>>> Since I have never been an AT&T customer, I don't find that very
>>> persuasive.
>> Doesn't really apply to you then, but it is true, there is plenty of
>> evidence to support this. The TDMA customers are also unwanted, but not
>> quite so badly as the others and I imagine since you're already on a
>> Cingular plan they won't strong arm you into switching that. You'll have
>> to let me know if they try to ask you to sign another one/two year contract
>> to make this change though, I believe this is a special "bonus" reserved
>> only for the AT&T customers.
> When I called them up, they told me there was no way to keep my existing $30
> plan and the only thing they offered was the standard $40 plan with a
> contract, take it or leave it. I left it.
> There is absolutely no reason to think this surcharge has anything
> to do with ex-AT&T customers, and every reason to think that it's to
> get rid of AMPS and TDMA customers. As should be blindingly
> obvious, the large number of ex-AT&T customers with GSM plans won't
> be affected by this at all.
Then it may be that it is no longer an "exclusive right" of the former
AT&T customers to be mistreated by Cingular. With what you have just
said it now seems any TDMA/AMPS Cingular customers or ANY ex AT&T
customer will be treated this way. That includes AT&T GSM, they will
not allow you to make any changes (or probably even re-issue a lost
SIM) to your account even if you're currently using GSM if you are on
an AT&T plan. Before cancelling my sister's TDMA account with them we
asked if they would provide a GSM SIM for us and simply leave the rate
plan the same, the would not. I think Cingular's actions and policies
clearly show that getting rid of the TDMA technology is not their only
agenda here.
B. Wright (bmwright@xmission.com)