Rumors started swirling three weeks ago that T-Mobile and Verizon could be interested in carving up UScellular. At the time, it was believed a deal with T-Mobile was closer, with a likely value of more than $2 billion. In contrast, a deal with Verizon was seen as uncertain.

T-Mobile says it has reached a deal with UScellular to pay roughly $4.4 billion for UScellular assets, “in a combination of cash and up to $2.0 billion of debt to be assumed by T-Mobile through an exchange offer to be made to certain UScellular debtholders prior to closing.”

The deal will give T-Mobile control of “substantially all of UScellular’s wireless operations,” including the company’s customers and “certain specified spectrum assets.”

T-Mobile says UScellular’s spectrum help it improve its rural coverage.

“With this deal T-Mobile can extend the superior Un-carrier value and experiences that we’re famous for to millions of UScellular customers and deliver them lower-priced, value-packed plans and better connectivity on our best-in-class nationwide 5G network,” said Mike Sievert, CEO of T-Mobile. “As customers from both companies will get more coverage and more capacity from our combined footprint, our competitors will be forced to keep up – and even more consumers will benefit. The Un-carrier is all about shaking up wireless for the good of consumers and this deal is another way for us to continue doing even more of that.”

“T-Mobile’s purchase and integration of UScellular’s wireless operations will provide best-in-class connectivity to rural Americans through enhanced nationwide coverage and service offerings at more compelling price points,” said Laurent Therivel, CEO of UScellular. “The transaction provides our customers access to better coverage and speeds, as well as unlimited texting in more than 215 countries, content offers, device upgrades and other T-Mobile benefits.”

T-Mobile is well-known for its Uncarrier initiative, giving customers the features they want at a reasonable price. As a result, the company’s announced price hike was unexpected, as the T-Mobile has not raised prices on legacy customers for years.

Unfortunately, the company is now raising prices on those accounts $5 per line per month, and $2 per line per month for connected device plans, such as tablets and wearables.

The company was quick to point out that this is the first such price hike in nearly a decade, and that it is still cheaper than its competitors.

We’re committed to offering the best value in wireless.

Even with these changes, T-Mobile customers still pay less, saving an average of approximately 20% vs AT&T and Verizon for comparable services and streaming.

?You’ll keep all the benefits you currently enjoy, including access to America’s largest and fastest 5G network, and no further action is needed from you.

It’s a common practice within the wireless industry to give new customers incentives to switch. Often, however, existing customers are left in the cold, unable to benefit from those deals despite their loyalty to the brand.

Metro is looking to change that with its new Metro Flex plan.

“Think about this, if two people walk into a prepaid store and one is brand new and the other is a five-year customer, only one of them gets the best deal on a new smartphone … and it’s not the longtime customer! Talk about some major yada yada,” said Jon Freier, President, T-Mobile Consumer Group. “Prepaid customers have been taken for granted for far too long, so we’re taking a stand today with Metro Flex. Now, customers get a free phone when they join and the same great phone deals as new customers when they stay — and it’s all because Metro is the only prepaid provider that values your business.”

Under the new plan, customers can switch to Metro and receive a free 5G phone. Existing customers can trade in their phone every 1, 2, or 3 years and take advantage of the same Metro Flex deals available to new customers.

That’s all there is to it. Just bring your current number and ID and get our best deals on devices from top brands like Samsung, Motorola and REVVL (more on that in a minute!). Plans start at $50/month with AutoPay ($55 today and $50 after that when you sign up for AutoPay). You’ll have the comfort of knowing that when it’s time for a new phone, you’ll get the same great deals as new customers on select devices, because it’s all part of the plan.

Satellite-based cellular networks are becoming an important factor in providing coverage to remote areas. T-Mobile inked a deal with SpaceX in mid-2022 to provide coast-to-coast coverage, thanks to satellite-based service.

AT&T’s deal with AST SpaceMobile extends until 2030, with the latter deploying its first commercial satellites this summer. Like SpaceX, AST SpaceMobile is deploying low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, meaning they provide faster speeds and lower latency than traditional satellite services of the last decade. As a result, LEO satellite constellations can often rival terrestrial broadband services.

Because the satellites are being used to deliver traditional cellular service, customers benefit by being able to use the service with their existing phones, rather than being required to buy satellite-specific phones.

“Space-based direct-to-mobile technology is designed to provide customers connectivity by complementing and integrating with our existing mobile network,” said Jeff McElfresh, Chief Operating Officer, AT&T. “This agreement is the next step in our industry leadership to use emerging satellite technologies to provide services to consumers and in locations where connectivity was not previously feasible.”

“Working together with AT&T has paved the way to unlock the potential of space-based cellular broadband directly to everyday smartphones. We are thrilled to solidify our collaboration through this landmark agreement,” said Abel Avellan, AST SpaceMobile Founder, Chairman, and CEO. “We aim to bring seamless, reliable service to consumers and businesses across the continental U.S., transforming the way people connect and access information.”

AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon sell “unlimited” plans, but have not always been clear about the real limits of those plans. In many cases, once users reach certain data usage thresholds, the quality and speed of service is reduced until the next billing cycle.

“New Yorkers, and all Americans, deserve to know that when they buy a service or product, they will be treated fairly and can trust what the seller is saying,” said Attorney General Letitia James. “AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile lied to millions of consumers, making false promises of free phones and ‘unlimited’ data plans that were simply untrue. Big companies are not excused from following the law and cannot trick consumers into paying for services they will never receive. We will continue to go after companies that hurt everyday Americans and try to take advantage of this basic and critical service.”

The settlement requires the three carriers to pay $10,224,135 and to clarify their advertising and marketing. In particular, “unlimited” plans can only be marketed as such if there are no limits on the amount of data used per billing cycle.

The settlement also requires carriers to be more upfront regarding promotions that offer “free” phones and devices, including what consumers must do to qualify. The carriers must also disclose the terms of promotions that promise to pay customers to switch from other carriers, as well as to have a reasonable basis to advertising the “savings” customers will experience from switching.

Carriers will also be required to appoint personnel to work with state AGs to address consumer complaints.

In addition, the companies must appoint a dedicated representative to work with the attorneys general to address ordinary complaints filed by consumers. They must also train their customer service representatives to comply with the terms of the agreement and implement and enforce a program to ensure compliance.

The settlement addresses many of the common sense complaints consumers have had regarding wireless carriers for years.

U.S. Cellular is one of the largest, and last, regional carriers that is well-liked by its users. The company has reportedly been struggling to compete against the three national carriers and leading to a possible sale.

According to The Wall Street Journal, T-Mobile and Verizon are in talks to buy different parts of the business in hopes that split-sale deal will avoid regulatory issues. T-Mobile’s deal could be valued at more than $2 billion and could wrap up as early as this month. Verizon’s deal is not nearly as far along as T-Mobile’s, and may not even result in a deal.

WSJ says the rising cost of wireless licenses is a major motivation for the deal. U.S. Cellular has spectrum in 30 states, covering more than 50 million people, meaning the company can cash in at a time when those licenses are commanding a premium.

If U.S. Cellular does sell its operations, it will mark the end of an era for the wireless industry.

Neutral Host Network is designed to overcome one of the major challenges organizations have with mobile networks, namely spotty coverage in a particular area with one or more of the major networks that provide coverage. This can result in some personnel having a strong signal, while others are barely able to use their device. Neutral Host Network solves this issue by working with all major carriers that opt in, giving users access to the strongest available signal.

Cummins has signed on to use Neutral Host Network, along with Verizon’s Private 5G.

The Verizon Neutral Host Network allows employees and visitors to enjoy a strengthened mobile signal on the grounds of the plant, and the Verizon Private 5G Network will help transform the facility to adopt additional industrial use cases now or as needed in the future. These uses include autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for handling and transporting materials, computer vision for defect detection, AR/VR for training and troubleshooting, sensors for machine health monitoring, and proprietary applications governing secure onsite operations.

“I am thrilled for the potential that the Neutral host and Private 5G Networks will provide at JEP to expand our communications using wireless technologies,” said Shawn Hricko, Plant Manager at Cummins Jamestown Engine Plant. “These increased capabilities will allow us to implement Industry 4.0 strategies more quickly and more reliably. The improved functionality will enable team members to communicate with one another more effectively, allow us to share more data across equipment and enable our ability to implement mobile Industrial robots (MIRs). Collectively, these improvements will enable us to produce our engines more safely, more efficiently and with improved quality, which is a win for Cummins and our customers who rely on our products on a daily basis.”

“Cummins’ technology- and innovation-focused approach to doing business allows them to get the most out of this dynamic Neutral Host and Private 5G combination,” said Jennifer Artley, Senior Vice President of 5G Acceleration, Verizon Business. “All the connectivity bases are covered with this solution, and the efficient architecture makes it cost-effective, easy to maintain, and easy to add onto as operations grow and evolve. Plus, employees and guests onsite can keep their normal cellular connectivity without any headaches or extra steps. It’s a truly holistic solution.”

T-Mobile Home Internet is an unlimited cellular-based internet option that offers 4G and 5G service, depending on tower availability. The service is especially popular for customers in locations that lack traditional high-seed internet options.

In the past, T-Mobile requires users to sign up with an address that fell within an area the company serviced with its Home Internet. However, it was easy to give the company a different address, and then use the service wherever the user wanted—including an address that wasn’t technically covered. Still others used the service on-the-go, such as when RVing around the country.

According to The Mobile Report, the company is changing its policy, forcing users to verify their location in order to use the service. The company says the measure is necessary to ensure its network doesn’t get overloaded, especially in areas that don’t have the capacity to support Home Internet.

T-Mobile does provide options for mobile users, but they are significantly more expensive and have limited data.The company is clearly going to try to push mobile Home Internet users to those plans.

T-Mobile previously introduced throttling for new customers who used large quantities of data, but long-time customers were exempt. According to The Mobile Report, that is changing as the company expands the throttling to all customers who use more than 1.2TB in a month.

As the outlet goes on to point out, there’s still much we don’t know about the new limit. Some reports suggest Home Internet users may be prioritized higher than they were before, up to the 1.2TB limit, meaning they could actually see improved performance as long as they stay under the cap.

Either way, 1.2TB is high enough that the vast majority of users probably won’t be impacted.

The FCC is preparing to re-introduce net neutrality, legislation that would prohibit carriers from penalizing certain traffic, either by type or by competitor. Professor van Schewick says there’s much to like about the FCC’s net neutrality rules.

The FCC released its draft rules early in April and there’s much to celebrate in them. Mobile carriers like T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon that have been degrading video quality for mobile users will have to stop. The FCC kept in place state neutrality protections like California’s net neutrality law, allowing for layers of enforcement. The FCC also made it harder for ISPs to evade net neutrality at the point where data enters their networks.

She then goes on to say that the rules do leave a large loophole for carriers to exploit.

However, there’s a huge problem: the proposed rules make it possible for mobile ISPs to start picking applications and putting them in a fast lane – where they’ll perform better generally and much better if the network gets congested.

T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon are all testing ways to create these 5G fast lanes for apps such as video conferencing, games, and video where the ISP chooses and controls what gets boosted. They use a technical feature in 5G called network slicing, where part of their radio spectrum gets used as a special lane for the chosen app or apps, separated from the usual internet traffic.

As van Schewick points out, ISPs are already openly discussing such efforts, meaning fast lanes are more than just a hypothetical problem. The professor then goes on to highlight the issue of ISPs being allowed to implement such fast lanes.

These kinds of ISP-controlled fast lanes violate core net neutrality principles and would limit user choice, distort competition, hamper startups, and help cement platform dominance.

Net neutrality means that we, the people who use the internet, get to decide what we do online, without interference from ISPs. ISPs do not get to interfere with our choices by blocking, speeding up or slowing down apps or kinds of apps. Apps compete on a level playing field, and users, not ISPs, determine which apps are successful.

Letting ISPs decide which apps get to be in a fast lane violates these principles. Apps that are in a fast lane work better than those that are not, especially when the network is busy and apps in the regular lane start suffering. If HBO Max is in a fast lane, it will continue to work well even if the network is busy, while all other video is buffering.

Differences in performance, including relative differences in performance, matter. Even small differences in load times affect how long people stay on a site, how much they pay, and whether they’ll come back. Those differences also affect how high up sites show in search results.

Thus, letting ISPs choose which apps get to be in a fast lane lets them, not users, pick winners and losers online.

The whole point of net neutrality is to provide a level playing field, ensuring carriers and ISPs cannot throttle speeds and penalize specific services, apps, or platforms. Professor van Schewick makes a compelling case that the FCC must be as diligent about shutting down internet fast lanes as it is about addressing throttling. Until that happens, ISPs will continue to exercise undue influence over the very nature of the internet and hold the keys to other companies’ success or failure.

Spam calls and texts are the bane of many cell phone users despite efforts by the FCC and carriers to combat the problem. According to Cord Cutters News, T-Mobile is ramping up it efforts with plans to fine vendors $2,000 per incident.

“These changes only impact third-party messaging vendors that send unlawful or unallowed commercial mass messaging campaigns for other businesses. The vendors will be fined if the content they are sending does not meet the standards in our code of conduct, which is in place to protect consumers from illegal or illicit content and aligns to federal and state laws.” T-Mobile said in a statement sent to the outlet.

The news was first revealed on a Vonage support page:

T-Mobile just notified Vonage that they will be implementing a new set of non-compliance fines for messaging traffic violations on all mobile channels that transverse their network (SMS and MMS Short Codes, Toll-Free Numbers and 10DLC).

Those new fines will start being applied from January 1st, 2024.

It’s good to see T-Mobile taking such an active approach to stamping out spam texts, and hopefully other carriers will follow suit.Excerpt

According to BleepingComputer, Mint began sending out emails to impacted customers on December 22.

“We are writing to inform you about a security incident we recently identified in which an unauthorized actor obtained some limited types of customer information,” reads the email.

“Our investigation indicates that certain information associated with your account was impacted.”

The outlet reports the exposed data includes Name, Telephone Number, Email, SIM serial number, IMEI number, and the service plan the customer is currently on.

Fortunately, no payment information was compromised since Mint does not save credit card numbers. The company also says customer passwords are protected by “strong cryptographic technology,” meaning they were not compromised.

As BleepingComputer points out, T-Mobile previously announced plans to purchase Mint Mobile. It’s unclear if/how the data breach will impact the deal.

National security has become a growing concern were Chinese equipment is involved, with many fearing such equipment opens US networks up to Beijing’s spying efforts. Bills have already been passed to ban Huawei, ZTE, and other companies’ equipment from networks, but lawmakers want existing equipment purged as well.

According to Fox News, the “Rip and Replace Program” that was passed in 2020 is facing a $3.08 billion shortfall. As a result, a bipartisan group of House lawmakers want to use excess COVID-19 relief funds to help make up the difference.

“If communication flows through Huawei or ZTE equipment, it should be treated as if it is being downloaded back to a server in Beijing with a full access pass for the CCP regime,” Rep. Ashley Hinson said.

“Chinese technology is embedded in communications networks across the United States, giving the Chinese Communist Party backdoor access to Americans’ personal information and sensitive data,” she added.

“The Defend our Networks Act will ensure compromised Chinese telecom equipment is replaced with secure systems so that Americans, especially those in rural areas, have reliable, secure, and private connectivity,” she continued.

The bill’s co-author, Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, praised the bipartisan effort.

“This year, the Federal Communications Commission said they can only cover less than half of the costs to remove dangerous Chinese technology from American telecommunications networks. That is simply unacceptable,” she said.

“I am proud to co-lead the Defend Our Networks Act alongside a strong coalition of bipartisan partners. This bill would strengthen the FCC’s ability to safeguard our technology, ensuring that Americans can be confident, knowing that none of our telecommunications systems are vulnerable to attacks because they contain Chinese software,” she added.

Documents leaked indicating that T-Mobile planned to force customers on older plans to upgrade to newer, more expensive ones. Customers would have the option to stay on their old plan, but doing so would require a call to customer support. A T-Mobile spokesperson confirmed the plans to CNET, but the pushback from customers caused CEO Mike Sievert to say the plans were only a test run on a limited number of accounts.

According to CNET, T-Mobile has officially killed off the plan, saying customers can keep their existing plans without a call-in.

Company execs did make clear, however, that they will need to find a way to get customers off of older plans and will continue to test different options.

The US and its allies have been working to isolate Huawei from advanced semiconductor tech. Despite sanctions, Huawei surprised the industry when it unveiled the Mate 60 Pro, a 7nm-powered smartphone manufactured by Chinese firm SMIC. Officials have been trying to determine how Huawei was able to produce 7nm chips, something no one believed was possible.

According to Bloomberg, it appears SMIC and Huawei used equipment from ASML to create the chips. The Netherlands had previously followed the US in banning Huawei from access to its most advanced tech, but there is no indication the sanctions were broken.

Instead, the most likely explanation is that SMIC legally purchased some of ASML’s less advanced equipment that can still produce 7nm chips. Although the ban has been extended to include that equipment, it doesn’t go into effect until January 2024.

In the meantime, Huawei and other Chinese firms are clearly showing their resilience and ability to continue being competitive despite sanctions.

The magenta carrier angered users when news broke that it planned to automatically upgrade users to more expensive plans. The company confirmed the plan to CNET, saying it would impact “a small number who were on older rate plans,” although T-Mobile did not clarify how many “a small number” meant.

According to The Mobile Report, T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert is now backtracking on the plan, saying it was taken out of context in an email to company employees:

Last week, some internal training documents were leaked to a website that covers mobile industry updates. The media quickly picked up the information and ran with it, as they often do with leaks. Unfortunately, docs like this — without more context — leave a lot of room for interpretation. In this case, it was largely inaccurate and caused a lot of confusion for our customers (rightfully so!).

I’m sure people are also asking many of you what’s going on. So I wanted to offer a bit more background to help answer questions you may be getting.

First, the biggest piece of missing context was that the leaked materials related to a very small test, which is something that is normal course for our business. Tests like these help us design new programs, offers and promotions, and, probably most important, ensure we are getting the experience right for our customers. In this case, we hope our customers will be thrilled with the new benefits and services they will eventually receive, but we’ll look forward to learning from them along the way. And as always, we’ll make adjustments or shifts as needed over time.

Sievert also emphasized the test has not yet begun, and impacted customers will be notified of the impending change when the test begins.

Sievert’s comments appear to contradict T-Mobile’s own spokesperson, who had confirmed the plan to CNET. Either way, the entire fiasco is a major misstep for a company that tries to set itself apart with its customer service.

The carrier told CNET it will begin sending out notices next week, informing customers of One, Simple Choice, Magenta and Magenta 55 Plus that they will be moved to the company’s newer plans. T-Mobile estimates there will be an increase of approximately $10 per line, or $5 per line if AutoPay is enabled.

“We’re always looking for ways to give our customers more from our services so we’re moving a small number who were on older rate plans to newer plans that will deliver them enhanced features,” T-Mobile told CNET.

Customers that don’t want to make the move will have to call T-Mobile customer service to remain on their existing plan. The company says customers will have a window of time to make the call, but they don’t reveal how long that window will be.

Huawei surprised the industry and US lawmakers when it announced the Mate 60 Pro, a smartphone powered by a 7nm chip made by Chinese firm SMIC. US lawmakers did not believe China was capable of manufacturing such an advanced chip, especially in the wake of US sanctions aimed at keeping such advanced tech beyond the reach of Chinese companies.

According to the Washington Examiner, Raimondo told the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology that she was upset by the news, but didn’t believe China could duplicate the results at scale.

“I was obviously upset when I saw the [Huawei announcement for the Mate 60],” Raimondo said. “The only good news I can offer is that we have no evidence they can produce 7 nanometers at scale.”

At this point in time, it is unclear if Huawei’s chip incorporates any technology obtained in violation of US sanctions.

Comcast purchased mid and low-band spectrum several years ago to build out its own 5G service. The company has started rolling out the mid-band spectrum and is offloading its low-band 600 MHz spectrum to T-Mobile.

Low-band spectrum offers superior range and building penetration, but is slower than mid and high-band spectrum. T-Mobile currently relies on low-band 600 MHz spectrum for its nationwide 5G, providing coverage in areas that are out of range for the other bands.

Comcast says T-Mobile will initially lease its 600 MHz spectrum and eventually purchase it altogether for roughly $3.3 billion.

Our 5G network field tests with CBRS spectrum have exceeded our expectations and we’ve found the band to be highly efficient and a significant part of a 5G network. This strong CBRS spectrum performance has made us realize that we are unlikely to need the 600 MHz spectrum licenses that we currently hold to support our wireless customers. As a result, we recently entered into an agreement with T-Mobile in which it will lease and eventually purchase our licenses in the 600 MHz band.

T-Mobile is already a user of 600 MHz spectrum, so it makes sense for us to enter into this “lease to purchase” arrangement so that they can put this spectrum to use in short order. We’ll continue to test with 600 MHz in our Philadelphia market and if our perspective changes, we’ve secured the option to reclaim the 600 MHz spectrum within our markets, giving us excellent optionality if we need it in the future.

The 600 MHz we are providing to T-Mobile includes a single 10 MHz license in most markets, so we don’t expect any material impact to our business. Under our agreement, Comcast will receive quarterly lease payments followed by a final payment of roughly $3.3 billion for the license purchase, which we expect to occur in 2028.

According to a statement by Qualcomm, Apple has signed a deal to use its modems in upcoming iPhone models for 2024, 2025, and 2026:

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Apple Inc. to supply Snapdragon® 5G Modem‑RF Systems for smartphone launches in 2024, 2025 and 2026. This agreement reinforces Qualcomm’s track record of sustained leadership across 5G technologies and products.

Apple has been working on developing its own modems for years since buying Intel’s modem business. Qualcomm has a stranglehold on the market, leading to bitter litigation between it and the iPhone maker in the past.

Despite Apple’s efforts, the fact that it is willing to ink a new three-year deal would seem to indicate its efforts are not going well.