I was secretly hoping that I would be posting this with positive news but what was generously offered by Colorado’s AT&T turned out to be another too-good-to-be-true deal.
Let me set the record straight, neither Erik Diamond nor the AT&T representatives in Colorado are to blame for this but instead be thankful for their efforts and thoughtfulness to find fairness in our pricing plans for the iPhone. They have spent considerable amount of hours putting this program together. Erik also has done an outstanding job of putting a website together, let alone bought a domain name, and only to find the bully AT&T Corporation telling him to cease everything.
Of course AT&T has “programmed” the Colorado store to generate a response to those who asked for the $27.99 plan:
Thank you for your interest! We offer many options for the deaf community, like the Text Accessibility Plan, available on a range of handsets. While the $27.99 iPhone plan was communicated in error, I would love to review other great offers with you.
Sigh. AT&T does not just get it. But I will continue to march on and ensure fairness in our pricing plans.
Once again, I apologize for all the inconveniences this has caused everybody. Keep a high chin.
Is it possible to offer deafs for such a great iphone??? i think the current devices for deaf community are OK.and someone listed device for deaf communicating on a blog: deafs.com/blog/megan we can communicate with each other without problem…
Whoever fault it is, this “communication in error” could have resulted in people buying iphones only having to return them–if AT&T would take them back. I would think that elaborate promotions, such as seen at the website, should have undergone better communication with corporate offices. The intentions of the store may have meant well, but now their trust will be inevitably questioned.
My hope for a data-only plan now lies solely with AT&T corporate.
3.
genius says
November 27, 2007
Too bad. I was hoping this was all above board. We can only hope that this is because AT&T wants to provide us with a TAP for the iPhone.
4.
Erik Diamond says
November 27, 2007
Hello my friends.
First of all, I want to apology for the inconveniences that Fort Collins AT&T store and I caused for the great Deaf Community. We, both, THOUGHT that we could downgrade the voice plan on our own top of unlimited data plan to make iPhone plan more fair for us since that voice plan was approved by AT&T anyway. That is until AT&T “Powers that be” tapped us and is still sticking to their guns on a minimum of $59.00 a month for iPhone. They said that the $7.99 should not be used for iPhone plan. We tried to reason with them but for some reasons, but to no avail.
However, AT&T does have $29.99 per month TAP plan includes:
· 5,000 text messages
· Unlimited Internet usage
· $.40 pay per use voice
However, this does NOT apply to iPhone at this time but on qualified handsets which you can check with your local AT&T store.
I am really sorry about this. At least we tried! Please do not try to flame us. :-) I would suggest that you write a thank you note to Randy (store manager) and Luis (supervisor) at luis.salgado@att.com for being on our side during short-lived promotion of our own making. They do care about our desires for iPhone.
Like Chad said, we will keep marching on and show to AT&T corp that we are still waiting for them to put TAP on iPhone! Or else, that is their loss, don’t you agree?
Thank you for your support and understanding. And thank you Chad, too!
My head boils in full stream… AT&T want our money.
6.
Anna says
November 28, 2007
too bad!!! shoot!!!! It would be great offer of this plan!!!
7.
Billy Koch says
November 28, 2007
That’s why I wont do business with AT&T. They are just a bunch of money grubbin fools. I’ll just wait until the iPhone becomes available with Verizon/Sprint/or even T-Mobile which are more deaf friendly. As far as I am concerned AT&T can kiss my )).
8.
Lauren says
November 28, 2007
Is there something we can do? What are the proper channels to reach the ears of the FCC or some other influential body?
9.
Lauren says
November 28, 2007
I tried to set up a petition through Facebook, but it would obviously reach more people if it was a web-based petition - I’m trying out this new site and it seems you can simply sign it without having to register or anything. Hopefully this encourages more turnout:
Worse…..APPLE IPHONE EXEMPTED FROM HEARING AID RULES
The Apple iPhone has been given an exemption to Federal Communication Commission rules that require cell phones to be compatible with hearing aids. “The situation does not sit well with the Hearing Loss Association of America,†reported RCR Wireless News. Apple claims it is exempt under the “de minimis†provision, which waives hearing-aid compatibility rules for companies that offer two or fewer handsets. But this provision “was designed to take into account small startup companies with two or less products,†said the HLAA’s Brenda Battat, “certainly not the Apples of the world.â€
in my opnion, I am not happy with APPLE who not try to add to support hearing Aid. Some deaf customers need it. it is another blow for Apple.
APPLE IPHONE EXEMPTED FROM HEARING AID RULES
I’m excited about the prospect of a 3G phone, but how is that relevant to AT&T? I thought their data services were EDGE only. Why would the CEO be announcing that bit of information?
@genius - actually about 2 months ago Steve Jobs said that Apple would be adding 3G in 2008 so the AT&T CEO wasn’t leaking anything new. And I strongly believe this was intentional–there is no way a CEO would have made such a mistake. He probably was given the green light to mention 3G just to garner interest. I would have waited until after holiday shopping season though.
Steve Jobs said it would be late 2008 when the iPhone gains 3G, but deep inside, I’m really hoping it’s released at the upcoming Macworld Expo in January!
The issue is not that AT&T is giving deaf people special rights, the issue is that AT&T is depriving all consumers of a product shouldn’t be special at all. AT&T is framing the issue as deaf people wanting “special treatmentâ€, which is an innacurate and sleazy rhetorical shift. Customers don’t actually care that deaf people are allowed to purchase a data-only plans, customers just care that hearing people aren’t allowed to purchase the same plan. Deaf people shouldn’t be required to purchase minutes that they aren’t able to use, but hearing people shouldn’t be required to purchase minutes that they don’t intend to use either. But AT&T makes a lot of money selling hearing customers minutes they won’t use and they’d rather continue to screw everyone. By retracting the data-only plan and calling it “special treatment†AT&T is not just throwing the baby out with the bathwater, they’re pointing the blame at deaf people. AT&T are even bigger douchebags than the first appear.
It seems unfair to deaf that not able to use phone(voice) as we dont hear any sound.. we should use email or text message those are our voices and hears. not sounds… hearing people can hear and we dont… we can be able to use other accessories or features instead of voice plan.. so they can make profits from accessories or any features such as games, gps, movies, etc… i think that fair.. i think they should make exception for hearing impaired customers… otherwise business will fall down slowly.. more will use VP relay/MVP …
thank you for your moment to read and hopefully you reconsider for disability customers needs…
[...] to use it? That’s one of the questions currently causing no small amount of frustration over at deafmac, as they remonstrate with AT&T with regards the lack of a data-only plan for the iPhone. Chad [...]
[...] to use it? That’s one of the questions currently causing no small amount of frustration over at deafmac, as they remonstrate with AT&T with regards the lack of a data-only plan for the iPhone. Chad [...]
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