Well I guess we will see next month 🙂

They will need to get rid of the customer base so that they can relaunch the brand AT&T wireless once they get their brand name back at the six month mark.

according to this :

"AT&T, AT&T Wireless’s former parent, retains rights to the AT&T Wireless brand name as part of 2001’s spin-off agreement. They announce plans to launch a new wireless service under the AT&T Wireless brand name after Cingular completes its acquisition."

That is why they have started branding with both, it may be that after the 6mth period attws will not be put on any bill etc. Doesn't mean that is when they will start forcing people to migrate. But hey anything can happen so im open to any ideas 🙂

The next invoice's to be sent to the legacy att wireless customers will be branded with Cingular ONLY ! !

Well there you go 🙂 i dont hear much im only cing now

As far as I've heard from my reps, ATTWS has to be completely dead by the six month mark. That doesn't necessarily mean the plans have to be gone, just the association with the old ATTWS.

As far as forced migrations, I don't think they'll have to with GSM customers, but I have heard that TDMA customers will be forced to choose new plans.

The only time you ever see forced plan migrations are when companys are trying to get rid of old grandfathered plans that are costing them too much money. Qwest Wireless did it in the Phoenix market last year and lost a lot of customers. It's too risky a thing, I don't think Cing will push it unless they're losing money, which they aren't.

thejason said:
As far as I've heard from my reps, ATTWS has to be completely dead by the six month mark. That doesn't necessarily mean the plans have to be gone, just the association with the old ATTWS.

As far as forced migrations, I don't think they'll have to with GSM customers, but I have heard that TDMA customers will be forced to choose new plans.

The only time you ever see forced plan migrations are when companys are trying to get rid of old grandfathered plans that are costing them too much money. Qwest Wireless did it in the Phoenix market last year and lost a lot of customers. It's too risky a thing, I don't think Cing will push it unless they're losing money, which they aren't.

That so...
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Shayby said:

thejason said:
As far as I've heard from my reps, ATTWS has to be completely dead by the six month mark. That doesn't necessarily mean the plans have to be gone, just the association with the old ATTWS.

As far as forced migrations, I don't think they'll have to with GSM customers, but I have heard that TDMA customers will be forced to choose new plans.

The only time you ever see forced plan migrations are when companys are trying to get rid of old grandfathered plans that are costing them too much money. Qwest Wireless did it in the Phoenix market last year and lost a lot of customers. It's too risky a thing, I don't think Cing will push it unless they're losing money, which they

...
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I am in a divested market. ATT and Cingular still co-exist as two totally seprate companies. Alltel bought this market and Regional Manager for Cingular told me that as of the last day of March (per the agreement) all AWS stuff must come down. (Sinage, brochures,posters,etc...) But you know how Cingular is always pushing things back....

Don't know if it adds more validity to your rumor or not. Just thought I would chime in.

AT&T IS STILL SIGNING NEW... BUSINESS. I know this for FACT! I just got a new phone with a new contract w/ AT&T .... TODAY with a 2 Year contract.

http://sonyericsson.letstalk.com/product/promo.htm?d ... »

AT&T IS STILL SIGNING NEW... BUSINESS. I know this for FACT! I just got a new phone with a new contract w/ AT&T .... TODAY with a 2 Year contract.

http://sonyericsson.letstalk.com/product/promo.htm?d ... » ...

GeeGee said:
AT&T IS STILL SIGNING NEW... BUSINESS. I know this for FACT! I just got a new phone with a new contract w/ AT&T .... TODAY with a 2 Year contract.

http://sonyericsson.letstalk.com/product/promo.htm?d ... » ...

I used your link, 10 zip code i put in gave me a cingular plan and phone, the ONLY WAY you got a att plan and phone, would if you live in a divested market, and i tried and that brought a att plan, so you go ahead, just be aware you're getting transferred to another carrier within next30-60 days.

No I won't. I just wanted (the phone) SE p910a. I am cancelling the service w/in the 1st 7 days. I am already under a 2 year contract w/AT&T that I just resigned in Dec 04. I am just going to put my existing SIM in the new phone. The phone is all I care about.

I just thought someone might want to know that there is still equipment out there for AT&T, directly through the manufactor.

Um... you DO know that if you cancel, you HAVE TO RETURN the phone, or pay the ETF???

So just pay the ETF and you can keep the phone?? Sounds like a semi inexpensive way to get a high dollar phone. Or am I misunderstanding something.

Still-Learning said:
So just pay the ETF and you can keep the phone?? Sounds like a semi inexpensive way to get a high dollar phone. Or am I misunderstanding something.

It's not, see we can legally charge the ETF, but we do chargeback the phone, so for the P710a

the regular price no comitment is only $449.99,so when he cancels it'll won't be ETF'd, but he will get chargedback so he pays only $449.99 for ther phone, and then he pays another company to unlock it,plus sincehe got the service the $36.00 start of service fees.

so he's gonna pay round little over $500.00 for it all when its said and done! and besrt part since he's keeping his ATT service, thats why they are doing it in the first place, th...
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wrong, wrong, wrong. I paid for the phone on a Credit card. It was not billed to the AT&T account. I am cancelling w/in the 1st 30 days. No ETF. I already have another AT&T account 😉 , I will simply put my existing SIM in the new phone. The regular price for the phone is over $700 w/out a service plan. This way I go FREE SHIPPING, A FREE BLUETOOTH HEADSET, & cancelled the service w/in the 1st 30 days (NO ETF) AND .... I GET TO KEEP THE PHONE, BECAUSE I PAID BY CREDIT CARD. 😁 😁 😉.

I would double check that, becuase if you ordered it with your credit card, some agents in their small print state that they will charge your credit card for their own fees upon not returning equipment. I would be careful with that.

already did. Thats not the case this time. the charge for the phone was through Sony Ericsson. And my phone was unlocked. The only reason this promotion was available is because this phone was suppose to come out with AT&T prior to the merger and Cingular decided not to carry it. So Sony Ericsson aready had an agreement with AT&T, so that is why the phone is still available to AT&T customers only for the discount rate. When I comes to contracts (especially wireless ones) I alway read the fine print and keep a copy. ****and I have the inside scoop on all new equipment (and who carries them) before it hits, because we insure them at lockline.

If you bought through ssony ericsson's site, you were actually buying through indirectly.Sony has an exclusivity agreement with let's talk.com. Those Indirect agents are allowed to sell their remaining att phones with service, as the dealers wanted the company to buy their phones back, and the company refused.as a compromise, they are allowed to sell att till their stocks are depleted, which is projected to be around mid april-early may.

That was fine with me. I am just happy to the P10a for only $499. I am a happy camper. I just didn't want to buy the phone from Ebay.

Oh thats fine, just in case you have any issues you may want to read their exchange or return policy, its pretty brutal in parts.

ok, thanks. Have you dealt with letstalk.com before?

Yep, most online vendors have some really nasty policies, they when you order them, have in their paperwork that you get, and by the way when you ordered it it was agreed upon, their way of sneaking these in:

1)If you interupt service within first 180 days for any reason, you pay that dealer $300.00 per line(no exceptions).

2)To return you must contact them and you are charged for the return mailer out of your pocket.

3)If you decide to return it, you must pay a restocking fee, of $50.00 per phone.

They are brutal, but thats what happens sometimes through indirect dealers.Sorry!

I don't plan on returning the phone. Just cancelling the service plan. I already have another AT&T line that I have put that SIM in the phone. The contract that came with it clearly says that I can cancel w/in the 1st 30 days for any reason with no ETF.

Yeah but if you also read it my friend, you'll see a couple things in the small print if you cancel within the first 30 days, you can for whatever reason, thats totslly true.whats also there is they expect you to return the equipment, because it also has in their terms for getting the phone.

that by not returning it they charge you back for full price of the phone, as the discount is only if you keep the service too, so let's talk.com , loses their commision on that sale so to reoup their loss, they charge you a restocking $50.00 for not returing it, and since you cancel it they chargeback to you on yourcredit card,since you needed to provide that to get the phone, the difference for the phone, which is another $100.00 so by you doing tha...
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Yeah but if you cancel they normally want the equipment back

See i just went to the link that the OP had for the deal, after clicking on the small print links this is what i found:

http://www.letstalk.com/product/promo.htm/mhc=1/depI ... »

Sony Ericsson P910a

Product Price (Retail $669.99) $499.99

$50 instant discount w/$39+ plans! -$50.00

Free Sony Ericsson HBH-600 Bluetooth Headset! $59 FREE

Shipping FREE

Your Final Cost: only $449.99

It also has in the small print, that the customer by not returning the phone if terminated within the first 30 days and is not returned get debited back(chargeback)for the difference of $669.99-449.99=$220.00, thats probably better to cancel after thirty days to pay $175.00 ETF then the $220.00 chargeback.

Oh and also found out, and i'm sorry ,not trying to pour gas on the fire. But i also found out that when the phone is mailed out to you the account is considered active, and if you cancel within the first 3 days there is no start of service, but if you cancel that new line after more then 3 days of the account being active, then there is still no penalty fee, but they no longer credit back the start of service fee, att policy was changed on dec 17,2004.

http://www.letstalk.com/product/promo.htm?depId=1&pg ... »

This is also a link from letstalk.com. they will let you upgrade your current phone and keep your same service they just charge full retail price, this link confirms the phone is billed at $669.99, so by doing it there is to be a chargeback for sure.

coldsteel said:
Um... you DO know that if you cancel, you HAVE TO RETURN the phone, or pay the ETF???

No let him do it, it not an ETF, but its a hell of alot more money then ETF anyway, see the business customers get big discount off of phone, but when they cancel and don't return the phone, the company charges back FULL PRICE OFF THE PHONE, plus he'd have to pay to get it unlocked, cuz it won't get unlocked for him by either cingular or att so he's put even more money, plus he still pays the start of service fee on the new account, he's gonna get it worse then a newbie in prison!!! 😈 😈

I'm in Phoenix, we're not a divested market, but up until the 6 month point, ATTWS plans are still available to sign up for. Phone selection is almost non existant at this point (my company stopped receiving new handsets in december).

The customer is technically a Cingular customer, but he has an ATTWS grandfathered plan when he signs up. You just have to inform them that if they ever need to replace a handset, they're most likely going to have to migrate to Cingular.

thejason said:
I'm in Phoenix, we're not a divested market, but up until the 6 month point, ATTWS plans are still available to sign up for. Phone selection is almost non existant at this point (my company stopped receiving new handsets in december).

The customer is technically a Cingular customer, but he has an ATTWS grandfathered plan when he signs up. You just have to inform them that if they ever need to replace a handset, they're most likely going to have to migrate to Cingular.

my philosophy is why sign them up on blue, you are basically screwing the customer over, cuz then they are locked into their plan, they can't change it or get a different plan, so basicaly they get one bite at theapple to ...
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I will never need to change my plan. I have UNLIMITED ANYTIME MINUTES for $49.99 (old Grandfathered plan that I renewed my contract on 12/04 ...good til 12/06)

thejason, you know what your talking about. I am in Kansas City (Divested market) and I work at lockline (I am NO NEWBIE). I WILL ALWAYS HAVE ACCESS TO ANYPHONE (GSM) AND I.... KNOW HOW TO UNLOCK THEM. BUT THIS ONE ...CAME UNLOCKED FROM SONY ERICSSON 😛, I have already stuck a Cinglar and a T-Mobile SIM in it. AND IT WORKS. YEAAAHH 😉. I will NEVER migrate to Cingular. When my 2 years is up on my 1st line in 12/06, I will go to T-Mobile. and FYI even if this phone wasn't unlocked, T-Moble unlockes phones for their customers once every 90 days on their account. I sale my old phones to T-Mobile people all the time and they just call customer care and get it unlocked.

First off, this is total BS. This should be evident by the fact Cingular HAS no ETF of 175.... its either 240 prorated, or its 150. No ATTWS customer will be FORCED to do anything. They will be migrated onto our BILLING SYSTEM, but not a plan unless THEY choose to do so. If they are upgrading, this is a different story, as there is no new ATTWS equipment, so they would naturally have to choose Cingular equipment and plan at that point.

phoneguy3376 said:
First off, this is total BS. This should be evident by the fact Cingular HAS no ETF of 175.... its either 240 prorated, or its 150. No ATTWS customer will be FORCED to do anything. They will be migrated onto our BILLING SYSTEM, but not a plan unless THEY choose to do so. If they are upgrading, this is a different story, as there is no new ATTWS equipment, so they would naturally have to choose Cingular equipment and plan at that point.

The 175 ETF is what they would be charged for cancelling the attws account because that was our ETF.

Cingular administers those contracts now however, and it is my understanding they would pay Cingular's ETF, since technically ATTWS no longer holds them.

phoneguy3376 said:
Cingular administers those contracts now however, and it is my understanding they would pay Cingular's ETF, since technically ATTWS no longer holds them.

Just asked sup it would be the 175 that is the contract they signed and they have to abide by that contract

Thanks for the clarification... wasn't sure.

No problem. 🙂

Oh please dont think im giving you an attitude im really not I just want to know cuz it helps us all.

didn't think that at all, shayby.

Allright good 😁

it is true that you can migrate to cingular without the ETF. Cingular, however, has no logistical way of forcing customers over without losing a great deal of buisness. For everybody who is in a contract there is a clause therein that says that if any major change is made to your service then the customer has so many days to either take advantage of the change or terminate service with no ETF. It's the FCC's way of making sure that a carrier doesn't just chanege service on a whim. A Forced Migration would constitute a major change in service and all the customers affected would be able to exercise thier rights according to the clause.

Exactly right. That's why this forced crap is just that, crap.

Darth_Ix said:
it is true that you can migrate to cingular without the ETF. Cingular, however, has no logistical way of forcing customers over without losing a great deal of buisness. For everybody who is in a contract there is a clause therein that says that if any major change is made to your service then the customer has so many days to either take advantage of the change or terminate service with no ETF. It's the FCC's way of making sure that a carrier doesn't just chanege service on a whim. A Forced Migration would constitute a major change in service and all the customers affected would be able to exercise thier rights according to the clause.

Not only that, but be real in business here, they DO ...
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Sounds to me like the dealer was scaring her into buying a phone and migrating her service... but mostly to buy a phone.

Some commissioned sales people are a little, shall we say... unscrupulous? True though that they will waive the ETF if you want to migrate over to the Cingular side from the ATTWS side. However, the way I understand it is that they want everyone migrated over w/in the next 2 years. Six months would be nice, but the goal is 2 yrs.

Then again, the girl might be a rumour monger.

ATT_IS_DEAD said:
If they have plans to remove the BLUE customer's from our billing systme/platform at the six month mark (May of 2005) and put all of their information into the Cingular Telegence billing systems than we will not be assisting these Legacy Blue customer's anymore. I really don't think that my center will end up being trained on Cingular's systems and I think that there will eventually be a layoff to our reps. 😢 😢 😢

I dont see them moving them all to a new billing system. Especially since that would take some time to do and would cause so many problems. They went about it in the right way by allowing the "migrations" because we arent having to deal with it all at once which wou...
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I can't forsee them doing that, it wouldn't make sense business wise. It would be better to try and convice the people to migrate and makethem think it was their decision. 😉 😳

Wolfrunner said:
I can't forsee them doing that, it wouldn't make sense business wise. It would be better to try and convice the people to migrate and makethem think it was their decision. 😉 😳

i agree with you, plus let's be real, all large corporations take every bit of revenue into consideration for the projected earnings.ETF's are not all the time, but it is considered a potential stream of revenue.If they force migrated them over, then they would have to remove their contract and waive their ETF's, causing major potential losss of revenue.

Beng realistic, customers are pretty pissed on the blue side right now, with the loss of the roaming agreement that attws with the other carriers, now blue...
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I only am thinking this because customer's are calling in to us and saying that they have received a letter telling them that they have until "X" day to migrate or else.

ATT_IS_DEAD said:
I only am thinking this because customer's are calling in to us and saying that they have received a letter telling them that they have until "X" day to migrate or else.

Well there are 3 types of letters sent out,customers who HAVE to be migrated from attws to suncom/other carriers in the divested markets. customers from those other carriers transferred to cingular, and customers with attws "offered" migration but nothing forced.

I'm so glad my TL got me trained for Cingular sooner then later, These customer's are so nice and easy to work with. 😎

Wolfrunner said:
I'm so glad my TL got me trained for Cingular sooner then later, These customer's are so nice and easy to work with. 😎

I Agree. I like our center was the first to be all Orange from all BLue. 😈

we do both in plano, well us older reps any way, the new reps are orange all the way.... suxz for them too 'cause their logins in don't workin all the markets like mine do! 😈

mamosley said:
we do both in plano, well us older reps any way, the new reps are orange all the way.... suxz for them too 'cause their logins in don't workin all the markets like mine do! 😈

Lol yea that would suck.

NO, THAT IS NOT TRUE ABOUT LOCKLINE. as long as they are paying a premium, we can not cancel their insurnace. We will issue "comparable equipment" at this point we are not sure if we will issue unlocked or cingular phones. But in no way do we want to loose revenue by cancelling any insurance.

not_in_halifax said:
AT&T is supposed to be in negotiations with Sprint about reselling their services under the brand "AT&T Wireless". You know, sort of like "Virgin Mobile" does. I don't think anything's set in stone at this point though.

That was true, but thats why Cingular Parent company SBC, is buying the ATT -parent company, they want to bury the name if they want, or perhaps relaunch as a releller of cingular service, either way THAT deal AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN WITH SPRINT!!!!