A major product release is three days away, yet, confusion abounds with regard to the data plans that AT&T and Verizon will be offering.
Example:
At Apple's Online Store site, you see this information on available data plans for the new iPad:
It clearly shows that Verizon will be offering 1GB worth of data for $20. Since I expect my data needs to fall somewhere between 250MB and 1GB, this would be the plan for me.
However, if you go to Verizon's new iPad site at this link:
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/splash/ipad.jsp#howMuchData
And click "View All Data Plans", this is what you get:
I clearly says "The new iPad" but there's no trace of a 1GB for $20 option. Yet, I'm supposedly viewing "All Data Plans".
How the hell is the consumer supposed to make a decision if the consumer doesn't have all of the necessary information or if the information is contradictory?
I've spoken with three different Verizon reps and received three different answers. Their own employees don't know what the hell is going on.
And on the other side of the fence, the AT&T reps I talked to just yesterday (to ask about the mobile hotspot feature of the new iPad) didn't even know that a new iPad had been announced!
As easy as it is to want to blame the reps for being dolts, the reality is that it's their superiors that are the blithering idiots. They should have provided the ACCURATE information to their customer service reps DAYS ago. The leadership and management of these wireless companies is so vastly inferior to what we experience with Apple, it's an embarrassment that Apple ever has to sign a contract with these morons.
PLEASE Apple, spend that $100 billion to create your own wireless company!!
Mark
Example:
At Apple's Online Store site, you see this information on available data plans for the new iPad:

It clearly shows that Verizon will be offering 1GB worth of data for $20. Since I expect my data needs to fall somewhere between 250MB and 1GB, this would be the plan for me.
However, if you go to Verizon's new iPad site at this link:
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/splash/ipad.jsp#howMuchData
And click "View All Data Plans", this is what you get:

I clearly says "The new iPad" but there's no trace of a 1GB for $20 option. Yet, I'm supposedly viewing "All Data Plans".
How the hell is the consumer supposed to make a decision if the consumer doesn't have all of the necessary information or if the information is contradictory?
I've spoken with three different Verizon reps and received three different answers. Their own employees don't know what the hell is going on.
And on the other side of the fence, the AT&T reps I talked to just yesterday (to ask about the mobile hotspot feature of the new iPad) didn't even know that a new iPad had been announced!
As easy as it is to want to blame the reps for being dolts, the reality is that it's their superiors that are the blithering idiots. They should have provided the ACCURATE information to their customer service reps DAYS ago. The leadership and management of these wireless companies is so vastly inferior to what we experience with Apple, it's an embarrassment that Apple ever has to sign a contract with these morons.
PLEASE Apple, spend that $100 billion to create your own wireless company!!
Mark