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AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson is retiring
COO John Stankey, who has also been CEO of WarnerMedia since 2018, is taking over the top job.
FCC will require phone carriers to authenticate calls by June 2021
The FCC announced today all carriers and phone companies must adopt the STIR/SHAKEN protocol by June 30th, 2021. The regulatory requirement is designed to combat robocalls, specifically those that try to hide their phone numbers by allowing carriers to authenticate caller IDs.
AT&T will give users an extra 15GB of mobile hotspot data
AT&T is still expanding its offerings to keep people online during the COVID-19 outbreak. Between April 2nd and May 13t, it's adding an extra 15GB of mobile hotspot data to every line on unlimited plans that have a monthly tethering allowance. If you have the Unlimited Extra plan, for instance, that will effectively double the amount of data you get. That's still not enough data to completely rely on your phone's connection if you're used to landline data allotments, but it could be helpful if your wired service goes down or becomes oversaturated.
Saudi Arabia may be spying on its citizens via US mobile networks
Data shared by a whistleblower suggests Saudi Arabia may be using a weakness in mobile telecom networks to track its citizens in the US, The Guardian reports. The data shows that over a four-month period, Saudi Arabia's three biggest mobile phone companies sent 2.3 million requests for Provider Subscriber Information (PSI). Normally, that data is used to help foreign operators register roaming charges, but the high volume of requests could also give the Saudi telecoms enough info to track users within hundreds of meters of accuracy.
After Math: Can't stop, won't stop talking coronavirus coverage
It's the new sensation that's sweeping the nation: the coronavirus! Maybe you've heard of it. This week's headlines sure have.
AT&T and Cricket offer customers a $15 plan for a limited time
AT&T Prepaid and Cricket Wireless have launched a $15 phone plan that's available for a limited time to both new and existing customers. It comes with 2GB of data, unlimited talk and text and no activation fee -- and it's clearly a direct competitor to T-Mobile's $15 Connect offering.
How did we get to 5G? The history of mobile networks
Last time on our explainer show Upscaled, we took a look at 5G, the new high-speed mobile technology starting to roll out in 2020. But 5G isn't entirely new technology, it builds on the mobile networks already in place around the world. This has been the pattern for mobile networks, incremental upgrades that added more capacity and speed bit by bit. This approach has yielded incredible results; as much as we might gripe about coverage or speeds today, the first real cell networks could only support about a dozen calls per tower, had no data capacity, and used unencrypted analog signals that were easy to intercept.
US wireless carriers pledge to suspend cancellations amid outbreak
One day after Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel called on the FCC to take aggressive action in response to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, the federal agency has announced the Keep Americans Connected Pledge. For the next 60 days, the agreement calls on telecom companies to maintain service and waive late fees for any residential and small business customers who can't pay their bills due to the pandemic. It also calls on those companies to open their WiFi hotspots.
AT&T and Comcast improve internet access in response to COVID-19
With so many people in the US working and learning from home, as offices and schools close in response to the coronavirus pandemic, internet service providers (ISPs) are beginning to react. Comcast is increasing internet speeds for low-income users, and AT&T told Motherboard that it is suspending all broadband usage caps until further notice.
Google yanks March security update for AT&T Pixel 4
Google has pulled the latest Android security update for Pixel 4 owners using AT&T after the supposed bug-fix created some major new headaches. Suddenly users have been unable to use Google Pay and instead have been greeted with a warning that their phone "doesn't meet software standards."
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.
Sony’s first 5G smartphone is the Xperia 1 II
Sony's big MWC shindig may have been cancelled over virus fears, but the company still has a bunch of new phones to show off. The first, and most notable, is the Xperia 1 II -- dubbed the Xperia 1 Mark II -- which made its debut on the company's not-MWC livestream today. The new flagship is packing a 21:9 6.5-inch 4K OLED HDR display, Dolby Atmos and, most importantly, a 5G modem.
'Harley Quinn' season 2 gets a quick April 3rd debut
There's normally a lengthy wait between seasons of streaming TV shows, but don't tell that to DC Universe. The comics-oriented service is premiering the second season of its Harley Quinn animated series on April 3rd -- just four months after the show's first season arrived. There aren't many clues as to what's coming next, but the announcement clip (below) serves as a reminder that there are a lot of people who are less than fond of Harley.
'Friends' cast is locked in for a reunion special to launch HBO Max
Now that AT&T spent more than $400 million pulling Friends from Netflix to serve as one of the pillars for its HBO Max streaming service, the WarnerMedia company has also shelled out to get the original cast back together for a reunion special. Negotiations over the special have been rumored for months, but now it's confirmed that Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer will all be a part of the unscripted event. According to The Hollywood Reporter, each one could make between $2.5 to $3 million just to appear in this event. Along with all 236 episodes of the popular sitcom, it will be available when HBO Max launches in May. In case you've forgotten, it's taking a "curated by humans" angle to go along with its mix of original and archival content, and will cost $14.99 per month.
HBO Max's first trailer reminds you it has non-HBO titles, too
HBO Max is still a few months away from its May launch, but that isn't stopping AT&T and WarnerMedia from trying to drum up some early hype. The streaming service has introduced its first trailer, and it mainly serves to remind you that Warner owns a lot of movies and TV shows beyond HBO. The promo starts with a not-so-subtle reminder that HBO Max has the exclusive for Friends, and goes on to show a flurry of clips from titles like Joker, South Park, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Wonder Woman, among others. The ad doesn't appear to tout HBO Max's originals, although that's not completely surprising when many of them won't be ready for a while.
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.
Galaxy Z Flip video leak shows a model headed to the US
If our earlier photos of the Galaxy Z Flip weren't enough, don't worry -- yet another leak appears to have shed more light on Samsung's next foldable phone. GreatDeals SmartPhones has posted a video exploring the clamshell device while providing more details in the process. To begin with, the Z Flip appears destined for the US with a conspicuous AT&T logo during the startup process. While there was a good chance the phone would come to the US (just as the Fold did), this seems to remove what little doubt was left.
HBO Max forms a production unit devoted to streaming movies
If HBO Max is going to compete against streaming incumbents like Amazon Prime Video and Netflix on every level, it's going to need movies -- and it's gearing up to provide a flurry of them. WarnerMedia's yet-to-launch service has teamed up with Warner Bros. Pictures Group to create a production wing, Warner Max, that's dedicated solely to producing streaming movies. The aim is to produce eight to 10 "mid-budget" flicks per year for HBO Max, with Warner Bros. distributing the titles in places and formats where the service isn't an option.