AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon scored a rare joint win after a federal jury in Texas rejected Asus’ 2023 lawsuit alleging infringement of standard essential patents tied to 4G/5G. Asus argued the carriers violated its patents through use of Ericsson and Nokia network equipment and sought $436M in damages. The jury rejected the claims, found Ericsson and Nokia not liable, and determined Asus breached fair-licensing obligations—avoiding potential royalties or injunction risk.

An opinion piece argues the Big 3 (T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon) dominate wireless—even MVNOs rely on their networks—and says Starlink is the best candidate to shake things up. The author imagines a true satellite-based carrier, but notes direct-to-device (D2D) still can’t replace cell towers due to physics and indoor signal limits. For now, satellite-to-phone fits texts, emergencies, and occasional data—yet it may still pressure carriers to compete harder.

Wolfe Research says T-Mobile’s “undisputed leader” status is fading as AT&T and Verizon improve postpaid value plans, cable companies push aggressive device promos, and SpaceX’s next-gen Starlink V3 satellites threaten T‑Mobile’s 5G home internet business. After migrating customers off legacy plans and raising prices, T‑Mobile has less room to squeeze ARPU, while rivals are forecasted to grow faster and potentially match T‑Mobile over the next four years. Dealers should treat

FirstNet, Built with AT&T, launched what it calls the first and only nationwide 5G standalone (5G SA) network core dedicated to public safety. Built with direct feedback from first responders, the core is physically separate from AT&T’s commercial core to deliver enhanced security, reliability, and operational control. AT&T says the architecture uses multiple geographically distributed core sites for redundancy and supports faster upload speeds and improved responsiveness—fou

Apple’s new iPhone leasing program (Apple Upgrade), backed by Klarna, still requires a postpaid account with AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon—meaning MVNO customers can’t enroll directly. A former Apple carrier-team employee says there are two main reasons: (1) the Big Three pay Apple hundreds of millions annually for promotions and preferential treatment (including exclusivity), and (2) carrier-level postpaid checks help reduce fraud and financial risk.

AT&T has closed a reported $23 billion spectrum deal with EchoStar, a major move that could strengthen AT&T’s 5G capacity and long-term network positioning. Spectrum is the “raw material” of wireless performance—more usable spectrum can translate into better speeds, more consistent service during congestion, and improved home internet viability in certain markets. Dealers should treat this as a credibility headline and prepare a simple “where will it improve first?” coverage

AT&T is joining a growing list of telecom providers making “quantum” moves in 2026—signaling that post-quantum security and quantum-safe networking are becoming real priorities, not just lab talk. For dealers, this is a high-value B2B opener: multi-location retailers and SMBs want secure, reliable connectivity for payments, customer data, and remote work. The practical sell is a security-first connectivity bundle (primary internet + backup + managed security positioning).

AT&T has quietly returned to New York’s home broadband market, confirming it has resumed offering Internet Air fixed wireless after exiting in early 2025 over the state’s Affordable Broadband Act (ABA). The law requires large providers to offer discounted broadband—down to $20/month—for eligible low-income households. AT&T hasn’t said what changed, but dealers can use the return to win home internet signups, especially for budget-focused families and prepaid customers.

The FCC’s “fourth facilities-based carrier” plan is effectively over. A federal judge approved the DOJ request to release EchoStar from its commitment to build and operate a nationwide mobile network inherited from Dish. After selling major spectrum blocks to AT&T and SpaceX, Boost Mobile is now positioned as a hybrid MVNO—running its own cloud-native core while primarily using AT&T’s towers, with T-Mobile coverage as fallback.

A federal judge denied AT&T’s bid to block California’s Carrier of Last Resort (COLR) rules—meaning AT&T must keep offering “basic” phone service in the state while the case continues. AT&T says it spends $1B/year maintaining an aging copper network; California says the rules are tech-neutral and AT&T can meet obligations via fiber, wireless, or VoIP. Dealers should prepare for home phone migrations ahead of June 1, 2027.

New nationwide speed and performance testing for the first half of 2026 shows the Big 3 are all strong—just in different categories. Verizon and AT&T are tied for overall performance, network reliability, and text performance, while Verizon leads responsiveness, data, and video performance outright. T-Mobile remains the 5G availability leader and continues to post top-tier download speeds across most major cities.

JD Power’s 2026 U.S. Wireless Network Quality Performance Study reports a record-low 8 problems per 100 interactions (PP100), with network quality improving nationwide. Verizon led three of six regions (Mid-Atlantic, North Central, Southeast), while T-Mobile led the Southwest and tied with Verizon in the Northeast and West. RootMetrics also showed Verizon winning responsiveness, data, and video—fueling a “Verizon comeback” narrative and raising questions about how T-Mobile di

Vouch Mobile launched as a new prepaid brand offering two “unlimited” plans with annual pricing discounts, eSIM activation, and service enabled through the Reach MVNE platform. The entry plan is advertised from $22/mo with annual billing (listed as $270/yr), and a higher tier is advertised from $30/mo annually ($360/yr). But the launch has confusing fine print: network claims appear inconsistent, taxes/fees may not be fully included, and data allotments conflict.

An Ookla report comparing 86 operators in 22 markets says the Big Three US carriers aren’t ready for next‑gen AI experiences—mainly due to latency under load and weak upload performance. T‑Mobile leads in the US (median upload ~13.94 Mbps) ahead of Verizon (~13.43 Mbps) and AT&T (~9.0 Mbps), but no market hits the sub‑10 ms latency needed for AR/multimodal AI. Dealers should reframe “5G speed” into real-world AI use cases.

AT&T is moving closer to retiring its copper phone network in California after FCC approval for the next phase affecting roughly 184,000 customers. Copper service can continue until it’s discontinued on or after June 1, 2027, with customers transitioning to AT&T Phone-Advanced (fiber or wireless-based) that aims to remain compatible with home phones, fax, security systems, and medical monitoring. Dealers should prepare a compatibility checklist and offer backup connectivity.

If a “new” phone is defective right after purchase, customers can often exchange it for a brand-new unit—but only if they handle it as an exchange inside the carrier’s return window (14 days for T-Mobile/AT&T, 30 days for Verizon, per this report). The mistake is walking in and asking for a warranty claim, which typically triggers a refurbished replacement. Here’s the dealer-friendly script and checklist.

The FCC says the AWS-3 spectrum auction—the first in four years—wrapped after 72 rounds, generating over $3.5B across 200 licenses. Seventeen bidders participated, including AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, EchoStar, and SpaceX. The licenses cover 1695–1710 MHz, 1755–1780 MHz, and 2155–2180 MHz, including major markets like Boston, New York, and Chicago, and are expected to boost 5G capacity. Analysts expect the Big Three to win most licenses, while SpaceX may be positioning for futu

AT&T Unlimited Day Pass for iPad offers $3 per day on-demand cellular connectivity with first day free

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