AT&T - I Wish I knew THEN what I know NOW

I have been a happy and loyal AT&T customer for more than seven years; as long as I was using them for just wireless telephone service. That changed last January when I added an aircard to my laptop so I could access the Internet via a cell phone - or radio wave - signal. I wish I had done a little more homework before choosing AT&T for that aircard. I assumed that since I got fairly decent reception with my cell phone as I traveled in different places around the country that my aircard using the same service would also be good. WRONG!

There is a significant difference in the bandwidth - size of information 'packets' sent via radio wave from your device to the nearest cell tower - used between voice (telephone) and data (aircard). A 3G network allows more information to transfer faster between the device and tower - kinda like the difference between dial-up Internet and cable.

I didn't even KNOW what 3G was until six months ago. Technology comes a little more slowly to people as they get older. I daresay that most people did not understand 3G technology until Verizon began their "red map vs. blue map" commercials late last year. AT&T apparently agreed as they filed a lawsuit trying to stop Verizon's commercials as misleading people. The court rejected their suit.

AT&T's SIGNIFICANTLY smaller 3G network means that there are fewer places that you can use a data transfer device - like my aircard - effectively. So while I have a good telephone signal, my ability to get on the Internet is nearly impossible sometimes; like last week when I was in southern Alabama. That 'blue map' in the Verizon commercials is AT&Ts OWN admission of their 3G coverage area!

As a response to the Verizon commercials, AT&T has been using actor Luke Wilson to advertise how "... AT&T covers 97 million Americans." You may have heard him tell you how AT&T is better and faster than Verizon. You may not have caught the small print at the bottom or the low-voiced announcer's disclaimer at the end where they concede, "...3G service not available in all areas." But then AT&T has a history of misleading in advertising.

Remember Cingular (now AT&T) advertising in 2006 how they had "the fewest dropped calls" across America? Their source was Telephia, a 'leading independent research company'? (Who Dat?) Those of us that had AT&T found that to be an incredulous statement. Consumers Reports blasted them for dropped-calls and static in a survey of it's 50,000 members. J.D. Powers and Associates consistently ranked Cingular near the bottom in their regional wireless call quality studies.

So it should be no surprise that they blur the line between telephone and data service. Don't misunderstand me, I am VERY MUCH satisfied with their telephone service. I travel 35 states around the country and get phone service in most places. And their roll-over deal is first class. When I am in their 3G network, my Internet connection is very acceptable.

The problem is when I am NOT in a 3G network - which is like 80% of the time when I'm on the road. Their 3G is typically concentrated in a major metropolitan area. Once your 10 miles out of that area it's done. My aircard has two lights - one indicates power-on and the other identifies the type of connection. Blue is for 3G and orange is for SDP (my acronym for 'slower than drying paint'). When I am on their SDP network, many websites aren't even accessible because of the bandwidth required. The page just never loads.

One thing we know about technology is that it changes almost as fast as you can blink. Sprint has already unveiled 4G in very limited areas. Verizon has announce a roll-out in the second half of this year. AT&T has not said anything, which you would expect since they barely have 3G.

One other clarification, AT&T and Verizon use different technology. The term 3G, and 4G for that matter, refers to a measurement or standard for mobile communications defined by the International Telecommunications Union. HOW a company achieves that standard varies, which is why one company can be better than another.

Had I known all this last January, I would have gone with Verizon. But then I would not have fodder for today's blog. Always look for the silver lining.