Service Providers

Verizon May Pay Dearly for Full Control of Its Precious
March 06, 2013

Verizon wants complete control of its joint Verizon Wireless division with Vodafone, so it is reportedly considering a merger of the two companies or a buyout. Vodafone currently holds a 45 percent stake in the wireless venture, estimated to be worth about $115 billion. The two have discussed a merger as recently as December.

The Center for Copyright Information is ready to start implementing the Copyright Alert System, it said Monday. Under the system, content partners, such as music and movie producers, will alert participating ISPs of alleged P2P copyright infringement by their customers. The ISPs will then forward those copyright alerts to the supposed offenders.

AT&T's Take on Shifting Cloud Challenges and Opportunities
February 25, 2013

Migrating to the cloud is all the rage, but companies large and small are finding that they need to move a wider variety of their daily operations to network-delivered services -- if they are available, and within their budgets. One of the world's largest service providers, global telecommunications giant AT&T, has created advanced cloud services for its business customers.

Holistic Tech Support in a DIY World
February 23, 2013

The evolving technological needs of consumers have prompted changes not only in tech support services, but also in the business strategies of technical support providers. Those providers need to adjust their business models in order to effectively meet consumers' needs and remain relevant. At first glance, many recent innovations would seem to eliminate the need for tech support.

Elevating Customer Service to the Next Level
February 21, 2013

Do you dread calling a company to get customer support? Most of us do. We are on hold forever and the problem drags on way too long, leaving brand loyalty damaged. Some companies are solving that problem by partnering with Support.com -- building customer loyalty, developing a competitive advantage, and turning a profit at the same time.

DoJ Tosses Monkey Wrench Into Sprint-Softbank Merger Plans
January 30, 2013

Citing national security concerns, the Justice Department on Tuesday asked the FCC to put the brakes on the pending Sprint-Softbank merger. The DoJ, FBI and DHS are reviewing the buy for national security, law enforcement and public safety concerns, according to a letter Justice sent to the FCC.

TV Industry Disruption: Aereo's Threat and Promise
January 24, 2013

So, what is Aereo all about? Well, it's a brand new idea, a Web TV service. The days of the $200 TV bill are numbered, said the CEO of Aereo in a recent interview. This sounds like a good idea, right? Well, the cable television model is old and broken, and the need for lower-cost alternatives is growing.

AT&T Wheels and Deals to Fend Off Spectrum Squeeze
January 22, 2013

AT&T has reached an agreement with Atlantic Tele-Network to buy its wireless assets for $780 million. The deal will add approximately 585,000 subscribers -- mainly in Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio and South Carolina -- to AT&T's user ranks. Perhaps more importantly, AT&T's acquisition of the Alltel brand will bring in spectrum complementary to AT&T's network.

AT&T Makes Video-Streaming Splash
January 07, 2013

AT&T has announced a new service to compete with such video-on-demand offerings as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime. The service is aimed at its U-verse customers, offering unlimited access to AT&T's library of some 1,500 movies from a TV, computer or wireless device. It will cost $5 a month, a price that is competitive with, if not undercutting, its rivals.

iPhone, Android or Something Completely Different?
December 20, 2012

Two questions: 1) Which is the best smartphone for you -- an Apple iPhone or one running Google's Android operating system? 2) Which carrier is best for you? A word to the wise -- choose carefully. Once you start down either path, chances are you will stay on it. Why? Because these companies are building a new cloud world.

Sprint Chases Clearwire Buyout Deal
December 13, 2012

Sprint Nextel has made a $2.1 billion offer for the shares of Clearwire that it doesn't already own, according to a regulatory filing. The news comes after rumors surfaced earlier this week that the company was in talks with Intel and Comcast to buy out their stakes. The offer, which works out to $2.90 per share, also comes with interim financing of $800 million for Clearwire, if it agrees to the deal.

Dish Network Gets Down to Earth
December 13, 2012

The Federal Communications Commission approved a proposal from the Dish Network that would allow it to convert spectrum currently allocated for satellite service into airwaves that could support a land-based wireless network. Dish did not lay out specific plans for its next step with the spectrum, saying only that it would "consider its strategic options and the optimal approach" to putting it to use.

C Spire Gets Into the Shared-Data Game
December 06, 2012

C Spire Wireless is joining AT&T Mobility and Verizon Wireless in offering a shared data plan for its wireless service. This lets customers bundle all of their mobile devices on one plan. In general, I like the idea, but shared data plans aren't for everyone. All of these plans are similar, but there are important differences. This is a new way of thinking about wireless data and many customers like it.

The Skies Have It: Affordable Broadband Internet for All
December 05, 2012

The rural broadband delivery business is rapidly changing. When Dish Network's super-cheap broadband-via-satellite service, dishNET, went live in October, it prompted a satellite Internet price-war. dishNET download speeds reach 10 Mbps. Service starts at $39.99 a month for 10 GB of data at 5 Mbps if you bundle it with Dish Network's television service.

CR's Cellphone Service Rankings May Help Businesses More Than Consumers
December 03, 2012

It's that time of year again: Consumer Reports has published its annual list of best cellphone carriers. Verizon is at the top, having received the most favorable scores for voice and data service quality. It also scored well for staff knowledge and resolution of issues. Sprint, T-Mobile, and AT&T each got middle to low marks, especially in the voice and text service quality categories.

Europe Joins Free Internet Chorus
November 30, 2012

The European Union announced on Friday that it would oppose attempts to increase regulation of the Internet at a United Nations conference that will take place next week in Dubai. This move comes as some countries have called for tighter rules on Web service providers and phone operators. The International Telecommunication Union, an agency within the United Nations, is hosting the event.

Shore Up Before the Next Disaster Strikes
November 29, 2012

From time to time, we receive stark reminders of just how delicate our IT systems really are. Disaster preparation has risen to the top of the to-do list at many companies, thanks to the wrath of Hurricane Sandy several weeks ago. How can we maximize our chances of keeping communications open and data safe? I will present two relatively new ideas you should consider.

AT&T to Plow More Billions Into Spectrum Hunt
November 07, 2012

AT&T on Wednesday announced that it will boost capital spending by as much as 16 percent to $22 billion a year for the next three years to upgrade its wireless and wireline networks. The increase is necessary to compete with Verizon Communications, which is currently upgrading its own network.

Sprint Customers Flee to Speedier Networks
October 26, 2012

With recent news of Softbank's proposed $20.1 billion investment hovering in the background, Sprint Nextel has reported less-than-pretty earnings for the third quarter 2012. The carrier posted a net loss of $767 million, compared with a net loss of $301 million in the third quarter of 2011. It also lost about 459,000 contract customers for the quarter.

Isis Tiptoes Into Chilly Mobile Payments Water
October 22, 2012

Isis, a joint venture of AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, has debuted its long-awaited mobile wallet initiative in Austin and Salt Lake City. It joins a number of other initiatives -- Square and Google Wallet, to cite just two examples -- competing in the nascent mobile payments industry. Whether Isis will gain more traction than they have, however, remains to be seen.