Dear AT&T (aka You Morons, and many other colorful terms that pop to mind):
Way to screw up yet ANOTHER major product release. Two years in a row. The very flagship product that is making you money hand over fist, you’ve managed to hose it up AGAIN.
People have been drooling over the prospect of the new iPhone for MONTHS. We’ve known for MONTHS about OS 3.0 with it’s fancy copy-and-paste and its MMS and tethering, et al. And we’ve been waiting for it, eager to get our hands on it, and the new hardware.
So after last year’s fucking fiasco involving the iPhone 3G, I just assumed that you’d have everything ready to roll when the big announcements were made at WWDC yesterday. I mean, the smart company would APPRECIATE having a cash cow like the iPhone locked into an exclusive deal for years.
A smart company would have shown up to the WWDC and told everyone that the MMS would be ready on June 17, when 3.0 is released. A smart company would be ready to start tethering when the new iPhone 3GS comes out two days after that.
But no, the MMS won’t come till “later” this summer and the tethering? Who knows?
How do you NOT have this shit ready to roll out when the new iPhone OS and hardware is released? You’ve known about it for far longer than the rest of us have. You’ve been talking to Apple all this time, right? How is your network NOT iPhone 3GS-ready when you’ve had all this lead time?
This is why people are buying unlocked iPhones, so they can go with carriers that have their shit together.
And me, I’ve been a LOYAL AT&T customer for years. I was there before you became Cingular. I was there when you switched BACK to AT&T. Long before you wisely snagged the iPhone all for yourselves.
I’d heard about the horrible pricing fiascoes for existing iPhone customers at LAST year’s release. But I was at the natural end of my 2-year contract when I purchased my iPhone 3G, so I had no trouble getting the 8GB model for $199.
I love the iPhone so much that I’m ready to upgrade to the NEW one, the new 32GB model which you’re offering new and “qualified” customers for $299. But here’s what you’re telling me:
Ooh, a “discounted” iPhone upgrade. Can’t wait! Another 2-year contract? No problem.
Oh, never mind.
Wait, let me get this straight. The bargain I’m getting for being a valued AT&T customer for SIX YEARS is the same fucking iPhone 3G I have right now for $100 MORE than I bought it for? The same phone you’re now charging $99 for. And the NEW 3GS models for $200 MORE than what you’re offering them to everyone else?
Gee, thanks for that. You rock.
I hear people complain about AT&T all the time. Really, on blogs, on Twitter, in person…all the time. And I have always answered, “Really? Wow, I’ve NEVER had a problem with them.” Not any more. And let me further illustrate why.
Not only was your web site not updated with the new models and pricing info the moment the pricing was announced at WWDC, but your customer service department didn’t know squat about ANYTHING regarding the iPhone 3GS when I called yesterday afternoon.
I don’t blame the woman who helped me at customer service. She was very friendly. I blame YOU, AT&T, because unlike Apple – who have been training their Apple Store employees for weeks now – you haven’t done SHIT to get your customer service staff ready.
The girl I spoke with actually had to go to APPLE’S web site to read to me the exact information I’d already read on their site. I already knew the 3GS details, I sat and listened to the live feeds during WWDC, drooling.
I merely called to find out what she could do for me regarding pricing, since I’m a “valued” customer of AT&T. In fact, she told me what a great customer I am, that I’ve been with you guys for a long time, I have a great payment history, etc.
So I figured there’d be some reward for that loyalty, in the way of giving me the same $299 price you’re giving people that have never dealt with you before. Yes, I just bought my 3G in August of 2008, but here I am, the “valued customer,” ready to plunk down ANOTHER $300 for ANOTHER iPhone…so hey, more money for you, right?
Instead, here’s what your customer service rep told me…and again, I do not blame HER. “You’ll need to go to an AT&T store and talk to a manager about that. We really don’t have any information on the 3GS yet.”
OK, so I thank her and I drive to my local AT&T store. Course, I live in a small town (Sebring, FL) where we’re lucky to have the Edge network and will probably squeal with glee when we get 3G, which will likely be when there’s 10G in the rest of the civilized world. More of your glorious network readiness.
And so, naturally, the AT&T store in Sebring is just an “authorized reseller” and doesn’t even sell iPhones. Who knew? The guy THERE recommended I call one of the “corporate” AT&T stores, the closest of which is in Winter Haven, 45 minutes away. Fine, I thank HIM and drive back home.
I call the Winter Haven store. And SHE tells me that I’m probably stuck with your ludicrous pricing in the above screenshots. However, she says, the time to check with the manager is 24-72 hours after the iPhone 3GS is released.
Gah. AT&T, you are fucking idiots in every sense of the word. The biggest tech phenomenon on Earth (outside of Japan, anyway) and you constantly drop the ball. It was apparent listening to the Apple folks at yesterday’s press conference that even THEY aren’t happy with you. How embarrassing it is for them to announce all these cool new features and technologies that people having been screaming for, only to have to give us the “um, it isn’t supported by AT&T yet” caveat.
So here’s the deal. I’m giving you a couple of weeks to get your crap together. I’m going to check back with you a few days after the iPhone 3GS is released, as the “corporate” store recommended. I’ll ask for the manager. I may even go so far as to call customer service and ask for one of the managers THERE.
If you’re still toting the same line for your “valued” customers at that point, you can kiss my ass goodbye come the end of my contract. I hope and pray that Apple has managed to get out from under the exclusivity deal they have by then. Sprint? Verizon? Whichever carrier supports the iPhone next, I’m moving.
And quite frankly, I’m hoping you continue to screw up by not offering me the same deal you’re offering everyone else. You’ve got millions of people furious after Monday, and I’m one of them. If you didn’t have us by the short iPhone hairs, we’d ALL be gone. Yesterday.
Sincerely,
Karl Erikson
PS:
I was all kinds of impressed with the ferocity of your email and was thinking, “Yeah! Take that stupid AT&T!”
And I’m not even an AT&T customer, haha =).
Then I scrolled down further to the very end…
And lost it. HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Hilarious, Karl!
(I know you’re ticked, but c’mon… that’s kinda classic).
Also? Nice buns! =P
Hope they get their stuff figured out pretty quick… that really is embarrassing.
Amber’s last blog post..Naked and Not Ashamed
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 2:24 am
@Amber, I wanted to symbolically show how AT&T got caught with their pants down. Again. Nah, I just wanted them to kiss my ass.
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AND there’s your ass.
Perfect “ending” to this post.
Taken with your iPhone no less.
Make no cracks about it, this was a good post.
I’m stopping now, seriously.
Miss’s last blog post..Weekly Winners [May31/Jun6]
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 2:25 am
@Miss, It’s probably a good thing I didn’t go with my original concept, which was “Suck it!”
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Or, The One Where I Forget to Warn Delicate Wiminz that My Bare Ass is Pictured at the Bottom of this Post.
Niiiiice! Take that AT&T.
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 11:39 am
@Emily, Delicate Wiminz don’t read my blog. They learned better a long time ago. There may as well be a big NSFW banner as my header graphic.
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I was turning cartwheels, shaking my pom-pons and shouting, “Give me a K, Give me an A…” by the time I was through reading this one. Way to give ‘em hell, Karl!
AT&T is the reason I went with the iPod Touch and a SmartPhone from someone else. Not that I wouldn’t buy an iPhone in a minute if they were available on a different network. (Please, God!)
(And btw, *whistles* — cute buns!)
debra’s last blog post..Taken by surprise
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 11:43 am
@debra, Love the iPhone 3G. Love it, love it, love it. And I’ll love it still, even should I have to wait another 7 mos for the new one. But AT&T blows.
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This is one of my favorite posts ever. Especially the end.
Bubblewench’s last blog post..Things change, even if you don’t notice them
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 11:44 am
@Bubblewench, Heh.
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AT & T is apparently run by monkeys. Retarded monkeys. Apparent because they fling shit at people, and are all surprised when people don’t like it.
Fucking idiots.
(Not that I care one bit about an iPhone, but for craps’ sake – it really is idiotic. )
Sybil Law’s last blog post..Headache
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 11:45 am
@Sybil Law, Even if it weren’t for the pricing thing, AT&T blew it by not being ready for the iPhone 3GS launch, networkically speaking. (and yes, it’s a word!)
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Aerithbloodmoon Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
@Sybil Law, Oh please! Respect the monkeys! they work wonders at Think Geek so you shouldn’t compare them, even if the at&t are retarded ones, they are more like the fleas on the monkey fur. Or if the shit-throwing thing is the point, they are more like the useles pidgeons.
)
Anyway, I want an iPhone, I really think that it’s a worthy phone, and now that the 3GS was released the 3G should be a little less expensive, specially in places where the trendy tech arrives 3 months later.
Besides, it’s unbelivable that a company that LIVES of the SERVICE is not ready to support the new features that they already know that’s comming.
So in the end I agree with @Sybil Law. They are IDIOTIC! (Not the monkey part!
@Karl a.k.a. “Mr. Nicebuns” Please keep us posted about your experience and the readyness of the service.
@Aerithbloodmoon
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“… we can offer you a discounted iPhone upgrade at a higher price …”
I must be putting emphasis on the wrong word, or something before or after the bit I snipped slipped by me — but I think I’d rather have a non-discounted phone and save a few bucks. I can’t believe they’re selling the 8-gig iPhone for $299. I’m not a smartphone user and even I knew the 8-gig was now $99.00 for the unwashed masses.
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 11:46 am
@delmer, Exactly.
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In defense of AT&T here…
1) iPhones are subsidized. This means that AT&T sells them at LESS THAN COST. They recoup their loss by tying you to a contract over two years where they can make back their money and get some profit out of the deal. This is no different than any other phone carrier. If you bought a brand new pricey phone like a Blackberry at another phone carrier and tried to upgrade to a new model before the two year contract was up, they would have a higher price to do so just like AT&T. If it’s any consolation, AT&T is NOT making people go the full two years, and seems to be letting people switch 18 months into their 2-year contract… as an example, Apple’s online store tells me I can upgrade on August 11th for the “regular” upgrade fee. This is actually very generous, because they could make you wait TWO FULL YEARS… just as stated in the contract you signed when you bought your iPhone (or did you read that when you signed it?). Your six years of loyal patronage don’t mean shit if a company has to LOSE MONEY to keep you happy.
2) From what I can tell, the original agreement between AT&T and Apple was that there would be no MMS. Apple was giving iPhone users full and easy email access with attachment capability, which they felt was a good alternative. People complained, so Apple decided to add it. According to a statement made by AT&T, this requires them to make changes to their network to properly support MMS on iPhones (Apple’s always pushing the edge, so who knows what stuff they’ve added?). They are working on the upgrades as fast as they can, but the USA is pretty big, so it’s going to take some time. Other countries are much smaller, so they could make the changeover much quicker (it’s true… look at a map!). They don’t want the public relations nightmare of having some areas get great MMS service and other areas get shitty MMS service, so they’re taking a couple months to get it sorted out. You bought your iPhone realizing that there was no MMS, and were apparently fine with that… but now it’s such a major problem that you’re baring your ass on the internet? Lovely.
3) And speaking of your ass… once AT&T figures out how to support tethering without jamming up its data access for everybody else, what part of your anatomy are you going to be showing them in disgust when you find out it costs $30-$40 a month? Well, I don’t know that for sure… but that’s what every other network is charging for tethering, so Im guessing AT&T will follow suit. But whatever it costs, I’m sure you’ll be all pissed off and hammering out yet another entry lambasting them because they don’t value your six years of loyal patronage enough to give it to you for free.
Tech upgrades are a way of life. Apple has to keep improving and pushing the envelope so that other mobile manufacturers don’t swoop in and crush them (just like they did to everybody else). This is bound to cause some problems for the carriers, who have to keep improving their network to handle the changes. This means that AT&T here in the good ol’ USA has it the toughest, because they’ve got a LOT more network to worry about than other countries which are much smaller or have their mobile-using population concentrated in small areas. You and I should be giving AT&T a break here, because big cities are probably already capable of handling the iPhone changes with their 3G coverage… it’s the rural areas that you and I live in that are still on Edge that are undoubtedly where the problem is at.
So why don’t you calm down, stick your ass back in your pants, and realize that in every case here AT&T is either A) acting the same way that any other carrier would (seriously, call any of the other companies that you would switch to when iPhone isn’t tied to AT&T and see if THEY would let you upgrade a pricey smartphone at full discount less than 18 months into contract!)… or B) they’re struggling to keep up with Apple by making changes to one of the largest mobile networks on the face of the earth.
In any event, I think AT&T has been doing a great job under very difficult… very unique… circumstances. I sincerely doubt any other US network could have handled the massive popularity and technical challenges of iPhone any better. Thanks AT&T!!
Dave2’s last blog post..Bullet Sunday 135
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whall Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 10:33 am
@Dave2, If only you felt as such about Microsoft *sigh*
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
@Dave2, Lots of good points there…however, AT&T is clearly not giving everyone the same upgrading options. You bought your iPhone 3G a month before I bought mine and you can upgrade in August at no additional charge, while I have to wait until January? That’s crap. It’d make more sense to me to hold us all to our 2-yr deals than it does to have some random upgrade for every customer.
As for the MMS, quite honestly I was just throwing out a few of the features that people have been clamoring for all this time, and that AT&T isn’t ready for. I don’t care about MMS, personally, not when I have full email and texting. Never used MMS on my pre-Iphone phone and I think it’s overrated. That said, AT&T has tons of non-Apple smartphones that have been using MMS for years. As you said, who knows what things Apple has thrown into the MMS architecture? But it seems as if rolling out a limited MMS yesterday would have been a simple thing for them to do.
Instead, AT&T doesn’t even show up at WWDC to explain anything. They invited this shitstorm by ignoring the conference when their network isn’t ready. Again.
And I don’t care about tethering, either. I’m content most of the time to plant my ass at a hotspot with my laptop and go to town. Again, just pointing out some of the areas where AT&T fell down. Fine, it’s not ready. But to not show up and say when it WILL be ready? To not announce a pricing plan? BAD BUSINESS.
I still LOVE my iPhone 3G. Yes, I knew what I was buying last August and my enjoyment of it hasn’t changed. I’ll love OS 3.0, too, and I’ll wait for January if that’s what it takes.
Even if I wasn’t whining about the upgrade pricing, I’d still be bitching about AT&T dropping the ball. Customer service knows nothing about the new 3GS? They’re referring to Apple’s site for pricing info? FAIL.
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shiny Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
@Secondhand Karl, could it possibly be that the AT&T front line representatives simply hadn’t been trained on the new iPhone pricing yet — only hours after the new devices were announced? I’m not usually one to defend the telcos, but they have many, many wireless products which they need to support, and the iPhone is simply one of many. I’m sure that people are being brought up to speed over these few days so they’ll have the best answers available. I would give them some slack for not having their entire staff following the live feed of WWDC as the announcement unfolded.
shiny’s last blog post..Shin-ippets
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
@shiny, Clearly they weren’t trained on it, but there aren’t many phones being so eagerly awaited, with media coverage for MONTHS. To not have your front line people ready when you KNOW the storm of calls is going to be coming? Bad form. Like I said, Apple has been readying their people for weeks. AT&T knew LONG ago what the prices would be, they should have at least sent their customer service reps a memo, even if it was at the start of the press conference.
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I logged into my AT&T account and just upgraded to the 32GB iPhone 3GS for $299. Without a problem. Didn’t have to talk to anyone and didn’t have to do anything weird. Just clicked “upgrade”. My contract doesn’t expire until almost February 2010, either.
Avitable’s last blog post..Top 10 Things Your iPhone Won’t Do
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shiny Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 10:07 am
@Avitable, are you upgrading from an iPhone 3G or an original iPhone? Either way — I’m a bit surprised that they’re not making you wait until August when the 18th month hits (assuming you signed up with a standard 2-year contract).
shiny’s last blog post..Shin-ippets
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Avitable Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 10:15 am
@shiny, the original. I did sign up for a standard 2-year contract and apparently it must be something more than the 18-month issue since they allowed me to upgrade.
Avitable’s last blog post..Top 10 Things Your iPhone Won’t Do
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
@Avitable, Yeah, was wondering which iPhone you had. That’s weird, your contract ends in February? Who knows what the Magical Thinking is at AT&T?
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shiny Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
@Avitable, I’ve been reading a bit more about this. I assume that you got in AFTER they had lowered the price to the subsidized AT&T contract price rather than the folks who waited in line to get it on day one who had to pay for the iPhone in full AND an AT&T contract, right?
Maybe they’re trying to phase out the iPhones that are limited to the Edge network? Just speculating…
shiny’s last blog post..Shin-ippets
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
@Shiny, interesting, the phase-out notion. Course, you’d think they’d love to keep as many people as possible on slower network speeds, but who knows?
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I’ve always liked AT&T but that’s probably because I have “inside contacts” – as the person who runs our corporate cell plans, where we have tons of blackberries, phones, iphones, etc… I’m usually able to have an account rep help me out if I get stuck somewhere.
But, I’m thinking maybe I should start getting upset at companies so I can have a good excuse to moon everyone.
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
@whall, Heh, perhaps you should.
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Not defending this guy, but thought you might find this counter-rant interesting. Or maybe you’ll just want to tell him to fuck off. Dunno!
http://i.gizmodo.com/5284318/whiners-of-the-world-shut-up-about-the-iphone-3gs-upgrade-price
james’s last blog post..Monday Music.
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
@james, Yeah, good argument, same as Dave2 made above. All in all, yes, I AM whining and bitching, but it’s my blog and I can cry if I want to, cry if I want to, cry if I want to.
and/or show my ass.
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uhhh I don’t know about any of that, I just wanted to say nice ass
Amanda’s last blog post..Happiness is Overrated
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
@Amanda, Ha, thank you.
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Oh, and then there’s this. Which will either make you feel better or worse. Or perhaps make you want to bare something else…?
http://www.mysexprofessor.com/how-to-have-sex/how-the-new-iphone-3gs-will-revolutionize-iphone-sex/
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
@james, The link doesn’t work, but thanks. Something tells me I don’t want to know, anyway.
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Oh Karl… you bad bad bad boy… I totally howled with laughter at your p/s pic … I think wraps up your post really nicely tho
*lynne*’s last blog post..mustering mutts for marrows!
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
@*lynne*, Thanks. I don’t often get this pissed off, but last night? Grrr.
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Set off quite a firestorm here. Unfortunately I am unable to contribute to it because I have sprint where we do not have cool-ass iPhones and I’m stuck there for a bit longer (long story).
But, irregardless of what’s correct here – always glad to see one of your post end this way…;o)
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
@Kathleen, Ranting is fun.
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I read Dave2’s explanation of this and he does make some valid points about not just AT&T but all of the other carriers that subsidize phones.
The 18 month rule is also common with Sprint, who does give the same discounts to current customers without making them wait for two years.
Having said that, I do agree with Karl on several points. AT&T and Apple do work together, or at least they should. The idea that MMS won’t be ready to go on June 17th is unacceptable. Regardless of who can get it and who can’t, that’s already the case with all carriers in various coverage areas. On Sprint, if in poor coverage, I can send and receive a text, but any picture mails don’t come through until I’m in full coverage. Text and MMS use different parts of the network to send pics. I’m assuming AT&T is no different, as it appears to be a technology thing with all cell phones, carrier independent.
Another point of Karl’s that I agree with is the underlying fact that any cell phone carrier gives better more consistent attention to new customers over current customers that have been with them for years. Sure, there’s a lot of loyal customers that have had the same phone for the last 3-4 years and don’t need a new one. These customers make any carrier happy. No complainers and no people to deal with calling every month about their bill. I’m finally there with Sprint, but it took months and months of back and forth to get to this point.
The current loyal customer is the “no worries” part of doing business. Companies bank on the majority of their customers paying their monthly bill and hardly ever calling or increasing their support costs. That doesn’t mean you should ignore the customer when it comes time to keep them around.
There is no difference between a new AT&T customer signing on with them and signing a two year contract and a current customer staying with AT&T and signing a two year contract. I get the waiting 18 months bit and all that, but it not only infuriates your long term customers but it also keeps them paying the highest prices for new technology when a brand new customer gets the deals. Regardless of how fair AT&T is trying to be here, there’s something that is unfair about this. It basically pisses all over the loyal part and adds to the negative rants of not just AT&T, but all cell phone companies.
If all cell phone carriers were more focused on customer service instead of trying down each and every one to a two year “sit down and shut up” agreement (or ponying up $200 to leave and go sign another two year contract), I think they could keep people around without them feeling tied up and bound.
So I see both sides here, but agree that there needs to be other options or solutions here.
martymankins’s last blog post..Scooter Sunday – Season 2 Ep. 06
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
@martymankins, Good points. I realize that telco companies’ favorite customers are the ones who just shut the hell up and pay their bill each month without ever having a need to call customer service. Me, I hardly ever call customer service. I’m much more of a do-it-online guy. I require minimum fuss (usually).
There’s got to be a balance between bringing in new customers (which I don’t fault any company trying to do) and RETAINING customers. AT&T shoots themselves in the foot by not having their ducks in a row. No presence at WWDC, no customer service preparedness after a HUGE announcement, no NETWORK readiness. FAIL, FAIL, FAIL.
I understand the subsidy thing. I DON’T understand how there are people who bought their iPhone 3G on release day last summer, who are eligible for entry-level upgrade prices today, whereas I bought mine a month later and have to wait until January.
Consistency. It’s a good thing.
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martymankins Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
@Secondhand Karl, Consistency is key to good customer service.
You mentioned NETWORK rediness. This is my other AT&T beef. The fact that they have so many iPhone users now and are ill prepared at major events to handle the increased traffic. WWDC, CES, Mac World, SXSW… all of these events have had major issues keeping everyone alive on the same network. They are going into year 3 as the exclusive US carrier for the iPhone and there are millions of phones out there. Beef up the network.
I hope you can work out your upgrade eligibility. If not, we’ll see a post from you in January when you get our new 32gb iPhone 3GS
martymankins’s last blog post..Scooter Sunday – Season 2 Ep. 06
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
@martymankins, Yeah, but I don’t think it’s just AT&T that has trouble handling huge temporary logjams in traffic. Big events like WWDC have hell trying to keep up with all the people using wifi, let alone 3G. Still, you’re right. Year 3, MILLIONS of iPhones and they’re still playing catch-up. Only gonna get worse.
I don’t expect the latest and greatest network speeds in MY neck of the woods, of course. 3G would be nice to having in Sebring, but I know they’ve got bigger fish to fry than the rural areas. And the 3G thing is really only crucial to me when I’m traveling and don’t have access to WiFi. At home, like I said, it’s WiFi all the time.
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Ren Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
@martymankins, I think a big part of the problem was the switch from one year to two year contracts. At the time (what, seven years ago or something like that — I remember Sprint offered both one and two year contracts for a while with different discounts), it was probably worth it to keep customers longer, but now I wonder if they’re losing more in good will than they are gaining. If the contract were just one year I bet that very few people would be bothered by waiting out their contract.
Also, I heard that Sprint was switching to pro-rated cancellation fees as the result of a law suit. This makes much more sense and matches the idea that the discount is a subsidy defrayed by monthly service payments, rather than just a carrot-and-stick approach as it usually seems.
I just logged into the AT&T site to check my status. I get to informational messages that aren’t very well worded as a pair. The first says I’m not eligible for discounted price until next March. The second says I am eligible for an early iPhone upgrade at a reduced discount. Then it only lists the 3G phones even though I got to this whole selection by clicking the 3GS photo link.
Anyway, I agree with you, Karl, about the lack of preparedness of AT&T, but I agree with Dave2, et. al., on the pricing. Of course, I paid the cancellation fee to Sprint to switch to the iPhone 3G ten months early, so I’m quite familiar with the scenario.
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martymankins Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
@Ren, The pro-rated cancellation fee is a good thing for cell companies to add. While it still doesn’t say “we are doing everything we can to keep your business” eliminating the “tie you down” contract way of doing business, it’s a step in the right direction.
martymankins’s last blog post..Scooter Sunday – Season 2 Ep. 06
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 10th, 2009 at 9:26 am
@martymankins, Agreed.
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 10th, 2009 at 9:26 am
@Ren, Pro-rated cancellation fees, very nice. Hope AT&T starts following suit. Sprint has crappy coverage in Sebring, or else I might have gone for them when I moved here. And yeah, the wording on AT&T’s upgrade page is confusing.
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shiny Reply:
June 10th, 2009 at 9:33 am
@Secondhand Karl, I’m fairly certain that my ETF with AT&T is pro-rated as well — and I bought the iPhone in August (in Virginia; may vary from state to state). You may want to inquire further about yours; it may very well be prorated as well.
shiny’s last blog post..Shin-ippets
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 10th, 2009 at 9:40 am
@shiny, Interesting. I’ve heard stories about people canceling their AT&T account just to get the iPhone 3GS at the $199/$299 price, but that’s really pushing it over the line for me. First, there’s a $150-$175 cancellation fee (perhaps prorated, thanks for pointing that out). When you consider that AT&T will allow me to early upgrade for $399/$499, that’s only a $50 difference (tops).
Second, you lose your phone number. Third, you have to wait 90 days to sign back up with AT&T, from what I hear. So what are you supposed to do in the meantime? Have no cell at all?
Not worth it, all in all. Also heard that people are buying Tracfones or a pay-as-you-go equivalent, porting their AT&T phone # over to the Tracfone, canceling their AT&T accounts, then porting BACK to AT&T when they can sign back up. Wow.
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Ren Reply:
June 10th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
@Secondhand Karl, The TracFones are pretty cheap. I bought one for my daughter for $10 and bought 90 days of service for $20. Sure, it isn’t very many minutes, but she doesn’t use it much. Using it to hold onto your number for 90 days? Seems like too much trouble.
I will say that this does point to a hole in AT&T’s pricing. If it ever makes more sense to cancel and re-join, then they are pricing something wrong. Keep in mind, though, that it may be the cancellation fee that is what they are pricing wrong.
I hear you , Karl! Experiencing the same thing myself, been with AT&T (and it’s various transformations) since 1999. I’ll be waiting until March 31, 2010 before I can get my hands on an iPhone. I refuse to pay $499, AT&T and Apple are just taking advantage of people’s eagerness. Apparently, they are getting away with it.
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
@LVGurl, I refuse to pay $499, too. I can wait till January, but I shouldn’t have to. Wouldn’t be nearly as miffed if different people weren’t getting different deals. Some only had to wait a year for the $299 price, others 18 mos. Argh.
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I am proud of myself because I managed to read almost half of the above comments. Then all of those words started blending together – MMS and tethering and I don’t even know what the fuck else.
I only come here for the porn thankyouverymuch.
Sheila (Charm School Reject)’s last blog post..Before and After
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
@Sheila (Charm School Reject), My kinda girl.
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You keep saying “random” and “inconsistent” like there is no rhyme or reason behind the timing of when people can upgrade. There has to be a reason behind it… they’re calculating that date somehow. The best theory I’ve heard is that it has to do with people on AT&T’s “Family Plan”… apparently you can move ahead if people in your billing group has a phone that’s deeper into the contract cycle. There may be other factors too… we just don’t know. But to paint it as “random” or some kind of attack against certain customers is pretty lame when this is almost certainly not the case.
Dave2’s last blog post..Crazies
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Secondhand Karl Reply:
June 9th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
@Dave2, So you’re on the Family Plan? I’m sure there are reasons behind these dates. Be nice if we were clued in on what those reasons are. I give in to the pricing argument. Your first comment made a lot of sense and I’ve read other articles today in sync with your point.
I still say AT&T sucks for dropping the ball with how they’ve handled the new iPhone. Other countries, Canada, Australia, just as big as ours will be ready on release date with all the features Apple demo’d yesterday. The absence from WWDC was incredibly bad form and I’m convinced they didn’t go because they KNEW they screwed up and people would ask the questions they didn’t want to answer.
I’m a lot more settled down than I was when I wrote this post, but do appreciate your comments this morning. They helped me take emotion out of the equation.
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Don’t know where I’ve been, but this is the first time I’ve ever visited your site. Found you through your guest post over at Anissa’s, yeah, love this iPhone post. My very thoughts exactly. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my 3G, and am drooling at the new BETTER model. Like you, I may not be getting the NEW BETTER model because I purchased my 3G 5 months ago. I’m just hoping ATT comes to their senses and allows iPhone upgrades.
I’ve never had issues with ATT. I’ve always stuck up for them when I’ve been told they SUCK. I’ve been with them FOREVER as well. A little slack for the “loyal” customers would be AWESOME!
AmazingGreis’s last blog post..It’s my Blogaversary! 1 year down, many more to go…
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And to think, I almost didn’t scroll down and see the end of this post.
[rq=1451,0,blog][/rq]You really know you’re nearing forty if…
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