Join Us to Fix Voicemail Notification - A Group Effort - Everyone's Support Requested

[lothos]

Originally posted by brobin
March 23, 2004

Robert Dotson, President & CEO
T-Mobile Wireless
12920 S.E. 38th St.
Bellevue, WA 98006

Dear Mr. Dotson:

Welcome to hofo, awesome first post! Well worded argument in favor of MWI...

[twin720s]

Originally posted by brobin
March 23, 2004

Robert Dotson, President & CEO
T-Mobile Wireless
12920 S.E. 38th St.
Bellevue, WA 98006

Dear Mr. Dotson:

Great stuff -- I'm almost afraid we missed the 86cent-bandwagon... as the addition of the $0.86 fee last month allowed us all out of the contract, we should have written a letter like this, referring to that exit-option. I'm sure if just a few dozen people had written and sent this letter, we'd have MWI now.

[avi2k]

I used to like when we'd get a txt msg of the phone number who left you the voicemail. I wish they would put that back in!

[mpallo]

Originally posted by avi2k
I used to like when we'd get a txt msg of the phone number who left you the voicemail. I wish they would put that back in!

For how long did T-Mobile offer this and when did they stop doing it?

I became a TMO sub in September of 2002 when they officially launched service in my market. It was actually right when the TMO branding went live. The 'Voicestream Wireless Coming Soon' signs were actually hanging in our malls and then the stores opened weeks later as T-Mobile.

I believe for the first month or two of service I had this feature and then around October or November of 2002 it disappeared.

Does this sound right...was this the case in all markets?

[cheerioboy26]

Originally posted by mpallo
For how long did T-Mobile offer this and when did they stop doing it?

I became a TMO sub in September of 2002 when they officially launched service in my market. It was actually right when the TMO branding went live. The 'Voicestream Wireless Coming Soon' signs were actually hanging in our malls and then the stores opened weeks later as T-Mobile.

I believe for the first month or two of service I had this feature and then around October or November of 2002 it disappeared.

Does this sound right...was this the case in all markets?

The SMS for VM with CID info was available only in the former Omnipoint markets, IIRC, and when they "upgraded" (standardized) the VM systems nationwide, it went away. I think Rochester, while never an OMPT market, was built by that group, so that's why you had the CID for a while.

[mpallo]

Originally posted by cheerioboy26
The SMS for VM with CID info was available only in the former Omnipoint markets, IIRC, and when they "upgraded" (standardized) the VM systems nationwide, it went away. I think Rochester, while never an OMPT market, was built by that group, so that's why you had the CID for a while.

Very interesting...yeah the ROC market was in fact built by the Omnipoint group.

[crazeazn]

i had the SMS/ CID info but i'm in the dallas market.

[brobin]

I had another thought that I may put in a follow up letter to Mr. Dotson.
The matter of Safety seems not to have come up as it relates to the MWI issue. Consider this: You've just a left a meeting where you've had your phone off. You get in the car and start driving and remember to turn the phone back on. Up pops an SMS msg with the appropriate alert tone.
While your eyes should be on the road you now have to open and read an SMS to see if it's a VM notice. You then have to do whatever it takes to delete it, leave the message menu and dial VM. This distraction compromises safety.
IF true MWI were offered, a unique alert tone would sound and, without even looking at the phone you could one touch to VM without your eyes ever leaving the road.
Scrolling through (and probably reading) a bunch of SMS to find a VM notification is dangerous while driving - even more than talking on the phone! SMS could otherwise be ignored and read later if true MWI were offered.

[twin720s]

Originally posted by brobin
I had another thought that I may put in a follow up letter to Mr. Dotson.
The matter of Safety seems not to have come up as it relates to the MWI issue. Consider this: You've just a left a meeting where you've had your phone off. You get in the car and start driving and remember to turn the phone back on. Up pops an SMS msg with the appropriate alert tone.
While your eyes should be on the road you now have to open and read an SMS to see if it's a VM notice. You then have to do whatever it takes to delete it, leave the message menu and dial VM. This distraction compromises safety.
IF true MWI were offered, a unique alert tone would sound and, without even looking at the phone you could one touch to VM without your eyes ever leaving the road.
Scrolling through (and probably reading) a bunch of SMS to find a VM notification is dangerous while driving - even more than talking on the phone! SMS could otherwise be ignored and read later if true MWI were offered.

While that's a good point, I don't think you could hold T-Mobile responsible if you actually had a car accident because of SMS notifications. I would not bring up this point with T-Mobile (especially not in writing), and I think discussing this further will bring the thread off-topic again.

That said, I can't wait to hear whether you receive a response to your initial letter from T-Mo and if so, what it is.

[Telekom]

Originally posted by cheerioboy26
The SMS for VM with CID info was available only in the former Omnipoint markets, IIRC, and when they "upgraded" (standardized) the VM systems nationwide, it went away. I think Rochester, while never an OMPT market, was built by that group, so that's why you had the CID for a while.

Not entirely so. When the VM platform that they had in the Seattle market was replaced by the Glenayre VM platform when we'd get the SMS for voicemail received it would also show the sender's CID info. For some reason that feature was removed. I recall at the time that many people actually bitc_hed about that feature! Go figure. I can guarantee you that though many of you want the separate MWI there will be some people that will complain about it which only goes to show you that you cannot please some people no matter what you do. You hopefully go with what the majority wants.

[brobin]

I agree that TMo would not be liable for an auto accident under the scenario I posted and didn't mean to imply such.
My point was to add a safety related argument to the convenience issues already discussed. While I'm sure that TMo wants the service to be convenient to use, pointing out a way for them to make mobile use safer could be a persuasive argument for taking more immediate action as well as a good PR point for them.
If the point of this thread is to find ways to convince TMo to activate true MWI I believe that bringing up this issue is on point. Again, the point is not imply liability or legal ramifications but to improve safety proactively.

[twin720s]

Sorry, I misread the safety issue you brought up. Agreed, it may be a good point to bring up (although it's akin to admitting you read SMS and check voicemail while driving, which I wouldn't want to put in writing).

It would make it an easier sell for those who prefer SMS notifications, but I don't think it would make for good general PR (i.e. attracting new customers), because in order to sell this point they'd have to admit that they're the only provider who waited this long to implement the "safer" MWI.

[mpallo]

Originally posted by littlefuzzbear
I can guarantee you that though many of you want the separate MWI there will be some people that will complain about it which only goes to show you that you cannot please some people no matter what you do. You hopefully go with what the majority wants.

As a huge supporter of MWI implementation, I believe that this is a situation in which we don't necessarily have to go with what the majority wants.

Former Powertel folks aside, T-Mobile has been using this SMS style of VM notification since day 1. Like it or not I say keep it that way for current subscribers and for all new future activations, but incorporate an additional menu within Glenayre to allow folks to activate this if they wish:

------------------------------------

* To access your personal options press (4)

* To modify your personal preferences press (4)

* To modify your voicemail notification options press (4)

* If you wish to receive a default SMS text message for notification of voicemail messages press (1)

* If your handset supports a Message Waiting Indicator for notification of voicemail messages and you wish to activate this feature press (2)

--------------------------------------

Maybe I am missing something terribly obvious but wouldn't this be the method in which the least amount of people would be affected? Keep things "as is" and implement these additional menu options in Glenayre. T-Mobile could roll this out with a simple note on the monthly bills.

As for the ATL subscribers in the southeast, leave them as they are. If there is an initiative by T-Mobile to cut them over to Glenayre, default everyone to the MWI option. Then bring on new activations moving forward with the SMS like the rest of the markets, all with the new additional menus in the personal preferences within Glenayre.

I still feel the key here is to let TMO know we don't want to convert everyone to MWI. Give us the option.

And brobin brings up some good points on the safety aspect. Of course TMO could not be held responsible, but your points give more fuel to the fire.

[brobin]

Having to delete an SMS message leaves the possibility open that I'll forget to do it and think I have new VM when I don't. Since TMo improperly uses SMS, a method that fails to cancel VM MWI automatically, I've found a partial workaround that may not be available on all phones: Auto Deletion.
On my v600, Auto Deletion can be customized to auto delete an SMS immediately after opening it by selecting '0' as the number of messages to keep. As soon as you leave the SMS screen it's deleted instantly and the MWI is gone - no need to press delete.
Now, if I could just keep the rest of the world from sending SMS!
Does anyone know if there's a way to get TMo to turn off SMS from non-TMo alerts? Since one has to pay a nickle a message to receive an SMS it seems that there should be someway to decline what is essentially, a collect call. Personally I think SMS is the most useless feature I've ever seen but then I'm not 13 years old anymore.

[Telekom]

Originally posted by brobin
Personally I think SMS is the most useless feature I've ever seen but then I'm not 13 years old anymore.

Luckily you're in the minority. If SMS was such a "loser" application the GSM consortium when they were designing the GSM specification wouldn't have made it an integral part of the GSM specification. Just because you don't find SMS useful doesn't mean that others don't.

Some people use the data capabilities of their service and others don't. I very rarely use data, but that doesn't mean that it's not important to someone.

And I know you were trying to put in a dig there by stating that you're not 13 years old any longer implying that only a runny-nosed teenager is the only possible type of person who could possibly use the service, but that's your stereotype. That doesn't jive with what the reality is.