ATT is Blocking my Obama ringtone!!

I text-requested a super cool Obama ringtone from this Obama page (# 11) and couldn't figure out why it wasn't working.

After much examination of my phone, my husband called at@t for help. (I was busy doing some work for Obama HQ, so I asked for his assistance.)  They said that they had deduced that this was a political message (how very bright of them) and were therefore blocking it.  After Verizon tried this on NARAL as reported here back in September and then reversed themselves because of the outcry, I thought the phone companies would lay off this crazy stuff.  

I mean, come on, it's a ring tone!

Looks like I'll be changing my service.

•  Let's boycott AT&T

  I am switching cell phone service companies as soon as my plan is up!  

  by Vote4Me on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 08:54:28 AM PDT

  •  Call them now and tell them...

    ... why you are canceling.

    Then tell them if they dare try to charge your card the penalty, you will file a Merchant Dispute and have the charge reversed.

    It works.

    by dj angst on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:05:20 AM PDT

    •  Then get VirginMobile. eom

      by dj angst on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:06:00 AM PDT

  •  Reasons to boycott ATT

    Go FAR beyond this crap: they are at the TOP of the criminal telecom corporations in bed with the NSA.  They are at the TOP of the list of telecoms that spy on Americans without warrant.

    by Terminus Est on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:06:07 AM PDT

  •  Hahaha

    I've been trying to change my cell phone service but somehow my contract keeps getting reset and if I cancel it will be a $175 cancellation fee. Awesome. I love telecoms. w00t!!

    by calistan on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:12:56 AM PDT

    •  Take a careful look at the contract.

      Perhaps this action on ATT's part fails tlo fulfill their contractual obligatiopn to provide "service."

      by ben masel on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:19:43 AM PDT

  •  DFA wireless

    offers a buyout of your old plan. I don't know much about it, but on the surface it appears to be a cool alternative. DFA Wireless

    by Krum on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:35:27 AM PDT

•  You deserve better than ATT

  They just plain suck. I used to like Cingulair, and then they were bought out and started sucking on ice.

  Use Qwest if you have the option.

  by droogie6655321 on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 08:58:25 AM PDT

  •  Or t-mobile...

    I switched from AT&T (cingular before) to t-mobile and I've been very happy.

    by RichM on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:05:49 AM PDT

    •  Good to hear

      I'm reading that Verizon's service is good, but a little more expensive.

      by droogie6655321 on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:08:39 AM PDT

      •  Verizon and AT&T both participated in the FISA

        violations.  If you care about that issue, neither company deserves your business.

        by skrekk on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:49:36 AM PDT

  •  Cingular wasn't bought out

    It was AT&T that was bought out, in a way.

    Cingular was a brand name of SBC. Over time, SBC had gained such a bad reputation that they were looking to shed their name, much as Phillip Morris renamed themselves to Altria Group.

    When the original long distance company AT&T went bankrupt a few years ago, SBC saw a golden opportunity. They bought the AT&T brand name, and completely ditched both the SBC and Cingular brands.

    But today's AT&T has absolutely nothing to do with the decades-old long-distance company.

    As far as I know, it was actually SBC that was involved with the spying even before they changed their name.

    BTW, I lied. Cingular was actually bought out. It originally was a Pacific Bell brand. SBC did buy Pac Bell. But that was many years ago - I think it actually was last century - and I doubt that you had this merger in mind.

    by sdgeek on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:19:23 AM PDT

  •  Careful...

    ...they're listening...

    It feels very weird to talk about AT&T and Verizon, when they might be hearing me say it.  And it's not a good weird - it's a bad weird.

    by revelwoodie on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:59:28 AM PDT

•  Or you could try these guys:

  http://action.credomobile.com/

  by Conservative Socialist on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:00:14 AM PDT

•  oh man, sorry, but I keep thinking of

  hearing "This is Barack Obama, it's time to change America. Answer the call!" over and over on the subway.  I think I would laugh the first time and then get really annoyed after that.

  I don't think AT&T should block it though.  

  by ksh01 on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:00:45 AM PDT

•  I'm stuck with them atm.

  Since nothing else works all the way out here where I live.

  But yeah, I'm well aware of their bullshit, everything from the cooperation with domestic spying to censoring a Pearl Jam concert because Eddie Vedder sang an anti-Bush line.

  As far as ringtones, the last time I browsed their site for ringtones, there was a bunch of "patriotic" ringtones but no progressive counterparts.

  That's what happens when you get monopolies.

  by Archangel on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:01:34 AM PDT

  •  Try T-Mobile

    As far as I know, T-Mobile actually uses the same network of towers as AT&T does, so their coverage should be identical.

    Of course that also means that T-Mobile traffic will run through AT&T's equipment, and be diverted to the NSA...

    by sdgeek on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:20:52 AM PDT

    •  One problem with that -

      ...T-Mobile does not offer coverage in my area. Even though they use the same GSM network, the roaming charges I'd have to pay T-Mobile (and the charges they'd have to pay to AT&T to support my subscription) would be prohibitively expensive, and they would have to drop me.

      If I could get Working Assets (which uses Sprint's network) I'd switch to them in a heartbeat.

      by Archangel on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:29:17 AM PDT

•  The cell phone company should allow

  But the company I work for would (and should) not allow me to make others hear the message in the office area.  So not practical for most folks.

  by crazyshirley2100 on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:06:33 AM PDT

  •  there are a lot of ringtones

    that are "inappropriate" for the workplace.  Doesn't mean that it's not practical to get the ringtone you want.  A lot of people just change their ringtones during office hours, or put it on "vibe".  

    by second gen on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:10:57 AM PDT

•  Oh!

  I just thought of something.  Could you make a WAV of 'AT&T SUCKS!' and use that instead?  I also have a tough time understanding how they can block your ringtone - I mean that is something loaded on your phone.  

  by RichM on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:07:44 AM PDT

  •  What a great idea! Or...

    AT & T Opposes Free Speech!

    by MaskedKat on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:28:42 AM PDT

•  Put heat on their partners at Apple too?

  by ben masel on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:14:37 AM PDT

•  Former Shareholder

  They've been doing so many stupid things lately, I sold all my stock in them. Jeezbus, what Maroons!!

  by DevonTexas on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:17:53 AM PDT

  •  Good move.

    The FISA suits could leave them bankrupt.

    by ben masel on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:22:07 AM PDT

    •  The stock's gone from 42 to 36...

      over the last 30 days. I appears others feel the same way I do.

      They are too mired in bad politics; a typical Repugnican problem.

      by DevonTexas on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:31:00 AM PDT

      •  A Trillion dollars in Statutory liabilities

        vs a market capitalization under $300 billion.

        by ben masel on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:42:46 AM PDT

•  i called them... didn't get very far -

  but they didn't think it was blocked.

  by jj24 on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:21:43 AM PDT

•  CREDO for Progressives!

  Not trying to be an ad for them but I use Credo for my phone service because they support progressive causes with their profits. It used to be WorkingAssets. At least I feel my money is going to a good cause and they will NOT give my phone information to the US Unwarranted Wiretaps!

  by DevonTexas on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 09:27:27 AM PDT

•  I just downloaded a ringtone

  from Obamas site.When I try to load it as my ringtone on my At&T cell phone it tells me it is "Not Allowed". Funny, the one I paid for and downloaded from their site is allowed. How appropriate it was the Stones "Can't Get No Satisfaction".
  I will be calling AT&T within the hour. Maybe if a lot of us with AT&T download the ring tones then call them we can get this changed?

  Yes We Can

  by Bluewoman on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 10:09:41 AM PDT

  •  Bitch, for sure

    and loud - but vote with your money, regardless of their response - and make sure they know WHY.

    by grndrush on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 10:18:12 AM PDT

  •  try this one.

    "This call may be illegally wiretapped by the Bush administration.  That's my administration.  Heh heh." (James Adomian, of course.)

    From CREDO, here:

    http://credoaction.com/...

    by willy mugobeer on Tue Feb 05, 2008 at 07:26:56 AM PDT

•  Someone should download a

  GOP-themed ringtone and see if it works. If it does, class-action-suit CITY.

  I think there's a few lawyers running around this place.  ;)

  by grndrush on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 10:20:01 AM PDT

  •  Restraining order

    Go fast-track, which means not waiting for certification of a class. One or several individual plaintiffs should suffice.

    by ben masel on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 10:26:36 AM PDT

•  CT solved!

  I got it to work just fine now. I went to the tutorial for my phone on AT&T's web site and followed the instructions for loading the ringtone on my phone. I also called the Obama Mobile Help center, and they told me they doubted that they could block loading a particular type of ringtone.
  CT solved!

  Yes We Can

  by Bluewoman on Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 10:50:11 AM PDT