[Palm Treo 750] chris44gw:
complaint response

Here is an email chain I have been going on with AT&T support:

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Dear Mr. Wilson

Thank you for taking the time to reply to my e-mail regarding your

decrease in bandwidth since the release of the iPhone and your request

to have the issue resolved or your bill lowered to compensate for the

decrease. I am happy to help you with your inquiry and I apologize for

any inconvenience this may have caused.

Unfortunately because we are an Online Customer Support we do have

limits as far as the technical support we can provide. Due to the

complicated nature of your request, we can best help you resolve your

concerns with this question over the phone. Please contact our Customer

Service at 800-331-0500. Since you are having equipment issues please

contact Customer Service, from a landline phone, with access to your

wireless device, and our representative will be happy to assist you.

Again, we thank you for allowing us the opportunity to assist you with

your account. If we can be of further assistance, please contact us at http://www.att.com/wireless.

As always, thank you for choosing AT&T!

Sincerely,

Lottie Maynard

AT&T

Online Customer Care Professional

Original Message Follows: ------------------------

I thank you for your response but I am not satisfied. First I would

like you to know that I am a degreed computer engineer that has been

working in the field for 4 years.

I have issue with the following points that you have responded with.

You said: "I have reviewed your email concerns and your account; our

records

indicate that you have 8 towers within 1 mile of your home address.

Among those towers, 5 are showing as being Global Systems for Mobile

communications (GSMTM) towers and the other 3 are Universal Mobile

Telecommunications System (UMTS) towers." My Response: This would be

relevant if I only used my phone at my house. I use my phones data plan

all over the area and in Baton Rouge. I NEVER got speeds less than

800kbs and usually they were in the 900's.

You said: "HSDPA offers average typical download speeds

from 400 - 700 kbps and according to your email you are ranging

approximately up to 500 kbps." My Respone: When I say 400 to 500 I

mean if I'm lucky. It's closer to the mid 350's and it is always like

this. This means on average the AT&T network, since the iphone, for me

has decreased from an average of the high 800kbs to the mid 350kbs for a

difference of 450kbs. This equals a not happy or satisfied customer.

My average throughput has been more than halved but my bill stays the

same. My girlfriend gets higher speeds on sprints evdo-rev 0 and pays

half the data price I pay.

You said: "This is typical especially since the

release of the iPhone, since more users are utilizing the towers versus

previously fewer were." My Response: iPhones don't have the

capabilities to run on the same network as me. The only thing we share

is the Internet coming out of the tower. Which leads me to my

conclusion.

Conclusion:

This is what I really think is going on. Because edge never ran at the

speeds it was supposed to anyway AT&T took away bandwidth from 3G users

and gave it to edge for iPhone users. The max throughput now is limited

to the 350kbs with burst to the 500kbs once in a blue moon. I don't say

this because I read it somewhere. I say it because I am experiencing it

in the entire new orleans 3g area. My current bill is over $130/month.

Much more than a single typical iPhone user. I am giving AT&T until my

1st 6 months of my contract is up to fix this problem (and it is a

problem). By fix I mean lower my unlimited laptop connect data price or

return my speeds to closer to the 800kbs average. 350's are not going

to cut it. I have gotten out of contracts before and I will leave this

one also. If you are to attract and keep business users then you need

to get on the ball. I can tell you that at least 3 co-workers looking

to switch providers choose sprint because of this dramatic speed drop.

These are customers who have $125/month plus bills and pay them. I hope

you will address this problem.

Thank you.

Chris Wilson

----- Original Message ----

From: AM AT&T Wireless Email Customer Service

<icare3@amcustomercare.att-mail.com>

To:

Sent: Saturday, August 4, 2007 1:57:59 PM

Subject: Re: Cingular Wireless Customer Email - Southeast - [TECH]

(KMM1831903I2782L0KM)

Dear Mr. Wilson,

Thank you for taking the time to e-mail AT&T regarding your decrease in

download speeds since the release of the iPhone and your inquiry as to

when this will be restored to its original functionality. I am happy to

help you with your inquiry and I apologize for any inconvenience this

may have caused.

I have reviewed your email concerns and your account; our records

indicate that you have 8 towers within 1 mile of your home address.

Among those towers, 5 are showing as being Global Systems for Mobile

communications (GSMTM) towers and the other 3 are Universal Mobile

Telecommunications System (UMTS) towers. With average HSDPA download

data speeds in excess of 400-700 kbps, mobile workers can access e-mail

with large attachments, web-based and client/server enterprise

applications, corporate net. UMTS is the high-speed network that can

provide those solutions. HSDPA offers average typical download speeds

from 400 - 700 kbps and according to your email you are ranging

approximately up to 500 kbps. This is typical especially since the

release of the iPhone, since more users are utilizing the towers versus

previously fewer were. I understand how frustrating this can be when you

are used to faster speeds when utilizing the internet on your device.

I have sent updates to your device and do ask that you please power your

device completely off and back on again to read this download. Should

you continue to experience issues with latency, please feel free to

contact our Product Management Center (PMC) at 1-866-436-9246 for

further troubleshooting assistance. Please contact this department from

a landline phone with access to your wireless device. I again apologize

for any inconvenience this may have caused.

I am always here to assist you. I encourage you to visit us at

www.att.com/wireless often to view your monthly account statements,

make

payments and shop for new products and services. I greatly appreciate

the opportunity to serve you. Please let me know if I can assist you in

any other way, and thank you for choosing AT&T.

Sincerely,

Lottie Maynard

AT&T

Online Customer Care Professional

Original Message Follows:

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Q3:Please enter your phone question below:

A3:I have been using hsdpa for a while. Up until the iphone came out I

was getting on average 800 to 900kbps downloads in the New Orleans and

Baton Rouge Louisiana area. Ever since the release of the iphone those

speeds have been lucky to be up to 500kbps. I have a bill that includes

60/month just for internet. Also, I am not the only one who has

noticed

(and continues to notice) this dramatic speed decrease. When will the

hsdpa speeds be put back to normal? I have friends with 8525's and

blackjacks who would like to know as well as coworkers basing their

decision on whether to go with AT&T or Sprint. This is not an isolated

problem. I would appreciate a candid answer. Thank you.