Anyone else think this is stupid - no emergency alerts on AT&T

[Exvidious]

All of my Verizon and Sprint friends got the emergency alert for the Northeast Blizzard, but me and my AT&T friends did not. Regardless of what iPhone you have, anyone on AT&T can't get this option apparently but you can on every other carrier. AT&T finds a new way to piss me off everyday.

[vastoholic]

Originally Posted by Exvidious

All of my Verizon and Sprint friends got the emergency alert for the Northeast Blizzard, but me and my AT&T friends did not. Regardless of what iPhone you have, anyone on AT&T can't get this option apparently but you can on every other carrier. AT&T finds a new way to piss me off everyday.

Download the Weather Channel App for free and get weather warnings regardless of carrier.

[Mrbobb]

This is God's way of telling u not to rely on a single source for your information.

[dictoresno]

yea its only on CDMA carriers.

[wxman2003]

These companies exist for one reason and one reason only, Profit. If an alert will help them make more money, they will provide it, unless they are ordered to do it by the government. Of course, they actually prefer the government to order them to do that, as they can then use that as an excuse to raise your monthly bill.

[marc11]

If you needed a cell phone alert to tell you the blizzard was coming you may want to check reception under the rock where you are moving because you couldn't walk ten feet without reading, talking or hearing about it.

[maflynn]

This is why:
No built-in weather alerts for you if you're on the AT&T LTE Network

That headline reflects the sad truth. All Things Digital is reporting that AT&T's new LTE network can't send the highly touted weather alerts from the National Weather Service. The system, which came online last year

Looks like its a technical issue with AT&T's LTE.

[wxman2003]

Of course there are others who are whining because the alarms went off early in the morning before the storm hit. That's the whole idea. To alert BEFORE the storm hits.

[DerekRod]

AT&T has no emergency alerts as of yet.Im on HSPA+ and got nothing it was useful during Hurrican Sandy though

[wordoflife]

Umm... What were these alerts saying? That a storm is coming or that service might be interrupted because of the storm?
If its the second, then yeah, they probably should have sent a message. But maybe they didn't think there would be any issues so they didn't.

If its just the first part, who cares? I personally wouldn't want a message for something that most people know about. Well, hopefully you knew about the storm

Just can't understand what you're getting pissed off about...

[ucfgrad93]

Originally Posted by vastoholic

Download the Weather Channel App for free and get weather warnings regardless of carrier.

It is what I do.

[RotaryP7]

My school sends me weather alerts here in Miami.

AT&T doesn't care about us.

[thelatinist]

Why would anyone think it's his phone company's responsibility to check the weather for him?

[Mrbobb]

The sky is black and the highway is deserted at midday. That's your alert.^)

[DerekRod]

Originally Posted by wordoflife

Umm... What were these alerts saying? That a storm is coming or that service might be interrupted because of the storm?
If its the second, then yeah, they probably should have sent a message. But maybe they didn't think there would be any issues so they didn't.

If its just the first part, who cares? I personally wouldn't want a message for something that most people know about. Well, hopefully you knew about the storm

Just can't understand what you're getting pissed off about...

During Hurricane Sandy it was useful it had warned us of changed flood evacuation zones in NYC.
Also in Japan mobile phones have tsunami and/or earthquake warnings that save lives.So yeah I guess alerts are just useless

[marc11]

Originally Posted by DerekRod

During Hurricane Sandy it was useful it had warned us of changed flood evacuation zones in NYC.
Also in Japan mobile phones have tsunami and/or earthquake warnings that save lives.So yeah I guess alerts are just useless

As for someone who lives in Japan the alerts are rare to arrive and often arrive just as the earthquake hits. Huge huge difference between warning of an earthquake or tornado where seconds matter. An alert about a blizzard which was predicted for days and on every news channel, every weather site and most every news website let alone newspapers is just useless information.

A person should be proactive and responsible for their own safety and being informed and not rely on their cell carrier to hold their hands and nanny them about such things.

[B's iPhone]

I'm good checking the weather on my own. I definitely don't need any notifications from my service provider telling me its going to snow.

:edit:
marc11 said it way better than I did.

[Bswartz95]

Weather Underground - great push alerts. Usually arrive before the local media broadcasts the alert.

[adam044]

Originally Posted by Exvidious

All of my Verizon and Sprint friends got the emergency alert for the Northeast Blizzard, but me and my AT&T friends did not. Regardless of what iPhone you have, anyone on AT&T can't get this option apparently but you can on every other carrier. AT&T finds a new way to piss me off everyday.

I survived the blizzard!! But yes I agree ATT needs to adopt this seems like common sense to me.

[Exvidious]

I was well aware of the storm but I just think it's wrong that I pay $200+ for a service and I don't get options other carriers do.

[ucfgrad93]

Originally Posted by Exvidious

I was well aware of the storm but I just think it's wrong that I pay $200+ for a service and I don't get options other carriers do.

Then you have a choice. Get an app like The Weather Channel or switch carriers.

[B's iPhone]

Originally Posted by Exvidious

I was well aware of the storm but I just think it's wrong that I pay $200+ for a service and I don't get options other carriers do.

And when they do implimate it, you can quarantee that it won't be free. Someone has to pay it and the companies won't lose a cent, that'll all be passed down to the paying customers in some sort of a fee. Screw that. I have the news and the many different weather apps on my phone. I work outside for a living, weather is a big deal to me. I'd just like them to keep their fingers out of my pocket. It's getting old real quick. It's a snow storm in New England. Same as all the other years before cell phones.

[Mrbobb]

Originally Posted by Exvidious

I was well aware of the storm but I just think it's wrong that I pay $200+ for a service and I don't get options other carriers do.

With Verizon/Sprint u can't talk and surf at the same time.

That's a neener-neener for your friends. Now u can look at their eyes again.

[DerekRod]

Originally Posted by marc11

As for someone who lives in Japan the alerts are rare to arrive and often arrive just as the earthquake hits. Huge huge difference between warning of an earthquake or tornado where seconds matter. An alert about a blizzard which was predicted for days and on every news channel, every weather site and most every news website let alone newspapers is just useless information.

A person should be proactive and responsible for their own safety and being informed and not rely on their cell carrier to hold their hands and nanny them about such things.

Definitely understandable.The only point I'm making is there are good uses for the technology.It shouldn't just be thrown under the bus because some think its useless

[flipn0tic]

I found the alerts to be incredibly annoying so I turned them off. The sound is unbelievably loud and obnoxious. Had no idea where it was coming from the first couple times it happened. I thought the fire alarm was going off in my complex.

I also thought it was a little bit intrusive that it was automatically enabled from the getgo. At least prompt me when setting up the phone, or give the option to disable it when it does alert me.

I hate when the EBS goes off on TV and radio, don't force me to get it on my cell phone too.