If consumer advocates get their way, deconstructing that monthly cellphone bill could become a lot easier.
Comments are filing in to the Federal Communications Commission’s request for input on simplifying wireless bills.
The deadline comes amid a thicket of consumer-focused fee news, from credit cards to overdraft fees. Consumer advocates are arguing for more transparency in billing, both when shopping around for plans and for existing mobile subscribers.
by Andrew LaVallee, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal
A 19-year-old from Hilo, Hawaii, recently overtook squeaky-voiced Fred Figglehorn as the YouTube channel with the most subscribers.
Ryan Higa, whose Nigahiga channel had more than 1.4 million subscribers Monday afternoon, thanked his fans in a new video in which he gave his own version of an acceptance speech.
by Tiernan Ray, Blogger, Barron's, Tech Trader Daily
San Diego-based prepaid cellular operator Leap Wireless wrapped up a horrendous day for budget calling that kicked off with Metro PCS’s big miss for Q2 profit. Leap missed revenue estimates and reported a wider-than-expected loss per share for the quarter and ratcheted down its expectations for subscriber growth and profitability this year.
by Tiernan Ray, Blogger, Barron's, Tech Trader Daily
Shares of pre-paid cellular operator Metro PCS, which offers phone plans in the $30 to $50 neighborhood, are plunging today, after the company missed Q2 EPS estimates by quite a bit on revenue that was in line. The company’s churn, or rate of customer defections, jumped.
by Marisa Taylor, Tech Reporter, The Wall Street Journal
A warning would have been welcome when an Air Force jet flew unannounced over the New York Harbor weeks ago and sent frightened workers in lower Manhattan into a tizzy. (When it turned out the flyover was for an expensive photo op, the White House official who approved it resigned from his post over the scandal.)
by Andrew LaVallee, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal
Prepaid wireless carriers have gotten a lot of attention in recent months because of the ailing economy, which has helped them as consumers seek out cheaper cellphone plans.
by Marisa Taylor, Tech Reporter, The Wall Street Journal
The explosion of low-cost, prepaid wireless plans are raking in the customers during this recession, and Boost Mobile, a division of Sprint that boasts an estimated 4 million users, is no different.
Old computer products, like old soldiers, never die. They stay on the market–even though they haven’t been updated in eons. Or their names get slapped on new products–available only outside the U.S. Or obsessive fans refuse to accept that they’re obsolete–long after the rest of the world has moved on.
by Randall Stross, Professor, San Jose State University; Columnist, Digital Domain, New York Times
Subscribers to print newspapers have gone missing, as everyone knows. Book publishers are also wondering where readers have disappeared to.
And yet television stands out as the one old-media business with surprising resilience. Though we are spending a record amount of time online, including a record amount of time watching video, we are also watching record amounts of very old-fashioned television, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Blogging is a fast medium–that’s one of its advantages over traditional media. There are bloggers who specialize in reporting fast about breaking news on a wide variety of topics.
by Eric Savitz, Blogger and Columnist, Barron's, Tech Trader Daily
Sirius XM (SIRI) shares are down sharply again this morning, one day after the company provided updated guidance that disappointed the Street.
The company’s new guidance, in case you missed it:
Subscribers: 19.5 million at year-end 2008, 21.5 million at year-end 2009.
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