[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? :D

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

[t.brock]

to add me 2 cents, there is only 3 carriers where i live, ramcell (sucks) Cingular which i have, has awsomely gotten better in the last 2 years i get service every where now...and next tell which also sucks where i live.....and anything else that is available it would be long distance for me or any one else to call my cell phone....so im giving big props to to cingular and at&t as long as nothing changes for the worse (pricing), as long as it gets better...

[flash24]

I'm staying at tmobile for quite a while not because they have the best service. Its because their affordable


I~via BB (wap.pinstack.com)~im staying staying sj

[play11dg]

Oh NO! Not again! I used to have OGO under AT&T wireless. Their service and coverage are not that good. Guess I have to call cingular and cancel my blackberry before AT&T get a chance to have me as their customer, and join other service. That SUCKS!

[play11dg]

Oh wait a minute, after post first message, I read carefully. Do I have to replace sim card for my blackberry? Will they give me sim card for free? They better be because last time my sim card for OGO got burned out so I got replaced new one for 25 dollars. That was about 4 years ago.

[boomboom]

Originally Posted by play11dg Oh wait a minute, after post first message, I read carefully. Do I have to replace sim card for my blackberry? Will they give me sim card for free? They better be because last time my sim card for OGO got burned out so I got replaced new one for 25 dollars. That was about 4 years ago.

Even thou the NEW AT&T and AT&T wireless were/are different companies. The name AT&T and cell phone do not mix. Even thou, the new AT&T parent company was/is different.

[almaft]

~via BB (wap.pinstack.com)~sims card will probably be compatible so we probably wouldn't have to change a thing, all programming and product will just be transfered to at&t so they will have all records of our product and sims card and won't have to change a thing, that's what I think but could be wrong, all new product won't need sims card probably, at&t dosn't use a sims card right?

[boomboom]

AT&T is using the same network as Cingular. Same everything, it is just a name change. Some people are so fed up with AT&T Wireless, they want nothing to do with new AT&T. I wonder how many people left AT&T to go to Cingular, and now AT&T now owns them...(of course a different company, but with the same name).... I hate AT&T.

[DrWoo]

It's just a simple name change.... Nothing as far as the network it's self. Although, I do enjoy looking at posts and such saying they are leaving because the name changed... NEWSFLASH, cingular has been ATT for a long time now. They are just now chaning the name back to ATT from Cingular.

The only thing (on the horizon) that is going to change is simply a new brand. A lot of cingular things will remain as far as branding things, such as the "raising the bar" For the most part it is staying...

Dr. Woo

[marshall]

Originally Posted by DrWoo It's just a simple name change.... Nothing as far as the network it's self. Although, I do enjoy looking at posts and such saying they are leaving because the name changed... NEWSFLASH, cingular has been ATT for a long time now. They are just now chaning the name back to ATT from Cingular.

Yep.

I work for a MAJOR telecom and when I hear
people saying they are going to the competition
to get landline service because they aren't happy
or satisfied with the service, I just laugh my a ss
off. I can't say it to their faces but what I'm
thinking is this:
Hey stupid, who do you think owns and
maintains the plant? WE DO!!!! Your dailtone
comes from OUR central office whether you
get it from us or XYZ Company.
So go right ahead and buy your landline service
from one of our competitors, just don't forget who's
running the show.

Most people only see what's at the surface and
don't realize how large the infrastructure is. It's
the same with the wireless network. They think
that AT&T is going to come in and install a new
network which is going to affect their very reliable
Cingular service. It's not their fault they aren't
smart like us. :D

Marshall

[bryandenson]

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

When cingular bought at&t wireless, they only bought the towers and customers. They could not use the name. Thats why they never switched to it.

[boomboom]

Originally Posted by marshall Yep. I work for a MAJOR telecom and when I hear people saying they are going to the competition to get landline service because they aren't happy or satisfied with the service, I just laugh my a ss off. I can't say it to their faces but what I'm thinking is this: Hey stupid, who do you think owns and maintains the plant? WE DO!!!! Your dailtone comes from OUR central office whether you get it from us or XYZ Company. So go right ahead and buy your landline service from one of our competitors, just don't forget who's running the show. Most people only see what's at the surface and don't realize how large the infrastructure is. It's the same with the wireless network. They think that AT&T is going to come in and install a new network which is going to affect their very reliable Cingular service. It's not their fault they aren't smart like us. :D Marshall

Most people aren't dumb like that, they just don't want to pay their money to a company that treats its customers like crap. AT&T, and its spun off AT&T Wireless is famous for this. Cingular has bought everything AT&T Wireless, but were a seperate company. (basically a merge) They kept the Cingular name. From my own experience, it doesn't matter who runs the so called "show", if I am treated good, the service is adequate, they have my business. (if the service was adequate, but the customer service was crappy) then they won't have my business. I really do hope that AT&T blows away the competition with great service and great customer service...it will take a while to rebuild that image.

[DrWoo]

ya know it funny that people hate AT&T because of poor service for what ever reason.

Every day because of where I work I'm constantly converting customers that were on the AT&T services, and I'm switching them to new services.. (Cingular), now I'll be switching them back... hehe

Dr. Woo

[Thermal_Scor]

Originally Posted by marshall Yep. I work for a MAJOR telecom and when I hear people saying they are going to the competition to get landline service because they aren't happy or satisfied with the service, I just laugh my a ss off. I can't say it to their faces but what I'm thinking is this: Hey stupid, who do you think owns and maintains the plant? WE DO!!!! Your dailtone comes from OUR central office whether you get it from us or XYZ Company. So go right ahead and buy your landline service from one of our competitors, just don't forget who's running the show. Most people only see what's at the surface and don't realize how large the infrastructure is. It's the same with the wireless network. They think that AT&T is going to come in and install a new network which is going to affect their very reliable Cingular service. It's not their fault they aren't smart like us. :D Marshall

Amen....

[ceiph]

when i got my cell it was att, than it switched to cingular, now back to att, all i can say is im going to miss the lil orange guy