AT&T's Horrible Customer Service

My letter to the BBB about AT&T:

Dear Better Business Bureau,

I signed up for AT&T service at Best Buy on 05/29/09. I purchased 2 iPhones and was put on the Family Talk plan with 450 minutes, unlimited text and unlimited data (2 year contract). The first problem occurred when my phone service wouldn't work for 2 days and when I called Customer Service, no one could tell me why. One person said it was fixed when it wasn't. They finally fixed it after two days.

I signed up for online billing. I was sent an ebill that gave me one amount and 2 different paper bills each with a different amount. When I called, no one could give me a straight answer. I was on the phone for a very long time dealing with this and still could not get an answer.

I went into Best Buy on 06/16/09 to cancel my service with AT&T and return both iPhones. AT&T's policy is that you can return the phones and cancel your service within 30 days (Called Buyer's Remorse) and not be charged any early termination fees. So, I had AT&T's service for 18 days (05/29 - 06/16). I sat there while the Best Buy rep called AT&T to let them know I was cancelling and to advise them that I did return the 2 iPhones. I signed paperwork stating I was cancelling and that I returned the phones (I have the receipts for the return as well).

A few weeks later, I received a final bill from AT&T of $548.29. I couldn't believe it. So I called AT&T on 07/07 and spoke to Vitalia. She told me that I was charged a $345 early termination fee. How could that be possible when I clearly cancelled within the 30 days. After a long conversation, she submitted a request (tkt# 1871632) for a credit of $370.

I realized Vitalia didn't give me my final balance so I called back. I don't have the name of the person I spoke to. I asked for a final bill amount and to speak to a manager so I could let someone know of all my troubles. He said he could not give me a final balance... that someone would call me back within 7-10 days to tell me. That is not acceptable to me as I do not want to be charged any late fees. I just wanted to pay my final bill and be done with AT&T. This rep said he would transfer me to a manager. The phone rang and rang and rang and no one ever answered nor did I get voicemail.

I called back AGAIN... the 3rd time that day. I spoke with a rep named Alex. Alex was able to give me a final bill amount of $105.06 (after offering to credit me the early termination fees). I asked to speak to a manager. I spoke with Joseph (ID# JG503T). I explained all of my troubles to Joseph who also then told me my final bill would be $105.06. That made sense to me. So Joseph reiterated that I would be receiving a credit of $443.23 ($548.29 - $443.23 = $105.06).

On 07/14/09 (7 days later) I received a call from AT&T stating my final balance is $186.10. I was outraged yet again. I called AT&T on 07/17/09 and spoke to Courtney to ask why my bill is $186.10 when I was told it would be $105.06. After reviewing my account, she told me that it's because I was charged a fee of $175 because I didn't return the iPhone. I pulled up my Best Buy statement to let her know the date I returned the phones. She said maybe Best Buy didn't send AT&T the proper paperwork so I should go in to Best Buy and tell them to. I told her that is not acceptable and she said "You want the $345 back right?" What? I was already credited the $345 hence the reason my bill was no longer at $548. So she said she must have looked at the wrong thing and put me back on hold (at this point I was on the phone with her for 42 minutes already).

I was put on hold again and she came back and told me the difference is because of a pro-rate. Now, I understand pro-rates. I was only with AT&T for TWO days before my billing cycle started. Being charged for TWO days does not equal $81.04 and I told her that. So she put me on hold again to apparently find a different answer I might accept.

So I was put on hold again (now I'm at 51 minutes on the phone) and she came back to tell me that my bill was $186.10 because I was charged the activation fees. I explained that Alex/Joseph offered to credit them to me... hence my balance of $105.06. (And my question is... why did she have so many different answers for me about my bill discrepancies? You can't say it's the early termination fee and then say it was the pro-rate and then say it's the activation fee. Which is it????). So, I was put on hold AGAIN for her to ask her manager if she could credit them (even though I was already told BY A MANAGER on 07/07/09 that they would be credited).

Courtney came back and told me the $186.10 still stands because they charged me for a full month of service (they bill a month in advance) and even though I only had the service for 18 days, it is their policy to charge for a full month. How is that legal? You can�t charge someone for days they don�t have service with you. They pro-rated/charged me for days BEFORE my billing cycle that I used, so they can certainly credit me for days I DIDN�T use. I have worked for a cable company for 9 years� I know how prorates work. We bill a month in advance for our services and if a customer cancels in the middle of that month, they are credited (pro-rated back) for the portion of the month they did not use. I told Courtney this is ridiculous and she AGREED with me yet wouldn�t credit me.

So this call with Courtney ended (after 68 minutes). At that time, I looked for the cancellation policy on AT&T�s website. It states: �You may cancel service within 30 days from the activation date to avoid the early termination fee of $175. Thereafter the fee will decrease by $5 each month for the term of the agreement. You will be responsible for all applicable usage fees, prorated access charges, taxes, surcharges or other charges through the termination date.� (Notice it says THROUGH THE TERMINATION DATE� not THROUGH YOUR BILLING CYCLE). Not just that� if a manager (Joseph) told me my balance was $105.06 why can someone else just tell me �Nope, sorry, it�s now $186.10???�

I expect a resolution on this matter as soon as possible. Because of all of the problems I have had to resolve this issue in the first place, I would hope that as an act of customer service, all charges will be removed.