Verizon and YouTube Team Up to Offer NFL Sunday Ticket to Football Fans
Verizon and YouTube have joined forces to enhance the 2023-2024 NFL season experience for fans. Starting July 27, new Verizon mobile and home internet customers can receive an NFL Sunday Ticket subscription from YouTube and YouTube TV, allowing access to out-of-market Sunday afternoon NFL games. Existing customers who upgrade plans are also eligible. Earlier this year, Verizon partnered with the NFL to provide its Managed Private Wireless Network solution to all 30 U.S. NFL stadiums, supporting coach-to-coach communications. Verizon continues to sponsor key NFL events, offering up to $449 in savings with this special promotional offer.
Cisco and Qwilt Partner with Fastweb to Enhance Content Delivery Network in Italy
Cisco and Qwilt have teamed up with Fastweb, a leading Italian telecommunications operator, to introduce their joint Content Delivery Network (CDN) solution to the Italian market. Leveraging Open Caching, the solution brings content caching and delivery to the network edge, reducing latency by 60% and enabling Fastweb to support increasing data volumes. By combining Qwilt’s Open Edge Cloud and Cisco’s edge compute and networking infrastructure, the partnership aims to create a unified global content delivery network, benefiting content publishers and communication service providers worldwide. Fastweb customers can expect improved streaming experiences and network performance.
Verizon and AT&T Notify Customers of New Fees on Older Unlimited Plans
Verizon and AT&T are notifying customers on older unlimited plans, such as Verizon’s 5G Start and AT&T’s Unlimited Elite, about a new monthly “Plan Rate Adjustment” fee. The charge, $3 per line for Verizon and $2.50 per month for AT&T, is set to take effect in August. The move aims to push customers to switch to newer, more profitable plans. However, these legacy plans still hold benefits, and customers are not getting a rate increase. Amidst these carrier shenanigans, a longing for more competition in the wireless carrier market remains.
Google Rolls Out Safety Feature to Detect Unknown Bluetooth Trackers on Android Devices
Google is launching a new safety feature for Android users to detect unknown Bluetooth trackers. The feature, announced at Google I/O, automatically alerts users if an unfamiliar Bluetooth device is traveling with them, indicating potential stalking using devices like Apple AirTags. Users can also manually scan for trackers and receive guidance on what to do if one is found. This comes after reports of misuse and stalking incidents with AirTags. Google and Apple are jointly working on an industry-wide specification for tracking alerts. Android users can now proactively safeguard against unwanted tracking with this custom implementation.
Worldwide Smartphone Market Sees 10% Decline in Q2 2023
Canalys reports a 10% decline in the global smartphone market in Q2 2023, reaching 258.2 million units. Samsung leads with 53.0 million units shipped, while Apple retains second place with 43.0 million units and a 17% market share. Xiaomi ranks third with 33.2 million units, and OPPO holds the fourth position with a 10% market share. Transsion Group enters the top five for the first time, shipping 22.7 million units with a 22% annual growth. The smartphone market decline has narrowed due to inventory reduction and demand recovery in specific regions.
