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Senators demand investigation into carrier location-selling scandal
Several senators are calling on the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission to investigate how carriers share customers' real-time phone location data, following a Motherboard report this month suggesting it's a cinch for bounty hunters to snag that information. A group of 14 Democrats (including Kamala Harris and Kirsten Gillibrand, who are running for their party's presidential nomination) and independent senator Bernie Sanders signed a letter addressed to the agencies.
Machinima's YouTube gaming channel has effectively disappeared
Machinima's YouTube gaming channel has been essentially scrubbed from the internet, as most videos on the site have been set to private and unplayable. Neither video creators nor users of the channel were notified, Kotaku reported, so the news sent a shockwave around the gaming and streaming communities. "Wow, they finally went ahead and deleted everything we've done," tweeted Ricky Hayberg, aka @RickyFTW. "Seven-plus years of work... lost to the sands of time #RIPMachinima."
Sprint is the latest carrier to stop selling location data
Sprint has announced that it will cease selling users' location data to third parties, following similar moves made by Verizon (Engadget's parent company), T-Mobile and AT&T. The four major US carriers are responding to a report published by Motherboard last week that revealed just how easy it was for anyone to purchase another person's mobile location information. While the companies said selling location data to aggregators was intended for legitimate services like spotting fraud and offering roadside assistance, Motherboard reporters demonstrated how simple it was to secure a phone's location with a few hundred dollars and the right contact.
AT&T will sever ties with location aggregators as well
Earlier this week, a Motherboard report described just how it easy it was for anyone to get the location of another person's phone. By handing over $300 to a bounty hunter, the publication was able to buy the location of a specific phone, which was accurate to within a few hundred meters. And the process showed just how flawed the data chain is between mobile carriers and the companies they provide location data to. Now, carriers are cutting ties with location aggregators, and AT&T is the latest to announce its plans to do so.
T-Mobile blocks aggregator following customer location tracking scandal
T-Mobile has blocked requests submitted by Zumigo from accessing device location data, according to Gizmodo. The carrier has cut off the controversial company known for being a data aggregator after a Motherboard report revealed that T-Mobile, AT&T and Sprint are selling customer data in an unregulated market. T-Mobile also said that it's nearly done cutting ties with third-party data aggregators like it promised to do last year.
AT&T doubles down on its 5G fib
AT&T is facing quite the pushback over its decision to label its upgraded LTE network as "5G Evolution," and not just from rival carriers (yes, including Engadget parent Verizon) taking cheap shots at a competitor. However, it's determined to stick by its decision. In an interview with Tom's Guide, the company's Igal Elbaz defended the decision. AT&T had been "pretty public" about what it was doing for some time, he said, and the indicator helps them know they're in an "enhanced experience" coverage area. He added that all of the provider's relevant hardware investment was "5G ready," so it just had to flick a software switch to enable the new technology on its end once both the code and devices were available.
It's way too easy for bounty hunters to get your phone location data
Wireless carriers are supposed to keep a tight leash on your location information, but that's not the case in practice. Motherboard has learned that network location data is reaching bounty hunters and others who aren't supposed to have it. Effectively, it's the result of a flawed data chain. Carriers like AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile (more on Engadget's parent Verizon in a bit) are relatively strict, passing their info to data aggregators like Zumigo and requiring consent before those aggregators' clients are allowed to use that data. However, things quickly get out of hand. Third parties like Microbilt have sold that data to everyone from bail bond companies to landlords, and those companies promptly use or resell it without telling the affected people.
Sprint says AT&T is 'blatantly misleading consumers' with fake 5G
Sprint has blasted AT&T after the latter made it seem Android phones on its network are connected to a version of 5G. It updated the LTE icon on the devices to read "5GE" (for "5G Evolution"), but the phones are still using 4G connections. "AT&T is blatantly misleading consumers -- 5GE is not real 5G," Sprint CTO Dr. John Saw said in a statement to Engadget.
AT&T gets burned by rivals over its fake 5G network
When AT&T admitted that its new 5G network was actually regular old 4G LTE with a fresh logo, the internet was having none of it. It might have become a trend among wireless operators, but fortunately Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile have also given their rival the gears.
AT&T's Android phones now lie about having 5G
Like it or not, AT&T's not-really-5G icon is reaching phones. The carrier has started rolling out the indicator to Android handsets, including Samsung's Galaxy S8 Active and LG's V30. Install the update and you'll see a "5G E" (5G Evolution) indicator where you used to see "LTE." More eligible devices will see the new cellular icon in the spring, so don't think you'll escape it if you have a reasonably modern device.
AT&T portable battery will charge both your Apple Watch and iPhone
Apple's AirPower charging mat may be a no-show, but that doesn't mean you're out of luck if you want a multi-device charger from a big-name brand. Entries at both the FCC and the Wireless Power Consortium have revealed that AT&T is working on the Power Drum, a portable wireless charger and battery bank meant to top up both an Apple Watch and a recent iPhone (or really, any Qi-compatible smartphone). While the concept isn't completely novel, it's very compact -- the biggest issue is the 3,000mAh battery, which could handle an overnight stay but not much more.
911 mobile services are gradually returning after CenturyLink outage
911 services are gradually coming back online in several states and cities following an outage. An outage at a CenturyLink data center affected 911 mobile calls in Oregon, Arizona, Idaho, Missouri, Seattle, Salt Lake City and other locales.
AT&T will give some Android phones a faux 5G icon
Remember when carriers started showing a "4G" indicator even though you were only using advanced 3G? Those days are back. AT&T has told FierceWireless that it will soon switch the "LTE" indicator on some Android phones to "5G E" (5G Evolution) in those areas where it's using upgraded LTE technology, such as 4x4 MIMO antennas and 256 QAM signal transmissions. If you're using actual 5G on millimeter wave frequencies, you'll see a "5G+" label instead.
AT&T flips the switch on mobile 5G in 12 cities this week
After nearly a year of talking about it, AT&T is finally ready to launch the US' first mobile 5G network -- and with just days to go before its self-imposed end-of-2018 deadline. Service officially starts on December 21st, when a handful of customers will snag a free Netgear Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotspot (below) for "at least" 90 days. The network is technically live now in parts of 12 cities (Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Louisville, Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Raleigh, San Antonio and Waco).
AT&T is the first major US carrier to support eSIM on iPhone
eSIMs are finally getting a foot in the door in the US. Alongside the news that Apple has officially released iOS 12.1.1 to the public, which includes eSIM support, AT&T has become the first major US carrier to support eSIM for iPhone.
AT&T will offer a second Samsung 5G phone next year
In the latest salvo in the carrier one-upmanship tussle, AT&T has revealed it will carry not one, but two 5G Samsung phones next year. The first phone should arrive in the spring, while the second is set to arrive in the back half of 2019. They bring AT&T's tally of 5G devices to three, including a Netgear hotspot.
Hulu and AT&T plan to run ads when you pause videos
Companies have previously dabbled in ads that appear when you pause videos, but they're about to come roaring back in the streaming era. Variety has learned that Hulu and AT&T both expect to introduce pause ads sometime in 2019. The companies suggest that they'll play short videos whenever you stop for a break, hopefully catching you in those fleeting moments before you head to the kitchen for a snack. AT&T's Matt Van Houten likened it to a screensaver that could run in the background in between viewings.
AT&T will offer Samsung's 5G smartphone in spring 2019
AT&T isn't about to let Verizon (Engadget's parent company) upstage it with a 5G smartphone. The carrier has confirmed that it will carry the same Samsung 5G device as Big Red in the first half of 2019 -- spring, the company tells us. There aren't any more clues as to what that phone entails. However, recent leak suggested Samsung was releasing a special Galaxy S10 variant with a 6.7-inch screen and six cameras. For now, at least, that makes it the primary candidate.
'Friends' will be there for you on Netflix 'through 2019' (update)
After a day of panic where it looked like beloved '90s sitcom Friends would leave Netflix next month, there's been a stay of execution. Following a report from Variety that said Netflix was negotiating to keep the show around after a quick backlash, the company confirmed that Friends will stay on the streaming service "throughout 2019." Earlier in the day, a visit to the show's page in the US indicated that the classic sitcom would only be available until January 1st, 2019, but that notice has since been removed.
AT&T's WarnerMedia streaming service will include three plans
When AT&T's WarnerMedia-themed streaming service arrives in late 2019, you may have to think about how much you want -- not just whether or not you want it in the first place. In a presentation discussing its 2019 strategy, the company noted that there would be three plans offering varying levels of content. The "entry" tier would be focused on movies, while the "premium" tier would offer more of what you're actually looking for, including "premium & popular" original shows as well as "blockbuster" flicks. And if you're determined to go all-out, a "bundle" tier would throw in classics, kids' programming, niche material and other extras.