AT&T shuts down 3G networks. Hereโs how it affects you.
Goodbye 3G. AT&T on Tuesday became the first telecom to hang up on its old 3G, third generation, mobile broadband network. Itโs a move years in the works, but one that could leave people with older phones, cars, medical monitoring devices and home security systems in a state of disconnect.
EXPLAINER: Will burglar alarms still work after 3G shutdown?
As telecom companies rev up the newest generation of mobile service, called 5G, theyโre shutting down old networks โ a costly, years-in-the-works process thatโs now prompting calls for a delay because a lot of products out there still rely on the old standard, 3G.
EXPLAINER: Why airlines fear 5G will upend travel this week
The airline industry is raising the stakes in a showdown with AT&T and Verizon over plans to launch new 5G wireless service this week, warning that thousands of flights could be grounded or delayed if the rollout takes place near major airports.
Dems: Discovery, AT&T merger will hurt diversity, workers
House Democrats are raising concerns that the proposed merger of Discovery and AT&Tโs WarnerMedia, a $43 billion effort to conquer the world of streaming, could affect diversity efforts in Hollywood and particularly hurt Latinos, who are already deeply underrepresented.
Whatโs next for Spurs home arena after AT&T pulls plug on naming-rights deal
From multiple NBA championships to rodeos and concerts, the home of the Spurs has hosted hundreds of major events over two decades under the name AT&T Center.But that will soon change after telecommunications giant AT&T pulled the plug on its naming rights deal with the Bexar County building after owning those rights since 2002.
EXPLAINER: California's net neutrality law springs to life
In response, seven states and Puerto Rico enacted their own net neutrality policies. In response, seven states and Puerto Rico enacted their own net neutrality policies. Nine states have introduced net neutrality bills this session, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Ad___WHAT TELCOS WANTBig telecom companies hate the stricter regulation that comes with the net neutrality rules and have fought them fiercely in court. They say they prefer a national approach to a state-by-state one, but the industry has fought prior federal net neutrality rules.
SEC suing AT&T for telling analysts nonpublic information
FILE - In this Oct. 24, 2016, file photo, the AT&T logo is positioned above one of its retail stores in New York. The Securities and Exchange Commission is suing AT&T and three of its investor relations executives for telling Wall Street analysts about the telecom giant's sales data before it released quarterly results. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)The Securities and Exchange Commission is suing AT&T and three of its investor relations executives for telling Wall Street analysts about the telecom giant's sales data before it released quarterly results. The early warning helped AT&T avoid having its results fall short of Wall Street expectations, according to the SEC's complaint filed in Manhattan federal court. Dallas-based AT&T said in a statement that it did not tell analysts โmaterial nonpublic information" and that it will fight the lawsuit.
AT&T spinning off DirecTV after losing millions of customers
AT&T is spinning off its DirecTV into a new company at a fraction of the $48.5 billion it paid in 2015. The satellite TV service has lost millions of customers on AT&T's watch. (AP Photo/File)AT&T is spinning off its DirecTV into a new company for a fraction of the $48.5 billion it paid for the satellite TV service in 2015. DirecTV has lost millions of customers on AT&Tโs watch, and is valued in the deal at just $16.25 billion, including debt. The new DirecTV company will include AT&T TV, a streaming version of cable TV, and U-verse, AT&T's older cable service.
SAQ: When will San Antonio Public Works finish the Prue Road project?
SAN ANTONIO โ Neighbors along Prue Road have been awaiting a major expansion project for a few years now, part of the 2017 Bond Program. โWhen will construction begin on the section of Prue Road between Network and Babcock Roads?โ asked Gray James. โWhat is the estimated time to complete it?โConstruction started last month, a bit behind the schedule previously provided for neighbors. The utility work requires crews to do some digging in the roadway, so there will be some alternating lane and road closures. Including utilities work, the budget for the project was estimated to be $31 million.
Some cable, internet prices creeping higher
Unless youโre in a promotional offer, if you subscribe to AT&Tโs DirectTV or U-Verse, Spectrum internet or Comcastโs Xfinity cable or internet, you may be seeing higher bills. โItโs becoming an annual thing for companies to raise prices on TV and internet service,โ said Consumer Reports Tech Editor Jim Willcox. This week, AT&T increased prices on most DirectTV and U-Verse packages by an extra $5 to $9 a month. Some Charter Spectrum internet customers just saw their bills jump by $5 a month. A new law requires cable and satellite TV companies to disclose the complete monthly price of the bill, including taxes and fees, when you sign up.
A Texas lawmaker worked with the state restaurant association to draft an alcohol-to-go bill. His wife lobbies for the group.
Texas lawmakers are pushing to permanently allow restaurants to sell alcohol for pickup and delivery orders, which Gov. The Texas Restaurant Association, which is backing the legislation, paid Ellmer between $25,000 and $49,000 for lobbying work from September through December, according to the Texas Ethics Commission. โThe real issue is that Texasโ ethics law is weak,โ Shelley said. According to the TRA, 700,000 restaurant employees in Texas lost their jobs in the early days the pandemic, and more than 10,000 Texas restaurants have already closed. With business hampered due to continued increases in infections, 30% of Texas restaurant operators still in business said in December they were concerned about the fate of their operations.
Report: Companies donated $170M to GOP election objectors
Giving by such trade groups and corporate PACs has come under intense scrutiny in the wake of the deadly insurrection by Trump supporters, who stormed the Capitol to stop the vote. Giving by corporate PACs and trade groups to individual candidates is limited to $5,000 per candidate each year, thus making up a small portion of each person's overall cash haul. Boeing said Wednesday that it is โnot making political contributions at this timeโ and will โcarefully evaluateโ who receives future donations. Meanwhile, 46 of the PACs gave to at least half of the Republican objectors, the report found. Tanglis and other campaign finance experts say the big question about donations is whether companies and trade groups will stick by their pledges.
Nashville bombing spotlights vulnerable voice, data networks
The Christmas Day bombing in downtown Nashville led to communications outages over hundreds of miles in the southern U.S., raising concerns about the vulnerability of U.S. networks. The blast seriously damaged a key AT&T network facility, an important hub that provides local wireless, internet and video service and connects to regional networks. AT&T customers lost service โ phones, internet or video โ across large parts of Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama. At some hospitals, electronic medical records, internet service or phones stopped working. It's not as if the physical vulnerability of communications networks comes as a surprise.
US officials: Suspect in Nashville explosion died in blast
Investigators continue to examine the site of an explosion Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, in downtown Nashville, Tenn. An explosion that shook the largely deserted streets of downtown Nashville early Christmas morning shattered windows, damaged buildings and wounded multiple people. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) โ Nashville police urged nearby residents to get away as an ominous recording blared from a recreational vehicle. Police officers provided harrowing details Sunday of responding to the Christmas morning explosion in downtown Nashville, at times getting choked up reliving the moments that led up to the blast and offering gratitude that they were still alive. โChristmas will never be the same.โA 63-year-old Tennessee man, Anthony Q. Warner, was under investigation in connection with the blast, Nashville Metro Police spokesman Don Aaron said. AT&T said Sunday it was rerouting service to other facilities as the company worked to restore its heavily damaged building.
Latest: Road near Nashville closed over suspicious truck
Nashville Chief of Police John Drake speaks at a news conference Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. Drake spoke before five officers told what they experienced when an explosion took place in downtown Nashville early Christmas morning. The company suffered widespread outages in Tennessee and other states after a bomb in a recreational vehicle exploded near one of its facilities in downtown Nashville. Authorities say the man suspected of setting off a bomb in a recreational vehicle that rocked downtown Nashville on Christmas Day died in the explosion. A Wilson County dispatcher said the road that was shut down was Murfreesboro Road between Cedar Forest Road and Richmond Shop Road. Sheriff's officials did not specify what the box truck was playing.
Nashville police ID man in bombing case
FBI and ATF agents search the basement of a home Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. An explosion that shook the largely deserted streets of downtown Nashville early Christmas morning shattered windows, damaged buildings, and wounded three people. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)NASHVILLE, Tenn. โ The man believed to be responsible for the Christmas Day bombing that tore through downtown Nashville blew himself up in the explosion, and appears to have acted alone, federal officials said Sunday. Investigators used DNA and other evidence to link the man, identified as Anthony Quinn Warner, to the mysterious explosion but said they have not determined a motive. โNashville is considered safe," said Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake. Associated Press writer Scott Stroud and photographer Mark Humphrey in Nashville contributed to this report.
FBI at home of possible person of interest in Nashville bomb
FBI and ATF agents investigate a home Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. An explosion that shook the largely deserted streets of downtown Nashville early Christmas morning shattered windows, damaged buildings, and wounded three people. Asked whether the AT&T building could have been a possible target, Korneski said, โWeโre looking at every possible motive that could be involved." Mayor John Cooper has enforced a curfew in the downtown area until Sunday via executive order to limit public access to the area. โWe have two portable cell sites operating in downtown Nashville with numerous additional portable sites being deployed in the Nashville area and in the region.โRay Neville, president of technology at T-Mobile, said on Twitter that service disruptions affected Louisville, Nashville, Knoxville, Birmingham and Atlanta. The outages had even briefly grounded flights at the Nashville International Airport, but service was continuing normally as of Saturday.
Downtown Nashville explosion knocks communications offline
Emergency personnel work near the scene of an explosion in downtown Nashville, Tenn., Friday, Dec. 25, 2020. The blast sent black smoke and flames billowing from the heart of downtown Nashvilleโs tourist scene, an area packed with honky-tonks, restaurants and shops. Buildings shook and windows shattered streets away from the explosion near a building owned by AT&T that lies one block from the company's office tower, a landmark in downtown. The Federal Aviation Administration temporarily halted flights out of Nashville International Airport because of telecommunications issues associated with the explosion. Buck McCoy, who lives near the area, posted videos on Facebook that show water pouring down the ceiling of his home.
Pandemic hurts AT&T in 3rd quarter; wireless unit stable
NEW YORK โ The pandemic continued to hit AT&T through the third quarter as closed theaters, wary U.S. moviegoers and the Hollywood shutdown hurt its WarnerMedia movie and TV business. It added 131,000 prepaid phone customers and 645,000 postpaid phone customers, those who pay a regular monthly bill. It lost 590,000 โpremiumโ video customers, which includes DirecTV, in the latest quarter, and also dropped 37,000 customers of its streaming service, AT&T TV Now. The new HBO Max streaming service had 8.6 million activations. AT&T shares rose $1.73, or 6.5%, to $28.44 Thursday, which Goldman Sachs analyst Brett Feldman attributed to improved subscriber trends.
Asian shares, US futures gain after last Trump-Biden debate
Shares were mostly higher in Asia on Friday after President Donald Trump and his challenger former Vice President Joe Biden faced off in their second and final debate before the Nov. 3 election. โMeanwhile, discussion relevant to the post-election economic outlook was limited, particularly from President Trump." U.S. stock futures shifted from modest losses to less than 0.1% gains in the debate's aftermath. India's Sensex rose 0.3% and shares rose in Southeast Asia. Align Technology, which makes Invisalign teeth straighteners, surged 35% for the biggest gain in the S&P 500 after its earnings report blew past Wall Streetโs expectations.
'Jaws,' 'Black Panther' and more coming back to the drive-in
Jaws, Black Panther and Back to the Future are just a few of the modern popcorn classics coming to the drive-in this summer. Its in Tribecas DNA to bring people together in times of need, said Jane Rosenthal, Tribeca Enterprises and Tribeca Film Festival co-founder and CEO. We dont want to lose going to the movies, Tribeca CCO Paula Weinstein added. Other forms of mass entertainment have been jumping on the drive-in bandwagon too: Live Nation on Monday announced its first-ever drive-in concerts series in the U.S. for July. The Tribeca Drive-In series is not exclusively for movies either.
Job losses continue, suburbs appealing to homebuyers
Following are developments Wednesday related to the national and global response, the work place and the spread of the virus. Target is also giving out one-time bonuses of $200 to reward workers on the front lines of the coronavirus. TRAVEL: Shares of cruise operators are falling Wednesday as Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings announced it's extending its suspension of global cruise voyages to include all trips embarking between Aug. 1 and Sept. 30. The extension applies to all three cruise brands, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Time on market increased by 25% in rural areas, 30% in suburban areas and 35% in urban areas year-over-year.
AT&T closing 250 stores, slashing staff
(CNN) -- AT&T is closing 250 stores and cutting several thousand jobs, according to one of its unions, which is criticizing the move. The Communications Workers of America says the job cuts will come to 3,400 technicians and clerical staff, as well as 1,300 additional workers at AT&T Mobility and Cricket Wireless stores. The company had 244,000 employees as of March 31, so a 4,700 headcount reduction would represent a 2% decrease in its global staff. AT&T would not confirm the headcount reduction numbers cited by the CWA. Reducing our workforce is a difficult decision that we dont take lightly, said the company statement.
FCC calls hours-long T-Mobile service outage 'unacceptable'
NEW YORK The head of the U.S. communications regulator said T-Mobile's nationwide, hours-long outage Monday was unacceptable and that the Federal Communications Commission will investigate. T-Mobile, one of the country's three largest cellphone service providers, said it had a voice and text wireless issue" that began around noon EDT Monday. The company blamed an internet-traffic issue that caused problems with its network for the outage. But calls between their customers and T-Mobile customers could have run into trouble because of T-Mobiles issues, creating the impression of a widespread communications failure. T-Mobile paid a $17.5 million fine for two nationwide service outages on the same day in August 2014, which together lasted three hours and prevented customers from being able to call 911.
T-Mobile says its working to fix widespread network issues
T-Mobile, one of the three largest mobile carriers in the U.S., said it's working to fix a widespread voice and data issue." The company's president of technology, Neville Ray, tweeted Monday afternoon at around 4 p.m. ET that T-Mobile engineers hope to fix the problem soon. But calls between their customers and T-Mobile customers could have problems because of T-Mobile's issues. T-Mobile became one of the country's largest carriers, along with AT&T and Verizon, after buying rival Sprint.
3 San Antonio community listening sessions scheduled for next week: Everything you need to know
SAN ANTONIO Three community listening sessions, as theyre being called, are scheduled for next week, intended for the San Antonio City Council Public Safety Committee to gather feedback on policing in the city. The meetings will be livestreamed on TVSA, AT&T channel 99, Grande channel 20, Spectrum channel 21, digital antenna 16.1, this city website or on San Antonios Facebook page. These listening sessions will provide important guidance regarding the publics priorities and expectations.One in-person event and two virtual meetings are set:Session 1 will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday, June 15, online. Session 2 is scheduled for 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Thursday, June 18 at City Council Chambers. In that spirit, we are holding these listening sessions.