AT&T

AT&T adds free international messaging to Mobile Share plans

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

Following T-Mobile's lead, AT&T announced today that it is adding unlimited international text messaging to all of its Mobile Share and Mobile Share Value plans. The free package will allow subscribers to send text and multimedia messages from the US to over 100 countries.

Additionally, the carrier introduced a new World Connect Value package for international calling. With it, post-paid AT&T customers can make one cent -per minute calls from the US to more than 35 countries, including Canada, Mexico and the Virgin Islands, for $5 per month...

AT&T launches international LTE roaming in 13 additional countries

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 24, 2018

AT&T, the nation's second-largest wireless carrier, last December started offering international LTE roaming to customers traveling abroad. The deal initially launched in partnership with Canada's Rogers Communications and later expanded to UK's EE.

Today, the company announced an expansion of LTE roaming agreements in partnership with an additional thirteen carriers around the world, including Australia, France, Japan, Spain and Singapore...

AT&T tops Verizon in customer service survey, T-Mobile most improved

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

J.D. Power and Associates published its bi-annual report on wireless customer care performance this week, ranking the top 4 US carriers based on various stats related to customer service.

The marketing research firm asked more than 7,000 subscribers how satisfied they were with the customer service they received from their cell phone provider, and here is how they scored...

Incipio’s Cashwrap NFC iPhone case now available to Verizon customers

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 25, 2018

Case maker Incipio two weeks ago announced its new iPhone case, the Cashwrap. It brings mobile wallet functionality to the iPhone 4/4s/5/5s by incorporating NFC technology. The case is compatible with the carrier-backed Isis Mobile Wallet app which makes it possible to pay with your device at participating retailers, mass transit systems and more, using an Iris account.

AT&T initially rolled out the Cashwrap to its own retail stores and yesterday the accessory became available to order in Verizon stores nationwide and from the Big Red carrier’s online store...

Senate asks Apple and other tech companies for distracted driving solutions

Cody Lee ∙ February 7, 2014

The US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation host a daylong summit yesterday to discuss the growing problem of distracted driving. Drivers texting and doing other phone-related activities are now causing more than 1 million accidents per year.

A number of representatives from major tech companies attended the summit, including executives from Google, Samsung, AT&T, Sprint and Apple. The Senate is asking that they all work together to come up with more robust technical solutions to distracted driving...

AT&T launches new family plans with ‘best-ever’ prices

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

In an effort to fend off T-Mobile's 'Un-carrier' attack, and stay competitive with Verizon, AT&T announced a new set of family plans this afternoon. The plans include unlimited talk and text and then a bucket of 10GB of data that can be shared by all of the accompanying devices.

But the big news here is the pricing. AT&T is saying that these new plans come with the best-ever prices, and at first glance, they do look appealing. For instance, the entry-level option costs just $130 per month with unlimited talk, text and then 10GB of data for 2 smartphones...

AT&T offering $100 per-line bill credit to new and existing customers

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 29, 2014

Apparently in response to T-Mobile's ongoing Un-carrier initiative, the second-largest U.S. carrier, AT&T, on Wednesday announced a new time-limited promotion that incenitivizes both existing and new subscribers with a $100 credit.

Customers are invited to activate a qualifying wireless line for any smartphone, feature phone, tablet, wireless home phone, MiFi puck or other connected device to claim their $100 bill credit per each line...

T-Mobile steps up rhetoric with newspaper ad likening AT&T to Death Star

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 16, 2018

T-Mobile persists in its anti-AT&T rhetoric and today marks a new chapter in AT&T trash-talking as the nation's fourth-largest wireless company puts out a press release ridiculing AT&T's $450 incentive for T-Mobile subscribers to switch.

Conveniently timed on the same day that AT&T released its Christmas quarter earnings report, the press release argues that AT&T's offer makes T-Mobile's own incentive to pay ETFs to switch a no-brainer because AT&T customers can now go to T-Mobile and then come back at no cost.

Seriously, if a customer takes advantage of T-Mobile's ETF offer and later decides he or she dislikes it for whatever reason, AT&T will pay $450 to take them back so they don't really lose anything. The Deutsche Telekom-owned operator has also revealed advertisements that should appear in print newspapers today to communicate this message nationwide...

Despite T-Mobile’s Un-carrier, AT&T adds 809,000 new subscribers in Christmas quarter

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

The nation's second-largest wireless carrier, AT&T, yesterday reported its Christmas quarter earnings revealing steady growth, despite T-Mobile's taunts and its Un-carrier initiative. Although AT&T (and Verizon) stopped divulging iPhone activations, the carrier confirmed selling 7.9 million smartphones in the quarter, a decline from the 10.2 million smartphones it activated a year ago.

They added a cool 1.2 million new subscribers and upgrades by old subscribers. Of that number, 809,000 connections were new subscribers and 566,000 were postpaid wireless customers with a contract. Go past the fold for the full breakdown...

AT&T and Incipio introduce new ‘Cashwrap’ NFC iPhone case

Cody Lee ∙ January 24, 2014

Incipio announced today the launch of its new Cashwrap Mobile Wallet Case for the iPhone 4, 4S, 5, and 5s. The case features NFC tech, and works with the Isis Mobile Wallet app that lets users pay with their smartphones at participating retailers.

The accessory-maker has teamed up with AT&T to bring the Cashwrap to the masses, and it will be available in the company's stores starting this month. The goal here is to get more iPhone owners using the carrier-backed Isis for mobile payments...

FCC chairman talks AT&T’s controversial ‘Sponsored Data’ program at CES

Cody Lee ∙ January 8, 2014

AT&T raised more than a few eyebrows on Monday when it announced a new 'Sponsored Data' program. The goal of the program is essentially to offer a way for companies to pick up the tab for 4G data usage whenever specific products or services are being used.

Initial feedback to the announcement has been a mix of "what an interesting idea" and complaints from net neutrality advocates. And today, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler chimed in, using his time at CES to discuss his off-the-cuff thoughts on AT&T's proposition...

T-Mobile buys airwaves from Verizon, John Legere crashes AT&T’s CES 2014 party

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 16, 2018

As first hinted back in November, Deutsche Telekom-owned Un-carrier, T-Mobile USA, just bought $3.3 billion worth of spectrum from Verizon Wireless, the nation's top wireless carrier announced yesterday. The newly gained 700MHz spectrum licenses from Verizon should allow T-Mobile to take advantage of the low-band airwaves in nine of the top ten U.S. markets and 21 of the top 30.

What's in it for you? Think better 4G coverage in rural areas and inside buildings. T-Mobile paid $2.36 billion in cash and $950 million worth of spectrum, by the way.

Oh, and T-Mobile's CEO John Legere trolled AT&T’s CES 2014 party like a boss and got thrown out in the process. More on that right below...