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U.S. officials are urgently investigating a hack of major U.S. broadband providers, including Verizon, AT&T, and Lumen Technologies, believed to be the work of a Chinese hacking group called Salt Typhoon. The breach may have allowed hackers to access information from systems used by the federal government for court-authorized wiretapping requests. Concerns have been raised that the breach could compromise U.S. surveillance efforts on Chinese threats. Lawmakers have sent letters to the companies involved, requesting information on the breaches and measures being taken to protect wiretap systems. The severity and implications of the breach are still being assessed. [Extracted from the article]

Billionaire Charlie Ergen has agreed to sell his Dish satellite-TV business to rival DirecTV for $1, unloading a significant amount of debt and securing fresh financing. This deal is seen as a lifeline for Ergen, who is known for his penny-pinching habits and hard-nosed negotiations. However, he still faces challenges in closing the merger and convincing bondholders to accept losses. Ergen's ultimate goal is to focus on wireless service and leverage his wireless spectrum licenses. [Extracted from the article]

Private-equity firm TPG has agreed to buy AT&T's remaining stake in DirecTV and merge the satellite company with rival Dish in an effort to stay competitive in the streaming era. AT&T will sell its 70% share of DirecTV to TPG for approximately $7.6 billion, while DirecTV will buy Dish from owner EchoStar for $1, plus the assumption of $9.8 billion in debt. The deals are expected to close in the second half of 2025 and are contingent on approval from federal regulators and bondholders. The merger would create the largest pay-TV distributor in the US and could lead to slimmer programming packages for subscribers. [Extracted from the article]

T-Mobile has announced a partnership with OpenAI to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) platform called IntentCX. The platform will use data on customer interactions from T-Mobile subscribers to improve customer service and automate tasks. T-Mobile aims to use AI to troubleshoot customer problems and prevent customer defections. The customer data used to train the AI platform will be secure, and the companies plan to collaborate on developing additional AI-enabled services and tools. The platform is expected to launch in 2025. [Extracted from the article]

The article reports that a strike by over 15,000 AT&T workers in the Southeast has entered its third week after federal mediation failed to resolve the dispute. Topics discussed include the reasons for the strike related to contract negotiations, the union's allegations of bad faith bargaining by AT&T, and the potential impact of the strike on the company's operations and future broadband deployment plans.

T-Mobile, the second-largest cellphone carrier in the US, is expanding into the fiber-optic internet market through partnerships with multiple providers. These partnerships, along with T-Mobile's existing 5G broadband service, could make the company a major home internet provider. T-Mobile is playing catch-up to rivals AT&T and Verizon, who are investing billions in expanding their fiber-optic networks. T-Mobile's cautious approach to the cable business sets it apart from competitors, as it remains focused on wireless services. However, T-Mobile's expansion into the fiber-optic market could help it reach over 17 million homes by 2030. [Extracted from the article]

T-Mobile has agreed to acquire a majority of U.S. Cellular's operations in a $4.4 billion deal, including assumed debt. This acquisition would bring more consolidation to the wireless industry and provide T-Mobile with over four million new customers and valuable spectrum rights. U.S. Cellular will retain its cellphone towers, wireless spectrum licenses, and joint ventures with Verizon. The deal is expected to close in mid-2025, pending regulatory approval. T-Mobile aims to expand its coverage to rural areas and offer high-speed broadband to underserved homes. [Extracted from the article]

T-Mobile and Verizon are in talks to acquire U.S. Cellular, one of the last major regional wireless carriers in the United States. T-Mobile is close to finalizing a deal to purchase a portion of U.S. Cellular for over $2 billion, which would include operations and wireless spectrum licenses. Verizon is also in discussions for a separate transaction, although it may take longer or not result in an agreement. The split-sale structure is intended to address antitrust concerns. U.S. Cellular serves over four million mostly rural customers across 21 states and has a market value of approximately $3 billion. The rising value of wireless licenses is a key factor driving the deal, as companies seek to secure airwaves for 5G signals. The U.S. wireless market has matured, with fewer players remaining, making U.S. Cellular an attractive takeover target. [Extracted from the article]

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is seeking a larger role in cybersecurity to protect cable and wireless networks from online threats. The FCC's new net neutrality order, which recently advanced in a 3-2 vote, includes provisions that aim to give the agency more authority in safeguarding the internet's infrastructure from ransomware, denial-of-service attacks, and state-sponsored hacks. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel's cybersecurity agenda aligns with this effort, as she aims to play a more active role in policing the infrastructure that carries various types of data. The order does not provide specific details on how the FCC will strengthen network defenses, but it suggests that regulating broadband access as a public utility would grant the agency more power to secure less-regulated parts of the internet. Critics argue that the FCC's involvement in network security duplicates the efforts of other agencies and that broadband companies have the expertise to address vulnerabilities themselves. [Extracted from the article]

AT&T has reset the passcodes of approximately 7.6 million account holders after a data breach. The leaked data, which also includes information from over 65 million former account holders, was found on the dark web and is believed to have originated from 2019 or earlier. The breach exposed personal information such as names and Social Security numbers, but AT&T has not yet determined the source of the security breach. The affected customers have been notified and offered credit monitoring services. This incident follows similar breaches at other telecom companies, including T-Mobile. [Extracted from the article]

Defense contractors like Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and RTX are turning down certain projects due to concerns about potential financial losses. The Pentagon is seeking to develop advanced weapons systems to counter emerging threats, but contractors are wary of taking on projects that could result in cost overruns. Factors such as inflation, supply chain challenges, and labor shortages have made the production of certain planes more expensive. Executives of defense companies have expressed a desire to strike a better balance between risk and reward in their contracts with the Pentagon. [Extracted from the article]

Verizon Communications, a telecom giant, has announced that it will take a $5.8 billion charge to write down the value of its business unit that offers landlines and internet connections to businesses. This decision comes after a strategic review prompted the company to lower its financial projections and revise its estimate of the unit's overall value. Revenue from landline business services has declined due to competition from smaller rivals and the unbundling of phone and broadband products. Despite this, Verizon still generates most of its profit from cellphone services. [Extracted from the article]

Ukraine's largest wireless network operator, Kyivstar, experienced a cyberattack that disrupted its services and affected millions of customers. The attack coincided with the Ukrainian president's visit to Washington. The incident is one of the most disruptive cyberattacks against Ukraine's civilian infrastructure since Russia's invasion in 2022. The Ukrainian intelligence service is investigating the incident and the possible involvement of Russian forces. A pro-Russian hacker group called Killnet claimed responsibility for the attack, but Western security researchers are skeptical of the claim. Other businesses, including a large Ukrainian bank, also reported network disruptions around the same time. Kyivstar's parent company, Veon, stated that the attack prompted technicians to disconnect the public network to prevent further damage. The full extent of the disruption caused by the hack is not yet clear. Ukraine has been targeted by numerous cyberattacks since the start of the war in 2022, with Russia being accused of carrying out many of them. However, wide-scale disruptive cyberattacks have been limited in their overall impact. [Extracted from the article]

AT&T has reached a $14 billion deal with Ericsson to replace its existing equipment with gear that supports open network standards. The agreement will move most of AT&T's new purchases of certain cell-tower equipment to Ericsson, replacing machinery from Nokia. AT&T plans to start the swap next year and aims to have 70% of its wireless network traffic passing through open platforms by late 2026. The move will allow AT&T to deepen its use of hardware and software from niche suppliers and will help promote competition in the wireless network supply chain. [Extracted from the article]

Byline: Edythe Jensen, Dennis Wagner and Drew FitzGerald After waking up every weekday at 6:30 a.m. to the sound of her neighbor's border collie barking through the fence, Karen Cliffe, [...]

Byline: Drew FitzGerald Students working on college newspapers across the USA are learning an all-too-real-world lesson: Their papers face the same advertising revenue declines and expense cutbacks as their professional [...]

U.S. wireless companies are finding new ways to increase profits as sales of new smartphones slow down. Instead of relying on device sales, carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon are focusing on upselling customers to more expensive service plans. This strategy has helped offset the decline in equipment sales. Apple has also adapted to the changing market by fostering a thriving secondary market for older smartphones and generating revenue from services like advertising and the App Store. The slowdown in smartphone sales is partly due to the promotion of 5G technology, which has reduced the need for frequent upgrades. Wireless companies are responding to this lull by encouraging customers to choose pricier wireless plans. While some customers are accepting higher rates, others have pushed back against price increases. Overall, wireless companies are finding ways to increase revenue despite the decline in device sales. [Extracted from the article]

T-Mobile has decided to cancel a program that would have required some customers to switch to more expensive wireless plans. The proposed changes received negative feedback, prompting the company to reverse its decision. T-Mobile, the second-largest wireless carrier in the US, has been able to adjust its plans more freely since the expiration of agreements tied to its acquisition of Sprint. The company plans to continue experimenting with pricing strategies to simplify its offerings. [Extracted from the article]

T-Mobile has informed some subscribers that they will automatically be moved to more expensive rate plans unless they opt out. The affected older rate plans include T-Mobile ONE, Magenta, Magenta 55, and Simple/Select Choice. Many customers will be switched to the carrier's Go5G plans, which start at $75 per month per phone line. T-Mobile's move reflects the changing wireless business landscape and the need to satisfy investors in a more concentrated market. [Extracted from the article]

The article explores the impact of 5G technology on the global economy and its adoption in different countries. While 5G networks have grown rapidly, particularly in China and South Korea, it has not had the same transformative effect on the economy as previous mobile technologies. Developing countries have been slower to adopt 5G due to high costs and infrastructure limitations. The rivalry between China and the U.S. has turned the development of 5G infrastructure into a geopolitical competition. China has invested heavily in 5G infrastructure, while the U.S. has tried to discourage other countries from using Chinese equipment. Private network adoption has been slow, but some telecom companies are benefiting from 5G improvements by offering wireless home internet services. However, there are still limitations to wireless internet capacity. [Extracted from the article]

Television stations are exploring ways to bring broadcast TV into the 5G era by sending out signals from their own broadcast masts so people can watch live events on their phones without traditional TV setups. This effort offers TV stations the opportunity to tap into the large market of mobile customers and attract big groups of people back to the broadcast model. However, there are obstacles to overcome, such as the slow adoption of the 5G broadcast standard, the need for special equipment and modified smartphones, and the reluctance of smartphone makers to incorporate broadcast-friendly technology into their devices. If these issues are resolved, 5G could potentially bring broadcasts to billions of people on the go. [Extracted from the article]

China, Russia, and the European Union have developed satellite networks that offer global positioning services, posing a challenge to the aging U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS). While the U.S. military is upgrading GPS with more modern satellites, the next-generation GPS service for civilians is not expected to be operational for several years. Other countries' more advanced systems, such as China's Beidou system, could potentially give them influence over global commerce and pose security risks. The U.S. plans to continue using GPS's original radio frequency while adding new channels to avoid making dependent devices obsolete. [Extracted from the article]