Respond/React: Screw AT&T

My love affair with AT&T is officially over and so is the tango we have been dancing since the merger of Cingular and AT&T.

In 1998 I got my very first cell phone; I retired my beeper and decided to become more modern. I ran over to my AT&T store in Nanuet NY and purchased the cheapest phone I could afford. I’ve been married to the cell phone carrier ever since. I renewed my vows every one and a half to two years to purchase a new phone or upgrade my plan. I even stuck by them when they nonsensibly decided to change the name {only to change back}. I introduced them to friends of mine and even family… But do I get any thanks for that – NO!

Now let’s fast forward to 2007 – when hell broke loose. I visited Haiti for 5 days in November and unfortunately my bill was due. In fact it was past due. I called up the rep, dialing *729 on my PDA, and explained that I was going to make the payment when I returned  the following Monday. No problem said the rep. Why was my phone shut off before I arrived in Haiti. I had to make arrangements for a pick-up at JFK using security’s phone instead of my own. I rushed to make a payment and bitched at the in-store rep and she politely said the conversation was never noted on my account. Ugh!

I didn’t press the issue because after all, it was their first eff up. So when I  visited Haiit again in March 2008, I did the same. Called beforehand schedule a payment for the returning Monday. They informed me of the roaming charges; I understood and moved on. When I returned, I paid my bill. But when I got next months bill, holy ishh… Almost 400 dollars. I was pissed. I was being charged for calls made to me in Haiti from theh USA. How crazy is that????? My mother also accompanied me on the same trip. She had the same charges. However, her contract was expired and used that for negotiations. She dangled the carrot in front of their eyes and they chomped it down. They removed 300 dollars of charges for her contract renewal.

April and May 2008 my husband enters a store to pay my phone bill with cash. Each time their machine was broken. So he asked a rep for help and she denied him, telling him I had to be present. Well if I could have been present, I would have been. If he is paying the bill its because I couldn’t make it. He gave them all my detailed information: date of birth, social, address, driver’s license #, she said no. He drives 15 minutes away to another store and they weren’t even concerned. They accepted the cash and kept it moving. I called afterwards letting them know to notate the account to allow my husband to pay the bill in person. The same drama happened again, despite the note, the following month.

Last week, I visit the mall and see an AT&T kiosk. I talk with the gentleman {very professional} and he said not to worry about the $175 cancellation charge. Since I am 4 months away from end of contract, they would waive it. It sounded too good to be true, so I stick a foot in my mouth and called AT&T direct this morning.

I spoke with the snotty, arrogant witch on the phone about AT&T policy. She said the kiosk had no jurisdiction to offer a waive and all would be approved by her department anyway. She was soo snotty and short with her comments that I got pissed and told her to fly a kite – in a not very nice way…. So I told her to close out the account and she hung up on me.

So why am I blogging – because I want to log into cyberspace and bitch to all, especially if you are considering AT&T as a wireless service provider.

Long gone are the days where loyalty meant better service. In a ten year relationship, they couldn’t waive the 175 for 4 months of 80 billed payments from me. They weren’t going to break even so they gave me the finger. I told the girl I was with At&T way before she ever was – she didn’t care.

I complained how their upgrades for loyal customers would cost me 100 dollars more than if I was a new customer – who is being ridiculously discounted to attain new business. But me, the loyal one, gets screwed with no vaseline.  It just doesn’t pay to be loyal these days – not anymore. Definitely not with AT&T.

I informed the girl about the statement stating 175 early termination fee with 5 dollar reduction for every month – she said it doesn’t apply to customers who signed on before May 2008, meaning me. If I changed my rate plan, it would extend me another 2 years with them, if I add another line it would extended me another 2 years with them. They leave me with no choice but them a win-win over the customer. Geez – we really get the brunt of it, don’t we???