gPhone: Belaboring the Point on the NYT Article

Hey Rizzn-ites,

I posted a bit yesterday about the NYT piece on the gPhone. The coverage of the NYT analysis has been spun as wrong as it can possibly be, with the grand take-a-way being that there is no gPhone coming. The original article was a bit off in the first place. I actually got an email from Miguel Helft this morning, responding to my analysis of what he said.

I'm puzzled that you call this a hit piece. Really? A story that lays out the facts, as I known them, and strategy behind Google's mobile ambitions and plans. In fact, most readers would probably come away with the notion that loosening carrier control and more competition for are good things. No?

As for quoting Google enemies, the one and only source I quoted who is in that camp is Scott Cleland, and I very clearly disclosed his point of view.

In fact, the one CEO of a carrier I quoted was Vodafone, by some metrics the largest mobile operator in the world, and a Google ally, since they provide easy access to Google services (unlike US carriers).

The problem is, Miguel, that very few facts were reported. The leading items were your unqualified (by any sourcing) analysis, and the quotes from those that would be decidedly out of the Google camp. Karsten Weide? Ex-Yahoo. Dan Olschwang? Potential Google mobile competitor. Arun Sarin? T-Mobile competitor (gPhone carrier).

Throughout the article, Miguel and all the quoted sources seemed mystified by the hype. As I stated yesterday, the gPhone promise is what the iPhone used to be, but without the threat of bricking.

I looked a bit further into Scott Cleland, since I was pretty sure I'd heard the name before, but couldn't place it. He writes Precursors Blog, and talked a bit about the gPhone yesterday. Like Miguel's piece, most of his analysis lacks cited sources, and completely downplays any credence to the hype surrounding it whatsoever. According to Scott, all the hype revolves around "their one-letter sub-branding conventions, their cultures of extreme secrecy about their plans, and their similar "Midas touch" public relations successes."

Again, though, what would you expect from shill for the anti-net neutrality crowd, and someone who argues that "...[t]rue competition best serves consumers, not government-managed competition where the Government pre-determines market outcomes with preemptive open access of net neutrality regulation" when speaking of the nation-wide megalopolies of AT&T and the cable companies. Competition indeed.

Update 9:48 AM CST (10/10/2007): Scoble linked Nicholas Carr's blog post this morning, who drew more or less the exact same conclusion I did.

/rizzn

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Just a brief mention of AT&T...

Hey there Rizznites!

There's a bunch of new folk's eyeballs looking at these words here, and to you I say "hello!" and "welcome!"

I first want to say to those on the DSLReports forum that I in no way advocate defrauding AT&T or the government ... in picking the "I am poor" selections on the AT&T landline signup page ... it just seems that if you pick those options, you get better access to the cheaper services. They tend to hide those and endless pitch you useless services otherwise in your attempt to get a barebones landline trying to sign up for the $10 DSL.

If you're not sure what I'm talking about in the previous paragraph - go to the DSL reports mention of last week's AT&T article and read their forum posts. There's quite a few folks that don't understand why I went through the hassle I went through to get it (and if your curious why I did, check out the latest $10 DSL post and read the comments where I address a bit of that).

For those of you wondering what else I talk about here on rizzn.com, I'd like to point you to my podcast or my current video podcasting efforts over at the UBN. I'm a podcasting consultant, and these days, business is booming. Everyone across the media-entertainment-technology space seems to be wising up to the idea that there is an actual business to be had in podcasting.

Over the next few weeks, I'm actively going to be pursuing a number of ways to better monetize my multimedia efforts, and I'll be talking about how that's going here on the blog, so those in the New Media looking to make a couple bucks at it would be wise to throw my RSS into your feedreader.

It's rather late, and going on early, so I'll wrap this up. Just wanted to nod hello to the newcomers. The RSS subscription numbers appear to have tripled over the weekend so far, and I thought that warranted a special post on the occasion!

Have a good weekend folks. Talk to you Monday morning, if not sooner.

/rizzn

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One Man's Quest for $10 DSL: Revolutions

Update: 11:59 AM on 7/13/2007 - My wife confirmed receipt and delivery of the AT&T service and the DSL modem. She's hooking it up now, and she says it's working. As Engadget said... "Who has the last laugh now?" muahahaa!

Okay, this is the final chapter of the process, as I now have it ordered. Whether it will work is another story, but we'll talk about that once the activation date for the DSL has passed. For the other parts of the story, look here:

My Quest for $10 DSL (All Parts)

4:28: Went back to the web form like yesterday.
4:29: Called the customer support number, since the system requires me to enter a customer verification number I don't seem to have yet.

Enter your 3-digit
customer code, which
can be found in the
top corner of your bill.

Since I don't have a bill yet, I can't enter it. Hopefully AT&T will allow me to get it over the phone.
4:47: CSR Libby informed me that I need to set up my AT&T online account to get through the order form. To get this account, I need the three digit code from my phone bill, which I won't get until August. She can get fired for giving it to me over the phone, apparently, but the billing department @ (1800-585-7928) might be able to help me somehow.
4:53: Hold music playing jazz version of "Hey Jude"
4:55: Still on hold. Is it just me or is it absolutely ridiculous how disorganised this company is? I have lost count at this point how many different webforms and 800 numbers I've had to call. Maybe I'll tally it up when I'm all done.
5:01: The nice lady in billing gave me my code - notice I mentioned nothing about the $10 DSL, and I got much better service - I'm definitely noticing a trend here. That, and my three digit code... I won't say what it is, but I will say it's stupidly easy. I should have guessed it. We're talkin' Space Balls easy.
5:03: Going back to the web form. Again.
5:05: Ooooh, low blow. They make you pay for the router and then mail in a rebate, thus getting around the 'free' requirement in the merger agreement. I wonder if that's legal?
5:06: Selecting self install. Technician install is $200. Ouch. Self install is free.
5:07: My first available activation date is July 16th. A little long on the activation date, methinks, but then I suppose beggars can't be choosers.
5:08: Here's the service TOS on the DSL

I agree to maintain AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet (Downstream speeds up to 768 Kbps/Upstream speeds up to 128 Kbps) or a higher speed, for twelve (12) months from the date of activation. I understand that this is a special offer for customers who order online and who have not previously subscribed to AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet (DSL) from AT&T. AT&T reserves the right to rerate to the appropriate monthly rate if this information is found to be false.

AT&T Yahoo! High speed is subject to the terms and conditions of the AT&T Yahoo! Internet Service Agreement ("Service Agreement"), provided at the time of service registration and activation. If I terminate my AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet, or if service is terminated for violation of the Service Agreement, prior to the expiration of twelve (12) months from the activation date, I understand I will be charged a $50 termination fee that represents a portion of the network activation and setup costs foregone as a result of such termination.

I acknowledge that I have read the foregoing term agreement, and I agree to the terms and conditions thereof, including, but not limited to, the $50 early termination fee.

5:10: I chose the $79.99 router (with mail in rebate making it free) because of it's wireless capabilities. There was a $49.99 router available as well (also with full mail in rebate making it free). They also charged the $10.00 for the first month, but I didn't need to pay for it up front - it is marked as "Bill to my account." There was also a non-refundable $12.95 charge for UPS delivery.

So, at 5:13 PM CST on Wednesday, July 11th, 2007 - I'm finally done getting this. Of course it's not all activated yet, and still remains to be untested, and they could also 'forget' to include the rebate coupon or information, and I could get stuck with a recurring contract for a year with AT&T over something that will end up not working.

But that's assuming the worst. Assuming the best out of all this, if you play your cards right, here's what you have to do to get yourself set up with the same thing I have in the shortest amount of time possible (learning from my trial and error).

How to get $10 $18 DSL:

1. Set aside $50.00 for activation of your phone service, and have handy by the end of the billing cycle another $95.00 or so for the DSL activation and modem fees.
2. Go to this web form and set up AT&T phone service.
1. Any time it asks you if you're poor, say yes.
2. Any time it asks you for a credit check, opt for driver license verification instead (unless your credit really sucks, and you really are poor).
3. Do not add any special services in the order process. Go with the metered local calling - remember, you're never going to use this phone ever. It's just for the DSL.
4. Don't have them come into your house to test stuff unless you're SURE they'll need to. It's $200 a pop every time they set foot in your house.
   
5. You'll end up with a $7.00 a month AT&T phone service with a $38.00 set up fee, and they'll make you prepay a total of $50.00 via credit/debit card.
3. Wait until your phone is activated. This shouldn't take more than a few days. I screwed up by starting on a Friday. You'll get better results if you start on a Monday.
4. After three or so business days have passed, call (1-800-585-7928) and ask to speak to the billing department. Have you're AT&T local phone number handy, as well as your home address.
1. Ask them for your three digit customer code.
   
2. Do not mention you're trying to get the $10 DSL - that always fouls things up with AT&T. Just say you're in a rush to get your code, and you haven't gotten a bill yet.
5. Go to ATT.com and create a web management account.
6. Go back to the SBC web form and sign up for your service. You don't need your credit card, everything gets billed to your phone account.
7. Voila! You now have cheap DSL service! Your monthly bill should be $18 a month for everything, according to the folks I've talked to over at AT&T. I won't know for sure till I get my first bill, however.
   

Still have questions? You been through this? Email me and we'll compare notes. This is a pretty exhaustive guide, and should get you through the process.

/rizzn

BTW: I'm selling podcast advertising on my show. Go here and bid on it via eBay.

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One Man's Quest for $10 DSL: Reloaded

In case you missed my live blog last week on ordering the alleged $10 DSL, I have found that it in fact exists and is theoretically possible to get. I'm well into hour five in terms of time spent trying to get it. Read here to see what brought me to this point, and pay attention to this page throughout the day while I work to see this through to completion.

3:20: Called (800-288-2020) to find out why they haven't installed my phone line yet. Learned from the automated system while I was on hold that you can't order an iPhone over the phone with AT&T.
3:24: For the industry leader in Voice Recognition systems, AT&T's VR really sucks.
3:27: Even though I picked the right department for checking the status of an order through the online prompts, I was given to a billing person, who tried to get me to hang up and call someone else. I went off on her like we were on Jerry Springer and she suddenly figured out how to transfer my call.
3:32: I apparently landed in the queue that tells you "Sorry about your luck." The message that repeats verbatim goes as such:

"Your call is very important to us, thank you for calling AT&T customer service. We're currently experiencing high call volumes and apologize for the inconvenience, please try your call again later today."

I'm not sure whether to be grateful that I don't have to listen to "I Want it That Way" repeat on the hold music anymore, or be irked that I just got ungraciously hung up on.
3:34: Decided to hang up and try using the web form to sign up for DSL. Maybe I'm activated enough to get it working.
3:28: Glory Hallelujah!

You selected Basic, but did you know that with our Express package you'll get... (marketing crap here) ...Yes, I want to order Express for $19.99 per month
No, continue with Basic for $10.00 per month

Gee... can you guess which one I picked?
3:40: Apparently I can't complete the order because my account is only sortof activated. Back to the phones. This time I called (866.602.4412), a number from the other activation email I got from signing up for phone service.
3:46: Posting what I have to the blog, and continuing to wait on hold. This is light jazz stuff, so it's doable.. better than the 70's hold music from last week.
3:52: Discovered a domain wide ASP error on rizzn.com - Fixed it. Doh! Still on hold.
3:59: Finally got someone on the phone. His name is Billy. He's pulling up my order data.
4:01: Apparently, I need to wait two more days before I order DSL - I need to circulate through the system or something. So look for my next update tomorrow or Thursday.

/rizzn

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My Quest for $10 DSL

UPDATE 7/10/2007: the saga continues here.
UPDATE 7/11/2007: the saga concludes here.

I'm determined to get this $10 internet for my wife at home. I read about it on TechDirt several weeks ago, and thought "Hey, wouldn't it be nice?" Of course, there's rarely a free lunch, and after surfing the internet forums, I wondered if I actually signed up for it, if I'd be the first - most people had problems getting to the right page and getting the right page to pop up even when they got the right URL.

Always one to be a pioneer, and always willing to put the screws to AT&T, I've taken it upon myself to go through the arduous task of making this possible. Hopefully I'll be able to pave the way for others to do this for themselves in the future, as well as make my wife happy with some cheap internet service at the house.

All Timestamps are PM.

4:00: went to the link from the TechDirt article on DSL Reports, went through the sign-up form. System informs me that I'm not qualified for AT&T DSL service in my location.
4:14: Called customer service. On hold for 20 minutes, and then hung up on when transferred.
4:40: Called different customer service line (800-869-1598), and was told that, after 15 minutes on hold, that I could get DSL where I was, but they would have to transfer me to the the right regional customer service. As soon as I started speaking with the customer service guy about the $10 deal, I mysteriously get transferred, and hung up on.
5:20: Went through the website again, and this time clicked on the live chat thing. Spent about 20 minutes discussing things with her. Started out by telling the CSR about my request for the $10 DSL (probably a mistake), and mysteriously I'm told that it's not available again. She offers me Satellite Internet at an exhorbitant rate. I graciously decline. She refers me to a phone number to tell me exactly why DSL isn't available for me (1-800-709-5465).
6:00: Dicker around on the internet, considering getting wireless internet through a mobile phone provider.
6:03: Look at the pricing plans, and decide this is a stupid idea. Especially since I don't have a laptop.
6:15: Dig up the number chat lady gave me, and call it.
6:19: They give me this number to call: (877-722-3755). I call it. Talk to the lady about setting up standalone DSL, and get a go-ahead. I then mention that I want the special $10 deal. She tells me it's a web-only offer. I mention my dilemma, and she transfers me to the web-help people.
7:02: Talked to Billy, presumably a web help guy. Tell him the problem, but don't mention that it's the $10 deal specifically. He's bringing a specialist on the line, allegedly. It sounds like he punted me to a different department. Probably DSL sales again. I don't recognize the hold music as being from the same department, so it may be someone else entirely.
7:06: Realize how sad it is that I'm learning to recognize their hold music. The maintenance men just turned out the lights in the hallways. I realize how late it's getting.
7:10: This hold music sounds like it is playing off magnetic tape, and it's been playing continuously since the 70s, when these tunes were written. It speeds up and slows down randomly.
7:12: I hear a brief ring, and then back to hold music. Same songs.
7:15: Talking to Nick in the Retention Office. He tells me that the $10 deal is not a standalone DSL deal. I must order phone service, even if it's the ultra-cheap $10 phone service, to be able to get the $10 DSL. So now, I begin my quest to find the most dirt cheap telephone service AT&T offers.
7:17: Went to the special $10 DSL Order Page and then clicked on the Residential Link on the following line:

Need to order new AT&T local phone service? Order online for Residential or Business.

Went with every option that seemed cheap. Opted out of the credit check. Basic basic basic - I won't be making a call on this line, just need it as a formality, and will be using VoIP when I have the internet set up, probably with Gizmo or Skype or something.
7:32: I'm sitting at the pay screen, looking at the button to pay for $7 a month local phone service. I'm pondering whether to trust Nick at his word and go for it, or to just give it up. No! I've come to far to give up! Plus, I'm going to use a credit card, so I can always reverse the charges.
7:42: The phone number it assigned me is the same as what one of my buddies from middle school's phone number was. Odd coincidence.
7:45: Total cost so far: $50.00 (pre-paid). Actual charges: $7.00 + $38.50, but they require a $50.00 prepayment, apparently. Hooray for credit checks!
7:47: Went back to the order DSL special page from DSL Reports. Entered my new phone number, and got this error message:

Due to technical problems, we are unable to process your order online at this time. Please contact us at 1-877-722-3755 Mon-Fri, 7am-9pm; Sat 8am-5pm.

7:48: Calling (877-722-3755). I've called this line before. This is the one with the 70s hold music on the bad cassette tape.
7:54: First recognizable song played on hold: "Every Step You Take, I'll Be Watching You."
8:05: Still on hold. I hope I'm home before tomorrow. Not looking hopeful for that impossible dream.
8:12: Talked to George Thomas in Sales. He says I have to wait until the 9th to activate my special $10 DSL internet deal. He is the first person besides Billy that actually was aware of the $10 DSL deal, and was able to confirm the pricing and account requirements. He also mentioned that all the taxes and special tariff addons that come bundled as a 'feature' of most broadband internet was less than $1.00 - so I can expect my monthly bill to be around $11.00 for the DSL, and $7.00 for the local line (which will be sitting dormant and unused).
8:16: Decide that there's nothing more I can do, and go home for the day.

Bottom Line: This is a To Be Continued thing... I'll do another live blog on this on the 9th when I go about setting up my DSL service, but it looks like everything will come to $18.00 a month, and will work as (not) advertised. I'll withhold final judgement till everything is installed, but I'm looking forward with cautious optimism.

Here's What You Do To Not Spend 4 Hours Figuring This Out:

• If you have no AT&T land line, go here.
• Then go here once it's activated.
• Pay your $18.00 a month (but be willing to spend that $50.00 for the up-front pre-payment).
• Enjoy your slow (but cheap!) internet connection.

/rizzn

Update 7/6/2007, 7:18 PM: Just got linked by Engadget, and Gizmodo too, although I don't see the link on their page, emails are coming in saying it's been linked there. In response to the comments - my website design serves me well. If I served an audience the size of Engadget or Gizmodo, I'd prolly hire a designer to do it for me. As it is, I've got an audience of thousands, not millions, and they don't seem to care.

But I know it's a turd of a site. Bleh

As to the substance of some of the comments, the reason I've got to wait until the 9th is for the installation and activation of the phone line, which is the earliest possible date to get the line installed. Once that's done, I can get the DSL installed.

Perhaps it was my own negligence or maybe nobody actually said this, but I was under the impression that the $10 DSL was standalone service - it wasn't.

Thanks Engadget! (and Gizmodo, if you linked me, too!).

Update 7/9/2007: A lot of you are looking for an update. I've been busy all day preparing for the live UBN show, and haven't had a chance to get with AT&T. It's on my agenda for first thing in the morning. Do not despair, I will update!

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