U.S. telecom regulators are trying to fix faulty maps that don’t reflect which Americans have access to high-speed internet. Lawmakers and public-interest groups have lambasted the Federal Communications Commission for inaccurate maps that overstate coverage and hinder government efforts to subsidize internet service in unserved rural areas. A big part of the problem is how the FCC measures coverage.…
Senate Passes Bill Meant to Combat Robocalls
The U.S. Senate has passed a bill that aims to combat the illegal robocalls torturing Americans . Though the measure wouldn’t eliminate all unwanted calls, it would give regulators more tools to go after scammers. It would also push phone companies to adopt new technology to combat fake phone numbers popping up on caller ID.…
To Imagine the ‘5G’ Future, Revisit our Recent Wireless Past
NEW YORK (AP) — The mobile industry is cranking up its hype machine for sleek new “5G” networks that it says will make your phone and everything else faster and wonderful. If you believe the marketing. But no one can really say how 5G will change your life; many of the apps and services that…
1 US Case Against Huawei Centers Around a Robot Called Tappy
The U.S. government is alleging Chinese tech company Huawei went so far as to steal a robot’s arm in its bid to get its hands on T-Mobile’s trade secrets. The Justice Department unveiled a 10-count indictment in Seattle in a case that centers on a T-Mobile phone-testing robot named “Tappy.” It’s separate from a 13-count…
House Republicans Question Telecoms on Location Tracking
Several House Republicans asked T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon and Sprint how they share their users’ cellphone location data, citing a recent report that telecoms are selling that information to shadowy companies without customer knowledge. The lawmakers said Wednesday that they are troubled because it is not the first report of these types of data-sharing practices. They…
Richard Branson Dishes on Virgin, Space, and the Obamas
NEW YORK (AP) — British billionaire Richard Branson’s prolific Virgin brand has spanned a broad range of businesses, including record stores, banks, phones, airlines and spaceships. He’s now trying to help Sprint revitalize its Virgin Mobile brand in a U.S. wireless market that’s gotten so competitive that unlimited-data deals, once rare, are the norm. Discounts and freebies are plentiful…
Verizon Could Boost Yahoo Ad Targeting, But Challenges Ahead
NEW YORK (AP) — Verizon’s deal for Yahoo could give the phone company a stronger foothold in digital advertising as it takes what it knows about its customers’ whereabouts and combines that with Yahoo’s popular destinations and AOL’s advertising expertise. To boost traffic and revenue even more, Verizon could also ship some phones with Yahoo…
Making Sure Facebook Works at the Super Bowl
NEW YORK (AP) — It’s the pain of crowds: Texts, photos and video streams take forever or just can’t get through. You might have run into this at a concert where everyone’s trying to post selfies with the headliners at once, or at big conferences and sporting events. Fans at Sunday’s Super Bowl in Santa Clara,…
Q&A: Dissecting Criticisms of T-Mobile’s Free Video Streams
NEW YORK (AP) — T-Mobile has introduced a program that lets most customers watch video without using up their data allotment. The free program, called Binge On, is available to those who have data plans of at least 3 gigabytes. T-Mobile also reduces video quality — even for customers who don’t qualify for free video streaming —…