Items tagged with (NYSE:VZ)
Last year, 5G availability and performance was disappointing, and realistically not much has changed on that front. Apple touted "5G just got real" when the iPhone 12 family launched, but 5G tended not to be much better than 4G, if at all. Either way, the technology is still improving, and has more widely rolled out, so improvements are to be expected nationwide. Ookla has released its Q4 findings for mobile networks, and we get to see how the competitors stack up. First and foremost, AT&T got to take the crown for both "Fastest Provider" and "5G Performance" based on weighted scores correlated to download and upload speeds. For the overall fastest provider, AT&T had a Speed Score of...
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We reported last month that Verizon's nationwide 5G network isn't all it's cracked up to be. While it’s true that Verizon's mmWave 5G network (which it dubs UWB 5G) is among the fastest around offering speeds that can approach 1Gbps in some instances, it has limited range, has trouble penetrating buildings, and is available in relatively few locations. The company's nationwide 5G network -- which uses low- and mid-band spectrum -- is what most customers will be accessing daily, and it leaves much to be desired. New testing from PC Magazine confirms the previous assessment of Verizon's nationwide 5G network, and its test results shows that customers should probably go...
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At first glance, it may seem like a decoder ring is needed to decipher TCL's new 10 5G UW handset, but the model name actually makes sense (even though it is also a bit goofy). It is the latest in TCL's 10 series, hence the 10, and is a 5G handset that can deliver those delightful ultra-wideband speeds that are a potential game changer. But best of all, it's only $399.99. That makes it the cheapest 5G handset around that I am aware of (if you know of one that costs less, feel free to splash it into the comments section below). It undercuts Motorola's One 5G by $45 (it's priced at $444.49 at Best Buy), and is a few hundred bucks less expensive than Apple's recently launched iPhone 12 mini at $699....
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Lenovo has announced that you will soon be able to purchase its Flex 5G convertible, which was first announced back at CES 2020 (as the Yoga 5G). The Flex 5G isn’t just your run of the mill Windows 10 device, however; this one is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8cx 5G SoC. There aren’t many devices on the market that use the Arm-based Snapdragon 8cx 5G – the Samsung Galaxy Book S remains perhaps the most well-known of the offerings – but the chip offers respectable performance as long as you don’t require extreme heavy lifting. In other words, don’t think that you’re going to be doing 4K video editing with this machine. In...
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The launch of the OnePlus 8 Pro is getting off to a bit of a rocky start. On paper, it's certainly a worthy successor to previous OnePlus handsets, and is priced competitively for a premium phone. However, display and compatibility woes have marred the release. As it pertains to the latter, apparently the OnePlus 8 Pro has not yet been fully validated for Verizon's wireless network. OnePlus 8 Pro owners have posted various complaints on the OnePlus forums, in regards to getting their handsets working correctly on Verizon's network. Some claim they are having trouble sending and receiving SMS text messages, while others say they are unable to make or receive phone calls. So, what's going on? The...
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Verizon has updated its Emergency Management policy to help eliminate worry for customers during the coronavirus pandemic. The wireless carrier has announced that it is reinforcing its pledge to keep Americans connected and to protect those who are most vulnerable. Verizon says that it will waive overage charges and late fees to support customers who may be financially impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. The carrier is also offering two months waived internet and voice service charges for current Lifeline customers along with rolling out a new affordable internet option for low-income households. An additional 15GB of high-speed data has been added for wireless consumers and small business customers;...
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Motorola has officially announced its new Edge+ smartphone, and it has nearly everything you’d expect from a 2020 flagship. After a few years of ignoring the flagship market with devices like the Moto Z3 and Moto Z4, the Edge+ is a true return to high-end form for Motorola. For starters, the obvious talking point of the Edge+ is its new Waterfall Display, which measures 6.67 inches across and includes a hole punch cutout for the 25MP selfie camera. The display features dramatic wraparound curves on its left and right edges. Samsung popularized this type of display curvature with its Galaxy “Edge” smartphones, but has toned down the effect with its most recent Galaxy S20...
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Yahoo is getting into the business of mobile phone service as an MVNO, which stands for Mobile Virtual Network Operator. MVNOs piggyback on the networks of major wireless carriers—in this case, Yahoo Mobile operates on Verizon's network—and they often charge cheaper rates than going through one of the big four directly. Some of the more popular MVNOs include Cricket Wireless (AT&T), Metro (T-Mobile), Straight Talk (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon), and Virgin Mobile (Sprint), to name just a few of the many offerings. More recently, ISPs have been joining the fray. Charter Communications, for example, sells a Spectrum Mobile service and Comcast offers Xfinity Mobile, both...
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A new report is claiming that Verizon is very unhappy with the current deal it has in place with Google to sell Pixel smartphones. The Pixel series of devices hasn't been a strong seller for Verizon, according to reports. A source claiming knowledge of the carrier's plans says that Verizon has put any plans to sell new Google Pixel smartphones on hold. The source gave no specific reason why Verizon was canceling the deal, but the sales issue is the leading assumption. The source, cited by Android Police, said that the chance of the rumored Pixel 4a coming to Verizon is zero. The source claims it's far too late for Verizon to change its mind on that device at this point. There is a chance,...
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Verizon has announced that it has teamed up with Google to give its Fios Gigabit internet customers the ability to play games on the Google Stadia gaming service. Verizon will offer new Fios Gigabit internet customers Stadia Premiere Edition at no cost starting on January 29th. The Stadia Premier Edition includes a controller, three months of Stadia Pro subscription service, and a Chromecast Ultra. Verizon brags that Fios has "long been" known as the leading internet service for console gaming and streaming content. It says that with the surge in cloud gaming, thanks to Stadia, Fios will serve as the "backbone" for the best cloud gaming services. Google adds that Verizon's commitment to "deliver...
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One of the most frustrating aspects of cable bundles is paying for a bunch of channels you do not need. Verizon wants to turn this traditional system on its heads nd has just introduced their Mix & Match on Fios. These plans will allow customers to mix and match internet and television plans. According to Frank Boulben, Senior Vice President of Consumer Marketing and Products at Verizon, “Customers are tired of having to buy a bundle with services they don’t want to get the best rates, and then discover that those rates didn’t include extra fees and surcharges. We’re putting an end to the traditional bundle contract and putting customers in control.” Their main...
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It appears that Motorola may have a potential hit on its hands with the upcoming Razr smartphone. The new Razr represents a new take on the nascent folding smartphone market with a portrait-style display and a horizontal hinge. Motorola has now announced that it has to delay both the start of pre-orders and when the device will actually launch. The company had previously stated that pre-orders would commence on the day after Christmas (December 26th), with an official launch to occur in January. The company issued the following statement about the status of the smartphone's arrival: Since its announcement in November, the new Motorola razr has received unparalleled excitement and interest...
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Verizon Wireless is teaming up with The Walt Disney Company to offer subscribers of its unlimited wireless plan a free year of Disney+, the upcoming streaming service that goes live on November 12, 2019. The freebie perk also extends to new Fios Home Internet and 5G home Internet customers, Verizon announced today. No small perk, an annual subscription to Disney+ runs $69.99. Alternatively, users can sign up for a monthly plan priced at $6.99 per month (which comes out to $83.88 per year). "Giving Verizon customers an unprecedented offer and access to Disney+ on the platform of their choice is yet another example of our commitment to provide the best premium content available through key partnerships...
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Verizon is touting a new lineup of 'Unlimited' plans designed to give customers more options to fit their needs, and on the plus side, they are all $5 less expensive than its current lineup. However, confusion still looms for the average user trying to wade through it all. On top of that, this really serves as a reminder that wireless carries like to play fast and loose with the term "unlimited." According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of unlimited is "lacking any controls." It can also mean "boundless" and "not bounded by exceptions." None of those definitions really apply to Verizon's plans, however, because there are controls. Let's break it down, shall we? Here are the new Unlimited...
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At this point in time, 5G coverage in the United States is pretty much... well, pathetic. While wireless carriers like AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile have lit up 5G networks in a few cities across the country, it has mainly been limited to super-fast, and limited-range mmWave rollouts. Verizon claims that it is ready to start accelerating its 5G rollout which up until today has reached less than a dozen major cities. Just yesterday, Verizon expanded service to extremely limited areas of Atlanta, Detroit, Indianapolis and Washington, DC bringing the total number of 5G cities to nine. However, the company is committed to expanding coverage to over 30 cities by the end of 2019....
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The Galaxy Note 10 launch is just around the corner (less than two weeks from now), and of course that means a rush of leaks and rumors in the homestretch. Notable leaker Evan Blass (@evleaks on Twitter) is yet again the source of a Galaxy Note 10 leak, this time in regards to a freebie phone offer through Verizon. Unfortunately, his Twitter account has been switched to private, so that only followers can see his posts. Boo! Fortunately, however, several sites managed to grab and post a screenshot of the leaked ad in question before his account went dark to outsiders. Here it is... Source: @evleaks/Twitter via Gadgets 360 Blass is known for leaking accurate information, though it would appear...
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The promise of 5G wireless service has been exciting for most users as carriers like Verizon have promised not only much faster data speeds on-the-go with mobile devices, but also much faster wireless speeds inside homes and businesses. Verizon has touted its 5G Home service that will put faster 5G wireless speeds inside homes with downloads of 1Gbps promised. One caveat to that service is that the initial rollout will be in only five cities. A new video of a user tesing the Verizon 5G service on a Samsung Galaxy S10 5G smartphone has surfaced, and it shows that Verizon has made good on its 5G promises in Chicago. The video shows the S10 5G shooting up to 1098 Mbps download speed on a device...
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Coinciding with Verizon's exclusive preorder availability of Samsung's Galaxy S10 5G handset, the nation's largest wireless carrier on Thursday announced the expansion of its 5G Ultra Wideband network into 20 additional US cities. That's good news for people who happen to live in places like Atlanta, Boston, and Charlotte. The same goes for residents of Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Des Moines, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Little Rock, Memphis, Phoenix, Providence, San Diego, Salt Lake City, and Washington, DC. "The Galaxy S10 5G on Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network will give our customers access to incredible speeds and the latest and greatest streaming,...
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Earlier this morning, we reported that South Korea’s SK Telecom became the first network in the world to bring commercial 5G wireless service to customers. Sure, AT&T “technically” launched its 5G mobile network back in late 2018, but access to the network is extremely limited and only made possible with Netgear Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotspots. Verizon Wireless just couldn’t let SK Telecom have all the 5G bragging rights, so it today activated its mobile 5G Ultra Wideband wireless service in “select areas” of Minneapolis and Chicago. Make no mistake, this service will be extremely limited in availability, and today’s launch is coming...
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Motorola first announced its Moto Z3 flagship Android smartphone back in early August, and at the time claimed that it would be among the first smartphones available with 5G connectivity. However, this connectivity wasn't embedded directly into the phone; it comes via the 5G Moto Mod accessory that attaches magnetically to the back of the smartphone. It's been a long time since that initial introduction to the Moto Z3 -- and our hands-on review -- but Motorola and Verizon are finally ready to market the 5G Moto Mod accessory. Beginning tomorrow, March 14th, you'll be able to preorder the 5G Moto Mod from Verizon at a cost of just $50. This $50 pricing is just a limited time...
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Any PIN code is better than no PIN code, right? If you are a Comcast Xfinity Mobile customer, you may want to change your default PIN. Xfinity Mobile’s easy-to-guess default PIN has resulted in the hijacking of several phone numbers and identity theft. Comcast wanted to make it easier for customers to transfer a device to a new carrier. They do not prompt customers to punch in a unique PIN when the customer creates a new account; Instead, they decided that “0000” would be the default PIN for all customers. This plan has quickly backfired. Xfinity Mobile customer Larry Whitted of California reported to the Washington Post that an identity thief had been able to access Whitted’s...
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During the terrible wildfires that ravaged some California counties, firefighters working to save lives and property had a problem with the cellular data service they were receiving on the Verizon network. The problem was that Verizon throttled their plan making the internet access the teams needed slower than it should have been. Verizon's response on the issue of slow internet speeds for the county was that it needed to upgrade to a better plan; which is ultimately what happened, so the firefighters had the tools they needed to get their life-saving work done. Legislators in Texas want to be sure this never happens in their state, and a bill has been introduced in the Texas House of Representatives...
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