Parody ads tell the horrible truth about AT&T&T

Eddie sez, "The media reform group, Free Press, has released a series of satirical videos to fight the AT&T/T-Mobile merger."

Stop the AT&T T-Mobile Merger

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

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technogeek

My solution to mobile rates has been to not purchase a plan at all, but to go with a T-Mobile prepay account. Since I don’t spend my whole life on the mobile — I only send SMS messages when I actually have something that needs to be said, I use non-phone networks when I want to do something with data, I use the mobile only when I actually have to _be_ mobile, and I don’t insist on the latest and greatest and most complicated or smallest phone — this is hugely cheaper for me. My total year’s expenditure is usually less than a minimal plan’s per-month cost.

And I have the freedom at any time to switch to someone else’s prepay plan by just purchasing a different SIM card.

And the prepay plans, because they _don’t_ have the lock-in, have tended to be pretty competetive with those from other carriers. I went with T-Mobile because they had coverage where I needed it and because friends were on that network and mostly happy with it, but could just as easily have gone with several others.

It isn’t the right approach for everyone, certainly. But it may be worth (re)considering if all you really need is A Mobile Phone.

“Ma Bell. We’re always busy for you.”
kjulig

Just to clarify, I don’t have a smartphone but if I do decide I need one: fortunately I live in the mythical land of telecom competition where we have â‚¬13/month plans for voice and unlimited data including a current but low-end Android phone. So yeah, the situation in the US sucks as it is, no need for less competition.
- http://twitter.com/_sequoia Sequoia M.
  
  This comment is really confusing. You just mocked me for suggesting that app phones are not a necessity, now you tell me you don’t have one. :p Are they a necessity or aren’t they? If not, there’s no reason people can’t stop paying if they don’t like the price:service ratio.
gornzilla

How long until astroturfing explains why the merger is a *good* idea?
- Anonymous
  
  I don’t normally see AT&T ads, but I’m surprised they haven’t spin off the “savings to costumers” angle because we’re now more efficient with 1 less telecom to deal with.
- Dave Faris
  
  Don’t worry. You won’t see those here.
- adamrice
  
  what, you haven’t been seeing these ads?
  - princeminski
    
    Note that the responses to the ads on YouTube are all to the effect: “Who did the music?” We’re intercoursed.
  - gornzilla
    
    Nope, I haven’t. I’m working overseas in part due to giving up after looking for work in California for a few months.
- http://randomsongoftheday.org Brian Burwell
  
  You haven’t seen the ads on TV yet? That started a while ago. I’m not being facetious, here’s the commercial:
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJR6n4P7q2M
Palomino

AT&T&T is after my T&A.
querent

read #20.

i don’t get the leg warmer joke.
- Anonymous
  
  The 1980s, look them up.
subhan

I want to have an ATT/T-Mobile 3some now.
- http://randomsongoftheday.org Brian Burwell
  
  Just wait until after the merger. They’ll be fat, lethargic, and covered with zit and haven’t showed in weeks. Then they’ll be desperate to have a 3some with you.
Anonymous

Now if only one of the few major media corporations would allow one of these ads on their networks during primetime…
Sequoia

I know this might sound crazy, but we do have the option of not buying their services. Working on the web, I spend 9+ hours a day on the computer at work, then usually some more during leisure time. Personally, I can’t justify spending $360-480/yr for MORE access to the internet. I’m in front of a computer most of my waking hours, why would I pay for more computer time, but on a tiny screen with no keyboard?

I know mobile is “the future of computing” but I think people should not take for granted that they need an app phone. My Nokia 6350 serves me well, and I’ve even broken the screen twice (not to hard to replace on your own on a clamshell). Do you really NEED an app phone? Is the service really WORTH $30-40/mo? If not, call their bluff: don’t pay and wait for them to lower rates!
- atomix
  
  It is nice that your circumstances give you that choice. I bet you represent a pretty small demographic, though.
  
  I, for example, on the road 80% of the time, and am dedicated to responding to customers within an hour tiny keyboard or not. Unless I stop at every Starbucks on the road, I’m not going to be able to live up to their expectations.
  - Sequoia
    
    I agree that certain jobs require constant mobile connectivity, such as yours. I’d wager, however, that more people’s work circumstances look like mine (in front of computer all day) than like yours (on the road requiring constant internetâ€“ not just phoneâ€“ connectivity), i.e. I think that yours is probably the (far) less common circumstance.
    
    Like I said, ask yourself “Do you really NEED an app phone?” For you the answer is a resounding “yes;” you do need this piece of equipment. My point is that for many people, the answer is “no, they don’t *need* it.”
    
    Check out the top free applications http://www.apple.com/itunes/charts/free-apps/ or top paid applications http://www.apple.com/itunes/charts/paid-apps/ for the iphone. These are NOT productivity applications: it would appear most people use their app phones for play, primarily, if most popular applications is any indication. Again, most users don’t NEED an app phone, it’s a luxury that makes their life more fun, like a gameboy.
- kjulig
  
  I know this might sound crazy, but we do have the option of not buying email service.
  
  I know email is “the future of computing” but I think people should not take for granted that they need email service. My manila envelopes serve me well, and I’ve even broken one twice (not to hard to replace on your own). Do you really NEED email? Is the service really WORTH $30-40/mo? If not, call their bluff: don’t pay and wait for them to lower rates!
  - Anonymous
    
    > I know email is “the future of computing” but I think people should
    > not take for granted that they need email service…
    > Do you really NEED email? Is the service really WORTH $30-40/mo?
    > If not, call their bluff: don’t pay and wait for them to lower rates!
    
    I am willing to bet one months’ worth of my e-mail costs that you know very few people who are actually paying $30-40 per month for e-mail service only. Conversely you probably know dozens, possibly hundreds of people who are using no-cost ad-supported e-mail services.
    
    What’s more, if e-mail really did cost $30-40 per month for basic service I’m strongly convinced you’d find a lot of people opting to use different communications methods that they could use more affordably.
    
    So I’m not sure I get your point, unless it was just to mock the poster whose text you mirrored.
  - millie fink
    
    uh huh.
    
    well played, well played.
    - kjulig
      
      And now GET OFF MY LAWN!
      
      ;-)
  - http://twitter.com/_sequoia Sequoia M.
    
    So if email were $50 for 100 emails per month and $.75/email after that, an oligopoly controlled the service, and the price only had an upward trajectory, you’d still buy it? I wouldn’t.
    
    I think a better analogy than email is first class seating on airplanes: Businesses deem it a necessity and pay a lot of money for it. Most of us consider it non-necessary and take the cheaper option. Some individuals purchase it out of pocket because they have the money and it’s worth it to them. This is how I see smartphones, not as an essential, largely free service like email.
    
    If everyone agrees the service is “essential” and there’s no threshold at which users will deem the service too expensive, the providers would be stupid not to continue raising rates. Rates can be controlled by a) legislation or b) consumers drawing a line in the sand (i.e. “market forces”). If you’re not willing to do the latter, don’t blame the cell companies for raising rates: it’s your fault as much as theirs.
or420

I also don’t like the merger, but in a cynical way, I hope it passes and the combined company abuses their power so the government break them up into a dozen or so smaller companies or begins closely regulating them.
Anonymous

I’m close enough to network operations to know this is a done deal. We’re already setting up the infrastructure for the take over.

Don’t feel bad for t-mobile employees, 70% of them are contractors anyway.

People were stupid to believe Ma Bell wouldn’t put herself back together and now politicians are bought and sold so there’s no stopping her.
Cowicide

I really liked the first ad, really funny and good acting. Well done and well deserved for AT&T.
Gulliver

As a T-Mobile customer, let me just say that AT&T can go burn in the heretofore unknown tenth level of hell.

I.

HATE.

MONOPOLIES!!!
pjk

when will they be releasing video of this “merger”? please advise. please.
- DoctressJulia
  
  Go away.
  - Anonymous
    
    I don’t understand why you would have such a problem with someone watching video of a very important business deal that may have a large effect on their life.
knoxblox

Um, isn’t Sprint considered one of the four major players? If so, then why aren’t they mentioned?
Richard

Now that t-Mobile finally has the micro Sim’s, I expect we will see the merger approval any day now:

http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/Phones/cell-phone-detail.aspx?cell-phone=T-Mobile-Micro-SIM-Card

Personally my scissors worked way better than their new deal for these items.
http://randomsongoftheday.org Brian Burwell

In response to AT&T saying we could just not use wireless if we don’t like its terms: ITS OUR FUCKING SPECTRUM! If we want to use it, we shouldn’t have to mortgage our lives to do so! If AT&T wants to try to strong arm us, I say we revoke its rights to use it and take it back!
corydodt

In all seriousness, I am strongly considering killing my account and possibly going non-mobile for a while if the merge happens. I know it’s not a long-term solution, but fuck them anyway.

In related news, in whatever comment technology craziness they’ve got going on here, boingboing seems to have lost *both* my password *and* my email address, so I can’t log in with that red button any more. Guess I just won’t do that then. Is there any reason to?
- Antinous / Moderator
  
  Apparently not. I can’t log in either, no matter how many times I try. But I can still comment via Disqus.
brainflakes

Sure you don’t “need” a smart phone, but why shouldn’t you be able to have affordable mobile internet? Here in the UK it’s possible to get a perfectly good data plan for £10 a month
http://www.facebook.com/people/Chuck-Lund/100001214781283 Chuck Lund

Want Cheaper prices on Everything? Get rid of the UNIONS! All they do is get higher wages for Members, Causing the Companies those Members work for to raise prices on Everything they make or services they provide, and soon the Members will be asking for another raise because Everything all the Unionized companies make has gone up in price! There was a time when the Unions were doing a GOOD thing. Back in the early days when Children were being forced to work in Sweat shops. There are Law’s now to prevent that here in the USA, so smarten up America! Want lower prices? Get Rid of those Unions! Look at how many Companies have moved overseas because of the Unions! Lets get them Back here in the USA, but without UNION ORGANIZERS getting involved.
It’s time to wake up America! Maybe we can at least stabilize the cost of Living!
- http://twitter.com/dylanmorgan Andrew K
  
  Ha! That is a HILARIOUS parody of a bullshit astroturfing comment! Well played sir, well played.
  
  I’m just kind of sad that all of these are just rip-offs of the “I’m a Mac” ads.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Ryan-Danger-Huff/640439006 Ryan Danger Huff

Has anybody seen this particular comment? A sorry stat of affairs. If you live in Northwest Connecticut you may want to contact these jokers.

http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7021688581

Oh and notice that AT&T is one of the sponsors of the letter I put forth. Not surprising in the least.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Ryan-Danger-Huff/640439006 Ryan Danger Huff

Oh and notice that AT&T is one of the sponsors of the letter I put forth. Not surprising in the least.