New York Asks Cellphone Carriers to Explain Why They Rejected Antitheft Switch

New York State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman is investigating why American cellphone carriers have yet to embrace antitheft software on Samsung smartphones, raising questions about possible coordination among the biggest carriers.

AG Schneiderman sent letters seeking information to the chief executives of five carriers, Randall L. Stephenson of AT&T, Daniel S. Mead of Verizon Wireless, Daniel R. Hesse of Sprint, John Legere of T-Mobile US and Kenneth R. Meyers of U.S. Cellular. AG Schneiderman requested detailed information on why the carriers were not supporting a so-called kill switch that Samsung Electronics wanted to load on its phones. The feature would have allowed users to “brick” their phones, or disable the devices remotely, to discourage criminals from stealing them.