More than 2,200 AT&T retail locations given makeover

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
In conjunction with the nationwide rollout of ConnecTech and netbook sales, cell phone carrier AT&T this week announced the completed renovations of more than 2,200 retail locations across the U.S.



The revamping of the company's stores aims to give customers a "more interactive and informative hands-on experience" as they browse the company's selection of products.



?Just as we are focused on delivering the products and services that connect our customers to their worlds, we remain committed to making it easy for them to do business with us,? said Paul Roth, president of Retail Sales & Service with AT&T Mobility. ?With these changes, all of our customers -- from consumers to small businesses -- will enjoy a more personalized, educational and interactive shopping and buying experience at our stores.?



The new stores are "refreshed" with a more intuitive layout of products and services, while all wireless devices are on power-enabled displays, allowing customers the ability to easily try each phone's features.



Since AT&T merged with BellSouth and purchased Cingular Wireless, the company has offered both wired and wireless products. Now more than half of the company's retail locations service both customers. In addition to cell phone service, AT&T also offers U-verse, which provides IPTV and high speed VDSL Internet.



The ConnecTech service aims to bolster the variety of services offered by AT&T. The service, available for both AT&T and non-AT&T customers across the country, offers installation, maintenance and repair of home technology needs. The company also offers tech support for small businesses.



After a successful soft launch in Atlanta and Philadelphia earlier this year, AT&T will offer low-priced, low-powered netbooks for its customers both in stores and online "in the coming days." The computers will offer connection to AT&T's high-speed 3G network.



As the exclusive provider of Apple's iPhone, AT&T has found tremendous success thanks to the smartphone. The recent launch of the iPhone 3GS gave AT&T and its retail locations the company's best sales day ever.



As the exclusive contract between AT&T and Apple expires next year, the company is reportedly currently negotiating to retain the exclusive rights to Apple's phone.



The wireless carrier owns and operates more than 2,200 retail stores. There are additional locations provided through retailers like Best Buy and Walmart, as well as authorized resellers.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 26
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,712member
    I will stick with Best Buy for my iPhones thanks
  • Reply 2 of 26
    teckstudteckstud Posts: 6,476member
    I have a brand new AT&T store near me. The people are so nice and friendly, even turned me on to my new iPhone (ifrogz) case I purchased from them. So far the customer service has been great. I also have a older store (looks like it's been madeover) directly across the street from where I work. I paid my first bill at their kiosk after inquiring to a rep about my hefty first billing.

    The new store has all the items easily available to handle as mentioned- quite convenient.
  • Reply 3 of 26
    jerseymacjerseymac Posts: 408member
    I would rather see them give their network a makeover.
  • Reply 4 of 26
    chronsterchronster Posts: 1,894member
    Personally, as long as the customer service is good and the product is great, I wouldn't care if I bought it from a child made lemonade stand.
  • Reply 5 of 26
    saareksaarek Posts: 1,520member
    What a pointless article, what does this have to do with Apple, are we going to get news flash updates every time some major company that just happens to sell Apple products decides to update it's stores?
  • Reply 6 of 26
    igrouchoigroucho Posts: 63member
    Seems they're mainly gearing up in preparation for a coming Apple netbook...
  • Reply 7 of 26
    .:r2thet.:r2thet Posts: 41member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by saarek View Post


    What a pointless article, what does this have to do with Apple, are we going to get news flash updates every time some major company that just happens to sell Apple products decides to update it's stores?









    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iGroucho


    Seems they're mainly gearing up in preparation for a coming Apple netbook...



  • Reply 8 of 26
    chronsterchronster Posts: 1,894member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by saarek View Post


    What a pointless article, what does this have to do with Apple, are we going to get news flash updates every time some major company that just happens to sell Apple products decides to update it's stores?



    dude, I've seen much worse lol. Get over it
  • Reply 9 of 26
    goodcowgoodcow Posts: 8member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Jerseymac View Post


    I would rather see them give their network a makeover.



    Yep. They tweeted about the makeovers yesterday so I replied with:



    @ATTNews Maybe instead of wasting money remodeling stores you could make your data network not suck huge amounts of ass in NYC?

    about 24 hours ago from web in reply to ATTNews
  • Reply 10 of 26
    al_bundyal_bundy Posts: 1,525member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by goodcow View Post


    Yep. They tweeted about the makeovers yesterday so I replied with:



    @ATTNews Maybe instead of wasting money remodeling stores you could make your data network not suck huge amounts of ass in NYC?

    about 24 hours ago from web in reply to ATTNews





    i was in the poconos last week and a constant EDGE signal except when i was in the Wal Mart/Target/Starbucks parking lot in Scranton. Got back to NYC and the data speed is about the same as on the EDGE network i had in the mountains.
  • Reply 11 of 26
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,712member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iGroucho View Post


    Seems they're mainly gearing up in preparation for a coming Apple netbook...



    That is probably what is going on here. I would assume Best Buy will also carry said paradigm shifting tablet.
  • Reply 12 of 26
    daimhindaimhin Posts: 3member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Jerseymac View Post


    I would rather see them give their network a makeover.



    They are... in the last month we have seen pretty much all the EDGE areas in FL from Orlando north be converted to 3G. It is VERY rare that I see the E on my phone anymore.
  • Reply 13 of 26
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,712member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Daimhin View Post


    They are... in the last month we have seen pretty much all the EDGE areas in FL from Orlando north be converted to 3G. It is VERY rare that I see the E on my phone anymore.



    It's not subject I know anything about ... so please educate me ... what happens to Edge only iPhones when this happens in a an area such as you describe? Does AT&T still support Edge and add 3G or drop the Edge?
  • Reply 14 of 26
    contegnicontegni Posts: 34member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Daimhin View Post


    They are... in the last month we have seen pretty much all the EDGE areas in FL from Orlando north be converted to 3G. It is VERY rare that I see the E on my phone anymore.



    Wait... I see you are in Gainesville and you get 3G now? Thank God - I'm going on a family trip to my aunt's house just outside of Gainesville next week. Last year when I went all I got was a weak EDGE signal. At least it was faster than her dial up connection on her ancient Dell computer.
  • Reply 15 of 26
    daimhindaimhin Posts: 3member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Contegni View Post


    Wait... I see you are in Gainesville and you get 3G now? Thank God - I'm going on a family trip to my aunt's house just outside of Gainesville next week. Last year when I went all I got was a weak EDGE signal. At least it was faster than her dial up connection on her ancient Dell computer.



    The EDGE network is still there and available if I turn 3G off on the phone. They have just been adding 3G to all the EDGE towers it appears.



    Gainesville itself had 3G but it was only in the city limits. I am now seeing it all the way out to Newberry and perhaps further (haven't driven past there to find out)
  • Reply 16 of 26
    aaarrrggghaaarrrgggh Posts: 1,609member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by al_bundy View Post


    i was in the poconos last week and a constant EDGE signal except when i was in the Wal Mart/Target/Starbucks parking lot in Scranton. Got back to NYC and the data speed is about the same as on the EDGE network i had in the mountains.



    There was a beach volleyball tournament down the street from me last weekend which basically meant that my calls at home (technically out on the sidewalk, since at the best of times I can't get a signal inside the house) would drop 3-4 times in the course of 20 minutes. Data was worthless.



    At the airport, the thing never works...



    In the good-old-days, the carriers set up microcells for high-use areas, even bringing in portable units for major events. Now they work to refresh their retail experience.



    Time for a multi-technology MVNO.
  • Reply 17 of 26
    contegnicontegni Posts: 34member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Daimhin View Post


    The EDGE network is still there and available if I turn 3G off on the phone. They have just been adding 3G to all the EDGE towers it appears.



    Gainesville itself had 3G but it was only in the city limits. I am now seeing it all the way out to Newberry and perhaps further (haven't driven past there to find out)



    Hmm. My aunt is actually in High Springs, only about 4 miles west of Newberry. I'll keep my fingers crossed. Maybe next year I can tether my Macbook Pro-to-be
  • Reply 18 of 26
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Daimhin View Post


    They are... in the last month we have seen pretty much all the EDGE areas in FL from Orlando north be converted to 3G. It is VERY rare that I see the E on my phone anymore.



    Seriously, I went on vacation to Outer Banks last August, and basically from Mid-Jersey on I had 3G. I even got off I-95 and went down 17 the whole way through Virginia. South of North Jersey, AT&T's network is the best there is IMO. But NY, meh. It is in fact getting better, but still leaves much to be desired, especially in Dutchess County. Spotty and barely Edge.
  • Reply 19 of 26
    As I recall, AT&T and SBC did not merge; SBC purchased AT&T and then changed its name to AT&T. Similarly, AT&T did not buy Cingular, but Cingular bought AT&T Wireless, and then changed its name to AT&T Wireless.
  • Reply 20 of 26
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by michelle_eris View Post


    As I recall, AT&T and SBC did not merge; SBC purchased AT&T and then changed its name to AT&T. Similarly, AT&T did not buy Cingular, but Cingular bought AT&T Wireless, and then changed its name to AT&T Wireless.



    According to an old Computerworld article:



    "AT&T Wireless was once an independent company that had been spun off from AT&T Corp. Cingular Wireless LLC bought the wireless operator and eliminated the AT&T Wireless brand. Then SBC, one of the owners of Cingular, bought AT&T, adopting the AT&T brand for its landline services. More recently, AT&T bought BellSouth Corp., the other owner of Cingular, spurring the switch back to the AT&T brand for the wireless service."



    I was thinking the same thing when I read this article. Good Call.
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