With Verizon vans rolling down the road being called “NSA Surveillance Vehicles” and every tech and political blog on the internet complaining about the US government’s collection of personal data from the citizens, innocent or not, it is impossible to visit a social media site without hearing something about the controversy. The people are mad and they’re letting others know about it. There’s a problem with many of the complaints, however. It doesn’t apply to everyone, but for those who are so completely open about their lives on social media, it definitely smells a little hypocritical. That’s…

Knowing your data plan can mean the difference between a normal cell phone bill and a heart attack. 1 in 6 mobile phone customers have experienced some degree of bill shock. 50% of those were hit with charges of $50 or more. This infographic, provided by Xigo, explores the most insane cases of bill shock and how to avoid this happening to you. © 2012 Xigo…

In the competitive world of telecommunications, it’s often a matter of name recognition and trust that help people determine which service to use and which product to buy. The mobile arena is particularly top-heavy with Verizon and AT&T ranking #2 and #3 amongst the top US ad spenders behind Proctor & Gamble Co. At nearly $6 billion in combined advertising spend between the two biggest US mobile service providers last year, the stakes are clearly high when it comes to buying exposure. Here, we take a look at the top spenders in US advertising dollars. This infographic from Kissmetrics…

Verizon has had its share of foibles over the last few months over how their customers interact with their cellular plans. On June 28th, they debut their “Share Everything” plans which will allow up to 10 devices within a family to pull from a common pool of data coverage while enjoying unlimited minutes and messages. “Customers asked, and today Verizon Wireless delivered an industry first,” said Tami Erwin, VP and CMO for Verizon Wireless. “Share Everything Plans are the new standard for wireless service. They are simple; customers no longer have to think about their voice and message…

Celebrities are often called on by companies to promote their products by inserting their use into their “real” lives, demonstrating to their fans that they use this product or that one. Apple has never really had to do that. Verizon has, and they are doing so again on behalf of Apple’s Siri personal assistant product. In the videos below (which unfortunately have not been released to the Verizon YouTube channel yet), you can see the two movie stars using Siri to make their lives easier. …

Speed is relative. Internet speed is extremely relative, which is why Verizon has been touting the impressive speeds that their network is providing to users. The problem is that they may not be spreading the message as well as they would if they simply came out and gave us real numbers. That’s been the complaint about their advertising for a while now, and Saturday Night Live is right there to express our concerns. How much faster is it than 3G? Where is the network strong and where is it still being developed? These questions and others are beautifully dodged by the SNL team in their recent satirical…

The unraveling of the AT&T merger with T-Mobile was not entirely bad for the fourth largest mobile carrier in the US. They get $3 billion. It isn’t enough to keep them afloat for more than a year or two, but it does buy them time to find someone else. It gives them time to formulate a plan-B. Unfortunately, they don’t know what plan-B is for them. It was shortsighted of Deutsche Telekom to go into this without a plan-B. Putting all of one’s eggs in a single basket makes no sense when so much as at stake. The company has to regroup quickly. First, they have to make themselves valid by improving the infrastructure….

Verizon customers who have land line phones, internet, and FiOS television services will be affected by the strike of 45,000 phone technicians, customer service representatives, and cable installation representatives. Verizon Wireless customers will not be affected. The strike, which began this morning, centers around failed contract negotiations between the tech firm and the two unions representing the strikers: Communication Workers of America (CWA) and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). Both unions are rallying on the streets as well online with their…

In what could be one of the largest shakeups in America’s mobile industry for years, AT&T is seeking to acquire T-Mobile for a sum of $39 billion. It would make AT&T the largest mobile carrier in the U.S. But Verizon CEO Dan Mead isn’t worried. “We have a tremendous amount of competition in the industry,” Mead stated today while at the CTIA Wireless convention. He is, of course, referring to AT&T and Sprint, which currently remain competitive with Verizon. Mead’s company, at the moment, currently has more subscribers than AT&T; it also helps that the company recently got its hands…

AT&T intends to buy T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom. The deal, which is worth $39 billion in cash and stocks, will take approximately 12 months to close according to sources at AT&T. It will be scrutinized and there is a chance that it will be blocked. Last year, the FCC declared that they may impose restrictions on Verizon and AT&T to help smaller companies compete during the next spectrum auction. Sprint, the third-largest provider, had been in talks with Deutsche Telekon regarding T-Mobile USA, but apparently AT&T made a better offer. Last year, AT&T held a tiny lead…