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.

Comment On This

AT & T is the acronym for American Telephone and Telegraph Company. As I write this, I am waiting for an AT & T representative to come and repair/replace one of the boxes (made in China) which failed after only 5 months. This is after I called AT & T customer service (a call center in India) and this was after my service was down (the loss of my telephone, internet and TV services) that was due to a "network" error that was not fixed until the tech in (again) India was at work (my service was down for over 10 hours, approximately the time difference between USA and India) The call center (again in India) scheduled an appointment for a service tech to come out and check my equipment the following day because after the "outage in my area" was addressed the equipment (made in China) did not come back up. After waiting the 4 hour time window, I finally called and asked where the tech was. The appointment was canceled for reasons unknown. This was from a customer call center located in Canada. At least I could understand that person's English. I am currently writing this as I continue to wait again during another 4 hour window for a tech to perhaps show up. If you go to their web site for open positions, at least in my area you are required to be bi-lingual in both Spanish and English. When you call AT & T, you are prompted for Spanish first and them for English. As an American, I ask all Americans to stop supporting economic terrorists (companies that outsource jobs to overseas and other countries) such as AT & T. First they are crippling our economy by not employing Americans here in the USA and by purchasing their equipment produced in other countries (China-I guess you get what you pay for which is why it failed after only 5 months)And AT & T should change their "A" to "I" (India Telephone and Telegraph) or "C" (China Telephone and Telegraph) because they no longer stand for America. Again, the poor service and equipment is produced/provided by countries that employ incompetent people which is evidenced by the poor service.

Comment On This

At least no one screamed at you and called you a liar.

I need to rant for a second, so I will start at the beginning.

My internet was not working and so I called internet support. They told me my modem had gone bad and I must buy a new one for $100. I was irritated but ordered the new modem anyway. We received the modem and I realized my modem was not bad at all, however, the power cord was. I called asked about how I could return the modem. Which the girls initial response was, you cant return it. Needless to say I asked for her manager. The manager said I could return it and I would be refunded in a few days. Great! So I returned the modem via usps and 2 weeks later still had not received a refund. So I called to ask what the situation was, just curios about when that refund was coming. So I called this morning before work. I talked to two different girls, who were nice, but couldn't even find that I had even ordered a modem. When the second girl attempted to transfer my call somewhere else she hung up on me. I was irritated, but though it was just an accident. I then called back after work and thats when it when from a minor inconvenience to the worst customer service experience of my life!

I called and again no one can even find the order. After being transfered 3 times and already on the phone for 30-40 min I was transfered to the most hateful woman I have ever had the misfortune to talk to. Now I should preface this by saying I am always very nice to customer service people. They do have one of the worst jobs in the world and I always feel you catch more bees with honey then vinegar. So the woman answers after I have been on hold for about 10 min and says "hold please". I say to my husband she just answered and immediately put me on hold to which the woman( who had not put me on hold) yells "do you have a problem with that!" I was a little taken back said well I though it was a little rude. She then rants about how busy she is and how I just need to hold. So I agree to hold. She then gets back on the phone and I tell her about the modem and wanting to know the status of the refund. She tries to look up my account, and when she can't find it(which everyone else did) tells me I don't even have an account. I tell her I did and gave her the number again and again and again..... She finally finds it after berating me about my lack of any account there. Only to tell me I was a liar. That not only did I never send a modem back, that I have never ordered one in the first place. And furthermore I had to be lying because my modem was out of warranty( hence why I had to buy a new one, DUH!)After her disgusting behaver, she tells me she is just going to transfer me. To which I said no I need to talk to your manager. She said well you just need to call back and hung up on me!

After that I called customer service who just said opps our bad essentially and transfered me, again. Two transfers later I finally found someone who could find the purchase I had made and told me the refund was posting today.

2 hours of my time

2 hang-ups

1 hateful bitch

= the worst customer service experience of my life!

I have been a great customer for about 4 years and this is how I get treated???

Well, guess who is transferring her service when this contract is up!?

Yes, you guessed it ME!

Comment On This

I too was charged for a whole month even though I had only used the service for about 13 days of my 31 day billing cycle. When I called about a credit they said that they did not pro-rate. I asked how that was even legal, since they would pro-rate when I signed up. They explained when I signed up I was not their customer, therefore they could not charge me. I explained that now I am no longer their customer either, so how could they charge me now. I explained that if I wanted to use my phone now (since I am still paying for it) I could not because it's deactivated. They said that since I was already a customer, that is why they do not have to pro-rate it "per the terms of the agreement". I do not comprehend how the FCC finds this legal in any which way. I am outraged about this as my bill is about $85 per month and now I have to waste about $50 of that money. I am seeking a resolution on this higher up. Class action lawsuit anyone? Clearly we are not the only people this has happened to. Oh and for the record, I did not have a contract with them (provided my own phone) and only had service for a little over 10 months.

Comment On This

I have a similar issue. I wanted to cancel on the first day of my billing cycle. They said ok, but they wanted to charge me for the whole month. Even though I didn't use any minutes or data for that month. This is in addition to their termination fee.