[hayden]

Advertising, Re-Branding Efforts Begin, Will Continue Throughout 2007
San Antonio, Texas, January 12, 2007

AT&T, the standard bearer of communications excellence for more than a century, is getting younger on Monday, when the company folds the six year-old Cingular wireless name into the iconic AT&T brand.

Starting Monday, Jan. 15, AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is launching a new multi-media campaign to begin transitioning the Cingular brand to AT&T in advertising and customer communications, throughout Web sites and nationwide retail stores, and on company buildings and vehicles.

"Around the world, our customers recognize the AT&T brand for meaningful innovation, a commitment to customer service, high quality and exceptional reliability," said Edward E. Whitacre Jr., chairman and CEO of AT&T. "AT&T, BellSouth and Cingular are now one company, and going to market with our services under one brand is the right thing to do."

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[jhowle]

Hello All, It Was Just Announced On Cnn News That Cingular Becomes At&t Today. Me Personally Where I Am Living T-mobile Isn't Available But I Am Moving In 2 Months And Will Be Cancelling My Service With Them In Favour Of T-mobile And All Because Of The Simple Name Change.

[deceive]

because of a name change?

[SalaH]

I wonder what this means as a dealer. I have been trying to get coded for my second location with cingular but they keep saying no I wonder with at&t will I get my wish???
~via BB (wap.pinstack.com)~

Are we aware of any noticeable changes that will transpire due to the takeover?

[jhowle]

I JUST KNOW FROM MY OWN PAST EXPERIENCES WITH AT&tT THAT I WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH THEM AT ALL

[Rcbjr]

When do you change the title on this Forum, Boss?

Rcbjr.

[digitalslack]

they should have done this initally when cingular bought ATT
ATT's name is more known
nothing will change but the name

[boomboom]

Originally Posted by deceive

because of a name change?

In my experience, Cingular was bad, and At&t was the worst. AT&T was the worst service, reception out of all the plans. I barely used a verizon phone, in my 1 month there, I never ever had a problem with voice quality, or customer service....(just expensive)

[cherrichiodo]

how ironic is that? i have them as a 'contact' in outlook because they are a preferred vendor of ours (i manage the wireless devices here on the west coast). When I began this job 5 years ago, they were ATT. Two years ago I changed the contact 'name' to Cingular because of the merger (along with new devices and SIM cards) and here we are today, full circle, back to what it was...
I agree that ATT wasn't so great, but with the Cingular merger two years ago, the reception in the SF Bay Area is awesome. They've added so many new towers. I get reception out on a VERY country road that I commute on every day where most people can't even get DSL.
As a general consumer, this really won't affect me at all. But on the business side of things, later, a year from now, it will be a headache because I am sure that the new ATT will force all of their customers to switch to branded devices and SIM cards; just like Cingular did two years ago.

[jhowle]

i'm saying bye bye to cingular/at&t in about 2 weeks and switching to tmo because i will be living tx for for awhile

[steedtek]

the only reason cingular bought att's wireless was to buy their band and their service towers. The reason you had bad service with ATT before wount be the same problem this time, the service area will remain the same, as they are not adding or removing towers or bands or anything, as this is still JUST a name change as mentioned before.

Also the ONLY reason you were "forced" to get new SIM cards and/or phones was so that you would be compatible with ALL of the cingular networks and not the newly added ones that only ATT used to use. Which won't be the case this time, because once again, nothing else is changing.

[Yellowfin]

~via BB (wap.pinstack.com)~ The problem is that it throws away loads of money spent on advertising and display material, signs, etc. which built brand name recognition, unless they're trying to get rid of whatever negative brand recognition Cingular has and start fresh with people. Costly gamble- I wouldn't do it.

[steedtek]

Well yeah, i agree with you there, i was just saying we as consumers wont be affected like some people were mentioning

Although i like the orange, boo to blue!

[DrWoo]

who was it that was saying a name change wasn't happening again? Something about the store associates don't know anything at all.... must.... find... that... post... =)

Dr. Woo