Operation Chokehold: FAIL WIN?

[Paul Daniel Ash]

Operation Chokehold, the "attack" on AT&T's wireless network organized by Fake Steve Jobs, had elements of both success and failure Friday. On the one hand, it was an epic FAIL at bringing the network down: an AT&T spokesman told ABCNews.com that they "saw no impact." On the other, the protest drew attention to users' legitimate complaints about network performance, and publicized AT&T's lack of investment in infrastructure.

Last week, AT&T Mobility President and CEO Ralph de la Vega said at a conference in New York that the company was studying ways to limit smartphone owners' use of bandwidth. Though he didn't say it outright, he hinted at the possibility of usage-based pricing. As a response, Fake Steve Jobs launched Operation Chokehold to protest the move.

Though AT&T claims its service was unaffected, the resulting hue and cry may have caused the carrier to back off from its plan to punish bandwidth hogs. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, de la Vega said the carrier has "not made any decision to implement tiered pricing." Instead, he said that AT&T plans to make more free WiFi hotspots available. The carrier currently has established more than 20,000 hotspots. De La Vega also made much of the fact that it is investing in "femtocells" - repeaters that use a home Internet connection and serve as a sort of miniature cell tower - that AT&T had tested earlier this year in Charlotte, N.C. and reportedly offer 3.2Mbit/sec 3G service to home users.

Despite these efforts, Gizmodo highlighted - in another of its clever infographics - a fact that Fake Steve Jobs had used to great advantage in his campaign: AT&T actually spent less on its network infrastructure since the iPhone was launched three years ago than it had before. Given persistent reports that AT&T will lose its exclusive iPhone arrangement in the coming year, AT&T's lack of investment may well turn out to be a poor long-term choice if another carrier steps in offering better service to iPhone users.

image via Gizmodo

[ruslan120]

If AT&T ever charges per mB for the iPhone, I'm leaving immediately.

[imilad]

me2

[Vish]

me 3

[xwinger]

me 4














jk im not with AT&T and im glad im not

[hollow0]

I highly doubt they would charge for that. That would be their downfall if they did. All i have to say is that AT&T better step it up or else it's all over. My service is great but i do not speak for the majority.

[steve-z17]

"Fake Steve Jobs"....that's ***. The idea behind it could be good if they kept it up and not just did it for 1 hour. Hopefully they'll see some results.

[cbgaines]

me 7

[whereswaldo]

me 8, oh wait i'm in canada, every carrier has the iphone

[NessLookAlike]

Monthly limit set by ATT on "Unlimited" iPhone Data Plan: 5GB, or 5120MB.
Each forced data plan cost $30.
5120MB/$30 = 170MB/$1

You pay $1 for 170MB. Once you go over the "Unlimited" monthly limit, there is always the possibility that AT&T will charge additional data fees, possible $0.10/MB, which comes out to 10MB/$1. This means through AT&T's plan, you've all gotten roughly 17x more MB's for the same buck.

You've all been charged all along. What now?

[Melech518]

me 9er

[thetoothfairy]

I just hope Apple is reading all of this. If AT&T keeps things up like this Apple I am sure will drop them in a heart beat. Why would Apple want their phone with a company that most are not happy with? Or are they?

Me 10er

But Att has me and so does Apple! Love my iPhone!

[iBwizzle]

Me 11th

[Channan]

Me...what number are we at now?

Ah who am I kidding? As long AT&T has the iPhone, they have me.

[silent revolt]

ITS A BUISNESS PEOPLE, also like an earlier post said WE have been charged all along, more over there is thing that limits users who USE alot. SO say Jhonny down the lane is teathering all day long but Sue up the street just checks her email once in a while, WEll Sue gets higher priority over Jhonny in the network cue and will expierence a slightly faster speed. Basicaly its communism no one gets more than the other. But again its a buisness and they want to squeeze as much dollar with as little dollars in as possible *dollars in would be expanding the infastructure* so here is what you do....tell fake steve to do his chokehold like once a month it helps att test thier network in a real world situtation and perhaps they can teak it to give us more for less

[hollow0]

me 8, oh wait i'm in canada, every carrier has the iphone

Canada is awesome! ^^

I always love going over there.

[carlos916]

Punk a s s AT&Cheap!.. man i cant wait till the FCC comes down on those Cork suckers!

[plcrules]

me 1 millionth

[ncnyxx13]

OK well AT&T will probably never change their plan rates...
if they do change their rates it would be very stupid on their part because many people who have contracts before they changed would be able to VOID their contract with AT&T without a penalty because they changed the contract without your approval. This would turn out very bad seeings how many people just go to AT&T just to get a iPhone 3GS.

[dillonsmith9147]

switching in 2011 unless they try to change my plan then ill say i signed a contract saying thats what im paying for and they can kiss my arse and that i will leave and will not pay the early termination fee