Listen to this as a podcast:
Gizmodo, DeafMac, and TUAW all report that AT&T offered a data-only plan and then retracted it. A Colorado AT&T store was offering a text/data-only, no-voice plan at the price of $27.99 a month, but had to cease when AT&T Corporate told them that people were complaining about deaf people getting “special treatment.”
First, let me explain data-only plans. Deaf and hard of hearing people are heavy SMS/text message users, and email/Instant Messenger users as well if it’s an option on their phone. It’s a convenient way for them to keep in touch with each other and with members of the hearing community. Deafies have no use for the voice telephone features – I mean, think about it. How is a deaf person going to use a telephone? They can’t hear. So, why should they pay for a service they can’t use? Why not offer a rate plan that covers the cost of data use, but doesn’t include telephone use? And if the phone happens to get used for a few phone calls – let’s say a deaf person lets their hearing friend call their parents on their phone – why not charge a small fee per minute for the duration of that phone call? What a great idea! TMobile offers such a plan, which I use with my Sidekick. It’s called the Sidekick Data Plan, and for $29.99 a month I get unlimited web, email, text messaging, and instant messenger. If voice phone calls are made, I pay 20¢ per minute. The only time the voice phone is used is if I hand my Sidekick over to my hearing boyfriend and he makes a call, which rarely happens. Not a bad deal at all, and in fact, I think all cellular companies should get on the ball and offer this plan. It doesn’t have to be only for deaf people, though – maybe hearing people would like it as well. I’ve read in other places that hearing people complain that the voice phone function doesn’t work very well on some handheld devices, but they like the option of being able to surf the Web or using Instant Messenger on the go. Sprint also offers data-only plans that are slightly more expensive than the Sidekick data-only plan.
AT&T’s handling of this was an absolute snafu. From what I can understand from poring over the various blogs, what happened was an AT&T store in Colorado offered a special $27.99 data-only plan for the iPhone. But wait! It was for the deaf only, and in order to get the plan, one had to prove they were deaf. Hearing customers called AT&T Corporate to complain that it was unfair, AT&T called the Colorado store and told them to cease and detist, and after this issue erupted on the blogosphere, AT&T said they’ll offer a data-only plan sometime in the future. DeafMac also reports that AT&T was offering a voice-only plan, but cancelled it after the deaf community pointed out if they can’t have a data-only plan, then the hearing community shouldn’t have a voice-only plan, either. I guess AT&T stock is going on sale this week, then.
I hope that when the dust settles the phone companies will take a look at this issue and realize that offering a data-only plan to their customers – deaf or hearing – is good business practice, and overall a Good Idea.
On a personal note, reading some of the snarky, racist, and offensive comments in the Gizmodo and TUAW posts about people with disabilities made me really disappointed that in this day and age we’re still dealing with such ignorance. Deaf and dumb? I don’t think so. I’m deaf and smart, thank you very much.
Previously:
Jott – getting the hearing & deaf in touch via voice-to-SMS
Hiptop Sidekick – why it’s so popular among the deaf
Hearing people are really SELFISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It seems to me that AT&T is clearly in the wrong on this. I hope something will change there to make it right.
The issue is not that AT&T is giving deaf people special rights, the issue is that AT&T is depriving all consumers of a product shouldn’t be special at all. AT&T is framing the issue as deaf people wanting “special treatment”, which is an innacurate and sleazy rhetorical shift. Customers don’t actually care that deaf people are allowed to purchase a data-only plans, customers just care that hearing people aren’t allowed to purchase the same plan. Deaf people shouldn’t be required to purchase minutes that they aren’t able to use, but hearing people shouldn’t be required to purchase minutes that they don’t intend to use either. But AT&T makes a lot of money selling hearing customers minutes they won’t use and they’d rather continue to screw everyone. By retracting the data-only plan and calling it “special treatment” AT&T is not just throwing the baby out with the bathwater, they’re pointing the blame at deaf people.
as i am deaf employee at at&t mobility(formerly cingular wireless) for over 15 years, i want to share this with you. i am tired of those deaf people complain about at&t that doesnt offer anything to deaf people. that is not true…. let me tell you now for those who doesnt know, at&t mobility does offer two different types of TAP (Text Accessibility Plan) to deaf subscribers. TAP 1 – 30 dollars for unlimited data and 5000 text msgs and other TAP 2 – 35 dollars for unlimited data and unlimited text msgs plus 40 cents for voice. at&t mobilty provides more better mobiles for TAP – Pantech Duo, at&t Tilt(this is what i have), at&t 8525, Samsung Blackjack and Blackjack 2, Motorola Q9 and other types that i cant remember. TAP accepts those mobiles, but TAP doesnt accept only Blackberry devices and Apple iPhone. right now at&t is working very hard to get TAP ready for iphone that is coming up very soon because i work for this company and i did bug the people inside for some times because i am at&t mobility deaf subscriber and employee under this company, at&t mobility. also at&t mobilty is working on two ways Video Share which is wonderful for deaf community i believe. at&t mobilty does offer one way Video Share, not two way, but very soon at&t mobility will release two ways video calling. that should be excited for us.
you should realize that at&t does offer more different types of mobiles to deaf subscribers than any wireless carriers.
i promise yall that TAP for iphone will come out very soon because i have talked with people inside my company.
this is my final message. happy holidays.
for more info about TAP – http://www.wireless.att.com/about/disability-resources/hearing-aid-compatibility.jsp#tap
I was interested in that issue. I emailed a representative involved with the iPhone4deaf.com effort. I asked whether I needed to provide any documentation of my being deaf he replied saying I just needed to be honest that I’m deaf. I thought to myself, honor system, my (bleep)! This is going down to hell when AT&T gets wind of this when hearing people abuse this. Execution is commonly a problem associated with the deaf and hard of hearing community when special products and services are being launched. Call it a blatant case of foresight lacking.
I could use a plan like that, since I rarely like to talk on the phone.
Just go to http://www.sprintrelaystore.com
They have same price plan as T-Mobile yet they have no restriction. Check it out!
Hola
I’m not deaf or hearing impaired. I found this site via wired dot com. I saw all the hostile comments on the two posts you referenced, and also noticed quite a few comments that supported the idea of being cool with offering those with “less than standard” abilities a break. Look: stupid people exist. That’s just the way it is. I’m sorry their stupidity affects you directly, but please do notice that there are respectful people commenting on those same posts.
Um… did you know you have like a million drug links under your blog? Disable javascript and you’ll see TONS of “buy dope” ads. Really gross.
From Kathryn:
Hi, thanks for your note. No, I didn’t know about the drug links – thanks for pointing that out.
hi im on the blackberry curve from att 55.00 unlimited data email texts plus 9.99 month unlimited tele nav gps routes i dont see where u get that cheaper of unlimited only i know is sprint offer cheaper but they aint got curve there
From Kathryn:
I’m using the Sidekick via TMobile and I pay $29.99/mo for unlimited IM & data service.
Yesterday, AT&T told me that they do not have any special Data only for iphone. Must buy Voice plan plus data.
Today, I googled to find some information Disability Resources and “TAP” at AT&T’s online.
I was going to post but deafat&temployee did first post.
I called AT&T’s customer service. They told me $35 on PDA’s data plan only.
Do hearing people paid for nearly or over $2000.00 a hearing aid?
Hearing aid only last five years because of wear and tear!
Do hearing paid for hearing aid battery for life?
Do hearing paid for special door bell or phone or baby alert and more for the deaf?
Deaf or hearing of hearing paid more than what hearing people can do!!! we, Deaf, work twice more than hearing world can do at free time! HEARING DUMP! Hearing don’t know how hard Deaf doing!
Sorry Hearing world, I has to point it out to you. Lev 19:14
YOur iphpone would be very smart, indeed, if it also had the capability of converting voice to text, instantly. I’m deaf and know very little sign language. Therefore, I must read – books, text messaging and lips. Not to speak of facial expressions.
Perhaps, my hearing family and friends will enjoy gossipping with me on the phone again. No middleman. Ah, privacy which I crave. What about emergencies?
Thanks, loads.
Nellie G.
I’m not deaf, and I spend $45 for my plan which includes 500 text messages. I just want a plan that is text only. All I’m hearing is that the Text only plans are still going to cost me as much as a regular plan does. I need it to cost $15. Otherwise this isn’t going to help me out. I’ll support the effort though.
Can someone give me an idea whether or not I should go for a smart phone or just use a more stylish phone and wait for some better technology? I am on the Sprint network, and was referred to http://www.sanyowireless.com , but I’m not seeing any options that look like smart phones. I don’t need an MP3 player or a camera, I’d rather have a phone that is lighter and easier to carry. Any recommendations would be welcome.
Great article, My friends and I were wondering about plans like this, basically because we don’t like talking to people, and would rather send a text.
I thought it was a little humorous that i could listen to this as a podcast…
Go to getpeek.com