Last year, when Bank of America lost by the narrowest of margins to BP in the Final Death Match of the 2011 Worst Company In America tournament, we listened to readers who called for the creation of the first-ever Silver Poo trophy. That honor will remain in place for the 2012 tourney, and will be joined by a Bronze Poo for the company coming in third — or rather, “turd” — place. [More]
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Worst Company In America Semifinals: EA Vs. AT&T
By 3.30.12
This is it. Only one bout remains before we get to the Worst Company In America Final Death Match. But will it be the established telecom terror or the rookie greedy game-maker that vies for the Golden Poo? [More]
Let's All Do A Slow Clap For Your Worst Company In America 2012 Semifinalists!
By 3.29.12
What began as good, clean fun between 32 bad businesses quickly devolved into something so violent and grotesque that it would make a great PG-13 movie featuring Lenny Kravitz in a small but pivotal role. And now, only four contenders for the Golden Poo remain, each with a worthy claim to the trophy. [More]
Worst Company In America Round 3: AT&T Vs. Facebook
By 3.28.12
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… a young man with big dreams took down the Death Star in his X-wing starfighter. Can history repeat itself today, as Facebook’s precocious billionaire takes on the dark lords of the AT&T empire? [More]
The 8 Remaining Worst Company In America Contenders Sure Are An Elite Bunch!
By 3.27.12
Two weeks ago, 32 of the nation’s worst businesses entered the Worst Company In America Battledome Nonagon, hoping to prove they could out-twit, overcharge and outlast the others to ultimately be named the Worst Company In America 2012. Two dozen companies have since been fed to the shark-eating robot piranhas and only eight remain with a chance to be crowned with the Golden Poo. [More]
Worst Company In America Round 2: AT&T Vs. Apple
By 3.23.12
One of these companies has had a pretty good year, business-wise; the other one… not so much. And yet, here they compete as equals in the Worst Company In America fighting pit. [More]
DOJ: AT&T Billed U.S. Gov't For Around $15 Million In Fraudulent Calls
By 3.22.12
The Dept. of Justice has filed a lawsuit against AT&T, alleging that the telecom giant billed the U.S. government for millions of dollars related to phone services intended to be used by hearing-impaired callers. [More]
Which Worst Company Contenders Force Customers Into Mandatory Arbitration?
By 3.21.12
As we sifted through the mountain of nominations for this year’s Worst Company In America tournament, we noticed a trend of readers who cited companies’ mandatory binding arbitration clauses as a reason for nominating. And while it’s businesses like AT&T and Sony that have made all the headlines for effectively banning class action lawsuits, there are a lot of other WCIA contenders who are forcing customers into signing away their rights. [More]
Please Join Us In Welcoming Your Worst Company In America 2012 Sweet 16!
By 3.21.12
The floor of the Worst Company In America BattleDome is stained with the blood of the vanquished. But only one company can earn the privilege of placing the WCIA Golden Poo in its trophy case, so the violence must continue. [More]
E-Mail To Apple CEO Gets AT&T To Unlock Customer's iPhone
By 3.20.12
The late Apple chief Steve Jobs was notorious for replying to customers’ e-mails, though not always in the most professional manner. New CEO Tim Cook may not be e-mailing people back directly, but it looks like someone in his office is checking the inbox. [More]
Worst Company In America Round One: AT&T Vs. Verizon
By 3.19.12
Two telecom titans will step into the Worst Company gladiator pit this afternoon. One will walk out victorious while the other will end up stuck with a huge early termination fee. [More]
AT&T Writes Check To Victor In Small Claims Court Suit
By 3.19.12
Even though AT&T had seemed quite intent on either appealing or coming to a different settlement with the California man who won a small claims court lawsuit against the company for throttling his so-called unlimited data plan, it now looks like the Death Star forces have retreated from this battle. [More]
Nearly Half Of AT&T Unlimited Customers Could Save By Switching To 300MB Plan
By 3.15.12
While many, many AT&T wireless customers with so-called unlimited plans are justifiably furious at the company for throttling data speeds after a subscriber uses 3GB in one month, the results of a new survey show that nearly half of people with unlimited plans aren’t even using 300MB each month. [More]
AT&T Offers To Discuss Settlement With Man Who Won Throttling Lawsuit
By 3.14.12
UPDATE: While both the AP and CNET reported that the letter from AT&T’s lawyer “threatened to shut off his service if he didn’t sit down and talk with them,” AT&T has reached out to Consumerist to clarify that the letter only threatens to terminate the customer’s service only if he signed the nondisclosure agreement and then violated the terms of that agreement. We have subsequently confirmed this with a source who has seen a copy of the letter.
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Here It Is, Your Lineup For Worst Company In America 2012!
By 3.12.12
Welcome to Consumerist’s 7th Annual Worst Company In America tournament, where the businesses you nominated face off for a title that none of them will publicly admit to wanting — but which all of them try their hardest to earn. So it’s time to fill in the brackets and start another office pool. That is, unless you work at one of the 32 companies competing in the tournament. [More]
AT&T Won't Say Which Vendor Employed ID-Thieving Account Hacker
By 3.9.12
After months of being told “it wasn’t us,” and pointing the finger at everyone from clever hackers to Apple Store employees, AT&T has finally admitted that an employee at one of its vendors is responsible for illegally accessing customer accounts. Which vendor? AT&T isn’t saying. [More]
Is AT&T Misleading iPhone 4S Users About 4G Access?
By 3.8.12
Yesterday, the same day that Apple announced its new iPad would be able to access AT&T and Verizon’s 4G LTE networks, AT&T iPhone 4S owners received an update to their devices — and suddenly millions of people who had been told their phone didn’t work on 4G networks now had a little icon that reads “4G.” But it’s really just the same speed they had the day before. [More]
AT&T Sets Definite 3GB/5GB Throttling Thresholds For Smartphone Users With Unlimited Plans
By 3.1.12
Following the public backlash against AT&T for its decision to throttle data speeds for some customers with “unlimited” data plans, the company has now decided to set actual hard, well… limits, on how much data a subscriber can use in a month before being throttled. [More]
