Is cell service getting worse? One study shows that it is
(WJET/WFXP) — Cell service may be getting worse across the country according to a new J.D. Power study.
The study showed a dramatic increase in reported wireless network problems between the first and the second half of 2024. For the first half of 2024, problems nationally were reported at 9 problems per use, and in the second half, that jumped to 11 problems per use. That represents a 22% increase less than one year, but several factors in the coming months and years will determine if this trend will continue upwards.
These trends also come at a time when more than 1/3 of Gen X and Gen Y use their phone more than 8 hours every two days. Much of these 8 hours are spent streaming, gaming, or browsing, increasing the demand and stress on carriers
'Streaming has become ubiquitous and is straining networks,' said Carl Lepper, senior director of technology, media and telecom at J.D. Power. 'Network quality is a critical factor in the customer journey, specifically the second highest reason why they choose to leave their carrier and join another, behind price. As we have been experiencing this generational trend of increased usage, especially for streaming, gaming, and browsing, networks need to prioritize network quality.'.
The study showcased the top-performing carriers across six regions: Mid-Atlantic, North Central, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, and West.
Verizon Wireless leads two regions and is tied in another, having the least amount of problems in the Mid-Atlantic and the West regions. Verizon and AT&T are both tied for the least amount of problems in the Southwest region. UScellular ranks the highest in the North Central region and T-Mobile ranks the highest in the Southeast Region.
But are these problems a sign of more trouble to come, or is there steps in place to avoid more problems in the future?
Laurent Therivel, the president and CEO of UScellular says in his 2025 predictions that as Americans continue to use more and more data, more investment and more frequency spectrusts are needed to help maintain the U.S.'s competitiveness on a global scale.
In 2023 alone, Americans used a total of 100 Trillion MB, that's 100,000,000 Terabytes. That staggering figure is double what was used in 2021, and 33 times bigger than what was used in 2013.
However, many industry experts believe that recent innovations can help bring high-speed wireless to more areas. These innovations help lower the complexity and scalability that can come with a large-scale deployment of wireless service in an area that can help meet the ever-growing needs of the customers.
As we continue to grow and expand accessibility and availability of 5G coverage across the nation, another concern lingers in less than a decade, 6G service. The next generation of service is expected to be introduced by 2030, and even as soon as 2028. That's according to John Paleski, President of Subcarrier Communications, who continues citing concerns of the next generation and what will need to be done to support, physically, these new units. These upgrades to previous towers, and the construction of new ones, will not be a cheap endeavor for carriers and tower owners.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Can you pass this quiz on Social Security, savings and debt? Most Americans could not.
If you think you are financially literate, then try to answer this question: How much of your healthcare expenses do Medicare and other government programs cover in retirement? Over 90%? About two-thirds? Or about half? If you chose 'about two-thirds,' you're correct, and you're in the minority. Only about one in four Americans answered that question right on a financial literacy quiz, completed online in January by 3,371 consumers. Overall, Americans got correct answers on just under half of the quiz questions. The findings come from the 2025 Personal Finance Index, published in late May by the TIAA Institute and the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center. Each of the 28 questions covers a basic concept of financial literacy: Saving and investing, borrowing and managing debt, spending money and comprehending financial risk. In a financially literate society, the quizmasters say, most of us would know most of the answers. Yet, only 16% of quiz-takers got 22 or more of the 28 questions right. The average test-taker knew about half of the answers. 'In a capitalist economy, when human beings are responsible for managing their own finances, including their own lifestyle in retirement, a certain amount of financial knowledge is assumed,' said Michael Finke, professor of wealth management at the American College of Financial Services. 'And people who don't have financial knowledge are vulnerable.' The Personal Finance Index and attendant quiz have been offered annually since 2017. The results suggest that Americans aren't making much progress in financial literacy. In the best year, 2020, quiz-takers answered 52% of the questions correctly. The results matter 'because the lack of financial awareness is what holds people back from either building wealth or getting out of a cycle of debt,' said Caleb Silver, editor in chief of Investopedia, the financial journalism site. Financial literacy runs low, according to Silver and others, because most Americans don't learn much in school about saving, investing or managing debt. The next generation may do better. More than two-thirds of states now require personal finance classes for high school graduation, compared with fewer than half of states in 2022, according to the Council for Economic Education. The Personal Finance Index quiz measures literacy in eight subjects. The share of correct answers in 2025 ranged from a high of 59%, on the subject of borrowing, to a low of 36%, in the area of comprehending risk. Test-takers showed greater knowledge on the basics of saving, and less literacy on insurance and investing. If you don't understand the basics of managing debt, then you might not know that a credit card balance with a 20% interest rate costs the borrower more over time than a balance with a 10% rate. If you aren't financially literate on investing, then you might not appreciate the power of compound interest in building retirement savings over multiple decades. 'How much of your paycheck to save for retirement: This is an incredibly important decision that can have a huge impact on the standard of living that you have in retirement,' Finke said. Nothing flummoxed the quiz-takers more than risk, a set of questions that covered uncertain financial outcomes. Here is a sample question about risk: There's a 50/50 chance that Malik's car will need engine repairs within the next six months, which would cost $600. At the same time, there is a 10% chance that he will need to replace the air conditioning unit in his house, which would cost $4,000. Which poses the greater financial risk for Malik? The air conditioning replacement? The car repair? Or is there no way to tell? To get the correct answer, you multiply the cost of each scenario by its probability. As it turns out, the A/C replacement poses the greater risk. One-third of quiz-takers figured that out. 'It's a very simple scenario, but there's a lot going on there,' said Surya Kolluri, head of the nonprofit TIAA Institute. Here are some other questions from the Personal Finance Index quiz. Test your financial literacy! Latisha plans to start saving for retirement by setting aside $2,000 this year. Her employer offers a 401(k) plan and fully matches a worker's contributions up to $5,000 each year. Under which scenario does Latisha have the largest amount in retirement savings at year-end? A) She contributes $2,000 to the 401(k) plan and invests the money in a mutual fund that earns a 5% return during the year. B) She contributes $2,000 to an IRA, or Individual Retirement Account, and invests the money in a mutual fund that earns a 5% return. C) It doesn't matter: She will have the same amount of year-end savings either way. Answer: A. Anna saves $500 each year for 10 years and then stops saving additional money. At the same time, Charlie saves nothing for 10 years but then receives a $5,000 gift, which he decides to save. If both Anna and Charlie earn a 5% return each year, who will have more savings after 20 years? A) Anna B) Charlie C) Anna and Charlie will have the same amount Answer: A. Which statement about Social Security is false? A) The amount someone receives in Social Security benefits depends upon his/her earnings during the last two years of full-time employment. B) A worker receives Social Security benefit payments if he/she becomes disabled before retiring. C) Social Security benefit payments will continue as long as an individual is alive, no matter how long he/she lives. Answer: A. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Can you pass this financial literacy quiz? Most Americans could not. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
USA Today
31 minutes ago
- USA Today
Can you pass this quiz on Social Security, savings and debt? Most Americans could not.
Can you pass this quiz on Social Security, savings and debt? Most Americans could not. Show Caption Hide Caption How are tariffs and your 401(k) retirement savings intertwined? Experts say a rise in tariffs can lead to several factors that impact your retirement savings. If you think you are financially literate, then try to answer this question: How much of your healthcare expenses do Medicare and other government programs cover in retirement? Over 90%? About two-thirds? Or about half? If you chose 'about two-thirds,' you're correct, and you're in the minority. Only about one in four Americans answered that question right on a financial literacy quiz, completed online in January by 3,371 consumers. Overall, Americans got correct answers on just under half of the quiz questions. The findings come from the 2025 Personal Finance Index, published in late May by the TIAA Institute and the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center. Each of the 28 questions covers a basic concept of financial literacy: Saving and investing, borrowing and managing debt, spending money and comprehending financial risk. Most Americans don't pass this financial literacy quiz In a financially literate society, the quizmasters say, most of us would know most of the answers. Yet, only 16% of quiz-takers got 22 or more of the 28 questions right. The average test-taker knew about half of the answers. 'In a capitalist economy, when human beings are responsible for managing their own finances, including their own lifestyle in retirement, a certain amount of financial knowledge is assumed,' said Michael Finke, professor of wealth management at the American College of Financial Services. 'And people who don't have financial knowledge are vulnerable.' The Personal Finance Index and attendant quiz have been offered annually since 2017. The results suggest that Americans aren't making much progress in financial literacy. In the best year, 2020, quiz-takers answered 52% of the questions correctly. The results matter 'because the lack of financial awareness is what holds people back from either building wealth or getting out of a cycle of debt,' said Caleb Silver, editor in chief of Investopedia, the financial journalism site. Financial literacy runs low, according to Silver and others, because most Americans don't learn much in school about saving, investing or managing debt. The next generation may do better. More than two-thirds of states now require personal finance classes for high school graduation, compared with fewer than half of states in 2022, according to the Council for Economic Education. Financial literacy: We know a lot about debt . . . The Personal Finance Index quiz measures literacy in eight subjects. The share of correct answers in 2025 ranged from a high of 59%, on the subject of borrowing, to a low of 36%, in the area of comprehending risk. Test-takers showed greater knowledge on the basics of saving, and less literacy on insurance and investing. If you don't understand the basics of managing debt, then you might not know that a credit card balance with a 20% interest rate costs the borrower more over time than a balance with a 10% rate. If you aren't financially literate on investing, then you might not appreciate the power of compound interest in building retirement savings over multiple decades. 'How much of your paycheck to save for retirement: This is an incredibly important decision that can have a huge impact on the standard of living that you have in retirement,' Finke said. . . . And not a lot about risk Nothing flummoxed the quiz-takers more than risk, a set of questions that covered uncertain financial outcomes. Here is a sample question about risk: There's a 50/50 chance that Malik's car will need engine repairs within the next six months, which would cost $600. At the same time, there is a 10% chance that he will need to replace the air conditioning unit in his house, which would cost $4,000. Which poses the greater financial risk for Malik? The air conditioning replacement? The car repair? Or is there no way to tell? To get the correct answer, you multiply the cost of each scenario by its probability. As it turns out, the A/C replacement poses the greater risk. One-third of quiz-takers figured that out. 'It's a very simple scenario, but there's a lot going on there,' said Surya Kolluri, head of the nonprofit TIAA Institute. Test your knowledge on these financial literacy questions Here are some other questions from the Personal Finance Index quiz. Test your financial literacy! Latisha plans to start saving for retirement by setting aside $2,000 this year. Her employer offers a 401(k) plan and fully matches a worker's contributions up to $5,000 each year. Under which scenario does Latisha have the largest amount in retirement savings at year-end? A) She contributes $2,000 to the 401(k) plan and invests the money in a mutual fund that earns a 5% return during the year. B) She contributes $2,000 to an IRA, or Individual Retirement Account, and invests the money in a mutual fund that earns a 5% return. C) It doesn't matter: She will have the same amount of year-end savings either way. Answer: A. Anna saves $500 each year for 10 years and then stops saving additional money. At the same time, Charlie saves nothing for 10 years but then receives a $5,000 gift, which he decides to save. If both Anna and Charlie earn a 5% return each year, who will have more savings after 20 years? A) Anna B) Charlie C) Anna and Charlie will have the same amount Answer: A. Which statement about Social Security is false? A) The amount someone receives in Social Security benefits depends upon his/her earnings during the last two years of full-time employment. B) A worker receives Social Security benefit payments if he/she becomes disabled before retiring. C) Social Security benefit payments will continue as long as an individual is alive, no matter how long he/she lives. Answer: A.
Business Upturn
an hour ago
- Business Upturn
Online Tax Firm MyExpatTaxes Alerts Expats: Final Chance to Claim 2021 Stimulus Payments
Vienna, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MyExpatTaxes, a leading US expat tax company known for its support of U.S. citizens living overseas, is highlighting an important upcoming deadline for American expatriates. By June 16th, expats must act to claim the 2021 stimulus payments. This deadline represents the final opportunity for expats who haven't already to benefit from COVID-19 economic stimulus payments, which can total thousands of . MyExpatTaxes is urging individuals not to miss out on this opportunity. As the U.S. is one of just two countries that taxes based on citizenship rather than residence, Americans living abroad have to report their worldwide income by filing a U.S. tax return every year. Many Americans expats are unaware of this requirement to file from overseas though, so get behind in their filing. The IRS has an amnesty program for these expats though called the Offshire Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures. This process offers a chance for overseas Americans who have unintentionally failed to meet their filing obligations to catch up on their U.S. tax filing without facing penalties. It requires submitting the last three years of tax returns and, where applicable, up to six years of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts Reports (FBARs). The procedure can seem complex, but with MyExpatTaxes offering either self-service or guided assistance, expats can find a sense of relief with easy access to tools like a US expat tax calculator and a stimulus check calculator found on their website. Nathalie Goldstein, CEO of MyExpatTaxes, underscores the significance of acting before the June 16th deadline for non-compliance overseas Americans, saying, 'The June 16th 2025 deadline is the last opportunity for American expatriates who may not have been aware that they have to file U.S. taxes from abroad to claim teh COVID-19 stimulus payments. It's also a valuable opportunity to get tax compliant without facing penalties. Our goal is to provide them with the guidance they need to make the most of these benefits.' Her words reflect the broader mission of MyExpatTaxes – supporting American expats in navigating what can often be a daunting process filing from overseas (often as well as filing taxes in the country where they reside). The 2021 expanded Child Tax Credit is also available for American families living abroad. This credit offers a substantial benefit of up to $3,600 per child, refundable for qualifying families. Timely filing is critical to claim this credit, ensuring families don't inadvertently miss out. To aid in this, expats can access comprehensive guidance and information on the Streamlined Procedures through MyExpatTaxes' dedicated page: Adding to the firm's efforts, Goldstein remarks, 'The potential gains for catching up and filing for 2021 for expats who qualify for the stimulus payments are typically far outweigh the costs of becoming compliant. Our platform is designed to simplify the tax filing process for U.S. citizens abroad, offering practical solutions and expert support. With the deadline imminent to claim these valuable payments, we're dedicated to helping expatriates claim what they are rightfully owed.' This statement emphasizes MyExpatTaxes' commitment to easing the stress associated with U.S. tax filing for expats. To further assist expats, the company has developed easy-to-use resources such as tax guides, quick start checklists, and webinars available on their website. These resources provide education and support, aimed at simplifying and demystifying the intricacies of international tax reporting for Americans living abroad. User testimonials and official reviews highlight the effectiveness and reliability of MyExpatTaxes' services, reinforcing their reputation as a helpful aid for expats. As the June 16th deadline approaches, expats need to be vigilant. Missing this date means losing out on the chance to claim the stimulus payments for good. Through proactive action and using MyExpatTaxes' offerings, expatriates can not only ensure compliance but also capitalize on available benefits. MyExpatTaxes remains committed to guiding expatriates through these important periods, helping them understand and fulfill their tax responsibilities while maximizing their eligible claims. For those seeking to learn more or benefit from these services, they can learn more through the platform's site: The resources provided are not just about fulfilling obligations – they also empower expats to take control of their financial responsibilities with confidence. ### For more information about MyExpatTaxes, contact the company here: MyExpatTaxesMackenzie Passegger [email protected]
