Technologies

The FCC Wants Your Help With Its Investigation Into the Verizon Outage

The government agency has launched an investigation into the incident, with one focus on whether customers were unable to reach 911 in emergencies.

Following Verizon’s disruptive and widespread service outage in January, the Federal Communications Commission is asking for affected customers to report on what they experienced by March 16.

The FCC investigation, which kicked off Jan. 28, «invites interested parties to provide all relevant information concerning the effects of the outage, particularly on 911 calling and public safety.» As CNET’s sibling site Mashable reported (and is cited in the FCC’s notice), the outage seems to have prevented emergency calls from connecting.

On Jan. 14, Verizon’s cellular and broadband networks went offline for at least 10 hours and impacted roughly 2 million customers. For many, their phones showed only «SOS» instead of the regular cellular connection bars, even after the network came back online. To date the company has not released a cause other than a «software issue,» though some telecommunications experts believe it was a a bad update that affected Verizon’s 5G SA (Standalone) core, based on the characteristics of the outage.

Customers can describe their experiences by email to VerizonOutage2026@fcc.gov or use the FCC’s official electronic comment system. The PDF of the public notice also includes instructions for filing by paper via US Postal Service mail or hand delivery.

Credits offered, but are they enough?

As recompense, Verizon is offering a $20 credit to people who were affected, via text messages and notifications in the My Verizon app. Credits of $5 are also being offered to customers of Visible, a Verizon-owned virtual operator.

At the time, the company said in a statement, «This credit isn’t meant to make up for what happened. No credit really can. But it’s a way of acknowledging our customers’ time and showing that this matters to us.» Based on angry reports I’ve seen on Reddit, that token amount doesn’t go far enough for some people. PCMag reported that some people have been able to negotiate credits up to $200, but that requires contacting customer service directly and justifying a legitimate reason for increasing the amount.

Although the FCC investigation appears to be most interested in the emergency-services impacts of the outage, it’s also asking for comments on how Verizon communicated and reacted. Some of the queries in the public notice include, «Was Verizon’s public communication about the outage appropriate, timely, and effective? What effect did the outage have on businesses and providers of critical services, such as hospitals? What effect did the outage have on consumers’ ability to contact emergency services, ability to contact family members, and personal activities?»

Unsurprisingly, scammers are running credit phishing scams by sending texts that look legitimate but contain phishing links, according to reporting at LifeHacker. As always, we encourage you to be vigilant and learn how to tell if links are actually spam.

Technologies

How to Stay Safe at a Protest – Physically and Digitally

If you’re joining the thousands taking to the streets to protest ICE this weekend, here’s what you need to know to stay protected and safe.

The past decade has brought record numbers of Americans to the streets over critical issues — gun violence, racial injustice, police brutality and reproductive rights. More recently, the killing of two American citizens in Minneapolis and countless reports of harassment and unconstitutional raids by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have prompted protests from coast to coast, including many planned for this weekend.

While demonstrations are an important way to enact change, protesters face real risks from violent counterprotesters, law enforcement responses and health concerns when large groups gather.

CNET doesn’t encourage violating curfews or legal restrictions. However, if you attend a demonstration, here’s how to protect yourself based on guidance from Amnesty International, the American Civil Liberties Union and other sources.

Getting ready

Preparation is crucial. Here’s what to consider bringing and leaving behind:

What to bring:

A body camera or GoPro
Water and snacks
Face mask (outdoor transmission risk is lower, but masks still help prevent the spread of illness)
Hand sanitizer
Charged phone with a power bank
ID and cash
Protective goggles for tear gas
Essential medications like inhalers
Small backpack
Emergency contacts written on your arm in marker
A companion or tell someone your location if going alone

What not to bring:

Anything problematic if detained — weapons, items that could be considered weapons or illegal substances
Contact lenses (wear glasses — contacts can trap tear gas)
Valuables
Makeup (can help tear gas adhere to skin)

What to wear:

Warm clothes, comfortable and without logos or patterns
Long sleeves and pants to protect from tear gas and cover identifying features like tattoos
Sturdy shoes for quick movement (hiking boots recommended)
A hat for sun protection or blending into crowds

What to do with your phone

As reported by our sister site PCMag, your phone can be a safety asset, but also a liability at protests. «Many smart devices track your location through multiple means. This is useful for getting directions and finding things nearby, but it can also allow law enforcement to extract your movements after the fact. For example, pictures you take with a smartphone frequently include their physical locations, and Google Maps maintains records of your movements in its Your Timeline section.»

With that in mind, here are four simple steps you can take to mitigate mobile tracking:

Shut off Wi-Fi.
Disable location services and Bluetooth until you absolutely need them.
If you don’t need to use your data connection, switch it off (note this may hamper your ability to use encrypted communications).
Again, if you can, leave your phone at home — if not, at least turn it off.

During a protest

Establish a plan before arriving, including how and when you plan to leave. Decide your arrival and departure times, what situations would trigger you to leave and how you’ll exit if things escalate. Share this plan with someone staying home who can help if needed.

Stay alert to your surroundings and crowd movements. If something feels wrong, leave immediately.

Law enforcement may use tear gas, rubber bullets or other crowd control measures that can cause injury. Your best protection is creating distance from these situations quickly. If that’s impossible, research how to respond to these specific threats beforehand.

Health precautions

Outdoor gatherings carry a lower COVID, flu and common cold risk than indoor ones, but risk remains, especially for immunocompromised individuals. Complete protection means not attending, but you can reduce risk by:

Wearing a mask
Using hand sanitizer frequently
Staying home if you feel sick
Skipping protests if you live with high-risk individuals

Know your rights

The First Amendment protects peaceful assembly, but you could still face detention. Before attending:

Search for «[your city] protest legal support» to find local hotlines
Save these numbers to your phone and write them on your arm
Review your rights during protests using the ACLU’s guide

Technologies

Save $30 on the Soundcore Q20i Headphones at Amazon and Enjoy Superior Sound on the Go

These offer excellent noise cancelation plus a solid battery life of up to 60 hours.

Amazon has knocked the already budget-friendly Soundcore Q20i headphones by $30, letting you pick up a pair for just $40 today. It isn’t an all-time low but it’s the best price the Q20i has dropped to in the past 30 days, proving you don’t need to spend a fortune to enjoy your favorite beats to the fullest.

This deal applies to the black and white options, while the blue and pink versions are going for $45. The offer is only around for a short time, though, so it’s worth placing your orders sooner rather than later.

The pair has two internal and two external microphones that work together to detect background noise and reduce up to 90% of it in the ANC mode. It’s packed with oversized 40mm dynamic drivers that deliver deep, rich sound for all your favorite tracks, games and even podcasts. You can also use the Soundcore app to customize your listening experience by adjusting EQ with 22 presets, or fine-tune it yourself to match your preferences.

If you regularly work across multiple devices, you will appreciate that the Soundcore Q20i can connect to up to two devices at the same time. Switching between them is nearly instant, as the headphones automatically shift to the device you need to hear from.

Battery-wise, you’ll enjoy about 40 hours of continuous listening with the ANC mode and up to 60 hours with it disabled. Even better, a quick 5-minute top-up can give an additional 4 hours of playback, which comes in handy when you’re in a pinch.

HEADPHONE DEALS OF THE WEEK

Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones (Black):

$248 (save $152)
Beats Studio Pro Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (Black):

$170 (save $181)
Sony WH-1000XM6 Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-Ear Headphones:

$398 (save $62)
Bose QuietComfort Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (Twilight Blue):

$179 (save $170)
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless ANC Over-Ear Headphones (Black):

$200 (save $250)

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

Why this deal matters

Good headphones that deliver solid sound, excellent noise-cancelling capabilities and a strong battery life can cost a pretty penny. This deal lets you get a top-rated option for just $40, making the upgrade quite affordable. Just note that the offer is likely to expire soon, so it’s best to act fast to grab it.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Friday, Jan. 30

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Jan. 30.

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

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? The clues feature words like top, left, right, middle and bottom, and I thought they were pretty challenging. Read on for the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.