Consumerist
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smartphones
Chart Compares Total Cost Of Ownership For Popular Smartphones
You may think that buying an iPhone with AT&T service is an expensive commitment, and you'd be right. But as this chart from BillShrink shows, your total cost of ownership (TCO) for any of the latest smartphones is going to exceed 2 grand over a 24-month period. In fact, the highly-praised new Motorola Droid on Verizon works out to exactly the same TCO as the latest iPhone. More » -
there's no app for that
AT&T Can't Provide Service, Won't Let Customer Cancel
Malcolm moved to a building in an AT&T Wireless dead zone, and hoped to get out of his contract, being that he can't use the service he pays for monthly. More » -
astroturfing
Is AT&T Behind Grassroots Groups That Are Opposed To Net Neutrality?
In the net neutrality debate, there are a surprising number of grassroots organizations (well, surprising to me at any rate) that have filed statements against the FCC's recent draft of rules. Matthew Lasar at Ars Technica just published an interesting article where he looks at some of these groups and tries to figure out whether AT&T is secretly influencing them, or whether they really do think net neutrality will hurt those they represent—frequently minority groups—in the long run. More » -
cellphones
Deadline To Ditch Your AT&T Smartphone Data Plan Extended To Oct 31
Do you want to get rid of the data plan for your AT&T smartphone, but missed the September 6th deadline? You now have a second chance. The deadline to drop your plan has been extended until October 31st. More » -
prepaid
How Is AT&T's New $60 Prepaid Unlimited Plan A Good Idea?
AT&T put a press release out today about a new plan they're introducing on Monday, billed as a $60/month unlimited voice and text prepaid plan. While this plan is more competitive with smaller, prepaid-only carriers such as Boost Mobile, it's also significantly cheaper than similar regular plan options. So what are they thinking? More » -
at&t
Will You Try To Drop Your Voice Plan Now That There's VoIP On The iPhone?
Justin says he has done something that many iPhone users have discussed, but haven't been able to accomplish. He claims that AT&T let him drop the voice plan from his account, and plans to use VoIP in order to make any voice calls he needs. Is this even possible? Is it a good idea? More » -
phone different
Skype On iPhone Gets Thumbs Up From AT&T
If you've been waiting for a chance to use Skype on your iPhone over AT&T's network to save on international calls or supplement your calling plan's minutes, your day has come. After a little nudge from the FCC, the company has reversed its ban on VOIP apps on its data network, and will now let you Skype away until you run out of people to call or things to say. More » -
dsl
AT&T DSL Customer Sold Wrong Series Of Tubes
Richard is annoyed at AT&T. Due to what we will optimistically call a mixup, he didn't exactly get the DSL service he ordered and was paying for. While he has straightened things out with the company, he wants to keep other customers in his area from having the same experience. More » -
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oh snap
AT&T Whines To FCC That Google Voice Violates Net Neutrality
On Friday, AT&T filed a letter with the FCC accusing Google Voice of violating network neutrality principles. Google Voice doesn't work with certain numbers that AT&T, as an old-fashioned landline and mobile provider, does. More » -
hello?
Live In An AT&T Dead Zone? There's A Fix, But It'll Cost You
It's no secret that AT&T's cell network sucks (and, yes, that is the scientific term for the state of the company's infrastructure). Fortunately, AT&T has come up with a solution to dead zones and overtaxed circuits: The AT&T 3G MicroCell, a router-like device that will let you experience the magic of using your mobile phone in your very own home! Of course, magic doesn't come free — or cheap. AT&T is testing the MicroCell now, and is charging subscribers $150 for the box, plus $20 a month for the magic of, you know, using your own freaking phone in your own damn home. More » -
iphone
MMS For iPhone Rollout Begins, 2 Weeks Early
Reports are showing up online that AT&T is beginning a slow rollout of official MMS functionality to seemingly random iPhone users, from Manhattan to Idaho. The official start date is September 25, but it makes sense that the company would implement the change gradually to make sure the network can handle it. More » -
Anytime, anyplace, anywhere, anyway
Sprint Opens Mobile-to-Mobile To All Providers
If you're a Sprint customer using the company's Everything Data Plan, you can now call any mobile phone on any network without using up any of your plan minutes. Good news? If you're on the carrier's $70 a month plan, which has 450 included minutes along with unlimited data service, it could be — if you don't roam into areas where there's no Sprint coverage (where the meter will start running) and if you have a lot of regular contacts on other cell networks. More » -
iphone
AT&T Network Struggling In iPhone-Dense Urban Areas
MMS is finally coming to the iPhone in two and a half weeks! Yaaay! Wait, iPhone users, why are you still sad? What's wrong? What are you doing with that AT&T voodoo doll? More » -
at&t wireless
AT&T To Require Smartphone Data Plans For Smartphones
Bad news, smartphone-owning AT&T customers. Starting September 6, customers will not be permitted to use a smartphone on the network without purchasing a smartphone data plan. Exceptions: unlocked phones and customers who currently have a smartphone (think Blackberry or Palm) but use a non-smartphone data plan. More » -
iphone
Apple, Google, And AT&T Respond To FCC's Google Voice Questions
Apparently, Apple didn't reject the Google Voice application for iPhone. They "[continue] to study it." Yesterday, Apple, AT&T, and Google all turned in their responses to the FCC's questions as part of the investigation into the bannination of Google Voice from the iPhone App Store.
Short version of events: It's all Apple's fault. Apple is allegedly not only annoyed at Google's domination of the iPhone platform, but lying outright about what happened to the Google Voice app. More »
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directory assistance
AT&T: Sorry Your Finger Slipped, We're Still Charging You $1.99
Hey, AT&T customers: be very, very careful when dialing three-digit numbers. If you're trying to dial, say, 211 or 311 (local government information), 611 (AT&T Wireless customer service) or 711 (TTY relay), and you dial 411 for directory assistance by mistake, you'll be charged for it even if you realize the mistake and hang up immediately. And you'll need to live with the consequences of your error, since, according to reader Stephen, AT&T will not refund these charges. More » -
number portability
Is The FCC's iPhone Investigation Really About Number Portability?
There's been a lot of talk online the past week about extending the principal of network neutrality to wireless networks, which may be partly why the FCC has asked Apple, Google, and AT&T to answer some questions about the rejected Google Voice iPhone app. Todd Barr at Bandwidth.com thinks that the reason may actually have to do with the concept of number portability. More » -
identity theft
Sprint, AT&T Won't Tell Identity Theft Victim Where Thief Resides
Fearing his identity would be stolen, Mike put out a fraud alert on his credit report to insure he'd be contacted whenever new credit applications went out under his name. The move paid off because someone snagged his social security number and tried to open accounts with AT&T and Sprint. More »
at&t
New York, 4:39 PM
Sat Nov 7
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