AT&T ordered to pay $7.75 million for bogus directory assistance tools
US telecom providers have a pretty bad rap, and today we’re finding out that some AT&T customers ended up paying money they shouldn’t have thanks to some scammers. The FCC just released a statement noting that it reached a settlement with AT&T in which the carrier will pay $7.75 million after it accidentally allowed scammers to charge $9 a month to unsuspecting wireline customers for a “sham” directory assistance service. Adding insult to injury, it seems this service was set up as a tool to help launder money; the scam was originally uncovered by the DEA.
AT&T said in a statement that “two companies that engaged in a sophisticated fraud scheme were apparently able to circumvent those protections and submit unauthorized third-party charges that were billed by AT&T.”
According to the FCC, AT&T received a fee each time this fraudulent service appeared on a customer’s bill, but the so-called service provider never actually provided anything to these customers, most of which were small businesses. Out of the $7.75 million AT&T is paying up, $6.8 million will go towards refunds and a paltry $950,000 will go to the US treasury as a fine. Given that AT&T pulled in $40.5 billion in revenue in its most recent quarter, it’s a stretch to call that fine even a slap on the wrist.
This is hardly the first time US telecom providers have gotten in trouble for such shady practices — in 2014, AT&T itself paid a much larger $105 million settlement for cramming false charges onto its customers’ bills. T-Mobile also paid $90 million in a 2014 settlement, while Verizon and Sprint paid $90 million and $68 million, respectively, last winter. We’re hoping the FCC continues to pay close attention to these shady practices.
AT&T’s full statement is below:
“Consistent with industry practices, AT&T wireline telephone customers have been able to purchase certain telecommunications services from third parties and have charges for those services billed on their telephone bill. We have implemented strict requirements on third parties submitting charges for AT&T bills to ensure that all charges are authorized by our customers; indeed, those requirements go beyond the requirements of FCC rules and impose safeguards that the FCC proposed but never adopted. Nonetheless, unbeknownst to us, two companies that engaged in a sophisticated fraud scheme were apparently able to circumvent those protections and submit unauthorized third-party charges that were billed by AT&T.”
“Today, we reached a settlement with the FCC to resolve all claims associated with these companies and the related charges. Pursuant to the settlement, we will provide refunds for all charges on behalf of these two companies going back to January 1, 2012. Affected former and current AT&T wireline telephone customers will receive these refunds via check within 90 days. We stopped billing for these entities as of June 2015 and will also cease wireline third-party billing for other third parties, with limited exceptions.”
Source: FCC
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 costs at least $850 in the US
Pre-orders for the Galaxy Note 7 have started in the US, and it’s clear that you’ll be paying a pretty penny for Samsung’s pen-toting flagship phone. The best deals among major carriers are at Sprint and T-Mobile, where the Note 7 will cost $850 if you buy it outright — it may be wiser to go with the installment plans ($35 monthly for 2 years at Sprint, $33 per month with $70 down at T-Mobile). AT&T will sell you the new Note for either $880 outright or $37 per month for 2 years, while our overlords at Verizon offer it for $864 up front or $36 per month over 2 years.
At least you’ll get perks for ordering early. As a general rule, carriers are offering a free Gear Fit 2 or 256GB microSD card if you pre-order. AT&T will also give you a free Gear S2 or 99-cent Galaxy Tab E if you’re willing to subscribe to a data plan for that second device, and it’s continuing a promo where buying a second qualifying Samsung device will score you $695 in bill credits. In T-Mobile’s case, you can choose a year’s worth of Netflix as your freebie if shows are more important than fitness or storage. While your bank account might be hurting by the time you leave the store, you might not have to go accessory shopping at the same time.
Via: Mashable
Source: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon
AT&T is raising data caps to 1TB for U-verse subscribers only
Folks who have signed up for AT&T’s U-verse service, your data ship has come in: The telecom is increasing your data cap to 1TB per month and providing unlimited home internet data at no additional charge to customers subscribing to its GigaPower 1Gbps service. But those still using their DSL services will see no benefit and remain capped at 150GB per month.
That terabyte limit applies to every account holder, unlike last May’s increases, which boosted ceilings up to 300MB, 600MB, and 1TB depending on speed tier. Only the fastest, at 1Gbps, gets unlimited home data.
But the telecom’s kept its sweetheart deal introduced a few months ago to dissuade cord-cutters, offering the limitless data to patrons who pay for both their DirecTV or U-verse TV and internet on the same bill. Nothing has changed for all other account holders, who can get access by paying an additional $30 fee. Similarly, overage fees remain at $10 per 50GB beyond the cap, to a maximum of $100 per month.
Via: Ars Technica
Source: AT&T blog
AT&T’s chief is heading up a robocall ‘strike force’
AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson will lead a “strike force” that aims to combat robocalls. Apparently, FCC chairman Tom Wheeler didn’t only remind him last week that carriers like Ma Bell can and should offer free call blockers to their subscribers, he also asked the exec to head the new organization. As Consumerist noted, Stephenson once incorrectly said that the carrier can’t deploy call blockers without the FCC’s permission. The company’s latest blog post makes it clear, though, that the CEO has changed his tune.
While neither organization has revealed the strike force’s tasks in detail, AT&T’s post says it will lead the new group as it develops anti-robocall tools and solutions. The team will also tell the FCC what role the government can play in its operations.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said in a statement:
“Since giving consumers meaningful control over the calls and texts they receive will require collective action by the industry; I am gratified that AT&T will lead an industry strike force to develop an action plan for providing consumers with robust robocall-blocking solutions. Last week, I asked all the major phone companies to develop just such a plan; I strongly urge industry participants to join the effort and to produce conclusions within 60 days.”
AT&T also promises to adopt the newest caller ID verification standards as soon as they become available and to help in the strike force’s formation of a “Do Not Originate List.” That list will contain numbers of companies that tend to be impersonated by spammers and scammers overseas, so fake calls can be blocked before they even reach subscribers.
Via: The Consumerist
Source: AT&T
FCC chief asks telcos to offer free robocall blocking services
Tom Wheeler, head honcho at the Federal Communications Commission, has fired off letters asking the country’s biggest communications providers to offer robocall blocking services for free. The FCC is still fielding a barrage of complaints from people sick and tired of robocalls a year after it passed a proposal that should have helped the situation. If you’ll recall, the commission made it perfectly legal for carriers to block automated calls before they reach subscribers back in 2015. Unfortunately, telcos are still reportedly telling customers that they have no authority to those calls. As a result, they still make the up the biggest number of complaints filed with the agency.
Wheeler wrote on the commission’s website:
“In regard to the Commission’s expectations that carriers respond to consumers’ blocking requests, I have sent letters to the CEOs of major wireless and wireline phone companies calling on them to offer call-blocking services to their customers now — at no cost to you.”
According to Consumerist, he sent the letters to AT&T, CenturyLink, Frontier, Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular and Verizon. The ball is now in their court, and it’s up to them to grant the chairman’s request.
Wheeler also sent letters to intermediary carriers, companies that connect calls from internet services like FiOS to carriers’ lines. He asked them to retain the original caller ID info for calls made through those services, since spammers and scammers typically spoof their phone numbers. Consumerist says the letters asked those companies to create a list of local entities regularly impersonated by robocallers. That would make it easy to flag and block suspicious calls, especially those made from outside the United States.
Via: Consumerist
Source: FCC
AT&T envisions drone-based LTE coverage
AT&T has big dreams for its new national drone program, including the use of UAVs to provide LTE coverage in crowded or remote locations. In a blog post by company Chief Strategy Officer John Donovan, he said AT&T is expecting many “different drone uses in the future.” The carrier envisions using tethered drones for big events like music festivals, since a huge gathering of people tend to congest networks. However, these “Flying Cell on Wings,” as Donovan called them, could also be deployed to disaster areas in order to provide survivors the connection they need to contact family and friends as soon as possible.
Donovan admits that drone-based LTE network isn’t quite a reality yet, but the company has begun working towards that goal. Ma Bell has launched its national drone program’s trial phase in San Francisco, where it demoed how it uses UAVs to inspect its cell towers. In addition to finding out how it can use drones to provide mobile internet, AT&T is also researching how they can tap into its LTE network to send and receive large amounts of data for commercial purposes. It will mostly likely take some time before you see signal-boosting flying machines at Coachella, though, so you’ll probably still have to deal with failed Instagram uploads next year
Via: Consumerist
Source: AT&T
Here’s the cable industry’s counter offer to fix TV boxes
Earlier this year the FCC voted on a plan to fix crappy cable boxes. Dubbed “Unlock the Box,” the plan would make cable companies open up their services for use on boxes made by other companies. Now, after a few months of complaining and poking holes in the FCC plan, the cable companies have a proposal of their own. Their offer consists of an “industry-wide commitment” to create HTML5-based apps for third party devices like phones, tablets and connected TV boxes. It was presented this week by representatives for the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA), AT&T/DirecTV, Comcast and others.
That way customers could watch TV without leasing equipment, while content providers would stay happy because things like DRM, advertising and channel lineups would remain consistent. The app will be provided free of charge to makers of these third party devices, and would work with universal search features, however viewing of the content would only be possible within the app itself. You can check out the framework of their offer in a letter here (PDF), and a spokesman for FCC chairman Tom Wheeler said he is waiting for more details to see if it meets all of the goals.
Of course, leaving the software in the cable industry’s hands means there’s no assurance the apps will be any good, which could put us right back in the same place. Also, it’s a five year commitment (with the potential for renewal), with two years to roll the apps out. A group called INCOMPAS (that counts Google, Level 3, Netflix and TiVo among its members) issued a statement (PDF) in response saying the cable-backed plan is an attempt to “delay negotiations.” The FCC’s plan already has support from the president, but a compromise offer could make for easier going — the only question now is if it will actually help consumers who haven’t chosen to cut the cord.
97-80 06-17-2016 NCTA, AT&T-DIRECTV, Comcast, and Charter
Via: Fierce Cable
Source: FCC
AT&T brings WiFi calling to Android phones
Hey, AT&T subscribers: you no longer need an iPhone to make calls over WiFi. The carrier has introduced WiFi calling for Android. If you have a supporting device (currently limited to the LG G4), a postpaid plan and HD Voice support, you can grab an update that lets you make calls over the internet when cell service just isn’t an option. As on the iPhone, what you pay for a call only depends on who you’re calling — you can reach a US number at no extra charge while you’re abroad. AT&T certainly isn’t the first out of the gate with WiFi calling on Android, but this will definitely make a difference if you’d rather not switch networks just to get the improved coverage.
Source: AT&T
Net Neutrality upheld by appeals court
An appeals court in Washington DC has upheld the FCC’s Open Internet Order, affirming that Net Neutrality can live to fight another day. While the appellate judges have had to rule in favor of telecoms companies in previous cases, the FCC’s law is now watertight and is acting within its powers. The decision is likely to stick in the craw of many networks, including AT&T and Verizon, which fought bitterly against provisions to maintain a free and fair market online. Unfortunately, Net Neutrality still has plenty of critics in high places, and several Republican politicians have attempted to gut the FCC in the hope of getting their own way.
.@FCC #OpenInternet rules mean consumers can go where they want when they want on the Internet without interference from network gatekeepers
— The FCC (@FCC) June 14, 2016
In a statement, Tom Wheeler said that “today’s ruling is a victory for consumers and innovators who deserve unfettered access to the entire web.” He added that “the internet remains a platform for unparalleled innovation, free expression and economic growth.”
There are still, however, loopholes that companies can (and do) exploit in order to get around such provisions, like Zero Rating. T-Mobile’s BingeOn and Verizon’s Go90 both get around mobile bandwidth caps, giving preferential treatment to some content at the expense of others.
Via: Politico
Source: FCC
Apple and Microsoft address Orlando, avoid gay community
Early Sunday morning, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., became the home of the deadliest mass shooting in US history. The following morning Apple CEO Tim Cook and Microsoft’s Phil Spencer took the stage at separate, preplanned press conferences to offer support from “the Apple community” and “the gaming community,” respectively, before launching into their regularly scheduled hyperbolic outpourings of consumer enthusiasm. In doing so, they not only undermined the tragedy, they ignored the community it most affected.
I have no doubt that the people behind Apple and Microsoft had the best intentions in calling for a moment of silence. But best intentions aside, some things are better left unsaid.
Consumer brands have an uncomfortable relationship with tragedy. On Sept. 11, 2013, AT&T sparked a social media firestorm with a tweet featuring a disembodied hand holding a smartphone, an image of the 9/11 memorial lighting its screen. The tweet read simply, “Never Forget.” The judgement was swift and unforgiving. As the internet hive mind saw it, AT&T exploited one of the greatest American tragedies to hawk cellphones. The company quickly apologized and pulled the tweet.
When Cook took the stage at Apple’s developer conference this morning and called for a moment of silence, the response was largely positive. At first glance, this may seem like an apples v. oranges debate. After all, Cook’s comments can be seen as personal, given that he is a gay man speaking just one day after the shootings, while AT&T’s tweet came 12 years to the day after the Sept. 11th attacks. AT&T seemingly used a tragedy to promote its business, while Cook used his platform to draw attention to a tragedy. In both cases, the offense is all about the context.
WWDC may not be a consumer-facing event. It is a developer’s event first and foremost, but it is, nonetheless, an advertisement of sorts. Like AT&T’s Twitter account, Apple uses its WWDC keynote to get fans and developers excited about upcoming products. It promotes its latest operating systems, software developments and potential revenue streams for developers with hyperbolic back-patting, impromptu dance routines, and, yes, dad jokes. In that sense, today’s event was business as usual. Aside from its opening moments, there was no evidence of a great national loss or any sign that Apple and its top brass felt anything but excitement over incremental innovation.
Considering what followed, Cook’s call for a moment of silence felt like a token nod to tragedy before getting to the good stuff. As for his personal connection to the events, I have no doubt that as a gay man, Cook has very complicated feelings about what happened in Orlando. I think we all do. That said, his moment of silence wasn’t for our community; it was addressed instead to “the Apple community.”
“It was a senseless, unconscionable act of terrorism and hate, aimed at dividing and destroying. The Apple community is made up of people from all around the world, from all different backgrounds, and all different points of view. We celebrate our diversity. We know that it makes us stronger and moves everyone forward. Please rise and join us in a moment of silence to honor the victims and the people who love them.” — Apple CEO Tim Cook, WWDC 2016
I appreciate Cook’s sentiments, and I’m all for gay people in positions of power drawing attention to the hate and discrimination our community faces every day, but there is a time and place for serious discussion and reflection. The opening moments of what is essentially a self-congratulatory, hourlong advertisement isn’t it. Forcing these two things together is as tone-deaf and seemingly self-serving as AT&T’s 9/11 fail.
That said, it’s nowhere near as poorly thought-out as Microsoft’s own shout-out to the victims of the Orlando shooting, a similarly milquetoast moment of somberness before a multimedia assault promoting, among other things, hyperviolent video games that glamorize gun violence. Just minutes after addressing the Orlando attacks, Spencer turned the stage over to creators of Gears of War 4, for a bloody, guns-blazing demo of the game.
“To everyone affected by the recent tragedy in Orlando, our hearts are with you. And you should know, you are not alone, the gaming community mourns with you.” Head of Xbox Phil Spencer, E3 2016
Tragedy isn’t an opportunity for brand awareness. Apple’s new OS and Microsoft’s latest console may be hot shit, but they’re not symbols of hope or unity. They are symbols of selfish consumerism and multibillion-dollar profits. While the individuals who drive these brands no doubt feel very strongly about what happened in Orlando, brands aren’t people. They don’t have feelings, they have products. Attempting to connect the two in the context of a tragedy is tone-deaf at best.
The Orlando shootings were an act of violence against the gay community; yet when Apple and Microsoft attempted to show their support, there was no mention of that community. In avoiding the identity of the victims and the nature of the violence, these corporations betrayed their underlying allegiances. As Cook and Spencer’s carefully worded speeches show, today’s keynotes weren’t about the gay community, no matter how well-intentioned.
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