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AT&T moving to one phone charger fits all, plus conserve power

March 17th, 2010, 2:45 pm by

A special new phone charger from AT&T could help customers save money on their electric bill and waste less energy to boot.

The AT&T Zero Charger automatically senses when a mobile phone is no longer plugged in and cuts off power from the wall socket. Another eco-friendly aspect? It has a mini-USB port so it can be reused with a customer’s next phone.

AT&T worked with Irwindale-based Superior Communications on the charger, which will sell for $29.99 beginning in May. Interested customers can sign up HERE to be notified when it becomes available.

The world will likely see more of these chargers. It’s part of an effort by GSM World, a global organization supporting wireless technologies used by companies like AT&T. The Universal Charging Solution Initiative, which launched in February 2009, aimed to create a universal power supply for all cell phones (thank goodness!). No more searching for the right cable or adapter.

The new universal charger standard, approved last October, relies on USB technology to connect a phone to a charger. The technology inside reduces standby energy consumption.

Of course, iPhone owners won’t be able to use it unless they buy a micro-USB adapter cable. Perhaps Apple will join the effort and offer a universal power adapter as well.

More on AT&T cell, mobile services:


Check out the Gadgetress Guide to local cell phone services

Posted in: Gadgets • news • • • • • • • • | 7 Comments »

Are AT&T subscribers the most generous?

January 14th, 2010, 5:33 pm by

Earthquake in HaitiInteresting note: By simply texting the word “HAITI” to #90999, mobile phone customers everywhere donated $5.2 million to the Red Cross International Haiti earthquake relief effort. That’s in the past 24 hours, according to data from data obtained by AT&T from  mGive, a mobile donation site.

AT&T just let me know that of that amount, its own subscribers donated $2.63 million or half of the total.

Not that anyone is counting…

Sprint also announced that its subscribers have donated $882,000 to the relief effort. Sprint added that the money can be donated to more than just the Red Cross:

  • Text “HAITI” to “90999” to donate $10 on behalf of the American Red Cross.
  • Text “YELE” to “501501” to donate $5 on behalf of The Yéle Haiti Foundation.
  • Text “HAITI” to “20222” to donate $10 on behalf of The William J. Clinton Foundation.
  • Text “HAITI” to “85944” to donate $10 on behalf of the Rescue Union Mission and MedCorp International.
  • Text “HAITI” to “25383” to donate $5 on behalf of the Internal Rescue Committee.

Every mobile carrier has jumped into the game, telling subscribers that they too can donate $10 to the Red Cross. Some still charge for the actual text, but T-Mobile said it is waiving texting fees. The donation is charged to a user’s cell phone bill.

See earlier story:

Posted in: Cell phones • news • • • • • • • • • • | 4 Comments »

AT&T improves iPhone 3G coverage in 6 O.C. spots

January 14th, 2010, 3:05 pm by

AT&T WirelessLocal iPhone users rejoice: AT&T has added 26 more 3G cell sites in the area, including six in Orange County.

The cell sites should improve wireless coverage for 3G phone users indoors and out.  In Orange County, the new sites are near these intersections:

  • Anaheim: Near the intersection of Stage Coach Road and Nohl Ranch Road
  • Anaheim: Near the intersection of W. Lincoln Ave. and N. Gilbert St.
  • Anaheim: Near the intersection of Gene Autry Way and State College Blvd.
  • Placentia: Near the intersection of S. Fee Ana Street and Orangethorpe Ave.
  • Santa Ana: Near the intersection of Newport Blvd. and Rockhurst Ave.
  • Garden Grove: Near the intersection of Garden Grove Blvd. and Magnolia St.

Does this affect you? Comment below and tell AT&T if these areas are really better, or tell them what intersection to hit next.

Nationwide, AT&T has been upgrading cell sites everywhere to get ready for even faster Internet, called High-Speed Packet Access or HSPA 7.2. The faster speeds are scheduled to begin later this year and next year.

Other Southern California cities included in the batch of new 3G cell sites include the following: Los Angeles, Ontario, Glendale, Santa Fe Springs, Calabasas, Northridge, Corona, Rialto, Redlands, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Bakersfield and Oxnard.

More on cell coverage in Orange County:

Posted in: Cell phones • iPhone • • • • • • • • • | 49 Comments »

AT&T U-verse coming to Xbox universe

January 14th, 2010, 1:08 pm by

CATCHING UP: Xbox univerese heading to AT&T U-verse.It’s true, AT&T U-verse subscribers with a Microsoft Xbox will soon be able to access all those U-verse TV activities on the game console.

Steve Ballmer, Microsoft’s chief executive officer, mentioned the union during his keynote speech at last week’s Consumer Electronics Show (yes, file this in the way-too-much-to-miss-at-CES folder). Gaming site Kotaku has been writing stories about it, see “U.S. Xbox 360s Get IPTV Through AT&T Uverse This Year.”

AT&T just confirmed the news to me so I wanted to share with readers, especially those interested in U-verse TV, an Internet-based TV service available in several cities in Orange County. See the list of Orange County cities HERE.

According to an AT&T  spokeswoman, U-verse TV subscribers will be able to use their XBOX 360 console as a TV set-top box.

“You’ll be able to watch U-verse TV programming using your new or existing XBOX receiver, including live, on-demand, HD and Total Home DVR content. It will enable the same viewing experience and same features that you get today with a U-verse receiver. As we’ve done with all the new apps and features we’ve added for customers over the years, we’ll make the rollout or upgrade option quick and simple for customers. We plan to make this option available to customers in 2010, later in the year,” Katie Keating  responded in an e-mail.

No mention on whether this will cost extra. Currently, AT&T charges $7/month for extra TV receivers. The first HD receiver is included with the plan.

For those wondering why AT&T teamed up with Xbox, that’s not a huge surprise. Microsoft’s  Mediaroom is the software inside U-verse set-top boxes. What’s next? Watch U-verse TV on Microsoft mobile phones?

Earlier on AT&T U-verse:

Posted in: Video & TV • • • • • • • | 1 Comment »

Free Wi-Fi Internet at McDonald’s begins January

December 16th, 2009, 8:50 am by

McDonald's offers Wi-FiNoted: If you need to surf the Web while eating a Big Mac, you’ll soon be able to surf for free. McDonald’s is lifting the regular $2.95 fee for two hours of web access beginning in mid January.

There will be no hourly limit. And you don’t even have to buy any food. The Register’s Fast Food Maven has the scoop about Orange County McDonalds: “Local McDonald’s to offer free wireless access soon.”

“We’re not just about hamburgers,” Dave Grooms, chief information officer for McDonald’s USA, said in an Associated Press story. “We are about convenience and all kinds of value.”

Not all the fast-food joints nationwide will offer free access to customers, notes the Dallas Morning News. Only 11,000 out of the 13,000 are going free. Fast Food Maven notes that Southern California locations are participating.

AT&T owns the wireless Internet network offered at McDonald’s, following last year’s acquisition of Wayport Inc. Terms for the free Wi-Fi deal at McDonalds were not disclosed.

AT&T already lets iPhone and its Internet customers access the company’s massive Wi-Fi hotspot network for free.

On Tuesday, Verizon Wireless added its mobile broadband customers to the group of Verizon customers who can now use its Wi-Fi network at no extra charge. They join Verizon FiOS Internet and certain DSL customers. T-Mobile also lets some of its Google Android customers access T-Mobile’s hotspots at no extra charge.

There are dozens of McDonald’s in Orange County that offer Wi-Fi. You can use this restaurant locator to find places near you: Find a McDonald’s with Wi-Fi.

More free Wi-Fi stories:

Posted in: Wi-Fi & networking • • • • • • | 2 Comments »

AT&T adds 240k U-verse customers, millions of iPhone users

October 22nd, 2009, 12:33 pm by

AT&TAT&T offered another update on the health of its U-verse TV and Internet service in this morning’s quarterly earnings report. It’s still growing!

The company added 240,000 net new TV customers, which brings the number of U-verse subscribers to 1.8 million nationwide. That’s up 1 million customers from the same time last year.

More than three-fourths of U-verse TV subscribers also purchase Internet, home phone or wireless phone service from AT&T. See the chart on the lower right for the growth of U-verse customers in the past year.

U-verse is offered in several Orange County cities. But as many residents know, that doesn’t mean you can order service. In some cities, the company has been unable to get permits to place large utility boxes in neighborhoods. For more details, see my earlier series of stories about AT&T’s struggles in seven Orange County cities – Cypress, Dana Point, Irvine, Lake Forest, Newport Beach, San Clemente and Tustin.

AT&T's U-verse subscriber growth, third quarter 2009Still, in the 225 cities where service is available, 20 million households nationwide can order service. With around 1.8 million paying customers, the U-verse penetration is approximately 12 percent. In California, U-verse is available to 3 million homes and businesses.

Combined with customers who order satellite TV service, AT&T had 4 million video customers.

As for high-speed U-verse Internet, AT&T added 252,000 net new subscribers during the third quarter. That helped the loss of at least 162,000 DSL customers. Combining its U-verse, DSL and 3G wireless Internet customers, AT&T had 17.1 million broadband customers by the end of the quarter, up 138,000 customers during the quarter.

For those keeping track of Apple iPhone users, AT&T activated a whopping 3.2 million iPhones during the quarter. About 40 percent of the iPhone activations were customers new to AT&T. Overall, the company added 2 million wireless subscribers. While this makes it AT&T’s best third-quarter in five years, the company apparently lost a big chunk of customers. Still, AT&T ended the quarter with 81.6 million wireless customers.

The company made $3.2 billion (attributed to AT&T operations) on $30.9 billion in revenues. That was about the same as third-quarter last year, when AT&T made $3.2 billion on revenues of $31.3 billion.

More earnings news:

Posted in: iPhone • Video & TV • • • • • • | 2 Comments »

AT&T hands $328k check to O.C. Boy Scouts

September 22nd, 2009, 11:39 pm by

Orange County Council, Boy Scouts of AmericaIt’s nice to know that Orange County’s youth is benefiting from the company that will sell you service for an iPhone.

AT&T presented a $328,460 check to members of the Orange County Council, Boy Scouts of America just before the Los Angeles Angels got ready to pound the New York Yankees in Anaheim.

The money was raised during the 11th annual AT&T Classic golf tournament. Proceeds each year go to Scoutreach, a program to help disadvantaged children participate in Boy Scouts. It also helps the Council’s Learning for Life program, which builds programs to help schools and youth organizations.

Since its 1998 inception, the tournament has raised $3.2 million in net proceeds — all of which has gone to the Orange County organization.

AT&T donates $325,000 to O.C.'s Boy Scouts.

Photo from AT&T: AT&T’s Matt Cave (third from left) and Richard Porras (second from left) present the Orange County Council, Boy Scouts of America Les Baron (third from right), Ken Camp (fourth from right) and Orange County Boy Scouts Rory Strong (second from right) and Kenny Coulter (right) of Tustin Troop 243, alongside Angels player Matt Palmer, with a donation of $328,460 at an Angels Baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., September 22, 2009.  The funds will provide local youth a chance to participate in character-building and leadership opportunities.

“Without AT&T’s help and the fundraising efforts of this annual golf tournament and silent auction, these programs would be unable to sustain themselves, leaving more than 32,000 youth without the character-building and leadership opportunities that the Orange County Council provides,” Les Baron, scout executive, The Orange County Council, Boy Scouts of America, said in a statement.

Posted in: news • • • • • • | 5 Comments »

Do you qualify for $6.11 phone service?

September 14th, 2009, 10:16 am by

California LifeLine telephone programPsst… Did you know AT&T offers landline telephone service for $6.11 per month? And in some cases, it’s only $1?

There’s no secret handshake or special coupon code. You just can’t make more than $24,000 a year, or $34,000 for a family of four. To get the $1 monthly bill, you need to live on a tribal lands.

There are 2.1 million people enrolled in the state’s LifeLine program, according to the California Public Utilities Commission, which oversees the program and is promoting this week’s California LifeLine Awareness Week, through Sept. 20. But apparently, many more consumers qualify. If your income has dipped for the worse, you may be part of this group. Here are the limits:

Household size Income Limit
1-2 members $24,000
3 members $28,200
4 members $34,000
For each additional member, add $5,800

California’s LifeLine program has been sagging as people opt to switch to cell phones, said Christopher Chow, a spokesman for the CPUC. The good news is that California is working on a basic plan for cell phone users as well. A decision could be made by next month, he said. (Verizon apparently offers a wireless LifeLine program outside of California.)

LifeLine Service Rate
Flat-Rate Local (unlimited local calls) $5.47 to $6.11 or 1/2 carrier’s rate.
Measured Local (60 local calls/month) $2.91 to $3.27 or 1/2 of carrier’s rate
Consumers in Tribal Lands $1.00 per month.
Service Connection $10 or 1/2 of carrier’s charge
Service Conversion $10 or 1/2 of carrier’s charge
Deposit $0 for local service
Toll-blocking/ restriction $0

California’s LifeLine program has been sagging as people opt to switch to cell phones, said Christopher Chow, a spokesman for the CPUC. The good news is that California is working on a basic plan for cell phone users as well. A decision could be made by next month, he said. (Verizon apparently offers a wireless LifeLine program outside of California.)

A bunch of events for the special LifeLine awareness event are taking place this week, including today’s workshop at the Lake Forest Senior Club at 11 a.m. (The Lake Forest Senior Club is at Lake Forest City Hall, 25550 Commercentre Dr., Suite 100 in Lake Forest.)

More events scheduled throughout the state are available on the CPUC’s web site at this LINK.

For consumers who qualify for LifeLine based on income, instructions are available HERE to get basic phone service for $6 or less per month. AT&T’s rates are some of the lowest, but Verizon and cable TV provider Cox Communications offer similar discounts to California residents.

Links:

Past stories on landline phone service:

Posted in: Cell phones • news • • • • • • • • | 2 Comments »

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