Wired has an informative, deeply terrifying, interview with Mark Klein the whistleblower who outed AT&T for spying for the NSA.
WN: How many people worked in or on that room?
at&t
Wired Interview With Mark Klein, AT&T Spying Whistleblower
By 5.10.07
AT&T Disconnecting CallVantage Subscribers That Can't Access E911
By 5.6.07
AT&T is firing VoIP customers who live in areas not served by E911. The letters to CallVantage subscribers were sent over the past two weeks and read, “All customers who currently have A911 service must be moved to E911 service (where available) or their AT&T CallVantage service will be disconnected.” If E911 is unavailable, service is suspended effective May 21.
AT&T Charges Up To Eight Minutes For A One-Minute Phone Call
By 5.6.07
AT&T is charging users of its prepaid calling cards up to eight minutes per minute spent making an in-state call. The practice began in February and affects in-state calls made from every state except Illinois, Indiana, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.
AT&T DSL Downgrades Email, That You Pay For, To Include Ads
By 5.4.07
AT&T DSL subscribers who use their ISP email will now have the pleasure of seeing ads in their email service. That they pay for. Did we say that already?
Want To Cancel Your Internet? Here's Your Early Termination Fee
By 4.10.07
Not all ISPs charge ETFs. Here’s a list of different providers and their fees:
Verizon Beats Cingular/AT&T To Become Nation's Largest Wireless Carrier
By 4.5.07
“Verizon became the new market leader in terms of total direct retail subscribers/customers, with a total of 56.8 million, against 56.3 million for Cingular,” said IDC’s Julien Blin in a statement.
Meanwhile, Sprint is losing customers due to its general ineptitude. —MEGHANN MARCO
AT&T Randomly Sends You A Check For $2.82
By 3.29.07
The woman at AT&T told me I received it because AT&T no longer provided telecom service to the Penn State campus – where I haven’t lived for 8 years (because I am 100). I’m not sure what went down so that they’re sending me almost three whole dollars, but it’s three dollars I didn’t have this morning, so… Aces.
Kate tells us she’s very excited to cash her check so she can buy “IN TOUCH and some gum.” She also notes that the check says “CON REFUNDS,” which we feel is heartwarmingly honest of AT&T —MEGHANN MARCO
Fake AT&T Workers Steal From Unsuspecting Customers
By 3.26.07
According to Lt. Thomas Stacho of the Cleveland Police Department, three men claiming to work for the phone company knocked on the door of an an elderly couple living in an apartment on Payne Avenue.
Avoid Outsourced CSRs By Asking For Someone Who Works At AT&T
By 3.21.07
The company is outsourcing customer service jobs on the sly, and have been for at least a few months. Not to India, because that would be obvious, but to Canada. Alberta- to be specific. The newbies are working with a company called Convergys. These people seem to be going through a real crash course, and seem to know only how to read the sample scripting our computer system spits out. We’ve been having problems with them screwing up orders left and right, misquoting (or not quoting) rates and fees, and generally mucking up everything they touch. The bad part for customers, aside from not knowing exactly what they’re going to be paying every time, is that it seems like they’re not as ready to credit accounts when it they need to. I’m not sure they have the authority to give more than a few bucks back, which doesn’t always cut it.
AT&T Sues NASCAR Over Cingular Car's Logo
By 3.20.07
AT&T submitted a mock-up of the paint scheme in January that kept the car’s orange paint scheme and Cingular’s logo on the hood. The only AT&T branding was its trademark blue and white globe on the quarter panels.
Use Your Phone As A Remote?
By 3.9.07
Usually when people talk about AT&T and Verizon becoming cable operators they spin a bunch of bull about how competition will lower your bill. So far, that isn’t happening. But what happens when the technology comes together? Will you be able to use your cell phone to control your DVR? From the Chicago Tribune:
[AT&T] this week began offering its “Homezone” customers the ability to control their digital video recorders through Web-enabled phones. The interface lets cell phone users schedule or delete recordings on their set-top boxes from anywhere.
Cingular Tries to Get Class Action Lawsuit Thrown Out, Cites Arbitration Clause
By 3.5.07
“Although the exact wording of these provisions has changed somewhat over time, each has required customers to pursue their disputes with Cingular or AT&T Wireless in either individual arbitration or small claims court,” the defendants allege in their motion.
Cingular Shuts Off TDMA Service In Arizona Five Weeks Ahead Of Schedule
By 3.4.07
CingularThe new AT&T has shutdown the old AT&T’s TDMA network in Arizona, five weeks ahead of schedule. Reader Kevin sends us his complaint to the Better Business Bureau.
- “I [contacted] Cingular Wireless on February 25, 2007 and was told that the old AT&T TDMA network was shutdown early in Arizona. I was given no notice that my phone would no longer work after February 23, 2007. Quite the contrary, the Cingular text message and website specifically state that service would be ending March 31, 2007. Now I am stuck with a worthless phone and a balance of $93.00 that I can’t use.”
Time Division Multiple Access is an anachronistic communications protocol that Cingular is phasing-out in favor of GSM. Most Cingular customers are unaffected by the shutdown. Subscribers with older phones and certain Free2Go customers may be screwed. Anyone stuck with a TDMA phone in an area without TDMA service can call Cingular (611 and 911 should still work) and request either a GSM phone, or a refund for unused minutes.
Giant List Of Cellphone Company Departments' Direct Numbers
By 3.2.07
Having trouble finding the special number for a specific department at your cellphone provider? Just feel like bypassing the intermediary customer service reps who might end up disconnecting the call or transferring you to the janitor’s closet?
Round 6: AT&T/Cingluar/SBC vs Clear Channel
By 2.23.07
Gawker Media polls require Javascript; if you’re viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.
Ripped-Off Mom Gets Resolution From Comcast After We Intervene
By 2.23.07
David’s Mom just got her refund check, nearly bringing her issue with Comcast billing and harassing her for cable that was never installed to a close.
Cingular Spends 1.8 Million Dollars A Day Upgrading The LA Area. Just The LA Area.
By 2.22.07
“The past two years were unprecedented — investing almost $1.3 billion to deliver a quality wireless experience to our customers here,” said Andy Shibley, vice president and general manager for the company’s Greater LA market. “Our wireless network is world class and second to none. The major expansion we completed was an extraordinary achievement that enables us to provide exceptional service for our customers today and into the future.”
According to the press release they’ve concentrated their efforts, in part, on Pismo Beach, which we remember from a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Now Bugs can talk on his cell phone if he forgets to take a left at Albuquerque. —MEGHANN MARCO
Is That Person At The Door Really From AT&T?
By 2.19.07
This person identified himself as being with a company called EMS and had no details to give or leave with my husband for me to see later.
