Verizon is coming up with ways to handle increased data with iPhones. CC by Linux insidev2/Wikimedia Commons

The Verizon iPhone is finally on the market, officially. The first reports from customers are that Verizon service is pretty good, if a bit slow. Verizon has officially stated it will follow a policy that is sure to be unpopular: data throttling.

Reports of the Verizon iPhone have come out

Feb. 3 the iPhone was delivered to Verizon customers. The network is being tested by new customers after years of speculation. There aren’t dropped calls in most large cities and high traffic areas yet. Download and upload speeds are a bit slower than AT&T’s peak service, but it does appear to be fulfilling the service promise of “more reliable.”

Data throttling policy

Individual data use isn’t throttled by AT&T, which has been officially stated. However, the company is moving to a tiered data system in which the heaviest users of data will have to pay more for their data transfers. In a memo posted on the Verizon website this morning, the company officially took the stance that it will data throttle, which means it will purposely slow the connections of certain users. There are two reasons to do this. First, the unlimited data plan will be used and maintained by Verizon. Second, Verizon plans to throttle the top 5 percent of users only during peak hours in order to prevent unreliable service for others.

How users are affected by data overuse

During heavy use, Verizon Wireless will throttle iPhone data, but that’s not what’s causing outrage. Verizon plans to throttle service for users who are in the top 5 percent limit of data usage during the month they join the top 5 percent — and the next month as well. In other words, if you get into the top once, your service will be slowed for two months. Customers are really upset about it even though Verizon says it is just to keep things reliable.

Article cited

Venture Beat

U.S. Cellular, a mostly regional cell phone carrier in the Midwest, ranked number one for cell phone carriers in a Consumer Reports survey. Image from Wikimedia Commons.

Recently, Consumer Reports unleashed its rankings of cellular service providers, and U.S. Cellular came out on top. Oddly enough, AT&T, which carries the iPhone, was rated the worst of major providers. However, Apple disciples can rejoice as the iPhone was one of the best-rated smart phones.

US Cellular rated the best, serving mostly Midwest

U.S. Cellular, in the annual Consumer Reports cell phone survey about carriers and models, was rated best cell phone carrier, according to Computerworld. The small carrier, with about 6 million subscribers in 26 states mostly in the Midwest, scored an 82 out of 100. On the other hand, the mighty fell drastically, with AT&T rating only 60 out of 100. AT&T received less than 60 points on average with consumers in nearly all major metro markets. San Franciscans seemed to hate AT&T’s guts, as the carrier received a 52 out of 100 overall from the city by the bay. Verizon and T-mobile both lost a point since the same survey last year, dipping to 74 and 69, respectively. Sprint climbed to 73 to claim third overall.  AT&T was raked over the coals by consumers for poor reception, data access, dropped calls and customer service.

iPhone rated among best smartphones

The survey of about 58,000 consumers also rated smartphones. One of the best-scoring smartphones was the iPhone 4, which received a score from consumers of 76 out of 100. The iPhone tied for first with three other smartphones, all Samsung phones operating on Android. The three Samsung models were the Samsung Captivate, Epic 4G and Vibrant models. A brouhaha developed earlier this year between Apple and Consumer Reports, as Consumer Reports listed the iPhone 4 as a model of smartphone the organization did not recommend buying.

AT&T responds

AT&T immediate fired back, saying that the company is committed to quality and is going to set about changing its image in consumers’ eyes. It appears that the company has a lot of work to do for that to happen.

Sources

Computerworld

Is the iPhone 4 headed to T-Mobile? This celebrity spokeswoman won't say. (Photo Credit: Nhy Nguyen/Flickr/CC BY-SA)

Apple may not be recalling the iPhone 4, but it certainly isn’t because the company is strapped for cash. Its profit in fiscal third quarter 2010, per PC Magazine, was massive thanks to the iPad. Apple made $3.25 billion net profit on revenue of $15.7 billion. Yet that may not even be the most explosive news coming out of the land of Steve Jobs. If the Cult of Mac’s “highly placed source” is accurate, T-Mobile may begin selling the iPhone 4 by third quarter 2010. PC World writes that talks are far along between Apple and the carrier, and that there’s an “80 percent chance” this will happen in two months.

iPhone 4 would make T-Mobile a heavyweight

Currently the fourth-largest carrier in the U.S., T-Mobile would certainly vault over AT&T, Verizon and Sprint if the iPhone 4 deal happens. According to PC World, there could be a major stumbling block regarding T-Mobile’s 3G frequencies. As the carrier uses a non-standard band (1700/2100 MHz) and it is unknown whether the iPhone 4 will work at the lower end of T-Mobile’s frequency range, there could be major reception issues.

Another day, another iPhone 4 rumor

PC World reminds us that Cult of Mac’s predictions don’t always stick, so don’t get too excited yet. Considering the network cap problems Apple has encountered with AT&T (and the relative animosity Verizon has shown toward Steve Jobs and crew), it could be that T-Mobile has the bandwidth to spare for iPhone users and an as-yet clean and clear relationship with Apple. Another plus on T-Mobile’s side is that Apple already works with its parent company (Deustche Telekom) in Europe.

Smartphone owners: would you make the jump to T-Mobile?

If T-Mobile does indeed enter a partnership with Apple, the pool won’t stay sparsely populated for long. Antenna issues aside, iPhone 4 remains wildly popular. It is the most serious competition for Droid and other top smartphones. Let us know what you think by sounding off below.

Sources:

PC Magazine

PC World

iPhone happenings, straight from the Techno Buffalo’s mouth

AT&T's new data plan's success will hinge on the reaction of other carriers. Image from Flickr.

AT&T has announced new data plan pricing for smartphones and tablets that will go into effect on Monday. This new AT&T data plan pricing is intended to help reduce network usage while providing more transparency in the billing process. The real question, though, is whether other wireless carriers will follow suit.

AT&T data plans will eliminate ‘unlimited’

When the iPhone was first introduced on the AT&T network, the one-size-fits-all data plan was a $29.99 a month “unlimited” plan. The definition of “unlimited” however, was sometimes brought into question. Some AT&T customers got huge data-use bills that seemed to indicate there was a limit to network usage that they were not aware of. Some customers have claimed that they had to get no fax payday loans just to pay their bills. Heavy use of the data network has also led to dropped calls and slow data speeds that have been a tough sticking point between the carrier and customers.

The new AT&T data plans

The new data plans revealed by AT&T will have three “levels” of data use. The first will be a $15 plan that will allow 200 mb of data per month. A $25 plan will allow 2 gb of data per month. Tethering, or connecting a laptop to the internet through an iPhone, will be an additional $20 per month. These new AT&T data plans will send a free text message to users when they are approaching their data limit. These data limits will not apply when the smartphone or tablet is being used at a WiFi hotspot – only the 3G network. Users that already have a contract with AT&T will be allowed to keep their “unlimited” plans and pricing, even when renewing their contracts.

Effects of the AT&T data plans

While the new AT&T data plans will reduce cost for light data users, heavy data users will feel the strongest effects. Many wireless carriers and app developers have been working to move streaming video and data-intense applications onto smartphones and tablets. By limiting data use so heavily, AT&T will be limiting the available applications on its 3G or 4G network. The chairman of the FCC has expressed repeated concern over the “bandwidth crisis” that smartphones have created. If other wireless carriers do not follow the AT&T data plan model and limit their data usage, then heavy users will probably just switch carriers. Though demand for wireless data services has increased dramatically in the last few years, capacity is growing at a much slower rate.

Net Neutrality is the idea that all legal internet traffic should be treated equally. Image from Flickr.

Net Neutrality is the idea that all legal internet traffic should be treated equally. The concept of net neutrality seems simple enough, but a recent ruling by a Federal appeals court puts the FCC’s ability to protect net neutrality in question: Can the Federal government  protect net neutrality, or will internet service providers be able to determine which payday loans online web sites users can visit?

Net neutrality ruling strikes down FCC action

The net neutrality case that the Federal appeals court just ruled on is Comcast Corp. v. FCC, 08-1291. In 2008, the Federal Communications Commission sanctioned Comcast Corporation for deliberately slowing internet traffic. Many users, some trying to apply for payday loans no fax, complained to the FCC about the slowdown. The FCC claimed that by slowing internet speeds for high-volume users, Comcast was preventing access. Comcast sued the FCC with the argument that the FCC was stepping over the legal authority given it by congress. The Federal appeals court ruled in Comcast’s favor on April 6.

The legal framework of net neutrality

Currently, net neutrality does not have an enforcement framework in the United States. The Federal Communications Commission does have the legal authority to regulate telecommunications services, which the commission refers to as “Title II” services. However, broadband internet service is currently classified as a “Title I” information service. While President Obama and Congress have discussed creating a new legal framework to protect net neutrality, no specific legislation is currently under consideration.

Arguments against net neutrality

Currently, most large providers are warning the FCC that reclassifying broadband service as Title II would be a “very bad idea.” Threatening years of legal challenges, providers such as Verizon, Comcast and AT&T are speaking out very loudly against net neutrality protections. The basic argument of these service providers is that the government has no business regulating their network management. Each internet service provider is saying that net neutrality actions would illegally violate their right to manage their businesses as they see fit.

How can the FCC protect net neutrality?

The FCC, as well as the Federal government, puts quite a bit of stock in the concept of net neutrality. The National Broadband plan rests heavily on a neutral internet. At this point, the FCC has three options. First, it can classify broadband service as a Title II service. Second, it can ask Congress to present a legal framework for net neutrality. Finally, the FCC can appeal the net neutrality decision handed down today to the Supreme Court.

Sources:

Computer World
Wall Street Journal

Currently the only way to get an iPhone off the AT&T network is to "jailbreak" it. Image from Flickr.

Ever since its original release, non-AT&T cell phone users have been hoping for a Verizon iPhone release date. Though rumors have been running rampant for at least two years, an article in the Wall Street Journal sent stock markets and customers’ hearts thumping with a supposedly confirmed Verizon iPhone release date. According to the Wall Street Journal article, a Verizon iPhone release date could be as early as September or October. However, many are saying that this Verizon iPhone release date rumor is simply not true. Should you run out and get payday loans to cover the cost of your new gadget, or are all these rumors just that — unsubstantiated?

Verizon iPhone release date depends on  network

The Wall Street Journal report quotes several unnamed sources that are “close to Verizon” in saying that the Verizon iPhone release date will be in fall of this year. Apple is also suspected to be working on a thinner, faster iPhone. Both of these rumors are predicated on the idea that Apple is working on a CDMA wireless network chip for the iPhone.

Qualcomm has said it is designing a CDMA chip for Apple products that would work on the Verizon network, but the company tells CNN it would be “hard pressed” to launch that chip in 2010. No amount of easy cash loans can speed up the manufacturing process for a chip that has been in development for years. Even if Qualcomm has a functioning CDMA or multi-network chip, Apple would need to remanufacture the iPhone to handle the new chip manufacturer.

Verizon iPhone release date may be 2011

There are technology issues with the possibility of a Verizon iPhone release date, yes. On top of this, though, there is also the fact that even the Wall Street Journal article quotes that Apple “appears to be” working on a Verizon-compatible iPhone. It is no secret that Apple has been working on a CDMA chip for the iPhone, and is in fact working with Qualcomm on WCDMA multi-channel chip that would allow the phone to work across most cellular networks.

Just because Apple “appears to be working on” something and admitted to be working on does not make the Verizon iPhone relase date immenient. The best guess of most industry analysts and stock analysts is that the Verizon iPhone release date will most likely be sometime in 2011, depending on the type of chip they choose to use.

Sources:

PC World
CNN Money
Wall Street Journal

Bye bye BlackBerry?

Stores opened at midnight. People lined up in the streets, awaiting Verizon Droid sales. When did people become cell phone geeks? I think it started with the iPhone, which was the first mobile communication device in recorded history to cause people to behave this way.

Now, midnight Droid sales and crowded Verizon stores look like Wal-Mart on the night of a video game console release. At least, that’s what it looked like last night at Verizon stores in Manhattan, where 65 people lined up outside one store and more than 100 at another.

Mobs and marketing

The release of a new “Star Wars” movie, tickets for concerts that are bound to sell out, the latest Xbox model: these are things that cause people to line up in the middle of the night in November. It wasn’t until the iPhone, it seems, that people were willing to go to such lengths as getting a quick payday loan and waiting out in the cold for a cell phone.

Yes, I know the iPhone and the Droid and all smartphones are more than cell phones. Still, it’s amazing to me that the marketing people for these devices can create so much hype that people are intent on being “one of the first” to own it and being able to say they got it the day they came out.

Droid does

Preliminary reports indicate Droid is meeting its goal of being the iPhone’s biggest competitor. CNET reports:

Many people have been comparing the new Droid to the iPhone, and some have even called the new device the true iPhone killer.

Several people interviewed Thursday night outside Verizon stores said they had wanted an iPhone but didn’t want to switch to AT&T, and now they’re glad they waited. Loyal Verizon users are the most excited about the Droid, which means Droid sales are having a somewhat unforeseen effect on another Verizon product.

Droid the Blackberry killer?

A common category of Droid buyer appears to the the ex-BlackBerry user. Based on interviews with people outside the Droid sales, CNET reported:

Gabrielle Dahms and her boyfriend, Will Welch, had been BlackBerry Curve users. Welch said he had tried the BlackBerry Storm last year when it first came out, but he didn’t like it. He also thought the iPhone was cool, but was unwilling to switch carriers for it. And he said he would have probably upgraded to the BlackBerry Tour if the Droid hadn’t come along

.

People have a tendency to remain loyal to their wireless carriers, and some iPhone users are simply loyal to Apple products. So in many cases, Verizon Droid sales will likely draw people who already use Verizon and are looking for an upgrade.

Motorola building image from Flickr.

Controversial commercials that take shots at the iPhone have caused the release of Verizon and Motorola’s Droid phones to be a much-anticipated event. Today, the companies have finally released pictures, prices and the official retail date for Droid phones.

Word on the street is that the Droid will cost $199 with a two-year Verizon contract and a mail-in rebate. The first installment in the Droid phones line will be available to purchase on Nov. 6. Did I say first? Yep, reports are circulating that the Verizon, Motorola team plans to release up to three Droid phones by the end of the year.

Suspense and more suspense

So what are fans of Droid phones – and more importantly people who plan to give Droid phones as gifts — to do? Putting off holiday shopping is generally a bad idea, but you certainly don’t want to end up paying off a credit card charge for the wrong Droid phone.

The Christian Science Monitor appears to have some inside info about Droid phones. Check out some of the rumors about Droid phones technology that have been making their way around the Internet. There’s no information about when the other Droid phones will be released, so I guess  procrastinators have an advantage in this case.

Verizon Droid review

A few lucky tech testers have gotten their hands on the Verizon droid and reviewed it. One reviewer from China (see http://english.dgshi.cn/content/200910/294430.html) says the Droid is “blindingly fast,” and the the slide-out keyboard is very comfortable to type on. It’ll take time to find out how durable the keyboard is, but the Droid appears sturdy thanks to its metallic body.

The Droid comes with stand that acts as a desk cradle, charger and  multimedia station. The reviewer says “The movies, games and pictures all were crystal clear and really sharp.”

Marketing mayhem

The makers of Droid phones were audacious enough to directly target the iPhone with their advertising campaign. “Everything iDon’t, Droid does” the commercials say, after listing several items such as “iDon’t run simultaneous apps.”

This bold marketing strategy that highlights several enticing features of the Droid has really caught people’s attention. Watch the full commercial at DroidDoes.com.

Google power

Yet another indicator that Verizon and Motorola are about to hit paydirt with the Droid phones is that the venture has Google power behind it. The Droid phones are powered by Google Android 2.0 operating system.

With Motorola on the outside, Google on the inside and Verizon — who boasts the largest coverage area in the U.S. — making the connections, I think we’re about to see the rich get richer. What do you think; are Droid phones going to drastically change the smartphone market?

Soon BlackBerry users will have another option. Image from Flickr.

Verizon products have gotten a lot of attention lately, as the controversial Droid commercials directly target the iPhone. Now, people are paying attention to the new BlackBerry model, the Storm2. You can purchase the phone at verizonwireless.com/storm starting Wednesday and download the latest enhancements for all versions of the BlackBerry.

Reuters reports that the Storm2 has several new features, including a new, smoother design with chrome accents. Righ now verizonwireless.com/storm is having a big sale on BlackBerrys, no doubt trying to unload as many of the old model as possible before rolling out the new one.

A pretty penny

People might have to take out pay day loans to get the BlackBerry Storm2, as the price is $279, but there is a $100 mail-in rebate. But make sure you’ll get your refund back in time to repay your loan. Verizonwireless.com/storm doesn’t have any information about the new model that comes out Wednesday. In fact, it doesn’t even mention there is a new product coming out.

It seems to me that it would be a good idea to allow people to pre-order the Storm2, but apparently that’s just not how Verizon wants to do business. Reuters reports the BlackBerry Storm2 has a whole host of updated features and new software options.

Storm2 versus Droid?

This week also promises to deliver another enhanced smartphone that will run on the Verizon network. The Droid, made by Motorola, has turned a lot of heads with it slogan “Everything iDont, Droid does,” a clear attack on the iPhone.

Many iPhone users are dubious that the Droid will be superior to the iPhone. However, some people who have never before wanted a smartphone are considering a Droid purchase, thanks to the fact that the Droid appears it will be more like having a small computer in your pocket that you can use to make phone calls. BlackBerry was the first to  make a solid name for itself in the world of smartphones, but who will be the next?

Another contender is about to enter the war of the smartphones. Image from Wikimedia.

Though the commercials for the Verizon Motorola Droid were stark and simple — just black text on a white background — they have created a lot of hype. Since the Droid commercials started airing, everyone has been waiting to find out the Droid release date, and now it has been discovered.

Several sources say the Verizon Motorola Droid release will be Oct. 30. The big question looming over Verizon’s head is whether holiday sales of the Droid will beat out the iPhone. After spending so much money on development and advertising, Verizon and Motorola might need a loan until payday, when Droid actually starts selling and turning a profit.

Droid directly challenges iPhone

The reason Droid commercials have made such a splash is because of their controversial nature. Verizon chose to use an advertising strategy not commonly seen, which is to directly challenge another product. It does seem that lately — unless it’s a cola controversy — Apple always seems to be involved in these direct comparison advertisements.

After all, Apple has been using the Mac versus PC commercials for quite sometime. In answer, Microsoft began running “I’m a PC” commercials, in which people favor PCs to Macs. Once again, Apple is getting a taste of its own medicine, as Droid is being advertised under the slogan “Everything iDon’t, Droid does.” These advertisements are drawing a lot of attention because Apple customers generally are staunchly loyal. Furthermore, in the case of Verizon’s attack on iPhone, Verizon started it.

Poised for big release

While it’s true that Apple customers tend to be almost snobbishly loyal, there are also consumers who are vehemently opposed to Apple products for one reason or another. Those types will likely pounce on the Droid release date, relieved to finally have an option that, by all accounts, appears to be superior to the iPhone.

Of course, it will all come down to a matter of preferece, so it is tough to say whether the Verizon Motorola Droid will actually surpass the iPhone in popularity and profits. But with advertising creating a buzz and people eagerly awaiting the Droid release date, I’d say the Droid is off to a good start. Check out a photo of the Droid.

How long will we have to wait for the Droid?

Verizon has made no bones about it: The Droid is its answer to the iPhone, and the company is doing everything it can to point out the superiority of its product, most notably in the Droid commercial that recently came out.

However, this Droid commercial has created a strange phenomenon. The commercial features mostly black text on a white background. The phrases, which change every few seconds, all beginning with “iDon’t.” For example, one says “iDon’t run widgets.” The end of the commercial says “Everything iDon’t … Droid does.”

However, it seems that Verizon’s Droid commercial might be backfiring in a way, as there have been millions of Google searches today for “iDroid.”

Do Droid commercials cause brand confusion?

So clearly Verizon has achieved its goal of linking the Droid to the iPhone, but it appears possible that consumers believe these products are related, not in competition. Would a loan company want to be so closely associated with its competition? I suppose that depends.

Because iPhone is already such a well established and popular brand, letting consumers think that there is such a thing as an “iDroid” might be a good thing for Verizon’s sales. However, it is clear from the Droid commercial that Verizon wants people to differentiate between the Droid and the iPhone. However, making an advertisement with such a specific target appears to be having the opposite effect.

Does Droid commercial convince consumers?

From the Droid commercial, consumers can infer that the Droid runs widgets, allows open development, takes pictures at night, has interchangeable batteries and has a real keyboard. However, that is all the information you get.

Even the Verizon web site doesn’t say when this Droid will come into existence. There are no photos of what the Droid will look like, either, which I believe contributes to the “iDroid” confusion. The only images consumers have that represent the Droid is a text pattern similar to the competition’s naming scheme.

Get made and "Take Back the Beep!" (Photo: mypre.com)

The first time I signed up for cellular telephone service, it was with Cingular. I wanted two phones so that my fiancée and I could communicate during our wedding planning phase, so I signed up for a family plan with shared minutes. At first the bills were reasonable, but soon they began to balloon out of control. It was at that point that I realized that while cellular-to-cellular calls between us were free, checking the massive number of voice mails we left for each other throughout the day were not. Leaving them, retrieving them and listening to them all counted against our monthly allotment of minutes, and we began to run over frequently. I even used a cash advance or short term loan on occasion to help hold the line between paydays.

But did you know that even the automated 15-second instructions on how to use voice mail counts against your minutes? Consider how often you’ve sat through that automated voice; it adds up to a lot over the life of a two-year contract. This is something customers from all the major carriers have put up with for a while, to their detriment. Now, with movements like “Take Back the Beep” in full swing behind them, consumers are standing up to the bloated, greed-driven wireless carriers like AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and others. Progress has come in small spurts, but Take Back the Beep founder (and technology writer) David Pogue is enthusiastic that the response the campaign has received from consumers thus far will make it impossible for the carriers to ignore.

How you can get involved

According to Pogue, there have been over 28,000 blogs written on the topic of Take Back the Beep. He has done numerous radio and podcast interviews on the topic, and thanks to the effectiveness of this consumer information campaign, America’s big four carriers have been flooded with “thousands and thousands” of complaints. For those of you who would like to contribute to the cause, here’s how to get in touch with your carrier:

• Verizon: Post a complaint @ http://bit.ly/FJncH
• AT&T: Direct E-mail complaints to customerissues@attnews.us
• T-Mobile: Post a complaint @ http://bit.ly/2rKy0u
• Sprint: Mission accomplished! The voice can be disabled easily by the consumer.

We all know how to use voice mail

So please stop insulting our intelligence with needless directions. We refuse to pay for it any more.

Three of the four big wireless carriers have responded to the Take Back the Beep campaign so far. That’s one too few, Verizon. Get on the stick and do what’s right. You’re confirming in my mind why it was a good idea to leave you for a different carrier – that, and I wanted an iPhone.

AT&T wants to offer visual voicemail to all handsets

Speaking of the iPhone, here’s how AT&T responded to Take Back the Beep. “We are going to make some changes” is their general statement. They have made an E-mail address available, and that in box has been full most of the time. Executive Director of Media Relations Mark Siegel told Pogue that the overwhelming response has made them “look again” at how they handle voice mail. For iPhone customers, visual voice mail eliminates the automated introduction, but the majority of AT&T customers do not have that expensive smart phone. Thus, they have to deal with the air time waster. Siegel’s response to this is that visual voice mail will be made available on other devices in the near future. Until then, they’re working on “how to shorten” the message.

Mind you, if you are aware of the cellular carrier for the person you’re calling, there is a key you can press to skip the automated instructions. If they’re AT&T or T-Mobile, hit #. For Verizon, press *. For Sprint, the magic key is the number 1. However, you won’t know most of the time which carrier the person you’re calling uses, so a universal standard would have been nice.

T-Mobile is paying attention

The response from T-Mobile has been less illuminating, but at least there has been a response (get it, Verizon?) According to T-Mobile’s media relations machine, “T-Mobile is always looking for ways to improve our customers’ experience, and this issue has our attention. We appreciate the feedback we’ve received from our customers, and these comments are being taken into consideration in our planning.”

Even though I’m not a T-Mobile customer (as much as I’m a fan of Catherine Zeta Jones), I’d still like to hear more than the typical PR claptrap. AT&T has set the bar high here, so get moving, T-Mobile.

But not as high as Sprint

Why is that? Because Sprint has actually given their customers what they want. What a concept! And Take Back the Beep wasn’t even necessary, as the option to disable the voice has already been around for some time. According to Pogue, it’s very easy to do. Sprint customers, make haste and do this:

1. Access your voice mail box.
2. Press 3 for personal options.
3. Press 2 for greetings.
4. Press 1 to change your personal greeting.
5. Press 3 to add or remove the caller instructions.
6. Follow the prompts to turn instructions on or off.

And the Verizon guy remains silent

Verizon’s PR contact hasn’t responded to my request for a progress report.

What your cellular carrier wants from you (Photo: flickr.com)

Apparently a media relations guy for Verizon said in an ABC News interview that customers can turn the automated voice off. Unfortunately, that’s a lie. I don’t imagine that someone Verizon entrusts to speak to the media is ignorant of product features, so the representative lied. Pogue called him on it via Twitter, and the representative claimed he was “misquoted.” What he supposedly was getting at is that voice mail can be turned off completely.

Say what?

Pogue shares our outrage over such a non-intuitive, arrogant response by asking us “Isn’t that like saying, ‘My son bites his nails, so let’s chop off his hands?’” I say that Verizon is due for a good chopping.

Yet to their credit, Verizon is responding to every single complaint that they receive about the Take Back the Beep campaign. However, the response is canned: “The voice mail instructions are there to assist the many callers who may be unfamiliar with the correct prompts.”

Thus, they attempt to justify their greed

I’m very happy I’m no longer one of your customers, Verizon. We all know the “wait ’til the beep” routine. You don’t need to charge us for the hand-holding. I hope you receive virtual truckloads of complaints and lose customers until you become customer friendly. You exist because of us; we do not use your services simply because you exist. Please your customer base or face the flames at your peril.

Take action today, consumers!

[apply_button float="right"]

Personal Money Market recommends you take action and give your cellular provider a piece of your mind. Even if you aren’t a customer but feel strongly about this issue, send an E-mail or leave a post letting them know. The higher the flood waters, the less chance there will be that the fat cats find dry land. And you know how much cats hate water… as much as the Center for Responsible Lending loves a cash advance or short term loan for life’s little beeps. If you want to keep your budget dry, click the button to apply.

Related Video: