Nick is one of the current Verizon customers whose contract has been transferred to AT&T due to Verizon’s acquisition of Alltel. He writes that he would be okay with this if AT&T actually offered a phone comparable to his current Droid X, and if he didn’t have to pay $200 for the sort-of-comparable phone they’re offering, the Samsung Captivate.

First, let’s review what AT&T told their soon-to-be customers about how the changeover will affect them.

Q. Will I need a different phone due to the transition to AT&T?

A. During the transition period, you should continue using your current phone or data device. However, in advance of your service transitioning to AT&T, we will contact you and provide you with a choice of phones and data devices, comparable to what you have today, at no additional cost.

New, comparable phone, at no additional cost to you. Got it. Now, here’s Nick’s e-mail.

I got an email today about choosing my new phones for the new AT&T service we will soon have here in Michigan. While AT&T is calling my options “comparable”, I’d say they are anything but. I have a DroidX. AT&T is telling me my recommended “comparable” phone is the HTC Aria. Even their best Android phone, the Samsung Captivate, doesn’t have the resolution of my DroidX. I purchased the DroidX because of the size of its screen, the resolution of said screen, the 8mp camera and the ability to shoot HD video at 720p and the large standard memory. I personally feel it’s the best android phone available without a physical keyboard (which I didn’t want).

I feel that at the very least, AT&T should be required to offer me the Captivate for free, but they want $199 for it. I already paid $299 for the DroidX and I’m not in a position to pay another $199 for a phone which is almost-but not quite- as good as my DroidX. The [Android] phones they are willing to give me for free have smaller screens, lower screen resolution, lower camera resolution, less memory, fewer available accessories and certainly no HD video. I’m not even sure they have full html browsers.

I have yet to call AT&T about this, because I’m 90% sure I won’t get anywhere. Do I have any options? Has anyone else fought this fight successfully? Do you or your readers have suggestions? I suppose the worst case scenario is that I get the HTC Aria for free and use it for communicating but keep my DroidX for pictures, video and web browsing over wifi networks.

Is it fair that Nick, and other smartphone customers, have to pay $200 when the carrier change wasn’t their idea?

PREVIOUSLY:
Alltel Merger Forces Verizon Customer To Have AT&T… What?

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