A little more than a decade into the smartphone revolution, most device technology as we know it today has matured. Device makers appear to have agreed on a standard form factor, and consumers can find reliable hardware and stable operating systems on every platform.

As a result, people are hanging onto their devices longer. The lifespan of smart devices is steadily increasing in the U.S., evident in a drop in smartphone shipments. In the first quarter of 2019, device makers shipped 6.6 percent fewer phones year-over-year, on top of a 4.9 percent YOY decline in the fourth quarter of 2018.

The smart-phone thinkers and tinkerers in Silicon Valley keep coming up with cool camera gadgets and other mobile device features that make our lives easier in ways we never imagined. (DYK you can delete a texting typo by shaking an iPhone? True story.)

But the mobile device game isn’t just about camera pixels and design tweaks. Smart phones have a pre-determined shelf life that affects when new gizmos reach your fingertips. As that time of year rolls around again, we’re pulling back the shades on what goes into the process of dropping phone prices.

Record rainfall, extensive flooding and an alarming number of tornadoes have already guaranteed 2020 a place in the history books.

Tropical Storm Cristobal—which formed on June 1, the first day of hurricane season—has already brought heavy rain, storm surge and winds to Mississippi and the northern Gulf Coast. Now with hurricane season in full swing, it’s time to make sure you’re prepared to handle a potential disaster. We sure are.

Wireless carriers aren’t known for making their plans easy on consumers.

So, when their plans and deals seem too complicated, take it as a sign. What may look like a good deal at first can turn out to be a lot pricier than you expected, once you add the additional lines you have to buy, line-access fees and other schemes.

The C Spire Rural Broadband Consortium has been busy. From adding a new partner to the team, to completing TV White Space testing, we’ve made progress that you will want to know about. Here’s a look at what we’ve been up to over the last few months: 

The COVID-19 pandemic upended studies for millions of students in the U.S. this spring, sending them home to continue their education through distance learning.

But in Mississippi, which trails the nation in broadband internet access, 30 percent of households lack the broadband internet needed to download or stream educational videos, participate in video calls with teachers or upload assignments.