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AT&T Is Raising the Rates for Its Unlimited Plans, Bumping Hotspot Data

Its unlimited plans are going up by 99 cents per line, per month. But at least you’ll be able to get more hotspot data.

AT&T customers on its unlimited plans will start to see their bills go up in March. The carrier confirmed to CNET on Friday that it will raise the rates for its unlimited plans by 99 cents per line, per month. 

Notifications will begin going out to customers this weekend, with the increases taking place March 5. 

The new pricing is already visible on AT&T’s website for new users, alongside the new names for the company’s main wireless plans and increased high-speed hotspot data that the carrier is offering as part of the move. Unlimited Starter, the company’s base unlimited plan, has become «Unlimited Starter SL» and will now include 5GB of hotspot data (up from 3GB), while Unlimited Extra — the middle plan in the company’s portfolio — will be renamed «Unlimited Extra EL» and include 30GB of hotspot data (up from 15GB). 

The carrier’s priciest Unlimited Premium option is now dubbed «Unlimited Premium PL» and comes with 60GB of hotspot data, an increase from 50GB on the old plan. The Dominican Republic has also been added as a country that users on this plan can roam in with full talk, text and data. 

Users on AT&T’s old Unlimited Elite plan, which includes access to Max, will not be getting any pricing changes, though it raised rates on those lines last summer. Despite the pricing, hotspot and branding adjustments, AT&T has not re-added Max to any of its plans and, unlike rivals T-Mobile and Verizon, it still does not bundle in or discount streaming services with its main wireless service. 

In addition to updating its main plans, AT&T is also adding a 99-cent increase to its cheapest Value Plus option and rebranding that as AT&T Value Plus VL. This plan still lacks hotspot data, but the carrier is now allowing you to have up to 10 lines, whereas it previously limited this plan to just a single line. 

Those opting for Value Plus VL, however, will need to have all lines on this plan. That means they can’t have some on a pricier option that offers extra features like hotspot data and others on the cheaper alternative. 

«We are bringing new benefits and added value to our best unlimited plans. This includes increased hotspot data — doubling on Unlimited Extra EL — and adding roaming in the Dominican Republic on Unlimited Premium PL. We are also taking our Value Plus plan, now Value Plus VL, from 1 to 10 lines, including connected devices. Customers on our current Unlimited Starter, Extra, Premium and Value Plus plans will receive the additional benefits starting in March,» an AT&T spokesperson told CNET in a statement. 

«Existing customers will be notified of these changes in the coming days and will have several weeks prior to the effective date to update their plan or make other changes if they’d like to.»

AT&T notes that this is the first increase it has had on these plans since introducing them in 2020. 

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 28 #635

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Nov. 28, No. 635.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.


Today’s NYT Strands puzzle is pretty tricky. If you’re not familiar with certain superstitious beliefs, you might not find all the answers. And some of the answers are difficult to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story. 

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: If all else fails…

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Don’t tell, it won’t come true.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

  • GLUB, RATS, TARN, DALE, FONT, FOUNT, LASH

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

  • DANDELION, STAR, COIN, FOUNTAIN, LADYBUG, EYELASH

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is MAKEAWISH. To find it, start with the M that’s three letters down on the far right, and wind backwards.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 28, #901

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Nov. 28, #901.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.


Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is kind of tough. If you need help sorting the answers into groups, you’re in the right place. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Appropriate.

Green group hint: I win!

Blue group hint: Musical instrument.

Purple group hint: Time to talk.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Fitting.

Green group: Achieve victory over.

Blue group: Parts of an electric guitar.

Purple group: Phonetic elements of speech.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is fitting. The four answers are fair, just, proper and right.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is achieve victory over. The four answers are beat, best, take and worst.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is parts of an electric guitar. The four answers are fret, peg, pickup and string.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is phonetic elements of speech. The four answers are intonation, loudness, rhythm and stress.

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Technologies

Anker’s New MagSafe Car Mount Keeps Your Phone Cool While Charging, and It’s 30% Off for Black Friday

Get wired-like charging speeds and MagSafe compatibility with Anker’s wireless car charging bundle for $62.99.

Black Friday is the best time of the year to upgrade the little essentials that make your everyday tech life more pleasant. I’ve found the perfect deal to amp up the phone charging setup in your car. This Anker MagSafe wireless car charging bundle is 30% off for the holidays, and it gives your iPhone a fast and steady way to power up while you navigate. It delivers up to 25-watt wireless charging speeds and with onboard active cooling, your phone stays comfortable to the touch.

Get it now for $62.99 verses the list price of $89.99.

What sets this charger apart is that its performance and cooling tech is built into a surprisingly compact package. The stand uses an ultra-strong Qi2 magnetic lock to keep your phone secure through bumps and turns. You can even tilt the mount and switch between portrait and landscape modes for navigation without blocking the view. The bundle has everything you need to get started including a 60-watt dual-USB-C charger, an adequately long USB-C cable, and cable organizers for a clean setup. Anker also includes a two-year warranty for peace of mind.

If you are getting your car prepped up for driving to a holiday vacation or just need a faster charging mount for your daily commute, this deal makes a lot of sense. CNET’s experts are also tracking more Black Friday and Cyber Monday picks across Apple products, headphones, and more, so you can score more savings before the sales season wraps up.

Why this deal matters

A high quality charger is a great addition to any car to speedily top up your phone on the go. You will especially want to look out for options from a top-tier brand like Anker for its fast charging speeds and reliability. This Black Friday deal is an excellent opportunity to save big on a staple car accessory. With holiday shopping heating up and tech accessories being one of the most popular categories, we expect the deal to sell out quick. So don’t wait too long before jumping on it.

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