Still on one of AT&T’s old school TDMA plans? AT&T wants you off and pronto. The new rate for using grandfathered plans that have been discontinued is now $9.99, a $5 increase over the old rate. Word is that AT&T is even decreasing service and coverage for these customers to lure them off of the old plans so they can start cashing in.

If you want something done, just do it. Send a letter out to all remaining TDMA customers saying their phones will be shut off in a month and that they should contact AT&T about picking a new plan. Easy enough, right?

AT&T lights a fire under TDMA customers [BGR]

T-Mobile was in second place with “B’s” in both categories, while AT&T/Cingular scored a “C” for caller satisfaction and “B” for completion. Sprint’s customers sounded like Mick Jagger, as in “can’t get no satisfaction,” scoring a “D” in both categories.

[Via Cellular News]

Question: With the switch to Verizon for ESPN phone content, will our company phones, (Treos), be switched to Verizon?

Answer: There are no plans to switch to Verizon. Verizon does not offer international coverage and it would be a lot of work to constantly swap a Verizon phone for a Cingular phone based on international travel. It also would require two processes to manage the phones, one for each vendor. Currently our rates are the same, if not better, with Cingular.

[Via mocoNews]

We’re talking to Michael Megalli, branding expert for Group 1066 on the trials and tribulations going on at AT&T during their Cingular transition. Cool stuff.

Bloops – Looks like we pulled a Sopranos at the end there. Thanks to Michael for taking some time out to talk with us and we’ll have him on again when Operator11 isn’t in beta.

Here’s what Michael wanted to say:

Supporting a product as hyped as the iPhone will be a big challenge. People who buy Apple products are accustomed to the Apple Store retail experience—geniuses and all. AT&T is hiring 2000 temps to help with the product launch but ultimately you don’t need a crystal ball to see that this will not be the same retail experience as an Apple store. Ultimately Apple may be bearing more “brand risk” here than AT&T.

This marks the 21st U.S. mission to the International Space Station. Streaming will be available as part of the Space2Phone service. Subscribers pay $2.49 per month, and non-subscribers can watch the flight on a pay-per-view basis at http://wap.space2phone.com/. Subscribers and on-demand viewers with service plans and handsets compatible for streaming video can watch live, phones and services with limited ability to watch video can download clips minutes after the launch. Access is available both on-deck and off-deck with Altell, AT&T Wireless, CinBell, Cingular, Dobson, Nextel, Sprint, T-Mobile, Nextel/Boost, and Verizon.

Space2Phone

“Mobile is now a standard component for album releases,” said Jud Bowman, CTO and general manager of media and entertainment for Motricity. “Inserts in CD packaging, radio & TV advertisements – all of your traditional marketing channels – now have a mobile element to them. Fans expect that the hottest artists in the industry will have a mobile component.”

Motricity’s partners include MTV, BET, CBS, Turner, Cingular (or should we say AT&T), Alltel, Sprint Nextel and Palm among others. The company recently acquired GoldPocket Wireless to extend Fuel, their mobile content delivery platform.

Motricity

AT&T sez “June 13″ for BlackBerry 8300? [Buzz Tracker]

That’s for current customers. If you switch your service to AT&T, you can get the same Treo for free. This is how the casual smartphone user will develop, people, with the word “free after rebates!” plastered all over it.

The offer is for a limited time only, so if you’re ready to commit two years of your life for a cheapy but hella good smartphone, now’s the time, Poppy.

Treo 680 Deal [My Treo Dot Net]

Rejoice! If you’ve been kicking yourself non-stop over the iPhone because you either have another carrier or you use Cingular as a pre-paid service, you need not worry anymore. Proof has risen from an internal AT&T computer screen-shot, which shows available tracking for the iPhone. Three options are listed: iPhone Hybrid Tracking, iPhone Postpaid Tracking, and iPhone Prepaid Tracking – essentially meaning that a pre-paid version of the iPhone will be available.

This is huge news and will probably help ensure the iPhone’s success. Only problem is, remember when the Sidekick 3 was available for pre-paid users? The cost for the phone was astronomical. I wonder if AT&T plans on putting an inflated price on the iPhone for pre-paid users. Let’s hope not, because myself and some other people I know just got Cingular pre-paid accounts for the sole purpose of the iPhone.*

* - I actually just accidentally lost my cellphone on vacation only to find it again days later.

Apple iPhone to be available for prepaid users [BGR]

With the iPhone about a month away, AT&T has finally gotten around to realizing they need to ditch the Cingular name. Using the iPhone as a catalyst, AT&T will be replacing signs inside all 1800+ Cingular stores with AT&T logos, adverts, and signs. Says AT&T Spokesperson Mike Coe:

“The iPhone is one of the most anticipated handsets ever in the wireless industry, and we want to make sure that every drop of equity from the iPhone accrues to the AT&T brand,”

“We want to be as far along as possible with our rebranding in advance of the launch of the iPhone.”

Every drop, eh? Quite the statement there, Coe. Though if there were a time to push a rebranding, I’d say the iPhone is the way to go. AT&T knows that Cingular name is going to be hard to shake and this is the only chance to shake it off for good.

AT&T pushes Cingular rebranding ahead of iPhone [iLounge]

With the launch of the iPhone next month AT&T is going to drop the Cingular name. This will include a rebranding of 1800+ Cingular stores with AT&T logos, as well as changes to advertising and even the logo on bills. While the AT&T is among the oldest and most recognizable corporate brands in the United States, the name also evokes all that Ralph Nader stuff from the 1980s. But then again what exactly does Cingular say?

You are granted a limited, nonexclusive right to create a hypertext link to the homepage of the Sites, provided such link does not portray Cingular Wireless or any of its products and services in a false, misleading, derogatory, or otherwise defamatory manner. You may not use a Cingular or Cingular Wireless logo or other proprietary graphic or trademark of Cingular or Cingular Wireless to link to the Sites without the express written permission of Cingular Wireless. This limited right may be revoked at any time.

Listen to me, AT&T, I’ve apparently been doing this Internet thing a lot longer than you have. If I want to link to your site in a derogatory manner, that is my Web-given right. I can have a hyperlink in the text AT&T has a stick up its collective ass and there’s nothing you can do about it. This has been held up in court. In addition, I can link to any page on your site I feel like. You can link to any site on this one that you feel like. Go for it, it’s fun. You’ll feel better, trust me.

And I can do it again and again. Look, here’s me linking to your actual policy. And you know what? It’s Okay.

Cingular says they can sue for linking to their website? [DSL Reports]

Over on Flickr, user tnkgrl got fed-up with the EVDO card her OQO Model 2 came with. So what’s a girlfriend to do when she wants a little HSDPA in her life? Mod the hell out of her computer, that’s what. Tnkgrl went ahead and ripped out that EVDO like a loose hangnail and replaced it with a brand spankin’ new HSDPA card.

Doesn’t look like it took too much work, but for those of you not comfortable around wires or voiding your warranty, you might want to stay away from this gruesome photoset.

Official Flickr Page [via Slashphone]

You are granted a limited, nonexclusive right to create a hypertext link to the homepage of the Sites, provided such link does not portray Cingular Wireless or any of its products and services in a false, misleading, derogatory, or otherwise defamatory manner. You may not use a Cingular or Cingular Wireless logo or other proprietary graphic or trademark of Cingular or Cingular Wireless to link to the Sites without the express written permission of Cingular Wireless. This limited right may be revoked at any time.

Listen to me, AT&T, I’ve apparently been doing this Internet thing a lot longer than you have. If I want to link to your site in a derogatory manner, that is my Web-given right. I can have a hyperlink in the text “AT&T has a stick up its collective ass” and there’s nothing you can do about it. This has been held up in court. In addition, I can link to any page on your site I feel like. You can link to any site on this one that you feel like. Go for it, it’s fun. You’ll feel better, trust me.

And I can do it again and again. Look, here’s me linking to your actual policy. And you know what? It’s okay.

Cingular says they can sue for linking to their website? [DSL Reports]

I’m sure plenty of you are still excited about the iPhone, but when the end of June rolls around, will you buy one? It’s not looking likely according to a recent Markitecture poll. Out of 1300 people surveyed, only 6% said they were “likely to purchase the iPhone” when it comes out. The reason? Mostly the price and having to deal with a contract/specific carrier. Ouch! Doesn’t sound too good for Apple!

But at least people know about the iPhone. 77% of those 1300 surveyed said they did indeed know about Apple’s upcoming device. Those who were “very familiar” with the iPhone said they had an excellent or very good impression of it. Sounds like the hype for your product is still there Apple, but you’ll need to get that price down to $499 for the 8GB version or you’ll have a Playstation 3 on your hands.

Survey tallies iPhone interest, finds only 6% to buy [iLounge]

Cingular and Verizon Drop Kiddie Phones
Sony Patents 3D Virtual Reality Controller For The PS3
Konami Characters And Their 1980s Counterparts
The AudioFile: Apple and the Long (Mc)Fly Ball
The Great Skype Contest of 2007, Day 5

The main feature of both of these devices is that they lack 10-digit keypads. Mom and dad can program in a handful of numbers that their kids are allowed to call and that’s that. Oh and they also allow parents to “chaperon” the children, which essentially means track their every move through GPS.

Cingular will continue to make the Firefly available online for free with a two year contract. Verizon is focusing on the LG 3450L flip phone, as it supports text messaging and regular phone functions, but also has Big Brother chaperoning.

Cingular and Verizon Wireless drop kid phones [RCR Wireless]

With the growing geography + mobile, IM, blogging field developing with Twitter and Outside.in, these technologies are also feeling quite timely for launch.

Cingular’s three location-based cell phone patents all stemmed from a single theme of inventive thinking back in 2002.

US Patent 7181227 – Cellular System to Track Where Friends (Phones) Are

Highlight: From claim 1: “…a wireless system that provides communication between a wireless device and multiple network access points…comprising: at least one location-based services data structure…representing a table of friends who may receive, via the system, a current location of the user’s wireless device; and a second data structure representing a table of friends who have permitted the user to receive, via the system, a location of wireless devices associated with them; wherein the first and second data structures are configured for display on a visual display of the wireless device as respective first and second lists of friends, and wherein the wireless device may receive input from the user to modify at least one of the first and second data structures representing tables of friends to thereby modify the at least one of the first and second lists of friends.”

Analysis: User status on VoIP and now cell services like Skype have elevated people’s awareness of the growing use of dynamic ‘friend lists’ including getting frequent updates of what they are up to and now, where they are at. This technology could remove the first 20 seconds of most cell calls, namely, “Hello, where are you?”

US Patent 7190960 – Cellular Meeting at Location Between Users

Highlight: From Description: “…[a] method that allows users to locate friends or other contacts, businesses, points of interest (POI’s) or other locations, and manage this information in a user-friendly environment. A user with a wireless device, such as a cellular phone, may identify the locations of select individuals (via their wireless devices). Likewise, the user may receive directions to a desired location, and even coordinate a meeting place with a friend.”

Analysis: Building off of the previous invention’s ability to track where friends are, this concept is a clear value add, granted the smart use of mobile mapping software and phone display.

US Patent 7116985 – Paid Cellular Location-Based Search Results for Business Advertising

Highlight: The main highlight of the two independent claims cover using a person’s GPS when requesting to find a location, being paid by a business to deliver an answer to that request, with the payment by the business being a part of revenues for the location-based services as a result of the contact.

Analysis: Paid search has had its challenges and with a number of search options, this kind of paid response would require a layer of marketing in the form of a benefit, such as a bar offering deals on a slow night. Perhaps less leveraging of social elements than the first two.

In Conclusion
Cingular has a great opportunity to launch a number of features in conjunction with Apple, and other phones that focus on higher quality displays. While not every location-based service will pan out, it is promising to see carrier plans for the use of GPS beyond just simple mapping and directions.

The iPhone will come out on June 11. Someone over at CNET had the bright of calling Cingular (well, AT&T) to ask them when the phone would come out, and the voice on the other end of the line revealed the June 11 date. The date makes sense: Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference begins that same day and, well, we (save for Dvorak) know it’s coming out in June at some point.

So this date, if true, leaves us just 10 weeks away from the in-demand phone’s release. Look at that excitement grow.

Apple’s iPhone will be released on June 11 [CNET]

In a conference with Cingular/AT&T about their new service, Video Share, a mobile-to-mobile video chat service reminiscient of video chat in Europe. The service is rolling out this summer. The best part? They’re partnering with WWE and Napster for some video and music hotness.

Also, we’ll be seeing a new phone from Apple – something called the iPhone – officially available in June with no delays. The reps said data and mobile use is going to go through the roof when the device launches, suggesting some sort of all-you-can-eat plan (similar to what they have for Blackberry users or their 3G unlimited data plans).