The latest Consumer Reports issue compares cell phone services with some surprising findings based on surveying 58,000 readers. With mobile phone use becoming a standard part of business, most Americans are now in a position to consider not only what device they purchase but what carrier they use. Many default to the popular phone du jour and whatever carrier they are forced to use, but what if that popular device is an iPhone and the only carrier is still AT&T? What if AT&T doesn’t rank well according to trusted source, Consumer Reports?
What if AT&T does so poorly that they are ranked last place in all categories when compared against Sprint, U.S. Cellular, Verizon and T-Mobile? What if AT&T didn’t always rank so poorly but is now experiencing consumer sentiment decline? Can AT&T begin to repair its image via marketing or must it be through technological upgrades?
In Austin, the South by Southwest Interactive (SXSWi) conference draws thousands of iPhone users every spring and in years past, it was a guarantee that during the conference, AT&T users would not be able to use their phones due to poor service and outages due to overuse. This spring, AT&T users were not angry. It wasn’t because AT&T sponsored SXSWi or because they threw a party, it was because they added a dozen temporary towers around downtown and the problem was solved.
Add on top of AT&T’s Consumer Reports rankings that Verizon will soon carry the iPhone, AT&T is in a sticky spot that will take some creative maneuvering. In the hill country of Austin where we are located, we have always used Sprint because it covers rural areas and valleys better, and we simply deal with poor customer service as par for the course.
Check out the full results:
Do you agree with the Consumer Reports ratings? Is it true in your area? Which carriers have you used and which ones would you never use?
On a sidenote, despite AT&T having poor rankings, they are running a hilarious (AND IRONIC) television campaign that kills me every time:
