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51 companies tell Congress it's time to tackle data privacy
The corporate world isn't waiting around for Congress to get started on tougher data privacy laws. A group of 51 CEOs from the Business Roundtable advocacy group, including tech companies like Amazon, AT&T, IBM, Motorola and Qualcomm, have sent an open letter to House and Senate leaders asking them to pass a "comprehensive consumer data privacy law." They claim that state privacy laws vary too widely, leading to confusion for customers and potentially threatening the US' competitiveness. A federal law would reportedly bolster trust and create a "stable policy environment" where companies can craft products knowing exactly where the boundaries are.
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.
NBC's ultra-specific sports streaming comes to Xfinity X1 and Flex
You'd think Comcast would have rushed to add NBC Sports Gold's niche sports streaming to its media platforms given that it owns NBC, but not so -- it's just adding the service now. As of September 3rd, customers with Xfinity X1 or Xfinity Flex set-tops can finally use Sports Gold to watch ad-free (and sometimes live) events that often get short shrift on conventional sports channels. Consider this a catch-all for Xfinity cable customers who aren't satisfied with their existing options.
Comcast expands its low-cost internet to another three million households
Since 2011, Comcast's Internet Essentials program has connected more than eight million low-income individuals from two million households to the internet. Today, the company announced that it's bringing low-cost internet to an additional three million low-income households. In addition to high-speed internet at $9.95 per month, plus tax, users will be eligible for free digital literacy training and the option to purchase a computer for less than $150.
Comcast's Xfinity suffering nationwide outage
Comcast's Xfinity internet service appears to be down in regions across the US, according to Down Detector, tweets from multiple users and one of Engadget's editors. Service is either completely dead or only working partially in major parts of the northwest, California, New York state, Illinois, Michigan, Texas and Florida, according to Down Detector.
Comcast now gives parents the option of kicking kids off their WiFi network
Comcast's newly announced parental control feature for its xFinity xFi WiFi dashboard can do more than just set limits for your kids' most favorite apps. It allows you to set a specific amount of time that your child can spend online -- once the time is up, it can disconnect all the devices associated with that particular child's profile from your WiFi network. An older resourceful child could probably find a way to circumvent that limitation, but that applies to any other parental control product.
Comcast customers can now play Amazon Music on their TVs
Comcast users will soon be able to access their Amazon Music playlists with their voice remote. The cable company announced today that the streaming music service will be integrated with Xfinity's X1 and Flex platforms and will roll out over the next few weeks.
NBCUniversal plans to debut its streaming service in April
The streaming wars are intensifying, with the likes of HBO, CBS and Disney focusing on their own platforms and hanging onto their content instead of licensing it to Netflix and other services. We now know when another major player will enter the battlefield, as NBCUniversal has pegged next April as the launch window for its ad-supported streaming service.
You can bring your own Android phone to Xfinity Mobile
You no longer need an iPhone if you want to bring an unlocked smartphone to Xfinity Mobile. The Comcast wireless service (which runs on the network of Engadget parent Verizon) has expanded its bring-your-own-device program to include Android smartphones. It's currently limited to semi-recent Samsung phones ranging from the Galaxy S8 to the Galaxy Note 9, so you'll want to forget dreams of bringing an S10 or Google Pixel to the network for now. The list of compatible devices will expand in the "near future," Comcast said.
Xfinity Mobile moves beyond phones with iPads and Apple Watch
Comcast's Xfinity Mobile is no longer limited to selling smartphones... provided you like Apple hardware. The carrier (whose network is run by Engadget parent Verizon) has introduced its first non-phone devices, including LTE versions of the Apple Watch Series 4, iPad Air and iPad mini. All three will cost the same as they do elsewhere. It really comes down to the cost of service. Whether you're subscribed to by-the-gig or unlimited data, it'll cost you $10 per month for every smartwatch or tablet you add to your plan.
Comcast is bringing Amazon Music to Xfinity X1 and Flex
Amazon Music might be coming to a TV near you soon. Comcast is bringing the music streaming service to Xfinity X1 over the next few weeks. It says it's the first time you'll be able to access Amazon Music on a TV via a pay-TV provider. You can say "Amazon Music" into the remote to access the service's library and playlists, or find it in the Apps section of the system.
Comcast built an eye-control remote to help users with movement issues
in an attempt to improve the accessibility of its services, Comcast announced today the launch of a feature that will allow users to control their television using only their eyes. The Xfinity X1 eye control will give Comcast customers the ability to do things like change the channel, set up recordings, search for a specific show and more just by moving their eyes. The feature is free and accessible through xfin.tv/access.
Comcast to pay $9.1 million for adding service plans without consent
Comcast is facing the consequences of attaching plans to customers' accounts without their permission. A Washington state judge has ordered the telecom to pay about $9.1 million in penalties, plus restitution, for adding its Service Protection Plan (which only offset the basic cost of a tech visiting your home) to bills over 445,000 times between 2011 and 2016. The company was fully aware of the practice and did nothing to change its ways until after it filed its initial lawsuit, according to the state Attorney General's office.
Comcast is working on a health-focused motion sensor (updated)
Even telecom giants can't resist the temptation to hop on the smart speaker bandwagon... or can they? CNBC sources say the news site's parent company, Comcast, is developing a smart speaker focused on health. You wouldn't use this to turn on the lights or perform other smart home tasks -- instead, it would use sensors to detect trips to the washroom, long sleeping hours and falls. You could also use it to make emergency calls. Comcast confirmed to Engadget that it's working on a device, but the company says the technology is solely a sensor to detect motion, not a gadget that's built to function as a smart speaker. Comcast also says there's no function for the device beyond health.
FCC proposes blocking robocalls by default
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been fighting robocalls for years, but as anyone with a cell phone can tell you, they're still getting through. Now, the Commission wants to make it legal for phone companies to block unwanted robocalls by default. Chairman Ajit Pai has circulated a declaratory ruling that, if adopted, would give carriers permission to develop new call blocking tools. The ruling could also allow consumers to prohibit calls from numbers that aren't on their contact lists.
Disney takes full control of Hulu in deal with Comcast
When AT&T sold its shares of Hulu last month, Disney and Comcast were left as the company's sole owners. Today, Comcast relinquished its control, leaving Disney in charge of the streaming platform. This means, since its acquisition of Fox's 30 percent stake in 2017, Disney has slowly chipped away at its fellow Hulu owners.
T-Mobile and Comcast will label authentic calls to fight spam
In an attempt to fight robocalls, T-Mobile and Comcast are teaming up to bring their customers call verification. The carriers will use the STIR/SHAKEN protocol to label authentic numbers, so users will know they're not receiving a spam call. The catch is that, for now, only calls between the two networks will be eligible for the "Caller Verified" label.
Hulu buys AT&T's stake, leaving Comcast and Disney as owners
Those rumors of AT&T ditching its stake in Hulu have proven true, although it didn't necessarily play out as expected. The telecom has reached a deal to sell its 9.5 percent stake in Hulu (worth about $1.43 billion) back to the joint venture. It's not certain exactly how this will shift the balance of power or affect content, but Hulu chief Randy Freer said AT&T's WarnerMedia would stay a "valued partner" for "years to come."
FTC will examine privacy policies at major internet providers
Just because American internet providers are facing looser privacy regulations doesn't mean they're avoiding all scrutiny. The Federal Trade Commission has ordered AT&T, Comcast, Google Fiber, T-Mobile and Verizon (Engadget's parent company) to hand over information on their privacy policies and practices as part of an investigation. Now that these ISPs are "vertically integrated" companies that provide ad-supported content in addition to broadband, the FTC wants to better understand their approaches to privacy and prevent "unfair and deceptive" behavior.
Comcast launches Xfinity Flex internet streaming TV
Comcast's latest bundle isn't a cable TV service, exactly, since it's aimed at the increasing number of subscribers who only have internet. Xfinity Flex will tie together paid internet video services as well as free ad-supported options in what VP Matt Strauss called a "unified experience, similar to what we've done on X1." Xfinity Flex costs $5 per month (in addition to the internet service customers already have) for access and comes with a 4K and HDR-ready wireless set-top box with an X1 voice remote. It's scheduled to launch March 26th, and will be available to customers who have Comcast internet.
