What is this "message"?

[spd2demun ACE - Master]

Message 15, I said the same...

[shoe]

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JamesTheName wrote:

Whoopty freaking doo, a free pizza and pop. From Dominos yet. If they want us to upgrade so bad, throw something a little more meaty in there.

Like a couple of slabs of Famous Daves Ribs and sides. Now that's value.

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RIBS YES!!

[showtime48 ACE - Guru]

eating domino's is as bad as eating McDonald's or burger king. all 3 of them simply discuss me.

[BCB]

BFD. 

[batwing85]

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texasguy37 wrote:

If you find either of the 2 messages that have appeared on your screen over the course of the past 3 months the worst things that have happened to during that time, count yourself very lucky indeed.  I have had to deal with the loss of a sister and some other family related issues.  Pardon me if I don't go ballistic over 2 messages from AT&T appearing on my TV screen.  I really wish I could say that those are the worst things that have happened to me over the past 3 months.

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My condolences on your loss but no one implied these messages where the worst thing to happen to them.  While I agree it is a minor inconvenience at worst, I feel AT&T would benefit by knowing some of their customers do not appreciate it.

[kaseyi]

FWIW...I WAS recording last night and I WAS away from home.   When I came home I saw the the message on my set.  THe 1st thing I did was check to see if the recording had the message.   It did not.

THis is actually the 1st time I have seen a message like this pop up and actually, even though the offer was not for me (come on...I'm in the Chicago area where we have many many places that have pizza much superior than Dominos), I appreciate the fact that they are making their offers more viable.

[formercanuck_1]

What I find interesting, is that AT&T has 'pop up blocker' service for the Internet:

From AT&T's High Speed Internet - Safety and Security webpage:AT&T U-verse Safety and Security
AT&T High Speed Internet offers powerful online protection:

* Anti-Virus software to automatically scan and clean e-mail attachments...
* Anti-Spy to detect and remove adware and spyware...
* SpamGuard Plus to separate unsolicited junk email from genuine messages.
* AddressGuard™ uses Disposable E-mail Addresses (DEA) to protect your privacy and protect ...
* Pop-Up Blocker to prevent annoying pop-up ads.
* Parental Controls to let you control ...

However, they feel that its OK to allow popups on TV service.  I wonder what the broadcasters such as HBO would say to having their show preempted by a Dominos Pizza popup.

[erazoner]

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NorthLineTony wrote:
Don't worry, it will not show up in a recording.

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Clarification: the popup ads won't show in a U-verse DVR recording.

They do, however, appear to interrupt 3rd party equipment recordings (TiVo, etc.):

http://utalk.att.com/utalk/board/message?board.id=DVR&message.id=10439&query.id=12751#M10439

[RCSMG ACE - Master]

This is the second message of this type that I have received and I thought it was pretty cool.  Companies are beginning to take advantage of the IPTV features.  Maybe if more will buy ads from ATT then ATT will lower their subscription rates.  (Iknow its not likely but I dare to dream)  I got a similar message advertising the new remote control.  It doesn't bother me as long as it doesn't interfere with any recordings I have scheduled.

[mikedamirault]

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formercanuck wrote:

What I find interesting, is that AT&T has 'pop up blocker' service for the Internet:

From AT&T's High Speed Internet - Safety and Security webpage:AT&T U-verse Safety and Security
AT&T High Speed Internet offers powerful online protection:

* Anti-Virus software to automatically scan and clean e-mail attachments...
* Anti-Spy to detect and remove adware and spyware...
* SpamGuard Plus to separate unsolicited junk email from genuine messages.
* AddressGuard™ uses Disposable E-mail Addresses (DEA) to protect your privacy and protect ...
* Pop-Up Blocker to prevent annoying pop-up ads.
* Parental Controls to let you control ...

However, they feel that its OK to allow popups on TV service.  I wonder what the broadcasters such as HBO would say to having their show preempted by a Dominos Pizza popup.

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But think about it, they use McAffee of all antivirus programs (and used to use Norton I have heard), if they really cared about our internet safety, don't you think they would bundle Avast or AVG instead?  McAffee and Norton and the two worst antivirus programs you can install, you'd be safer without an antivirus program then using one of those two, there's no anti to those programs, they are viruses

So their pop-up blocker must be just as bad, so I think popups on the TV is just as okay to them

[formercanuck_1]

I guess part of the issue as well, is that they're Microsoft based as well

For all we know, we 'may' be able to get a popup blocker for it    Ad-Block works fine for me on both Windows and Linux platforms.

[texasguy37 ACE - Champion]

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batwing85 wrote:

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texasguy37 wrote:

If you find either of the 2 messages that have appeared on your screen over the course of the past 3 months the worst things that have happened to during that time, count yourself very lucky indeed.  I have had to deal with the loss of a sister and some other family related issues.  Pardon me if I don't go ballistic over 2 messages from AT&T appearing on my TV screen.  I really wish I could say that those are the worst things that have happened to me over the past 3 months.

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My condolences on your loss but no one implied these messages where the worst thing to happen to them.  While I agree it is a minor inconvenience at worst, I feel AT&T would benefit by knowing some of their customers do not appreciate it.

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Thank you.

[dhascall ACE - Professor]

I didn't get too worked up over the "pop-up" ad on my TV.  Here is what I did:

1. Said "Oh Puhlease!"

2. Rolled My Eyes

3. Hit Okay to Dismiss

The entire thing took less than 5 seconds.  However, if AT&T is so smart, maybe next time direct the ad at only those who don't already have Showtime............

[RCSMG ACE - Master]

For those interested enough.

http://att.suggestionbox.com/

[NorthLineTony ACE - Czar]

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texasguy37 wrote:

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NorthLineTony wrote:

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volvo945 wrote:

Texasguy:

Thanks so much for that helpful hint. I'm not stupid. It's the principle I object to, not the mechanics. Let's say you're having a big Super Bowl party with your buds. There's 1 second left on the clock, your team is down by 5. They snap the ball and pass into the end zone. Whoa, wait a minute here comes a blue screen asking you to buy toilet paper. You missed the big play! Where's the friggin' remote? Under some couch cushion. Too late. You missed the moment. Pause and rewind you say? Sorry, it's not the same.

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Well, Volvo, at least that is not as horrendous as the "Heidi" interruption.

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If it were another "Heidi" interruption, I would imagine that some here would bomb NBC's headquarters or put out a contract on the CEO.

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You're probably old enough to remember.

[jkramer5]

I don't mind the add popping up, I got similar when phase 2 of the WHDVR rollout completed, notifying me that bout 8 days late that a new feature was available.

I think the offer is pretty poor tho. between the wednesday newspaper and the junk mail I get, there are probably 10 or more 2 for 1 and or free 2 liter with a large/extra large pizza adds that I round file every week. And I don't have to subcribe to an overpriced, stale content, hasn't been worth it in decades movie channel to get em .

[mikedamirault]

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dhascall wrote:

I didn't get too worked up over the "pop-up" ad on my TV.  Here is what I did:

1. Said "Oh Puhlease!"

2. Rolled My Eyes

3. Hit Okay to Dismiss

The entire thing took less than 5 seconds.  However, if AT&T is so smart, maybe next time direct the ad at only those who don't already have Showtime............

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Yeah, it would be better to direct the ads to customers that don't have a given feature, and not send the ads to those who do

I can see if it's only sometimes (once a month), but the more it happens, the more annoying it can get, it also depends what you are watching, how you your focus on the given media (some watch intently, while others turn on the TV for ambient sound), or if you are multitasking (watching TV while cooking, eating, running on treadmill, etc.), so you'd have to stop what you are doing, grab the remote, dismiss, then get back to what you were doing, and it also depends what you are doing, like if you are cooking, you need to step away from what you are cooking, wash hands, grab remote, dismiss, depending on where the remote has been, you may want to wash your hands again, then back to cooking

so it could be

1. Oh, puhlease

2. Ugh, not again

3. Geez, why!!!!

4. Stop it already

5. You stupid peice of s**t, stop inturrupting my show

6. If this happens one more time...

7. That's it, i'm switching to <provider>

8. There is no 8, customer just switched

Popups were just not meant to come up in the middle of a TV show or movie

[texasguy37 ACE - Champion]

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NorthLineTony wrote:

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texasguy37 wrote:

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NorthLineTony wrote:

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volvo945 wrote:

Texasguy:

Thanks so much for that helpful hint. I'm not stupid. It's the principle I object to, not the mechanics. Let's say you're having a big Super Bowl party with your buds. There's 1 second left on the clock, your team is down by 5. They snap the ball and pass into the end zone. Whoa, wait a minute here comes a blue screen asking you to buy toilet paper. You missed the big play! Where's the friggin' remote? Under some couch cushion. Too late. You missed the moment. Pause and rewind you say? Sorry, it's not the same.

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Well, Volvo, at least that is not as horrendous as the "Heidi" interruption.

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If it were another "Heidi" interruption, I would imagine that some here would bomb NBC's headquarters or put out a contract on the CEO.

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You're probably old enough to remember.

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Oh, yes.  The "Heidi" game on NBC between the Jets and Raiders will never be forgotten!

[Researching]

I'm currently considering switching to UVerse TV (and phone and internet, but that is beside the point) and ran across this issue while reading another forum.  I was curious if this was something which could be opted out of or turned off, or even sent to an inbox somewhere which I can bring up when I want to?

[deesmac]

At exactly 5:00pm today (CT) I got a blue message on my screen from AT&T asking if I wanted to buy a Domino's pizza!!!!

I don't appreciate this type of instrusive advertising. When did this start? Can it be stopped?

volvo945, try this. ATT sales in CT.  1-866-918-8377

  They will register your complaint. I called myself today about the popup ad and was told they were swamped with complaints, apologized and said it would never happen again.

 They could have done it a different way to be sure. Maybe now they'll give things like that a little deeper thought. 

ps  Ignore the posse, they don't like anyone complaining about baby uverse 

[texasguy37 ACE - Champion]

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Researching wrote:
I'm currently considering switching to UVerse TV (and phone and internet, but that is beside the point) and ran across this issue while reading another forum.  I was curious if this was something which could be opted out of or turned off, or even sent to an inbox somewhere which I can bring up when I want to?

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No, currently there is no inbox as I have seen with some other TV providers, or a way to suppress the messages.  I can remember the popup messages appearing 3 times over the 3 months that I have had U-verse: 

1) In July shortly after the Phase 2 update, there was a popup message reminding you to check your aspect ratio and sound options because the update may have changed those

2) In July, a popup message letting everyone know that they were receiving a free month of Showtime and Stars

3) Yesterday a popup message letting us know that if you subscribe to Showtime, The Movie Channel, or upgrade to the U-300 package, you could receive a free pizza and a bottle of Coke from Domino's Pizza

I don't recall the kind of reaction from the first two popups messages as there was for the message received yesterday.

[spd2demun ACE - Master]

 Not sure who you're directing that comment to--I see a mix here of hate/like from the alleged posse (shills?)

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deesmac wrote:

At exactly 5:00pm today (CT) I got a blue message on my screen from AT&T asking if I wanted to buy a Domino's pizza!!!!

I don't appreciate this type of instrusive advertising. When did this start? Can it be stopped?

volvo945, try this. ATT sales in CT.  1-866-918-8377

  They will register your complaint. I called myself today about the popup ad and was told they were swamped with complaints, apologized and said it would never happen again.

 They could have done it a different way to be sure. Maybe now they'll give things like that a little deeper thought. 

ps  Ignore the posse, they don't like anyone complaining about baby uverse 

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Message Edited by spd2demun on 08-13-2009 05:34 PM

[siouxmoux]

Comcast has for years had advert though their Red Light of Disappointment screens. But these messages were not pop up ad like the one from ATT. At least with comcast you could go into the setting options to turn off these Red Light of Disappointment message.  Currently with ATT UV there is No Opt Out options to turn off these pop ups.

[bhimebaugh]

AT&Ts statement on this is simply spin - come on, we are not stupid. The other messages that have come up about a DVR upgrade are completely different than trying to get people to upgrade service.

This WAS A PAID advertisement - it was was /paid/ for by US (i.e., your paying customers) and was an advertisement for AT&T to try and convince others to go to a higher level of service.

AT&T - use snail mail or advertise on TV in a normal commercial, but do NOT interrupt our viewing - especially when we are already PAYING YOU to watch in the first place.

There is enough crap on the TV screens to begin with, stupid logos for each station in the bottom corners, stupid animated crap advertising upcoming shows, etc.; things like CNNs banner running across the bottom.

We have ENOUGH distractions - the last thing we need is our TV service interrupting what little of the show we already can see.

Do not try to spin as informing customers of anything - you were plain and simple trying to upsell and if you try to frame it any differently then you are flat out lying and you dang well know it.

[texasguy37 ACE - Champion]

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bhimebaugh wrote:

AT&Ts statement on this is simply spin - come on, we are not stupid. The other messages that have come up about a DVR upgrade are completely different than trying to get people to upgrade service.

This WAS A PAID advertisement - it was was /paid/ for by US (i.e., your paying customers) and was an advertisement for AT&T to try and convince others to go to a higher level of service.

AT&T - use snail mail or advertise on TV in a normal commercial, but do NOT interrupt our viewing - especially when we are already PAYING YOU to watch in the first place.

There is enough crap on the TV screens to begin with, stupid logos for each station in the bottom corners, stupid animated crap advertising upcoming shows, etc.; things like CNNs banner running across the bottom.

We have ENOUGH distractions - the last thing we need is our TV service interrupting what little of the show we already can see.

Do not try to spin as informing customers of anything - you were plain and simple trying to upsell and if you try to frame it any differently then you are flat out lying and you dang well know it.

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What statement are you referring to?

[bhimebaugh]

Also, if you go to http://www.dslreports.com/forum/uverse you will find many others on that forum complaining too...

Here is the information for the CEO of AT&T - please e-mail him and call AT&T and complaining loudly about this.  Keep it professional, but make clear that this is unacceptable to be placing pop up ads on a service for which we are paying for.

In addition to e-mailing/calling the CEO you can also call AT&T general support number and complain there too at 800-288-2020.

{Edited for privacy}

Message Edited by TreyW on 08-13-2009 05:14 PM

[bhimebaugh]

Go to this link and you will see what statement I am referring to in my previous post ...

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/ATT-Brings-Pop-Up-Ads-To-UVerse-TV-103928

Message Edited by bhimebaugh on 08-13-2009 04:31 PM

[texasguy37 ACE - Champion]

Thank you for the link.

[Arius1]

I am not going to read through the six pages.  I am sure this has been expressed already but this is my 2 cents on it. 

Last night was the very first pop up I have gotten in the 19 months I have had u-verse.  Honestly it's rather annoying, yes you can dismiss but why should I need to?  Also it didn't target people that had just the U100, 200 or family it targeting everyone.  If at&t wants to do this they need to create a inbox for things like this not on the screen.  Updates popping up saying new DVR rollout or some new feature that I don't mind since it's service related but trying to get you to upgrade is a bunch of BS.

It amazes me who thinks these things up at at&t and that they have a job.

[volvo945]

This TV pop-up (push) technology is spam, plain and simple. I think it is a little marketing drone sent to see how the sheeple will react. Sounds like the sheeple are speaking up! Stick it to the man!

I wonder if the same marketing experts that devised this have thought to do the same thing on your AT&T cell phone. Push the TALK button but first we have a little message from your friendly service provider. If you roll over on TV spam, then phone spam is next.

The thing is, AT&T already has an "inbox" of sorts for this type of annoucement: Channel 100/1100. They have that mechanism, so they should use it. No, they would rather put it in your face and force you to react.

Message Edited by volvo945 on 08-13-2009 07:51 PM