Tired of waiting for AT&T

[whmurray]

Enough is enough. I am tired of being effed over by a "steaming pile of failure." I have purchased 3 iPhones from AT&T. The last one at $499. I am on a perpetual contract, 2 years at a time.

They will not carry my data. They will not support MMS on the iPhone. Get that, "on the iPhone." They support Slingplayer on other phones but not on the iPhone. They permit tethering on other phones but not on the iPhone; therefore, I am paying Verizon $60.00 a month for support of my Aircard. They will not permit Google Voice.

In some markets, like San Francisco, they have hardly any data service at all. One can wait minutes for a screen. Their service gets worse with every iPhone that they sell.

iPhone customers account for most of their new subscribers and revenue. They charge a premium for data on the iPhone over other phones but give less service. While they milk us for every dime, they complain that we try to use what we thought that we were paying for. Instead of giving us premium service for the premium price they charge, they are trying to sell their limited capacity to PC users at a discount.

They think that they can do all of this because they have "exclusivity."

Sorry, Guys, enough is enough. I am out of here. I am off to Verizon. I will make my calls over MiFi/WiFi on a carrier that does not penalize that. I am paying them for broadband already. I may as well use it. If I cannot tether my PC to AT&T via the iPhone, I will tether my iPhone to Verizon via MiFi/WiFi. If AT&T does not want my traffic, then I will take my traffic and my business elsewhere.

Oh, and as for Apple, I have bought the last iPhone that I will buy, on AT&T, or otherwise. One does not pay for an iPhone; one pays a high price for an iPhone on a "steaming pile of failure." On those terms, the iPhone would still be too expensive at half the price. Do people in Europe pay more for an iPhone that is not crippled than we do for a crippled one?

Now, don't get me wrong. This is not about the money. I own AAPL at $12 and sold a lot at $200. This is about getting the value that I thought that I was paying for. I may buy other Apple products but no more iPhones. iPod Touches are a much better value.

 

[ctt1wbw]

The problem is ATT not Apple. Apple is not the one denying Google Voice and tethering and MMS. Apple does not own the cellular market for the iPhone. ATT does that. ATT is the DEVIL!!!!!

 

[whmurray]

The problem is ATT not Apple. Apple is not the one denying Google Voice and tethering and MMS. Apple does not own the cellular market for the iPhone. ATT does that. ATT is the DEVIL!!!!!

I tend to agree. However, when one makes a contract with the devil, the price is one's soul.

 

[btown11]

Verizon is overrated. sure their service is unparalleled (for the most part), but they invest nothing in securing a good phone lineup. When's the last time Verizon had a great phone? They charge a premium, but only offer half of the customer solution (good service, bad phones). ATT also charges a premium and also offers only half of the customer solution (bad service, good phones).

To me, carriers like Sprint and T-Mobile deserve more support. They are about half of the size of ATT and Verizon, but they offer decent phone lineups, decent service, and fair prices. It's amazing to me that a struggling service like Sprint can offer a good phone like the Pre (with unlimited everything for $99 mind you), while Verizon just sits on the sidelines hoping to garner customers who pay high rates and carry ****ty phones.

Verizon Wireless -- been there, done that, not going back.

::rant complete::

 

[chobbs1]

I am going to disagree. the service here in vegas from AT&T has been fantastic. customer service has always been helpful and polite. 3G coverage is everywhere! the iphone does exactly what I want it to. Sure, there have been a few glitches. (MMS comes to mind) but as I have stated in other posts MMS is not that important to me, I have already "trained" my friends. tethering..meh..I never take my computer anywhere since I got the IPhone. so for me...I hope the AT&T/Iphone marriage never breaks up. but that is just me.

 

[mikenotre]

I am also getting frustrated waiting for MMS. They really need to get this going. I switched from Verizon in June to get the iphone, and I wish AT&T can pick up the pace!!

 

[chobbs1]

Don't misunderstand...when mms comes out, I will use it. I am just not all that upset about not having it.

 

[Tramain]

Don't misunderstand...when mms comes out, I will use it. I am just not all that upset about not having it.

Same here.

 

[Jeremy]

I'm sorry things didn't work out for the OP but at the same time, AT&T and Apple can't appease everyone out there. Like others have mentioned I've had zero issues with AT&T. So I have no complaints here. Good luck with Verizon.

 

[redbeard]

I've noticed lately 3g service has been terrible all over the Los Angeles area, it's painfully slow, what are we paying 30 bucks a month for?

And MMS can't come soon enough, everyday I get picture messages sent to me, and it seems nobody knows how touse email, or owns a smartphone..

 

[sting7k]

Not to be rude but looks to me like someone who jumped on the iPhone just because it was the iPhone from Apple. Everything complained about is well known so why even get a phone that doesn't do things you need/want?

I feel I am getting what I paid for from AT&T. I don't like what happened with Google Voice and some of Apple's policies. But it serves the vast majority of my needs compared to other phones. My service around DC is great, 3G speed is on par with my friends who have Verizon.

Like the others I've never sent an mms in the 7 years before I had the iPhone, so it doesn't bother me. But if it is such an issue I don't see why people get a phone that doesn't do things they want to do.

 

[Cmec#AC]

I can wait for mms, no rush for me. It would be nice however I am happy enough with everything else that came with 3.0. I mean copy and paste, emailing in landscape mode. Those two things alone were enough to make me sell my Bold and return to the iPhone.

 

[PastorGadget]

Last week I drove from NC to WI using both an iPhone and a VZW Mifi. In the major cities (Knoxville, Louisville, Indianapolis, Chicago and Milwaukee) AT&T was pretty good, except the far north side of Milwaukee and along the lake. But in between it was weak. At the same time Verizon was pretty good everywhere except in the NC TN mountains and in some parts of Milwaukee. So from my experience, where I live and most places Verizon's services is better for both data and voice.

 

[ericUT]

MMS for me is really gimicky. I usually just post pictures on facebook, send my email, or post to flickr. So I could care less.

About the service issue, I understand. I really wish AT&T would reinvest in the network infrastructure. Especially after all the cuts we're seeing on the employee side of things. Good luck to you on Verizon, and keep us update on how it goes.

 

[colegraham102]

I'm considering jumping of the big red ship and getting the iphone. After 7 Blackberry storms and 1 tour, I'm finished! But then I join here and read all the problems with AT&T. What to do?

 

[HappyBunny]

I've noticed lately 3g service has been terrible all over the Los Angeles area, it's painfully slow, what are we paying 30 bucks a month for?
.

This is why I am using my iPhone on T-Mobile. Yes, it is EDGE data but at least it works! When I had AT&T (Cingular at the time) I had nothing but dropped calls, one way conversations and misrouted calls. Finally I was let out of my contract early because reception was so poor in Long Beach (it had previously been good on the old network-which T-Mobile now owns).

T-Mobile has not disappointed me at all. I get good reception and best of all I pay $5.99 for my unlimited data plan. I cannot complain about that--and EDGE is fine if you are checking email or Facebook. I love my iPhone--for the life of me though, I dont know why Apple chose AT&&T to partner with--because they ARE a big steaming pile.

I did have a 3G phone on T-Mobile and you know, I dont think the difference is all that (for browsing and email). I think if you are tethered on a laptop and trying to send a file, EDGE would be poor but for most uses, it's ok.

 

[redbeard]

This is why I am using my iPhone on T-Mobile. Yes, it is EDGE data but at least it works! When I had AT&T (Cingular at the time) I had nothing but dropped calls, one way conversations and misrouted calls. Finally I was let out of my contract early because reception was so poor in Long Beach (it had previously been good on the old network-which T-Mobile now owns).

T-Mobile has not disappointed me at all. I get good reception and best of all I pay $5.99 for my unlimited data plan. I cannot complain about that--and EDGE is fine if you are checking email or Facebook. I love my iPhone--for the life of me though, I dont know why Apple chose AT&&T to partner with--because they ARE a big steaming pile.

I did have a 3G phone on T-Mobile and you know, I dont think the difference is all that (for browsing and email). I think if you are tethered on a laptop and trying to send a file, EDGE would be poor but for most uses, it's ok.

I'm in Long Beach too, my reception isn't bad here except for a spot by vets stadium that is complete dead zone. 3g just isn't as good as it should be, although it's better than up in L.A. where getting 3g is so hit and miss.

6 bucks amonth for unlimited data sounds pretty good!

 

[Duvi]

No remorse for someone who knew ahead of time there was no MMS or tethering. You also get 30 days to try-out the service. Even if it was a week, you would know whether or not your service was good.

Nice vent, enjoy Verizon (ironically a company that is locked down a lot more than AT&T).

 

[redbeard]

I thought this was interesting..

Marco.org - AT&T's massive iPhone blunder

 

[whmurray]

I thought this was interesting..

Marco.org - AT&T's massive iPhone blunder

Agreed. The observations are consistent with mine. I particularly like the part that says, "Their mistake was in the assumption that AT&T was getting a bunch of new, loyal customers. In reality, iPhone owners are loyal only to the iPhone. The carrier is just a required utility given a few pixels in the corner to show their name. That?s it. We?re as loyal to AT&T as we are to our electric company."

They have weeks to months, not months to years, to convert some iPhone users ro loyal customres. Does anyone really believe that they can do that?