Back in January, T-Mobile (USA) CEO John Leger called AT&T’s network “crap” during the carrier’s CES keynote, rhetorically asking the audience “Does anyone use AT&T in New York City? Is anyone satisfied with their service?”
AT&T didn’t take too kindly to Leger’s comments, and now, 2 months later, it has fired back with a new print ad that started hitting The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and several other major publications yesterday…
The ad, which can be seen in the image above, reads like this (via TmoNews):
“The truth about T-Mobile’s network compared to AT&T. 2x more dropped calls. 2x more failed calls. 50% slower download speeds. Don’t be fooled by their misleading claims. For the better network experience, count on AT&T.”
Now, this might seem like the pot is calling the kettle black—given all of the criticism AT&T has taken over the years for its network performance—but AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel says that the ad is just a friendly reminder for folks.
“T-Mobile’s advertising is a combination of misguided and just plain wrong,” said Mark Siegel, a spokesman for Dallas- based AT&T. The company’s ads today are “just a friendly reminder of the fact that independent third-party testing says AT&T’s network delivers faster speeds and fewer dropped calls than them.”
It’s no surprise that the two carriers are going at it. They’ve been at odds since AT&T’s acquisition plans fell through. But what makes this public beef significant is that T-Mobile is about to introduce some major service changes.
The nation’s 4th largest wireless provider plans to eliminate device subsides, along with early termination fees and long-term contracts, as well as implement new installment payment plans for its equipment as early as next month.
T-Mobile is also expected to begin offering Apple products for the first time at some point in the near future. This move has been rumored about for years, but it’s been confirmed this time around by both Apple and Deutsche Telekom.