AT&T retracts new terms of service, apologizes
By Nilay Patel 
posted Apr 3rd 2009 7:08PM
posted Apr 3rd 2009 7:08PM
Looks like the uproar over AT&T's recently-tweaked wireless terms of service banning video streaming and p2p activity caused some hasty rethinking in Dallas -- the company just sent us this statement:The language added on March 30 to AT&T's wireless data service Terms and Conditions was done in error. It was brought to our attention and we have since removed it. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Well, that settles that, at least for now -- high fives all around, Internet friends.
WTG AT&T!
Now it's your turn Sling... Here I'll write it for you:
"The language stated on April 1 that the iPhone App would require our loyal customers to have brand new equipment was done in error. It was brought to our attention and we have since removed it. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused."
Sounds more like AT&T screwed up and they didn't want a boatload of angry customers complaining.
--James
Done in error?
Yeah right!
This happened before, i believe with AT&T. Really sounds like they were testing the waters more than anything, seeing how much backlash they'd get, and retracting their plans knowing full well the only people who'd know it happened in the first place were the minority of users who frequent tech blogs, not the masses that follow the buying suggestions of AT&T reps in stores and are informed by AT&T's silly tv spots.
Of course, it's fully possible this really was a mistake, but darnit, i didn't put on my tinfoil hat for nothin'.
It seems too exact to be a plain old mistake. Whoever wrote the additional TOS copy wasn't just playing around. They specifically ruled out any sort thing like Sling Player in a very well thought out, broad sweeping kind of way with the intention of adding it to the TOS. I mean that it wasn't a draft that accidentally got put online. It was intentional.
AT&T's only error was not realizing that every tech blog and tech blog reader would drop AT&T in a second for doing stupid shit like they tried to get away with. I'm still ready to drop them now, despite their mock apology. If they want to test the waters, they should hire a test group and gauge support, not release it to the public and apologize later (the same as FaceBook should have done with their fiasco the other week).
AT&T made an obviously dumb ass move. They shouldn't come out squeaky clean just because the PR people say it was an accident.
One "error" was the terms effectively banned their own streaming apps along with the iPhone ones, thus screwing over existing customers. Someone pointed out they were shooting themselves in the foot, most likely.
They may rewrite the terms to exclude anything they and Apple approved, but ban everything else. I wouldn't put that one past them.
Ha! Very few people are allowed to modify the T&C's inside ATT's walls. That was thought out very carefully before being inserted and lawyers had to approve.
That was no "accident." What are we, stupid Ma Bell?
We could see this 'accident' again as AT&T's tethering terms for iPhones appear.
But did they officially make it the terms of service? Could this be a material change in the contract to get out for free?
at&t customers, this is delta four niner. porn torrents are a go, i repeat: porn torrents are a go. do you roger?