AT&T tells customers with old phones they need to buy new devices or lose access to its network in urgently worded email that fails to mention they have until 2022
- An email was sent to customers with the header, ‘UPDATE NEEDED’
- It said customers they need to replace old phones to use AT&T’s network
- The email failed to mention that they actually have until 2022
- AT&T apologized for the email wording in a statement
- The company said this week that it lost $2.8 billion in revenue this quarter
AT&T urged its customers with older phones to buy new devices in a forcefully worded email that suggested they would imminently lose access to its network.
As reported by Android Police, the telecom company alerted customers with older phones in a recent email with a header that read in all-caps, ‘UPDATE NEEDED.’
The body then proceeded to tell customers that their phone ‘is not compatible with the new network and you need to replace it to continue receiving service’ due to a network change that’s coming ‘soon.’
Emails sent to customers (pictured) urged them to buy new phones or risk being unable to use AT&T’s network. The email failed to relay that they actually have until 2022
Notably absent from the email, however, is the fact that customers with affected devices will have until early 2022 to actually buy a new phone, as confirmed via AT&T by The Verge.
The date only appears in a link to a separate webpage on AT&T’s website which is included in the email.
Though misleadingly worded, the email does reference a very real change in which customers using AT&T’s 3G network will have to upgrade to continue using the provider.
As noted by The Verge, phones that don’t support HD Voice calls, which routes calls through 4G LTE will no longer be able to make calls or use data on AT&T’s network.
In a statement, AT&T said that the wording of the email was a genuine mistake.
‘This email was one of many planned to keep customers informed about the shutdown of our 3G network in early 2022,’ the company said.
AT&T recently announced that it lost a substantial amount of revenue this quarter due to ongoing complications created by the COVID-19 pandemic (stock)
‘It should have included the date that certain devices would no longer be supported. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused and will be more clear in future updates.’
The email comes with interesting timing as AT&T announced this week that it lost monthly phone subscribers in addition to $2.8 billion in revenue as a result of delayed movie releases and advertising shortfalls fueled by COVID-19.