Posted on 05/02/2006 9:10:08 AM PDT by RWR8189
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - AT&T plans to abandon the Cingular brand name for its cell phone service as early as 2007, according to a magazine report.
The company says it is making the change to reduce customer confusion about its brands, and will rename the division "AT&T Wireless," according to Advertising Age.
AT&T wants to sell customers bundled landline, Internet and wireless services under the same brand.
Advertising experts say the move could bring heavy marketing costs, as much as $500 million each year for several years, the report said.
AT&T first announced plans to shed the Cingular name after its merger with SBC closed in November 2005.
(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...
Heh, so my AT&T WS contract which got handed to Cingular is now going to be AT&T WS again.
I liked the Death Star logo better anyway. :)
Gotta love it. We went all the way around the deregulation block and what do I see monthly? After 20 someodd years? Yep ATT. Deregulation is a joke. How many independents are left?
There was enough confusion in the trasition from the AT&T name to Cingular!
Each time they change the name, the bill goes up about $10. Still trying to figure out how my $39 plan really means $58.
Usual corpo-apathy, why fix the problem, just change the name.
Name the company American Communications or something.
AT&T's abbreviation stands for American Telephone and Telepath - beaming mind control rays straight to your head.
Not as such, no. Cingular service has been pretty good for me, and they do keep winning quality awards.
That said, the few times I've had to deal with their customer service, you have a 50% chance of getting an idiot.
I thought that Cingular purchased AT&T wireless? They made me switch over from AT&T to Cingular when I needed a new phone.
I guess the marketing departments have to find something to do to look like they're working.
Dunno - but I know Cingular *really* hates me.
I got in at the beginning of AT&T GSM service, and I'm *still* on the $99/mo+tax, fees, etc., for absolutely unlimited service.
Cingular really wants me to switch to a new (more profitable for them) plan. Not going to happen - I use my phone for 3-7,000 minutes a month.
Ya got a point there....LOL.
I'm so glad. I can't stand the names "Verizon" and "Qwest" either.
I was with PrimeCo when Verizon took over. The customer *and* phone service went straight to hell, though I hear they've improved since.
I had the same thought, how many times is this company going to bounce back and forth? I hope I don't get as screwed this time as I did last time, unable to get new phones until my AT&T Wireless contract was up and be stuck with phones that were incapatable with Cingular's network.
Cingular did buy AT&T Wireless, which at the time was already spun-off from AT&T.
Cingular was a joint venture between SBC and BellSouth, both having a 50% stake in the company.
Last year SBC bought AT&T and took its name.
Now the new AT&T is buying BellSouth, and will then have complete control of Cingular.
AT&T will then change Cingular's name to AT&T Wireless.
Its a very tangled web.
Thank Al Gore!!!!!!
Can I use the name now?
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