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T-Mobile for Business puts the spotlight on small businesses across the country

Earlier today, T-Mobile for Business revealed three new small business plans under the name Business Unlimited. In addition to these new plans, T-Mobile for Business has announced its new fixed wireless internet, Facebook Advertising on Us with digital advertising, and digital marketing resources exclusively for small businesses. This is T-Mobile’s way of helping the small business owners cope as they go through the economical effects of the pandemic. 

Here is more information on these new developments:

T-Mobile Business Unlimited Plans

These are the three small business plans that T-Mobile for Business has unveiled today. As of this writing, these are the only small business plans available in the country. 

• Business Unlimited Select $25/line/month – This plan comes with unlimited talk, text, and 50GB of “Premium Data”, 5GB high-speed mobile hotspot; unlimited texting and 2G data overseas; and unlimited talk, text and 2G data in Canada and Mexico. The plan, however, reduces the speed during times of network congestion. 
• Business Unlimited Advanced $30/line/month – This plan comes with unlimited talk, text, and 100GB of “Premium Data”, 40GB high-speed mobile hotspot, 1 hour of Gogo In-Flight Wi-Fi; unlimited texting and 2G data overseas; unlimited talk, text and 5G high-speed data in Canada and Mexico; HD video streaming; and Microsoft 365 on Us.
• Business Unlimited Ultimate $40/line/month – This plan comes with unlimited talk, text, and “Premium Data”, 100GB high-speed mobile hotspot, 1 hour of Gogo In-Flight Wi-Fi; 4K video streaming; Microsoft 365 on Us; and 2x faster data internationally (256Kbps). 

T-Mobile Small Business Internet

The need to stay online is greatly experienced by small businesses. Thankfully, T-Mobile for Business has introduced a way to address this need with its new fixed wireless internet service that costs $60/month with AutoPay and no annual contracts. It also doesn’t include any caps or overage penalties. 

Once you sign up for this service, T-Mobile will ship a state-of-the-art Nokia 5G router to your business location, included in your monthly price with no added equipment fees. You can then perform the installation in minutes, without the need to pay for hookup fees. The service also comes with access to a team of dedicated experts who you can call whenever you need them.

For a limited time period, T-Mobile for Business is running a promotion on this service. When you sign up for the service between June 1st and June 30th, you can enjoy $10 off on the monthly rate. This means that you will only have to pay $50/month (with AutoPay) throughout the duration of the qualifying line. You can learn more about this offer here .

Facebook Advertising on Us

T-Mobile knows that in order to help your business succeed, you need to take things to social media. And one way you can do that is by doing ads the right way. This is why T-Mobile for Business has teamed up with Facebook experts to help improve your business’ digital marketing strategy. 

The partnership gives small businesses three one-on-one consultations with a Facebook marketing expert. It also gives access to educational resources and thought leadership content to help you make the most out of your Facebook advertising strategies. 

Not only that, every small business on T-Mobile with three or more lines will get $200 in digital advertising to use to market their business on Facebook and Instagram’s platform. 

T-Mobile for Business’ Opportunity Sweepstakes

Lastly, T-Mobile for Business is running an Opportunity Sweepstakes for small businesses throughout the country. 

When you join, you have a chance to win a 5G makeover for your business. You can be among the winners of the following:

• Six small businesses will win a 5G smartphone or tablet
• Five small businesses will win a package of five 5G devices
• Two small businesses will win a full 5G makeover with five 5G smartphones, a 5G tablet, and $5000 to spend on anything

You can join this sweepstakes between June 1st and July 16th. For more information, visit this page . 

These new developments will be available starting June 1st. To kick off its launch, T-Mo will be hosting a Facebook Live conversation with FUBU founder & CEO/ABC’s Shark Tank, Daymond John and T-Mobile for Business’ EVP, Mike Katz. The talk will take place virtually on June 1st at 11:00am PT. You can learn more about this here . 

Source: T-Mobile

Tags: 5G , Business Unlimited , Business Unlimited Advanced , Business Unlimited Select , Business Unlimited Ultimate , Facebook Advertising on Us , Opportunity Sweepstakes , T-Mobile for Business

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Apple, T-Mobile offer Business Essentials to US SMBs

T-Mobile and Apple join forces to offer the first and only US wireless plan to include Apple Business Essentials, an iPhone 13, and more for small and mid-sized businesses.

T‑Mobile has done something different as it fights for more business customers, offering the first and only US wireless plan to include Apple Business Essentials , a new iPhone 13 for new lines, and more. The service is solidly aimed at smaller companies, even as Apple heads towards becoming a No. 1 enterprise play .

Dialing in the changes

The small business sector is booming in the US, with 5.4 million new business applications filed in 2021. The trend behind the Great Resignation is also seeing a growing number of Americans make like that popular Apple ad and ‘ Escape from the Office ’ – even at Apple.

“Together, T-Mobile and Apple are ready to help small businesses with an all-in-one plan that combines 5G connectivity, device management, 24/7 support, secure cloud storage and backup, and more,” T-Mobile said in  announcing the deal .

T-Mobile also claimed (but did not reference) studies it says show almost 90% of companies require employees to access on average five mobile business apps each day. That requires sourcing, purchasing, onboarding, upgrading, and managing all those devices, which becomes a lot easier using the Apple Business Manager console.

What Apple said

“Apple is committed to helping small businesses thrive, and we’re proud of the longstanding relationships we’ve built with this community,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Enterprise Product Marketing. “Apple Business Essentials helps small businesses manage the entire lifecycle of their Apple products — from device management and storage, to support and repairs — so they can focus on running and growing their business.”

At the time Apple Business Essentials emerged from beta, Prescott said :  “We wanted to provide an easy solution so SMBs can focus on handling their businesses, not their tech. Using this new service leads to invaluable time savings for customers — including those without dedicated IT staff — that they can invest back into their business.”

What T-Mobile said

“Teaming up with Apple is just one more way we can support small businesses as they continue to be the source of countless jobs and innovations across America,” said Callie Field, President, T-Mobile Business Group.  “We’re always looking for ways to provide more value to our customers and working with Apple gives us the opportunity to tackle a whole new pain point for small businesses — IT management.”

What’s in the plan?

The first and possibly most important thing is that this plan scales. At a cost of $50/month/line, each employee that adds a new line on the plan gets an iPhone 13. The small print seems to be that you need to have six or more lines.

T-Mobile explains:

• Each employee who adds a new line on the plan gets a new iPhone 13.
• Ultimate+ for iPhone is the only wireless plan that enables customers to get the all-new Apple Business Essentials, which combines device management, 24/7 Apple support, and iCloud backup and storage — into a single, flexible subscription.
• There’s unlimited talk, text, and premium smartphone data on T-Mobile’s network.
• The plan includes a whopping 200GB of high-speed hotspot data per month, so small businesses can keep their devices connected.
• Customers get unlimited Wi-Fi on select flights from American, Delta, and Alaska Airlines — with more airlines, including United, launching later this year.
• The plan helps keep business customers connected in over 210 countries and destinations across the world with unlimited text and  data, including 5GB of free high-speed data per month.

T-Mobile is also launching an a la carte option that allows customers to add Business Essentials to any T-Mobile business plan for $2.99 per month, this option will be free through the end of 2022.

What one customer said

Apple Business Essentials and T-Mobile customer Nick Dominguez Jr., chief operations officer at Vertical-One in El Paso, TX, said (in a statement):

“Apple Business Essentials has changed the game for us, with iCloud backups, and the ability to service quick repairs when we need them. It gives us freedom since we spend less time doing IT and more time developing our business.”

What an analyst said

When Apple Business Essentials was introduced, Constellation Research  analyst, R “Ray” Wang said: “The bottom line is that small businesses are now able to get the same level of service as large companies already get. If you think about the challenges of service big companies handle, then this is now available to small businesses, too.”

Forrester Research  Senior Analyst, Andrew Hewitt said: “The combined management, deployment, support, and security services are especially valuable for SMB customers, as these customers often don’t have the staffing to support these services on their own like enterprises do.

[Also read:  How not to upgrade your enterprise technology ]

What about tap to pay.

I think there are also implications beyond the obvious. Take Tap to Pay , for example. Apple’s recent introduction of Tap to Pay will inevitably generate interest across US SMBs who will be interested to begin to take contactless payments using an Apple device. However, as critics of the scheme have noted, the problem in doing so is how much rough handling the iPhone used to take payments can take. The AppleCare+ component of Business Essentials can help with that, as it provides 24/7 phone support for employees and onsite repair for iPhone.

We know Apple’s status in enterprise and business IT is growing rapidly . Even in a depressed market, Apple’s Mac and iPhone share continues to increase, and the decision to build a services component into the company’s offer to the sector can only pay dividends. The T-Mobile link-up cannot damage that services push , which will once again help Apple keep building the bottom line of services income while maintaining momentum behind increased proliferation of its devices in US business tech .

Please follow me on  Twitter , or join me in the  AppleHolic’s bar & grill  and  Apple Discussions  groups on MeWe.

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Apple's find my system is coming to android, india is about to become apple's third-biggest market, 100 billion reasons apple is putting up a fight, when the going gets tough, apple’s siri goes pro, from our editors straight to your inbox.

Hello, and thanks for dropping in. I'm pleased to meet you. I'm Jonny Evans, and I've been writing (mainly about Apple) since 1999. These days I write my daily  AppleHolic blog at Computerworld.com, where I explore Apple's growing identity in the enterprise. You can also keep up with my work at AppleMust , and follow me on Mastodon , LinkedIn and (maybe) Twitter .

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Switch and get truly unlimited data, plus double the premium hotspot data with select plans. Compared to Business Unlimited 2.0 plans.

Bring your own device

Have a device you love? Save $600 when you switch to Verizon 
and bring your compatible smartphone and number. New line w/month-to-month agmt & Business Unlimited Plus 5G or Unlimited Pro 5G plan req’d. Cust must transfer smartphone & number to VZ; new line activation & number transfer must be completed in one transaction. Smartphone must be compatible w/VZ network. $600 credit applied to acct. over 24 mos; promo credit ends when eligibility requirements are no longer met. Credits begin in 1-2 bills, will include appropriate credit amounts from order date & do not appear in Biz Unlimited 5G plan fee section of your bill. Biz Unlimited 5G plan fee increases in month 25. Cust must retain smartphone & remain on selected plan in order to receive credit(s). Cannot be combined with other device offers. Business Unlimited 5G plan terms apply. Limited time offer.

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Device protection.

Don’t let a lost, stolen or damaged device destroy productivity. Because your business can’t wait. Verizon device protection options are available for eligible Verizon business wireless lines and devices. You must enroll within 30 days of device activation or during another qualifying event. Certain benefits are available with select plans. Claims limitations, line limits, deductibles, taxes, fees and terms apply.

International services

Whether you're traveling outside the U.S. for business or calling a vendor in another country, our international business plans are built to meet your needs.

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Get a 5G phone on us. When you switch.

Taxes & fees apply. New line w/device payment purchase agmt & Business Unlimited Pro plan req’d. 0% APR. Up to $1,000 (iPhone 15 Pro Max, Pixel Fold, Galaxy S24 Ultra or Galaxy Z Fold5) credit, varying by smartphone trade-in, applied to acct over the term of your agmt (up to 36 mos); promo credit ends when eligibility requirements are no longer met. Credit will not exceed device price. Monthly credits begin 2-3 bills after trade-in is received by VZ. Smartphone trade-in must be received by VZ w/in 90 days & meet program requirements. Most trade-in device conditions accepted; exclusions apply. 10-line trade-in limit per order. Cannot be combined with other device offers. Limited time offer.

New Verizon customers can get $100 off a new smartphone.

New line w/device payment agmt & $34.99 or higher price plan req’d. 0% APR. $100 credit applied to acct after 2-3 bills. Can be combined with select offers. VZ reserves the right to charge back to your acct all or a portion of the value of any promotional credit you received as part of this offer in the event you no longer meet the eligibility requirements. Any such charge back may be subject to the terms of your VZ agmt. Offer available online only for a limited time.

Switch with your phone and number. Save $600.

New line w/month-to-month agmt & Business Unlimited Plus 5G or Unlimited Pro 5G plan req’d. Cust must transfer smartphone & number to VZ; new line activation & number transfer must be completed in one transaction. Smartphone must be compatible w/VZ network. $600 credit applied to acct. over 24 mos; promo credit ends when eligibility requirements are no longer met. Credits begin in 1-2 bills, will include appropriate credit amounts from order date & do not appear in Biz Unlimited 5G plan fee section of your bill. Biz Unlimited 5G plan fee increases in month 25. Cust must retain smartphone & remain on selected plan in order to receive credit(s). Cannot be combined with other device offers. Business Unlimited 5G plan terms apply. Limited time offer.

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April Fools' Day pranks: Apps to translate baby stoner sayings, a ghostbuster at Tinder

Every april 1, brands and companies want to get some laughs – and attention – with goofy new 'product' launches. here are some ideas from companies such as sweetgreen, welch's and omaha steaks..

If you don't like Mondays, this one may especially be grating. It's April Fool's Day , when you should trust no one and question everything.

The roots of April Fools' Day may date back before to before the 15th century. But the modern-day April Fools' Day has become a day to prank a friend, family member, co-worker − or your customers.

Even though some companies have had April Fools' pranks backfire , marketers continue to issue spoof products in attempts to get some laughs and attention.

Already ahead of April Fools' Day, 7-Eleven has hinted at a possible prank product: In addition to new Lemon Lime, Green Apple and Sweet Orange flavored 7-Select sparkling waters, out now with partner Miracle Seltzer, there's a fourth flavor coming April 1: Big Bite Hot Dog.

The hot dog-flavored water "combines the mouthwatering experience of 7-Eleven’s iconic Big Bite Hot Dog into one refreshing beverage – ketchup and mustard included," the convenience chain says in a press release . "Say goodbye to the days of alternating bites of a hot dog with sips of a beverage, now those on the go can swap the bun for bubbles."

Krispy Kreme: A special doughnut deal for April Fools' Day

Will Big Bite Hot Dog sparkling water be sold? Its availability will be announced April 1. However, some reporters were sent a can of the drink. USA TODAY can confirm that it definitely smells like hot dog water and has a smoky aftertaste.

If you are interested in trying it, both 7-Eleven and Miracle Seltzer have hinted at having some to give away on their Instagram pages. (If you get a can, share with a friend as it's 16 ounces.)

Here's a roundup of many of the brand-related April Fools’ gag announcements. You've been warned.

Sour cream & onion flavored soda

Despite the proliferation of crazy-flavored products including Peeps-flavored Pepsi , Frank's RedHot sauce-flavored Vlasic pickles and Doritos Nacho Cheese-flavored liquor , healthy soda brand OLIPOP and Pringles are not really teaming up to bring to market a Sour Cream & Onion soda.

The product would have been "a match made in heaven … to bring the delicious, tangy flavor of Pringles’ Sour Cream & Onion flavor to life in liquid form with prebiotic benefits," the companies said.

Stoner lingo translation app

Another dream team prank product: Rosetta Stoned, a mobile app from Rosetta Stone and medical marijuana company Fluent , that "bridges the conversational gap between novice users and seasoned stoners in any social setting."

Da da decoder

Infant equipment site BabyQuip has its own language-bridging lark: the “Baby Translator” app, to decode your baby's secret language.

"Say 'goodbye' to restless nights as you decode your baby's coos and cries instantly, providing you with the understanding you need as a parent, all in one convenient app," it promises.

An AI-powered plush doll

Custom stuffed animal maker Budsies already makes selfie plush dolls with a built-in voice recorder. Its April Fools' spoof: Artificial intelligence-enabled dolls that "come programmed to learn everything about you and to become your new best friend."

A 50-pound Bearabuddy

Sorry to the 3,500 or so who have already signed up to buy Bearaby's Jumbo Benji plush toy, which is four times the size of its regular weighted plush toys and twice as heavy as its heaviest weighted blanket . This isn't actually going to be sold. But it is real and will be making its home in the lobby at The Child Mind Institute in Harlem to welcome children and their families. More weighted plushies are due the day after April Fools' Day, the company says.

A sleeping bag to go bananas over

The Dole Banana Peel Sleeping Bag, conveniently promoted as being available on April Fools' Day only, is made from actual banana fiber and "allows parents to escape into their own cocoon of sensory deprivation."

A full-body cleaning suit

Outrageous clothing company Tipsy Elves has a special product for April Fools' Day: The Mopsie. You don't need paper towels anymore, you can use your body to clean up those messes, with this "innovative, wearable microfiber towel jumpsuit" for "effortlessly soaking up spills and messes with ease." There's also a Baby Mopsie for "hard to reach places."

Korean BBQ deodorant

Kevin's Natural Foods , which has paleo- and keto-certified ready-to-cook and easy-prep entrées, is touting a new line of personal care products inspired by its food dishes including Korean BBQ Deodorant, Cilantro Lime Toothpaste, Lemongrass Basil Shampoo and Tikka Masala Sunscreen.

"These new face, body and hair care essentials will help fans prioritize self-care inside and out," the company says. 

Omaha Steaks' meaty sprays

Omaha Steaks has its own personal care prank product: Meaty Spritz sprays with flavors such as Omaha Fog, Hog Haze, and Cock-a-Doodle-Dew.

"The world’s first protein-infused, flavor-packed, portable pump spray … (to) enjoy all the mouthwatering flavors of your Omaha Steaks gourmet favorites no matter how far away from the kitchen you are!" the company says.

Sriracha toothpaste

Asian sauce maker Lee Kum Kee , which makes Sriracha Chili Sauce and Sriracha Mayo Dressing, is introducing – not – its Siracha Mayo Toothpaste. It's "fiery and creamy goodness … is sure to spice up your morning dental routine."

Post-salad dental kit

Need some less powerful toothpaste? Sweetgreen offered these fanciful personal hygiene products as part of its Sweetgreen After Salad Kit, which is "designed with your pearly whites in mind … offering everything you need to freshen up post-meal."

Choose from Miso Ginger Toothpaste, Spicy Cashew Mints, Lime Cilantro Dental Floss, and Sweetgreen Toothbrush and Floss Picks.

Fruit juice lip gloss

More personal care prank products: Welch’s Juicyfuls Juicy Fruit Lip Gloss – now available in five flavors: grape, orange, peach, strawberry and raspberry – made with real juice from Juicefuls fruit snacks so "you get that irresistible sweet flavor you love, all in a lip gloss that's as fun as it is nourishing."

Protein-powered seasonings

Quest Nutrition , maker of protein powder, snacks and other products, has a prank product line of seasonings including All Purpose, Lemon Pepper, and Garlic Herb, each of which deliver "21g of protein, 2g of net carbs and less than 1g of sugar."

If you want to try Quest's real products, you can use code NOJOKE for free shipping on online orders over $49 April 1-3.

Superpowered Superfeet?

These would certainly come in hand on a run, but – sorry – it's a jogging joke. Superfeet SuperBoost Power E-Soles gives you 8 hours of continuous battery-powered boost, for almost Iron Man-like propulsion. "All the comfort and support of Superfeet , now with electrifying performance," the company says in a video about the prank product. "It's like having a powerful electric motor in your shoes."

Scotch tape-branded Scotch?

This shenanigan seems like a blend that could stick: Scotch Whisky by Scotch Brand. The whisky "features a nose of cherry wood and a delightfully smooth finish that hits like a well-wrapped gift."

Who you gonna call when ghosted? This new title at Tinder

Dating app Tinder announced a new April Fools' Day hiring quest for a Vice President of Ghost Hunting to help combat "one of dating culture’s most prevalent vices – ghosting," a practice inflicted on 78% of singles already in 2024 (an untrue fact from Tinder).

Patrón's bringing back a beloved liqueur. No kidding.

Patrón patrons get some good news today. The premium tequila maker chose April Fools' Day to announce the return of its Patrón XO Cafe tequila-based coffee liqueur, which was discontinued in 2021. Since production ceased, devotees took to social media and signed a petition asking parent company Bacardi to bring it back.

Made with Patrón Silver tequila and Arabica bean coffee – the dry liqueur can be sipped straight, in cocktails and as dessert topping – Patrón XO Cafe will begin arriving in stores again later this month.

Say it with dead flowers

Don't forget to put roses on your April Fools' Day list. UrbanStems has this "special" delivery, The Dead Inside Collection, "an assortment of dead flower bouquets, dead plants, half empty vases, and more for the pessimist in your life." But, for real, check UrbanStems' social media accounts including Instagram for how to get 20% off an order of real flowers.

Cheesecake Factory's real deals

The Cheesecake Factory  also has a deal that's no joke: Sign up for the chain's Cheesecake Rewards loyalty program on April 1 to get an Any Slice, Half Price reward, redeemable for 50% off any slice of cheesecake or layer cake, with any food or beverage purchase (no gift cards).

Those who were members before April 1 will find something special in their account on Monday, too: either a free slice of cheesecake each month for a year, a free whole cheesecake, a free slice of cheesecake, $5 off $25 purchases, or $10 off $40 purchases. (All rewards redeemable by April 16; can be redeemed for dine-in, to-go and DoorDash.)

New merch from Dunkin', bonus points in app

Dunkin' announced it is going back to its roots and rebranding to just "Donuts'" on Monday, April 1. To celebrate the rebrand, the company is selling "Donuts'" merch, including sweatshirts that read "DONUTS," on ShopDunkin.com .

Additionally, Dunkin' Rewards members will receive 3x bonus points on any donut order through the mobile app on April 1.

Urban Outfitters launches 'Name Three Shirts' movement

Urban Outfitters said it is launching a global movement to "stand in solidarity against band-tee-shaming" by launching a new collection called "Name Three Shirts."

The t-shirt line "playfully mocks the gatekeeping attitudes of older generations who insist that band-shirt wearers should be required to name songs by those artists," the company said in a news release.

The line, which features revamped logos from bands such as The Grateful Dead, Joy Division and Led Zeppelin, is a "playful jab at the attitudes of older generations, and fights back against the misogynistic undertones of the infamous ‘name three songs’ line of questioning," Urban Outfitters said in the news release.

The collection of shirts is available online and in select Urban Outfitters stores starting April 1. You can shop the collection online here .

Auntie Anne's, Frontier Airlines collaborate on Pretzel Plane

Auntie Anne's pretzels and Frontier Airlines announced they have collaborated on the newest addition to Frontier's fleet: the Pretzel Plane.

According to a news release, the plane includes new in-flight entertainment featuring Auntie Anne's pretzels rolled seat-side, the "luxurious" smell of hot, fresh pretzels throughout the cabin and airplane-shaped pretzels if you're feeling hungry.

Moe's Southwest Grill, Sonic team up to introduce a Queso Slush

Two popular fast food chains announced a collaboration that is sure to be polarizing.

Moe's and Sonic announced a new beverage, the Queso Slush, a queso-flavored slushie. "The frozen goodness of a Sonic Slush meets the delicious flavor of Moe's queso."

Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads:  @mikesnider  & mikegsnider .

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X  @GabeHauari  or email him at [email protected].

What's everyone talking about? Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day

Watch CBS News

What customers should know about AT&T's massive data breach

By Khristopher J. Brooks

Edited By Anne Marie Lee

Updated on: April 2, 2024 / 5:38 PM EDT / CBS News

Millions of current and former AT&T customers learned over the weekend that hackers have likely stolen their personal information and are sharing it on the dark web . 

AT&T on Saturday said it doesn't know if the massive data breach "originated from AT&T or one of its vendors," but that it has "launched a robust investigation" into what caused the incident. The data breach is the latest cyberattack AT&T has experienced since a leak in January of 2023 , that affected 9 million users. By contrast, Saturday's much larger breach impacts 73 million current and former AT&T account holders. AT&T has seen several data breaches  over  the years that range in size and impact. 

The data breach prompted an Ohio man to file a class-action lawsuit against AT&T, accusing the telecommunications giant of negligence and breach of contract. Lawyers representing Alex Petroski of Summit County, Ohio, argued that the cyberattack could have been avoided and that AT&T's security failed to protect customer data. 

Until more details of AT&T's investigation arise, here's what customers should know about the most recent data breach.

How many people were impacted by the AT&T data breach?

AT&T said the breach on Saturday affects about 7.6 million current and 65.4 million former AT&T customers. 

What type of information was taken from AT&T?

AT&T said Saturday that a dataset found on the  dark web contains information such as Social Security and passcodes. Unlike passwords, passcodes are numerical PINS that are typically four-digits long. Full names, email addresses, mailing addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth and AT&T account numbers may have also been compromised, the company said. The impacted data is from 2019 or earlier and does not appear to include financial information or call history, it added.

Was my information affected by the AT&T data breach?

Consumers impacted by this breach should be receiving an email or letter directly from AT&T about the incident. The email notices began going out on Saturday, an AT&T spokesperson  confirmed .

What has AT&T done so far to help customers?

Beyond notifying customers, AT&T said that it had already reset the passcodes of current users. The company also said it would pay for credit-monitoring services where applicable.

What's the latest with AT&T's investigation into the breach?

AT&T hasn't disclosed details about its investigation into the data breach, but it is likely to be time-consuming and costly, according to Kevin Powers, the founding director of the Master of Science in Cybersecurity Policy and Governance Programs at Boston College.

The company will most likely bring in outside computer forensics specialists who will work with its on-site IT staff to determine exactly when and how the hackers got into the customer account information system, Powers said. But identifying the hackers' path of entry will be a big challenge for such a large company.

"You don't know where it came in from," Powers told CBS MoneyWatch, referring to the source of the breach. "It potentially could be from a customer or it could have been done from one of their outside contractors or someone else along their supply chain."

In addition, AT&T will have to scrub any malware out of the software that runs its customer account system, while also keeping the system running for customers who weren't impacted, he said. All these steps will have to be shared with lawyers, the outside consultants, and likely officials from the Federal Trade Commission. 

What's the best way to protect my personal information? 

Start by freezing your credit reports at all three major agencies — Equifax, Experience and TransUnion. Then sign up for 24-7 credit monitoring and enable two-factor authentication on your AT&T account, said WalletHub CEO Odysseas Papadimitriou, a former senior director at Capital One.

If you receive a notice about a breach, it's a good idea to change your password and monitor your account activity for any suspicious transactions. The Federal Trade Commission offers free credit freezes and fraud alerts that consumers can set up to help protect themselves from identity theft and other malicious activity.

—The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Khristopher J. Brooks is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch. He previously worked as a reporter for the Omaha World-Herald, Newsday and the Florida Times-Union. His reporting primarily focuses on the U.S. housing market, the business of sports and bankruptcy.

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