Should you be expected to pay for something if you are unable to use it? That’s one of the questions currently causing no small amount of frustration over at deafmac, as they remonstrate with AT&T with regards the lack of a data-only plan for the iPhone. Chad Taylor contacted AT&T when he noticed they were offering a voice-only version of the Apple contract, to point out that it smacked of discrimination for deaf users to whom inclusive minutes are useless. The carrier responded first by pointing him in the direction of another handset that can be bought with a deaf-friendly plan, and then withdrew the voice-only option leaving the cheapest iPhone contract at $59.99 a month.
Meanwhile, an AT&T store in Colorado attempted to sell the iPhone to deaf users with a discount – bringing it down to $27.99 - but AT&T’s customer services were inundated with calls from “hearing” people complaining about the “special treatment” deaf people were receiving. As a result, the marketing team stopped the special deal.
Confusingly, Apple has now dropped themselves into frustrated waters with both deaf and non-deaf users, each who may have wanted data- or voice-only packages and have been potential customers if the options were there.
[via TUAW]
You know, sometimes life isn’t fair. I’m sorry that you can’t hear but tough shit. Why does the rest of the world have to bend to accommodate your deficiencies?
This is what happens when you let children grow up thinking life is supposed to be fair and nobody has to lose. It’s bull! YOU ARE NOT SPECIAL! If you don’t like it, DON’T BUY IT!
That is one of the most ignorant things I’ve heard today.
Thank you for the laugh.
seriously, it’s not about not being able to hear. it’s about paying for something we never use. if you were blind, you wouldn’t even want to pay for something you cannot see at all. right? if we wanted it, it should be able to accommodate BOTH. Tmobile has data only plans, even some hearing people don’t want to have minutes because they have a seperate phone for minutes. so don’t give me that “you are not special”. maybe you actually prefer us to pay the same price as you are because YOU dont feel it is fair…
There are 10,000 reasons why people may want a data only plan and being deaf is only one of them. But maybe AT&T doesn’t want to offer a data only plan because it’s a loss leader. Maybe the reason they were trying to charge $60 for the data only plan is because that’s what it takes to make it profitable, or at least not lose money.
You want special treatment because you can’t hear. Without understanding their business model, you want to dictate how AT&T should charge you. Just because you won’t use the service doesn’t mean they didn’t design their pricing according to the other 99.999% of their customers. Just because you can’t hear, doesn’t mean you can’t use the rest of your head does it?
It’s just like the blind people complaining when the iPhone was first released. WTF?!
And if T-Mobile is so great, why don’t you use them?
@Dumb
You are an ass. Your username describes you perfectly.
That’s my point exactly. If they have data-only plan available, fine. People would pay them for whatever price it is, if that’s what they want to pay. If there’s no data-only plan, they won’t pay for it if that’s what they want. You’re right, there 10,000 reasons why people only want the data-only plan. I’m not saying we should be receiving special plan/rate. I’m saying it should still be offered. If it is 60 bucks, so be it. Let the market determine who is willing to pay 60 bucks, 30 bucks, 15 bucks, whatever.
[quote comment="13838"]There are 10,000 reasons why people may want a data only plan and being deaf is only one of them. But maybe AT&T doesn’t want to offer a data only plan because it’s a loss leader. Maybe the reason they were trying to charge $60 for the data only plan is because that’s what it takes to make it profitable, or at least not lose money.
You want special treatment because you can’t hear. Without understanding their business model, you want to dictate how AT&T should charge you. Just because you won’t use the service doesn’t mean they didn’t design their pricing according to the other 99.999% of their customers. Just because you can’t hear, doesn’t mean you can’t use the rest of your head does it?
It’s just like the blind people complaining when the iPhone was first released. WTF?!
And if T-Mobile is so great, why don’t you use them?[/quote]
Ignorance is bliss.
I totally agreed that you have to find whatever provider allow “Data Only Plans ” before you purchase a phone. It’s for everybody not only deaf. I know iPhone is quite neat tech to get. It’s not suppose to be called “Special Treatment”. It’s wrong that AT&T or Apple to do that, they should allow that Data Only Plans for anybody then everybody win.
Your hearing predjuice is worst than your ignorance. a highly technical high end company that can produce such a technicalogical wonder should be smart and edgy enough t figure out how to produce a product that is accessible to largest number of persons. Deaf people make up a large number of us her in North America. They have hearing children, family, co-workers, jobs and careers just like the rest of the hearing world. They deserve to have equal acess just like the rest of us to something that in now a basic lifeline and necessity. A quality high visual high end cell phone. Payphones are obsolete so like the rest of us they need to be in the look and techno savy like the rest of the world. Or don’t you get it they are part of the World. duh!!!!!! If you or a loved one should ever become Deaf or blind and needed equal access I would hope that you also want to have equal access to technology required to live a decent life.
To “Dumb,” who left an ignorant and cruel comment about “being deaf so tough shit….” My husband is Deaf, but reads lips and speaks. He has nearly finished his second University degree. We only have cell phones to text each other when we are both away from home. My husband can only contact me on the TTY from home otherwise. Let’s see how you would go without a telephone? In our case, cell phones are a need, not a want, and I seldom use mine for telephoning.
When bitter, pessimistic, and uncompassionate people like you have no regard for people who are less fortunate in one way or another……I want to see you walk for a day in someone else’s shoes. Why should a Deaf person pay for phone use when he doesn’t utilize that feature? There should be provisions for text messaging features only. The cell companies can still make a profit off such a plan. If a blind or physically challenged person is accommodated by law, why shouldn’t someone else? It’s not whining. It’s asking for a basic right!
i live in both worlds and i have to say that its hard to hear, so why have something that some of us can never use. to me thats like paying for something cheap. think of its as when you were a kid and you wanted that cearel only because there was a prize in it, and you hated that cearal. its a waste of money. sure they get their profit. but with our technoalgy today we have to pay for other more expansive things thank you think its not only the phones. we have flashing fire alarms, vibrating alarm clocks,etc. and T-mobile i have to say isnt the best, but they are one of the few that support the deaf commuinty and help us with what we need. but i have to say they pretty much suck at their services.
99.999% of customers? Does Dumb know that number for a fact and work in market research? It appears to be an over-inflated guess and completely out of touch with reality. Let’s hope that you are not employed in the customer service arena, as you certainly lack interpersonal skills and tact. You’d lose my company’s business.
hey Siona you need ot keep your mouth SHUT … not alll DEAF are like YOUR HUSBAND dont TREAT their SAME AS YOUR .. gratz …. your husband can just make you happy … cuz he pay you to shut the fuck up
hey!! HEARING PEOPLE WHO TALK SHIT ABT DEAF… PLEASE SHUT UP AND GO HELL!! U DONT GIVE SHIT ABOUT DEAF PEOPLE, JUST RESPECT THEM JUST LIKE DEAF PEOPLE RESPECT HEARING PEOPLE… DAMN I COULDNT BELIEVE THAT THIS COMMENT IS CRUEL!!! I AM DEAF.. HAVE A PROBLEM? I DONT NEED TO PAY VOICE MINUTES PLAN, ITS WASTE MY MONEY, SO I NEED IS DATA ONLY FOR ME… I DONT MIND TO PAY $600 IPHONE AND GET LOWEST FAIR PRICE FOR DATA MONTHLY…SOUND FAIR? OR U JUST BASTARD SELFISH? IM SO EMBARRASSED OF U AND FEEL SORRY GOT U “HEARING PEOPLE” I DONT FEEL FOR ME AS DEAFNESS… SO STOP TALK SHIT ABOUT DEAF PEOPLE, JUST LEAVE THEM!!! ONCE U KNOW THEM THEN COMMENT IT! DAMN I COULD TELL THAT YOU ARE JEALOUS OF US FOR “SPECIAL TREATMEN” LOL I DONT GIVE FUCK ABOUT IT… WHT I WANT IS FAIR PRICE FOR DATA ONLY MONTH… IF ATT CANT DO THAT.. ITS OKAY WITH ME, NOT YOUUUUU!!!!!!! ITS NOT YOUR FU&% BUSINESS!!!!!!
I am deaf. I disagreed with deaf about complaining. I agreed with you hearing people. Yes, it not fair to hearing. Deaf are always selfish. I mean not all of them. Some deaf used social security disability income. They can afford this! They didnt work and earn SSDI. That no make sense. We pay to them from my TAX payer. And Tax pay to disability only deaf??? Sigh…. shame on people who are complaining about price plans.
I work and I earn my money then afforable.
It not fair. Pray for them cut SSDI.
Paul, not everybody is whining. I am fully hearing. My husband is not. SOME of us are simply trying to express our views about telephone options and features, just as one would when purchasing a car or house. But, I agree with you about many people using disabilities as an excuse to sit on their butts (in Canada also). My deaf husband has the same viewpoint (and works like you), and the fact that he never complains about being deaf is what drew me to him.
And “Dumb,” as you refer to yourself….funny to use my name to represent yourself for posting a comment about me. I won’t dignify your poor education (can you spell?) and lack of etiquette with a long reply. You can go and put down more people with your bitterness, sarcasm, and foul mouth. (The moderators on this site don’t remove abusive comments, which is disappointing.).
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