AT&T Wireless - Cingular Makes customer pay for service that isn't available. Internet, Tennessee

I would like to start this by letting you and everyone else know that I do NOT work for AT&T but I do work for another wireless provider who also offers wireless internet.

Ok...... This is the problem with consumers in America, they don't want to accept responsibility for thier actions. So, not only do you refuse to admit that you caused this situation but now you feel you "deserve" credit for your mistake?

Had you been a responsible consumer you would have checked to see if the hardware you were using would have been compatible with your new operating system. This whole situatioin would have been avoided had you simply made a call or stoped in to visit your local retail location. Now, my assumption is that since you are upgrading your operating system to the latest and greatest, that you are some what technical savy. Even if you aren't too quick with computers and such I am sure you are familiar with the one problem that plagues ALL new operating systems. That sole problem is that when they first come out there are very few items that are compatable with the new system. So what exactly made you think you could upgrade to this new operating system without any issues????

Ok, as stated above, I do NOT work for AT&T but I do work for a wireless company that provides a very similar product. We too require that you sign a contract when you activate service as do most other companies. If you are still in contract and you decide to make a change that prohibits you from being able to use the service you signed up for then you are responsible for purchasing all additional equipment that would be required for your service to work with your new operating system. Neither Apple nor AT&T owe you a credit for unused services. All they do is offer options and it is up to you as to which option you take. As far as buying the new air card, if you are under contract you will not get a discounted price on the air card. The sole purpose of the contract is to cover the subsidy (discounted price of equipment). By signing that agreement you are essentially saying that you will remain with that company for a certain number of months and keep you bill current. In exchange for your word, the company then offers you a discount on your hardware and believe it or not, that discount is rather deep compared to what the company paid for the equipment. If AT&T gave you a deeply discounted price on your first air card and then they give you another one discounted as well then they will end up not making any money on  you. The unfortunate part is that this is a retail business and there isn't a company out there that can operate for any length of time and not make a profit. That is simply the facts!

To make matters worse, I am giong to guess that you either called and complained or caused a scene at your local office this making the person who waited on you have a horrible day when they have no control in the situation.

The long and short of what I am saying is that you need to accept responsibility for your actions. You made the change and now you must pay for it. Changing carriers will not benefit you in any way. Not only will you have to buy new equipment (at a discounted price) but you will also have another activation fee and then you will be locked into that particular piece of equipment. Once that is done and 12 months into the contract you upgrade your system again and guess what? It isn't compatable either. This is simply a vicious cycle that you can not avoid at this time other than to opt out of having a wireless internet service.

Please, next time think before you act. Call and ask questions. Most importantly, accept responsibility for your decision and make it a point to not get upset with the rep who is trying to help but can't because someone with a lot more money and power has a policy in place that he/she must uphold at the risk of thier job!

Apple releases a new Operating System and "notifies" vendors of the changes.  So when existing hardware no longer works it is automatically the Vendors fault.  The interesting part is that when Microsoft does this and existing Hardware does not work it is automatically Microsoft's fault. 

Why not put the blame on Apple for putting out a system that caused your card to no longer work?  After all aren't they supposed to be better than Microsoft, and this is never supposed to happen.

AT&T did not manufacture the card, it is not their fault that Apple changed something to cause it to no longer work.  So why would they be held responsible?  That is like holding a store responsible because the TV they sold you no longer works once your Cable Company did an upgrade.