Slow service violates AT&T Wireless deal

Aug 06 2004 - 04:47 PM ET | AT&T Wireless

AT&T Wireless may have violated its brand licensing contract with AT&T according to an SEC filing made by AT&T. The filing claims that AT&T Wireless takes too long responding to customer service inquiries, a metric that was included in the brand deal. AT&T Wireless is set to give the brand back to AT&T once the Cingular buyout is complete. AT&T claims that it can end the license agreement based on this breach of contract. AT&T Wireless has already hired more customer service reps... The Dow Jones News Wire says (subscription only): bq. AT&T Wireless maintains the rights to use the AT&T brand for a fee as long as it complies with specified quality, privacy, customer care, graphics and marketing standards, according to the filing. AT&T Wireless recently got 2/5 stars from J.D. Power and Associates for customer service--T-Mobile USA scored a 5/5. The company also got low rankings from a survey by VocaLabs.

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