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BEWARE OF and AVOID doing business with AT&T!

AT&T exemplifies screw-the-consumer corporate arrogance at its worst.
DO NOT PATRONIZE AT&T or YOU'LL REGRET IT!

I had an ISP service package with AT&T Worldnet that included email, DSL, a
personal website on their server, and Usenet access. Suddenly they dropped
the Usenet service, with no compensation to customers that were forced to
find another source. Another example of their screw-the-customer attitude is
the fact that reaching a tech support person by phone typically requires at
least a 20 minute wait on hold. AT&T once had a good tech support service on
Usenet, but dropped that too and became very hard to reach. I should have
seen the writing on the wall and dropped AT&T back then!

This March 2nd I get an email that AT&T Worldnet service, DSL service, and
website hosting will no longer be available effective March 31st - A KNIFE
IN THE BACK to all their small business and individual customers!

They arranged a deal with Covad to take over the DSL service, and a new
email/web service that allows you to keep your existing email address and
ID. You could elect to use AT&T for dialup only, or go to another ISP
entirely. In effect, if you wanted to keep your present email address, IDs,
settings, and DSL, you are FORCED to accept Covad and still be tied to AT&T
as your ISP. Before, if your DSL service went down you had free dialup
backup, but no longer. Dialup now costs extra. And since converting to Covad
DSL about a week ago, I have already had a service failure!

For a business, the website customer-screwing by AT&T is the worst of all. I
had my site for years and it had a high ranking with the search engines -
top10. Now I have been FORCED to move it to another host with a new URL
unknown to the search engines. My initial outlay for 3 years of webhosting
and a domain was over $150. Fortunately I was able to upload my site to the
new host without the typical professional fee of $250 to do so, but it took
alot of my time. In addition, I'll have to toss and replace about $50 worth
of business cards with my old URL web address on them, replace other printed
materials with the old URL, change many documents, and inform many contacts.
I will inevitably lose business because the old URL, now in many website
links and hard-copy publications, has become useless.

The forced "migration" process from AT&T was complex and time-consuming, not
helped by the unavailability for several days of the means to do so at their
website where AT&T stated it would be. Instructions were vague and
non-specific, and good luck reaching them by phone! As the service cutoff
date approached, nothing could be done due to this and to AT&Ts
inaccessibility. Then, one day after completing part of the migration
process, CUTOFF! I had NO SERVICE - no web, no email, no DSL, no dialup,
nothing! Finally after hours of effort,I was able to establish my DSL
service. My Outlook Express was unable to download email until I corrected
that too - with no help from these corporate cretins that couldn't care
less!

Now, for the same monthly price as before (under a 1 year contract with a
BIG termination fee if you want out), I have DSL, web, and email. But no
dialup backup, Usenet, or website as before. The website costs extra now.
And will AT&T tech support improve? I wouldn't hold my breath!

The substantial expenses and inconveniences inflicted by this AT&T
customer-screwing is something for which a CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT would be
appropriate, but no doubt the agreement you are forced into when buying
their service protects them from responsibility. Clearly AT&T, with typical
mega-corpseration greed and arrogance, cares little for their home and small
business customers. This sort of thing will continue as long as they can
perpetrate such actions without being held accountable, and consumers and
businesses will remain at their mercy.

When you vote, keep in mind it is the Republican-Conservatives that protect
these mega-corpserate bullies and allow them to run amok, unregulated, and
perpetrate such consumer-screwing actions as this.

BOYCOTT AT&T!

In news:hor7il$iaq$,
Whistleblower <> typed:

> I should have seen the writing on the wall and dropped
> AT&T back then!

.... yet you still pay them and have to whine incessantly about it?

You should just register a domain name, then set up your site and email
through a stable web hosting company like Web.com (formerly Interland) or
DiscountASP or many others. They you aren't tied to a phone or cable
company.



"Whistleblower" <> wrote in message
news:hor7il$iaq$...
> BEWARE OF and AVOID doing business with AT&T!
>
> AT&T exemplifies screw-the-consumer corporate arrogance at its worst.
> DO NOT PATRONIZE AT&T or YOU'LL REGRET IT!
>
> I had an ISP service package with AT&T Worldnet that included email, DSL,
> a personal website on their server, and Usenet access. Suddenly they
> dropped the Usenet service, with no compensation to customers that were
> forced to find another source. Another example of their screw-the-customer
> attitude is the fact that reaching a tech support person by phone
> typically requires at least a 20 minute wait on hold. AT&T once had a good
> tech support service on Usenet, but dropped that too and became very hard
> to reach. I should have seen the writing on the wall and dropped AT&T back
> then!
>
> This March 2nd I get an email that AT&T Worldnet service, DSL service, and
> website hosting will no longer be available effective March 31st - A KNIFE
> IN THE BACK to all their small business and individual customers!
>
> They arranged a deal with Covad to take over the DSL service, and a new
> email/web service that allows you to keep your existing email address and
> ID. You could elect to use AT&T for dialup only, or go to another ISP
> entirely. In effect, if you wanted to keep your present email address,
> IDs, settings, and DSL, you are FORCED to accept Covad and still be tied
> to AT&T as your ISP. Before, if your DSL service went down you had free
> dialup backup, but no longer. Dialup now costs extra. And since converting
> to Covad DSL about a week ago, I have already had a service failure!
>
> For a business, the website customer-screwing by AT&T is the worst of all.
> I had my site for years and it had a high ranking with the search
> engines - top10. Now I have been FORCED to move it to another host with a
> new URL unknown to the search engines. My initial outlay for 3 years of
> webhosting and a domain was over $150. Fortunately I was able to upload my
> site to the new host without the typical professional fee of $250 to do
> so, but it took alot of my time. In addition, I'll have to toss and
> replace about $50 worth of business cards with my old URL web address on
> them, replace other printed materials with the old URL, change many
> documents, and inform many contacts. I will inevitably lose business
> because the old URL, now in many website links and hard-copy publications,
> has become useless.
>
> The forced "migration" process from AT&T was complex and time-consuming,
> not helped by the unavailability for several days of the means to do so at
> their website where AT&T stated it would be. Instructions were vague and
> non-specific, and good luck reaching them by phone! As the service cutoff
> date approached, nothing could be done due to this and to AT&Ts
> inaccessibility. Then, one day after completing part of the migration
> process, CUTOFF! I had NO SERVICE - no web, no email, no DSL, no dialup,
> nothing! Finally after hours of effort,I was able to establish my DSL
> service. My Outlook Express was unable to download email until I corrected
> that too - with no help from these corporate cretins that couldn't care
> less!
>
> Now, for the same monthly price as before (under a 1 year contract with a
> BIG termination fee if you want out), I have DSL, web, and email. But no
> dialup backup, Usenet, or website as before. The website costs extra now.
> And will AT&T tech support improve? I wouldn't hold my breath!
>
> The substantial expenses and inconveniences inflicted by this AT&T
> customer-screwing is something for which a CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT would be
> appropriate, but no doubt the agreement you are forced into when buying
> their service protects them from responsibility. Clearly AT&T, with
> typical mega-corpseration greed and arrogance, cares little for their home
> and small business customers. This sort of thing will continue as long as
> they can perpetrate such actions without being held accountable, and
> consumers and businesses will remain at their mercy.
>
> When you vote, keep in mind it is the Republican-Conservatives that
> protect these mega-corpserate bullies and allow them to run amok,
> unregulated, and perpetrate such consumer-screwing actions as this.
>
> BOYCOTT AT&T!
>
>

Sorry for your tragedy, this is not the proper place to post these kinds of
complaints.

"Whistleblower" wrote:

> BEWARE OF and AVOID doing business with AT&T!
>
> AT&T exemplifies screw-the-consumer corporate arrogance at its worst.
> DO NOT PATRONIZE AT&T or YOU'LL REGRET IT!
>
> I had an ISP service package with AT&T Worldnet that included email, DSL, a
> personal website on their server, and Usenet access. Suddenly they dropped
> the Usenet service, with no compensation to customers that were forced to
> find another source. Another example of their screw-the-customer attitude is
> the fact that reaching a tech support person by phone typically requires at
> least a 20 minute wait on hold. AT&T once had a good tech support service on
> Usenet, but dropped that too and became very hard to reach. I should have
> seen the writing on the wall and dropped AT&T back then!
>
> This March 2nd I get an email that AT&T Worldnet service, DSL service, and
> website hosting will no longer be available effective March 31st - A KNIFE
> IN THE BACK to all their small business and individual customers!
>
> They arranged a deal with Covad to take over the DSL service, and a new
> email/web service that allows you to keep your existing email address and
> ID. You could elect to use AT&T for dialup only, or go to another ISP
> entirely. In effect, if you wanted to keep your present email address, IDs,
> settings, and DSL, you are FORCED to accept Covad and still be tied to AT&T
> as your ISP. Before, if your DSL service went down you had free dialup
> backup, but no longer. Dialup now costs extra. And since converting to Covad
> DSL about a week ago, I have already had a service failure!
>
> For a business, the website customer-screwing by AT&T is the worst of all. I
> had my site for years and it had a high ranking with the search engines -
> top10. Now I have been FORCED to move it to another host with a new URL
> unknown to the search engines. My initial outlay for 3 years of webhosting
> and a domain was over $150. Fortunately I was able to upload my site to the
> new host without the typical professional fee of $250 to do so, but it took
> alot of my time. In addition, I'll have to toss and replace about $50 worth
> of business cards with my old URL web address on them, replace other printed
> materials with the old URL, change many documents, and inform many contacts.
> I will inevitably lose business because the old URL, now in many website
> links and hard-copy publications, has become useless.
>
> The forced "migration" process from AT&T was complex and time-consuming, not
> helped by the unavailability for several days of the means to do so at their
> website where AT&T stated it would be. Instructions were vague and
> non-specific, and good luck reaching them by phone! As the service cutoff
> date approached, nothing could be done due to this and to AT&Ts
> inaccessibility. Then, one day after completing part of the migration
> process, CUTOFF! I had NO SERVICE - no web, no email, no DSL, no dialup,
> nothing! Finally after hours of effort,I was able to establish my DSL
> service. My Outlook Express was unable to download email until I corrected
> that too - with no help from these corporate cretins that couldn't care
> less!
>
> Now, for the same monthly price as before (under a 1 year contract with a
> BIG termination fee if you want out), I have DSL, web, and email. But no
> dialup backup, Usenet, or website as before. The website costs extra now.
> And will AT&T tech support improve? I wouldn't hold my breath!
>
> The substantial expenses and inconveniences inflicted by this AT&T
> customer-screwing is something for which a CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT would be
> appropriate, but no doubt the agreement you are forced into when buying
> their service protects them from responsibility. Clearly AT&T, with typical
> mega-corpseration greed and arrogance, cares little for their home and small
> business customers. This sort of thing will continue as long as they can
> perpetrate such actions without being held accountable, and consumers and
> businesses will remain at their mercy.
>
> When you vote, keep in mind it is the Republican-Conservatives that protect
> these mega-corpserate bullies and allow them to run amok, unregulated, and
> perpetrate such consumer-screwing actions as this.
>
> BOYCOTT AT&T!
>
>
> .
>

"Whistleblower" <> wrote in message news:hor7il$iaq$...

A post like this clearly indicates lack of planning for corporate, or even personal email and other services. What did you expect if you change ISP providers and setting up web and email services under them? You expected to use an @att.com email address,or any other ISP's email address service forever?

I agree with Mark A. Sam's post, that if you had simply registered your own domain name and created a web and email address under it, you can move it to any ISP or registrar of your choice without fear of this sort of thing happening. You could also use one of the free mail providers such as Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail, etc, which wouldn't matter what ISP you have.

In the future, I would suggest curbing such unwarranted personal attacks against corporations or any other entity, real or fictitious, that is not their fault for a business decision, and something that you have no control over.

Just the same as who would have ever thought GM would go bankrupt? I haven't seen anyone bashing GM for that business decision.

Remember, the only constant in the universe is CHANGE.

Ace



> BEWARE OF and AVOID doing business with AT&T!
>
> AT&T exemplifies screw-the-consumer corporate arrogance at its worst.
> DO NOT PATRONIZE AT&T or YOU'LL REGRET IT!
>
> I had an ISP service package with AT&T Worldnet that included email, DSL, a
> personal website on their server, and Usenet access. Suddenly they dropped
> the Usenet service, with no compensation to customers that were forced to
> find another source. Another example of their screw-the-customer attitude is
> the fact that reaching a tech support person by phone typically requires at
> least a 20 minute wait on hold. AT&T once had a good tech support service on
> Usenet, but dropped that too and became very hard to reach. I should have
> seen the writing on the wall and dropped AT&T back then!
>
> This March 2nd I get an email that AT&T Worldnet service, DSL service, and
> website hosting will no longer be available effective March 31st - A KNIFE
> IN THE BACK to all their small business and individual customers!
>
> They arranged a deal with Covad to take over the DSL service, and a new
> email/web service that allows you to keep your existing email address and
> ID. You could elect to use AT&T for dialup only, or go to another ISP
> entirely. In effect, if you wanted to keep your present email address, IDs,
> settings, and DSL, you are FORCED to accept Covad and still be tied to AT&T
> as your ISP. Before, if your DSL service went down you had free dialup
> backup, but no longer. Dialup now costs extra. And since converting to Covad
> DSL about a week ago, I have already had a service failure!
>
> For a business, the website customer-screwing by AT&T is the worst of all. I
> had my site for years and it had a high ranking with the search engines -
> top10. Now I have been FORCED to move it to another host with a new URL
> unknown to the search engines. My initial outlay for 3 years of webhosting
> and a domain was over $150. Fortunately I was able to upload my site to the
> new host without the typical professional fee of $250 to do so, but it took
> alot of my time. In addition, I'll have to toss and replace about $50 worth
> of business cards with my old URL web address on them, replace other printed
> materials with the old URL, change many documents, and inform many contacts.
> I will inevitably lose business because the old URL, now in many website
> links and hard-copy publications, has become useless.
>
> The forced "migration" process from AT&T was complex and time-consuming, not
> helped by the unavailability for several days of the means to do so at their
> website where AT&T stated it would be. Instructions were vague and
> non-specific, and good luck reaching them by phone! As the service cutoff
> date approached, nothing could be done due to this and to AT&Ts
> inaccessibility. Then, one day after completing part of the migration
> process, CUTOFF! I had NO SERVICE - no web, no email, no DSL, no dialup,
> nothing! Finally after hours of effort,I was able to establish my DSL
> service. My Outlook Express was unable to download email until I corrected
> that too - with no help from these corporate cretins that couldn't care
> less!
>
> Now, for the same monthly price as before (under a 1 year contract with a
> BIG termination fee if you want out), I have DSL, web, and email. But no
> dialup backup, Usenet, or website as before. The website costs extra now.
> And will AT&T tech support improve? I wouldn't hold my breath!
>
> The substantial expenses and inconveniences inflicted by this AT&T
> customer-screwing is something for which a CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT would be
> appropriate, but no doubt the agreement you are forced into when buying
> their service protects them from responsibility. Clearly AT&T, with typical
> mega-corpseration greed and arrogance, cares little for their home and small
> business customers. This sort of thing will continue as long as they can
> perpetrate such actions without being held accountable, and consumers and
> businesses will remain at their mercy.
>
> When you vote, keep in mind it is the Republican-Conservatives that protect
> these mega-corpserate bullies and allow them to run amok, unregulated, and
> perpetrate such consumer-screwing actions as this.
>
> BOYCOTT AT&T!
>
>

In my area, Southern Bell Wireless became Cingular and then AT&T. I started
with analog cell phones on S. Bell in the 90's.
As time went on under the Cingular name, I was coerced into changing to GAIT
phones. (Lower price, interoperability, more features, etc)
Within a year, Cingular started killing the interoperability, and disabled
roaming. Additional costs were imposed for roaming, and analog
service was eventually "locked out" More time passed. I had grandfathered
tethering, since my original analog phones had a similar feature.
In addition, the GAIT phones had internet capability and web browsing.
Again, what is now AT&T decided to screwup the capabilities of my phones.
Every update defaulted the phones to no tethering, no internet, no text
(Incorrect network phone profile information, etc.) So, I ended up paying
for services that I was not getting, and demanding a perodic refund, which I
mostly got.
Finally, in desperation, I had no choice but to change to T Mobile. (No
contract, "unlimited usage" free long distance (US), unlimited text,
unlimited internet, unlimited data.)
I own the phones, which were not purchased from T Mobile or AT&T, although T
Mobile and AT&T both support the model.

So, I do not really care for AT&T either!

"Greg Russell" <> wrote in message
news:...
> In news:hor7il$iaq$,
> Whistleblower <> typed:
>
>> I should have seen the writing on the wall and dropped
>> AT&T back then!
>
> ... yet you still pay them and have to whine incessantly about it?
>
>

On 3/30/2010 9:07 AM EDT, Chuck wrote:
> In my area, Southern Bell Wireless became Cingular and then AT&T. I started
> with analog cell phones on S. Bell in the 90's.
> As time went on under the Cingular name, I was coerced into changing to GAIT
> phones. (Lower price, interoperability, more features, etc)
> Within a year, Cingular started killing the interoperability, and disabled
> roaming. Additional costs were imposed for roaming, and analog
> service was eventually "locked out" More time passed. I had grandfathered
> tethering, since my original analog phones had a similar feature.
> In addition, the GAIT phones had internet capability and web browsing.
> Again, what is now AT&T decided to screwup the capabilities of my phones.
> Every update defaulted the phones to no tethering, no internet, no text
> (Incorrect network phone profile information, etc.) So, I ended up paying
> for services that I was not getting, and demanding a perodic refund, which I
> mostly got.
> Finally, in desperation, I had no choice but to change to T Mobile. (No
> contract, "unlimited usage" free long distance (US), unlimited text,
> unlimited internet, unlimited data.)
> I own the phones, which were not purchased from T Mobile or AT&T, although T
> Mobile and AT&T both support the model.
>
> So, I do not really care for AT&T either!
>

Exactly the same happened to me, except it was AT&T up in the Northeast
-> Cingular -> AT&T through their merger/acquisition shell games. Now,
I too am with T-Mobile, and *NEVER* going back to AT&T.

Whistleblower wrote: > BEWARE OF and AVOID doing business with AT&T! >
> AT&T exemplifies screw-the-consumer corporate arrogance at its
worst. > DO NOT PATRONIZE AT&T or YOU'LL REGRET IT! > > I had an ISP
service package with AT&T Worldnet that included email, DSL, a >
personal website on their server, and Usenet access. Suddenly they
dropped > the Usenet service, with no compensation to customers that
were forced to > find another source. Another example of their screw-
the-customer attitude is > the fact that reaching a tech support
person by phone typically requires at > least a 20 minute wait on
hold. AT&T once had a good tech support service on > Usenet, but
dropped that too and became very hard to reach. I should have > seen
the writing on the wall and dropped AT&T back then! > > This March 2nd
I get an email that AT&T Worldnet service, DSL service, and > website
hosting will no longer be available effective March 31st - A KNIFE >
IN THE BACK to all their small business and individual cust

Most ISPs are or have dropped USENET servers. They stated it was too
expensive to maintain.

On Mar 30, 3:44*pm, Kevin John Panzke <kevin.pan...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Whistleblower wrote: > BEWARE OF and AVOID doing business with AT&T! >
> > AT&T exemplifies screw-the-consumer corporate arrogance at its
>
> worst. > DO NOT PATRONIZE AT&T or YOU'LL REGRET IT! > > I had an ISP
> service package with AT&T Worldnet that included email, DSL, a >
> personal website on their server, and Usenet access. Suddenly they
> dropped > the Usenet service, with no compensation to customers that
> were forced to > find another source. Another example of their screw-
> the-customer attitude is > the fact that reaching a tech support
> person by phone typically requires at > least a 20 minute wait on
> hold. AT&T once had a good tech support service on > Usenet, but
> dropped that too and became very hard to reach. I should have > seen
> the writing on the wall and dropped AT&T back then! > > This March 2nd
> I get an email that AT&T Worldnet service, DSL service, and > website
> hosting will no longer be available effective March 31st - A KNIFE >
> IN THE BACK to all their small business and individual cust

smlunatick wrote:
> Most ISPs are or have dropped USENET servers. They stated it was too
> expensive to maintain.
>
> On Mar 30, 3:44 pm, Kevin John Panzke <kevin.pan...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Whistleblower wrote: > BEWARE OF and AVOID doing business with AT&T! >
>>> AT&T exemplifies screw-the-consumer corporate arrogance at its
>> worst. > DO NOT PATRONIZE AT&T or YOU'LL REGRET IT! > > I had an ISP
>> service package with AT&T Worldnet that included email, DSL, a >
>> personal website on their server, and Usenet access. Suddenly they
>> dropped > the Usenet service, with no compensation to customers that
>> were forced to > find another source. Another example of their screw-
>> the-customer attitude is > the fact that reaching a tech support
>> person by phone typically requires at > least a 20 minute wait on
>> hold. AT&T once had a good tech support service on > Usenet, but
>> dropped that too and became very hard to reach. I should have > seen
>> the writing on the wall and dropped AT&T back then! > > This March 2nd
>> I get an email that AT&T Worldnet service, DSL service, and > website
>> hosting will no longer be available effective March 31st - A KNIFE >
>> IN THE BACK to all their small business and individual cust
>
They are not telling us the truth. Usnet and DSLs etc attracted
customers and profits.
The profits they are going to miss are going somewhere else. They sold
or traded the profit makers to someone else. The Companys are so
intertwined it difficult for us to know what games they a re paying.
At any rate they think they can make us pay for fewer and poorer quality
service.