohibit the installation and use of Pokemon Go on any devices used for business purposes. The group says that includes "bring your own device" (BYOD) phones/tablets with direct access to sensitive corporate information and accounts.

AITAM CEO Dr. Barbara Rembiesa goes so far as to call the new augmented reality game a “nightmare” for firms trying to keep their email and cloud-based information secure.

“Even with the enormous popularity of this gaming app, there are just too many questions and too many risks involved for responsible corporations to allow the game to be used on corporate-owned or BYOD devices,” Rembiesa said. “We already have real security concerns and expect them to become much more severe in the coming weeks.”

She said to be safe, organizations must keep the app off any device the connects to the organization's network. Here are her concerns:

Data breaches

Rembiesa says the original user agreements for the game allowed Niantic to access each user's entire Google profile, including his or her history, past searches, and anything else associated with a Google Login ID.

That is no longer the case in current versions, but Rembiesa says this meets the definition of a data breach for corporate-owned devices. It's also not clear to what extent data breaches took place before the change and what happened to the accessed information.

Risky knockoffs

Rembiesa says she has seen reports that some versions of the app that are on non-official download sites may include malware. The illicit software may allow cyber-criminals to take control of an infected phone or tablet.

Rembiesa worries that unsophisticated users might not be aware of the risks inherent in downloading from any third party provider, especially if the device is used on a corporate network. She says Proofpoint, an online security provider, has already reported knockoff Android copies of Pokémon Go in the wild containing a remote controlled tool (RAT) called DroidJack.

Encouraging bad behavior

Making an exception and allowing the use of a game app on a corporate-owned device sets a bad precedent, Rembiesa argues. She says employees need to understand the importance of sticking with approved software.

Despite its popularity, she says Pokemon Go must be considered a "rogue download," which is “any software program downloaded onto a device that circumvents the typical purchasing and installation channels of the organization.”

From exercise and endorphins to the ever-coveted runner’s high, there is a lot to be gained from running.

But while running has been called the most accessible sport, the road to becoming a runner isn’t always easy. Novice runners and seasoned pros alike may face progress-hampering challenges along the way. Fortunately, technology is here to lend a hand.

Fun and helpful running apps

Whether it's fitness, fun, or the ability to conquer longer distances you're after, these apps may provide the motivation you need to achieve your running goals.

• RunGo (Android / iOS). Running a new trail is exercise and an adventure rolled into one. Getting lost, however, might just sap the fun out of the experience. With RunGo, you can hear turn-by-turn directions as you go. Choose from featured routes (around a scenic or historic location, for instance) or create your own. Runners can even choose a path that will create a fun shape on the map, such as a Darth Vader head.
• Couch-to-5K (iOS / Android). As its name suggests, this popular app helps gradually prepare you to run a longer distance than you might be used to. Couch-to-5K has aspiring distance runners jog three times a week for 30 minutes each session. Just 9 weeks later (and with the help of a virtual coach), you’ll be ready to run your first 3.1 mile race.
• Runtastic Story Running (Android / iOS / Windows phone). For those who prefer to listen to podcast or books while running, Story Running (which is downloaded within your Runtastic app) may be the perfect digital companion. Story Running is designed to give you a jolt of adrenaline through stories that create a sense of urgency. If exercise alone isn’t motivation enough, perhaps being tasked with rescuing hostages from aliens or escaping from Alcatraz will help you reach the finish line.
• Charity Miles (Android / iOS). Let the spirit of giving motivate you to go a few extra miles on your next run. Charity Miles allows users to pre-select a participating charity. For every mile run, the app automatically donates 25 cents.
• Zombies, Run! (iOS / Android). Similar to Story Running, this app aims to light an adrenaline-fueled fire under you as you complete your workout. You’ll be dropped into a zombie apocalypse, which will have you so busy running for your life and protecting your base that you’ll be done with your run before you know it.

The White House is throwing $400 million into an effort that's supposed to speed development of the Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G wireless technology, a move some health advocates say is premature and unwise.

The federal dollars will be flowing into something called the Advanced Wireless Research Initiative, which is supposed to test and ultimately implement new 5G wireless networking and IoT technologies in the U.S.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) last week voted to adopt new rules that open up the 24 GHz spectrum for so-called 5G (5th generation) high-speed broadband. When fully deployed, 5G will make the internet about 100 times faster and supposedly enable widespread development of "connected" cars and appliances.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler calls U.S. leadership in 5G "a national priority."

"High-speed, high-capacity, low-latency wireless networks will define our future," Wheeler said at Friday's announcement of the funding for the initiative. 

More towers

Because of the extremely high 24 GHz frequencies, the waves emitted by transponders are extremely short and don't travel very far, meaning that there will need to be many more -- though smaller -- cell towers than today.  

Not everyone thinks this is a good idea. Richard H. Conrad, a biochemist and consultant, says the White House and FCC are putting the cart before the horse -- deploying new technology without first ensuring that it is safe.

"I am a biochemist with a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins and know without a doubt, from the findings of thousands of research papers published by scientists with independent research funding, that there are many harmful biological effects of non-thermal levels of EMF that are relevant to humans," Conrad said in an open letter to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler.

Conrad contends that boosters of wireless technology have argued, in effect, that critics must prove the technology is unsafe by showing exactly how it causes harm.

"This is a myth; no one yet knows how smoking causes cancer, or the actual mechanism behind gravity," Conrad said. "Honest and independent research into health effects of 5G is absolutely necessary before actual deployment, and is therefore desirable before 5G system designs and standards have progressed very far."

"Increased productivity"

In a statement, The White House compares the IoT effort to historic breakthroughs achieved by Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, George Washington Carver, and Samuel Morse.

"This effort will help spur innovation in many ways, from pushing the frontiers of tele-medicine through robot-assisted remote surgeries, to testing of autonomous vehicles that talk to each other to keep us safe, to the roll-out of smart manufacturing equipment in factories, to providing more connectivity for more people," administration officials Jason Furman and R. David Edelman said in a blog posting.

"Each one of these innovations has the potential to support increased productivity growth that can put more money in the pocket of American families," said Furman, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors, and Edelman, Special Assistant to the President for Economic and Technology Policy.

Like the FCC's Wheeler, Furman and Edelman have no training in biological sciences, a sticking point for Conrad.

"Wheeler is a businessman, lobbyist and politician with no training in biological or medical sciences, no understanding of biochemistry or biophysics, no biological research experience, and he listens to advice on biological safety only from scientists who have been bought by industry and tell him what he wants to hear," Conrad said in an email to ConsumerAffairs.

"Wheeler is relying on myths and 'tobacco science' to sweep real science under the carpet, the enormous body of science that shows harmful effects of even low levels of pulsed microwave, yes, non-ionizing, radiation," Conrad said.

Hot and humid summer weather can trigger asthma symptoms, which can quickly turn an afternoon on the playground into an evening in the emergency room.

About every 20 seconds, someone is rushed to an emergency room in the U.S. to be treated for asthma. And half the time, it’s a child.

Managing asthma effectively is possible, but it requires some level of organization. In addition to remembering to take medications, asthma sufferers must follow a schedule and plan for emergencies.

Now, a new doctor-developed app called AsthmaCare is helping pediatric patients track and manage their asthma symptoms.

Sends reminders

“It's hard for anybody to remember to take medications every day, especially when they're feeling well which is often the case with asthma, so we wanted to create something to help people better self-manage their condition,” said David Stukus, MD in a statement. 

Stukus, who developed the app with colleagues at Nationwide Children's Hospital, adds that the app is designed to help children stay on a schedule with their medicines and follow a plan if symptoms occur.

AsthmaCare can send reminders to take medication, track symptoms in a symptom diary, and even help users stay one step ahead of allergens. 

Tracks environmental triggers

The app is also connected to pollen stations via Wi-Fi, which enables it to give users data on allergen levels. It can even notify users of nearby triggers such as dander, dust, and cigarette smoke.

And while an app isn’t the only way to manage asthma, it seems to have an edge over traditional, written care plans -- especially in the eyes of teens.

In a study, teens used the easy-to-use app every day. Eighty-one percent of the time, they used it more than once a day.

The app can also help make life easier for parents. Joyce Kelso, mother of a 3-year-old with asthma, says the app has helped her and her child manage the condition.

“It’s changed our lives in the fact that my child’s not going to the ER constantly, she’s not having as severe of asthma attacks, and it’s kind of keeping me on top of medicine.”

The free app is available on iPhone and most Android devices.

According to a new report, 419 million people (22% of the world’s smartphone users) are now using mobile ad-blocking technology.

PageFair's numbers also indicate that 408 million people are using mobile browsers that block ads by default.

Smartphone users in China account for 159 million instances of mobile ad-blocking, while India is home to 122 million people using browsers that block ads.

Mobile ad-blocking isn’t as quite as prevalent in Europe and here in North America, where there were 14 million monthly active users of mobile ad-blocking browsers as of March 2016.

Finding new approaches

Nancy Hill, CEO of 4A’s, says these numbers validate a long-standing concern in the digital media industry. The report also highlights a need for advertisers to rethink their marketing strategies.

“Consumers are pushing back on mobile and online ads,” said Hill in a statement. “Now is the time for advertising professionals and marketers to take a hard look at ourselves to understand why consumers are not responding to these types of ads, and figure out how we can correct the issue to better engage with the consumers we’re trying to reach.”

An earlier discussion, which sought the opinions of global stakeholders, delved into topic of sustainable advertising on the 'blocked web'. A report on the outcome of the discussion can be viewed here. 

JoikuSpot, an app that could once magically turn a humble Nokia phone into a free WiFi hotspot, is back with some new features.

Finnish mobile software company Joiku announced today that Android users can once again download JoikuSpot -- but the app has evolved since we last saw it.

Now, users will be able to safely share WiFi networks, hunt down places with good WiFi (and connect to networks automatically, without a password), and even sync to WiFi networks of different countries.

Smart sharing

Joiku hopes the new and improved version of JoikuSpot -- which features an increased attention to user privacy -- will help bring the concept of sharing WiFi networks into a “new era.”

Android users will now have the ability to share their WiFi networks safely, without having to reveal or store passwords in other phones. Users’ passwords can be encrypted via Smart QR codes and Access links.

Thanks to its Smart Sharing functionality, JoikuSpot users can privately share with friends not only their phone’s hotspot, but WiFi networks of their home or office as well.

Connecting to other networks

With WiFi Spotting, users can track down strong WiFi signals in the area. A map can guide users to the spot, then automatically (no password required) connect users to the signal.

Speaking of maps, frequent travelers might enjoy WiFi Globe: a feature that allows users to download and sync to the country WiFi networks of their choice. Those networks can later be easily dumped once they’re no longer needed, should a user need to free up space in their phone.

Finally, with Joiku’s Mobile HotSpot, users can turn their Android phone or tablet into a WiFi HotSpot simply by adding the hotspot icon to their device’s screen.

JoikuSpot is available as a free download for Android phones and tablets via Google Play. A version for iOS will be coming soon, according to the company.

No doubt many smartphone owners will take issue, but a new report by a technology company maintains that Android devices are no match for Apple's iOS when it comes to technical performance.

In its Q1 “2016 State of Mobile Device Performance and Health,” Blancco Technology Group, an international data security firm, cites a series of diagnostics tests performed on a wide variety of iOS and Android devices using the SmartChk platform.

The results, the company says, show a “glaring disparity in failure rates” for Android devices when compared to Apple. It says Android devices failed 44% of the time in the tests, compared to just 25% for Apple's operating system.

The report said some of the most popular Android devices, such as the Samsung Galaxy S6, Samsung Galaxy S5 and Lenovo K3 Note, logged the highest failure rates.

Older iPhones performed better

Older iPhones performed better than newer ones. The company said the iPhone 6 and 5s had the highest failure rates among iOS devices – 25% and 17%, respectively.

The tests found crashing apps on 74% of Android devices. Open/cached apps were detected on 44% of the devices. There were many more failures on both platforms in Asia than in North America.

Android still leads in sales

The report's authors note that sales figures confirm that consumers buy more Android phones than iPhones. In fact, the latest numbers show Android increased its marketshare in the latest monitoring period, which ended in February. Android enjoyed strong growth in the U.S., Europe, China, Japan, and Australia.

"Android devices seem to be a contradiction in terms," said Pat Clawson, CEO, Blancco Technology Group. "On the one hand, Android is the number one operating system in terms of global market share. But despite this advantage, Android device performance still lags behind iOS and tends to be plagued by high rates of crashing apps and app cache.”

Of course, late 2016 could witness a shift, when there may be new products on the market for both platforms. Industry reports suggest Samsung could launch the S7 and LG G5 on the Android platform, while Apple is said to be preparing the launch of the iPhone 7.

For more information on the best available phones, providers, and consumer reviews, check out ConsumerAffairs cell phone guide.

Smartphones are often the last thing we see at night and the first thing we look at in the morning -- but gazing into the glow of screens is not at all conducive to sleep. Research has shown that staring into the blue light of tablet or smartphone displays actually suppresses the production of melatonin, leaving you feeling wide awake.

But while that bright blue light may not exactly be a soothing digital lullaby, smartphones can help expedite your journey towards dreamland in other ways. Several apps have been specially designed to help you drift off quickly and easily without requiring you to stare into your phone. 

Sleep apps

Trouble falling asleep is not uncommon. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine estimates that, here in the U.S., 30% of adults have symptoms of insomnia. Whether you find yourself tossing and turning frequently or just occasionally, a few apps are out there to help you get to sleep faster.

• MySleepButton. This cognitive science-based app, which works on Android/iOS, aims to help settle a busy mind by having it focus on one mental image at a time. Just select how long you’d like the app to play, then a woman will begin saying words such as “pencil” or “teddy bear.” By imagining each of the simple images, the brain is prevented from dwelling on other concerns. There’s even a mode that allows you to imagine drawing various items. It's available as a free download on iOS. For Android users, it’s $2.99. 
• Sleep Genius. Astronauts have used Sleep Genius to help them fall asleep, but the earth-bound will love this app just as much. The program combines four neuroscientific elements known to help the brain enter into sleep mode. Sleep Genius will even wake you up in the morning, but not in the harsh way that a beeping alarm clock would. With its Revive Cycle Alarm, users will be gradually awakened over a five-minute period with soothing sounds. Other features include a Power Nap mode, a Relaxation Program, and the ability to monitor the quality of your sleep. It's available in the App Store for $4.99.
• Sleepmaker Rain. If rainy days make you want to curl up and take a nap, this app might have the same effect on you at bedtime. Even at night, the brain is wired to be alert to sounds that might signal danger. Research shows that a little white noise or nature sounds can help drown out sounds that might cause your sleep to be needlessly interrupted. Choose from a variety of rain sounds, from medium level rain against a window to “torrential downpour.” Restless kids might benefit from this app at bedtime, too. It's available for free on Android.
• Relax & Sleep Well. This app uses hypnosis and meditation to help reduce stress and anxiety, allowing you to fall asleep easier. Created by hypnotherapist and self-help audio author Glenn Harrold, this app offers a 27-minute hypnotherapy session over a background of soothing sounds. The special frequencies of the background sounds pair well with the meditation and aim to help you slip into a deeper meditative state. It's free on Android and $1.99 for iPhone users. 

The effects of excessive smartphone use -- on our brains, specifically -- has come under question in recent years. Many say too much cell phone use can venture into addiction territory, while others say the word addiction is too strong to describe one’s relationship with technology.

But as it turns out, the reason you go online or pull out your device may play an important role in determining the health of your relationship with technology. A new study from the University of Illinois has found a link between mobile devices, depression, and anxiety in college-aged students -- but not in the way that you might think.

The study found that cell phones themselves were not the cause of any negative mental health outcomes. Rather, it was the way students treated mobile technology which affected their mental health.

"People who self-described as having really addictive style behaviors toward the Internet and cellphones scored much higher on depression and anxiety scales," said Alejandro Lleras, U of I psychology professor and the study’s conductor.

Motivation for use

Lleras said the goal of the study -- published recently in the journal, Computers in Human Behavior -- was to see if addictive and self-destructive behaviors with phones and the Internet related to mental health.

But the researchers did not find any evidence that phones and the Internet were related to negative mental health outcomes, at least when it came to their use as boredom busters. In other words, what really matters is the “why” behind a person’s Internet or electronic device use.

Students who participated in the survey were asked questions such as, “Do you think your academic work performance has been negatively affected by your cell phone use?” and “Do you think life without the internet is boring, empty, and sad?” Presumably, those who answered “yes” to such questions were more at risk of suffering adverse mental health consequences as a result of device use.

Comfort item

A follow-up study sought to examine the effects of simply having (but not using) a cell phone during a stressful situation. While in the stressful situation, some of the study’s participants were able to keep their phones and some were not. Those who retained their cell phones were less likely to be negatively affected by stress.

“Having access to a phone seemed to allow that group to resist or to be less sensitive to the stress manipulation,” said Lleras in a statement.

The anxiety-tempering effects of having a cell phone seem to suggest that our devices might be something of a modern day security blanket.

But while Lleras says the role of phones as comfort items is “tenuous,” he says the relationship between mental health and one’s motivation to use their device should be further explored. Breaking addictive technology habits may play a key role in supplementing treatment for mental health issues like general anxiety disorder or depression, he said.

“We shouldn’t be scared of people connecting online or talking on their phones,” concluded Lleras. “The interaction with the device is not going to make you depressed if you are just using it when you are bored.” He says this knowledge should help ease public anxiety over new technology.

An estimated 6 billion emojis are sent each day, according to Swyft Media, and over a billion are sent by girls. But how many of those girls are represented -- in terms of both appearance and the activities they love -- by the emojis they’re sending?

Always, the company behind the “Like a Girl” ad campaign, says not enough. Those tiny, text-accompanying digital illustrations may seem inconsequential, but Always says emoji images are important given their frequent use by young, impressionable people.  

For their newest “Like a Girl” spot, Leo Burnett interviewed girls to ask them how they feel about today’s selection of emojis. In the spot, the girls appear vexed by the bevy of pink-clad ladies whose likes and interests appear to fall exclusively under the hair and makeup category.

“There’s no girl in the ‘professions’ category, unless you count being a bride a profession,” notes one of the girls. “Girls love emojis, but there aren’t enough emojis to … say what girls do,” concludes another.

Societal limitations

Lucy Walker, documentary filmmaker and director of the spot, says society should be aware that they’re sending subtle messages that can limit girls to stereotypes.

"It was so interesting to hear these girls talk about emojis and realize how the options available to them are subtly reinforcing the societal stereotypes and limitations they face every day,” said Walker, adding that she’s excited to help empower girls and push them to “rally for change in societal limitations.”

The spot seems to target puberty-aged girls, as its accompanying infographic explains that girls’ confidence plummets during this time. The infographic also explains that during puberty, a whopping 72% of girls feel held back by society.

Hidden messages

While societal limitations are obviously much broader than emojis, Associate Brand Director and leader of the #LikeAGirl campaign at Procter & Gamble, Michele Baeten, says emojis are projecting subtle, limiting messages that have important implications.

"The girls in emojis only wear pink, are princesses or dancing bunnies, do their nails and their hair, and that's about it,” says Baeten. “No other activities, no sports, no jobs ... the realization is shocking.”

For girls at such a vulnerable age, especially, the selection of emojis currently available reinforces traditional gender stereotypes in a big -- and potentially harmful -- way. Leaders of the #LikeAGirl campaign say hidden messages like these can, in the most subtle of ways, limit the scope of what girls feel they can do.

At the end of the spot, Always seeks to open the floor for debate by imploring girls to share with the brand what emoji they’d like to see, using the hashtag, “#LikeAGirl.”

Co-founder and president of the Unicode Consortium, Mark Davis, has said that while emojis were originally designed to be as neutral as possible, efforts have been made to incorporate a full representation of gender in emoji. A draft specification was released on Monday, which would (if approved) allow for gender variation in currently available emojis. 

Looking for a way to make fast food even faster? There’s an app for that. To an increasing extent, restaurants and fast food chains are using apps as a way to further streamline the fast food experience -- and even help customers save a little money.

Customers who are interested in ordering ahead, skipping the lines, and getting nutritional data can do just that, straight from their phones. They’ll even be offered somewhat of a more personalized experience in the process.

Domino’s

Domino’s offers a prime example of this personalized ordering experience. In 2014, the company sought to take voice controlled technology to the next level by partnering with their agency, CP+B, and Nuance, the creators of Siri for Apple. Together, the team created “Dom” -- the likeable, voice controlled pizza ordering sidekick.

The move was a seemingly smart one. JP Morgan subsequently called Domino’s, “A technology company disguised as a marketing company disguised as a pizza company.”

Dom can take your order, offer a 'cheesy' joke, or even (during Dom’s BETA phase) send a talking apology card if you weren’t pleased with your pizza ordering experience. The app now even features the ability to pay for your order via Google Wallet.

Rewards

Customer rewards and incentives are a big part of what makes a fast food app successful. White Castle apparently caught on to this, judging from their newly redesigned mobile app which “offers Cravers a way to save money.” To encourage customers to use the app (or order online), the chain is offering those who do so a sack of 10 original sliders for $5.

Dunkin Donuts and McDonald’s also offer users some pretty appetizing rewards. Dunkin Donuts features “DD Perks,” which can be easily tracked by users of their app. Free beverages, member bonuses, and other rewards await those who accrue enough points.

And while they don’t currently offer the ability to order ahead and skip the lines, McDonald’s hoped to persuade customers to download their app by offering free food. The deals -- which vary week-to-week and based on location -- are accessible by downloading the app and registering a username, according to Business Insider.

Users of the McDonald’s app can also participate in a coffee loyalty program, where customers can earn a free McCafe beverage for every five they purchase.

Skip the lines

While not every fast food app features the ability to skip the lines by ordering ahead, those who do are winning customers.

Users of the Chick-Fil-A mobile app (which isn’t available for every location just yet) can order and pay online. You can even have the food delivered right to your car at some locations.

Similarly, Chipotle, Subway, Taco Bell, and Wendy’s all accept mobile payments, and offer customers the ability to place their order through the app and pick it up in-store.