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FCC proposes token fines for carriers that sold phone location data
The rumors were true: the FCC wants to fine major carriers for their approach to selling phone location data. The regulator has proposed a total of $208 million in fines against the top four US carriers for reportedly selling access to location info without "reasonable measures" to prevent unauthorized access. T-Mobile would face the (relatively) stiffest penalty with over $91 million, while AT&T could be fined over $57 million. Verizon (Engadget's parent company) could be hit with a roughly $48 million fine, while Sprint would 'only' have to contend with a $12 million fine.
FCC may fine carriers for failing to protect phone location data
The FCC has warned phone carriers that they broke the law by selling location data, and it might soon make those companies pay the price. Wall Street Journal sources say the FCC hopes to levy "hundreds of millions of dollars" against AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon (Engadget's parent company) after determining that they failed to protect real-time location info. The regulator reportedly sent notices of liability that, while not final, indicate that a penalty is on the way.
How exactly does 5G work?
We've been hearing about 5G for ages, and 2020 is the year it'll finally become a reality for some people. Until this point there have been a few sparse 5G networks available in cities, but with only a handful of phones supporting 5G, even if you lived in an area with coverage odds are you couldn't connect. That's all set to change with a host of new 5G phones expected to be announced through 2020, and providers all around the world starting to switch on additional 5G towers. Even so, it's hard to know what to expect from 5G. Depending on your provider and your network, you may get blazing fast speeds but only in certain places, a bump in reliability without much speed, or anything in between. It turns out 5G isn't really one thing, it's a collection of technology and new frequency bands, and different carriers are focusing on different aspects of the network.
T-Mobile, Sprint merger could close by April 1st
With most of the regulatory and legal hurdles out of the way -- approval from the California Public Utilities Commission is still needed -- T-Mobile and Sprint announced an amended version of their agreement to merge. CNBC explains that the updated deal will give Deutsche Telekom a slightly higher stake in the combined company ("New T-Mobile"), without requiring a new shareholder vote that would delay a deal that has already been pending for almost two years. Deutsche Telekom will own 43 percent of the new company, while Sprint investor Softbank will have 24 percent, and the remaining 33 percent owned by public shareholders. T-Mobile apparently thinks this could all be wrapped up by April 1st, the last month before John Legere steps aside for incoming CEO Mike Sievert.
New York AG won't keep fighting T-Mobile merger with Sprint
Now that a federal judge has removed one of the few remaining obstacles to T-Mobile's merger with Sprint, resistance to the move appears to be fading. New York Attorney General Letitia James has signalled that the state won't appeal the ruling declaring the carrier merger lawful. Instead, New York will make the best of the merger if (and more likely when) it's finalized, including efforts to get the "best pricing and service possible," boost coverage and create jobs like those T-Mobile as promised for Rochester.
Recommended Reading: The CIA-owned company that helped it spy on the world
The intelligence coup of the century Greg Miller, The Washington Post This in-depth report tells the story of Crypto AG, a Switzerland-based company that achieved success for its code-making machines during World War II. The company eventually became a popular manufacturer of encryption machines for countries around the world in the decades that followed. Governments trusted that communications between diplomats, military and spies were being kept secret. What those nations didn't know was that Crypto AG as actually owned by the CIA -- originally in partnership with West German intelligence. What's more, the access allowed the two countries to to rig the tech so they could easily crack any code.
T-Mobile and Sprint merger approved by federal judge
T-Mobile and Sprint's $26.5 billion merger is almost complete. Following months of delays and push back from high-profile authorities, a US district judge has ruled in the companies' favor, allowing them to move within one step of concluding a deal that promises to deploy 5G service to 97 percent of Americans within three years.
Judge will reportedly approve Sprint / T-Mobile merger tomorrow
A push by several state attorneys general will reportedly not be enough to stand in the way of a merger between T-Mobile and Sprint. The Wall Street Journal and New York Times cite sources saying that tomorrow a US district judge is expected to rule in the companies favor, allowing them to go through with the deal after the Department of Justice gave its approval last fall, and the FCC signed off in November.
T-Mobile and Sprint can now verify calls across their networks
Today, T-Mobile and Sprint are rolling out number-verification to customers across both networks. Using the STIR/SHAKEN standards recommended by the FCC, the carriers hope to better fight robocalls. Ideally, this will make it harder for spammers to spoof numbers and give customers more confidence that the number calling them has not been ripped off by a robocall.
FCC: Wireless carriers violated federal law by selling location data
The FCC has finished investigating carriers' unauthorized disclosure and sale of subscribers' real-time location data, Chairman Ajit Pai has shared with (PDF) lawmakers in the House of Representatives. In his letters, he told Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. and others that the agency has come to a conclusion after an extensive probe: one or more carriers "apparently violated federal law." Pai has also promised the lawmakers that the agency is going to take action against the offending carriers to ensure that they comply with laws that protect consumers' sensitive information.
Sprint will fix anyone's cracked Samsung Galaxy screen for $49
Sprint has launched an affordable screen repair program for Samsung Galaxy phones, and it doesn't even matter if you're a subscriber. The company will fix cracked screens on eligible devices for $49 until February 9th, 2020 "no matter who your carrier is," according to the program's website. While it doesn't cover the tech giant's latest flagship devices -- Galaxy S10s are still probably under warranty for most people anyway -- the program will repair broken screens on the Samsung Galaxy S7, S8, S8+, S9, S9+ and Note 8.
Sprint is shutting down Virgin Mobile ahead of planned T-Mobile merger
Sprint is getting ready for its planned T-Mobile merger by axing one of its prepaid brands. The telecom is shutting down Virgin Mobile service and will transfer all customers to Boost Mobile starting the week of February 2nd. You'll keep your phone and number in "most instances," and will move to a "comparable or better" plan at no additional charge. Your mobile broadband device won't carry over, though, and you'll have to change your payment options if you rely on either PayPal or 45/90-day top-ups.
The worst tech of 2019
2019 was full of hype. From excitement over foldable phones and laptops to plenty of noise about 5G, the year was packed with news about promising new technology that had the potential to monumentally change the industry. But many of these were first-generation efforts, and what we ended up getting, instead of piles of functional new toys, were buckets of disappointment.
T-Mobile's 5G network goes live ahead of schedule
Last month, T-Mobile promised its 5G network would go live in 5,000 cities and towns on December 6th -- if its merger with Sprint went through. That deal is not yet final, but today, a few days ahead of schedule, T-Mobile says it's launching its nationwide 5G network. The catch is that, for now, T-Mobile is offering 600 MHz "low-band" 5G.
Walmart is offering up to $450 back on flagship Apple and Samsung phones
In exchange for buying a new phone, Walmart is offering customers up to $450 in eGift cards this Black Friday. You can get up to another $250 in eGift cards with a qualifying trade in.
Texas backs out of the lawsuit to stop the T-Mobile and Sprint merger
Texas no longer stands in the way of the T-Mobile and Sprint merger. The state has reached a settlement with T-Mobile, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced today. In exchange for T-Mobile's commitment to build a 5G network throughout Texas, Paxton will drop the lawsuit he filed in August in an attempt to block the $26.5 billion deal.
Walmart's best Black Friday deals: Roku, Oculus, Instant Pot and more
Fighting a crowd the day after Thanksgiving isn't for everyone. If you'd rather avoid the chaos and shop from the comforts of home, we've got you covered. Walmart revealed its Black Friday deals already, a mix of gadgets for gaming, TV streaming and more. There are also lucrative gift card offers when you buy a new phone, and that amount can increase if you have a worthy trade-in. We've listed the links to current product pages below. The deals go live online at 10PM ET on Wednesday, November 27th and they'll be available in-store on Thanksgiving Day at 6PM local time (except for the phone offer).
Verizon's 5G coverage maps are here, and they're sparse
Seven months after it first launched its 5G network in the US, Verizon (Engadget's parent company) has shared coverage maps for all 18 cities in which it currently offers next-generation wireless connectivity. The maps were first spotted by PCMag, and make it clear why the carrier was likely reticent to share them in the first place. Outside of the downtown cores of dense cities like Chicago and New York, there's not much to see at the moment. Take the map of Sioux Falls, for instance -- it's fair to describe Verizon's deployment in the city is modest at best.
John Legere is stepping down as T-Mobile CEO next April
The sun is about to set on the John Legere era at T-Mobile. On Monday, the carrier, the third-largest in the US, announced that current president and COO Mike Sievert will take over as CEO on May 1st, 2020. The announcement comes after the FCC approved the T-Mobile and Sprint merger earlier this month -- though it's not a done deal yet with a group of state attorneys general still opposing the merger.
CNBC: T-Mobile CEO John Legere won't be the next WeWork CEO
Earlier this week T-Mobile CEO John Legere's name popped up as a possibility to take over the top spot at WeWork after its failed IPO and ouster of co-founder Adam Neumann. However, subsequent rumors clarified that he was just one of the potential replacements, while today CNBC reports that Legere isn't taking the job and has "no plans" to leave T-Mobile. The report also cites people with knowledge of the matter as saying he was not the top candidate for the job, which would have presented a tricky transition as Softbank is both the majority owner of WeWork, and Sprint, which his company is still in the process of merging with.
