Latest news with #T-Mobile
Miami Herald
8 hours ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Joe Rogan's blunt reply shuts down Bernie Sanders' attack on Musk
As everyone already knows, Joe Rogan famously interviewed President Donald Trump on his podcast, "The Joe Rogan Experience," in the weeks leading up to the 2024 election before endorsing #47 on the eve of the big day. Before Rogan joined the MAGA crowd, however, he expressed a preference for Bernie Sanders in the 2020 primary. In fact, he endorsed the almost-Octogenarian in the race, although at the time, the endorsement was not necessarily treated as a win by Sanders' supporters. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter Still, Sanders and Rogan have a long history, and Rogan has interviewed Sanders several times in the past, spending time discussing big issues in his trademark long-form interviews. Now, Rogan invited Sanders onto his show again last week to discuss the current state of the world. Related: T-Mobile announces free new perk for customers after major loss Sanders and Rogan talked about a wide range of issues and found some points of agreement, including on the minimum wage. Rogan also asked Sanders about whether he had any further presidential ambitions (the answer was no) and suggested he was much more vibrant for his age than Biden. While the discussion was a pleasant one, the two men did have a few conflicts as well, most notably on one super controversial figure that has also been a Rogan guest: Elon Musk. The conversation got heated between Sanders and Rogan when the topic of campaign finance came up. Sanders was complaining about the role of money in politics, commenting that the Citizens United decision had made it possible for someone to "put millions or hundreds of millions of dollars into a campaign," to express their view and "you can buy that election." Related: Joe Rogan sends blunt one-word message on minimum wage Then, the fireworks started as Sanders made a statement that Rogan simply couldn't let stand, commenting, "The result of that decision, let's take us to where we are today, is that Elon Musk… we can talk about Elon.., he spent $270 million to elect Trump as president. Ok. I think that's absurd, that any one person…." Sanders didn't get to finish that thought, though, as Rogan clapped back immediately, defending his long-time friend and frequent podcast guest. Rogan's reply was blunt and clear, as he asked Sanders a pointed question: "What's the most someone donated toward the Harris campaign?" Rogan went on to point out to Sanders that, "they spent $1.5 billion over the course of a couple of months," making clear that he was not going to let Sander's scapegoat Musk when there is money on politics on both sides of the aisle and the issue is definitely not specific to Musk's contributions. Musk and Rogan have a long history, so it is not a surprise that Rogan jumped to his defense as Sanders went on the attack. Not only has Musk appeared on Rogan's podcast on numerous occasions, even famously smoking marijuana live on the show, but Musk and Rogan have been seen together at social events, and Rogan has referred to Musk as the "great and powerful," and praised Musk's companies and innovations. Related: Amazon aims to crush Elon Musk's Robotaxi Still, Rogan was not just defending a friend when he clapped back at Sanders on the issue of Musks' donations – and Rogan's point was obviously a good one, as Sanders backed down immediately, admitting that money in politics is a bipartisan issue and that Musk was not the only large donor to the two presidential campaigns. Rogan's quick and effective response, and the way in which he brought Sanders around to agreeing that Musk's donations were not an unusual event, show why the podcast host has so many devoted fans, and why Spotify recently paid him $250 million to sign onto a new Spotify deal. Rogan will continue to bring on diverse voices, share his opinions, and find both points of agreement and disagreement, and that's a powerful thing in today's world when so many seem to only want to hear viewpoints aligned with their own. Related: Veteran fund manager unveils eye-popping S&P 500 forecast The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Business Insider
a day ago
- Business Insider
The best international roaming plans for your phone while traveling
It's surprisingly easy to stay connected while on an international trip, whether you're looking for the most affordable and bare essentials or want as much data as you have at home with the ability to make phone calls and send or receive SMS text messages. That's why you should always consider one of the best international roaming plans to take with you. There are several options to stay connected abroad. In my international travel experience, I've found a dedicated international eSIM plan offered by services like Airalo very effective. It allows you to use the domestic plan and carrier you want independently from your international needs. Higher-end plans from major carriers and budget-conscious MVNO services also contain international features. After extensive research, it's clear that T-Mobile's Experience Beyond plan has the best international features in a domestic plan. US Mobile's Unlimited Premium plan offers incredible international connectivity for a budget plan. These can be good options if you travel internationally often and make good use of premium domestic features, too. Airalo International eSIM data plan Airalo offers data-only plans for several countries and regions, as well as plans that include calls and SMS text messaging. Data is all most people need for maps directions, data-based voice calls with popular apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, and light web browsing to research destinations and attractions. You can still call emergency services in many countries, which isn't dependent a phone plan, but between your phone and the local cell service. Check price at Airalo International eSIM plans from providers like Airalo offer data plans for various countries, regions, or even globally. They're especially useful for infrequent travellers who don't want to tie international connectivity needs with their domestic plan. Airalo offers data-only plans as well as plans that include voice calls and SMS texting. In my experience, data is all most people need for travel essentials, like getting directions in a map app, light web browsing of local destinations, and using communication apps like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger to call or message contacts. Still, the option for making voice calls and SMS texting is there. I've personally used Airalo's data-only plans successfully in Portugal, though there were some hiccups with my iPhone's iMessages. I don't suspect the issues I faced with iMessage were specific to Airalo. Rather, the issues likely come from whether contacts have my Apple ID saved in their contacts list. This issue would likely arise whenever you disable your US domestic SIM or eSIM. Numerous international eSIM providers exist besides Airalo. After researching features, pricing, support options, and user feedback online, I found that Ubigi and Roamless are suitable alternatives if Airalo doesn't have what you need. Depending on your data needs and the length of your trip, we think 5GB and 10GB plans should suffice for most people. You can check how much data you have left in the app, which is handy for managing your data use. You can also top up your data. It's not the end of the world if you run out of data and don't have the option to top up — you can sign up for a new plan, which requires a new eSIM. If you've run out of data, you need a reliable WiFi connection to top up or sign up for a new eSIM. These dedicated international services only work via eSIM, so you'll need to ensure your phone supports eSIMs. You can buy the plan you want and set up an eSIM before your trip, and activate that specific eSIM in your phone's settings when you arrive. Also, note that international eSIM plans don't typically work if your phone is locked to your carrier. Phones are typically locked if you buy them from your carrier. You can try contacting your carrier to unlock your phone before your trip. I'd also recommend disabling your domestic SIM or eSIM in your phone's settings while en route to your destination (like on the flight there). That way, your domestic service won't try to connect to an international network, and you won't incur outrageous international roaming fees. Even with a data-only plan, you can usually call local emergency services. However, emergency services may be unable to call you back if needed, as they won't have a phone number to call. Some countries may require a valid SIM or eSIM with a phone number, whether local or your home SIM — Nomad, for example, lists Germany and Switzerland as needing a valid SIM to make emergency calls. T-Mobile Experience More plan T-Mobile's Experience More plan is an excellent for most people with good T-Mobile coverage, as it comes with unlimited premium data, a generous 60GB of mobile hotspot data, tempting discounts on popular streaming services like Netflix and Apple TV Plus, and comprehensive international features. Overall, T-Mobile's Experience Beyond plan has the best and most international features compared to Verizon's and AT&T's offerings. Indeed, T-Mobile's Experience More plan includes 5GB per month of high-speed data and unlimited SMS text messaging in 215+ countries and destinations. Visitors to Canada and Mexico can enjoy an even better 15GB of high-speed data and unlimited texts and calls. The more expensive T-Mobile Experience Beyond plan gives you 15GB of data to use in the same 215+ countries, and upgrades the Mexican/Canadian allowance to 30GB. The T-Mobile Experience Beyond plan also includes texting, WiFi, and video streaming on flights. However, it's only for domestic flights on Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, and United Airlines, so it's not something to consider for international travel. If you need more data or the ability to make traditional voice calls outside the US, Canada, or Mexico, you can add T-Mobile's International Pass, which includes unlimited calling and varying amounts of data: 512MB (for one day): $5 5GB (for 10 days): $35 15GB (for 30 days): $50 You can still make emergency calls in many countries, even with a data-only plan, but some countries may require a valid SIM. It's best practice to check before you set off. If you'd like to know more about how good the network is in general, in particular for domestic use, don't miss our fresh T-Mobile review. Best budget plan US Mobile's Unlimited Premium plan on the Light Speed network (T-Mobile) includes 10GB of data, 200 voice minutes, and 250 texts in over 180 countries. That's the most international features we've seen on a budget plan, and even beats the most expensive major carrier plans. US Mobile is also incredibly flexible in several important ways. For one, US Mobile customers who typically use the Dark Star (AT&T) or Warp (Verizon) network options at home can switch to Light Speed for their international trip. Indeed, Light Speed has the best international features among the three network options US Mobile offers. If you need to switch to US Mobile's Light Speed network, I would make the switch before you travel to ensure it goes smoothly. US Mobile customers who sign up for less expensive plans, like the Unlimited Starter or Unlimited Flex plans, on a monthly basis can also upgrade to the Unlimited Premium plan for a single month (or more, if their trip is longer). Then, when the trip is over, they can return to their original plan. Those who have already signed up for a less expensive US Mobile plan with an annual payment can upgrade to the Unlimited Premium plan. However, they won't be able to downgrade to their original plan and get a prorated refund after their trip — they'll have to downgrade back to their original plan when their annual cycle is over. Buy a local SIM or eSIM at your destination You can find out if local carriers have physical locations at the point-of-entry, like the airport, or near your hotel. You can get a prepaid SIM or eSIM with your data needs, and plans often include voice and SMS texting. The major benefit of going with a local carrier is getting in-person support at a physical location. Online chat support is nice, but nothing beats face-to-face interaction, whether there's something wrong or you need a new plan to get more data. Bear in mind that eSIMs bought locally, like those from airport vending machines, often charge a much higher rate per gigabyte than the providers highlighted on this page. How we test When possible, we test international plans in person by going through plan selection, setup, and the experience at the international destination. We assess the value of the plans, cellular signal quality, and data speeds while using map apps, web browsers, and social media apps. For plans where we haven't tried internationally, we assess the international features across competing options and the value they propose. We also research user experiences across the internet. We're currently testing a wide variety of international eSIM providers, and will update this guide with our findings. Tips You can activate your phone's "low data mode" option if it's available. It should also go without saying that you should connect to a WiFi network whenever possible, especially at your hotel (or wherever you're sleeping). For additional security, we'd advise checking out our roundup of the best cheap VPN deals to protect yourself on unfamiliar or public WiFi networks at home and abroad. We'd also recommend downloading music from your music streaming service of choice on a WiFi connection, whether at home or your destination. That way, you can listen to music in a car rental (or whenever) without streaming and using data.
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Verizon quietly makes bold move to keep customers from fleeing
Many consumers across the country are sick of high prices, especially when it comes to their cell phone bills. According to a report from Doxo last year, Americans spent an average of $1,365 a year on cell phone services in 2024, 2% higher than what they spent on average the year before. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter Traditional phone carriers such as Verizon (VZ) , T-Mobile, and AT&T have recently either cut discounts or increased prices. As consumers battle inflation and a higher cost of living, many are starting to jump ship from these companies and seek cheaper options. Related: T-Mobile announces free new perk for customers after major loss Cable companies have increasingly been offering customers bundle options on TV, mobile, and internet, which allows them to save money on these services. This has increasingly become a major threat to phone carriers. A recent report from MoffettNathanson indicates that Spectrum, Comcast, and Altice USA have added 886,000 new phone customers during the first three months of 2025, up from the 804,000 they added during the same time period last year. Image source: Mordant/Bloomberg via Getty Images Amid this growing trend, Verizon is stepping up its game to keep customers from fleeing, especially after it faced a net loss of 289,000 total postpaid phone customers during the first quarter of 2025, its "worst result on record," according to analysts at New Street Research. Recent posts on Reddit reveal the phone carrier is quietly contacting select customers to offer them a new phone line on its Unlimited Welcome plan. According to a message customers received, the line will be free for 36 months via monthly account credits. However, customers will be responsible for paying for taxes and fees, which are around $6 to $10 per month. Related: Verizon announces wild new offer to win back angry customers Also, this offer is only eligible for customers who bring their own device, so customers won't be able to finance a new phone while the free line offer is active. The free line also offers customers 5G data with no hotspot access. After 36 months, customers will pay the standard rate of $55 per month for the phone line. There is also no contract attached to the offer, meaning customers can cancel anytime. Verizon did not immediately respond to TheStreet's request for comment. The move from Verizon comes after it recently made several bold changes to attract and retain customers. Earlier this week, it touted its increased reliance on artificial intelligence to improve the customer service experience. More Retail: Costco quietly plans to offer a convenient service for customersT-Mobile pulls the plug on generous offer, angering customersAT&T makes generous offer to older customers The company is now using Google Cloud's AI to "ensure full resolution" of any issues customers may bring to its customer service team. The technology will help "keep the customer updated" through the My Verizon app, text messages, or callbacks. Verizon also extended its customer service hours. Customers will now be able to speak with a live agent 24/7 and access 24/7 live chat support. In a recent interview with CNET, Verizon Consumer Group CEO Sowmyanarayan Sampath said the company's increased investment in AI is a response to customer frustrations with having to contact customer service multiple times to resolve issues. "I get a lot of emails from customers every day, and they're not pretty," said Sampath. In addition to improving customer service operations, Verizon has also been offering customers $20 Amazon gift cards through its myAccess platform, which is basically a "T-Mobile Tuesdays" rival. Related: Costco to make generous offer to frustrated phone customers The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Phone Arena
a day ago
- Phone Arena
Banned in Japan, big in the US: the Google Pixel 7 is making this T-Mobile user so happy
Avid PhoneArena readers know that the Pixel 7 series have just been barred from selling in Japan, but back at home, this phone makes some T-Mobile users happy. The reason? It downloads stuff quickly. Like, lightning-fast on your age (and the state of your memory), you may, or you may not remember, but downloading a 4 MB file from the Internet was a nightmare once upon a time. The screeching, buzzing sounds from the phone modem were terrible, it sounded like somebody was trying to summon a digital demon. The sound aside, the sheer speed was so low that people from 2025 would get nervous a quarter of a century, things have shifted dramatically – and not just for desktop computers that have wired connection to the Internet. No, even phones like the good ol' Pixel 7 can achieve amazing high speeds. For example, a Reddit user by the nickname of jtowndtk shares that his trusty Pixel 7 achieved 325.59 Mbps (for download): Image source – Reddit A 5G speed of 325.59 Mbps on T-Mobile is excellent and likely indicates you're connected to its mid-band Ultra Capacity network, which offers a strong balance of speed and coverage. This is like the sweet spot of their 5G service: it's faster than regular 5G and covers more areas than the superfast but hard-to-find version. It supports great speeds for things like streaming, gaming, and downloading without needing to be in a specific spot like a big city center. It uses special frequencies that balance speed and coverage, so more people can enjoy fast and reliable internet on their phones in more places. If your phone shows "Ultra Capacity 5G," you're likely getting some of the best performance T-Mobile has to offer. At such a speed, one can easily stream 4K video, enjoy smooth online and cloud gaming, make high-quality HD video calls or download a 1 GB file in about 25–30 seconds. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
USA Today
2 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
Metro by T-Mobile is locking In wireless prices for 5 years
Freeze your rate for 5 years and get a free phone with Metro by T-Mobile's inflation-proof offers. With prices rising on everything from groceries to gas, finding ways to save is more important than ever. That's why this new offer from Metro by T-Mobile is turning heads and putting real money back in your pocket. For a limited time, Metro by T-Mobile is offering a 5-Year Price Guarantee on select prepaid plans. That means the price you pay today is the price you'll pay for the next five years. No surprises. No rate hikes. This kind of long-term price protection is almost unheard of in wireless. It's especially valuable for budget-conscious households looking for stability. Switch to Metro by T-Mobile 5-Year Price Guarantee at Metro by T-Mobile Metro's 5-Year Price Guarantee is a rare opportunity to lock in savings while others are paying more. Plans are available now, but there's no telling how long this offer will last. 1. What is the Metro Starter Plan? Explore the Metro Starter Plan 2. What is the Metro Starter Plus (The $40 Period Plan) Plan? Explore the Metro Starter Plus Plan 3. What is the Metro Flex Unlimited Plan? Explore the Metro Flex Unlimited Plan 4. What is the Metro Flex Unlimited Plus Plan? Explore the Metro Flex Unlimited Plus Plan Prepaid customers are sometimes overlooked in the wireless world but Metro by T-Mobile is offering affordable plans with premium perks, powerful phones and prices that won't get inflated. Check out the quality phone service plans to help you stay connected today. Sign up for Metro by T-Mobile
