AT&T texting plan: $20, not $10, for new customers

AT&T is getting rid of its $10-a-month text messaging plan for new customers, or those current customers wanting to sign up for a text messaging plan, effective this Sunday, and going to a $20-a-month plan.

The $10-a-month plan, which remains in place for customers who already have the plan, lets them send up to 1,000 text messages. The $20-a-month plan covers "unlimited" text messaging.

Those who don't want to pay $20 for a messaging plan do have other options, although they're pricy, depending on how much you text: There's the per-text charge of — gulp — 20 cents per message, and — double gulp — 30 cents for individual photo and video messages.

Here's the official statement and explanation, from AT&T spokesman, Mark A. Siegel, gave msnbc.com:

Starting Aug. 21, we’re streamlining our text messaging plans for new customers and will offer an unlimited plan for individuals for $20 per month and an unlimited plan for families of up to five lines for $30 per month.

The vast majority of our messaging customers prefer unlimited plans and with text messaging growth stronger than ever, that number continues to climb among new customers. Existing customers don’t have to change any messaging plan they have today, even when changing handsets.

Customers who have an "unlimited messaging plan and a qualifying voice plan can also receive unlimited mobile to mobile calling, which means they can call any wireless number, on any wireless network, without those minutes being deducted from their monthly plan," said another AT&T spokesman.

It's a far cry from AT&T's previous and economical $5-a-month plan for 250 text messages, which was done away with last January. leaving the $10-a-month for 1,000 text messages plan as its cheapest.

All cellular carriers face text-message business challenges from Facebook, with its new Messenger program, and Apple, with iMessage service, due to be released as part of the iOS 5 update this fall. Messenger lets Android and iPhone users send instant messages to individuals and to groups from within Facebook.

With iMessage, wrote msnbc.com's Rosa Golijan, when it was unveiled last June, "Apple has created a new messaging service that'll work between iOS users. You'll be able to send text, photos, videos, contacts, and group messages between the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. The feature basically sounds a lot like BlackBerry Messenger and will show delivery receipts, read receipts, and typing indicators. Messages will be pushed to all your devices — and encrypted. Of course the whole thing works over either Wi-Fi or 3G."

Bill Dudley, head of operator services at Sybase 365, a major text-message service provider for cell carriers, "estimates that iMessage could cannibalize as much as 12 percent of U.S. text messaging, but also potentially as little as 1 to 3 percent," wrote msnbc.com's Wilson Rothman recently.

Asked if the new Facebook and Apple services played a role in AT&T's decision to change its text message plan, Siegel said only this: "We made the new change as part of our ongoing process of reviewing our plans and offers."

Related stories:

Check out Technolog, Gadgetbox, Digital Life and In-Game on Facebook, and on Twitter, follow Suzanne Choney.

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AT&T texting plan: $20, not $10, for new customers

AT&T is getting rid of its $10-a-month text messaging plan for new customers, or those current customers wanting to sign up for a text messaging plan, effective this Sunday, and going to a $20-a-month plan.

The $10-a-month plan, which remains in place for customers who already have the plan, lets them send up to 1,000 text messages. The $20-a-month plan covers "unlimited" text messaging.

Those who don't want to pay $20 for a messaging plan do have other options, although they're pricy, depending on how much you text: There's the per-text charge of — gulp — 20 cents per message, and — double gulp — 30 cents for individual photo and video messages.

Here's the official statement and explanation, from AT&T spokesman, Mark A. Siegel, gave msnbc.com:

Starting Aug. 21, we’re streamlining our text messaging plans for new customers and will offer an unlimited plan for individuals for $20 per month and an unlimited plan for families of up to five lines for $30 per month.

The vast majority of our messaging customers prefer unlimited plans and with text messaging growth stronger than ever, that number continues to climb among new customers. Existing customers don’t have to change any messaging plan they have today, even when changing handsets.

Customers who have an "unlimited messaging plan and a qualifying voice plan can also receive unlimited mobile to mobile calling, which means they can call any wireless number, on any wireless network, without those minutes being deducted from their monthly plan," said another AT&T spokesman.

It's a far cry from AT&T's previous and economical $5-a-month plan for 250 text messages, which was done away with last January. leaving the $10-a-month for 1,000 text messages plan as its cheapest.

All cellular carriers face text-message business challenges from Facebook, with its new Messenger program, and Apple, with iMessage service, due to be released as part of the iOS 5 update this fall. Messenger lets Android and iPhone users send instant messages to individuals and to groups from within Facebook.

With iMessage, wrote msnbc.com's Rosa Golijan, when it was unveiled last June, "Apple has created a new messaging service that'll work between iOS users. You'll be able to send text, photos, videos, contacts, and group messages between the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. The feature basically sounds a lot like BlackBerry Messenger and will show delivery receipts, read receipts, and typing indicators. Messages will be pushed to all your devices — and encrypted. Of course the whole thing works over either Wi-Fi or 3G."

Bill Dudley, head of operator services at Sybase 365, a major text-message service provider for cell carriers, "estimates that iMessage could cannibalize as much as 12 percent of U.S. text messaging, but also potentially as little as 1 to 3 percent," wrote msnbc.com's Wilson Rothman recently.

Asked if the new Facebook and Apple services played a role in AT&T's decision to change its text message plan, Siegel said only this: "We made the new change as part of our ongoing process of reviewing our plans and offers."

Related stories:

Check out Technolog, Gadgetbox, Digital Life and In-Game on Facebook, and on Twitter, follow Suzanne Choney.

View the original article here

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Telecoms firms leave some customers unhappy

Nearly a quarter of TalkTalk customers were unhappy with the firm's customer service The customer service departments of big landline and broadband firms are leaving a significant minority of their customers unhappy.

The telecoms regulator Ofcom discovered this after researching customers of the largest 10 telecoms firms.

Nearly a quarter of TalkTalk customers were unhappy at the way their broadband and landline problems were dealt with.

However Ofcom said people contacting mobile and pay TV firms were much more satisfied with their experience.

"Ofcom hopes publication of this research will act as an incentive to communications providers to improve their customer service levels," the regulator said.

"To ensure that consumers and Ofcom have an accurate picture of service levels, Ofcom intends to conduct this again in the next 12 months."

The industry has a new procedure for dealing with complaints, which comes into force on 22 July 2011.

Firms will have to resolve initial complaints within eight weeks, or disgruntled customers will be able to take them to either the communications ombudsman or to the Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (CISAS).

Their decisions will be binding on telecoms firms.

Getting better

Ofcom's research into telecom customer service looked at the big firms which each had at least 4% of the relevant market.

Dissatisfaction was fairly low among customers who called the six mobile main phone networks, usually to discuss changes to deals or services and problems with bills.

Dissatisfaction with their responses ranged from 9% for T-Mobile to 14% with Vodafone.

The big pay TV firms, BSkyB and Virgin Media had similarly low rates of dissatisfaction among customers who contacted them.

Ofcom pointed out that BSkyB "appears to have improved on most aspects of its customer service."

Things were worse though with the big landline and broadband firms.

Dissatisfaction with the handling of landline problems ranged from 17% (BSkyB and BT) to 24% for TalkTalk.

Ofcom said the problem with the way TalkTalk dealt with customers' queries was "mainly due to customers being unable to get through to the right person, the speed of answering the phone and general dissatisfaction with the customer service advisor."

Meanwhile the level of unhappiness with the response of broadband customer service departments ranged from 11% with Orange to 23% of TalkTalk/Tiscali customers.

"Orange now tops the board with 76% satisfaction," said Ofcom.

"Both BT and Sky customers also reported improved satisfaction scores on at least six of the customer service aspects measured," the regulator added.

Michael Phillips, of the website Broadbandchoices.co.uk said: "It's encouraging to see that service providers are making strides to improve customer service satisfaction levels but it's a shame that the research excludes the smaller service providers."

"Smaller, niche providers are streets ahead of some of their larger counterparts," he said.

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