AT&T Fares Poorly in 'Consumer Reports' Ratings

[QuarterSwede]

Please. Stop. They ARE the only ones with a major antenna problem and this is a direct result of them putting the antenna right where your left hand would cover it holding the phone naturally. There is any number of other spots on the side, bottom and even the top where the antenna would not have been covered by simply holding the phone. Previous iPhones did not use that location and the head engineer warned Steve Jobs about the problem ahead of time and Steve ignored him. In short, Apple got what Apple deserved for ignoring their own engineers.

HTC has had consumer complaints and has recently admitted issues. I'll give it to you that Apple flat out created their problem by how they designed it. Also, everything you said about engineers telling Jobs is heresy. No one knows for sure.

No, there is nothing wrong with Consumer Reports. It is the crazed wide-eyed FANATIC that MacRumours should be shunning, not Consumer Reports. I've never read such baseless accusations in my entire life. The sad thing is that there are REAL problems in this world that actually deserve attention and complaints. Consumer Reports not worshiping Apple and its trade partners and/or support companies is not important or a big deal in the grand scheme of things is just slightly less important than the woman who spilled coffee on herself at McDonalds and then sued them for selling hot coffee. (BTW AT&T *IS* very poor in customer service and satisfaction and got endless complaints on these very forums for their slow service, lack of 3G coverage, etc. so as far as I can tell the Consumer Reports article is right on the money.) But as always, if you don't like them, don't buy their magazine. It's as simple as that.

Consumer Reports has long been known, in the tech circle, as having awful reviews on electronics because they consider every area of study equally. I've seen numerous reviewers that gave GREAT tech products bad reviews because of one issue. Another tech product will score better even though it's considered an inferior product in the tech world.

Consumer Reports is good for everything BUT tech products in my opinion.

 

[wirelessmacuser]

There's really no difference between any of them.

This is the most accurate statement of all....

 

[JimAtLaw]

Dropped call count today on AT&T: 6. I often drop more calls in a week on AT&T than I dropped collectively in several years with Verizon.

WORST. APPLE. EXPERIENCE. EVER.

 

[lowrisk]

iPhone 4 works better on other networks

I've used my iPhone extensively overseas, principally in Europe and the South Pacific. While the iPhone 4 has poorer reception than the 3G and even the 2G (on voice), it is still functional outside the US. However, in many domestic markets, where AT&T is the exclusive carrier, connectivity is simply unacceptable. I'm told by AT&T reps that coverage is no better than "good" in Los Angeles, and phones might not be usable inside homes or offices. Clearly AT&T service has degraded in recent months to 3rd world standards (actually that's not a fair comparison - I've gotten better coverage in rural India).

I wonder when the class action lawsuit will commence demanding that AT&T release customers from their contracts.

 

[peperoni]

In fact, I like how surveyed about 50% iPhone owners. This makes the survey more applicable to the people on this very website. The people on here certainly don't care how the latest Nokia performs on the AT&T website, do they?

If 50% of the participants would have used Nokias, AT&T would have got much better ratings... iPhone antennas are making AT&T look even more worse than it really is.

 

[HyperX13]

I take the same train to work (have been for 10 years). On my iPhone 3gs I could maintain my morning conference call without a drop. On my iPhone 4 I regularly drop in 3 places along my route. ATT does have it's issues, but I don't think iPhone 4 helps them any.

 

[Mochi Hana]

I've never had any major issues with AT&T, where I live. I've only had one dropped call that I can remember. They're not too bad, in my opinion.

 

[stroked]

I've used my iPhone extensively overseas, principally in Europe and the South Pacific. While the iPhone 4 has poorer reception than the 3G and even the 2G (on voice), it is still functional outside the US. However, in many domestic markets, where AT&T is the exclusive carrier, connectivity is simply unacceptable. I'm told by AT&T reps that coverage is no better than "good" in Los Angeles, and phones might not be usable inside homes or offices. Clearly AT&T service has degraded in recent months to 3rd world standards (actually that's not a fair comparison - I've gotten better coverage in rural India).

I wonder when the class action lawsuit will commence demanding that AT&T release customers from their contracts.

With a little patience, and a few calls, you can get out of contracts with AT&T and T-Mobile.

 

[DiamondMac]

and what does that say about your choice making?

That he loves the iPhone that much

I agree 100% with him

Love the iPhone/Love Apple....absolutely can't stand AT&T

 

[scelzifan]

I remember a few years ago when T-Mobile was the blacksheep of the industry. Their service was pretty poor, the phones were pretty terrible and the coverage they had was the worst of all the carriers. I never would have imagined 3 or 4 years later that AT&T would be in the same boat. If they did not have the Iphone, I think they would have sank by now or by dang close to it. And if Verizon gets the Iphone next year they are in trouble. If all the other carriers get the Iphone next year, their is a good chance they may go under or be forced to merge with another provider because the fact of the matter is, the Iphone is the only thing that is really saving them right now. They need to do some drastic things very quickly to start to turn things around. Start changing plan rates, data rates or whatever needs to be done. But they need to do it now before it's to late.

 

[oban14]

The BBB (Better Business Bureau) just announced that AT&T has the fewest complaints of any network provider.

http://www.bbb.org

That's only because we've all given up complaining. We know it won't make a difference.