You know telecoms are behaving badly when a business columnist who just a year ago argued for a hands-off government approach has reversed his opinion. “I’ve changed my mind,” he writes. “The behavior of the top telecommunications companies, especially Verizon Communications and AT&T, has convinced me that more government involvement is needed to keep communications free of corporate interference.”
at&t
What The Heck Is The "DC Cellular Surcharge Residential" Fee?
By 10.25.07
Kimberly writes:
My concern is over another fee that I get nailed with every month that I had never noticed… Not only do I have to pay a federal universal service charge, but the District of Columbia, where I live (obvs), charges me another time – to the tune of $8.90 a month. That seems exorbitant and arbitrary! Not a good combo! What the hell is this and who do we complain to?
While perhaps exorbitant, the fee isn’t arbitrary….
AT&T Looking To Purchase DirecTV?
By 10.25.07
The Wall Street Journal has it in their pretty little heads that AT&T is in the market for either EchoStar or DirecTV. And hey, why not? AT&T owns everything else.
$18 Fee For Pleasure Of Being Locked To AT&T For Two More Years
By 10.24.07
Jack recently got a new phone for one of his AT&T cellphones. In the process, he of course had to extend his contract another two years. When he got his bill, he discovered a mysterious $18 “upgrade fee.” When he called AT&T, they told him it was the standard contract extension charge.
AT&T: Napster On Your Phone For $1.99 Per Track?
By 10.22.07
Here’s some news for those of you out there who have so much money you literally can not think of anything else to do with it: AT&T has announced a partnership with Napster in which you can download songs to your phone for “only” $1.99 a track or 5 for $7.49.
Senate On Verge Of Agreeing To Immunity For Wiretapping Phone Companies
By 10.18.07
Yesterday, the leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee “reached a tentative agreement… with the Bush administration that would give telephone carriers legal immunity for any role they played in the National Security Agency’s domestic eavesdropping program.” The senators who have been reviewing classified documents related to the phone companies’ participation in the program are now saying that they believe the companies “acted in good faith” and “that they should not be punished through civil litigation for their roles.”
Chicago Wants To Keep The Change, Eliminate Parking Meter "Piggybacking"
By 10.17.07
Ah, that most delightful of surprises: The parking meter with time already on it. If the City of Chicago has its way, (and let’s face it, they usually do) the gift of a partially full parking meter will a thing of the past.
AT&T Says It Will Begin Prorating Termination Fees
By 10.17.07
Maybe the T-Mobile lawsuit has scared AT&T a bit, because they’ve announced that they’re changing their early termination policy: they will now prorate termination fees instead of charging a flat fee. They’re also removing the policy that required existing customers to extend a current agreement or sign up for a new one when changing their level of service. No word on when these changes will go into effect, but there’s nothing on their website yet.
Does It Make Sense To Get A Text Message Plan?
By 10.15.07
Here’s the current text-message rate plans for the different cellphone providers. Most providers also offer unlimited text message plans: AT&T: $19.99 a month, Sprint: $20 a month, T-Mobile: $14.99 a month, Verizon: Unlimited messaging isn’t optional feature, but it is part of the America’s Choice Select Plan.
AT&T Mobility's CEO Stan Sigman Retires After 42 Years
By 10.11.07
AT&T Mobility’s CEO Stan Sigman has announced his retirement after 42 years with the company. The AP says:
Sigman began his career with Southwestern Bell Telephone as a stockman in 1965. He stayed with the company as it grew from the smallest Baby Bell to the nation’s largest telecommunications company through a series of aggressive acquisitions.
How nice.
Directly Call AT&T | DISH Retentions
By 10.11.07
To reach the AT&T | DISH retentions department, call 866-266-1292 , press 1, then press 1 again. Retentions departments are the gate of customer service you usually have to pass through to cancel service. They try to identify and solve objections to the service you have, either by pointing out features of awesomeness you apparently weren’t aware of, or by tossing credits or price reductions your way.
California AT&T Customers Will No Longer Have To Pay For Calls Made On A Stolen Phone
By 10.11.07
The California Attorney General has announced a settlement with AT&T that ensures that California AT&T customers will no longer have to pay for calls made on a stolen phone, a complaint that often comes sailing into our inbox, but has no easy fix.
AT&T's New TOS "Respects Freedom Of Expression"
By 10.11.07
BoingBoing reports that AT&T has altered the language in its reviled TOS to say it thinks it’s okay for people to speak their mind. Really, they hard-wired that into the legalese:
Class-Action Lawsuits Filed Against Apple, AT&T Over iPhone
By 10.10.07
A class-action lawsuit was filed on October 5th against the unholy duo of Apple and AT&T, charging that they intentionally broke unlocked headsets via the last firmware update, and conspired illegally to monopolize parts of the mobile phone market by preventing consumers from using any services other than those provided by the two companies. The suit charges the two companies, either jointly or separately, with six formal counts, including “alleged violations of the California Business and Profession’s Code, The Cartwright Act, The Sherman Act, The Federal Trade Commission Act, The Communications Act of 1934, and The Telecommunications Act of 1996, as well as rules and policies established by the FCC.”
Directly Call AT&T Landline Retentions
By 10.10.07
954-626-1263 goes right to level two retentions for AT&T landlines. These are the people that are supposed to dissuade you from dropping service, through credits and price reductions. Like we said said here, don’t just call up and ask for free money. Paint a picture of customer dissatisfaction. Pitch woo. Then see what you can get.
After Blogs Cry "Censorship," AT&T Says It Will Change Terms Of Service
By 10.10.07
After getting roundly whiplashed for having a clause in their Terms of Service that could be interpreted as meaning they reserved the right to terminate the service of any customer who criticized them, AT&T DSL reached out to several blogs today with the following commitment to change their ToS:
We are revising the terms of service to clarify our intent. The language in question will be revised to reflect AT&T’s respect for our customers’ right to express opinions and concerns over any matter they wish. And we will make clear that we do not terminate service because a customer expresses their opinion about AT&T.
We’ll reserve judgment until the pixels dry. As of now, their ToS is still the same.
