Latest OpenSignal report details just how rare mmWave 5G coverage still is
Opensignal is out with its latest studies on 5G coverage and performance in the US. Through the first part of 2021, T-Mobile is still leading the 5G race when it comes to availability and average speeds. But AT&T and Verizon were able to outperform the Uncarrier with their 5G games and video experiences. And a fascinating finding is how rarely users are actually connected to mmWave 5G.
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Tips and tricks to test carrier coverage with iPhone before switching networks
Making the jump to a new carrier can often sound appealing whether it’s the incentives, the hopes of better coverage, pricing, or all of the above. However, the reality is that switching can be a commitment (even without contracts) and it’s no fun to make the move only to realize you’ve made a mistake. Let’s look at some tips and tricks to test carrier coverage with iPhone before committing to switching.
Expand Expanding CloseReport: T-Mobile winning 5G race in the US, Verizon continues to lead 4G experience
A pair of reports are out today from Opensignal detailing the state of 5G as well as the broader mobile experience in the US. The findings include T-Mobile leading the 5G race when it comes to availability and speed. Meanwhile, Verizon was able to pick up two wins for 5G video experiences and continues to lead the 4G experience.
Expand Expanding CloseAT&T announces efforts to maintain network stability ahead of Hurricane Sally impacts
US carrier AT&T today announced efforts to maintain the stability of its network and allow consumers to remain connected ahead of the impacts of Hurricane Sally, which is expected to hit the Gulf Coast on Tuesday. AT&T will offer discounted power accessories and flexible payment arrangements for those in affected states.
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T-Mobile and AT&T says ‘too expensive’ to prove coverage claims
With carrier claims about both LTE and 5G coverage not always reflecting reality, the FCC has said that carriers should have to prove coverage claims. However, both T-Mobile and AT&T are objecting to this, claiming to it would be too expensive for them to do so …
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Ad watchdog ‘recommends’ that Verizon stop making misleading 5G claims
The National Advertising Division (NAD) has ‘recommended’ that Verizon stop making misleading 5G claims. The carrier was found to have been running ads which implied that its 5G coverage was both faster and more extensive than it really is …
[Update: T-Mobile rolls out fix, not DDoS attack] All four major carriers reportedly experiencing network disruptions
What looks like a major outage has hit T-Mobile while Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint this afternoon are also seeing issues. Hundreds of thousands of T-Mobile customers are saying they can’t make calls and texts with some having no Internet connection too. The problems for all four carriers appear to be nationwide.
Did your city make the list? AT&T expands 5G to 130 new markets ahead of iPhone 12
AT&T continues to swiftly expand the availability of its low-band 5G network across the United States. The carrier today announced that customers in 137 new markets can now access low-band 5G on compatible devices.
Streaming HBO Max won’t count against your AT&T data limit, company confirms
HBO Max officially launched to the public last week, with new applications for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. The Verge now reports that HBO Max will be excused from AT&T’s mobile data limits. This means you can stream HBO Max through your AT&T mobile data, without it counting toward your data cap.
AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson stepping down, COO John Stankey to take helm in July
AT&T has announced today that its CEO Randall Stephenson will be stepping down at the end of Q2 with COO John Stankey to fill the role. The wireless executive shakeup comes a bit earlier than expected based on Stephenson’s previous comments.
AT&T nearly doubles the availability of its low-band 5G network to 90 new areas
AT&T is dramatically ramping up the rollout of its 5G network to new markets. The carrier is nearly doubling the availability of its low-band 5G network, bringing it to 90 new areas starting today.
AT&T suspends data caps and overage fees for broadband users during coronavirus outbreak
AT&T has announced that it will suspend all broadband usage caps as companies implement work from home policies due to the coronavirus pandemic. Following AT&T’s announcement, Motherboard reports that consumer groups and lawmakers are pressuring other ISPs to implement similar policies.
[Update: $200M fine proposed] FCC investigation finds wireless carriers broke federal law by selling user location data
Just about a year ago, it came to light just how easy it was to buy the real-time location data of US wireless customers via lax carrier standards, shady third-parties, and bounty hunters. Now after an “extensive investigation” the FCC has declared that “one or more wireless carriers apparently violated federal law.”
T-Mobile tops Verizon to earn best ‘wireless purchase experience’ in J.D. Power study
J.D. Power is out with its latest study looking at the best wireless purchase experience in the US. T-Mobile came in first place, beating out Verizon and AT&T when it came to overall satisfaction.
T-Mobile catches up with 4G leader Verizon as 5G rolls out, AT&T offers fastest downloads
Opensignal is out today with its Mobile Network Experience Report for the US covering the second half of 2019. While Verizon did take home the most awards overall, T-Mobile almost had as good of a rating for 4G availability ahead of 5G rolling out more widely. And AT&T took the prize for the fastest download speeds.
AT&T 5G swaps pretence for the real thing, launching in 10 cities today
iPhone and iPad users were rather surprised to see an AT&T 5G E symbol appear back in February. Surprised partly because AT&T didn’t have a 5G network at the time, and partly because no current iPhone or iPad could connect to one anyway.
What AT&T launched then was a fake 5G which was really just a form of LTE that had existed since 2014. It’s continued to use the misleading symbol despite a lawsuit and full page ad designed to draw attention to the fakery, but has now finally launched the real thing …
AT&T is giving some users 15GB of ‘bonus’ data, but it comes with a mandatory price hike
If you’re on one of AT&T’s older Mobile Share Value data plans, a price hike is on the way. The Verge reports today that AT&T is emailing customers to inform them that prices are increasing by $10 – but that the plans are also adding 15GB of “bonus data.”
AT&T to pay out $60 million to consumers for misleading ‘unlimited’ data claims
The Federal Trade Commission has revealed the details of its settlement with AT&T. The FTC says that AT&T will pay out $60 million to current and former subscribers who were affected by the carrier’s misleading “unlimited data” promises.
AT&T looks to match Apple TV+ and Disney+ promos with free HBO Max for subscribers
While Apple TV+ and Disney+ are both slated to launch in less than a month, the debut of HBO Max is also on the horizon. In a new interview with Retuers, AT&T COO John Stankey said that the company will give HBO Max to current subscribers for free.
AT&T reaches settlement with FTC over throttling of ‘unlimited’ data customers
The long-running battle between the FTC and AT&T over data throttling practices has finally reached the end. The two parties have reached a settlement in the case that originally began in 2014, according to a report from Reuters.
Carriers throttle online video regardless of network congestion, show tests
More than 650,000 tests reveal that US carriers throttle online video on their mobile networks, and do this whether or not those networks are congested.
All four of the main carriers were found to be engaged in this, though the video services they throttled varied…
Spotify Premium now bundled with AT&T’s top unlimited plan as Apple Music competition heats up
Spotify has partnered with AT&T to bundle free premium subscriptions for the music streaming service to those with an “Unlimited &More” plan. Meanwhile, AT&T users with other plans will be able to get a six month free trial of Spotify Premium.
Verizon cruises to best overall US carrier title in new study, AT&T comes in second
After a large-scale study yesterday gave Verizon top honors for best LTE availability and best video experience, RootMetrics is out today with its own large-scale study of US mobile carriers. While Verizon performed best in both studies, this latest report has AT&T in a solid second place instead of T-Mobile.
Verizon defeats AT&T for best LTE in network study, T-Mobile tops network speeds
A new cellular network study from OpenSignal published today takes a look at how the four major US carriers stack up across five key attributes. Verizon took the top spot for best LTE network availability, T-Mobile had both the fastest download and upload speeds, while AT&T tied for lowest network latency. Read on for all the details about how the carriers performed.