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Google Fi will soon offer end-to-end encrypted calls
If you’re a Google Fi subscriber, the next time you phone someone your call may be protected by end-to-end encryption.
Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 3 will be the first foldable phone available on Google Fi
When the Galaxy Z Flip 3 goes on sale later this month, you’ll be able to buy it from Google Fi, marking the first time the MVNO has sold a foldable device.
Google Fi’s VPN service is rolling out to subscribers with iPhones
While Google has narrowly missed its original timeline, it's now starting to roll out its Fi VPN service to Apple phones on its MVNO network.
Dish is buying Republic Wireless and its 200,000 subscribers
Dish plans to buy another mobile virtual network operator. This time it's Republic Wireless.
Verizon buys prepaid mobile provider Tracfone for $6.25 billion
The mobile operator Tracfone isn’t exactly a household name, but it does have about 21 million customers in the US. (Disclosure, Verizon is Engadget’s parent company.)
Dish buys Ting Mobile to expand its wireless business
Dish is adding another piece to its growing wireless business.
Google Voice and Google Fi finally work with the same account
Google Voice and Google Fi can finally coexist on the same account.
You can now set up Google Fi on your iPhone using an eSIM
You can finally activate Google Fi on an iPhone's eSIM instead of having to get a physical card.
Mint Mobile is giving out free data for the next month amid COVID-19
Ryan Reynolds' wireless carrier of choice is giving out free data to help people in the US cope with the coronavirus epidemic. Until April 14th, you can get free 3GB data packages from Mint Mobile, even if you've never been a customer before.
Ryan Reynolds now owns a stake in budget carrier Mint Mobile
No, you're not hallucinating. Actor Ryan Reynolds has bought an ownership stake in Mint Mobile, the low-cost carrier that theoretically saves you money by letting you purchase service in advance. It sounds like a complete mismatch when celebrities have a habit of backing junk science or designer headphones, but to Reynolds it makes sense -- it's better to promote a "more practical approach to the most essential technology" than luxury products you don't really need.
Altice adds a $20 mobile plan to its cable service
Yet another US cable provider is attempting to shake up the wireless market by launching a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). This time, it's Altice with Altice Mobile and a $20 plan that is unprecedented in the US market. The plan includes unlimited data alongside unlimited nationwide talk and text. It also features unlimited video streaming at 480p and international roaming in 35 countries.
What you need to know before going with a smaller wireless carrier
Let's face it: picking a carrier worth pledging your smartphone allegiance to can be a hassle, and plans offered by massive companies aren't right for everyone. These days, you can get cheap, reliable and surprisingly feature-rich wireless service without worrying about a bill from Verizon or AT&T every 30 days. You'll just have to start looking more closely at MVNOs, short for mobile virtual network operators.
TalkTalk begins winding down its mobile business
TalkTalk is in the process of shutting down its mobile business, effectively ending its tenure as a dedicated quad-play provider. According to MoneySavingExpert, the company has begun notifying customers that they are unable to renew their mobile plan at the end of their contract and is offering special deals to those who switch to O2.
Cable giant Altice will become a wireless carrier with Sprint's help
Just because Sprint was jilted at the altar doesn't mean its weekend was all bad. The carrier has struck a deal that will turn Altice (the French company that bought CableVision) into an American wireless provider. Under the agreement, Altice USA will have "full" use of Sprint's network for nationwide voice and data service. In return, Altice will use its broadband network to help Sprint "densify" its coverage as it adds legions of small cell sites.
An iPhone is your only option on Virgin Mobile
It's no secret that American carriers sell a lot of iPhones. Virgin Mobile, however, is taking that to a logical extreme. The Sprint sub-brand has announced that it's the US' first iPhone-only carrier as of June 27th -- if you don't like iOS, you'll have to head elsewhere. In return for the exclusivity, you'll get a fairly good rate as well as some potentially juicy promos.
Comcast's first crack at cellphone service is now available
If you've been wondering how Comcast's Xfinity Mobile wireless service would work in practice, you now have a chance to find out. The American cable giant has started sign-ups for people who at least have its internet service. As before, the focus is mostly on a low price in exchange for loyalty. While you normally get unlimited talk, text and data for $65 per month (plus a $10 surcharge if you drop all other Comcast services), you can knock that down to $45 per line if you subscribe to a higher-end Xfinity TV package. A promo offers that $45 price to everyone, not just existing Comcast TV customers, if they sign up by July 31st.
Comcast jumps into wireless with Xfinity Mobile
Last September Comcast confirmed rumors by announcing its plan to launch wireless service this year based on a combination of its 16 million Xfinity WiFi hotspots and the Verizon network, and today we're getting all of the details. With the launch of Xfinity Mobile, Comcast will offer its customers TV, home internet, home phone and wireless service under one umbrella. With companies like AT&T and Verizon offering TV packages over the internet that compete with cable, now Comcast is moving into their area, although that doesn't guarantee they'll have success.
Sky Mobile is now available to everyone
Sky finally got around to launching its mobile service last month and, despite being such a latecomer to this crowded market, has managed to cook up quite an interesting offering. Only existing Sky TV customers and those who had pre-registered interest were invited to bed the new network in, but as of today, anyone can now sign up to Sky Mobile. Perhaps the key feature of Sky's service is data rollover. Any unused megabytes go into a "piggybank" at the end of the month, which customers can draw from in subsequent months whenever they hit their cap.
Sky Mobile to offer flexible contracts with rollover data
It's been a long time since Sky revealed plans to become a mobile virtual network operator with the help of O2. The company opened up registrations for Sky Mobile last month, not that those registering really knew what they were expressing their interest in. Today, though, Sky has pulled the curtain aside on its upcoming mobile offering, which will finally go live in mid-December. It would be unadvisable to enter such a saturated market without a unique selling point to pitch, which in Sky Mobile's case, is rollover data and fully flexible contracts.
Comcast will launch its own wireless service next year
Rumors have suggested a WiFi-powered wireless service from Comcast for years, and today at a Goldman Sachs event its CEO confirmed the move. Brian Roberts said that by mid-2017 Comcast will launch a wireless offering that combines access to hotspots with Verizon service, which is apparently based on access included in a 2011 spectrum deal. Although he said it was too early to give much detail, the revelation came just after Roberts demonstrated Netflix on a Comcast X1 set-top box for the first time, so apparently, it's just that kind of day.
