i hate at&t

[nbeener]

what are some good alternatives to at&t? after many hours waiting on hold to resolve a simple issue (their mistake) and getting nowhere I'm ready to organize a boycott, hunger strike, anything to stop the evil empire. help! I'm homicidal!

[Tars]

What services do you use from AT&T? Do you live/work in town? If you have an iPhone. yer screwed.

what are some good alternatives to at&t? after many hours waiting on hold to resolve a simple issue (their mistake) and getting nowhere I'm ready to organize a boycott, hunger strike, anything to stop the evil empire. help! I'm homicidal!

[babaruss]

You too ?
Wish I could offer a solution, because I'm having the same sort of problems.
Baba.....offering sympathy and understanding, but no practical advice.


what are some good alternatives to at&t? after many hours waiting on hold to resolve a simple issue (their mistake) and getting nowhere I'm ready to organize a boycott, hunger strike, anything to stop the evil empire. help! I'm homicidal!

[Cheingrand]

I've switched to Comcast and have been very pleased. $30 a month and unlimited calling anywhere in the US. No more bills that I couldn't figure out. So far (8 mos), no problems.

[sicaudp]

I've switched to Comcast and have been very pleased. $30 a month and unlimited calling anywhere in the US. No more bills that I couldn't figure out. So far (8 mos), no problems.

You also might consider other VoIP (Voice over IP--telephone over the internet) services such as Vonage and others. With Vonage, I get unlimited long distance and international calling to 60 countries for about $30 a month. You would need an existing high speed internet connection prior to switching to VoIP.

Peace,

Patrice

[RussianRiverRattina]

Please tell us what service you're (apparently NOT) getting from AT&T, your exact problem, & where you live. In general, the alternatives are pretty bleak (Verizon? Comcast? ATT? Some folks have good experiences with these companies, but they're ALL big corporations & if you're having problems with them, you're screwed). I recall a similar thread along the same lines that was posted a while back by someone who wanted better service for their broadband (high-speed Internet) needs & someone mentioning a local satellite broadband company that provides excellent service. They cost more than Comcast cable access or AT&T, but you could significantly lower the costs if you have neighbors who want to sign on. You could then get Internet-based phone services like Vonage too & it could work out quite well for everyone. Does anyone remember the name & Web site of this company?


what are some good alternatives to at&t? after many hours waiting on hold to resolve a simple issue (their mistake) and getting nowhere I'm ready to organize a boycott, hunger strike, anything to stop the evil empire. help! I'm homicidal!

[notsomuch]

Maybe Hughes Net?


someone mentioning a local satellite broadband company

[vdeva]

Does anyone have CREDO? They use Sprint as their mobile carrier. AT&T gives lots of $ to Republicans. Credo gives to the list below with the $ you pay for mobile service. Also they will buy out your AT&T contract! I haven't switched because I'm not sure about the reception issues. I don't have an iPhone so I don't care that Sprint and iPhone aren't used together.

The following from CREDO website

Each year CREDO members help decide where our donations go. They nominate groups to receive funding, then vote on how much money to give each group. Since 1985, we’ve donated over $65 million to progressive causes. These are the nonprofit groups we’re funding in 2010.

Civil Rights Groups

ACLU
Alliance for Justice
Center for Constitutional Rights
Courage Campaign
Disability Rights Advocates
Drug Policy Alliance
Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network
Medical Students for Choice
Planned Parenthood
Women's Voices. Women Vote

Economic & Social Justice Groups

Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence
Campaign for America's Future
Center for Responsible Lending
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Democracy Now!
Ms. Foundation for Women
National Center for Science Education
Physicians for a National Health Program
Ruckus Society
United for a Fair Economy

Environmental Groups

Earthjustice
Energy Action Coalition
Environmental Working Group
ForestEthics
Friends of the Earth
Greenpeace
International Rivers
Ocean Conservancy
Organic Farming Research Foundation
Rainforest Action Network

Peace & International Freedom Groups

Amnesty International
Center for Victims of Torture
CODEPINK
Doctors Without Borders
Equality Now
Global Fund for Women
New Israel Fund
Pathfinder International
Ploughshares Fund
Women's Action for New Directions Education Fund

Voting Rights & Civic Participation Groups

AlterNet
American Progressive Caucus Policy Foundation
Center for Independent Media
Change Congress
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
Democracia U.S.A.
League of Conservation Voters Education Fund
Media Matters for America
Mother Jones Investigative Fund
New Organizing Institute


What services do you use from AT&T? Do you live/work in town? If you have an iPhone. yer screwed.

[Thad]

I think it was Pogo wave and lists a phone # it shows up as a local network on the wireless networks available when you use a wireless router


Maybe Hughes Net?

[iaim2xl]

Comcast is no better. They're both abominations. I have had Comcast at two places I've lived with terrible service. It was so bad at one point I finally wrote the VP of Customer Relations at their home office. They finally got our problems fixed. Here it took us 8 months to get a problem fixed. To their credit, they kept trying and sent tech after tech to our house. Finally things got straigtened out, but I nearly went insane in the process.

Good luck with any major provider. They've all got their problems.



I've switched to Comcast and have been very pleased. $30 a month and unlimited calling anywhere in the US. No more bills that I couldn't figure out. So far (8 mos), no problems.

[Sciguy]

I use Magic Jack. $20 at Best Buy buys you the equipment. Then it costs $20 per year (NOT per month). You connect it up to whatever phone handset you are used to using and just use it the usual way. No special phone equipment is needed. I don't think you can use a camera, the way you can with Skype. You can call anywhere in the US or Canada for free. Talk as long as you want for free. And if anyone in another country also has a Magic Jack, you can call them for free too. I think that they would also be able to call anywhere in the US or Canada for free but not in their foreign country. I guess that means that if you are in an internet cafe abroad, you can plug in your Magic Jack and call the US. I'm not sure how the software works but at least some of it is on the device itself, including your contact list. They have pretty cheap prices for other countries like a few cents a minute for India. You get call forwarding and a bunch of other phone features on their website. You get your own phone number from them. You can get rid of your land line. The transmission quality is great most of the time though sometimes it starts to break up and then you can call back.

Paul Palmer



You also might consider other VoIP (Voice over IP--telephone over the internet) services such as Vonage and others. With Vonage, I get unlimited long distance and international calling to 60 countries for about $30 a month. You would need an existing high speed internet connection prior to switching to VoIP.

Peace,

Patrice

[lifequest]

Consumer Reports gave Magic Jack a positive review with a few conditions - said you need broadband Internet and the computer of course has to be on to make and receive calls. Voice quality was clear but not quite as good as with land line.

[localsupporter]

Go trade your "evil empire" for some other "evil empire" if that really makes you feel better.

Their people are all paid to do the same thing...Screw you out of your money. Ain't capitolism a beautiful thing?

[Valley Oak]

This is a great discussion about alternative phone service. But what about LOCAL service? I already have a long distance provider that I'm happy with.

What alternatives do I have for local phone service as a Santa Rosa/Sonoma resident?

Thanks.