http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/ Engadget Comments for The Engadget Interview: Ralph de la Vega, CEO of AT&T Mobility http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/www.swiftstocks.com site too. this is the only free one that i could
find that is actually reliable! anyone else having problems with their
online brokers? ]]>Feb 6th 2008 11:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 12:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 12:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 12:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/
I was thinking 'When did John Waters get into mobile communications?' but Higgins is a much better reference. Well done!]]>Nov 26th 2007 3:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 12:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 11:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 12:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 28th 2007 1:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/
I wonder if they'll actually sell you an unlocked iPhone or if they'll just rebox an iPod touch :).]]>Nov 26th 2007 12:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 12:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/ (evaluating Android) Well, we're still open to looking at that.

Oh, they're open to LOOKING. So, if the mood strikes them the right way some day, they might actually LOOK at Android, which of course is a few steps short of making a decision. Nice one!

> (AT&T liking closed platforms) I think that my biggest disappointment
> is that we have not been out talking to people like I am talking to you
> about our philosophy. And that we have let some of us, get painted with
> that view, which is not true.
> [...]
> If you go to our stores you can get your choice of six operating environment systems.

I see, so the issue that they like to lock down their phones and OSs is just a matter of perception, not fact. If you let him come into your living room and reason with you and explain it the right way, you too will see that closed is in fact open, less choice is more, and black is white.

The man is also confusing the freedom to install third party software on a phone with the mere choice in phones. To him, if you don't like your phone as it is or would like some new features, the answer is not to install some software that makes it do what you want, but rather to go buy a new phone. Very nice indeed, from a marketing point of view.

> (Ryan not being able to buy an unlocked phone)
> The key is to ask for the right thing.

Yeah, it's a little bit like Monty Python's "Naughty Chemists" sketch. If you don't know the magic phrase, how can you expect them to give you what you want?!
]]>Nov 26th 2007 1:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/I see, so the issue that they like to lock down their phones and OSs is just a matter of perception, not fact. If you let him come into your living room and reason with you and explain it the right way, you too will see that closed is in fact open, less choice is more, and black is white.

Hahahahaha]]>Nov 26th 2007 5:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/
Having a "secret passphrase" is something we could do without.]]>Nov 26th 2007 12:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 12:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 12:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 1:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 2:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 27th 2007 2:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 27th 2007 12:11AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 12:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 12:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 12:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 8:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 12:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 12:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 12:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/
Discount face lifts never work out!

]]>Nov 26th 2007 1:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 1:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 1:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 27th 2007 12:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 1:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/
also, what network quality problems are you referring to? both networks coexisted before the merger and were already on each others prls. legacy accounts were migrated to tlg, although it did take forever. the only possible "bad" thing was that blue customers were pretty much bullied into moving to orange plans. but what does any of that have to do with the iphone?

how do you conclude that at&t doesn't care about people unlocking phones? i have never been able to get a csr to give me a damn unlock code. even though csp clearly says if you pay full price or are out of contract then they are supposed to provide it.

what we really should be questioning is how at&t/apple should be able to legally lock a phone and require a contract even though the price of the device is not subsidized.]]>Nov 27th 2007 2:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/
Your comments about network integration are correct from a customer account perspective, however you are missing what is needed for network integration. There are many more pieces beyond account migrations, from SS7 translations, VLR mobility routing changes, trunk consolidation, and much more. An example of a poor decision from above, during the network integration, management decided it was a good time to change core hardware vendors. Ripping out entire switch infrastructure to replace it with anothers during such a large scale integration is begging for problems, and problems were definitely caused.

And RE: unlocking. I said AT&T wasn't publicly complaining in the press. I'm not saying they made it easy for customers, I'm saying they didn't join in the public 'fight' that apple is digging into right now.]]>Nov 27th 2007 3:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 1:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/
And nice piece on Android, he basically said they'll give it a wait and see, but with a powerhouse like Google it shouldn't be so hard.]]>Nov 26th 2007 1:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 1:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 2:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/
I also ought to note that buying an unlocked phone was fairly easy for me last time I went to an ATT Mobility store. All I did was explain myself to a customer service rep, and it took 5 minutes.]]>Nov 26th 2007 1:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/
I bought the Razr when it originally came out, sans contract, but the phone was still locked down to at&t...I couldn't put a t-mobile SIM in there.]]>Nov 26th 2007 9:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 27th 2007 2:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 1:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/I like he didn't talk trash about other carriers. The points about the different many different OS's is a valid point. He could have definitely said something about Verizon on that but kept it professional.
Overall, it's a very good interview and give me a bit more faith in AT&T Mobility's future.
700mhz for LTE? That's good, but that means it'll be a couple of years till we use it. I was hoping for it sooner.]]>Nov 26th 2007 1:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/
I just hated the whole repeating of "customer choice this, customer choice that." I agree, if ATT listened to the few ppl who want certain things, ATT would go out of business real quick because I would say about 80% (if not more) of ppl follow trends and phases and therefore, it's cheaper to mass produce that thing (service). So the consumer part of me wants more "openness" but the business side of me understand that costs money.

Like I said, I just hate the whole PR campaign about ATT giving a damn about what the customers want. Bottom line for any company is to make a profit and they'll do whatever they can to make that profit and blind us by giving us "choice" - Thanks Ryan.]]>Nov 26th 2007 1:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/
That's freedom.]]>Nov 26th 2007 1:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 1:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/]]>Nov 26th 2007 1:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 8:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/Nov 26th 2007 1:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/the-engadget-interview-ralph-de-la-vega-ceo-of-atandt-mobility/
Ryan, thanks for bring up the E62 issue. i don't think enough people bring up the issue any more and have just forgot about the device. but you let him off easy. You should have mentioned the E61. I have used it straight out of the (european) box without any of the so called issues he talks about. Cingular messed with the E62 and took it's wifi and some how made it slower. They could have made the E62 3G like the E61, they chose not too.

I wish you had mentioned something about them not allowing phones with both wifi and GPS. I'm sure some of Ralph's people will glance over thse comments. If so, realse a device as it was designed (blackberry) and I will swith.]]>Nov 26th 2007 1:35PM