LA man, 90, takes out two newspaper ads telling AT&T his internet is too slow

Los Angeles man, 90, spends $10,000 to take out two newspaper ads telling AT&T CEO that his internet service is too slow – and he receives a call from the company’s executive office straight away

  • Aaron Epstein, 90, has been struggling with slow AT&T internet at his home in North Hollywood
  • The frustrated senior citizen – who has been an AT&T customer since 1960 – decided to take out two newspaper ads alerting the company’s CEO 
  • Epstein spent $10,000 for the advertisements to run in separate editions of The Wall Street Journal 
  • Epstein’s expensive gambit paid off, and he received a call from the company the same day the ads ran 
  • He says he is prepared to stop being an AT&T customer after 61 years if the telecommunications giant does not improve their internet speeds 

A 90-year old Los Angeles resident has taken out two quarter-page newspaper ads to tell AT&T’s CEO that his internet service is too slow. 

Aaron Epstein spent $10,000 for the two ads to be featured in two separate editions of The Wall Street Journal on February 3 – despite friends and family urging him to use social media to get his message out. 

But Epstein – who has been an AT&T customer since 1960 – does not have Twitter or Facebook, and decided to take a more old fashioned approach in order to get the attention of the telecommunication company’s boss, John T. Stankey. 

Epstein settled on taking out an ad in the Dallas, Texas edition of The Wall Street Journal, where the company is based. 

He also placed an ad in the New York City edition of the same publication, hoping it would attract the attention of investors.  

Aaron Epstein spent $10,000 on two quarter-page newspaper ads telling AT&T’s CEO that his internet service is too slow

Epstein's open letter (pictured above) was published in both the Dallas and New York editions of The Wall Street Journal on February 3

Epstein’s open letter (pictured above) was published in both the Dallas and New York editions of The Wall Street Journal on February 3 

 ‘Open Letter to Mr John T. Stankey CEO AT&T ,’ Epstein’s advertisement began. 

‘AT&T prides itself as a leader in electronic communications. Unfortunately for the people who live in North Hollywood 91607, AT&T is now a major disappointment,’ the senior citizen subsequently declared. 

‘Although AT&T is advertising speeds of up to 100 MBS, the fasted now available to us from AT&T is only 3 MBS. … Why is Why is AT&T, a leading communications company, treating us so shabbily in North Hollywood?’  

Despite claims that social media may have been a cheaper and more effective way of garnering AT&T’s attention, Epstein’s advertisements quickly became the talk of the town. 

He told KTLA on Thursday that he received a call from the company’s executive offices the very same day the ads ran.

‘[They told me] ‘We’re going to see what we can do for you’,’ Epstein told the news network, adding that the company may install new fiber optic cables in his area. 

The letter was no doubt read by John T. Stankey (pictured), as it ran in two editions of The Wall Street Journal - attracting the attention of employees and investors

The letter was no doubt read by John T. Stankey (pictured), as it ran in two editions of The Wall Street Journal – attracting the attention of employees and investors  

Epstein told KTLA that he could have used the $10,000 to take a vacation, but has no regrets about splashing the cash on the advertisements. 

‘With the response I’m getting … it’s accomplishing my goal. The money we could’ve spent for other luxuries is going to something that’s also giving us pleasure,’ he stated. 

Epstein says if improvements aren’t made soon he is prepared to take his business elsewhere, even after 61 years as a paying AT&T customer. 

In a statement, the company told KTLA that they invested $3.1 billion in the Los Angeles area from 2017 to 2019, and are continually working to upgrade their services. 

Epstein says if improvements aren't made soon he is prepared to take his business elsewhere, even after 61 years as a paying AT&T customer

Epstein says if improvements aren’t made soon he is prepared to take his business elsewhere, even after 61 years as a paying AT&T customer