If the internet is an information superhighway, 5G users are riding in the fastest lane. Fresno residents with 5G devices can surf the web, download movies, play online games, and even participate in the now-dreaded Zoom meetings without delay or lagging. But your access to 5G could depend on your...
Widespread Internet Outages Hit Major Area of U.S.
Internet users across the northeast U.S. reported widespread outages Tuesday. In an emailed statement 90 minutes after the outage was first reported, Verizon said it was working on the problem hurting Fios service “throughout the Northeast corridor” and that some service had already been restored. The telecom giant had reported...
Verizon, AT&T Reach $116 Million California Settlement
SACRAMENTO — The nation's largest cellphone providers will pay a combined $116 million under a settlement approved Thursday in a California lawsuit alleging that they overcharged government customers for wireless services over more than a decade. Verizon will pay $68 million and AT&T Mobility $48 million to settle claims that...
Did You Get a Weird Text? Here's What Happened
If you woke up to a weird text that seemed totally out of place, you aren't alone. A mysterious wave of missives swept America's phones overnight, delivering confusing messages from friends, family and the occasional ex. Friends who hadn't talked to each other in months were jolted into chatting. Others...
Analysis: Why Is Your Cable Bill So High? The Experts Break It Down
Every month, millions of Americans bemoan the size of their cable bills. It’s quite enraging, too: a cable company like Comcast or Verizon may advertise a certain monthly price for cable, but when you get the bill in the mail, you end up paying a lot more due to all...
Justice Department OKs T-Mobile's $26.5B Sprint Deal
WASHINGTON — U.S. regulators are approving T-Mobile's $26.5 billion takeover of rival Sprint, despite fears of higher prices and job cuts. Friday's approval by the Justice Department and five state attorneys general comes after Sprint and T-Mobile agreed to conditions that would set up satellite-TV provider Dish as a fourth...
Robocalls Slammed My Phone. Are the Big Carriers Fighting This?
The phone tone warbled on my trusty, two-year-old Android. I looked at the screen. It wasn't a familiar number, but had Fresno's 559 area code. I accepted the call. A robotic, male voice began to alert me that my Social Security number had been suspended because of suspicious activity. Oh,...
Huawei Says US Sanctions Will Cost It Billions in Revenue
SHENZHEN, China — Huawei's founder said Monday that the Chinese telecom giant's revenue will be $30 billion less than forecast over the next two years, as he compared the company to a "badly damaged plane" as a result of U.S. government actions against it. "We never thought that the U.S.'s...
Can Wireless Challenge Cable for Home Internet Service?
NEW YORK — Cellular companies such as Verizon are looking to challenge traditional cable companies with residential internet service that promises to be ultra-fast, affordable and wireless. Using an emerging wireless technology known as 5G, Verizon's 5G Home service provides an alternative to cable for connecting laptops, phones, TVs and...
With FCC Net Neutrality Ruling, U.S. Could Lose Lead in Online Consumer Protection
The internet may be an international system of interconnecting networks sharing a rough global consensus about the technical details of communicating through them – but each country manages its own internet environment independently. As the U.S. debate about the role of government in overseeing and regulating the internet continues, it’s...