AT&T Can Go Suck It

aeon

aeon

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Mini-Rant:

Fuck AT&T!

They’ve got a whitelist, and if you’re not on it, they don’t want you.
And of course, it’s a mess and poorly managed.

Their solution? Buy a new, carrier-locked phone full of bloat. Hell no. Baby don’t do contracts or carrier-lock.
If they don’t want unlocked devices, they don’t want me.

They refuse to OTA activate VoLTE on my phone.
As a result, when they killed 3G, I lost phone service, because LTE needs to see 3G fallback.

Of course Reddit has the info. And stores are helpless, but they know it’s related to the 3G shutdown.

Maybe a fix? Get a T-Mobile network SIM, because T-Mobile is willing to OTA unlock VoLTE...
Because they require it for service. Just like AT&T does. Except T-Mobile has no rectal-cranial inversion.

So where to get one...cha-ching! Mint Mobile free trial 3-in-1 SIM on the T-Mobile network.
Ordered, and soon perhaps sorted.

AT&T is desperate. They’ll sell me an Apple iPhone SE (2020) for $149, and then give me unlimited mins+sms, with 5GB data per month, for free. Or unlimited mins+sms, with unlimited 5G data, 40GB hotspot, HD streaming, yadda yadda for $20 per month.

Won’t do it. Fuck them and their whitelist. I’ve been with them for...13 years? I think it’s time for a FCC complaint and if nothing, a notice of dispute. Do they want to fix this or pay the $3,000 arbitration fee?

I don’t want a new phone, or perhaps better said, I don’t want to pay for one. But if this cannot be resolved, I won’t even be able to transfer my number, because you need an active number to do that.

Provision me, or GTFO.

Fuck AT&T!

One other option...on Tuesday, 8 March 2022, which is tomorrow as I post this, Apple is likely to release the 3rd iteration of the iPhone SE (2022). It is supposed to have the A15, same as the current iPhone 13. If the price is right, I just might pounce. That will fix the problem because AT&T isn’t willing to spit in Apple’s face.

I mean, people with a brand-new Samsung S22 Ultra have no service if they bought it unlocked.

Sorry AT&T, you can unzip, but I won’t go there. Bastards!

Damn Them,
Ian
 
We had to switch to Verizon when we moved. Correction: AT&T owns Verizon in many states now. Our only other choice is US Cellular, which will work better locally, but my SO works in an area where Verizon is the better choice. :/

As far as the Internet. Our only choice is Consolidated Communications, which is basically a hamster running on a janky wheel. They currently refuse to fix lines because they don't have to. No other company is available.
 
I still hate Comcast, and I still have to use Comcast.
It's all a racket. Doesn't have to be this way either.
Humans creating problems for humans.
 
In chat with AT&T MVNO Straight Talk.

Explained the situation, and what needed to be done.

Followed their troubleshooting script, then finally typed:

“I’ve been a customer for 13 years and have never had a problem until recent AT&T changes. You can either provision me for VoLTE, or not. If not, please send me to Billing so I can close my account.”

and Voila! I’ve been escalated from bottom rung to Level 3 Support.

As usual, money talks, bullshit walks. :rolleyes:

What a Waste of an Afternoon,
Ian
 
So they need to talk to me on a phone while they fiddle with my phone.

They asked if I could borrow a neighbor’s phone.

I said I could, but she’s on AT&T also, and her phone is dead.

Hmm, tech needs a phone to work on a phone which is dead. Dodgy system.

And they won’t Messenger, Signal, WhatsApp, or FaceTime me. :rolleyes:

I just filed my FCC Complaint. :D

Ugh,
Ian
 
For Android, the networks themselves control OS deployment and feature provisioning. So a network can say you need “X,” and choose not to give it to you. Your option is then to switch carriers, or buy a new phone.

I’m soooooo done. Walled garden, here I come! :D

For iOS and iPhoneOS, Apple, and Apple alone, controls OS deployment and feature provisioning. That’s why an unlocked iPhone works, fully-featured, on AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon, or any of their MVNOs, with no restrictions. (assuming it isn’t ancient and thus lacking necessary antennas).

Depending on the iPhone you choose, the entry cost may be pricey, but based on my experience since the economic downturn of 2007-2008 (when the IPhone arrived), over time the iPhone can be significantly less expensive because of OS support and lack of forced obsolescence.

People with an iPhone 8 from 2015 can run the latest iOS. Seven years old. What Android smartphone that is seven years old is running Android 12? :rolleyes:

Never had an iPhone before. The time has come. It will pair nicely with my laptop. No BS from wireless providers. When they say no, you say I have an iPhone, and it’s Golden Ticket time. :p

Call me an Apple fanboy. I’ve been using Apple stuff for 45 years now. They have only ever done me right, and always had the social grace, charm, and elan to buy me a couple of drinks first. ❤️

Big shout-out to LG
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You always took audio seriously, and I loved you for that.
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Cupertino Love,
Ian
 
It's weird how monopolistic that sounds. Here in Australia, I have dozens of cell coverage companies to choose from, which makes choosing oddly time consuming; and I've never seen a phone which is locked to a network.
 
Sometimes Yeah said:
It's weird how monopolistic that sounds. Here in Australia, I have dozens of cell coverage companies to choose from, which makes choosing oddly time consuming; and I've never seen a phone which is locked to a network.
Click to expand...

I’m guessing your actual carriers are Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone, and then the rest sell bandwidth on those carriers. So does everyone buy their GSM phone themselves, unlocked, and then they choose service?

That’s how I do it, but AT&T doesn’t like that these days. It’s just a money-grab.

Cheers,
Ian
 
All this reminds me of a utility company in my state that had to close regional offices and rebrand because of their exceedingly poor reputation plus one of the reasons for closing said offices was apparently due to people calling in bomb threats of all things lol.
 
aeon said:
That’s how I do it, but AT&T doesn’t like that these days. It’s just a money-grab.
Click to expand...

Huh, yeah I buy unlocked phones, and just Android since like 2017. That's a bummer.

I've had a prepaid unlimited plan with T-Mobile and it's been great. I also set up my primary number through Google so I can always keep it regardless of the phone and plan that I use. I remember using Sprint and AT&T before then and having some kinda problem with both. Probably high prices.
 
I can has working phone!—what a debacle.

Plus my bill per month has gone from $60 → $15.
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Cheers,
Ian
 
So I still have the same phone... but this fall, a purchase will be made.

Sony Xperia I V... appealing, tweaky cams, SD and 3.5mm jack, 4K screen, but too much scratch.

Google Pixel 8 Pro... not out yet, but looks like it will be the business. Good cams. Pure Android. But Tensor is still dodgy.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max... not out yet, but I donʼt have to explain. See how the other half lives. All friends and family. Seems the best choice. Bye Android.

Ugh,
Ian
 
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