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Phishers Mock-Up Major Telco Log-In
In a relatively new phishing instance one of innovation, attackers are directly targeting users of one of the nation's larger communications providers by launching phony, but very realistic "secure" online log-in URLs.
Phishers are specifically going after customers of CenturyLink, the fourth largest local exchange company in the U.S., which was created via the merger of CenturyTel and Embarq in mid-2009. The company currently provides voice, ISP and video transmission services in some 33 states and claims over 7 million access lines.
Once tricked into falling for the scheme, customers' CenturyLink log-in information is likely used to both hijack their accounts and steal any information that can be accessed from those systems, including any payment card data they may have stored there, the experts said. eWeek Security Watch 2/10/2010
Verizon Nudging Users to Self-Service
Just about anything a Verizon customer service rep can do, a Verizon customer can do, so why not eliminate the middleman? Verizon is pushing its self-service capabilities and that’s just what the carrier hopes its customers do. xchange 2/03/2010
Comcast To Buy NGT
Comcast Corp. (CMCSA), the nation’s No. 1 cable provider, has agreed to purchase privately held VoIP provider New Global Telecom Inc., according to industry sources. The purchase marks the first major acquisition of a VoIP provider by a top-tier cableco. xchange 2/02/2010
Survey: AT&T Worst in Customer Service
Consumer Reports this week released new poll results that contains feedback from more than 50,000 readers in 26 U.S. cities about the top four wireless service providers. AT&T Inc. (T) received the lowest rankings in 19 of those cities. Verizon came in at the top.AT&T got poor marks for voice service,came in average for messaging, Web browsing and e-mail. The carrier’s customer service over the phone and over the Web came in at the bottom, too, along with staff knowledge and subscriber issue resolution. 12/1/09 xchange
CLECs Press FCC to Re-Ignite Competition
Eight CLECs, fed up with getting the short end of the competitive stick, are asking the FCC to force the Bells to open their networks as dictated by Section 271 of the 1996 Telecom Act. They’re tired of paying high network-access prices to the Bells, and forfeiting market share to those rivals, which have steadily gained operating advantages due in large part to approved forbearance requests.Forbearance is a loophole in the ’96 Act that gives the FCC authority to grant local loop providers regulatory relief. Several RBOCs have won such grants, meaning competitors have been forced to pay skyrocketing rates for basic network access.Competitive carriers first started losing ground almost five years ago with the FCC phase-out of unbundled network element-platform (UNE-P) rules; those mandates guaranteed competitor access to Bell networks at wholesale cost. Once those protections were gone, though, CLECs fell victim to unregulated lease rates, some that ran as much as 30 percent higher than UNE-P. CLECs either had to pay the new charges, build their own networks, find transport alternatives or go out of business. 11/16/09 Xchange
AT&T Sued for ‘Hidden Charges’
A Chicago man wants to be reimbursed of more than a year’s worth of “hidden charges”. He filed a class-action lawsuit to get his money back and more. A Chicago-area accountant, says he didn’t notice the extra charge for a 411-type service until he’d been with AT&T for more than a year. The suit is being filed as a violation of the Truth-in-Billing Act and the Illinois Public Utilities Act, in addition to breach of contract and a handful of other claims. 11/11/09 Xchange
Windstream To Aquire NuVox
The wave of consolidation among rural telecoms continued to flow Tuesday when Windstream said it had bought closely held NuVox for $463 million, the telecom's third such deal since May. NuVox claims about 90,000 business customers and operates in 16 states. 11/3/09 WSJ
Telecom CTO's: Too Many Standards Groups
Telecom management & CTO's called on the International Telecommunications Forum to streamline the number of TEM standards groups, saying that so many industry source groups and their source information had become a drain on time and resources, according to an Internet report. 10/9/09 Technology Trends Light Reading
Verizon Merges Wireline Units, Shuffles Ranks
Verizon said it will eliminate the position of chief operating officer being vacated by Dennis Strigl, part of a broader restructuring that combines two business units and shuffles executives.The New York telecommunications provider is combining its consumer and business landline operations, both of which have been hit hard by the economy.The company also more clearly defined the management team between its wireline and wireless sides, but it didn't appoint a No.2 executive.Instead Chairman and Chief Executive Ivan Seidenberg,will assume direct management of the various executives, a control structure the company has employed before.Mr. Strigl said last month he would step down as Verizon's president and chief operating officer by year end. Mr. Strigl had held those posts since the start of 2007, and his departure raised questions about Mr. Seidenberg's succession plans.
As part of Monday's shuffle, Verizon named Francis Shamoo, who ran Verizon Business, to take over as president of the combined landline operation.Daniel Mead, formerly the head of Verizon Telecom, was named operating chief for Verizon Wireless. He replaced Jack Plating, who announced his retirement on Friday. 10/07/09 WSJ
AT&T, Centinnial Urge FCC To Speed Merger
AT&T Inc. and Centennial Communications Corp. told the FCC that further delay in their proposed merger “will impose a severe burden on Centennial,” according to a U.S. regulatory filing. AT&T has already divested assets to allay antitrust concerns, which was to close in the second quarter of 2009. The transaction would add 1.1 million wireless customers and enhance AT&T’s coverage in the Midwest, Southeast and Puerto Rico. 9/23/09 Bloomberg
Verizon, Frontier Move Forward in 14 State Wireline Deal
Verizon Communications is working on approval of a 14-state deal signed in May with Frontier Communications as public hearings dates are set. The plan would affect 4.8 million lines serving residential and small-business customers.
The sale will impact only telephone lines and will not affect Verizon's wireless services. By divesting its wirelines, Verizon plans to focus on its wireless, broadband and global IP, according to a news release issued by the company. 8/31/09 USTelecomdaily Lead
Sprint Nextel Buys Virgin Mobile USA
Sprint Nextel is buying the US MVNO, Virgin Mobile a total equity value of approximately US$483 million, which includes the value of Sprint's existing 13.1% stake in the company. 7/29/09 Cellular News
Wasted Money on International Wireless
There's no high tech magic: audit, educate, and negotiate.
A lot of companies, just a few users working and traveling overseas can rack up the bulk of cellular spending, for both voice and increasingly, data. Per minute costs for voice in the United States average about 9 cents per minute.Outside the U.S., it jumps by at least a factor of 10, to $1 to $5 per minute. "Many users don't know this," he says. That's because their bills go straight to corporate accounting.7/24/09 Network World
80% of Enterprises Will Overspend on Their Wireless Service Costs Gartner Says
Eighty percent of enterprises will overspend on their wireless service costs by an average of 15 percent through 2014. Gartner analysts said that as mobility and costs have grown among enterprises that companies need to better manage their mobile voice and data costs by promoting a set of desirable practices and compliance across the organization...and by the use of outsourced services, called telecom expense management (TEM), which provides extensive mobility management services to enterprises. 7/22/09 Cellular News
VoIP Fraud Takes Its ‘Toll’
VoIP toll fraud remains among the fastest-growing problems facing carriers and their customers. Toll fraud happens when attackers infiltrate networks and call control systems, then hijack them to make long-distance, international phone calls and they redirect inbound calls to a media gateway to gain unauthorized use of a VoIP network. The dangers rise with the economy and companies' paring back security IT spending. 7/09 Xchange
Invisible IPv6 Traffic Poses Serious Network Threat
Experts say most U.S. organizations have hidden IPv6 traffic running across their networks, and few network managers are equipped to see, manage or block it. Increasingly, this rogue IPv6 traffic includes attacks such as botnet command and controls. IPv6 is the long-anticipated upgrade to the Internet's main communications protocol, known as IPv4. IPv6 features vastly more address space, built-in security and enhanced support for streaming media and peer-to-peer applications. Available for a decade, IPv6 has been slow to catch on in the United States. Now that unallocated IPv4 addresses are expected to run out in 2011, the pressure is on U.S. carriers and corporations to deploy IPv6 in the next few years. Network World 7/13/09
Nortel Sells Enterprise Unit to Avaya for $475 Million
Nortel Networks has inked a deal to sell its phone systems business to Avaya for US$475 million. The transaction is being structured as a "stalking horse" sale, which allows counter-bids from other companies, although Nortel would have to pay a break-up fee to Avaya should a higher offer emerge.Final approval of the U.S. and Canadian bankruptcy courts will be required for the sale to proceed. 7/20/09 Cellular News
New Zones for New York
On August 15, 2009, more than 250 NPA-NXXs are moving from New York City Zone 2 to Zone 1, and Zone 2 will cease to exist. Three NPA-NXXs will move from Zone 3 to Zone 1 as well. The move will benefit customers in Manhattan who wish to port their phone numbers to a new carrier. Regulations allow landline phone numbers to be ported only within the same rate center. Manhattan’s three zones are currently three separate rate centers, meaning that customers may not be able to take their phone numbers with them if they move within Manhattan. Consolidating all Manhattan NPA-NXXs into a single rate center alleviates this problem. Tele-Tech
CenturyLink / Embarq Layoffs Will Pick Up
7/2/09 - Layoffs stemming from CenturyTel Inc.’s $11.6 billion purchase of Embarq Corp. likely will be few this month, but are expected to increase through the end of the year.The companies closed the stock-and-debt deal on Wednesday, forming CenturyLink Inc. (NYSE: CTL), which has roughly 20,000 total employees across 33 states. CenturyLink is based in Monroe, La. Kansas City Biz Journal
Embarq, CenturyTel complete $11.6B deal
7/1/09 - Buyer CenturyTel Inc. (NYSE: CTL) completed its $11.6 billion stock and debt purchase of Embarq (NYSE: EQ), the companies announced Wednesday. The combined company, CenturyLink Inc., will be based in Monroe, La., and potentially have $8 billion in annual revenue.
Kansas City Biz Journal
Fairpoint Says Getting Service Back On Track
BRATTLEBORO 6/29 -- After struggling for months to transfer data from Verizon's network, FairPoint is making steady progress toward returning to normal operation, said Beth Fastiggi, spokeswoman for FairPoint Communications.
Bills are being processed and sent to customers on schedule and with significantly fewer errors. Brattleboro Informer
FCC Approves CenturyTel-Embarq Merger
On June 25, the FCC unanimously approved CenturyTel's $11.6 billion acquisition of Embarq. The approval came after the carriers agreed to abide by the voluntary committments relating to broadband rollout and wholesale practices. Comptel
Senate Approves FCC Nominations
On June 25, the U.S. Senate approved the nomination of Julius Genachowski to serve as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and reappointment of Commissioner Robert M. McDowell. In addition, President Obama nominated former NTIA Acting Chief Meredith Attwell Baker to fill the remaining Republican seat on the Commission. Comptel
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