AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile Make Moves to Improve Coverage

[STiNG Operation]

"over the next three years"

-Great so this means I MIGHT have LTE here in MI (Kalamazoo) area in three years. More than like going to drop ATT in 2014 and get over to Verizon.

[TomTomTuning]

I don't have LTE (AT&T) in my area... I'll keep my fingers cross that part of the $14 Billion dollar upgrade includes LTE in around here...

[krravi]

AT&T is another sham, unless they let customers use their data plan as customers wanted.

Did they revoke the "Pay us MORE to use FaceTime!" plan?

[bedifferent]

Originally Posted by prspectiv2

What a coincidence!

The day after a democratic administration gains four more years, AT&T believes in reaching more customers and improving broadband by investing in infrastructure.

Ars Technica covers this story from a slightly different angle.

I'm not certain what this has to do with a Democrat POTUS winning re-election, however the article truly is frightening.

If I understand correctly:

AT&T is "extorting" our government, announcing they will invest $14 Billion in wired and wireless communications IF the FCC deregulates much of its business. If AT&T and other carriers move the US into an FTTN structure, basic phone service will be replaced with corporate controlled services and will be dependent on who has access to which area's (very much akin to cable services). E.U. and Asia use FTTH, if AT&T gets its way (and much of this is due to the blocked t-Mobile merger according to AT&T and experts), expect phone services to sky rocket in costs and limitations to be implemented. 911 service? Sure, for $1.25/min.

I strongly agree with this point:

"The letter that they filed says they want to get rid of regulation, and there will be an attack by AT&T and Verizon to get rid of all regulation in Congress probably at the beginning of next year," he told Ars. "Their goal is to take the letter and to extend it through Congress. What we need is a wireless and wireline to have an open utility, and let customers choose whatever provider and whatever services they want. If we don’t do that, we will fall behind."

Thanks for the article, very interesting.

----------

Originally Posted by winston1236

Unless you have an obamaphone how is pricing their concern?

What's an "Obamaphone"?

[pmz]

Originally Posted by Radio

Yes makes sense they are doing something positive for all the money we pay.

We need the government to step in and stop the price gouging

Uh, no. We don't.

Everyone wants it. No one wants to pay for it. Arguably, the amount of value we get from the cost of wireless service is a steal. You just want to pay less, like everyone else. And you somehow think its a good thing for government to step into industry and start price fixing.

[Radio]

Originally Posted by winston1236

Unless you have an obamaphone how is pricing their concern? You need to google 'price gouging' because you clearly havent a clue to its definition.

u think paying $30 a month for data and .25 $ per text isn't price gouging?

how dare you

how ***** dare u

[hexonxonx]

What about Verizon?

It's bad when I have to use my 3GS on AT&T to make a call at home because I drop 90% of all calls on my Verizon 4S.

[Macboy Pro]

[QUOTE=Smallworld69;16253872]

Originally Posted by Macboy Pro

You didnt buy unthrottled data and you get unlimited. Whats the complaint?[COLOR="#808080"]
un·lim·it·ed**
/ˌənˈlimitid/
Adjective
Not limited or restricted in terms of number, quantity, or extent.
(of a company) Not limited.
Synonyms
boundless - unbounded - limitless - infinite
Guess the definition of a word means nothing anymore?

At no point in your use of 3G, 4G, or LTE do you get any less throughput, bandwidth, or alloted (Unlimited) data. When you got your unlimited Data plan, you could get 1MB per sec TOPS. You could hardly use 3 or 4GB in a month. Now, I get 25-40MB per second on LTE on AT&T in the Tampa area. Its almost as fast as the upper tier FIOS.

Bottom line, you are getting more than what you signed up for and got grandfathered into. In my opinion, they should cancel the unlimited plans until another comparable carrier offers them. They would lose a few customers who complain for a living, but in the end, those customers will come back because Verizon is CRAP.

[Smallworld69]

I have been on the unlimited plan for 6 years, and have never been throttled down. I didn't upgrade the network to transfer more data, they did. Why should I be punished or that?

[prspectiv2]

Originally Posted by bedifferent

I'm not certain what this has to do with a Democrat POTUS winning re-election, however the article truly is frightening.

Glad you found the article interesting. My poorly articulated (and admittedly cynical) point was that AT&T probably felt a republican administration would be likely to deregulate without any incentive. That's not to say AT&T hasn't been planning these expenditures & upgrades for some time now, but the spin AT&T puts on this story seems targeted to re-assure the public that infrastructure is improving by leaps and bounds. Clearly that's not the case. At least for wireline service (as you alluded to).

[Macboy Pro]

Originally Posted by Smallworld69

I have been on the unlimited plan for 6 years, and have never been throttled down. I didn't upgrade the network to transfer more data, they did. Why should I be punished or that?

iPhone has only been around for 5 years. And why do you think you are punished. They only throttle if you go over a huge amount of data, and they do not punish you, they hold your throughput down to the amount you originally purchased as unlimited.

----------

Originally Posted by Radio

u think paying $30 a month for data and .25 $ per text isn't price gouging?

how dare you

how ***** dare u

You should look up the definitions. Oh, I assume you think Apple "price gouges" on everything they sell, with no exceptions.

[nizmoz]

Originally Posted by lshaner

Too late, AT&T! I already switched to Verizon because for more than 10 years I have had no AT&T signal at my house and you never cared enough to do anything about it!

Yeah, that's funny because I switched to Verizon, en 2-3 months later had no signal at my house inside of a city, and called many times and Verizon said no issues with their tower and refused to fix it. But they let me out of the contract for free and I went back to AT&T with no issues.

[Smallworld69]

3GB is not a "huge amount of data" which is the limit at which I become throttled. I know this because AT&T sent me a text and told me. Second, I had unlimited before the iPhone, and they still offered it a year, maybe two after the iPhone came out.

Originally Posted by Macboy Pro

iPhone has only been around for 5 years. And why do you think you are punished. They only throttle if you go over a huge amount of data, and they do not punish you, they hold your throughput down to the amount you originally purchased as unlimited.

----------



You should look up the definitions. Oh, I assume you think Apple "price gouges" on everything they sell, with no exceptions.

----------

Originally Posted by Macboy Pro

they hold your throughput down to the amount you originally purchased as unlimited.

Wow.... The amount you purchased as unlimited.... Can anyone else not see the stupidity in that remark? Unlimited means without limit, whether it be in size, consumption, or otherwise. Please learn what unlimited means, stop trying to take up for a company you obviously work for.

[Macboy Pro]

Originally Posted by Smallworld69

3GB is not a "huge amount of data" which is the limit at which I become throttled. I know this because AT&T sent me a text and told me. Second, I had unlimited before the iPhone, and they still offered it a year, maybe two after the iPhone came out.

----------

[/COLOR]

Originally Posted by Macboy Pro

they hold your throughput down to the amount you originally purchased as unlimited.[COLOR="#808080"]

Wow.... The amount you purchased as unlimited.... Can anyone else not see the stupidity in that remark? Unlimited means without limit, whether it be in size, consumption, or otherwise. Please learn what unlimited means, stop trying to take up for a company you obviously work for.

NO, the options were like 200MB, 2GB or Unlimited back when unlimited was an option. There is NO MENTION OF THROUGHPUT ANYWHERE. It was AMOUNT OF DATA AND TIME FRAME (30 days). So, your remark is lacking any facts.

[bedifferent]

Originally Posted by Macboy Pro

iPhone has only been around for 5 years. And why do you think you are punished. They only throttle if you go over a huge amount of data, and they do not punish you, they hold your throughput down to the amount you originally purchased as unlimited.

Sorry, have to chime in here. I was throttled, been with AT&T when they were Cingular. I never once went over 3GB cellular data, not ONCE. I was throttled Oct 2011 - Jan of this year. The most data I used was 1.87 GB/mo (I'll never forget that figure). I was in San Francisco on business and interviewing, when AT&T throttled me. I calmly went into the nearest store on Market St. and spoke with a rep. The rep was surprised to see a notation on my account, and he couldn't do anything without calling in (he was perplexed). After over three hours of trying to understand why they put a hold on my account (never missed a payment, automatic payments), and never abused my data, neither I nor the store reps could understand. I have a 917 number, NYC market, which is the only thing they could consider.

As I need voice+data, I'm stuck with AT&T's GSM network (pissed they didn't include a proper radio chip for Verizon to have LTE voice+data, I don't buy their excuse, Broadcomm has had a proper tri-band radio chip for a while and could have easily fit, my guess is AT&T made a deal with Apple to keep that one edge over Verizon). AT&T's service has definitely improved, however they are a bunch of crooks. They throttled me so much I couldn't check email, even my visual voicemail was down. I was forced into taking a 3GB tiered data plan, the second lowest was too low, I barely use 1/3 of it.

I am not an exception. I recall many were experiencing this issue around the same time. During one of my many calls to AT&T customer service, I remember the rep stating (and I paraphrase) this "program" may end at any time when asked when this may come to a stop. She caught herself from going off cue.

The FCC should seriously examine the North American mobile phone market. The rest of the world pays for plans on SIM cards and can use any phone. No contracts, just pay for more service on your SIM card account, drop the SIM card in, and on you go. ETF's, two year subsidized phone contracts, price gauging - it's business and these corporations will do anything to keep the customers from having any power with less choice (thank GOD AT&T and t-Mobile didn't merge, the only GSM networks in the states). I would gladly pay more for a phone with the freedom to choose my network (heck, I paid $399 for my iPhone 5, and sold my 4S officially unlocked for around $350). This crap needs to stop.

[Smallworld69]

Originally Posted by bedifferent

Sorry, have to chime in here. I was throttled, been with AT&T when they were Cingular. I never once went over 3GB cellular data, not ONCE. I was throttled Oct 2011 - Jan of this year. The most data I used was 1.87 GB/mo (I'll never forget that figure). I was in San Francisco on business and interviewing, when AT&T throttled me. I calmly went into the nearest store on Market St. and spoke with a rep. The rep was surprised to see a notation on my account, and he couldn't do anything without calling in (he was perplexed). After over three hours of trying to understand why they put a hold on my account (never missed a payment, automatic payments), and never abused my data, neither I nor the store reps could understand. I have a 917 number, NYC market, which is the only thing they could consider.

As I need voice+data, I'm stuck with AT&T's GSM network (pissed they didn't include a proper radio chip for Verizon to have LTE voice+data, I don't buy their excuse, Broadcomm has had a proper tri-band radio chip for a while and could have easily fit, my guess is AT&T made a deal with Apple to keep that one edge over Verizon). AT&T's service has definitely improved, however they are a bunch of crooks. They throttled me so much I couldn't check email, even my visual voicemail was down. I was forced into taking a 3GB tiered data plan, the second lowest was too low, I barely use 1/3 of it.

I am not an exception. I recall many were experiencing this issue around the same time. During one of my many calls to AT&T customer service, I remember the rep stating (and I paraphrase) this "program" may end at any time when asked when this may come to a stop. She caught herself from going off cue.

The FCC should seriously examine the North American mobile phone market. The rest of the world pays for plans on SIM cards and can use any phone. No contracts, just pay for more service on your SIM card account, drop the SIM card in, and on you go. ETF's, two year subsidized phone contracts, price gauging - it's business and these corporations will do anything to keep the customers from having any power with less choice (thank GOD AT&T and t-Mobile didn't merge, the only GSM networks in the states). I would gladly pay more for a phone with the freedom to choose my network (heck, I paid $399 for my iPhone 5, and sold my 4S officially unlocked for around $350). This crap needs to stop.

Would be happy to show bills from 2010 until about 6 months ago where 2 iPhones on my account were using 8+ GB a month. And another family member that was averaging 6 GB a month. Just because you aren't a data intensive user doesn't mean no one is. There are actually a lot of data intensive users out there. And @Macboy is the options were 200MB 2GB and Unlimited, why is "unlimited" throttled at 3 GB? I could use over 3GB's easily on 3G in 2-3 weeks if I wasn't having to watch my data usage because of being throttled to a RIDICULOUS 0.04kb/s

[itr81]

Originally Posted by prspectiv2

Glad you found the article interesting. My poorly articulated (and admittedly cynical) point was that AT&T probably felt a republican administration would be likely to deregulate without any incentive. That's not to say AT&T hasn't been planning these expenditures & upgrades for some time now, but the spin AT&T puts on this story seems targeted to re-assure the public that infrastructure is improving by leaps and bounds. Clearly that's not the case. At least for wireline service (as you alluded to).

The reason behind AT&T deregulation of the old tdm network which by fed and state law assures AT&T has a basic wireline service in all states it provides phone service in is to basically get rid of all the price differences from state to state plus the differences in state and local taxes(this is because the local state neg. the price and taxes). AT&T can go about its plan regardless if its deregulated or not the problem is by law AT&T has to keep the old tdm service running or be fined. This is why folks currently don't pay state or fed taxes on VoIP services now but if the gov has its way then they could tax VoIP phone services along with Internet services. AT&T doesn't want to have to pay for the tdm service not in use anymore and plus also be in debt with the new upgrade. Who wants to pay twice? Not many.

Any guesses on why gov wouldn't want to deregulate tdm phones service? Loss of tax revenue that affect both state and federal. Add up all the taxes on standard phone bill and usually the taxes are higher then what you pay for the service cost.

[Bwinski]

So riddle me this, WHY CAN'T I BUY AN UNLOCKED-IPHONE 5 YET to take advantage of this???

[Shanesan]

Huh, Sprint bought the wrong side of the country.