AT&T Launches Pride Month Contest

Via press release:

In celebration of LGBT Pride Month and Pride season, AT&T is proud to launch the third annual “Live Proud” campaign that is centered on awareness, empowerment and most importantly, pride. For many individuals, living openly and stating “This is Me” can be challenging. That’s why AT&T has designed the Live Proud campaign this year to provide a platform for everyone to have their voices heard. The LGBT community and beyond can take part in this campaign by creating a unique 15 seconds-or-less “This is Me” video and uploading it to the AT&T Live Proud website at ATT.com/LiveProud to enter the AT&T “This is Me” Sweepstakes. Of the videos submitted, four lucky winners will be selected at random to win a trip for two to New York City and two tickets to OUT100.

AT&T Denounces Russian Homophobia

From the corporate blog of AT&T:

The Olympic Games in Sochi also allow us to shine a light on a subject that’s important to all Americans: equality. As you may know, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community around the world is protesting a Russian anti-LGBT law that bans “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations.” To raise awareness of the issue, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has called on International Olympic Committee (IOC) sponsors to take action and stand up for LGBT equality. AT&T is not an IOC sponsor, so we did not receive the HRC request. However, we are a long-standing sponsor of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), we support HRC’s principles and we stand against Russia’s anti-LGBT law. AT&T has a long and proud history of support for the LGBT community in the United States and everywhere around the world where we do business. We support LGBT equality globally and we condemn violence, discrimination and harassment targeted against LGBT individuals everywhere. Russia’s law is harmful to LGBT individuals and families, and it’s harmful to a diverse society. We celebrate the diversity of all Olympic athletes, their fans, Russian residents and all people the world over – including and, especially, our employees and their loved ones.

The Human Rights Campaign reacts:

HRC President Chad Griffin issued the following statement: “Today, AT&T courageously recommitted itself to fairness, equality and basic human rights. AT&T should be recognized for showing true leadership in opposing this hateful Russian law, and other sponsors that have failed to lead should take corrective action immediately. A company that claims to support LGBT equality should do so wherever it operates, not just in the United States, and we call on all Olympic Sponsors to follow AT&T’s lead and publicly denounce Russia’s anti-LGBT law.” For well over a decade, AT&T has been a leader in corporate inclusion. They were the first telecommunications company to earn a perfect 100 percent on the Corporate Equality Index.

Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Visa - the ball is now in your court.

AT&T Staffers: It Gets Better

Feds Block Merger Of Cell Phone Giants

The Department of Justice today filed suit to block the merger of AT&T and T-Mobile, saying that if the companies were to join, millions of consumers would suffer with higher prices and fewer choices.

"AT&T’s acquisition of T-Mobile would eliminate a company that has been a disruptive force through low pricing and innovation by competing aggressively in the mobile wireless telecommunications services marketplace. AT&T could obtain substantially the same network enhancements that it claims will come from the transaction if it simply invested in its own network without eliminating a close competitor."

Bam! The merger isn't officially dead until a federal judge rules. Which, of course, could take forever. But as the above-linked story notes, in the meantime thousands of workers at both companies will hang on to their jobs.

Six GLAAD Board Members Resign

The controversy that prompted the resignation of GLAAD president Jarrett Barrios has widened to include the departures of six members of the group's board of directors. Politico reports:

Six board members of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation have resigned amid the fallout over the organization's letter in support of AT&T’s proposed bid for wireless rival T-Mobile, a person familiar with the matter told POLITICO. Some board members were said to have resigned because of concerns that GLAAD failed to adhere to its conflict of interest standards and to protest GLAAD's failure to protect its president, Jarrett Barrios, who submitted his letter of resignation to the group Saturday amid a growing backlash in the gay blogosphere over the group's AT&T stance. Barrios had signed the letter GLAAD sent to the FCC in support of the wireless mega-deal.

GLAAD Head Jarrett Barrios Resigns

After enduring weeks of criticism over a letter sent to the FCC supporting the merger of AT&T and TMobile, GLAAD head Jarrett Barrios has resigned. Those critical of the letter pointed out that AT&T is one of GLAAD's biggest annual donors. Other recipients of AT&T donations such as the NAACP and the NEA have issued similar letters.

TENNESSEE: Major Corporations Back Off Bill Banning All LGBT Rights Laws

Following the launch of a protest campaign by AmericaBlog Gay, several major corporations have denounced Tennessee's pending bill which would ban all local LGBT rights laws. The bill was backed by the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce, where the companies below sit on its board of directors. Via HRC:

Alcoa:
“Alcoa provides equal employment opportunity without discrimination and supports state and local legislation protecting the rights of all community members. We do not agree with the chamber on this issue and would ask that the governor veto the bill."

FedEx:
“FedEx values and promotes the unique contributions, perspectives, and differences of our team members worldwide. FedEx does not tolerate discrimination of any kind, and is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. FedEx did not lobby for SB632/HB600 – it is our policy not to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. While FedEx is a member of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce, we do not support every position proposed by the Chamber.”

AT&T:
“AT&T does not support any laws or efforts that are discriminatory. AT&T does support the principals of ensuring that state and local laws are consistent, which is the stated purpose of HB 600/SB 632. However, the bill has become implicated in efforts to erode the rights of the gay community, which we do not support. AT&T has a long history and longstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion, and its policies address diversity in areas including race, creed, religion, sex, and particularly sexual orientation."

AT&T To Buy T-Mobile

AT&T is buying the U.S. division of T-Mobile in a $39B deal that will create the nation's largest cell phone company.

If completed, the deal would allow AT&T, now the second- largest U.S. wireless operator, to add 34 million customers and surpass Verizon Wireless as the largest in the country. The acquisition, the largest in the wireless industry since 2004, may face regulatory scrutiny because it combines the second- and fourth-largest wireless providers. “This is a very surprising deal,” Jonathan Atkin, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets, said in an interview. “AT&T is certainly buying scale. AT&T can integrate T-Mobile from an operations standpoint fairly easily because they use the same technology.”

The deal is expected to finalize within a year.

Gum Poll

(Source)

A Chinese Take On Steve Jobs

From the Hong Kong-based Next Media.

(Tipped by JMG reader Jim)

AT&T Kills Unlimited iPhone Data Plan

Beginning Monday, new customers of AT&T will no longer be able to purchased unlimited data plans for their iPhone and iPad.

AT&T hopes to ease congestion on its network, which has drawn complaints, particularly in big cities. But the approach could confuse customers unfamiliar with how much data it takes to watch a YouTube video or fire up a favorite app. Current subscribers will be able to keep their $30-per-month unlimited plans, even if they renew their contracts. But starting Monday, new customers will have to choose one of two new data plans for all smart phones, including iPhones and BlackBerrys. Subscribers who use little data – like those who may get dozens of e-mails a day but don't watch much video – will pay slightly less every month than they do now, while heavy users will be dinged with higher bills. The move takes effect in time for the expected unveiling of Apple's new iPhone next week. Analysts said they expect other phone companies to follow. With no caps on consumption, data use could swamp wireless networks while revenue for the operators remains flat.

Here's how the new plans break down.

One of the new AT&T plans will cost $25 per month and offer two gigabytes of data per month, which AT&T says will be enough for 98 percent of its smart phone customers. Additional gigabytes will cost $10 each. A second plan will cost $15 per month for 200 megabytes of data, which AT&T says is enough for 65 percent of its smart phone customers. If they go over, they'll pay another $15 for 200 more megabytes. A gigabyte is enough for hundreds of e-mails and Web pages, but it's quickly eaten up by Internet video and videoconferencing. The 200 megabytes offered under the $15 plan is enough for more than 1,000 e-mails, hundreds of Web pages and about 20 minutes of streaming video, AT&T says.

Gene Wilder

I don't even know what this commercial is selling, but it always makes my cold heart melt just a little bit.

AT&T: We're Not There Yet In NYC

In last week's earnings call with shareholders, AT&T supplied the above graphic to show coverage improvement in NYC. The company has suffered bad local press recently, mostly from irate iPhone owners who complain that many parts of the city remain dead zones, including some parts of busy busy busy midtown. Meanwhile, iPhone fans breathlessly await the rumored end of AT&T exclusivity.

iPhone To End Exclusivity Deal With AT&T

Business Insider reports that Apple will announce the end of its exclusivity deal with AT&T this week.

AT&T captivity is the single biggest reason foks who don't buy iPhones don't buy them, so this would be big. It would also be unexpectedly early--most analysts aren't expecting Apple to open up to other carriers until the middle of the year. (We'd be surprised to see Apple actually end the exclusivity on Wednesday, but it seems plausible that they would announce the end...)

It's believed that the end of the AT&T deal may be tied to the expected launch of the iTablet (or whatever it will be called.)

American Idol Voting Scandal?

The New York Times is reporting that AT&T may have "swayed" the voting during the finals of American Idol by hosting two hometown parties for fans of eventual winner Kris Allen, during which they were showed how to send ten times the allowed number of text votes at a time.

Representatives of AT&T helped fans of Mr. Allen at the two Arkansas events by providing instructions on how to send 10 or more text messages at the press of a single button, known as power texts. Power texts have an exponentially greater effect on voting than do single text messages or calls to the show’s toll-free phone lines. The efforts appear to run afoul of “American Idol” voting rules in two ways. The show broadcasts an on-screen statement at the end of each episode warning that blocks of votes cast using “technical enhancements” that unfairly influence the outcome of voting can be thrown out. And the show regularly states that text voting is open only to AT&T subscribers and is subject to normal rates.

Adam Lambert's fan forums are going apeshit, of course, but with almost 100 million votes cast in total, it seems doubtful to me that what AT&T did could have had that much of an effect on the result. For their part, Fox is refusing to comment on the situation.

(Tipped by JMG reader Will)