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AT&T Wireless Fumbles Number Portability
cloudscout writes "The FCC is demanding that AT&T Wireless Services explain their number portability failures. Apparently, tens of thousands of customers are having their number portability requests delayed because of computer system problems at AT&T Wireless. Sadly, the FCC did not say they were going to be imposing fines for this breach of regulations yet but I'm sure that will follow if things don't improve quickly." Reader (54)T-Dub adds: "As many of you already reported on wed, there have been some pretty serious delays for people switching cellphone providers according to this NYTimes article (free reg required). Most notably former AT&T customers can expect to wait up to a week for their number to switch."
Most notably former AT&T customers can expect to wait up to a week for their number to switch
Why wait when you have Captain Crunch?
When anger rises, think of the consequences.
Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC)
If you want to be the very first to try the hot new stuff, be prepared for things not to always go as planned.
This problem relates both to people trying to switch FROM AT&T and to people trying to switch TO AT&T... while it may be a stalling tactic on AT&T, it seems unlikely and they wouldn't want to give themselves such a PR black eye.
All the major carriers except AT&T are using one portability company. Looks like AT&T ought to explore using that same firm.
There are more horror stories at Wirelessadvisor.com.
Zaphod B
When duplication is outlawed, only outlaws will have
If they're fined, they'll just increase their rates, perhaps they'll add another 10 cents to everyone's "Number portability surcharge". It will cost them nothing.
Click here for your reg free linkage.
AT&T has a reputation with pulling this crap. It might not be with everyone, but it happens more than it really should.
I've known a few people who've worked for AT&T who claim some of the stuff they do is no good.
For example, when I switched long distance carriers from AT&T, I *knew* I'd have some kind of issue with it. Lo and behold, 2 weeks after terminating service with them, AT&T mysteriously accepts an order "placed by me" and reactivates my service through them. I call back to cancel and to make sure it's cancelled and they tell me I was removed from the system.
A week later, it happened again. I guess I must be sleepwalking or something, because, again, they claim I place a service reactivation order.
In the end it all got straigtened out, but after hearing from people who used to work there that they practice some shady business tactics, it doesn't surprise me in the least bit that the number switching would "mysteriously" fail.
We have secretly replaced these Slashdot mods' sense of humor with a rusty nail. Let's see if they notice!!
Back in the beginning of November my phone died and I went to the ATT store to try to buy a new one. I was told to come back the next day because the computer system was not working. I did, and the same thing happened for the next WEEK. That's right NO gsm phones were activated for a whole WEEK.
Once I did get a phone, I emailed their customer service and told them how badly they screwed up and wasted my time. This is the point where good companies realize they made a mistake and go out of their way to fix it, but instead ATT offered me a measly $5 credit. I found this insulting as a loyal customer for ~2 years who has just been given a huge runaround and inconvenience. So I replaied to the email saying so.
Now at the bottom of every email from ATT they append this:
" If you need to respond to this message, we suggest you reply directly to this email for the best service. Please remember to leave all documents attached for reference."
which I certainly did. So to follow the course of our correspondence, all you had to do was start at the bottom and read upwards (like any normal email thread). So about a week later I get this simple reply:
" Thank you for contacting AT&T Wireless regarding the e-mail you recently sent us. Unfortunately, we are unable to determine the nature of your request. If you would like to email us back with more detailed information, we would be more than happy to assist you further. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause."
So the point of this rant is that ATT is full of technically incompetant people, and this story does not surprise me one bit.
I work for AT&T Wireless, and have been right in the thick of things for about eight months. Let me tell you, it's far worse than what the press is indicating.
Apparently corporate favored hiring Deloitte consultants over their full time employees to save costs and to prepare for a possible buyout, and they simply didn't get the job done. Their efforts can be measured by the numbers I've gotten wind of. Wireless's passthrough rates for LNP are not even above 20% for port out, and they're logging about 10-15 thousand tickets per day at their help desks. That's right, per day.
Wireless also chose Siebel and Vitria to work out back end systems, and they were both pieces of hand-picked corporate garbage (and they were told way in advance by former full time employees, but were shunned as 'not being agreeable to the team') that have proven unscaleable, unreliable, and though modified incessantly, not up to the task of doing LNP. Apparently no one has any idea what we are going to do now. AT&T Wireless is stuck with a backend system that we're now locked into because of contractual agreements with the aforementioned companies.
IMO, Corporate has torn the soul and guts out of this company in order to turn a profit, and now their gonna reap what they've sown over the course of last year.