Carrier News

Mobile Magnifier is one of AT&T's new software offerings for visually impaired users.

AT&T offers utilities for visually impaired users

AT&T has begun to offer two applications that are geared toward those with visual impairments. Mobile Magnifier and Mobile Speak magnify segments of a device’s screen and read screen contents using text-to-speech technology. Mobile Magnifier offers various magnification levels via a split screen, 1.25-16x magnification settings, and other options. Mobile Speak supports a variety of software, including Office and Outlook programs and phone/device settings. Both products were developed by Code Factory (codefactory.es/en) and are available for devices running Windows Mobile 5 and 6.

Verizon raises text message rate to $.20

Verizon Wireless raised their SMS text message rate to 20 cents, up from the previous rate of 15 cents. This follows the same rate hike that Sprint put into affect three months previously. The move is part of an effort to encourage more customers to subscribe to their $10 per month 500 text and picture bundle (which also includes unlimited in-network messaging).

Report suggests increase in carrier customer service solutions

A recently published J.D. Power and Associates study revealed that an increasing amount of wireless customers are reporting that their issues are being resolved by carriers in a timely manner. The percentage of satisfied customers is now 81 percent, up from a low of 75 percent four years ago. The study measured varying issues such as problem resolution efficiency and hold-time duration in three different contact methods: telephone calls, visits to a wireless store, and online questions.

Sprint to cut jobs and close stores

Sprint Nextel will cut 4,000 jobs and close 8 % of its retail locations as part of a plan to improve the company’s performance and cut costs. The carrier plans to close 125 retail stores (out of 1,400) and over 4,000 third-party distribution points (out of 20,000) in an attempt to save $800 million a year. In the 4th quarter of 2007, Sprint lost 683,000 postpaid subscribers and 202,000 prepaid subscribers. The carrier cut 5,000 jobs last year, and currently has 60,000 employees.

AT&T revamps wireless plans

AT&T modified its data plans recently, dropping over a half dozen offerings and changing plan prices. PDA Global, Smartphone Connect, and BlackBerry/PDA Personal Max were among the dropped plans, while $5 and $15 messaging bundles were added, along with two Media Net Unlimited plans. Other changes included reducing the Media Max Unlimited Bundle from $40 to $35 and a reduction in data allowance on the $80 Data Connect Plan from unlimited to 5 GB.