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Motorola's Moto X4 now works on Google Project Fi
Google's efforts to disrupt the mobile carrier network have certainly proven popular for people who can feasibly use it, but it's no secret that the rollout of Project Fi has been restricted by the narrow choice of handsets available. Now, the search giant has confirmed rumors that the hyped Motorola Moto X4, with Android One, will be the first non-Google phone to join the club.
T-Mobile won’t throttle unlimited data until you use 50GB
Carriers throttling user speeds is now the reality we live in, but most mobile plans only squeeze your rate once you've downloaded an arbitrary amount of data. T-Mobile is raising the threshold at which they optionally throttle customers' data from 32GB to 50GB, which it claims is still pretty high -- enough to stream hours of content every day for a month and still have gigabytes of data left over.
Sprint's updated deal gives you a 'free' iPhone 8 with a trade-in
Sprint's initial iPhone 8 offer was fine, but nothing special: you could get half off the price of an 18-month device lease. It's ready to sweeten the pot, however. It just launched an updated promo that gives you a 64GB iPhone 8 for free with a trade-in and an 18-month lease. You still have to hand in a high-end device like one of the iPhone 7 models, a Galaxy S8 or a Galaxy Note 8, so this is more for frequent upgraders or those with a serious case of buyer's remorse. It's better than before, though, and you can apply the $29.17 monthly credit toward the 64GB iPhone 8 Plus if you crave a larger screen.
AT&T offers free HBO with its cheaper unlimited plan
AT&T's initial offer of free HBO access to wireless subscribers was tempting, but there was a catch: you had to spring for an Unlimited Plus plan, which at $90 or more per month isn't a trivial expense. Now, however, you don't have to be such a big spender. The carrier is extending bonus HBO access to Unlimited Choice customers on September 15th, giving you the same streaming TV if you pay as little as $60 per month for cellphone service. This is one of the few perks of giant mergers, it seems. There are some catches to getting a freebie like this on a low-cost tier, of courser. The Choice plan caps your cellular data at 3Mbps and limits you to a maximum resolution of 480p for video streaming, so you might want to stay on WiFi for that Game of Thrones re-watch.
T-Mobile family plans now include free Netflix streaming
T-Mobile tends to (usually) compete on price with small freebies thrown in, but now it's sweetening the pot with a bonus you're likely to use. If you have a T-Mobile One family plan (that is, two or more lines), you now get a standard two-stream Netflix subscription for free. It'll cover both new and existing Netflix viewers, and you can apply the credit toward a more advanced Netflix tier if everyone in your clan wants to watch at the same time.
Verizon's new unlimited plans throttle video all the time
Verizon's revival of the unlimited data plan was supposed to be a good thing: it was bringing back worry-free service that let you use your smartphone as much as you like. Unfortunately, the carrier is making things complicated again. In the wake of tests that capped streaming video speeds, Verizon is splitting its unlimited access into multiple plans that face new restrictions. As of August 23rd, the standard Go Unlimited plan costs $5 less than before at $75 per month (if you use AutoPay), but you're limited to streaming video at 480p on phones and 720p on tablets -- shades of T-Mobile, anyone? The $80 prepaid plan and the Business plan cap you at 480p, too.
T-Mobile boosts coverage with the first 600MHz LTE network
That cellular equipment you see above may not look like much, but don't dismiss it too quickly -- it could be crucial to the future of wireless data. T-Mobile has switched on the world's first 600MHz LTE sites in Cheynne, Wyoming, promising less congested networks (and thus higher real-world speeds) and better coverage, especially indoors and in those rural areas where range is vital. It's a modest start, but the carrier promises more 600MHz sites in 10 additional states before the year is over. The tricky part is getting a device that can take advantage of it... you'll have to wait a while for that.
T-Mobile's latest plan gives seniors a discount on unlimited data
You can't really sugarcoat it: senior citizens get a raw deal when it comes to cellphones. Carriers tend to either assume that you don't use data (and want a basic cellphone) or else give you a modest discount at best. T-Mobile thinks it can do better: it's launching a One Unlimited 55+ plan on August 9th that, for the most part, acknowledges that many seniors use smartphones as enthusiastically as the younger crowd. The offer gives you two lines with unlimited data, talk and texting for $60 per month, or $50 for one line. There are a few gotchas, but it still amounts to a huge deal for empty-nesters who want to post their vacation shots on Instagram.
Verizon's latest rewards program shares gobs of your data (updated)
Verizon has just fired up a new rewards program, but you might want to hold off if you're concerned about your privacy. Brandon Robbins and other customers have noticed that enlisting in Up requires enrolling in a Verizon Selects personalized advertising program that tracks an extensive range of voluntary and automatic data: it'll supply your app use, browsing habits, device location and personal demographics, among other details. Moreover, it shares that data with a wide circle of companies. Your info go to the newly formed AOL/Yahoo hybrid Oath (Engadget's parent brand) as well as Verizon's "vendors and partners."
T-Mobile launches speedy LTE-U service in six cities
The war over speedier LTE data is heating up in a big, big way. T-Mobile has launched LTE-U (that is, LTE riding on unlicensed frequencies) in parts of a handful of cities, including T-Mobile's home turf in Bellevue as well as Brooklyn, Dearborn, Las Vegas, Richardson and Simi Valley. If you have a compatible device (just the Galaxy S8 for now), it'll take advantage of public 5GHz wireless to give your service a boost. And if that's not fast enough, both T-Mobile and AT&T are offering a peek at the next wave of not-quite-5G speeds.
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.
Google's Project Fi helps you pay your share of the phone bill
It's not much fun to split up a wireless family plan, especially if you're not splitting it evenly. How much do your kids owe if they're only paying some of their bill? What about that roommate who always uses too much data and drives the bill higher? Google wants to fix that. It's adding a Group Repay feature to Project Fi that lets group plan owners not only determine who owes what, but collect on that share in short order. You set the criteria for what members owe, such as a fixed amount or extra data use. After that, fellow Fi members just have to wait for reminders before they contribute their share.
Sprint tempts Verizon’s customers with a year of ‘free’ data
After ending its "half your bill" promotion earlier this year, Sprint is back with a new strategy to steal customers from its rivals. It's offering a year of free "unlimited" data, talk and text for those who bring their device over from other carriers, although it is targeting Verizon users in particular with its advertising and phone selection. The offer is available today through the end of June, and, as expected, there is plenty of fine print.
Ofcom plans to let you switch mobile network by breakup text
Ofcom has today put forward a more detailed plan on how it intends to make switching mobile providers easier, and it's as simple as sending a text. Instead of having to sit through an awkward call to your current carrier -- which typically starts on hold and ends with you batting away upgrade offers and tariff discounts -- customers will be able to shoot off a text or hop online and immediately receive the PAC code they need to transfer their number to a new provider.
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.
Sprint kills its 'half your bill' promo in favor of $50 unlimited plan
Sprint is going to axe its "Cut Your Bill in Half" promo. Until further notice, the carrier is offering something different: $50 for "unlimited" talk, text and data for a single line, $80 for two, $100 for three and $120 for four. The company's chief marketing officer Roger Solé described this as a response to customers' apparently overwhelming decision to use its existing unlimited plans. By his count, some 90 percent of subscribers were signed up for the unlimited plans. The aim, Solé says, is to declutter Sprint's service offerings. But honestly, this is Sprint trying to sugarcoat the removal of its deeply discounted plan.
T-Mobile fights phone scams with new tools for customers
This week, the FCC revealed its plan to battle robocalls. Part of that initiative includes allowing phone companies to target and block calls from fake or suspect phone numbers. Those rules are still being finalized, but T-Mobile isn't wasting any time on the matter. Today, the Uncarrier began rolling out two tools to its customers to help with phone scams: Scam ID and Scam Block.
T-Mobile upgrades its unlimited plan again to one-up AT&T
T-Mobile added HD video streaming and 10GB of LTE hotspot tethering to its unlimited One plan earlier this month, possibly as a response to Verizon's new unlimited data plan. Yes, the mobile carrier wars have been intense lately, and they're getting even hotter. Just hours after AT&T announced it was also adding 10GB of tethering data to its unlimited plan, T-Mobile fired back with another tweak to its One plan. Now, new and existing customers with two lines can get a third for free.
Verizon will test 5G wireless in 11 cities by mid-2017
Verizon isn't going to let AT&T's 5G plans go unanswered. The carrier (and our corporate overlord) says it will pilot the gigabit-class wireless in 11 cities by the middle of 2017, including major urban hubs like Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Miami, Seattle and Washington, DC. These will be "pre-commercial services" offered to specific customers, so don't expect to try extra-fast cellular data in your neighborhood. Instead, this is about investigating "scenarios and use cases" before Verizon is ready to ask for money.
Google tests LTE phone calls on Project Fi
As nice as Google's Project Fi service is for the data-hungry crowd, it's not so hot for voice -- switching to Fi frequently means giving up pristine-sounding LTE voice calls with some of your friends. You might not have to make that sacrifice for much longer, thankfully. Google tells subscribers that it's testing voice over LTE with a "subset" of its customer base. This is likely only going to function when you're on T-Mobile's network (it's the only one of Fi's three partners with VoLTE as of this writing). However, you'll definitely know when it kicks in between the improved quality, faster mid-call data speeds and a quicker connection time.
