“Consumers need to be prepared if they receive this type of phone call,” said Madigan. “Do not provide any personal information over the telephone, and if you believe you have received such a call, please report the call to your phone company as well as to the Attorney General’s consumer protection hotline.”
at&t
Scammers Call Pretending to Be AT&T, Harvest Personal Info
By 2.16.07
AT&T Leases Push-Button Phone For Over $7,500 To Elderly
By 2.13.07
AT&T leased a crappy old-school phone to an elderly gentleman for over $7500 over a span of 30-plus years, his son just discovered. Kimdog writes:
AT&T Stuck With 2 Million Dollar Bill for "Free" Iowa Phone Calls
By 2.7.07
When AT&T’s average monthly bill to one such Iowa telco, the Superior Telephone Cooperative, went from $2,000 to $2,000,000, it was time for Ma Bell to call the fine-suited folks at Sidley Austin LLP5 to try to close the loophole down….Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, Central Division, AT&T’s lawsuit seeks to stop FuturePhone as well as the telcos who provide local infrastructure from continuing with their operations that use regulatory-fee arbitrag1 and VoIP to provide international calls for only the price of a long-distance call to Iowa. Though the case was just filed on Jan. 29, it has already apparently caused FuturePhone to shutter its service, and has produced nothing but “no comment” replies from the Iowa LECs we contacted who were also named in the suit.
Party’s over, baby.—MEGHANN MARCO
Senior Citizen Gets Comcasticed! i.e. Ripped Off
By 1.30.07
What would you call getting a bill for services you never received? How about fraud? That’s what Comcast is doing to one blogger’s mother.
Rumor: Cingular To Give Away 18 Months of Service With Purchase Of iPhone
By 1.25.07
We’re not really buying this one, but apparently Jim Cramer, former hedge fund manager, director of TheStreet.com and host of CNBC’s “Mad Money,” is telling people that Cingular will give away 18 months of service with purchase of an iPhone.
VIDEO: AT&T Tech Steals Customer’s Oranges
By 1.24.07
Brian spotted an AT&T tech “fixing” something in his back alley for the past three days. Turns out, the tech was fixing himself lunch, using his truck’s ladder to steal oranges from a customer’s tree.
Cingular Adds 2.4 Million New Customers
By 1.24.07
Profit rose to $782 million from $204 million a year earlier. Revenue rose 10.2 percent to $9.8 billion.
Run! AT&T is taking over.
Cell Phones: The Ads Are Coming
By 1.22.07
- Cellular phone carriers like Verizon, Sprint and Cingular, now the new AT&T, are beginning to test and roll out advertising on mobile phone screens, and by next year, cellphone advertising is likely to be more common.
AT&T Will Sell $20 “Naked” DSL
By 1.16.07
In the coming months AT&T will sell stand-alone, or “naked,” DSL service for $19.95. Currently, AT&T charges $45 for broadband if you don’t purchase any other bundled services. If you purchase DSL and phone from AT&T, it’s only $28, a deliberate attempt to preserve their phone business and limit consumer choice.
Say Goodbye To Cingular, Starting Monday
By 1.12.07
- Starting Monday, Jan. 15, AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is launching a new multi-media campaign to begin transitioning the Cingular brand to AT&T in advertising and customer communications, throughout Web sites and nationwide retail stores, and on company buildings and vehicles.
Cingular: What The Merger Means To You
By 1.2.07
With the merger between AT&T and BellSouth, AT&T has total control over Cingular wireless. What does this mean to you?
Telecom Merger-O-Rama: AT&T Concedes
By 12.29.06
Final approval requires a vote, which can happen at any time via computer. This would be the largest telecom merger in U.S. history. —MEGHANN MARCO
Ad Supported 411 from AT&T
By 12.28.06
Maybe we’re just intolerant of ads, but when we heard about AT&T’s new ad supported 411 service, we just laughed. If you’re willing to listen to 40 seconds of advertising, you too can get directory assistance. The best part? There’s auto-connect, but it’s at the advertiser’s discretion. Yes, the media buyer at Pizza Hut’s ad agency decides if you get to auto-connect. Gee, how did we ever live without this.
Media Demands Secret AT&T Papers
By 12.21.06
Wired News is reporting that several media outlets (San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, Associated Press, San Jose Mercury News and Bloomberg News) have joined together to with Wired to petition for the release of “secret” AT&T papers detailing the extend of the White House’s warrantless wiretapping program. AT&T is resisting because they claim the papers contain, “corporate trade secrets.” “At 2 p.m. Thursday, both sides will make oral arguments before U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker in San Francisco.”
Sabotage! AT&T Claims Time-Warner is Cutting Their Cables
By 12.19.06
“AT&T filed a lawsuit Dec. 8 in a district court in Bexar County, Texas, against Time Warner Cable’s San Antonio division, alleging that the cable operator engaged in “a methodical invasion of facilities owned, operated and controlled by AT&T Texas” while installing voice service at apartments and other multiple-dwelling units in and around the city. In its lawsuit against Time Warner Cable in San Antonio, AT&T alleges that: “Cable technicians trespassed on AT&T facilities and cut or disconnected wires in network interface devices.”
Top 10 Biggest Business Debacles 2006
By 12.18.06
Welcome, New York Times readers. Here’s a bit of an intro to The Consumerist, if you’re curious and want to learn more.
SBC/AT&T DSL: Is A Bad Connection Breach Of Contract?
By 12.15.06
Does lowering a connection beyond their ability to charge for it constitute breach of contract? Jim isn’t getting what he’s paying for. What should he do? He might try bargaining with AT&T. If he really can’t get a reduced rate, maybe there are some features he could get for free. If they’re not willing to negotiate, it’s time to escalate. Ask for the supervisor. Tell them they are not providing the service you are paying for and you expect compensation. Say “Work with me here.” Don’t give up! —MEGHANN MARCO
