AT&T spams subscribers with "Idol" text message
Wed Jan 14, 2009 10:22AM EST
See Comments (27)
I pay my AT&T bill on time, every month, and what do I get in return (besides a flurry of dropped calls)? This lousy SMS spam shilling "American Idol."
AT&T Free Msg: Get ready for American Idol! AI 8 starts this Tues (1/13) at 8pm on FOX. Check out AT&T's official AI web site from your PC – www.att.com/idol for the latest info on our $1MM sweepstakes, test your AI IQ by playing the trivia game, and much more. Reply stop to end mktg msgs
You bet I replied "stop"—and I'm sure many fellow AT&T subscribers did so as well, judging from the angry response on Twitter and elsewhere. (Example tweets: "Really AT&T? I'm paying U over $100 a month & U still think its cool 2 send me text messages advertising American Idol?" … "If AT&T wants to waive my $95 monthly mobile bill, it can send me unsolicited American Idol ads. Otherwise, bad form today folks.")
AT&T Wireless spokesman Mark Siegel told the New York Times that the message was merely a "friendly reminder," and that "it makes perfect sense to use texting to tell people about a show built on texting."
Well, "American Idol" is build on calling too, right? So how about hitting us with a barrage of robocalls while you're at it?
Yeah ... didn't think so.
As the Times story points out (via an interview with a Federal Trade Commission rep), there's nothing illegal about AT&T's Idol spam: It isn't a deceptive ad, and there's a clearly stated "opt-out" at the end. And no—the Idol text didn't ruin my day, nor did it take more than a second to delete.
That said, I'm plenty annoyed that my carrier—the one I'm paying $95 a month to—thinks nothing of using my iPhone as a billboard, whenever it needs to squeeze in a little more revenue. (The least they could do is give us a piece of the action.)
What do you think: Should carriers be allowed to spam its subscribers as it pleases? Or would you be fine with SMS spam if, say, your carrier knocked a buck or two off your monthly bill?
Related:
A Text Arrives. Oh, It’s Just an ‘Idol’ Ad. [NY Times]
Comments on AT&T spams subscribers with "Idol" text message
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2 Posted by aviasphere on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:59PM EDT Report Abuse
When companies add these 'things' to their domain, it only serves to enrage a paying customer. AT&T has a long history of turning current customers into ex-customers.
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3 Posted by krumpy_14 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:54PM EDT Report Abuse
Should they be allowed to? Yes. It's still a relatively free country. You have choices, and we don't need to legislate EVERYTHING. But be clear...AT&T is WHY I don't have an iPhone. And it's stuff like this that further cements that opinion. If I'm paying $100 a month, I don't need this crap from the carrier I am paying the money to!
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4 Posted by don.ancheta@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:46PM EDT Report Abuse
Not if the message counts against you monthly SMS allowance. At between .10 and .20 cents a pop, spam could add up to a big bill.
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5 Posted by stevenlau79 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:43PM EDT Report Abuse
Dammed AT&T I been with them for more than 5 years. My bill range from $100-$130 a month. No I'm not using iPhone. They charged me a lot and guess what? I received Drop call A LOT !! No signal in my area. I switched to T-mobile and paying $80-$100 a month + NO DROP CALL !! more signal than AT&T. ----- AT&T !!
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6 Posted by stan_slaughter on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:39PM EDT Report Abuse
You got one. Count it one, text msg which you stopped with a click of 2 or 3 buttons. Get a life. Stop whining.
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7 Posted by stephenjenkins11 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:41PM EDT Report Abuse
Stan_slaughter your indifference is why AT&T will send more and more txt msgs. Dont you see that this is the beginning of a slippery slope. Next month you will have 5 txt then 10, soon 20. As G4 tv said "AT&T is the erectile dysfunction of cell phone providers"
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8 Posted by guitarmunkey05 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:14PM EDT Report Abuse
I bought the iphone, paid a huge ETF to sprint, just to join AT&T. I ended up paying another huge ETF because AT&T is the worst phone service i've ever had. I love the iphone, i hate ATT. I'm with verizon now, and i've yet to have a single "lost" text message or dropped call.
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9 Posted by tayyat10 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:57PM EDT Report Abuse
I don't see why it is so bad for them to txt us- it says it is "free" But one question I have is: when you reply. Stop. Do you get charged for that one message? From, An iPhone user who pays 150 bucks a month. :)
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10 Posted by donfritz99 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:46PM EDT Report Abuse
I'm afraid such advertising tactics will gain a foothold and we will be with phone ads. Let's get outraged right now!
1 Posted by dcsoccer25 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:39PM EDT Report Abuse
If they want to knock a dollar off my bill fro ever message they send me, fine. But until such time as they're willing to do so, I'd really like it if they'd stop.