The Cingular brand name will be gone in a few days and will be replaced with the AT&T brand. Yeah, I hear the Apple fanboys' worried whimpers. What about the Apple iPhone? Jobs announced it uses Cingular as a carrier! If you want the simple explanation, AT&T Wireless is the brand replacement. If you want the complicated explanation, read on.
Initially, Cingular Wireless LLC bought AT&T Wireless, then an independent company, and killed off the AT&T Wireless brand. The owners of Cingular, SBC, then decided to buy AT&T and adopted the brand for its landline services. After AT&T bought Bellsouth Corporation, the other owner of Cingular, the AT&T Wireless brand was restored.
AT&T Inc. has announced a new advertising campaign that aims to make sure the public understands that the Cingular brand is being replaced. The Cingular brand will end Monday with the beginning of the advertising campaign. A transitional graphic that includes elements of both the AT&T and Cingular logos will be the first step. AT&T did not say how long before the graphic is replaced with an AT&T one. Over 2007, 2,000 Cingular stores and kiosks will get new AT&T signs.
Why bother? Well, first off, AT&T is a business. I’m sure you can figure it out from there: AT&T realized it can massively cut costs with such a move. AT&T is now again the parent company of several telecommunications brands and wants to make sure its name is well known, especially after the ping pong brand name game with Cingular.
News source: Computerworld
Initially, Cingular Wireless LLC bought AT&T Wireless, then an independent company, and killed off the AT&T Wireless brand. The owners of Cingular, SBC, then decided to buy AT&T and adopted the brand for its landline services. After AT&T bought Bellsouth Corporation, the other owner of Cingular, the AT&T Wireless brand was restored.
AT&T Inc. has announced a new advertising campaign that aims to make sure the public understands that the Cingular brand is being replaced. The Cingular brand will end Monday with the beginning of the advertising campaign. A transitional graphic that includes elements of both the AT&T and Cingular logos will be the first step. AT&T did not say how long before the graphic is replaced with an AT&T one. Over 2007, 2,000 Cingular stores and kiosks will get new AT&T signs.
Why bother? Well, first off, AT&T is a business. I’m sure you can figure it out from there: AT&T realized it can massively cut costs with such a move. AT&T is now again the parent company of several telecommunications brands and wants to make sure its name is well known, especially after the ping pong brand name game with Cingular.
News source: Computerworld
Next MCI will come back and haunt us ALL!
So for people who hate Cingular it is because of AT&T. And a name change isn't going to fix the facts.
I wish the new AT&T the best of luck in learning from superior carriers like T-Mobile. But if their previous ruining of Cingular is any indication, we'll be watching AT&T's stock slide back to the bottom of the garbage bin just like it did last time.
If universal name recognition isn't followed up with quality and value, the only thing you'll be left with is a universally recognized BAD name.
Also, keep an eye on AT&T's 4G developments- pretty amazing stuff coming up soon.
Anyway, I recently switched to Comcast for it's Triple Play anyway (Cable, Phone, Internet). AT&Ts DSL was no longer cutting it. I love Comcast's Speedboost since people in my area rarely use the Internet and I average 10Mbps down on what's supposed to be a 6Mbps connection. Too bad upload is still crappy (384Kbps).
YOU HEAR ME? INCREASE TEH UPLOAD!
Also the Communication Front has changed since the 80's when AT&T broke up.
One cable and the Internet have changed the front that in embattled. AT&T even with the merger is still smaller in total subs then Comcast in this new battle front.
What disappointed me in the merger agreement was that the FCC didn't require AT&T to run Cingular as a seperate entity. Even if they rebrand it. Verizon and Verizon Wireless are seperate companies for example.
SBC (which is now ATT) never figured out how to run the company. although They did buy a failing ATT company and name in two swoops. And have combined most of the Bells into one of the largest Telecommunication companies. It Still has poor land line service with sub par DSL service (in comparison to cable companies in most of the areas it is in) Verizon at least recognizes that it needs to bring FTTP to compete with the new Communication market.
ATT nee SBC continuously falls behind in this front and if they do not make changes in that front will find it will lose market share in the coming years.
Cingular as a side note was better ran and brought in most of the revenues that allowed sbc to aquire att wireless and att for that matter. The main service issue was the bone head decision to try to run 2 networks (tdma and GSM) in the same areas and expect it to provide optimal service.
El (side note, I worked as Tech Support (phone) for Cingular in the main central regions for a bit)
Which one do you think is more likely to be taken over in a hostile bid? To you honestly think the FCC would stand in the way? If AT&T feels threaten because of low market share, they will simply buy out another company. When the regional markets are controlled you will likely see the rebirth of Wisconsin Bell, Illinois Bell (elect, which is happening now).
They are a couple of companies like Verizon who might be able to stand up to ATT, but the merger with Cingular will bring in another $35 billion. In this case the debt would be good because it would be market expansion. Hell, they are back to trading under the T on the NYSE. Looks like a pretty credible threat to me.
Last edited by bluarash on 13 Jan 2007 - 05:01
I guess that explains why latly when I saw the new AT&T comercials they was talking about Cingular Wireless as their wireless carrier.
Rollover will stay.
I was a AT&T Wireless subscriber then i'm now a Cingular subscriber, monday i'll still be Cingular with AT&T name on my phone (note i didn't put AT&T Wireless as it's not the same company as before nor will it be called AT&T Wireless). Stan Sigman will stil be CEO, the company will still be ran by the same people, they'll just say AT&T now instead of Cingular.
Last edited by RDX on 13 Jan 2007 - 16:41
And i was recieving a lot of prank calls (which have thank god stopped now) and i wanted to change my number but it was $36!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But i could buy the same phone for 20 and a 15 card for that much!!!!!!!!
And i was recieving a lot of prank calls (which have thank god stopped now) and i wanted to change my number but it was $36!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But i could buy the same phone for 20 and a 15 card for that much!!!!!!!!
You aren't in a contract... thats why everything is expensive. All companies do this.
like 39.99 a month for 600 minutes,..... then came cingular with the 39.99 a month for 450 minutes. or am i not knowing what im talking about.
how were they more expensive?
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