T-Mobile has confirmed this evening that as many as 15 million of its customers have been affected by a data breach. As the company is quick to point out, however, the breach did not occur on its servers, but rather its credit partner’s, Experian.
If you’re one of the many excited to get one of Google’s new Nexus devices, but you would rather pay for one over time rather than outright (or if you’re just looking to become a Project Fi subscriber), I have some good news. Although not exactly mentioned in detail today, you can grab either phone from Project Fi on an installment plan…
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T-Mobile has announced that it’s going to seriously clamp down on any users using unauthorized methods to get around its tethering cap. Those caught using more data than they should be on the highest tier, unlimited Simple Choice plan will be warned to stop, before being moved down to the entry-level plan. This move is aimed specifically at smartphone users who deliberately break T-Mo’s terms and conditions using workarounds to conceal their tethering usage.
The magenta carrier published an updated FAQ page on its support site stating that some customers have been blowing way past the 7GB tethering limit on the highest Simple Choice plan. Some using as much as 2TB (2000GB) of data on their mobile plan. Its biggest concern is the experience created for others. With people using the network so heavily, it can ruin the network performance for everyone else. The carrier has developed a software to detect those using workarounds and will initially warn users. If they carry on abusing the network, then they get moved on to a plan with just 1GB data (including tethering).
We’re first warning these customers that they’re illegally using more data than they bought. We hope folks will stop on their own so they can keep their current plan. These customers are on an unlimited 4G LTE smartphone plan that includes a set amount of Smartphone Mobile HotSpot data, but they’re using workarounds to make their tethering look like smartphone usage which helps them use significantly more 4G LTE tethering than their plan includes.
Once they’re on a plan with a set amount of 4G LTE data, it won’t matter what method they use for Smartphone Mobile HotSpot. Once they use their 4G LTE data bucket, they’ll continue to be able to use data at reduced speeds and still never worry about overages.
T-Mobile will start communicating these changes with its customers from today and notes that only a very small percentage of its customers have been discovered to be concealing their tethering. Despite it being a very small fraction of the customer base, it has a “disproportionately negative impact” on the experience for everyone else.
In case you didn’t notice (which is basically no one at this point, thanks to the more-than-loud John Legere), T-Mobile has tried to be as disruptive as possible over the last couple years. And now, Sprint, which has long been the third-largest mobile carrier in the United States, is admitting defeat. It seems T-Mobile’s tactics are working, and Sprint’s first fiscal quarter report released today shows that its 56.8 million subscribers are just shy of the 58.9 million that T-Mobile reported it had last month.
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If you’ve been following our thoughts on this year’s flagship smartphones, you know that we think that Samsung’s offerings are some of the best. The Korean company really stepped up their game with the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, introducing a much more premium build, a cleaned up version of TouchWiz, and internals that are worthy of 2015. In that vein, the Galaxy S6 Active is pretty much identical. It has a really nice hard plastic body, the same less-horrible TouchWiz, and the exact same internal specifications as its standard S6 brethren. But it’s not perfect, and there are always going to be compromises. Maybe fewer compromises than ever before, but compromises nonetheless…
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Carriers have just begun announcing availability of the newly-unveiled LG G4 flagship, and it looks like the device will start hitting the major carriers sometime during the summer. Sprint says the phone will be available in June, while T-Mobile has launched an early-access sweepstakes (but has yet to announce general availability).
We’ll keep this post updated as more carriers announce their plans for the new phone…
Update: Verizon says that the phone is coming “soon.”
https://twitter.com/VZWnews/status/593083505384493057
T-Mobile has today unveiled what it hopes will be the next-generation of network maps, breathing new life into the carrier coverage maps of old. T-Mobile says that its new “Next-Gen Network Map” is the industry’s first crowd-sourced map, and reflects “near real-time customer experiences.”
T-Mobile CEO John Legere is known for trolling his competitors, and it looks like he decided to—in the spirit of the season, of course—mock them some more as a Christmas gift. T-Mobile has spent the entire year going through several different “uncarrier” events (now totaling eight), attacking its competitors and introducing services and features that it hopes will set it apart. And as Legere touches on in the below video, plenty of people seem to have been convinced that switching is worth their time…
Sprint will offer an unlocking service for all devices on its network released after February 11, 2015, according to the company’s unlocking policy (via Android Police). This means that Sprint will support unlocking a device to use it on other carriers in the United States, as the company calls this a “domestic unlock.”
This change is due to various factors. More devices offer compatibility with both GSM and CDMA networks than ever before. More importantly, however, are the newer agreements between carriers. Sprint has signed the CTIA’s Consumer Code for Wireless Service, which includes an Unlocking Commitment statement. These new policy changes bring Sprint’s stance on unlocking devices in compliance with these standards.
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Earlier this year, HTC announced a new HTC Advantage program that offered premium support to its customers at an added cost. According to a new report, Google may soon launch something of its own that offers a premium Android support and sale experience. Android Police reports that Google is planning to launch a new “Android Silver” program that will work with customers to help solve issues they have after they purchase an Android device.
According to the report, Android Silver will only be compatible with select devices, chosen by Google. The qualifications for the program are stringent and include the fact that a device “run the latest version of Android with no or very limited customizations” in order to qualify. Google will only support 5 handsets at a time and they will not be ones sold be Google. Instead, the company plans to focus strictly on carrier partnerships for Silver.
T-Mobile’s John Legere somehow managed to sneak into a party thrown by arch-rival AT&T for its developers at CES tonight. Though he told Re/code that he was only there to see a performance by Macklemore (riiight), the “un-carrier” CEO—clad in his trademark magenta “T”-shirt (sorry)—was soon escorted from the facility by un-amused security.
Legere has made himself out as AT&T’s biggest fear in recent weeks, mocking his nemesis on Twitter without reservation. AT&T certainly isn’t helping their own case with new attempts to lure away T-Mobile subscribers by offering up to $450 in credit. Legere seems to have another trick up his sleeve, though, and has teased that the fourth phase of his “un-carrier” initiative will be revealed at CES this week.
First we got an official look at the Nexus 5 when Google itself leaked images of the device prematurely on Google Play earlier this month. Those images were quickly followed with a high-quality press shot for Canadian carrier Telus. In case you needed more proof that Google’s Nexus 5 announcement is right around the corner, today often reliable leaker @Evleaks posted the press shot above that seems to lineup with the previous leaks. Google has been rumored to announce the device sometime towards the end of the month, so we’d expect it to send out invites for a Nexus related event any day now.
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T-Mobile has just sent out an invite to a July 10th press event in New York City. The invite doesn’t offer many details as to what we can expect, but the carrier does tease that we will see its “boldest moves yet.” It could be that announcement has something to do with its Uncarrier plans, as we’ve heard whispers of a “phase two” happening on July 14th, but it seems unlikely that an event would be held for just that. It’s also possible that the company will simply be formally announcing the Xperia Z, which we’ve heard will come on July 17th.
We’ll be sure to let you know whatever T-Mobile announces that day, no matter what it is.
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AT&T just revealed its 4G LTE now blankets over 150 million people across the United States, more than doubling where it stood at the end of 2011 in terms of people covered, and now it plans to push full steam ahead by expanding to 103 markets total, with more expected by the end of 2012.
The carrier further noted its 4G LTE coverage is “part of the nation’s largest 4G network” that services 3,000 more 4G areas than Verizon currently does (although much of that is slower HSPA 4G).
Moreover, as AT&T’s 4G LTE coverage continues to widen, customers can access 4G speeds “outside of 4G LTE areas on the nation’s largest 4G network, unlike competitors, whose smartphone customers fall back to slower 3G technologies when outside of LTE coverage.”
4G LTE expansions announced today:
Today’s expansion notice comes just two days after the carrier also announced its 4G LTE network would light up in Daytona Beach, Fla. Denver, Colo., Louisville, K.Y., Milwaukee, Wis., Provo-Orem, Utah, Tacoma, Wash., York, Pa., and Washington D.C.
This article is cross-posted on 9to5Mac.
Get the full press release below.
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Confirming our report from last night, Google has told The Verge that they have no affiliation whatsoever with Carrier IQ, but rather the OEMs of Android handsets do.
We do not have an affiliation with CarrierIQ. Android is an open source effort and we do not control how carriers or OEMs customize their devices.
Carrier IQ news has blown up this afternoon, after being found on numerous handsets currently offered on the market. While Verizon has said that Carrier IQ can’t be found on their devices, Apple, RIM, Nokia, Windows Mobile, and most Android devices do have the tracking software. For now, if you’re Android device is affected you can install CyanogenMod or just wait for all of this to blow over after an update, in a few days.
Carrier IQ’s statement:
