AT&T Dumps VOIP Customers

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.'"

Comments

Welcome back Ma Bell

[TheReaperD]

All the monopolistic tendencies that you love and none of that silly customer service stuff...

Re:911 Operator: can we get your address?

[Chris Mattern]

Darwin in action, then. If you don't know where you live, you've got bigger problems than trying to give the right directions to the emergency services.

You know, sometimes people who call 911 are *unable to speak*. You may be having a stroke, to pick an example. Standard procedure for the 911 operator when 911 is called but no one talks on the other end is to dispatch emergency response to the phone number's location, for precisely this reason. Which can be done only when the 911 operator knows where the phone number is, of course.

Chris Mattern

Who has a landline?

[sczimme]

- Adults who live in houses, as opposed to transient youngsters who move from apartment to apartment

- People with DSL connections

- People that understand how 911 works

- People that understand that the landline is pretty darn reliable, and that using only a mobile is a Single Point of Failure