Comments on: AT&T reminds you not to use your phone http://www.sethlevine.com/wp/2009/09/att-reminds-you-not-to-use-your-phone Just another WordPress weblog Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:52:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: sethlevine http://www.sethlevine.com/wp/2009/09/att-reminds-you-not-to-use-your-phone/comment-page-1#comment-19247 sethlevine Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:34:09 +0000 http://new.sethlevine.com/wp/2009/09/att-reminds-you-not-to-use-your-phone#comment-19247 that’s a great story neil. thanks for sharing it. still, i find it ironic that a company that signs an exclusive deal with the best data device on the market and constantly pushes their “nationwide” service plan is effectively punishing users for how shitty their network is. i understand the economics of it, although i’m not certain at&t has consider the impact of the negative pr on their business.<br /><br /><br /> that’s a great story neil. thanks for sharing it. still, i find it ironic that a company that signs an exclusive deal with the best data device on the market and constantly pushes their “nationwide” service plan is effectively punishing users for how shitty their network is. i understand the economics of it, although i’m not certain at&t has consider the impact of the negative pr on their business.

]]> By: Mat W. http://www.sethlevine.com/wp/2009/09/att-reminds-you-not-to-use-your-phone/comment-page-1#comment-19240 Mat W. Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:39:11 +0000 http://new.sethlevine.com/wp/2009/09/att-reminds-you-not-to-use-your-phone#comment-19240 I would also imagine that AT&T was not fully prepared for what the iPhone was going to do to people's usage of the data portion of their network. I know for a fact of two people (my wife and I) who didn't use the data side of things before our iPhones, now we rely on them daily if not hourly. I would also imagine that AT&T was not fully prepared for what the iPhone was going to do to people's usage of the data portion of their network. I know for a fact of two people (my wife and I) who didn't use the data side of things before our iPhones, now we rely on them daily if not hourly.

]]> By: Jeff K http://www.sethlevine.com/wp/2009/09/att-reminds-you-not-to-use-your-phone/comment-page-1#comment-19244 Jeff K Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:32:00 +0000 http://new.sethlevine.com/wp/2009/09/att-reminds-you-not-to-use-your-phone#comment-19244 <a href="http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=122228&catid=222" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=12...</a> http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=12…

]]> By: Neil B. http://www.sethlevine.com/wp/2009/09/att-reminds-you-not-to-use-your-phone/comment-page-1#comment-19243 Neil B. Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:46:56 +0000 http://new.sethlevine.com/wp/2009/09/att-reminds-you-not-to-use-your-phone#comment-19243 Seth -- This enforcement actually started several years ago under Cingular, and there's a good story behind it. I was attending school in a rural area of South-Central Michigan and was consistently "roaming," though there were no charges because I was on a national plan. In Feb. of 2006 I received a letter in the mail informing me that Cingular was cancelling my contract due to roaming use >50% of my talk time. There was no charge, but they politely informed me that I was no longer a Cingular customer. What had happened (which I learned from a family member working inside Cingular at the time) was that the then-CEO of Cingular was hosting a Christmas party at his home in Texas, and all his friends, of course, were showing off their spiffy Cingular phones to him. He noticed that his home was in a roaming area, and suddenly it dawned on him that every single person there was costing his company an incredible amount of money in network charges, and immediately started ordering the beancounters to enforce the ToC concerning roaming usage. Hopefully this sheds a little light on the situation! Seth — This enforcement actually started several years ago under Cingular, and there's a good story behind it. I was attending school in a rural area of South-Central Michigan and was consistently “roaming,” though there were no charges because I was on a national plan. In Feb. of 2006 I received a letter in the mail informing me that Cingular was cancelling my contract due to roaming use >50% of my talk time. There was no charge, but they politely informed me that I was no longer a Cingular customer.

What had happened (which I learned from a family member working inside Cingular at the time) was that the then-CEO of Cingular was hosting a Christmas party at his home in Texas, and all his friends, of course, were showing off their spiffy Cingular phones to him. He noticed that his home was in a roaming area, and suddenly it dawned on him that every single person there was costing his company an incredible amount of money in network charges, and immediately started ordering the beancounters to enforce the ToC concerning roaming usage.

Hopefully this sheds a little light on the situation!

]]> By: Chris Echelmeier http://www.sethlevine.com/wp/2009/09/att-reminds-you-not-to-use-your-phone/comment-page-1#comment-19239 Chris Echelmeier Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:35:24 +0000 http://new.sethlevine.com/wp/2009/09/att-reminds-you-not-to-use-your-phone#comment-19239 The ironic thing for me is years ago, I got TMobile to allow a free termination because I moved into a new home in Boulder in a dead zone. I went to AT&T which was marginally better. Now, it has gotten so much worse. I complained to 9News, and apparently so did enough other viewers that they did a story about it: <a href="http://www.9news.com/money/article.aspx?storyid=122228&catid=344" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.9news.com/money/article.aspx?storyid=1...</a> Then it was really funny to see Conan make fun of AT&T. He said the iPhone was being launched in China with WiFi disabled per government regulations. And that high-speed access was already disabled in the US per AT&T's network! The ironic thing for me is years ago, I got TMobile to allow a free termination because I moved into a new home in Boulder in a dead zone. I went to AT&T which was marginally better. Now, it has gotten so much worse.

I complained to 9News, and apparently so did enough other viewers that they did a story about it: http://www.9news.com/money/article.aspx?storyid=1…

Then it was really funny to see Conan make fun of AT&T. He said the iPhone was being launched in China with WiFi disabled per government regulations. And that high-speed access was already disabled in the US per AT&T's network!

]]> By: sethlevine http://www.sethlevine.com/wp/2009/09/att-reminds-you-not-to-use-your-phone/comment-page-1#comment-19246 sethlevine Tue, 01 Sep 2009 22:31:05 +0000 http://new.sethlevine.com/wp/2009/09/att-reminds-you-not-to-use-your-phone#comment-19246 i love that you tried to terminate for their lack of performance. apparently that’s only a one way street…<br /><br />seth<br /> i love that you tried to terminate for their lack of performance. apparently that’s only a one way street…

seth

]]> By: Richard Keck http://www.sethlevine.com/wp/2009/09/att-reminds-you-not-to-use-your-phone/comment-page-1#comment-19242 Richard Keck Tue, 01 Sep 2009 20:00:14 +0000 http://new.sethlevine.com/wp/2009/09/att-reminds-you-not-to-use-your-phone#comment-19242 I have to blast AT&T. My AT&T Blackberry service is bad and getting worse in the Boulder area. My request for a "free" cancellation was denied. I'd switch to an iPhone - Apple are you listening - but that does not help. If you live in Gunbarrel, don't touch an AT&T contract. I dream about vacations where I'm off the cell grid frequently. But, now I just get to go home after work. I have to blast AT&T. My AT&T Blackberry service is bad and getting worse in the Boulder area. My request for a “free” cancellation was denied. I'd switch to an iPhone – Apple are you listening – but that does not help. If you live in Gunbarrel, don't touch an AT&T contract. I dream about vacations where I'm off the cell grid frequently. But, now I just get to go home after work.

]]> By: greeleys http://www.sethlevine.com/wp/2009/09/att-reminds-you-not-to-use-your-phone/comment-page-1#comment-19238 greeleys Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:45:36 +0000 http://new.sethlevine.com/wp/2009/09/att-reminds-you-not-to-use-your-phone#comment-19238 AT&T for people who really only need a land line. Oh wait, you could use Vonage for that. AT&T for people who really only need a land line. Oh wait, you could use Vonage for that.

]]> By: sethlevine http://www.sethlevine.com/wp/2009/09/att-reminds-you-not-to-use-your-phone/comment-page-1#comment-19245 sethlevine Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:15:07 +0000 http://new.sethlevine.com/wp/2009/09/att-reminds-you-not-to-use-your-phone#comment-19245 love it – this comment made me laugh out loud!<br /> love it – this comment made me laugh out loud!

]]> By: Chris Moody http://www.sethlevine.com/wp/2009/09/att-reminds-you-not-to-use-your-phone/comment-page-1#comment-19241 Chris Moody Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:02:11 +0000 http://new.sethlevine.com/wp/2009/09/att-reminds-you-not-to-use-your-phone#comment-19241 From the AT&T web site: "Our Mission Delivering a valuable customer experience is crucial to the success of any business. At AT&T, it's at the center of everything we do, every day. Our goal is to treat all of our customers as if they are our only customer. We do this by providing thoughtful, caring and prompt attention. Our focus is on: * Connecting people with their world, everywhere they live and work. * Driving innovation in wireless, entertainment and other communications services. * Consistently demonstrating a passionate commitment to customer care. * Listening to our customers and responding to their needs. ..." If they treat every customer like he/she is their only customer, maybe they will build a tower near your "off network" location just for you! Either that or they will be forced to cancel the contract of their only customer which I have to believe will be very demoralizing for them. "Seth was our only customer, and we canceled him for using his phone too much". From the AT&T web site:

“Our Mission

Delivering a valuable customer experience is crucial to the success of any business. At AT&T, it's at the center of everything we do, every day.

Our goal is to treat all of our customers as if they are our only customer. We do this by providing thoughtful, caring and prompt attention. Our focus is on:

* Connecting people with their world, everywhere they live and work.
* Driving innovation in wireless, entertainment and other communications services.
* Consistently demonstrating a passionate commitment to customer care.
* Listening to our customers and responding to their needs.
…”

If they treat every customer like he/she is their only customer, maybe they will build a tower near your “off network” location just for you! Either that or they will be forced to cancel the contract of their only customer which I have to believe will be very demoralizing for them. “Seth was our only customer, and we canceled him for using his phone too much”.

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