Tuesday, August 16, 2011

AT&T "Rethink Impossible"

As mentioned in my previous post, Terri Gualano, Regonal Director - Legislative Affairs, AT&T, was first to respond to my first e-mail.  Here's the response:

08/15/11 2:47 pm

Robin, good to hear from you. I know that we give the same type of discount to our landline customers for phone services. With our TV product being relatively new I am not aware of such a program. Would you please allow me some time to research?  Terri

Terri Gualano
AT&T - Alabama
Regional Director-Legislative and External Affairs

I responded with:
Terri,
Thanks for the quick reply.  Please be advised that the Comcast offer is for internet/broadband access only, not for TV service.  What I am looking for is a discounted rate for low-income families on internet access, which in AT&T's case would be the DSL service, not the U-Verse service.

Hope this clarifies my e-mail.

Thanks,

Her response:
08/15/11 3:06 pm
Yes it does.

Terri Gualano
AT&T - Alabama
Regional Director-Legislative and External Affairs

On Tuesday, 8/16/11 I received her next response:

08/16/11 9:03 am

Unfortunately our Lifeline is only extended to phone services. Comcast is testing Lifeline for DSL in limited markets. Hoover is one of the lucky ones. Terri

Terri Gualano
AT&T - Alabama
Regional Director-Legislative and External Affairs

Huh?  What?  Did she understand what I was asking?  I needed to clarify, so I sent out this e-mail:

Terri,

Thanks for your reply.

My original e-mail was to request a meeting with the AT&T representative who I could talk to about implementing a program like Comcast's in Hoover.  If you are not that person, could you direct me to the correct person?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Robin

Well, that should clear it up, right?  Nothing more than a request to meet with someone to discuss a possible discounted program for internet access in Hoover.  And if she wasn't the person to contact, tell me who is. (Sidenote:  After I sent the above e-mail, I contacted State Representative Paul DeMarco to see if he had any insight into something we could do.  My reason for contacting Mr. DeMarco was Terri's title "Regional Director - Legislative and External Affairs".  I figured Mr. DeMarco might know Terri.  Mr. DeMarco does know her and offered his assistance should I need it.

One thing I have to say about Ms. Gualano is that she is very prompt in responding to e-mails.  Here was her response:

08/16/11 10:24 am
I would be the correct person. I have discussed the issue with our Regulatory group and we have no future plans to implement such a program. Thank you for your interest.

Terri Gualano
AT&T - Alabama
Regional Director-Legislative and External Affairs

Ouch.  The title of this post is "Rethink Impossible", a play on words of AT&T's slogan, which is in the signature line of each of Terri's e-mails:

Sent to you by AT&T... America's Fastest Mobile Broadband Network. Rethink Possible!
Apparently when it comes to providing a discount to disadvantaged children, don't think that's possible...

I have not responded to that e-mail yet.  My original e-mail was copied to Jon Anderson, Hoover Editor of the Birmingham News, and to Janice Rogers of WBRC Fox6.  Both indicated they would like to possibly do a story on this.  

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