Carrier contracts are dead, and you have more flexibility in choosing a provider than ever before. But is it really that easy? Not quite. You may still be stuck with a provider you aren’t happy with, because your phone isn’t compatible with another carrier’s network. Luckily, the device landscape is changing. In this edition of …

Now playing: Watch this: Jumping on AT&T’s cheaper unlimited plan? Not so fast… 2:46 AT&T’s unlimited data plan is back, with strings attached. The Dallas telecom giant said Monday it will once again offer unlimited wireless data, though only for customers who also subscribe to its DirecTV or U-Verse TV services. Enrollment begins Tuesday. The limited-time offer comes at a …

The era of $200 smartphones with two-year contracts has ended. You can take a moment to mourn this milestone. But could this actually be a good thing for you? The surprising answer is yes. First, let me explain what just happened. This past week AT&T and Sprint joined T-Mobile and Verizon in eliminating two-year service plans and phone subsidies. If …

Customers and video providers love T-Mobile’s Binge On service, according to the carrier’s chief executive. Net neutrality advocates? Not so much. The conflict could put the Federal Communications Commission, which is already looking into the unlimited video streaming service, in a pickle. Many consumers like the program, but it may violate the agency’s rules for keeping the Internet free and …

This story is part of CES 2016. Our editors bring you complete CES 2016 coverage and scour the showroom floor for the hottest new tech gadgets around. Federal regulators on Wednesday called on gadget and technology companies to up the ante when it comes to protecting consumer personal data and privacy. Edith Ramirez, chairwoman of the Federal Trade Commission, said …

This story is part of CES 2016. Our editors bring you complete CES 2016 coverage and scour the showroom floor for the hottest new tech gadgets around. Panasonic wanted to take over your living room with its TVs and entertainment equipment. Now the Japanese tech giant wants to take over your whole home. Enlarge Image Joseph Taylor, CEO of Panasonic’s …

For some of us, going anywhere without our smartphone is like walking out of the house without clothes. We feel naked. So it makes perfect sense that people traveling abroad expect to be able to take their smartphones with them and get all the same services. Do we still need to worry about which devices are compatible where? Will you …

A lot hinges upon the success of BlackBerry’s newest smartphone, the awkwardly named Priv. The company’s first phone to run Google’s Android mobile software, and not its own BlackBerry 10 operating system, represents a make-or-break moment. If the Priv fails to turn enough heads, that could spell the end of BlackBerry as a smartphone maker. It’s a grim thought for …

Federal regulators want more information about offers from Internet service providers that allow consumers to stream video and music without eating into their monthly data caps. The Federal Communications Commission sent letters to AT&T, Comcast and T-Mobile asking each company for details about their specific service, said Chairman Tom Wheeler during a press conference Thursday. The agency requested responses by …

Google’s cheap, alternative wireless service, called Project Fi, is taking another step to shake up the mobile industry. Google won’t charge Project Fi subscribers a fee to add tablets to their plan. Josh Miller/CNET Google on Wednesday will let Project Fi subscribers with cellular-enabled tablets such as the Nexus 7 and iPad Air 2 hop on its service. All they …