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AT&T Fares Poorly in 'Consumer Reports' Ratings
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what bugs me about at&t is that they don't give you the right alternative to our needs. for example...they take away the unlimited data option and gave us a data cap but why not keep the unlimited option available for those who need it? Text messaging....wheres the option for those who texts 500 to 1000 messages?
Answer: NONE! because they know when and where to take every single penny out of us.
Answer: NONE! because they know when and where to take every single penny out of us.
So that must be the reason macbooks, macbook pros, and iMacs are almost ALWAYS #1 in their ratings... THOSE BASTARDS! HOW CAN APPLE HANDLE SUCH PRESSURE!??!!!
Once AT&T and Verizon finally get their service right, Kaboom! the world ends in 2012...
Let's just be happy with what we got, and enjoy life while we can, instead of bashing the carriers in anger, and killing our livers... LOL.
That would include me too!
Look again, that wasn't a smiley face.
Don't you wink at me.... DON'T YOU WINK AT ME....
Hrm... I think your experience will vary by location.
I have no problem with AT&T up here in Washington.
But visiting my mom I could see it might not be as good (seemed a lot spottier). She lives on Long Island.
And, when my roommate was doing a lot of business trips in California (near the LA area), we did have a problem with calls disconnecting. To be fair we never checked which phone did it (both have AT&T and iphone 4s) but we've never had an issue with that when he's home in Washington. It seemed much worse really than even my phone in New York so I'd say California people (least Southern California) have every right to want some one other than AT&T. IF they were that bad where we were, I'd be torn too about iphone vs. better phone coverage (and I'd only even consider the iphone cause I use it more for the mini computer part than the phone part).
Anyways, I have no issues myself with AT&T so that's why I've stayed with them.
So I'm curious, did CR have about equal people answering nationwide or did more of their people they were polling come from one locale?
I have no problem with AT&T up here in Washington.
But visiting my mom I could see it might not be as good (seemed a lot spottier). She lives on Long Island.
And, when my roommate was doing a lot of business trips in California (near the LA area), we did have a problem with calls disconnecting. To be fair we never checked which phone did it (both have AT&T and iphone 4s) but we've never had an issue with that when he's home in Washington. It seemed much worse really than even my phone in New York so I'd say California people (least Southern California) have every right to want some one other than AT&T. IF they were that bad where we were, I'd be torn too about iphone vs. better phone coverage (and I'd only even consider the iphone cause I use it more for the mini computer part than the phone part).
Anyways, I have no issues myself with AT&T so that's why I've stayed with them.
So I'm curious, did CR have about equal people answering nationwide or did more of their people they were polling come from one locale?
AT&T is seriously horrible...im not jumping ship and hating on them because everyone else is. I have my own horror stories with them...Not just on my iPhone bill, but with my internet issues as well...overall as a company, customer service is nothing they care about. I have filed my formal complaint with them yesterday. Cant wait for them to lose the iPhone.
Keep in mind AT&T for cable is probably different than AT&T mobile. It's just as silly as me avoiding Verizon mobile cause I don't really care for Verizon phone service (different companies really).
It appears that there was a lot of ballot stuffing against at&t. I've have them (cingular) for 5 years, and could never think of using any of the other providers for my full-time phone. I have only dropped calls due to switching between 3G and EDGE or between at&t's network and a ROAMing network, which is completely understandable. I have always had excellent service from their customer service, and when I've reported a service issue, it has been handled quickly, and I usually received a credit on my account for the inconvenience. I usually have service, when others do not. I have also done some extensive testing for various blogs regarding each network, and have always found at&t to be available when the others were not. That isn't to say there are some issues with at&t's network, there are issues with each network, I just believe that the issues with at&t's network have been widely overblown. Also, as a new iPhone 4 user, I have to say that at&t's 3G speed blows T-Mo, Sprint, and VZW out of the water in my area, and I have never dropped a call on my iPhone due to "antenna gate". Then again, having started with a flip phone, back in the day, I naturally hold the phone in such a way as to press the ear piece into my head, instead of just resting the phone in my hand.
I think Consumer Reports needs to do independent testing of the networks. I think if they do, they will find Sprint to be the worst, followed by VZW, T-Mobile, and at&t tied for first.
I say this, being someone who spent nearly all 5 years, living in a home that had little to no at&t coverage, which is to be expected, when you live in a location that has special interest groups dedicated to no-growth, no-national stores, and no-cell towers. However, thanks to the "Mark the Spot" app, and several discussions with at&t, I now have full coverage throughout my entire town, instead along one street (turns out an antenna's lead had shorted out, but no one had been aware). I have also spent considerable time in Michigan, thinks to College, and never had problems, even getting signal in rooms of my college building that no other provider was able to provide coverage. To travel between home and school I would drive, along I-90, I-94, and/or I-80, and I always had cellular reception, and with the exception of a 100 mile stretch in Wyoming, I always had EDGE coverage (original iPhone). I was able to stream radio shows, via that EDGE connection, the entire way, only losing connection for a few minutes when transitioning between at&t and Alltel (ROAM) networks.
TEG
I think Consumer Reports needs to do independent testing of the networks. I think if they do, they will find Sprint to be the worst, followed by VZW, T-Mobile, and at&t tied for first.
I say this, being someone who spent nearly all 5 years, living in a home that had little to no at&t coverage, which is to be expected, when you live in a location that has special interest groups dedicated to no-growth, no-national stores, and no-cell towers. However, thanks to the "Mark the Spot" app, and several discussions with at&t, I now have full coverage throughout my entire town, instead along one street (turns out an antenna's lead had shorted out, but no one had been aware). I have also spent considerable time in Michigan, thinks to College, and never had problems, even getting signal in rooms of my college building that no other provider was able to provide coverage. To travel between home and school I would drive, along I-90, I-94, and/or I-80, and I always had cellular reception, and with the exception of a 100 mile stretch in Wyoming, I always had EDGE coverage (original iPhone). I was able to stream radio shows, via that EDGE connection, the entire way, only losing connection for a few minutes when transitioning between at&t and Alltel (ROAM) networks.
TEG
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First Annual U.S. Wireless Carrier Bashing Week Schedule
Now that we got it started, why not follow this schedule:
December 6: AT&T
December 7: Verizon
December 8: U.S. Cellular
December 9: T-Mobile
December 10: Sprint
December 11: All other carriers
How about one thread per carrier, maybe a voting Poll opened just for that day.
It may serve as therapy to some, and we may even bring more traffic to the site.
Now that we got it started, why not follow this schedule:
December 6: AT&T
December 7: Verizon
December 8: U.S. Cellular
December 9: T-Mobile
December 10: Sprint
December 11: All other carriers
How about one thread per carrier, maybe a voting Poll opened just for that day.
It may serve as therapy to some, and we may even bring more traffic to the site.
I dunno, I kinda think that might be a point in their favor
.But yeah, a lot of it does depend on your area. And I will say in my experience, Southern California does get crappy AT&T coverage.
Yeah, you know I used to have a "dumb" phone before the iphone and no issues whatsoever. I did notice when I got my first iphone (a 3g) that there was a tendency for it to sometimes not notify me there was a call and then take days before any message/missed calls came up. But, to be honest, I only noticed that for a short time (around when I first got my iphone, and I got it pretty soon after it came out) and since haven't seen that happen afterward.
I love my iphone to death but after my contract was up i cancelled and pretty much survived on google voice and At&t's prepaid data. I barely talk on the phone and use texting and internet the most anyway. When i heard about Virgin Mobile's unlimited text/internet(with 300min talk) for $25 i got an android phone on Cyber Monday. Yes it costs me $180 but that would have been about 3 months of At&t ridiculous pricing plan. I hate carrying 2 phones (need the iphone for games and music) but it's worth it to me in the end.
Bye Bye At&t
Bye Bye At&t
AT&T sucks, I only have them because of the iPhone.
AT&T sucked SO bad for me that I returned my iphone!
cheers to the longs
JohnG
Yep.
A cellular tower can only handle a finite number of connections. If you were to map out satisfaction relative to population density you'll see a trend. I live in a city of about 380k people, and my data speeds are great. Towers are a little far-spaced because we're flat geographically so they reach further. That's my only issue, as it compounds the antenna issues. My 3G dongle on my laptop through ATT gets about 5MB/sec transfer speeds, quite adequate for using it in business emergencies.
All said I still hate AT&T because of their megacorp practices, but I spent a a lot of time troubleshooting Uverse with their support team and they were wonderful. They've even cancelled all my bills from when I had to switch back to Cox because of some technical limitations of their 2Wire boxes. Cox Communications' support has been anything but.
Does anyone have any actual data on how many cellular connections a typical tower array can handle?
Who cares what CR has to say
You know what, I'm not a big fan of AT&T, but I REALLY dislike Consumer Reports and couldn't care less what their reports have to say. After their iPhone report, I have zero respect for that company and really don't trust their ratings and reviews. I mean, how can that company possibly expect people to respect their reviews if they cannot recommend an outstanding device (iPhone 4) which as made one of the largest impacts in the cellphone industry in the past decade. Their reasoning for that review was flawed and very poor and there's nothing to say that it's not the same for this AT&T report. All ratings are subjective, but to claim that they cannot recommend a product because of some ridiculous finding is unbelievable. While I cannot agree that AT&T is the worst carrier, it really doesn't matter as I really don't care what a CR publication has to say.
Maybe I'll make up a form and fill in some little dots and come up with a percentage rating. In fact, here:
Best & Worst Reviewers (Sorry Consumer Reports)
Reliability of Reviews: Consumer Reports - 0%
You know what, I'm not a big fan of AT&T, but I REALLY dislike Consumer Reports and couldn't care less what their reports have to say. After their iPhone report, I have zero respect for that company and really don't trust their ratings and reviews. I mean, how can that company possibly expect people to respect their reviews if they cannot recommend an outstanding device (iPhone 4) which as made one of the largest impacts in the cellphone industry in the past decade. Their reasoning for that review was flawed and very poor and there's nothing to say that it's not the same for this AT&T report. All ratings are subjective, but to claim that they cannot recommend a product because of some ridiculous finding is unbelievable. While I cannot agree that AT&T is the worst carrier, it really doesn't matter as I really don't care what a CR publication has to say.
Maybe I'll make up a form and fill in some little dots and come up with a percentage rating. In fact, here:
Best & Worst Reviewers (Sorry Consumer Reports)
Reliability of Reviews: Consumer Reports - 0%
Do I hear fanboyism? Consumer Reports always recommend Apple products except for the iPhone 4. Yep, that's why all of the MacBooks, iMacs, Mac Pros, iPhone 3GS, iPods, etc... get such high scores. Love your theory, mate.
Plus no one is making you two read stuff about Consumer Reports. I think you two voluntarily clicked on this article.
That's the one bad thing about this place. One bad thing against Apple and the fanboys jump onto Apple's defense. The reason I like Consumer Reports is that they are completely unbiased. They don't accept money or products from suppliers or manufactures so they aren't persuaded by them.
Well AT&T has officially gone crazy advertising every smartphone under the sun besides the iPhone. Every carrier besides AT&T and Verizon is currently making fun of the iPhone. Yeah, I think that AT&T is just trying to say we will be alright when the Verizon iPhone comes. So instead of investing their money to improve their bandwidth to keep customers from switching to Verizon, they are investing it to say Verizon's iPhone will not kill us.
Doesn't Verizon handle a ton of other brand smart phones?
AT&T was given how many years to improve things? They could have gone crazy adding service, but they just cashed bonus checks instead. That was their choice. Maybe if they lose a lot of market share heads will roll, but what the heck, they will just get huge golden parachute payments and get recycled as executives at some other big drudge of a corporation.
They are still talking about the antenna? That is so overblown that is practically not an issue at all.
I broke down and got an iphone. I figure there will be a few months between the end of the ATT contract with Apple and the time my contract runs out. I didn't want to wait longer.
I figure about the time iphones are available on other networks in 2012, 4G will be legitimate with new iphones to make use of it.
I broke down and got an iphone. I figure there will be a few months between the end of the ATT contract with Apple and the time my contract runs out. I didn't want to wait longer.
I figure about the time iphones are available on other networks in 2012, 4G will be legitimate with new iphones to make use of it.
Why "Sorry AT&T?"
AT&T is a freaking JOKE. Their coverage is pathetic. I love my iPhone, and the three iPhones before it, but the network is a joke. It's absolutely worthless at times, and nobody can depend on their coverage. Then AT&T has the nerve to SELL people stupid devices to actually give them coverage in their homes with a device that actually uses their own Internet connection.
AT&T should be shut down. Everyone should jump ship the minute the iPhone becomes available on Verizon. I will be there day one, and I will never look back. Neither will half of AT&T customers who leave within the first year or two when their contract is up. Honestly, I don't know who is more to blame, AT&T for robbing their customers and not providing the coverage or service expected and it sells to people or Steve Jobs for forcing all of its American Apple fans to use the freaking JOKE of a network as the ONLY/SOLE iPhone provider.
It is robbery, and SJ's is thief number one. Let the flaming begin, but the buck stops somewhere, and SJ's signed the dang contract locking Apple up with the worthless joke of a company since day one. Believe me, I want the Droid to beat the hell out of iPhone but it just isn't there yet. The day Android makes up in software and there is a well built competitor, I will be off the Apple bandwagon OR if January doesn't bring us news of iPhone on Big Red... waited long enough, and not willing to go it another year.
Nexus S, Droid 3, Galaxy 2, I don't care what they call it... beat iPhone in build quality and no iPhone on Verizon and we all should jump ship anyways. How dare these scumbags keep up the robbing and thieving of millions of Americans... just because we're Americans and SJ's wants to secure his AAPL stock prices remain high...
Many people here act like SJ's is a God, but I think he acts more like a crook and he's not any better than his bully colleagues over at Intel or crooked thieves at AT&T.
AT&T is a freaking JOKE. Their coverage is pathetic. I love my iPhone, and the three iPhones before it, but the network is a joke. It's absolutely worthless at times, and nobody can depend on their coverage. Then AT&T has the nerve to SELL people stupid devices to actually give them coverage in their homes with a device that actually uses their own Internet connection.
AT&T should be shut down. Everyone should jump ship the minute the iPhone becomes available on Verizon. I will be there day one, and I will never look back. Neither will half of AT&T customers who leave within the first year or two when their contract is up. Honestly, I don't know who is more to blame, AT&T for robbing their customers and not providing the coverage or service expected and it sells to people or Steve Jobs for forcing all of its American Apple fans to use the freaking JOKE of a network as the ONLY/SOLE iPhone provider.
It is robbery, and SJ's is thief number one. Let the flaming begin, but the buck stops somewhere, and SJ's signed the dang contract locking Apple up with the worthless joke of a company since day one. Believe me, I want the Droid to beat the hell out of iPhone but it just isn't there yet. The day Android makes up in software and there is a well built competitor, I will be off the Apple bandwagon OR if January doesn't bring us news of iPhone on Big Red... waited long enough, and not willing to go it another year.
Nexus S, Droid 3, Galaxy 2, I don't care what they call it... beat iPhone in build quality and no iPhone on Verizon and we all should jump ship anyways. How dare these scumbags keep up the robbing and thieving of millions of Americans... just because we're Americans and SJ's wants to secure his AAPL stock prices remain high...
Many people here act like SJ's is a God, but I think he acts more like a crook and he's not any better than his bully colleagues over at Intel or crooked thieves at AT&T.
*shrug* Jeez, so much hate. I've been with AT&T for almost 12 years (back when it was PacBell Wireless, then Cingular) and sure, it hasn't been perfect, but it's fine for my needs.
