One of T-Mobile’s credit card processors, Experian, had a security breach
T-Mobile today released new information about credit card processing company Experian, whom seems to have had a serious security breach going as far back as September 2013.
John Legere, CEO of T-Mobile, said that after an investigation, it was revealed that the information over 15 million T-Mobile customers was acquired by a third party between September 1, 2013 and September 16, 2015.
Some of the information compromised includes names, birthdays, and addresses. More heavily encrypted information was also stolen, such as social security numbers and ID numbers found on drivers licenses and passports.
While the hackers can do a lot with a social security number or ID number, there’s not much they can do with names, birthdays, and addresses alone. In most cases, hackers will try and call you and fish for more incriminating information by posing as a government agency and using the information they have for leverage. But again, having social security numbers is a completely different ball game.
That said, anyone can now sign up for two years worth of free credit monitoring and identity resolution through Experian. And if you’ve been with T-Mobile for the past two years and made any purchases via a credit card or went through a credit check, it’d be wise to sign up soon. And as per the norm, if you’re one of the 15 million affected, you should receive a written letter in the mail from Experian itself.
source: T-Mobile
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Experian leaks info from 15 million T-Mobile credit applications
T-Mobile has just revealed that it has been the victim of a major hack that has exposed the personal details, including social security numbers, for approximately 15 million of its customers. CEO John Legere has just posted a letter regarding the hack in which he says that a data breach of credit vendor Experian has revealed the info; T-Mobile uses Experian to process its credit applications. Names, addresses and birth dates for those 15 million customers were revealed to the hackers as well as encrypted data that contained details like social security numbers and drivers license numbers. Unfortunately, Experian believes that the encryption protecting those bits of data was compromised, as well.
Data was compromised between the dates of September 1st, 2013 and September 16th, 2015, so anyone who got a credit check for either a new line of service or a new device during that time could be affected. Legere did point out that bank account or credit card payment information was revealed, and Experian says that the company’s consumer credit database was not affected — it seems this attack was limited to T-Mobile subscribers only.
In his typically direct fashion, Legere said that he was “incredibly angry” about the attack and also noted he would conduct a “thorough review” of T-Mobile’s relationship with Experian, but he was also quick to stress that neither T-Mobile’s network nor its payment systems were attacked here. It seems all the blame goes to Experian in this case.
As is becoming commonplace when a major company gets hit with these increasingly frequent hacks, T-Mobile and Experian are offering two years of free credit monitoring and identity protection services. It’s not clear if T-Mobile is contacting affected customers directly, but the company says anyone concerned they may have been impacted is free to sign up for the credit protection.
.@Jay_Acosta If you are a TMO customer, you will also be notified when you log into https://t.co/hKK4exGaFa
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 1, 2015
Update: the headline for this story has been changed to reflect that not all 15 million affected by this breach are T-Mobile customers; some are people who applied for a T-Mobile account but didn’t actually become customers because of the credit check. John Legere also confirmed on Twitter that affected customers will see a message alerting them they were part of the hack. Experian will also be contacting affected individuals in writing.
[Image credit: Associated Press / Jeff Chiu]
T-Mobile states new Nexus phones won’t support band 12 LTE, at least at first
We are wrapping up Google announcement day and simply couldn’t close the cycle without some distress. This time the bearer of bad news is T-Mobile, which states the new Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P may not be supporting 4G LTE bands as much as everyone believes.
While the specs seem to show all relevant bands are supported, there’s a little hidden caveat with T-Mobile. Unlocked device manufacturers now have to block access to band 12 LTE or get certified for VoLTE. This is something Google, LG and Huawei apparently haven’t done with the new Nexus phones. Well… at least that is what T-Mobile’s Twitter account is saying.
@bickman2k Great questions Adam! They are not going to support Band 12, but we will continue to work with Google to enable this… 1/3
— T-Mobile (@TMobile) September 29, 2015
@bickman2k …feature in the future. That’s a big “yes!” to WiFi calling. While not enabled by default, once you get that sucker… 2/3
— T-Mobile (@TMobile) September 29, 2015
http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
@bickman2k …on our network, you’ll be able to enable it. Thanks again for reaching out! *MaxD 3/3
— T-Mobile (@TMobile) September 29, 2015
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As it turns out, the involved companies can still work on getting certification. Some smaller phone makers usually skip this, but it’s imperative that Google takes care of this. The Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P will be very important devices in the USA.
But why does T-Mobile have to do this? As it turns out there are very valid reasons to block non-certified Band 12 users. There seem to be areas where T-Mobile only has support for band 12 LTE. This would mean that even basic calls will need to use VoLTE, which is fine for many users, but remember things can get touchy if those phones can’t make emergency calls, which would be the case here.
But why not just switch to roaming in these band 12-only spots? There are complications for doing that. So much that T-Mobile would rather block Band 12 from these devices, sending them straight to roaming where other LTE frequencies are absent. It sure is bad news, but Google and company should have already taken care of this. We can assume they will at some point, it would be too big of a fail not to.
Who is thinking about using a Nexus phone on T-Mobile. Would this make a difference to you?
Band 12 disabled in new Nexus phones
Although more smartphone manufacturers are going down the path of selling directly to consumers rather than through carriers, a move welcomed by many consumers, there are some pitfalls to be on the lookout for. One of those concerns band 12 LTE and use of these phones with T-Mobile. Following similar issues for the Motorola Moto X Pure Edition, T-Mobile indicates they have managed to get Google to disable band 12 in the new Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P, at least until Google gets the devices certified for VoLTE.
Sources indicate the heart of the problem appears to be connected to areas where T-Mobile only has band 12 available. In those places, to place any kind of call including emergency calls, a device has to support VoLTE. Unfortunately, T-Mobile does not appear to be able to switch a device over to roaming in those situations.
Smaller manufacturers are unlikely to pursue certification due to the cost and time investment. Some think Google could do this, but despite their deep pockets, sales of Nexus devices is likely a very small contributor to their bottom line that does not justify the attempt.
source: Android Police
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Samsung promotion will pay your installment plan until 2016
Samsung is the latest phone manufacturer to offer up a rebate to customers willing to switch from a rival platform. The company announced a new promotion on Monday that would put up to $120 back in customers’ pockets should they purchase a Samsung Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge, Galaxy S6 edge+ or Galaxy Note5 on an installment/lease plan. Basically, if you are a T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint, or US Cellular (anybody but AT&T) subscriber and purchase one of these phones by October 9th, Samsung will pay your phone installments through the end of the year. That means once January rolls around, you’re back on the hook for the remainder of your installment plan (not to mention whatever service contract you’ve signed on for). Samsung will further sweeten the deal for iPhone trade-ins by offering an extra $100 Google Play gift card on top of the installment payments.
[Image Credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Via: Business Insider
Source: Samsung
Samsung Pay goes live in the US
Got one of Samsung’s newer smartphones? Most likely, you can use it to make purchases across the US: as promised, Samsung Pay has launched Stateside. The technology lets you buy goods most anywhere that accepts card- or NFC-based payments, so you probably won’t have to fret about bringing out your wallet at the local shop. If anything, the big challenge is getting the exact combination of hardware and credit cards needed to make this work. You’ll need a Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+ or Note 5 running on one of four big US carriers (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile or US Cellular), and you’ll need an American Express, MasterCard or Visa card issued through large banks like Bank of America, Citi or US Bank. Don’t expect to pay for snacks with your credit union card and a Verizon phone, then. This is still a big deal if you’re a Samsung fan, though, and the company is promising broader support over time.
Source: Samsung (BusinessWire)
Google’s Nexus 5X hits the FCC with support for all big US carriers
Google’s Nexus phones haven’t had the best cross-carrier support in the US (ahem, Verizon), but that might change when the Nexus 5X and 6P roll into town. The Nexus 5X has just swung by the FCC for approval, and one filing is for a model that appears to support all four major US carriers in at least some capacity — there are concerns that it might not handle T-Mobile’s existing 3G, but this does include Verizon support. There’s also a second variant of the LG-made device that removes some frequency bands and appears destined for other countries. There’s not much to see beyond this, although the FCC’s measurements back rumors that the 5X will have a 5.2-inch screen. Will this Nexus actually work with every major US network when it launches? It’s hard to say for sure, but you’ll likely get the full scoop at Google’s event in a few days.
[Image credit: Android Police]
Via: Android Police, S4GRU
How to block a number on your Android device
Need to block a phone number on your Android device but aren’t sure how? Good There are plenty of ways to block a phone number on Android, though it can be different for different types of devices. For instance, blocking a number on the Galaxy S6 Edge+ can be different than doing it on the Moto X Pure Edition. Either way, if you need a way to block a number, you have options whether it be through your phone’s own settings or in a more roundabout way with third-party apps. Blocking a number can be important for a lot of reasons, so we’ve made sure to provide steps and options that work for everybody.
Blocking a number in Settings
Depending on what smartphone you have, you can block specific numbers via the Settings menu. Most phones don’t support internal blocking, however, if you own any recent Samsung smartphone (like the Galaxy Note 5 or S6 Edge+), you can head into Settings > Call > Call Rejection > Auto Reject List > Create to block specific numbers.
Alternatively, you can go into Settings > My Device > Blocking Mode > Disable Incoming Calls to block all incoming calls. Or there’s the easier method of simply turning Airplane Mode on.
Apps for Blocking
Many smartphones, oddly, do not support call blocking by way of the Settings menu. That said, there’s still hope for those of you needing to block a specific number by using a third-party application. It’d be nice if all manufacturers included support by way of an official method, but that’s not the case.
Relying on third-party apps isn’t necessarily a bad thing either. The one great thing about it is that it’ll work with just about any device with Android 2.2 Froyo and up.
Mr. Number
Mr. Number is the perfect free option for all things call blocking. You can block both calls and texts from a single number, an area code, and even block all incoming calls entirely. It also has automatic caller lookup, looking through your phone’s history helping you decide who to block. Unfortunately, for those of you running Android 4.4 on your device, text blocking does not seem to work.
Calls Blacklist
Calls Blacklist works similar to Mr. Number. It allows you to manage a blacklist of numbers that you do not want to receive calls or texts from. You can add numbers from your contacts, recent calls, and you can add numbers to the list manually. On the other side of the spectrum, there’s a whitelist you can add numbers to, which are numbers that will never be blocked.
Do Not Call
If you’re trying to block numbers simply for the reason of getting spam calls and live in the United States, an easy way to solve that without any tinkering of your smartphone is by heading over to www.donotcall.gov. I’ve used it many times, and while you do have to add your number again every few years, it’s a surefire way to get rid of salesmen and telemarketers.
But it isn’t very helpful with scams, which leaves you with one final solution.
Carrier Options
Most major carriers will (for a fee) help block unwanted numbers from contacting you. Verizon and Sprint offer the service for free but put limitations on it in that you can only block up to five numbers. Additionally, you’ll have to re-add the numbers to that list every ninety days, a potentially serious annoyance.
Alternatively, AT&T will let you block up to thirty numbers for $5 per month, and it doesn’t seem like you ever have to re-add those numbers to the list. On the other hand, if you need to block thirty numbers, it might be time to just get a new number.
T-Mobile doesn’t seem to offer any service for blocking numbers, sadly. However, it might be worth getting on the phone with customer service and seeing if they handle it similar to Verizon or AT&T.
Wrap Up
Obviously the best way to block a number is through your phone’s internal settings if that option is available to you. The other steps get the job done but can potentially be time-consuming and frustrating to get setup.
If you’ve got any other methods for blocking numbers, be sure to let us know in the comments!
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T-Mobile rolling out Samsung Pay update for the Galaxy Note 5 in the US
T-Mobile is currently rolling out an over-the-air update weighing just 30MB to all its carrier-branded variants of the Galaxy Note 5 located in the United States. This upgrade brings a newer version of Samsung Pay to to the handset in readiness for the service’s official launch on Wednesday, September 28.
As usual, the update is being rolled out in stages, but if you don’t feel like waiting for a notification confirming that it’s ready for your device to hit your unit, you could always search for the upgrade manually. To do so, open the Settings app, scroll to the bottom and tap on “About Device”, hit “System Updates”, then select “Check for updates”.
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T-Mobile gets voted best mobile carrier overall in the US
Tom’s Guide have reviewed all the US mobile carriers and come to the conclusion that T-Mobile is the best of the bunch. Their testing goes beyond just general service in your area, but also customer service, phone selection, plans, and any extra special features.
After testing, each section would be scored differently depending on how important it is to consumers. For example “Performance”, which is basically speeds and coverage, is weighted higher at 50 points compared to something not as important like “Special Feature” which is only worth 5 points.
You can see the points scored by all carriers in the picture above. T-Mobile did not win every category hands down, but it did come out the overall winner. Barely beating out the largest US carrier, Verizon Wireless. The key to the win was slightly better plans and special features.
If you would like to see a full break down of the scoring or exactly what each category details, head to Tom’s Guide. They also go over the pros and cons of each carrier. T-Mobile’s cons are things like “performance outside of cities still lags Verizon, AT&T; Finished behind other major carriers in customer support testing”.
Source: Tom’s Guide
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AIVAnet 