Lame service notice from AT&T CallVantage

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Chris Metcalfe <metcalfe () gmail com>
Date: March 5, 2006 8:23:22 PM EST
To: dave () farber net
Subject: Lame service notice from AT&T CallVantage
Reply-To: metcalfe () pobox com

Hi Dave,

I wanted to share with you all a very lame service notice from ATT  
Callvantage (AT&T's VOIP service) where they basically say "don't  
move for 'around 2 weeks' and if you do, use another method to reach  
911".  (see below).

My wife and I have been very happy with the ATT CallVantage service,  
with the exception of their 911 feature.  When we got married, my  
wife moved her router from her house to mine, and used their web form  
to update the address for 911 purposes.

According to AT&T the address update took, but according to the 911  
dispatcher (who I placed a test "non-emergecy" call to) the address  
was still listed as her old address.

Calls to AT&T caused the above paragraph to be repeated 3 times --  
and on the third time a "senior escallation" engineer called me and  
said that we had happened on a bug that had effected hundreds, though  
not thousands of customers (especially if they, like us, have  
multiple lines).

At one point AT&T even said that 911 service would be available on  
line 1, but not line 2 -- even though both lines are served from the  
same CPE/router.

I wonder if the below email was, in any way, triggered by our  
customer service comlaints?

Chris


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: AT&T CallVantage Service <  
CustomerNotifications () account talk att com>
Date: Mar 3, 2006 8:32 PM
Subject: Important notice for AT&T CallVantage service customers
To: undisclosed-recipients

This is a very important notice for AT&T CallVantage service  
customers. We are conducting important system maintenance from March  
3 , 2006 for a few weeks. During this temporary period, please do not  
physically move your Telephone Adapter to another service location.
The registered 911 service address we have on file for you must  
correspond to the physical location of your AT&T CallVantage service.  
This is what enables us to accurately identify your emergency Public  
Safety Answering Point and correctly route your calls.

If you physically move your Telephone Adapter to another service  
location during this maintenance window, AT&T recommends that you use  
alternative means to reach 911. If you need to dial 911 from your  
AT&T CallVantage service plan, the first information you should  
provide the emergency operator is your location, name and telephone  
number as the emergency operator will NOT have this information  
automatically.

Depending on where you have moved, you may reach a non-local  
emergency dispatcher, such as the responder assigned to your prior  
service location. This dispatcher may need to transfer your call to  
the emergency responder assigned to your new geographic location. For  
these reasons, we again recommend you use alternative means to call  
911, or that you look up the 10 digit telephone number for the  
emergency responder assigned to your new location.

If you physically move your Telephone Adapter to another service  
location you will lose the ability to place outgoing calls other than  
911 and toll free 800 numbers, and we may not be able to restore  
service until after our system maintenance is completed.

We appreciate your cooperation with this request and apologize for  
any inconvenience this may cause. Thank you.



AT&T CallVantage Service Team
Please do not reply via e-mail. This address is automated and  
unattended, and messages sent to it will not be read.






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