President Joe Biden said Monday that he plans to nominate online privacy expert Alvaro Bedoya to a seat on the Federal Trade Commission in a move that is expected to lead to greater regulatory scrutiny for Big Tech companies like Amazon, Facebook and Google.  Bedoya, the founder of Georgetown Law’s Center on Privacy & Technology, …

Demand for 5G service is driving big subscriber growth for T-Mobile, the company said Thursday. T-Mobile reported that it added more monthly-bill-paying phone subscribers than it had expected during the second quarter of 2021. Demand for its 5G wireless service and devices was the driver, the company said.  The company also attributed the boost in wireless subscribers to its stores …

Elon Musk’s satellite broadband service, Starlink, will be available worldwide except the North and South Poles starting in August, the billionaire entrepreneur said Tuesday during a talk at the virtual Mobile World Congress 2021. Starlink is “operational now in about 12 countries, and more are being added every month,” Musk said. The high-speed broadband service has over 1,800 low-orbit satellites …

For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites. The Emergency Connectivity Fund, the program run through the Federal Communications Commission to subsidize broadband connectivity and devices for schools and libraries in response to the coronavirus pandemic, will begin accepting applications for funding starting Tuesday. This program is designed to help narrow …

Microsoft wants as many developers developing for its Microsoft Store app marketplace as possible. To make that happen, the company announced Thursday that it’s revamping its Windows app store to make it more open to all apps and games.  The company is also allowing app developers to use third-party commerce systems for their apps. And if developers “bring their own …

The Biden administration released a new mapping tool Thursday that gives a more accurate picture of who has broadband and who doesn’t. This new map could prove useful as President Joe Biden pushes his massive infrastructure spending agenda, which is expected to include funds to ensure every American has access to broadband.  The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, under the …

This story is part of WWDC 2022, CNET’s complete coverage from and about Apple’s annual developers conference. Apple on Monday introduced the new Portraits watch face feature, which really makes faces in portrait-mode pictures pop when they’re used as watch faces on the Apple Watch.  Photos of people’s faces taken in portrait mode are the most popular watch faces on …

Just three years after it fought the Justice Department to complete its $85 billion purchase of media giant Time Warner, AT&T is selling off its entertainment business to drill back down on the basics and specifically on 5G. AT&T unveiled the change in strategy on Monday after it announced a $43 billion deal to sell its WarnerMedia assets to Discovery. The …

Competition in wireless is building up as Verizon reports heavy losses in wireless customers in the first quarter of 2021. The company is in the early stages of rolling out new spectrum for its next-generation 5G service. And as executives have warned for months, the competition with rivals AT&T and T-Mobile is intensifying.  Still, the telecommunications giant said its core …

The Federal Communications Commission issued its largest fine in history, against Texas-based telemarketers who transmitted approximately 1 billion robocalls to sell fake health insurance policies. The $225 million fine is part of the first major effort by acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel to stamp out illegal robocalls.  The agency alleges in a statement Wednesday that the telemarketers illegally spoofed phone numbers …