@work: We Don't Get That Paper, Son!

At least my former employer doesn't:

Amp’d Mobile has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, according to statement released by the company. In the release, Amp’d writes: “As a result of our rapid growth, our back-end infrastructure was unable to keep up with customer demand. We are taking this step as a necessary and responsible action to sustain and strengthen our momentum in the market place.” Engadget isn’t buying the, well, strange excuse: “…since when does growth and consumer interest in an MVNO’s service equal business-rattling financial problems?” 24/7 Wall Street writes: “That may be the oddest excuse for a Chapter 11 filing ever spoken.” Amp’d has 200,000 subscribers and MocoNews points out that the company owes creditors $100 million.

I worked for Amp'd for about 4 months creating a now defunct social network called blognet. I actually think that amp'd has a very cool service. The quality of the video is amazing and it was one of the best phone interfaces I've ever seen. That said, I never believed before they launched, while I was working there, or after I left, that Americans used phones in the way this business model requires. I live in LA where everyone has a cell phone and is on it all the time. On it talking. And, more recently, on it texting. I never, ever, see anyone using their phone to watch video. No one shows me video they've downloaded to their phone. Oh sure, they show me their kid and pet and cutesy cat photos and videos (that they've taken themselves) but nobody ever shows me that music video they bought or that UFC fight they are streaming live.

And, specific to Amp'd, I've never seen anyone walking around with an Amp'd phone. I've seen Helio (don't call it a phone) devices a lot more in recent months (nerds are all over that Ocean joint which does, I must admit, look hella cool) but not a soul has an amp'd phone and I spend a hell of a lot of time with early adopters.

Maybe Amp'd will get it together and come around...I'm still just not convinced.