AT&T lights a fire under TDMA customers
…to the tune of $9.99. That’s the sum the company is now charging customers who, for whatever reason, refuse to leave their grandfathered TDMA AT&T Blue plans. According to subscriber accounts, the fee has recently been upped from $4.99 to the current $9.99. Many customers are reluctant to give up the "Blue" plans due to grandfathered features and rate plans/prices that no longer exist within AT&T’s current plan structure. The company has been trying to urge customers off of their old TDMA network for quite a while now, offering a strange combination of incentives and decreased service quality to lure the grandfathered subscribers. Perhaps AT&T should just allow these customers to join the Orange/New Blue network with their old plans…it could certainly save them some hassle, as many of these customers seem committed to hanging on until the bitter end. As some of our readers have pointed out, it’s important to note that this fee increase only impacts AT&T "Blue" customers on the dying TDMA network. "Blue" customers on the GSM network are unaffected. Well, their service will shutoff completely anyway soon so…holdout as long as you can guys!
Thanks, Mike!
Well if they are not on a valid contract then they should be “moved’ and if they are under contract thenn just let them live it out.
First, yeah. beat victor.
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to be clear, though, this only affects TDMA customers on Blue plans, NOT GSM customers on Blue plans.
That’s an important distinction to make, I think. Plus, really, how many people are still on TDMA? Under 100k?
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I know that the big reason that they are doing this is because a lot of the grandfathered plans are plans that the new AT&T simply cannot offer in good faith.
For example there was a plan with the old Blue plans that allowed you to pay $100 for unlimited voice, it cannot be offered in good faith or in the sense of profitable business.
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Post fixed. Thanks, Ricky!
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actually I as going to point that out, it does only effect the TDMA people not the GSM folks who are the scarriest is for no other reason then that are at this point relegated to buying unlocked GSM phones or using there original (albeit ragedy and dogged) handset, all in the hope of retaining the coveted 99 dollar unlimited plan.
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So then is TDMA service better then GSM? I dont see because I had AT&T back in the day when they were just AT&T wireless and it was HORRID. Much better now as AT&T mobility…
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@eJay.
TDMA is the predecessor network to the current GSM network. Plus at&t is pulling the plug on TDMA wherever they they can so that means your coverage area is slowly getting smaller. I was a TDMA customer way back when, I wouldn’t go back to that.
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@mickeyp good for you.
Now for the TDMA users:
Fight for your TDMA, make them keep it alive, at least until they finaly shut it down.
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My mom has the old AT&T plan. She gets unlimited minutes for $99. She talks (this is quite accurate) about 4-6 thousand minutes a month, most of which is in peak hours. Her phone died once, and while trying to find a new unlocked phone, she used mine and blew up my bill. She refuses to switch over…She is fighting the man.
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I don’t think it is the case that TDMA Blue customers have great deals on their plans. There are a lot of GSM Blue that have good/great deals what AT&T/Cingular, but TDMA customers are more likely just extremely price conscious. Seems easier to send them a new GSM phone forr free and offer to migrate them. I think the 100,000 number tossed out was whaat I saw about a year ago — there has to be a lot less now.
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I wonder when AT&T will finally hit my plan, I was with Suncom which was bought (in my area) by Cingular. my rate plan is $49.99 a month, unlimited minutes 300 roaming minutes, free long distance. Awesome plan which is why I’m not leaving.
I know one day they will try to get rid of all of us that still has that plan
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this is not about refusing to offer the plans. this is about shutting down a network that is keeping them from verizon-like operating margins. they’re trying to do that while not eroding the base of customers at the same time.
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victor I know your not on TDMA, you seem to be a gadget person. When was the last time a good TDMA phone/pda was released?
Kill TDMA, its hurting the rest of AT&T with its gray hair and bad driving.
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I see this as AT&T just trying to get people off those great deals they have. I have a great deal with them (1000 anytime, 5000 nights and weekends, no roaming, free long-distance, and roll-over all for $39.99). However, I moved to another state and when I went in to the store to get my number changed I was told that I would have to sign up for the more recent plans. The only equivalent plan is 900 anytime for $59.99.
Needless to say, I still have my old number. I’m not paying an extra $20/mo for a new number.
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TDMA needs to be retired. Resources now in use by TDMA can be reallocated to GSM; reducing operating costs and improving service for the majority of users. It is only a matter of time before it is completely shut down. Instead of fighting the inevitable, TDMA users should work to migrate to GSM and talk to Retail store reps to see if they can provide extra incentive to move.
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xevious, you are dead on. the free resources will be deployed the next gen technology which benefits everyone.
you can remain stubborn all you like, but the clock is ticking. soon you will wake up with a dead phone.
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Wow cingulatt is worse than i thought I mean totally shutting off and basically ruining the REAL AT&T plans/networks, which kicked ass. Well that’s just, just, well bullshit. I know my old “blue” AT&T plan/phone kisked ass. Hella more than cingulatt.
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and if anyone has any questions, this is customer retention at it’s finest. It is right up there with Indian tech support. reguardless of how old the system/plans are, come on. it is just not right. find a better way. please…
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@mickeyp I have a GSM but it is nice to see people fight hard for what they want. That is why I think TDMA users should fight to keep it around, at least until they finally officially turn it down.
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free iPhones or bust? That should get them to switch to orange/blue whatever the new one is. I am sure apple wouldn’t be happy though.
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I know of some people who have switched from TDMA to GSM between the last time they counted subscribers and now. Two people went from one Nokia 5165 to two GAIT Nokia 6340i’s (paid for out of their own pockets to preserve service in their area) finally to Motorola Razrs with new-customer benefits. Then again, they were on Cingular proper and I don’t remember them having a particularly great plan.
About another family I dunno…IIRC they had a Cingular account ~20 years old (they still have their bag phone sitting around) with 3000 minutes for $40. I need to check to see whether they’ve been migrated to GSM and if so whether they kept that plan or not…
About the TDMA move-out though, IMO both Cingular and AT&T Wireless customers should be given the option to retain their current plan while getting a new phone at new-subscriber rates, and without the $10 fee once they’re switched to GSM. That would make everyone happy on TDMA, and Cingular could quickly shut off that network and get enough margin to offset the $99 unlimited plan users. Which by the way aren’t that bad…T-Mobile offers like a 6000-minute plan for just $30 more and doesn’t customer loyalty mean anything here?
But AT&T dudn’ wanna cough up a new phone for grandfathered subscribers, and thus are putting themselves in a prediciment: forcing customers to use an old network by not providig a “way out” that is better than just switching carriers. Hmph.
I wish I had a list of the phone numbers of those AT&T TDMA customers. I’d point them to T-Mobile or Sprint SERO so that they can still get a good value for their money even though AT&T refuses to allow them to do that.
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Let me amend what I just said.
AT&T could even offer cheap replacement phones…GoPhones…to grandfathered TDMA customers and they’d only lose like $50 max per customer who switchd over, rather than 2-4x that amount for a high-end phone…e.g…
All bar phones -> Nokia 2610 refurbished, Motorola c139, Sony Ericsson J220a or Motorola c168i…all cheap phones
All flip phones -> Samsung a117
Any of these phones, wich sell for $60 at most (for the Samsung), are better than the TDMA phone they’re replacing (easy because only like 4 TDMA phones had color screens and only one of those was a flip phone…no cameraphones). But they’re dirt chea for AT&T, so they’d lose little and gain much by mailing a notice out like so:
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Dear Valued Customer,
As you may know, your current digital phone service will be shut down January 1st, 2008. However, we would like to keep you as a wireless subscriber with your current plan and give you free of charge a new phone on our new GSM network.
Because you currently have a Motorola v60it registered to your account, you’re entitled to upgrade to a Samsung a117 free of charge while keeping your plan, your number and your out-of-contract status. Or, choose from several other models of phones, and we’ll send the model of your choice to you, then deactivate your current phone.
This is a limited-time offer. If no action is taken by December 1st, 2007, this promotion will be invalidated and you will have to sign up for AT&T service at advertised rates if you wish to continue using our service after January 1st. If no action continues to be taken, on January 1st your account will be terminated with no early termination fee, and your phone number will be available for porting to another carrier or to a new line of AT&T service at advertised rates until January 31st.
We value you as a customer of the new AT&T and are offering this promotion to best serve your needs on our new, high-quality ALLOVER network. Please respond soon for this limited-time promotion to keep your current rate plan and get a new phone for free with no contract extension, by calling 1-888-555-2767 or visiting http://www.wireless.att.com / gsmupgrade.
Thank you for your business,
The New AT&T
—
Whaddya think?
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If you’ve got a great plan (e.g. unlimited for $99/month), pay the extra $10/month and keep it until the bitter end (migration deals can only get better)
Everybody here does realize the “bitter end” is only 6 months away?
AT&T’s already shut down many TDMA systems, but says they won’t bother to shut off TDMA/analog “in markets where TDMA and analog share the same network” until “early 2008″
February 2008 is the earliest date the federal government will permit carriers to shut down analog.
Enjoy it while it lasts, TDMA users, we salute you!
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AT&T plans to shut down all analog systems by February 17, 2008.
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What is going to happen to the Blue GSM network? Are they shutting it down for sure? I will never give up my plan and if they shut the network down, I will switch rather than stay with AT&T
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