AT&T Wireless FAIL - but not the way you might think
So everybody has been picking on AT&T about their spotty coverage in large metro areas where people are gobbling down bandwidth using their smart phones. That's not my issue. Though I'd like a smart phone, I'm not high enough up the ladder to score one at work, and I can't justify carrying two cell phones. So I suffer with my company-issued phone.
For years I could send short e-mail messages to my cell phone at [phone number]@mmode.com. I used it to receive voicemail notifications from Vonage. Airlines used it to send me flight status notifications. And in July it just stopped working without any warning.
When I spoke with our AT&T account representative today, I was told that she didn't know about mmode.com (it's pre-Cingular merger technology) and wasn't sure why the @txt.att.net address that newer phones use wouldn't work (Kate has an iPhone with a functioning @txt.att.net address). She also wasn't aware that they had pulled the plug on mmode.com e-mail. She was apologetic, but not helpful in solving the problem. Her proposed solution was to migrate me to a new device and a new SIM card.
I know that my phone is old. Actually, ancient in wireless technology terms. But it does support GSM, which seems to be the lowest common denominator these days. I'm finding that support of pre-merger "blue" plans and phones is non-existent. Basically. AT&T is providing an inferior experience in the hope that everybody moves to a more expensive "non-blue" plan that is properly supported.
What I find most appalling is that AT&T clearly states in their FAQ that "all [AT&T] wireless phones are set up to send and receive email messages by using the following address: yournumber@txt.att.net. You can exchange short emails with any email address worldwide." There's no caveats about phones on old blue plans. As I read this, all means all -- it doesn't mean some or most.
See for yourself at:
http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/messaging-internet/messaging/faq.jsp#email
The thread on the AT&T forum about this can be found at:
http://forums.wireless.att.com/t5/mMode/URGENT-mmode-down-again-Their-mta01-cdpd-airdata-com-mail-server/td-p/1939480
There are currently 12 pages worth of feedback on the AT&T community Web site about this, so clearly there are more than just a "handful" of people with older "blue" plans. Is anybody else out there reading my blog having the same problem?
For years I could send short e-mail messages to my cell phone at [phone number]@mmode.com. I used it to receive voicemail notifications from Vonage. Airlines used it to send me flight status notifications. And in July it just stopped working without any warning.
When I spoke with our AT&T account representative today, I was told that she didn't know about mmode.com (it's pre-Cingular merger technology) and wasn't sure why the @txt.att.net address that newer phones use wouldn't work (Kate has an iPhone with a functioning @txt.att.net address). She also wasn't aware that they had pulled the plug on mmode.com e-mail. She was apologetic, but not helpful in solving the problem. Her proposed solution was to migrate me to a new device and a new SIM card.
I know that my phone is old. Actually, ancient in wireless technology terms. But it does support GSM, which seems to be the lowest common denominator these days. I'm finding that support of pre-merger "blue" plans and phones is non-existent. Basically. AT&T is providing an inferior experience in the hope that everybody moves to a more expensive "non-blue" plan that is properly supported.
What I find most appalling is that AT&T clearly states in their FAQ that "all [AT&T] wireless phones are set up to send and receive email messages by using the following address: yournumber@txt.att.net. You can exchange short emails with any email address worldwide." There's no caveats about phones on old blue plans. As I read this, all means all -- it doesn't mean some or most.
See for yourself at:
http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/messaging-internet/messaging/faq.jsp#email
The thread on the AT&T forum about this can be found at:
http://forums.wireless.att.com/t5/mMode/URGENT-mmode-down-again-Their-mta01-cdpd-airdata-com-mail-server/td-p/1939480
There are currently 12 pages worth of feedback on the AT&T community Web site about this, so clearly there are more than just a "handful" of people with older "blue" plans. Is anybody else out there reading my blog having the same problem?
Labels: #attfail, ATT wireless, customer service
posted by Scott C. Savett at
9:52 PM
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2 comments
