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CommScope closes on TE, Apple threatens mobile ads … 5 things to know today

T-Mobile US targets cheaters, CommScope closes on TE, Apple threatens mobile ads

1. T-Mobile US is taking aim at customers that it says cheat the system on LTE data. CEO John Legere said in a blog post that about 3,000 people on T-Mobile US’ unlimited data plans are hacking the system by downloading apps that hide their tether usage, rooting their phones and writing code to mask their activity. By hiding their activity, users can avoid having to pay for the extra data or facing slower speeds. He said they are using their phones as mobile hot spots and using enough data to support a small business – in some cases 2 terabytes per month. Legere said T-Mobile US is starting to contact these individuals to shut down the data usage so they don’t slow down the network for everyone else.

2. CommScope has closed on its $3 billion purchase of TE Connectivity’s wireless business unit. The purchase gives CommScope ownership of TE’s digital distributed antenna system solution, as well as its fiber optic and wireline businesses. The company said the purchase will start contributing to the bottom line right away. This is the latest in a series of acquisitions in the wireless infrastructure space.

3. Apple could be threatening the $70 billion a year that online marketers get from mobile ads. The company’s upcoming iOS 9 includes an ad blocker, according to The Wall Street Journal. One of the companies that would be hurt the most, of course, is advertising giant Google, which already has to deal with ad blockers on its YouTube video service.

4. Google’s new Wi-Fi router OnHub goes on sale today. For $200, home users get Wi-Fi speeds of up to 1,900 megabits per second, and Google is trying to make those speeds available all over the home by placing antennas around the entire circumference of its router. OnHub is designed to be as unobtrusive as possible so users will keep it off the floor.

5. Remember the hackers who took control of a Jeep Cherokee on the road? They’ve been hired by Uber to help that company research self-driving cars. The Jeep hack was controlled in that the driver knew it was coming and the hackers stopped when he asked them to. Jeep ended up recalling more than a million vehicles, and the hackers ended up working with Uber’s chief security officer.

And our featured job today comes from MasTec Network Solutions. The company is hiring an site acquisition leads to work in Bellevue, Washington. Find hundreds of jobs and thousands of resumes at telecomcareers.com.

ABOUT AUTHOR

Martha DeGrasse
Martha DeGrassehttp://www.nbreports.com
Martha DeGrasse is the publisher of Network Builder Reports (nbreports.com). At RCR, Martha authored more than 20 in-depth feature reports and more than 2,400 news articles. She also created the Mobile Minute and the 5 Things to Know Today series. Prior to joining RCR Wireless News, Martha produced business and technology news for CNN and Dow Jones in New York and managed the online editorial group at Hoover’s Online before taking a number of years off to be at home when her children were young. Martha is the board president of Austin's Trinity Center and is a member of the Women's Wireless Leadership Forum.