Your New Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Has Been Recalled What You Need to Know! [Update]

[Update: If you own A Samsung Galaxy Note 7 stop using it immediately!! Samsung, with cooperation from US Consumer Product Safety Commission is issuing a full and total recall of over one million Galaxy Note7 devices. ]

Yes you've heard that correctly, Samsung is recalling every Samsung Galaxy Note 7 that the company has shipped worldwide do to an issue with faulty batteries and charging that has resulted in at least 35 incidents of batteries exploding.

The problem is estimated to affect one device in every 42,000 units. Samsung says it shipped around 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 units so far, so if the estimate is correct, only a few dozen phones sold worldwide are at risk. So the risk is actually pretty minimal, but it is always best to err on the side of caution. 

At this time Samsung has officially halted all sales and shipments of the Galaxy Note 7 and the phones have been recalled worldwide. Samsung is working on preparing replacement units for the affected devices as well as working with each carrier on how to handle the recall and replacement process, which as of now will take about two weeks, according to the company.

Full Samsung statement:

Samsung is committed to producing the highest quality products and we take every incident report from our valued customers very seriously. In response to recently reported cases of the new Galaxy Note7, we conducted a thorough investigation and found a battery cell issue.

To date (as of September 1) there have been 35 cases that have been reported globally and we are currently conducting a thorough inspection with our suppliers to identify possible affected batteries in the market. However, because our customers’ safety is an absolute priority at Samsung, we have stopped sales of the Galaxy Note7.

For customers who already have Galaxy Note7 devices, we will voluntarily replace their current device with a new one over the coming weeks.

We acknowledge the inconvenience this may cause in the market but this is to ensure that Samsung continues to deliver the highest quality products to our customers. We are working closely with our partners to ensure the replacement experience is as convenient and efficient as possible.

 At this time if you want to keep and use your Galaxy Note 7 you should be fine. However, you may want to use a few of these common sense precautions in order to keep safe, which really are valid for any electronic device.

• Stop charging your phone it if becomes too hot.
• Stick to official Samsung chargers.
• Don’t charge your phone in bed or anywhere it might not dissipate heat.
• Be mindful of where you charge your phone, don't leave it in a hot car window, hot area ect.

How will the recall process work?

At this time we have no specifics on the exact details of the recall, and each carrier seems to be handling things a little different. So here is what we have gathered so far (we'll update as we get more info).

• Sprint has said it will offer customers loaner devices, while Verizon is waiving its restocking fee for customers who want to return the Note 7 and get another phone altogether.
•  AT&T has reportedly stated that they are in the process of determining the exchange process for their customers and how they can replace their current Note 7 as quickly as possible. The company promised more information later on today.
• T-Mobile is offering customers full refunds to use toward another device or a replacement Note 7, which it said it expected to have available within two weeks. Plus, it said, customers can keep the free Netflix subscription it had been bundling with Note 7 purchases.

[Update from Samsung]
The US Product Exchange Program will offer consumers the following choices:

1. Exchange current Galaxy Note7 device with a new Galaxy Note7 (as early as next week)
2. Exchange current Galaxy Note7 for a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge and replacement of any Note7 specific accessories with a refund of the price difference between devices

As a gesture of appreciation, consumers will receive a $25 gift card or bill credit from select carrier retail outlets when choosing a Galaxy S7 family device or the Galaxy Note7 within the exchange program.

Galaxy Note7 owners can contact or visit the retail outlet where they purchased their device or call 1-800-SAMSUNG to initiate a product exchange and to resolve any other questions or concerns.

AT&T 'Thanks' Customers With New Rewards Program

As the mobile carrier wars continue on AT&T is hoping an old gimmick will help keep loyal customers happy. The company is starting up a new rewards program this summer called AT&T Thanks which will offer AT&T and DirecTV free movie tickets, special deals on concerts, exclusive content and more as part of the program.

"Great service goes beyond the day to day relationship we have with our customers – it also includes ways to say thank you – we appreciate you," said David Christopher, Chief Marketing Officer of AT&T Entertainment Group. "AT&T thanks is kicking off with some great entertainment-focused benefits and will build over time. The relationship we have with our customers will get better and better with exciting ways for us to show our appreciation."

Here are some of the new benefits of the program:

• 'Ticket Twosdays': AT&T postpaid wireless customers will qualify to get a free movie ticket on AT&T when they buy one at full price for a Tuesday showing. These are available to qualifying customers once every week for the duration of the program. Customers can visit AT&T Thanks to learn how to receive a coupon code for a free ticket exclusively through MovieTickets.com for participating theaters, including all Regal Entertainment Group theaters.
• LIVE NATION Priority Pre-sale: AT&T customers will get exclusive pre-sale access to the hottest concerts and events starting this summer. Select customers will also be able to get in on access to exclusive experiences with their favorite artists.
• Unique Content: Select DIRECTV subscribers will get access to special content coming soon to their TVs and their favorite mobile devices.

In addition, AT&T Thanks will be giving out special "surprise" rewards to certain customers, including "tickets to live events, device and accessory perks, data giveaways, and more." As the program evolves, offers will be tailored to customers based on their services and packages with AT&T.

AT&T Finally Offers Wi-Fi Calling Option (Currently Only For iPhone Users)

AT&T has joined the likes of Sprint and T-Mobile to finally offer customers with an advanced calling feature that allows them to leverage Wi-Fi to provide better mobile phone coverage by connecting calls over a Wi-Fi network in places where cellular service is poor or non existent.

Wi-Fi calling, which certainly shouldn't be new to any of you true geeks out there, has long been available to customers on several major networks worldwide. However, AT&T only received permission from the Federal Communications Commission for an exemption this past week and they immediately took action kicking off Wi-Fi calling on newer-model iPhones running iOS 9. Those models include the iPhone 6s iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.  

There is no official word on support for older iPhone models or when we might see support for other devices even though most, such as the Samsung Galaxy line-up do support it!

"Wi-Fi Calling is a complement to AT&T’s already great network coverage," said AT&T's president of technology operations Bill Smith in a blog post. "Along with a network that covers more than 99 percent of all Americans, our customers now have an option for making calls in areas where a cellular signal is tough to get – such as a home or office with dense building construction."

What is the Benefit of Wi-Fi Calling?

We've all been somewhere with little to no cellular coverage, it may be your office building, the gym or even an out of the way spot in the woods. No matter the location if you have internet service and an active Wi-Fi signal, Wi-Fi Calling can work as a tool to solve those coverage problems. With Wi-Fi Calling, your phone connects via the internet to send and receive you your voice calls, text messages and other mobile services over that Wi-Fi network even if your cellular network isn't working.

Once you set up Wi-Fi Calling, your phone automatically detects when to use it. Wi-Fi Calling will only be used if cellular coverage is weak or unavailable. To add Wi-Fi calling to an eligible iPhone, according to Apple's website, go to Settings> Phone> Wi-Fi Calling. You will then be prompted to answer a few questions.

AT&T Next To Offer Unsubsidized Phones, Faster Upgrade Options

Earlier this month AT&T promised to let us know "What's Next" for AT&T with little more than a photo telling us to “get ready for what’s next in wireless.” What exactly that meant wasn't entirely clear until today. AT&T’s big news is a new early upgrade, unsubsidized smartphone option for those customers who want to upgrade their device as frequently as once a year. This new offering, called AT&T Next, won’t replace the other upgrade options currently offered by the carrier, and will work with existing data plans.

Details of the plan are as follows: To use AT&T Next, AT&T subscribers agree to pay a monthly fee for their device on top of their regular AT&T service plan. Monthly fees range from $15-$50; a Samsung Galaxy S 4 costs $32 per month. Customers must agree to make 20 payments. After 12 payments, you can trade in your device and get a new one, and the clock starts again. There are no activation or upgrade fees. After 20 payments, the device is paid off. There doesn't appear to be a contract for service, only for the device itself. If you want out, you can pay off the device price early.

This appears to be a win win for AT&T in that the company no longer has to pay subsidies - which currently amass to $440 on a Galaxy S 4 with a two-year contract. A customer can current get the phone for $199 and be stuck in a contract, at the AT&T Next pricing the same customer will only pay $380 before they are eligible for an upgrade or $640 total. This means over a two-year period someone with an AT&T Next Galaxy S 4 will pay $440 more than a subsidzed customer if they don't upgrade early. If they do upgrade early then AT&T gets to capture the resale value of the used phones, rather than consumers reusing or reselling them on their own. Customers who want to upgrade in months 13 or 14, and who don't resell their own used phones, will find big savings here, though.

While the deal clearly isn't "great" for consumers, it is nice to see more options coming from the big three carriers.

Source: AT&T Newsroom

Verizon And AT&T Launch Targeted Ad Services

Wireless providers AT&T and Verizon have announced the launch of two similar services offering customers a free opt-in, location-based text messaging alerting service which target customers with various services, coupons and promotions through online or mobile advertisements. Known as Verizon Selects and AT&T Alerts the two programs will use geo-location technology and consumer preferences to deliver offers, rewards, and coupons without the need of download an application.

AT&T wireless customers can text “JOIN” to ATTAlerts (288253787) to opt-in to the service and begin receiving discounts, rewards and offers via text message when they are near participating retailers and brands such as Gap, Staples, Zales, Last Call by Neiman Marcus, Duracell, Motorola or Discover. Customers can customize offer preferences and settings to receive offers most relevant to them by visiting http://alerts.att.com/join. Text messages to and from AT&T Alerts are free. As an added bonus, customers who sign-up for AT&T Alerts will receive $5 off with a $10 minimum purchase at ATT.com

AT&T wireless customers can visit http://alerts.att.com/join to sign-up and learn more, or text “JOIN” to ATTAlerts (288253787) from their AT&T wireless phones.

Beginning this week select Verizon customers can expect to receive invites to the new Verizon Selects services which the company says customers can opt-in or or out of at any time. Additionally they change their choices at any time at the Verizon Selects site or opt into or out of several other Precision Market Insights solutions that provide customers with an opt-out choice.

“We are asking customers to opt-in to Verizon Selects because of the types of information being used and because the capabilities provided to third-party marketers gives them the ability to reach customers directly,” the company wrote on its website. “It’s important to remember that Verizon DOES NOT share information that identifies customers personally outside of Verizon.”

Source: Verizon | AT&T

Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean Now Available For AT&T Samsung Galaxy S III Owners

Engadget is reporting that Android 4.1.1, better know as Jelly Bean, is now available for AT&T's Samsung Galaxy S III. So far reports have it pegged as only currently being available through KIES and not as an OTA update.

Samsung has said the update will include the following:

• Camera Enhancements:
  
  • New live camera and camcorder filters offer a range of new ways to spark your creativity.Warm vintage, cold vintage, black and white, sepia, color highlights(blue, green, red/yellow), and many more are selectable from the main camera screen.
  • Pause and resume while recording videoallows users to string together multiple captured video clips from a party, birthday or sporting event into a single file with no post editing required.
  • Low light photo modetakes advantage of Galaxy S III’s best-in-class High Dynamic Range (HDR) capabilities and offers an optimized mode for low light and indoor photos.
• Pop Up Play Update: Users can now easily resize or pausethe Pop Up Playpicture-in-picture videowindow, taking full advantage of the Galaxy S III’s powerful processor and large 4.8-inch screen.
• Easy Mode:Easy Mode is a simplified user experience option for first-time smartphone owners, providing large home screen widgets that focus on the device essentials. The Easy widgets include both 4x2 and 4x4 arrangements of favorite contacts, favorite apps, favorite settings, clock and alarm.
• Blocking Mode:Galaxy S III owners can disable incoming calls, notifications, alarms and LED indicators for a designated period of time.
• Improved Usability: Users now have multiple keyboard options with the addition of the Swype® keyboard.
  
  
  Android 4.1 Jelly Bean offers users a smoother, faster and more fluid experience with expanded feature functionality, including:
  
  • Google Now:Google Now givesusers the right information at the right time, like how much traffic to expect before leaving work, when the next train is scheduled toarrive at the subway station or the score of a favorite team’s current game –conveniently delivered as notifications. Additionally, Google Now provides powerful voice assistant functionality across a range of domains, including weather, maps, navigation, search, image search, flight status and more. Google Now can conveniently be launched from the lock screen shortcut or by a long press on the menu button from any screen.
  • Rich Notifications:Notifications can now expand and shrink with a pinch to showthe right amount of information a user needs. Notifications have been enhancedso action can be taken without having to launch the app first – like sharing a screenshot directly from the notification.
  • Automatic Widget Adjustment:Customizing the home screen is easier than ever before. Users can simply place anew icon or widget on the screen, and existingicons will move out of the way to make space.When widgets are too big, they automatically resize to fit on the screen.

More Coverage via: xda-developers and Endgadget

FCC Orders AT&T To Refund Over Charged 'Grand Fathered' Data Customers

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has ordered AT&T to pay fines and penalties in the amount of $700,000 for overcharging "grand fathered" customers who were switched to a costlier, monthly subscription plan from a "pay-as-you-go" system.

The $700,000 fines will be issued as a refund to customers that AT&T forced to move to a monthly data plan despite their accounts being covered under a so-called grandfather clause. According to the commission, some existing AT&T users who replaced phones through warranty or moved homes were switched to the more expensive programs which resulted in additional fees of as much as $25 to $30 a month depending on usage.

AT&T estimates that fewer than 0.03 percent of their customers had been mistakenly switched, an error discovered in 2010. It then reimbursed those who contacted the company.

This "puts precious dollars back in the pockets of consumer — where they belong," said Michele Ellison, Chief of the FCC's Enforcement Bureau. "We strongly encourage AT&T subscribers to check their bills closely and contact the company if they spot any overcharges related to wireless data."

Customer who think they are do a refund should contact AT&T directly for more information.

Stolen Phone Database Now Live

Earlier this year the FCC alongside all of the major US cell phone providers brokered a deal to create a stolen phone database that would allow the tracking, and blocking of phones reported to have been stolen. The first of these services, managed by AT&T and T-Mobile has gone live today.

The stolen phone program works like this: A phone is reported stolen and the IMEI, a unique identification number in the cellphone, is entered into the database and then blocked. This ID number remains with the cellphone no matter what SIM card is used or what a user does to the phone. If the thief, or other unsuspecting user, tries to use that phone with their new SIM card or tries to get new service on that phone they won't be able to.

"The goal is to not only protect the consumer by cancelling the service, but by ultimately protecting the consumer by drying up the after market for stolen phones," said Chris Guttman-McCabe, vice president of regulatory affairs at CTIA, a wireless industry trade association that has coordinated efforts to introduce the database.

Verizon and Sprint are working to offer their own databases which will eventually be combined with the AT&T and T-Mobile databases so that the vast majority of U.S. cellphone users will be covered. Smaller carriers like Nex-Tech and Cellcom are also getting on board the database. There are also plans to link it with an international database maintained by the GSM Association to stop stolen phones being shipped overseas and used on foreign networks.

The goal behind the database is to hopefully prevent the theft of mobile phones by making it less attractive to criminals. The thought is that if its harder (or near impossible) to activate the phones then there will be less motivation to take them.

While the phone database may eventually be a great deterrent to stop thieves it isn't a stop all. CTIA president and CEO Steve Largent pointed out that most users now store a large amount of personal data on their smartphones - from photos and videos to banking information and emails.   

"While the GSM and CDMA databases are important, consumers also play a key role in protecting their information and preventing smartphone theft," Largent continued. "By using passwords or PINs, as well as remote wiping capabilities, consumers can help to dry up the aftermarket for stolen devices. It's important consumers know that by taking simple precautions, such as downloading a few apps, they can protect their information from unauthorized users," he said.



AT&T customers may report a stolen phone and suspend their service online at www.att.com/stolenphone, at an AT&T store, or by contacting AT&T Customer Care at 1-800-331-0500. Within 24 hours, AT&T will block the use of a device reported as stolen.

T-Mobile Invites AT&T Users With Unlocked iPhones

With the launch of the new iPhone 5 seemingly immanent, T-Mobile is extending an offer to current AT&T iPhone owners. Leave AT&T behind and come to us!

T-Mobile may be the only one of "Big 4" phone companies that doesn't sell the iPhone, but that hasn't kept users from leaving AT&T behind and taking their devices with them. In the past T-Mobile has been a bit reluctant to openly invite iPhone users as it faced concerns over bandwidth usage. Now it appears as though the mobile provider has changed their tune.

Starting Wednesday, when Apple is expected to reveal a new iPhone model, T-Mobile will start an advertising campaign targeting unlocked iPhone owners who are out of contract and can switch to T-Mobile.

"We expect that consumers will start trading in older devices," said Harry Thomas, T-Mobile's director of marketing. "For every person waiting in line for the next model, a lot of them have to find a secondary market for that older device."

AT&T iPhones have to be unlocked using codes that AT&T will supply after the customer's contract is up. AT&T has added a new page to make the process easy. Simply visit the AT&T Device Unlock page, fill in your information as well as the IMEI number from your iPhone and if you meet the requirements AT&T will send you the unlock code within 5 to 7 days.

Sorry Sprint and Verizon iPhone owners, your phones won't work on T-Mobiles network. There are some hacks that can be done to potentially get the iPhone 4S to work but that is a rather involved ordeal and not something most users will want to face.

T-Mobiles campaign will be titled "Unlocked & Unlimited." The pitch will center on its unlimited data plan, which it reintroduced last week. The carrier also plans to start carrying unlocked iPhones in its stores for demonstration purposes and even plans to launch a few of its own iPhone apps to improve the "T-Mobile iPhone" experience.

T-Mobile's Value plans range between $59.99 and $104.99 a month. The low-end plan includes unlimited voice and text message and 2 gigabytes of data before throttling. For $10 more, customers can get fully unlimited data. The high-end plan comes with 10 gigabytes of data. In Atlanta and New York, T-Mobile plans on giving away $100 gift cards to customers who sign their iPhones up for two-year contracts.

Smartphone Buying Basics

The smartphone community has a lot to be abuzz about these days. Samsung has just released one of the hottest phones on the market with the Galaxy S3, HTC has the new HTC One X and Motorola the DROID RAZR MAXX. Rumors are abound about the new iPhone 5 and of course there are the new Windows Phones like the Nokia Lumia 900. It is truly a great time to be a smartphone fan.

With all these great choices how exactly do you decide? To be honest it's a tough decision. Every one of the newer phones on the market right now has its own strong points and each has its flaws. Selecting your phone might seem like a tough decision but here are a few ideas for getting the best phone and the best mobile phone deals. When it all comes down to it though it depends on a few key factors.

Your Carrier:
This is obviously by far the biggest factor, as not all carriers carry the same phones and not all carriers are created equal. Now you might think an iPhone is an iPhone is an iPhone, but that just isn't true. Network speeds, coverages, costs, services ect are all different for every carrier.

When deciding on which carrier to get there are a few things to take into consideration. Your local coverage and extended coverage, network speeds, reliability and costs. Local coverage for the big three might be decent, however if you travel a lot you'll need to check to make sure the areas you frequent have just as good of coverage. This too factors into network speeds. Take the area I live in, Sacramento, throughout the heart of town we have 4G coverage for the most part. When I go a few miles out of town though I don't get as good of coverage. If I lived in an area with poor 4G coverage and I paid a premium for a 4G phone that would be a bit if a waste.

The phones your carrier are going to offer are also going to be a factor. Sprint, Verizon and AT&T may eventually carry the new iPhone 5, unfortunately right now we just don't know. If you want one of the latest Windows phones right now Verizon with the HTC Trophy or AT&T with either the Nokia Nokia Lumia 900, Samsung Focus S or HTC Titan II are probably going to be the best bets. I don't really suggest going with one carrier over the other just based on phone offerings but it might be a consideration you'll want to take into account.

If you are looking for an Android phone, then you are going to have your work cut out for you. All three of the big three offer great choices and almost all of the minor carriers now carry decent Android phones. To get the latest greatest though, you are likely going to need to decide between the big three.

Upfront Cost and Monthly Fees:
These are two factors plenty of people often overlook. Often time we want to get the latest greats phones out there and forget that those phones come with a pretty hefty premium. I might want that iPhone 5 when it comes out, but when it does I can likely get the iPhone 4S at a pretty sweet savings.

You also need to keep in mind the more feature packed a phone is the more data it uses and likely the more your monthly costs are going to be. Verizon and AT&T plans tend to cost the most, but those two carriers have the best voice and data coverage in the nation. Sprint and T-Mobile offer considerable savings, especially on unlimited voice, data, and texting plans, but don't have quite the same level of network coverage.

Now days you can even skip out on the contract game all together. Smaller carriers are starting to offer more and more smartphones options for prepaid phones. We're beginning to see prepaid smartphones appear everywhere, especially on smaller regional carriers like MetroPCS, U.S. Cellular, and Cricket Wireless. If you live in an appropriate coverage area and don't need a cutting edge device, the potential savings can be huge.

Your Needs:
You have to ask yourself what are your needs really going to be. When I got my first smartphone I thought I'd use almost every feature out there. But now I rarely use most of them. For instance I'm not a big picture taker, so I don't need a phone with a top rated camera. I don't watch a lot of videos, so having a high resolution larger screen isn't a must for me. So when you browse mobile phone deals look at your options take in to consideration exactly what you think you'll be using your phone for and buy one that best fits with those needs.

Compatibility and Use:
When selecting my phones I ask myself what apps, what compatibility ect am I going to need. The iPhone has by far the most apps out there with the Apple App Store, Android is a close second and Windows is still a work in progress but has tons of apps and features that make it useful.

I use my phone for work and it needs to be able to sync seamlessly with Google and Google apps, but if I was an Apple user I'd likely want an iPhone so syncing across my devices would be easier. If I was a heavy Microsoft user and used Windows Live a lot then the syncing features of a Windows phone might be best for me.

Size and Features:
There has been a movement of late to make phones, specifically screen sizes, larger. It has even been rumored that the new iPhone 5 will come with a larger 4.3" screen. Personally I don't care for a larger screen. I like a smaller phone that is more portable and bit a easier to carry around.

For me some of the features are a bit more important. I've been shopping around for some of the new waterproof phones and the more rugged models. I'm the outdoors type so having a phone that is a bit tougher is a more important feature to me than having one with a larger screen that might be easily broken.

So Which Smartphone Should I Get:
Well, that depends on the factors discussed above, and a lot of personal preference. Personally I really like the user interface that HTC has for their Android phones but some people don’t. Some people are going to be hard core Apple fans and are going to say go Apple.

No matter which phone you go with keep in mind that most carriers allow you up to 30 days to return it. So if you buy something you aren't happy with don't be afraid to return it and try something new.

iPhone Users May Have To Pay Extra For FaceTime Calls

According to reports by MacRumors, a new error message in the latest beta release of iOS 6 could confirm that AT&T among others might start charging iPhone users for FaceTime phone calls. The message, which generally only pops-up when users have to pay for extra features on AT&T leads developers to believe that the service provide is working on a new pay-per use service charge associated with the new calling feature.

When users try using the new FaceTime calling app a pop-up message appears telling iPhone users on AT&T that they must first contact the wireless provider before they can use the feature. This type of message only shows up when you have to pay for something.

FaceTime video calling itself isn't a new feature. However with the release of iOS 6 a new FaceTime-over-cellular feature arrives. This allows you to make the same FaceTime video calls you do now via Wi-Fi over your cellular providers standard network. However the service is said to be a bit of a bandwidth hog and we know anything that uses more data is a chance for cell companies to squeeze a few more dollars out of their customers.

AT&T has not confirmed that it will charge for FaceTime calls on its network. In a statement released to the press, AT&T said: “We’re working closely with Apple on the new developer build of iOS 6 and we’ll share more information with our customers as it becomes available.” Interpret that as you will.

At this time developers have noted that neither Verizon nor Sprint, the other two wireless carriers that offer the iPhone, have yet instituted the same message into iOS 6. That’s not to say that they won’t, just that it isn't there as of now.

AT&T Launching Stolen Phone Service

Starting next week AT& will finally launch the company's stolen phone database. A new service that will let customers whose phones and tablets are stolen have their devices blocked from use on the AT&T network by the thieves.

Under pressure by the Federal Communications Commission and police departments around the country, AT&T and all three of the other three major U.S. carriers, Verizon Wireless, Sprint and T-Mobile, agreed to create a national database of stolen cellphones and tablets. The database is intended to allow customers to report their device as stolen, to one company and allow blocking of those devices on any of the other networks. Verizon and Sprint already offer a blocking service, but GSM-based carriers whose phones use SIM card slots do not. The FCC wants its database to work across all LTE smartphones on all carriers no later than Nov. 30, 2013.

When a customer reports a stolen or lost cellphone, they can list their phone in the corresponding database. That information will (or should be) shared with the other major carriers preventing anyone presenting the phone for activation from putting service on the phone.

How this is going to work in relation to SIM carded phones is as of yet unclear. We are assuming they are going to setup a program to block the cell phone's IMEI (International Mobile Equipment) or ESN (Electronic Serial Number) from being accepted.

This new will let customers keep their accounts active instead of canceling them and having to shutdown their accounts for a brief period. If customers get their phones back, they'll be able to call AT&T again to reactivate service.

AT&T and Verizon May Soon Offer Family Data Plans

Speaking at this year's CTIA Wireless trade show executives from AT&T have expressed company plans to offer a shared family data plan.

"The company has a firm hold on what type of plan it will offer and intends to offer one soon," said Ralph de la Vega, CEO of AT&T's mobile business. de la Vega says the company is working out the details of such plans stating “we’ll introduce them when we can.” But as of yet the company has no firm launch date.

AT&T is not alone in the venture to offer family a bit more bang for their data buck. Verizon is reportedly also planning to join the fray. Speaking at a at a Deutsche Bank conference earlier this year Verizon Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo said the carrier will launch a family data plan by midyear (PDF).

Both companies are likely looking at family data plans as a way to boost sales of devices specifically non-traditional cellular devices like connected tablets. A shared data plan will allow consumers to share data by multiple devices which could help the average family save tons on their current plans. Most plans we see now are set on a per device basis and cost upwards of $30/mo. Adding in a lower cost alternative could help push sales of more phones but also add in a plethora of other devices.

Verizon's concept of a shared plan extends a bit further into the future well beyond phones, tablets and even laptops.

"Let's just take a household," Shammo said. "So you have a family; they have tablets; they have notebooks; they have their smartphones. Then you have to start thinking about then you have a washer and dryer, you have a refrigerator, and people are going to want to start to communicate with all of those devices. So when you think about connecting the devices to the network, it's more than just a smartphone and a tablet."

Certainly AT&T is also looking at the new plans to work in conjunction with their newly announced home automation project, AT&T Digital Life. I could definitely see them working on cellular enabled Appliance power controls, digital cameras and alarm systems.

Source: CNet News - AT&T Mobility CEO: Family data plan coming soon
Verizon to offer shared family data plan by midyear

Nokia Offers Lumia 900 Owners Replacement and $100 Credit For WiFi Bug

Nokia has confirmed a software bug resulting in Wi-Fi connectivity issues on the company's flagship Windows Phone 7 based Lumia 900.

Late Tuesday Nokia issued an apology to customers and owned up to its mistake stating that there was an issue with the phone's software -- specifically a memory management issue -- and not an underlying issue with the phones hardware, OS or the AT&T network.

This issue is purely in the phone software, and is not related to either phone hardware or the network itself. As a proactive and prudent measure, we decided to take immediate action. We have identified the issue, and have developed a solution.

Nokia will be issuing a software based patch for users next week. However, they are offering anyone that has already purchased a Lumia 900 the following two options:

1. Swap your current Lumia 900 for an updated Lumia 900. This should fix any WiFi issues
2. Keep your current phone and you will be able to update your own device with the latest software via Zune on or around Monday, April 16th.

As a gesture of good will Nokia is also offering every individual who has already purchased a Nokia Lumia 900 — or who plans to purchase one between now and April 21st – a $100 credit to their AT&T bill.

AT&T Says Wireless Data Usage Doubles Yearly

AT&T has recently released their year end statics and the numbers show company has faced yet another doubling of user data consumption.

In his blog post, John Donovan, Senior Executive Vice President—AT&T Technology and Network Operations, said "Running year-end numbers that show the same result as previous years is typically a sign of stability. But when the year-end numbers show a doubling of wireless data traffic from 2010 to 2011 – and you’ve seen at least a doubling every year since 2007 – the implications are profound."

Over the past five years, AT&T’s wireless data traffic has grown 20,000%. The increase in smartphone usage and more sophisticated feature packed applications like Siri are the primary reason behind this steady increase of mobile data. Siri alone is said to nearly double the data usage on the iPhone 4s.

The trend is a global phenomenon not isolated to AT&T, as also detailed by Cisco today with the release of their annual Visual Network Index forecast. AT&T has said they are addressing the challenge by investing to drive service improvements expecting to invest about $20 billion again in 2012 with a focus on wireless, including more 4G LTE deployment, the roll-out of distributed antenna systems in key venues across the U.S. and adding even more AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots to the nation’s largest Wi-Fi network.

AT&T Fighting To Keep iPhone Users Offers 1,000 Free Rollover Minutes

According to 9to5Mac, AT&T is trying its best to keep iPhone users by offering the up more perks than ever. Some iPhone customers have confirmed they are receiving text messages which say users can get 1,000 bonus rollover minutes at no cost. You simply have to reply “YES” to the 11113020 number and you will receive a text that says your account has been credited!

Comment's over at 9to5Mac have confirmed this works for any iPhone customers even if they have not yet received the text. We are not sure if anyone else has tried it or not but it might be worth a shot.

Update: I just tried it from my regular AT&T cellphone and got the confirmation reply so we'll see if it works or not!

This is just one of the latest moves by AT&T stop the masses from fleeing over to Verizon or other networks.

Earlier this week the company announced the launch of a new plan that offers unlimited talk and text with any mobile number on any U.S. carrier regardless of your recipient's provider. Users simply need to activate their unlimited mobile-to-mobile promotion by visiting www.att.com/anymobile. The new promotion is available on $39.99 and higher Nation plans and $69.99 and higher FamilyTalk plans.

All this follows reports several weeks ago that AT&T was offering iPhone owners free microCells to boost in-door coverage using the consumer’s broadband connection. The 3G microcells($199.99) went on sale from AT&T last year and are mainly popular for those living in low coverage areas. The microcell works like a signal extender boosting your broadband connection by actually creating a new 3G signal using your broadband connection.

A few caveats to the deal are that in order to accept it you must sign on to an additional 12-month contract. If the customer decides to break or cancel the agreement before the 12-month contract ends, they will have to return the microcell to AT&T or pay the pro-rated cost for it. This agreement won’t have any effect on your handset contract end date or your ability to upgrade your phone.

All these promotions are great for consumers as it actually drives a little competition. So for now at least kuddos to AT&T for not just throwing in the towel.

AT&T To Launch Mobile Hotspot App For Tethering, 4Gbs For $45/Mo

I've seen a few erroneous reports about the newest tethering offer from AT&T so I thought I'd try to clear a few things up.

Yesterday AT&T announced the new AT&T Mobile Hotspot application. A new app that will allow select smartphone customers to connect (tether) multiple devices from their smartphone – via Wi-Fi. The feature will launch February 13, beginning with the in-store launch of the HTC Inspire 4G. Customers will have to bundle the AT&T Data Pro plan at $25/mo for 2Gbs with an additional $20/mo AT&T Mobile Hotspot plan for a total of 4GB for $45 per month.

This is where most sites are making their errors. AT&T is not adding 2Gbs to the $25/mo plan for free! They are essentially bundling two plans for those of you that want to use the new Mobile Hotspot app.

AT&T has not specifically mentioned the iPhone in this plan, in fact most reports are suggesting that the iPhone will not initially be part of the new plan and it appears as though those users will still be limited to the $45/mo 2Gb plan they have now.

Part of the press release is a bit confusing and here is why: AT&T says they will automatically add the additional 2GB of monthly data usage to smartphone customers already on a tethering plan – at no extra charge. Then they add customers will incur the same $20 monthly fee they’re accustomed to paying. Well checking the AT&T site I see no such $20/mo tethering plan. All I see are two options for a $45/mo 2Gb plan. So I'm assuming they are adding the extra 2GB of data each month to those plans and someone at AT&T mistakenly mentioned a $20/mo plan, or perhaps this is for older 'grandfathered' plans? With AT&T you just don't know

At&t was nice enough to respond to my Facebook inquiry. So basically if I understand this correctly, they are just adding two more Gbs to their $45 plan and the other information is some kind of marketing hype? I'm not really sure since their response made about as much sense as the PR.

AT&T Hey Richard -- It's magic! No, just kidding. We appreciate your feedback and hope to help clear up your question. Adding 2GB to those already on a tethering plan is new for us, it isn't a new plan, we're just throwing in a few extra GBs at no extra charge -- that will start Feb. 13th. Think you're getting $45 as a result of a combination package -- $20 for the tethering plan plus $25 for the DataPro smartphone data plan.

Here is the break down from the press release:

AT&T Mobile Hotspot details include:

• Connectivity for multiple wireless devices to AT&T’s mobile broadband network
• 2 GB of data usage for $20 a month, bundled with AT&T’s Data Pro plan ($25 / 2GB)
• The combined AT&T Data Pro plus AT&T Mobile Hotspot will provide 4GB for $45 per month
• 4GB applies to collective use among all devices
• Overage fee of $10 per gigabyte

AT&T Adds Three Android Based Motorola Smartphones

AT&T today announced it is significantly expanding its portfolio of Android devices by introducing three new Motorola smartphones powered by Android, the Motorola BRAVO, Motorola FLIPOUT and Motorola FLIPSIDE. All three smartphones will feature the Android 2.1 platform and the latest version of Motorola’s MOTOBLUR

MOTOROLA FLIPOUT

MOTOROLA FLIPOUT delivers an enhanced user experience, with a stylishly square, affordable and innovative pivot design. FLIPOUT whips open to reveal a full keyboard below its touch screen with a dedicated fifth row for numbers. Users can customize the color to match their mood with Dark Sapphire and Saffron battery covers included in the box for personalization. Additional colors will be available for purchase in AT&T stores and online. Get all the MOTOROLA FLIPOUT details at http://att.com/flipout.

MOTOROLA BRAVO

BRAVO offers the power of Android, an 800 MHz processor and a large screen all in a compact design. The device features a 3.7-inch full WVGA touch screen experience, enhanced Web-browsing and entertainment while on the go. With a 3-megapixel camera with digital zoom and auto focus, customers can catch memorable moments to share with one-touch social media uploads to Facebook, MySpace, Picasa and PhotoBucket. Motorola BRAVO is a Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) enabled device, so customers can stream, store and share entertainment with multiple devices around the home—including PCs, TVs and other mobile devices using an existing home Wi-Fi network. Get all the MOTOROLA BRAVO details at http://att.com/bravo.

MOTOROLA FLIPSIDE

MOTOROLA FLIPSIDE enables users to seamlessly manage their work and personal life. With a full slide-out QWERTY keypad, FLIPSIDE’s 3.1”-inch high-res HVGA display supports pinch to zoom gesturing, while the laptop-like track pad provides an alternative way to navigate with one hand while keeping your fingers off the screen. Users can stay connected to work with full push corporate e-mail, support for Microsoft Exchange, unified inbox and enhanced features for IT compliance like remote wipe and password enforcement. Get all the MOTOROLA FLIPSIDE details at http://att.com/flipside.

Enhanced MOTOBLUR

MOTOBLUR is Motorola’s exclusive experience that syncs contacts, posts, messages, photos and much more — from your favorite social media sites, work and personal e-mail, and last.fm — and automatically delivers them to the home screen. MOTOBLUR can locate or remotely wipe lost or stolen devices, MOTOBLUR can also automatically restore a user’s contacts, log-in information, home screen customizations and e-mail with one username and password.
The new and enhanced MOTOBLUR functionality and features include:

• Filter social networking and Messages widgets – filter by social networking account, by contact(s) or by contact group to only see the information you want.
  
• Screen customization – move and resize preloaded widgets on up to seven home screens
  
• Battery Manager – manage battery consumption by operating in one of three performance modes
  
• Personal and Corporate e-mail – pushed directly to the device
  
• Improved social networking functionality – Retweet, like Facebook comments and more
  

Pricing

FLIPOUT will be the cheapest of the three phones will a list price of $79.99 while the FLIPSIDE will be available for $99.99 and BRAVO will come in with the highest price tag of $129.99. Each requires a new two service agreement and 2 year smartphone data plan from AT&T. The phones are expected to be available by this holiday season.

Source: Motorola

iPhone 4 Hot Enough To Melt Down Apple And AT&T

Even the biggest Apple dissident can't deny the fact that Apple's iPhone is one of the hottest items on the market today. Earlier this week they rebuffed that statement when they began offering pre-sale orders of the latest incarnation the iPhone 4. The mere act of offering the phones for pre-sale was enough to drag both companies sites to a crawl!

In statements released today both companies acknowledging and apologized for yesterday's iPhone 4 pre-order meltdown. According to AT&T spokesperson Seth Bloom, pre-order sales for the iPhone 4 were 10 times higher than the first day of pre-orders for the iPhone 3GS last summer. Apple has also publicly acknowledged that things did not go smoothly, apologizing to would-be customers who weren't able to get an order in before the iPhone 4 sold out.

While persistent problems plagued both the AT&T and Apple sites and ordering was less than smooth enough U.S. customers got through to exhaust the supplies Apple and AT&T had set aside for delivery June 24.

Late Tuesday, Apple replaced the iPhone 4's June 24 delivery promise with "Ships: By July 2nd."

Apple reported they took more than 600,000 pre-orders for the iPhone 4 yesterday. This was the "largest number of pre-orders Apple has ever taken in a single day and was far higher than we anticipated, resulting in many order and approval system malfunctions," forcing many customers to abandon their attempts to complete an order.

It looks like all you Apple Fanboys (and girls) will just have to wait another week or two to get your hands on your new iPhone.

AT&T Confirms iPad User Info Exposed

According to Gawker the emails of over 114,000 iPad 3G owners were accidentally exposed over AT&T's network. The hackers were able to gather emails of every AT&T customer who purchased an iPad 3G before Monday June 7, 2010.

The specific information exposed in the breach included subscribers' email addresses, coupled with an authentication ID used to authenticate the subscriber on AT&T's network, known as the ICC-ID. ICC-ID stands for integrated circuit card identifier and is used to identify the SIM cards that associate a mobile device with a particular subscriber.

AT&T was already aware of the breach and had since closed the security hole but the victims have been unaware, until the news was leaked via Gawker. “The issue has escalated to the highest levels of the company and was corrected by Tuesday; and we have essentially turned off the feature that provided the e-mail addresses,” AT&T said in a statement.

AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel confirmed the breach to CNET stating "AT&T was informed by a business customer on Monday of the potential exposure of their iPad ICC IDS. The only information that can be derived from the ICC IDS is the e-mail address attached to that device. We are continuing to investigate and will inform all customers whose e-mail addresses and ICC IDS may have been obtained," he said. "At this point, there is no evidence that any other customer information was shared."

The subscriber data was obtained by a group calling itself Goatse Security.

Goatse Security obtained its data through a script on AT&T's website, accessible to anyone on the internet. When provided with an ICC-ID as part of an HTTP request, the script would return the associated email address, in what was apparently intended to be an AJAX-style response within a Web application. The security researchers were able to guess a large section of ICC IDs by looking at known iPad 3G ICC IDs, either their own ICC-IDs or some of those unwittingly posted on the internet.

According to the Gawker article there were some rather big names who's addresses were leaked and may now be vulnerable. Among those are several military based email addresses from all branches of the military, NASA, the Department of Homeland security and several devices registered to the domain of DARPA, the advanced research division of the Department of Defense. There are also several major names in the tech sector, finance and media.

While there may not be much information leaked and hackers may not be able to do much with what little was leaked the fact that the info and email addresses are out in the wild might be a reason for concern. I'm sure they all have security measures in place to avoid phishing scams, spam and or other malicious emails but that doesn't mean hackers won't be trying and we all know it doesn't take much to slip something by.