Amp'd Mobile to shut down July 24 at 12:01am?
Update: Make sure to hit the "Read" link for full details on how the shutdown will affect customers (i.e. can I keep my phone? my contacts? all that freakin' digital schwag I switched carriers to buy?). Interestingly enough, the main Amp'd page is still buzzing along as if nothing was wrong, and it actually took us quite a few minutes to locate the tiny graphic linking to the FAQ.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Filed under: Cellphones
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
PiNPOiNT @ Jul 22nd 2007 1:46AM
On their FAQ, they say you can file a claim to get a refund of unused minutes etc, but i can't figure out what to do on the site they link to. Anyone have any ideas how to file one?
larry mcsandals @ Jul 22nd 2007 1:51AM
thats my birthday!
Mitch R. @ Jul 22nd 2007 2:01AM
There's your excuse to buy an iPhone. :)
kerunt @ Jul 22nd 2007 1:22PM
What's an "iPhone"? Got a link?
Max @ Jul 22nd 2007 6:00PM
http://www.engadget.com
jabber_wolf @ Jul 26th 2007 12:25AM
LOL iphone
yeah there is another waste of money to spend on.
Erik Anderson @ Jul 22nd 2007 2:07AM
I wonder if I can charge them an early-termination fee...
KiraXD @ Jul 22nd 2007 2:37AM
"Amp'd Mobile sent out a text message this evening -- seemingly to its entire customer base"
lol so like... 3 messages got sent out... damn that sucks for that those guys...
Next up... Helio (dont call them a phone company... they kill people with their whales if you do)
gpdrummr @ Jul 22nd 2007 2:50PM
i really doubt helio is going to go down...
Dylan @ Jul 22nd 2007 5:07AM
You just keep holding onto that hope, Helio will be gone before the decade is up. Although Helio chose to target the more techno-geek demo with their handsets its still the same demo that Amp'd tried to get into and as such presents the same issue, the money for subscription or prepaid is comming from the parents or the nearly empty pockets of their demo. Either way they're eventually going to have to face the reality that you can't compete with the big 3 or 4, whatever it is you have in the US, eventually they'll choke em into submission.
Jamar @ Jul 22nd 2007 7:09AM
Well, if it helps any, Helio's parent is definitely one of the Big 3 of its home country.
In all seriousness, Helio also fills a niche that you haven't mentioned- the Korean niche. Quite a few of the Korean people I know have big money to blow on nice phones and all-inclusive service plans. Amp'd was going after something that any carrier could go after; Helio also goes after a niche that every carrier refuses to touch nowadays (Verizon used to allow Korean phones onto their network; now that they've cracked down there's only Helio) to make sure they're making *some* money to stay afloat.
jabber_wolf @ Jul 26th 2007 12:25AM
Helio is a little bit different and has a greater following and piggy backing off of sprint.
tehpwnmstr @ Jul 22nd 2007 2:57AM
i guess that ad they ran with the guy making out with his phone turned away more than a few prospective customers.
Jon P @ Jul 22nd 2007 3:08AM
http://promotions.ampd.com/q_and_a/?
Jesse S @ Jul 22nd 2007 3:24AM
When I decide on my new wireless service provider - can I take my phone?
Yes, if your service provider of choice uses CDMA.
Sprint would take them with their phone? Verizon probably will, but seeing as Verizon and Sprint have strict ESN policies, I don't see why Sprint would let them keep their phone.
Bryan T @ Jul 22nd 2007 3:16AM
I guess that means no more of those Asian Wanna-Be-Rapper commercials...too bad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GipXu4yR91E
c.Lake @ Jul 22nd 2007 7:30AM
That was Boost Mobile
paloooz @ Jul 22nd 2007 3:42PM
What? He posted the video he was referring to. It is clearly Amp'd Mobile, not Boost Mobile.
Bryan T @ Jul 22nd 2007 3:46PM
Thanks Palooz...There must be a similar Boost Mobile video that I was not aware of, that's why I included the Youtube video just in case...glad to see I'm not completely crazy.
JP @ Jul 22nd 2007 3:17AM
Break-up by text message? Ouch!
Bad form Amp'd.
Aaron Dias @ Jul 22nd 2007 4:40AM
Like oh mah gawd betch, you can't text message breakup!
http://youtube.com/results?search_query=text+message+breakup&search=
CDMA Blows @ Jul 22nd 2007 4:46AM
Get a GSM phone people. CDMA is so last century. And better yet don't get pre-paid you cheap skates. *laughs wildly at CDMA pre-paid people*
Beau @ Jul 22nd 2007 6:46AM
Amp'd wasn't prepaid, braniac.
Tom @ Jul 22nd 2007 1:45PM
GSM came out a decade before CDMA, brainiac. Way to use a protocol from 1982.
I Sold Amp'd @ Jul 22nd 2007 5:43PM
Amp'd was pre paid as well BEAU
brian @ Jul 23rd 2007 11:47AM
and yet europe is rife with it, and only a measly few million idiots refuse to get rid of a format dominated by a company that disables all of the best features of their phones just to make a few dollars more - to the detriment of their customers.
AsianZensation @ Jul 22nd 2007 6:41AM
I work for Ampd Mobile in the IT at the corporate office.....I'll tell you the past few days here have been weird, quiet and just tense. We had a meeting on friday with the CEO and he basically told us not in these exact words but basically start udating your Resume!!! Since Ampd is over I'm gonna let you guys in on some info. Verizon is pulling the plug on us on the 24th, (which you guys know already) they want to do it on Monday but the court order indicates that Monday is the rediculous deadline Ampd has to meet in order for Verizon not to shut us down. We have to come up with 7 million dollars by Monday before Verizon can pull the plug....which means Tuesday at 12:00am they terminate Ampd Forever! We have collected 3 million which some of it came from our customers who were in collections already! My opinion for the downfall of Ampd, 1) Letting customers get to exagerating overdue balances up to....you ready for this: I saw customers who racked up 6 thousand dollar balances and where still not shut off....NO JOKE! and some of them were on family plans....I sawn a family plan ith 5 lines 60 days overdue ownig us $7,450.00 I dont know about you but I know Verizon Sprint, T-Mobile Etc....once you reach 30 days or atleast close to $1,000.00. they shut you off! 2)Our "brilliant" VP of Marketing who focused our budget more on getting top celebs and music artist for out content then actually focusing on servicing our customers and actually hiring decent customer service reps who are the worst i have ever come across Seriously Ampd customer service was one of the worst CS I have ever ever seen......they get about 3 or 4 days of crappy training, then after having to learn like 7 different systems in that short time, they throw them on the phones and dont even know the difference between CDMA and GSM.....Im surprise we lasted over 2 years!!! and finally here is also my opinion on the CEO: the CEO has that 7 mill we need (of hes own money) to get us out of this hole and give us that extra time so that verizon doesnt pull the plug just yet, but even hes not stupid enough to invest back into hes own company when he doesnt even believe in it anymore. S**T I wouldnt...... no one does. thats why no one wanted to invest on the "titanic".....Well enough of my rant but Im very disapointed to leave Ampd after 2 years with company and how laid back it was....we ocasionaly had beer breaks during work hours...sometime we buy cases of Coronas and just drink and chill...those where the good ol days. Well back to the EDD line on Tuesday for me! lol
johnzilla @ Jul 22nd 2007 9:48AM
Somehow, I'm not surprised at all a company that encourages "beer breaks" during work hours is going out of business.
tobin @ Jul 22nd 2007 10:23AM
Hey, don't knock the beer breaks ;) We had them at my old company, and we were making more than a little money there...
phrank @ Jul 23rd 2007 10:58AM
Yeah dude, don't knock the beer breaks. We have beer breaks a few times a month at my place. I work in a highly technical environment. Everyone is responsible and works hard. With only 100 employees, we posted a $64 million profit last year.
Fenway Beer Man @ Jul 24th 2007 12:32AM
Beer breaks at Amp'd? Hmm, I can do you one better.
I used to work in import/export in one of the major American airports (not gunna tell you which one; you never know who's reading) and we used to drink Coronas at the end of the day.
One time more work unexpectedly came up a half hour before clockout time, and I ended up driving a tug across the airport tarmac with about 4 beers in me.
Fly assured on your next vacation.
jabber_wolf @ Jul 26th 2007 12:25AM
I'll better you on that.
You know the guys at the airport fueling the trucks that fuel the planes.
Those guys used to drink all the time.
Imagine, guys sitting on a million gallons of high octane jetfuel (not diesel), drinking.
But alas, nothing happened and they did their job well.
VeryPissedLSP @ Jul 31st 2007 11:36AM
I'm still waiting to get my number ported...today is the "last" day and I want my number to be ported asap so that I won't have to worry about losing a number I requested to be ported to another service...how long will this take?
asianzensation @ Jul 31st 2007 1:17PM
i dont know, im not in customer service. and i dont work for Ampd anymore! sorry
Beau @ Jul 22nd 2007 6:46AM
On my way to my local Helio store in the morning!
AsianZensation @ Jul 22nd 2007 7:02AM
Helio isnt bad.....its worst!
Jamar @ Jul 22nd 2007 7:45AM
Well, unless you're Korean. I've heard that there are vast differences in Helio's Customer Service quality that favor their Korean helpline over their English line.
Chris Macdonald @ Jul 22nd 2007 8:12AM
BUT.. BUT their commercials are so funny.. theres a guy who says "AMP'D" really loudly and abrubtly and the other ones where the guy gets everyone to do what he wants them to do
leopard @ Jul 22nd 2007 10:47AM
Funny how they seem to be in the death throes, talking about shutting down on the 24th, but their main website is still available to take orders (as of 9:48 am CDT).
Angie @ Jul 22nd 2007 12:02PM
I tied to place an order for fun yesterday, it gives you an error message at the end.
Mark @ Jul 22nd 2007 10:47AM
More uselessness from Gen Y hip-hop losers.
ed @ Jul 22nd 2007 11:50AM
Why dont Sprint send me this text message.
Steve @ Jul 22nd 2007 1:56PM
"leopard @ Jul 22nd 2007 10:47AM
Funny how they seem to be in the death throes, talking about shutting down on the 24th, but their main website is still available to take orders (as of 9:48 am CDT)."
Yeah they just opened a large store in Toronto a 2 or 3 months ago, and they're always out on the sidewalk with the tunes cranked up trying to get kids to sign up for service. Last time I saw it happen was just last Thursday. If they're going tits up this week, then that some GREASY business pratices they've got going there.
Ron @ Jul 22nd 2007 2:48PM
Amp'd Canada is a separate company. Operated by Telus.
Jamar @ Jul 22nd 2007 3:35PM
So the answer is basically "look north of the border if you still like Amp'd"?
reverov @ Jul 22nd 2007 2:35PM
This has got to be really rough on all 3 Amp'd mobile users. Let's hope they can find another phone company that equally rips them off as much as Amp'd.
rewotex @ Jul 22nd 2007 4:27PM
It is interesting to go through the Q & A section on the Amp'd site. They have the balls to say you should still pay your bill but don't say what to do if they owe you money. They owed me money for 8 months while the CFO kept saying they needed to get the paperwork straight and that the bill would be paid. The AP person left but they said nothing and left her voicemail and email active so people wouldn't know. Why would anyone want to do business with liars and thiefs anyway?
Tyson @ Jul 22nd 2007 5:33PM
From what I learned in bankruptcy you can kiss that money goodbye. In bankruptcy even if you have a legit claim like even if they stole it by overcharging your credit card, everything gets stayed which means all of there assets becomes property of the bankruptcy estate and the creditors get paid first. generally (since they are in backrush) nothing is left to pay back your claim. That's why they tell you to pay your bill but when it comes to money they owe you they say put a claim in for it and kiss it goodbye.
brian @ Jul 22nd 2007 6:51PM
Sounds like a good time to sign up for Sprint's SERO program.
bob @ Jul 22nd 2007 11:53PM
I have Amp'd the service has been phenomenal and I have never dropped a call! I get 1000 minutes and free nights and weekends starting at 7pm and unlimited text for only $56.99. But I guess it was too good to be true :( I am considering Verizon since I can just use this phone on there and the service is perfect in my area. But how do I get a Sprint employees email address for SERO plans? I hear Sprint has horrible service...but I have never tried them. I am in the 37221 zip code.
thanks!