Filed under: iPhone
UPDATE: AT&T "unimpressed" with "irresponsible" Operation Chokehold
I posted earlier today about Fake Steve Jobs' Operation Chokehold.Well, AT&T has just told Cult of Mac they're not impressed:
"We understand that fakesteve.net is primarily a satirical forum, but there is nothing amusing about advocating that customers attempt to deliberately degrade service on a network that provides critical communications services for more than 80 million customers. We know that the vast majority of customers will see this action for what it is: an irresponsible and pointless scheme to draw attention to a blog."
So, the battle lines are drawn. Where do you stand?
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
robert said 10:04PM on 12-15-2009
Bad business to even respond... what more can I say.
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Nate said 5:52PM on 12-16-2009
Responding was EXACTLY what they needed to do. They just needed to take the offensive approach, rather than the defensive one. The message PR needed to send was along these lines:
"We realize that some of our customers have had an abysmal experience on our network and that our 3G coverage is inadequate in many areas of the country. Over the next year we're going to take the following steps to improve our network-
1) add twice the call capacity in metro areas like NYC and SF,
2) double the bandwidth available at every tower,
3) build xxx new cell towers in areas without coverage, and
4) expand 3G coverage by xxx square miles."
Then, they need to show their progress. Make the public hold you accountable, but make sure that at the end of the day you meet or exceed every one of your deadlines. An entire section of their website should be devoted to showing just how quickly the improvements are coming and where. FPL has done just this on their website and as a customer, I'm very impressed with their efforts. It also doesn't hurt that I see their trucks parked near the neighborhood I live in, where I work, and shop.
http://www.fpl.com/residential/power_quality/map/improvements_map.shtml
It's much harder to be pissed at a company that is actively trying to get their act together than one that appears to be stagnant.
Fubar said 10:10PM on 12-15-2009
LET'S CRUSH THEM!
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MJZimmer88 said 11:08AM on 12-17-2009
It's so on
shan said 10:18PM on 12-15-2009
I have a feeling a ton of iPhone users are going to do this.... while connected to WiFi.
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vesperblogs said 10:18PM on 12-15-2009
I don't see "Operation Chokehold" as drawing attention to a blog. I see it as drawing attention to AT&T's ridiculous statements that iPhone users need to hold back on their data usage.
I'm paying good money to get decent service from AT&T. I expect good service, not restricted or "limited" unlimited service.
If trying to take down AT&T's data networks draws attention to the powers that be that AT&T iPhone subscribers are not happy with what they are proposing, then let the chokehold begin!
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aardivark said 9:28AM on 12-16-2009
What's ridiculous about saying "ease up on your usage otherwise if the network gets bogged down we will have to introduce some sort of metering?"
People talk as if bandwidth is an infinite resource. It's not.
vesperblogs said 10:29AM on 12-16-2009
I understand that bandwidth is not an unlimited resource. However, if we agree to a contract that offers "unlimited" usage, we should get "unlimited" usage. If AT&T couldn't handle the traffic, they should have setup a contract that stated such clearly so that folks signing up knew what they were getting into.
RRea83 said 11:28PM on 12-15-2009
it only affects data.
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JT Axan said 10:36PM on 12-15-2009
AT&T. I really want to like you. But please shut up and fix your network.
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Athtart said 11:37AM on 12-16-2009
Agreed. STFU and just fix the network already! Fire a few PR lawyers and marketers and hire some network engineers and line people and GET MOVING!!!!
Martin said 10:36PM on 12-15-2009
I'm with AT&T on this one. No matter what rationalization you come up with, it's a denial of service attack and no one deserves that.
Find a worthwhile way to protest and I'm in.
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pheh said 10:37PM on 12-15-2009
On the 18th of December I hereby pledge to use my iPhone in a manner that equals the responsibility AT&T has taken regarding bringing their cellular service to a level which negates the need for these "pointless" events.
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Rubbinz said 10:45PM on 12-15-2009
Pretty funny when people continue to bitch while continuing to give them money. If you really want to send a message, cancel your service.
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Howie Isaacks said 12:11AM on 12-16-2009
Right. That's the solution! Just cancel my service. Give up. Let AT&T win, and then move to another carrier where I can't use my iPhone without jailbreaking, and then get treated the same way. Way to go dude! I can't believe no one thought of that.
jd77xx said 12:20AM on 12-16-2009
Money talks, maybe fakesteve should create and escrow account, all iphone users pay the account until AT&T can meet demand then funds will be released. Or even better AT&T should lower their prices to equal level of service. fakesteve run a poll on this one.
K Dot J said 8:54PM on 12-16-2009
F-ing Moron. We're bitching because the service sucks and I'm locked into a contract in which I'll have to pay more in order to terminate it. How are you going to tell me as a company that I must calm down on using my phone when the sole purpose of buying such a device were to have the ability to use it in a manner of intense, multi-use and tasking. I pay an "unlimited" data and voice plan and pay a hefty price for a sub-par, mediocre service. You need to go outside and play in traffic.
joey said 10:48PM on 12-15-2009
AT&T should be upgrdn their network instd of telln usrs 2 ease off using their phones There R enough hidden fees 2 cover the upgrd
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Alex McKee said 11:04PM on 12-15-2009
U R lso need 2 youse real wordz on teh comentts hokay?
Andre said 11:04PM on 12-15-2009
I would say that on that day using your data plan legally to download data is not an attack. Perhaps you were going to download all that stuff anyway, and you just saved it for that day.
Could hardly be called a DOS attack. It's more of a test or a demonstration. I think it's a good one. It's a peaceful, legal way of showing AT&T your displeasure. If I was in the US I would do all my legal downloading that day.If AT&T's network is any good, there shouldn't be any problem.
I think we in Canada should do something similar to protest Rogers potentially ending free tethering after December 31st. If on a certain day, everyone on Rogers' network were to tether their phone to their computer and download everything they've been waiting to download, it would sure let Rogers know of their displeasure.
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