Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

AT&T Dumps VOIP Customers

Posted by kdawson on from the don't-let-the-door-hit-you dept.

Proudrooster writes "In the past two weeks AT&T has sent out disconnect letters to VOIP customers in big rude red letters, stating that VOIP service will be suspended in 30 days and permanently disconnected in 60 days. They cited E911 service as the reason. (It is peculiar that AT&T is unable overcome an E911 technical hurdle, since SBC/AT&T is also the local landline company in many areas where VOIP cancellation notices are being received.) Many AT&T VOIP customers have found that they are unable to transfer their phone numbers to a new provider. Further, AT&T is unwilling to set up a forwarding message directing callers to a new phone number for those who are unable to transfer their old numbers. In effect, AT&T has told many long-term VOIP subscribers: 'We are turning off your phone in 30 days, goodbye.'"

8 of 295 comments (clear)

  1. Topic icon... by Farrside · · Score: 5, Funny

    I find it entirely appropriate, if not prescient.

  2. Re:What's the line? by CRC'99 · · Score: 5, Funny
    From Saturday Night Live...

    Ernestine: We handle eighty-four billion calls a year. Serving everyone from presidents and kings to the scum of the earth. We realize that every so often you can't get an operator, for no apparent reason your phone goes out of order, or perhaps you get charged for a call you didn't make.

    We don't care.

    Watch this.. [ she hits buttons maniacally ] ..just lost Peoria.

    You see, this phone system consists of a multibillion-dollar matrix of space age technology that is so sophisticated, even we can't handle it. But that's your problem, isn't it? Next time you complain about your phone service, why don't you try using two Dixie cups with a string?

    We don't care. We don't have to. We're the Phone Company.
    --
    Sendmail is like emacs: A nice operating system, but missing an editor and a MTA.
  3. Odd. by gklinger · · Score: 4, Funny

    AT&T should know better than anyone that breaking up is hard to do. Talk about a short institutional memory.

  4. quote by alexandreracine · · Score: 4, Funny

    Governor Sio Bibble: A communications disruption could mean only one thing: invasion.

    --
    No sig for now.
  5. Re:RTFA'd for a change.. by devilspgd · · Score: 4, Funny

    The mail isn't rude... Not even the words. Rather, the letters they used.

    Probably too many "T"s, those are very rude letters.

    --
    Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day, but teach a man to phish...
  6. Welcome to the new AT&T by Fujisawa+Sensei · · Score: 3, Funny

    Welcome to the new AT&T.

    Fuck you very much.

    --
    If someone is passing you on the right, you are an asshole for driving in the wrong lane.
  7. Re:What's the line? by StringBlade · · Score: 5, Funny
    From the article url:

    Peoria cut cable causes affects phones throughout the state

    noun verb noun verb verb noun preposition article noun

    Mental language processor exception handling 'verb verb'...aborting. See compiler output for details.

    --
    ...and that's the way the cookie crumbles.
  8. Re:What's the line? by CreateWindowEx · · Score: 4, Funny

    noun verb noun verb verb noun preposition article noun
    Mental language processor exception handling 'verb verb'...aborting. See compiler output for details.
    Do you have the 2.3.7 patch to the mental language compiler? Mine gives this parsing: "Peoria cut cable causes; affects phones throughout the state."

    (The Peoria chamber of commerce voted to cut funding to several charity groups (causes) that support broken cables and frayed ropes; the flood of calls in opposition to this move triggered outages in the phone system.)