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Subscribe to RSSConsumer Reports readers are pretty happy with their iPhones, but they aren’t nearly so happy with AT&T, the only cell phone carrier for the Apple phone.
AT&T ranked last in a survey of 58,000 Consumerreports.org readers due to be released Tuesday, and the magazine didn’t pull any punches in summarizing its findings.
“This carrier scored lowest in satisfaction in almost all cities in our survey and was the worst-rated in almost all other respects,” the authors wrote.
Ouch.
Consumers’ readers were much more favorable toward the phone itself. The latest model, the iPhone 4, received high marks for display, phone navigation, web browsing and battery life, among other things.
Consumer Reports said the iPhone did well in its tests as well, but the report’s authors noted that Apple’s smart phone faces a growing list of strong competitors. Those include the HTC Evo 4G and the Samsung Galaxy S models.
When it came to carriers, the magazine said Verizon Wireless and Sprint were about even in overall satisfaction, followed closely by T-Mobile. But the authors said regional operator U.S. Cellular, which only does business in 26 states, was the top-rated carrier for contract service.
The magazine also offered some tips for cutting cell phone costs. Among them: consider a family plan, check out employee discounts and buy your phone at warehouse store Costco.
The full story is due out on the website Tuesday, but Consumer Reports provided msnbc.com with a copy ahead of time. It also summarized its findings in this blog post.
Update: A spokeswoman representing AT&T responded to the Consumer Reports story, saying that the company believes it has the fastest mobile broadband network and that its dropped call rate is not far off from the industry leader.
"We take this seriously and we continually look for new ways to improve the customer experience," the statement read.
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I love my iPhone but I do not love my spotty service by AT&T.
I was an AT&T customer for 10 years in VA and finally had to switch to Verizon. The company I worked for had AT&T corporate phones and the exec's complained about the service all the time. Yeh, great phone - lousy service. And I see it has not improved...
Love the Evo. And love the carrier. :)
Not just IPhone owners opinion.... I'm a Blackberry customer with AT&T as a carrier and they suck for us too!
I loved the IPhone, but the service was bad with AT&T and the family plan was still tooooo expensive for our budget. We went to Straight Talk with the unlimited plan and we have no problems. The only thing we hope they do is come out with some better phones. Their service extends all over the US like AT&T does and you don't have to have a service plan. Yeah!
Had verizon, switched because of the iphone. what a mistake! ATT service sucks compared to verizon!!
I have a personal at&t blackberry and a work Verizon blackberry. I travel across the US, and rarely do i have a lack of service on at&t - verizon however, I loose signal so often, it is not reliable in my opinion. Even here at home, I use my at&t since verizon drops about 1/4 of the calls - btw, I am in West Palm Beach FL
I'm an At&t user, and have been for years under a family plan. My family had tried switching to Verizon and we were charged more, for tacky phones and lousy service.
The one thing I ask you readers to do, is to think of the survey that they took. I take a statistics class which teaches us to think unbiasedly and review the source of information. This article does not outline the details of the survey taken. There are a number of variables to take into account when testing overall satisfaction and this article doesn't outline any of them.
Before I take what this article says as concrete truth, I'd like to see what type of audience was researched, as in where people lived, their salary, and their over all pattern of life. These things help categorize and explain why the data would be the way it is.
I'm probably not making any sense to some people, but please don't argue over something or list any silly stories to defend your carrier. At&t may not work for some due to the location in which people live, and may work great for others, like myself.
Just think critically everyone. Don't believe everything you read. :)
Sorry for ranting! Oh and by the way, even though I'm 18 I still know a thing or two.
i have been with ATT for 5 years now. Ever since the 3G came out on the Blackberry I get dropped calls on a daily basis. ATT on the West-coast is by far the worst carrier. I cant wait till my contract is up and am going with Verizon, even if its going to cost me a bit more the aggravation is not worth the savings.
AT & T "Fewer bars in fewer places"
The cell phone carrier is SO BAD that I know AT & T employees who refuse to use them as their cell phone carrier!!!
I am not happy about the extra money for unlimited usage with at&t where the other carriers have unlimited I pay about 140.00 a month for my service and my Iphone. I am hoping they will become more comparable
forgot to mention I have been with att since 1999 when it was bell south before cingular now at&t ugh can they give us better options and a no contract rule as the other companys
With Sprint I pay $180 total - for unlimited everything - with 3 phones (2 Evos - 1 Rumor). AT&T is a rip off.
How long does it take people to understand it is the same AT&T we could not stand years ago, they are back treating people the same way: we're only customers, what do they care?
They have little concept of something you will have a hard time finding today with many businesses: "Customer Service."
When I called to renew my contract I spoke with the most pleasant person and she helped me tremendously. We are surrounded by mountains so a lot of times I don't get all the bars and the phone voice quality isn't very good but neither are AT & Ts fault.
WV. and VA., check out Ntelos. great plans, great signal. I'm in WV., and have never had to go outside to talk except at a WalMart. I think they put lead in the walls and ceilings to block all the rediation from the chinese crap they sell.
Ntelos has very good customer service, and some really cheap plans.
"Carrying a cat by it's tail will teach a man something he can learn no other way. " Mark twain
You hit it right on the nose. These companies want the money from the customer, while providing the least amount of customer service possible. Most companies don't even print a contact number on their invoices. They don't want to deal with the customer, they just want their money. It's sad that people are - like DMB said - ants marching....but robots? Just letting these companies treat us like this, this is not right! Not in this country...that's why we are so open cheap labor in and outside the country, because they know the customers are too busy to care and not intelligent enough to know that they CAN do something. ATT is going to be one of the last, if not the last company...if you can't use them, you won't be using anyone....coming soon...there will be two to choose from...ATT will be one of them and own both! NOT EVEN FUNNY!
Wow, what a bunch of Whiners. I have been with AT&T for 10 years and have never had an issue.
I also have never had a problem with AT&T, called from around the world including deployments and have had 5 phones on the family plan for more than 6 years.
I live in Virginia surrounded by rural areas. At&T was a slow show to the area. Verizon is still the big news around here. I have AT&T and have been asked why don't I change. My answer is because eventually AT&T will out do Verizon. I love my AT&T service.
Absolutely correct. AT&T has no clue what customer service is.
Same AT&T we've always had, what's new? When will people figure them out?
Maybe all of you can answer this because I can't. Wouldn't it of been prudent and advantageous for Jobs to have offered the iPhone (from it's debut) to all carriers rather than an exclusivity with just one? I understand Jobs is paid handsomely from AT&T for each iPhone sold BUT I believe, if I were Apple CEO, let the onus of service fall on the carriers. Let them compete. Why should I lose an iPhone sale to RIMM because although my product is superior some customers will not buy an iPhone due to carrier issues. I must be missing something here. Not as if Jobs couldn't have cut fat deals with all of the major carriers. Let them compete among themselves.
That's an obvious statement now, but back when the first iPhone was released, AT&T (back then Cingular), was the only carrier that was willing bend to Apple's rules, specifically building a network around the phone, as opposed to building a phone around the network. This included visual voicemail and surfing the internet while on a voice call. Most carriers didn't like the idea of letting a handset maker dictating how the network was going to be used. Nowadays it's common. Who knew that their network would only seem to get worse, and the demand for the iPhone greater, as the years passed on. I think their willingness to take a chance got them the coveted exclusivity deal. That being said, it's been more than enough time for AT&T to invest and build a network to support such demand. Other carriers have been able to develop/deploy 4G (LTE/WiMax) technologies and have been able to support the every growing smartphone market's appetite for bandwidth. It was AT&T's game to lose and they're definitely losing on a customer standpoint.
I have not gotten an iPhone for the simple and only reason that they are exclusive to AT&T. Won't do it till I can use another option.
Thank you Arnell for your impartial and most correct answer about Jobs insistance of certain network formalities prior to Iphone's release.
I'm sure AT&T saw a chance to make large sums of MONEY and to be the exclusive provider.
Actually, you were able to surf and talk at the same time on AT&T's network prior to the iPhone. I had been doing that with the Blackberries. But the onus still on AT&T. The network was already in place but the backhaul/bandwidth issues should have been foreseen to some degree. AT&T saw a way to make quick $$$ no matter what they had to offer up to Jobs and would worry about bandwidth latter.
And the 4G spec as written is really speeds of 100Mbps or greater. Which only the latest/newest deployment of Verizon's LTE meets. Prior to this "4G" was just a marketing gimmick that most people don't truly understand.
I'm not sure why people keep bringing up the 'talk and surf at the same time' card. I've been with T Mobile since before the iPhone and we can do that very same thing. Once GSM carriers upgraded to UMTS (3G) all of them had tha feature. AT&T didn't have it 'first' they simply rolled out 3G first. Of course we know how badly that went once the the iPhone 3G hit the market.
I for one am not going to be with a carrier that rests their entire company on one phone. Especially when they sideline every other phone or push other phone makers to build around the iPhone/Apple concepts.
Because Apple always releases hardware that is a generation or two ahead of the market. This means that without those Fat subsidies Apple would be losing their shirts. The other carriers wouldn't agree to these terms so Apple couldn't just sell product at a loss. This was smart in the beginning when their was no competition but has hurt them in the long term. Now Android dominates world wide and Apple isn't likely to come up with a sweetheart deal like they got with AT&T again. Why sell heavily subsidized phones when you already have hot selling phones that you don't have to subsidize as much making you huge profits?
AMEN to that!
Apple has always tried to dictate the market. This is why their electronics are 100% closed architecture. It was their downfall in the PC market and will also be in the cellular phone market. Haven't you ever noticed that the Apple operating system is fundamentally UNIX based? This is because UNIX, or LINUX as it is now called, is free. Software developers are free to re-engineer it to suit their own wants and desires. This also includes computer manufacturers like Apple. Jobs has taken a solid developer based operating system and tailored it to what he wants it to be then sells his proprietorized version at a tremendous profit to the unsuspecting masses. Have you ever noticed that only Apple peripherals will work with Apple computers? AT&T was the only wireless carrier that was willing to bend over for Apple. This is why AT&T has exclusive rights to the IPhone. As for video chat, the IPhone will only do it when connected via wi-fi. The HTC Android 4G phones will do it from a wireless connection as well as when connected via wi-fi. Because Android is flexible and tailors itself to networks, it is sweeping the floor with Apple's IPhone. Jobs is trying to force the market into what he wants it to be rather than developing products that adapt to the systems that are already in place. I'll stop now.
I've had AT&T for 10 years and have no problem with the service whatsoever. I'm in real estate and I'm on it all the time. I don't know the cities that have problems with AT&T but Dallas isn't one of them.
That is very true. It really all depends on the market you're in. Texas from my understanding has the be best coverage for AT&T users. In CA it's spotty, but when it's good, it's good. Traveling throughout the state verifies the claims that the service drops calls. Southern CA has wonderful coverage and great throughput, but Northern CA is average and/or spotty, such as in major cities like San Francisco. In the Valley, where the topography is relatively flat, there is good coverage, but as a congested network (slow throughput). So it all depends on where you're at. You're one of the fortunate ones.
Not great in Houston. I've had trouble with sometimes getting texts a day later [and not just during Hurricane Ike]. Once it was a sister-n-law in town for just the night...asking me to meet her for a drink. I could have gone but got the text the next day. Several times they've been messages from my daughter needing me to come get her. I have my phone on whenever I'm out yet these messages came too late to do me any good. Another problem is calls going straight to voice mail that never even ring. As far as service from the employees in the AT& T stores, they've been great.
I have an iPhone 4 on AT&T in Provo Utah and I have never had problems with reception. Those of us who have AT&T are the only ones who get reception in our wing of the building where we work. Calls practically never get dropped either. I think it is an issue with capacity in certain high profile markets. Sucks for them I guess.
I agree. I have always had ATT and have no problems with it. I like the benefits of the carry over minutes and having friends and family not on ATT as if they are on ATT. I am not changing either, they have always been fair, very polite and very accommodating. My whole family has ATT from PA to Colorado to GA. Love them....
I was with ATT for 10 years as well but by switching to sprint I cut 28.00 a month off my bill and the service is just as good if not a little bit better
I agree with you, Sarge... I've had no problems over the 5+ years I've been with AT&T. I'm currently in Pittsburgh now, but I go back and forth to the Washington D.C. metro area, and have had no problems in either place. Shoot, I even get service through tunnels and on elevators.
try it in wyoming.. it won't work.........................
I have the iPhone through AT&T and have much better service than both my brother (Sprint) and my dad (Verizon). I'm in Vegas, but travel throughtout the Western US. Drove 9 states in 7 days (to Iowa) earlier this year, with good coverage throughout the drive.
Had AT&T for many years, dropped them about 4 years ago after I lost 2/3 of the calls I tried to make within the first minute or less.
I have tmobile now, along with an amazing android phone. AT&T can keep the iphonies.
Thank you STU-4803409 for pointing out that TMobile is a competitor. I have had Tmobile for about 2 years now and have never had a serious problem with them. I live in Cleveland and I dont have call dropping problems at all. I also have an awesome android phone (Samsung Vibrant from the Galaxy S family) and love it.
And I agree-- they can keep their IPhones.
I agree with Erica and STU Ive had T-Mobile since 2005 here in MS. Theyre wonderful! never had problems with dropped calls AND during katrina (and afterwards) I still had signal on the coast- they also gave customers free unlimited minutes for 3 months following storm... which gave us easy access to family and made relocation process a little easier! They have my loyalty!!!
Wake up Amerika you are being charged almost 4 times the amount for your cell phone services then other people in other parts of the world.
OK, I'm awake. Now what? As if I had real choices!
It's not like we can go over seas and one to bring back. I'm no math expert but that's a little more expensive. By the way, America is not spelled with a "k" in it. Get it right!
The USA is the onlt y major country where you pay for incoming calls. Elsewhere, the caller pays. See, these nice American companies figured out how to double their profit. And text messages cost them nothing, so the $10.00 or more you pay is pure profit. Multiply that by 400,000 or 500,000 a month. Americans are stupid. You buy a phone so you can write a letter. If I want to write you, I'll send a letter or email. I got a phone to talk to people.
How to stop it? if enough people dropped the texting for three months, it would change. The start calling and sending texts and emails about paying for incoming. Sooner or later, one carrier will drop it. Then the rest will drop too, just to compete.
Not sure about anyone else here, but I have teens that live by text messaging. Taking it away for a couple months would seem like a huge punishment to them!
When you're from Germany, Amerika is spelled with a K in it.
Oldman, I never pay for incoming calls with my provider (US Cellular). And Americans are NOT stupid!!
Apple decision to go with AT&T was really for 2 reasons. 1 AT&T was going to allow Apple to maintain the most control over the iPhone. 2 AT&T at the time had the most advanced network (to a point it still does) in terms of upgradablity.
Of course there is one question still remaining with the iPhone, is the issue really AT&T or is it really the iPhone? I know lots of people that have no issues with Blackberries on the AT&T network (some switched from a BB on Verizon), some even say they get better service now. I know I get better service on AT&T then I did with Verizon.
Wonder what the survey would be like if iPhone users were removed from the values. Of course this would still be a consumer reports survey which means you have no idea what anything really means (I know a break change on a 2yr old car with 42,000 miles means that the car comes with poor quality breaks in their surveys).
I've heard this argument before. In my experience, this is somewhat valid, as I never had an issues with dropped calls on my SonyErricsson phone. That being said, a smartphone utilizes the the network differently, where an iPhone can do use 2G and 3G technologies at the same time and at much greater bandwidth. I don't blame the phone entirely, since many other carries have phones that demand just as much bandwidth, but they can't can't make calls while utilizing data. Once the Verizon iPhone comes out (if ever it seems) we'll have a better comparison.
I have to agree with you, Dave. I was a VZ customer and I experienced spotty service regularly and because of that I moved to AT&T. I've now been with them for 6+ years and have yet to experience the issues people complain about.
I think that there is also a group think mentality going on here...most Apple users don't want to believe that their precious iPhone isn't all that good at being a phone, so why not blame the carrier? The media does anything it can to make a story, so it would make sense to build this "bad carrier" story a little more.
As Arnell said, it will be something different to compare if/when VZ comes out with an iPhone, but the only way a valid comparison can be made is if VZ allows calls and data to be done at the same time.
I agree with this as well. I have a Samsung Captivate and so far, I haven't had bad service yet. I'm on the Internet a lot playing games and texting and haven't had a problem with either.
I also haven't had any problems with calls being dropped or missed. I did have one problem making a call but it was just because my phone needed to be restarted (on too long playing on the Internet and too many apps running... made it very slow)
I provide admin role for about 80 corporate BB users. Employees can have Verizon (~45%), T-Mobile (~15%) or AT&T (~40%). Used to have Sprint too, but not large enough user-nbase to continue. AT&T is the carrier with the most issues, and when people change it's from AT&T to an alternate. Had users in CA (Napa area) , TX (Austin area), and OH (Akron area) all changed due to frequent issues. Charlotte NC is miserable for AT&T. NYNY is fine as well as FL (Tampa & Sarasota) and CO (Denver) and CA (SanFrancisco). As many folks travel, I steer them away from AT&T as much as possible. Less headaches for them means less for me, too!
We've had VZ for many years with no coverage problem (even traveling through the Smoky Mts. in VA, WV & NC) except with calls when sitting at home. It's as if VZ figured a way to ensure you don't drop the "land line" (it's VZ also). That part of their "can you hear me now?" commercial gets a resounding NO!!!!
When you are on hold with ATT (which of course is often and for a long time), they have for years played the song from "Solyent Green" when the people are in line to be eaten -Beethoven - 6th Symphony - Pastoral. Appropriate.
Yep, its why we never bought an IPhone.
If you think their network sucks, try working there. They run their IT organization as a high tech sweat shop in which employees are expected to forgo any form of life outside of work. I left that hellhole several years ago yet I continue to hear working conditions and benefits continue to degrade.
The only thing which sucks worse than their network is how they treat their employees. I left that hellhole long ago yet I hear working conditions and benefits for IT professionals continue to degrade.
Here's a thought for AT&T. Instead of spending sooooo much money on advertising touting how great you are, invest that money in reliable cell phone towers so we can actually get our calls through!!!!! I've been fed up with them for years and only use them because I'm forced to by circumstance.
I switched to ATT from Verizon in August. I have been extremly unhappy with their service. I have never experienced the dropped calls that I have had since I signed up with ATT - so their claim that it is the same as others is (from my experience) completely untrue. I never had an issue with Verizon (except their customer service). I LOVE my IPhone but I would be SO much happier if they released it with Verizon. If they do this (which I've heard is happening) I will quickly end my contract with ATT - with the early disactivation fee (worth it!).
See I don't believe that we should have to pay any deactivation fee if the carriers service is the problem- like with AT&T!! That is so not fair if they can't stand up to their "we have the best reception"!!!!
I have an iPhone in Japan. I have all the problems here that iPhone users in the US complain about. When living in the States I used AT&T, but didn't have an iPhone and didn't have any of those problems. I think the problem is the iPhone, not AT&T.
It's been an ongoing joke between me and my friend how my phone service sucks! AT&T. Not very funny when I'm dishing out close to a car payment every month to have my temperamental phone service. I hope they figure it out soon before I jump off the unsinkable Titanic.
My husband replaces his iPhone every time a new one appears, but has NEVER been able to use it from our home. No service here at all (southern AZ), although we can use it when we get to Tucson, for all the good that does. We've complained, yelled, begged and threatened - to no avail. I'd like an iPhone, too, but won't consider it until AT&T actually does something about their service.
Hubby's on the board of a senior's computer club in this retirement area, with 2500 members, and he teaches MAC/iPhone/iPod classes. This is a continuing topic of conversation among iPhone users. Many wish they had never bought it.
Sad, that nobody cares. Greed wins out, even at Apple.
Is your husband aware that there is a "Mark the Spot" app? It allows the user to mark spots that calls drop or are failed, no coverage, data is too slow or can't connect. The user can also indicate if the problem was while indoor, outdoor, while traveling, or at your home. After getting my iPhone, I discovered that I was not getting 3G service at my home. Just about every day for several weeks, I submitted the problem details to AT&T via the app, and, one day, I came back from vacation to discover 3G service. 3G service was just several miles down the road, so it might have been just coincidence (my area was next upgrade), but I like to think I made a difference.
Also, AT&T has something 3G MicroCell -- see called http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/why/3gmicrocell/ for details. AT&T 3G MicroCell acts like a mini cellular tower in your home (or small business environment). It connects to AT&T's network via your existing broadband Internet service (such as DSL, cable, etc.) and is designed to support up to four simultaneous users in a home (or small business setting). The cost is $19.99 per month. It might be worth your husband (or community) looking into.
I am a current AT&T customer and live in an area that has little coverage by other carriers. If I could I would drop them in a nanosecond.
i HATE ATT , survice sucks .. 3000 dropped calls in a month , no service in 1000 miles travel. and they charged me $300 to leave on my last day of service, Best money i ever spent. may lightning strike all their cell phone towers , may hackers disable their failing network , may they be gutted by corperate raiders. may their company die a slow painful death at the hands of 10.000 dominatrixes...
you are a tool to spend $300 to drop service on your last day. even if you are rich...which i dought...cuz rich people are smart with money....you could have saved $300 to wait one more day. you are a tool! go away!
lol
As soon as Verizon or Sprint support the iPhone I will shop to find a cheaper deal. AT&T's price is too high for today's economic situation
I cancelled my Verizon service last year because I couldn't resist the iPhone. Here it is a year later, and while I love my iPhone, I am appalled by AT&T's terrible, spotty cell phone service. I have used Verizon since I was 18 and just took strong signal strength for granted. When my contract with AT&T ends, I will not renew with AT&T. As much as I love my iPhone, I simply cannot afford so many dropped calls and spotty reception. Hopefully by then, a year from now, Verizon will be carrying the iPhone.
While I am no where near happy with AT&T, My mom has been even more unhappy with Verizon. She has more dropped/never received calls than Me and my wife put together. I have noticed more dropped/never received calls in the last year since I bought an LG VUE. I think we are all in the same sinking ship. It's just some people have life vests and others don't.
Rumor has it - Iphone will be at Verizon in January when they announce their new 4G network.
:)
I miss my iPhone. But the service was so bad that I had to change to an HTC with us cellular. I do a lot of business on my phone. So dropping.customers phone calls was bad for business. Since I have been with us cellular absolutely no dropped calls. Plus the customer service is great. They take care of any problems promptly and I don't have to talk to any automated recording where the service drops you while you are trying to navigate thru the system!! Which was a total pain!!
That's what happens when you try to run the wireless sector like a land line division. They just couldn't leave alone the way cingular wireless was operating!
Agree - I had Cingular first before AT&T Wireless purchased Cingular. Cingular - good! AT&T - bad!
I had Cingular first too. When AT&T took over it started to go down hill from there. My service is OK where I am but it's not as good as it was with Cingular.
I don't know where most of you people live, 300+ dollars a month and hundreds or thousands of dropped calls is not the same AT&T service I am on.
200 dollars a month (3 ea cell phones, unlimited text, unlimited net, and 1500 min)with maybe 5 to 10 dropped calls a month.
Also have a Motorola on Verizon from my employer, as soon as i drive to the hill country, i turn it off and throw it on the car seat. Also @30 dropped calls a month, and voice mail that is strangely 2 to 4 days old when directed to my phone.
But, that is still better than the Nextel phone and PTT service we had before. Maybe it's the area,move to Houston and enjoy your iPhone.
I have verizon in Chicago...always available service. driving north through Wisc there is a dead zone in Wausau...I could get maps and internet on it in the Upper Penninsula of Michigan.
got a droid X..not sure what the apple does that droid doesn't, and it sure does it fast, and two days without charging for moderate use. I do think the iphone has better styling...but at a point...I put being pretty lower on my criteria.