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2024: How T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T duped Americans with unlimited rates and supposedly free phones
In mid-May 2024, it became known that operators deceived T-Mobile Verizon AT&T Americans with unlimited tariffs, and also lured customers with allegedly free phones. These companies were fined $10.2 million for misleading advertising.
The investigation found the listed operators made false claims in their ads, including regarding "unlimited" data plans that actually had restrictions. In addition, the companies offered "free" mobile devices that actually required certain costs from consumers. Misleading statements were also made regarding the switch to other tariffs.
A coalition of 50 attorneys general, led by New York prosecutor Letitia James, announced penalties against the operators. In addition to monetary recovery, the agreement requires the companies' future promotions to be "truthful, accurate and not misleading." In this case, tariffs should be considered unlimited only "if there are no restrictions" on the amount of data transmitted during the calculation period.
 | New Yorkers and all Americans deserve to know the truth: When they buy a service or product, they should be treated fairly. Big companies are not exempt from the law and cannot trick consumers into paying for services they will never get, says James. |  |
T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T are also required to appoint a special representative to work with attorneys general as part of their handling of complaints filed by clients. The authorities intend to continue pursuing operators who "harm ordinary Americans."[1]
2023
The United States has published a national strategy for the joint use of telecom frequencies for military and civilian purposes
On November 13, 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce released what it called the National Spectrum Strategy. The document involves the joint use of a number of frequency bands by the private sector and federal agencies.
The document was developed by the American National Telecommunications and Information Technology Administration (NTIA) in cooperation with the Federal Communications Commission and executive authorities. It is assumed that the sharing of telecom frequencies by civil and military structures will contribute to the development of consumer services based on wireless communications, as well as help in the introduction of new services in important sectors of the economy, such as aviation, transport, production, power and space.
The strategy identifies five bands with a total frequency resource of 2786 MHz, almost twice the original NTIA target of 1500 MHz. In particular, more than 1600 MHz in the middle frequency range, which is planned to be used to deploy next-generation wireless services, will be allocated for joint use. In addition, we are talking about providing for commercial needs a 350 MHz wide band at the bottom of the 3 GHz band, which is used for radar operation. In the range of 7125-8400 MHz, it is proposed to allocate a 1275 MHz wide band on which some meteorological satellites and other spacecraft operate.
| | Demand for this scarce resource, especially for midband frequencies critical to next-generation wireless services, continues to grow. The national spectrum strategy will promote innovation in the public and private sectors and allow the United States to maintain global leadership in wireless technology, says Alan Davidson, NTIA administrator.[2] | |
Mobile operators obliged to block SMS spam
In mid-March 2023, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved new rules obliging telecommunications companies to take measures to combat SMS spam. The introduction of requirements is dictated by a sharply increased number of subscriber complaints about text messages sent by robotic systems through cellular networks. Read more here.
2022
Ban on the import and sale of telecommunications equipment of Chinese companies
"Communication tools produced by companies, Huawei Technologies ZTE Corporation Hytera Communications, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology and Dahua Technology," the order says, published on the website of the Federal Communications Commission. USA
The text notes that this equipment "poses an unacceptable risk to national security."
Squeezing Huawei and ZTE equipment from networks in the United States cost the budget $7.3 billion
On February 7, 2022, it became known that by the beginning of 2022, the long-term desire of the US government to remove all equipment from Chinese manufacturers from the country's wireless networks cost the budget $7.3 billion.
At first, taxpayers were forced to pay $700 million in 2019, then $1.9 billion at the end of 2020, and in 2021, at least $5.6 billion. This is 700% more than in the first two years, and it is unclear how much the total cost can grow further.
FCC Chairman Jessica Rosenworcel notified Congress in early February 2022 that operators subject to this requirement have already requested a new amount from the Secure and Reliable Communications Networks Act, which became law in the first weeks of the COVID-19 crisis.
The U.S. government has waged a multi-pronged campaign to remove and replace network communications equipment supplied by Chinese suppliers through several administrations since the law was passed, but there was no funding for the effort until the law was passed.
| | We have received more than 181 applications from carriers who have developed plans to remove and replace equipment in their networks that poses a threat to national security, Rosenworcel said in a statement. | |
Rural and regional U.S. carriers were particularly strongly impacted by this mandate, and experienced collective relief when funding was secured to adequately reimburse the costs of removing and replacing hardware and software from vendors classified as a national security risk.
The application window for the Supply Chain Reimbursement Program, created by Congress to remove, replace and dispose of network equipment and services produced or provided by Huawei and ZTE, opened on October 29, 2021 and closed on January 28, 2022.
| | While we still have a lot of work to do to review these applications, I look forward to working with Congress to secure sufficient funding for this program to meet congressional security goals and ensure the U.S. continues to lead the way in 5G security, Rosenworcel said.[3] | |
2021
US authorities will pay telecom operators $2 billion to abandon Chinese equipment
In mid-July 2021 U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) , she decided to reimburse medium and small American telecommunications companies that refused to use network equipment Huawei and. ZTE
The regulator will allocate up to $1.9 billion to communication service providers with less than 10 million subscribers who were ordered to replace Chinese equipment in December 2020 for national security reasons. This applies to all providers connected to the FCC Universal Services Fund. Previously, only telecommunications companies with less than 2 million customers were eligible for reimbursement.
Communications providers that replace Huawei and ZTE equipment can apply for reimbursement starting Oct. 29, 2021, according to acting FCC Chairman Jessica Rosenworcel. The telecom reimbursement plan was put in place after Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. The FCC has also proposed new rules prohibiting providers from installing Huawei and ZTE equipment.
A Huawei spokesman said he was "disappointed" by the FCC's decision:
| | The FCC initiative poses unnecessary problems for carriers in the most remote areas of the United States, who must maintain high quality of service without failures when forced to replace serviceable equipment. These rules would deprive consumers of broadband connectivity, disrupt business, education and emergency response activities, and cost taxpayers dearly, but ultimately fail to achieve the core goal of real security. The US is simply using all means to its geopolitical advantage.[4] | |
Extremist attacks on US cell towers
In mid-March 2021, a report by the New York Police Intelligence Agency was released, according to which cell towers are increasingly becoming victims of extremists who want to "sow fear, disrupt basic services and cause serious economic damage."
The report also cited a number of recent attacks on U.S. telecommunications infrastructure, including attacks by individuals who cut fiber optic cables and pulled backup batteries from wireless nodes. The sections of the report published by The Intercept do not explicitly explain the political motives behind these attacks.
The most high-profile attack mentioned in the report is the case of Anthony Quinn Warner, who detonated a bomb outside the AT&T building in Nashville, Tennessee, on Christmas Day 2020. However, a separate FBI report said that while Warner was driven by conspiracy theories and paranoid ideas, his attack was not necessarily linked to "broader ideological motivations."
Still, police believe disparate extremist groups see attacks on U.S. infrastructure as an effective way to achieve their goal of "fomenting a general distrust of the government." The report cited a discussion in one neo-Nazi chat group, whose members suggested terrorist attacks on "bridges, railways and electric grids."
| | In recent months, white supremacist extremists, neo-Nazis, far-right Telegram groups and online conspiracy theorists have been considering ideas of terrorist attacks on critical infrastructure, the police report said. | |
In addition to threats posed by neo-Nazis and white supremacists, cellphone towers are increasingly being targeted by "conspiracy" theorists, according to 5G which towers are distributed coronavirus to the public and weaken people's immune systems.[5]
2018
China finds itself far ahead of US on 5G development
On August 7, 2018, consultants to the international network of consulting and audit services companies Deloitte published a report according to which China was far ahead of the United States in the race to develop a new generation of 5G wireless network, and therefore intercepted the potential economic benefits associated with this network. Read more here.
Proportion of residents without a smartphone
High mobile data prices
2012
US almost ditches 2G
In 2012, it became known that the American operator AT&T would completely abandon the second generation GSM networks in favor of 3G and 4G by January 1, 2017, the Wall Street Journal reported. The company thus wants to focus on the modernization of communication networks, especially since only about 12% of its subscriber base use the services of the second generation.
In addition to voice services, the company is planned to abandon data transmission using EDGE technology.
AT&T said it would recommend that its subscribers using 2G range devices switch to more modern sets. However, the company did not say whether additional measures would be taken to stimulate pipe replacement.
AT&T launched the 4G network in September 2011. The company has been operating on second-generation networks since the mid-90s.
Japan's Softbank buys Sprint Nextel
In October 2012, Softbank announced its intention to acquire a 70% stake in the US mobile operator Sprint Nextel for $20 billion.
2011: US Telecommunications Market Overview
US Telecommunications Report 1Q 2011 (Eng)
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1919
Notes
- ↑ T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T Fined $10.2 Million Over False 'Unlimited' Plan Claims
- ↑ Biden-Harris Administration Launches National Spectrum Strategy To Advance U.S. Wireless Leadership
- ↑ US Mandate to Scrap Huawei, ZTE Gear Tops $5.6B
- ↑ huawei zte replacement/ FCC finalizes $1.9bn compo deal for telcos forced to rip'n'replace Huawei, ZTE gear
- ↑ Conspiracy theorists and white supremacists want to ‘incite fear’ by targeting cell towers
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