Problems with AT&T?

[Gina B]

Do you have problems with AT&T? After an incredibly insane ride with them as my cell phone service provider, I finally got tired of it and am now taking bigger steps to resolve it. My first instinct was to simply wait out the contract and then switch companies, but I'm now on a mission. If you've experienced problems, please visit my blog and post on the AT&T post. http://www.literaryworks.blogspot.com

If could understand if I was a bad customer, but I'm an awesome customer. Okay, there was ONE TIME when I had a payment a few days late while I was moving, but when I called in they told me I was still in the grace period, so technically, I guess I didn't even have a late payment!

Are all cell phone companies this messed up? I had Sprint before them, and when I quit using them, they reported me to the credit bureau, even though they plainly stated that they could not hold me to my contract if I moved to an area where AT&T service was not provided. When they asked me for proof that I moved there in the form of a utility bill, I sent them the phone bill they sent me there. It's a utility bill, isn't it?! At first I didn't know I could get out of the contract so I was paying them anyhow when I wasn't using it. And they took the money. Sent to them from the area where they didn't provide service. With a check with my address on it. Then when I commented on that, they skillfully dodged answering. WHACKOS!

You'd think place would want to retain customers and keep them at least no more than slightly disgruntled. I'm guessing that their real concern and money maker must just be companies or something and customers like me don't mean much to them.

 

[billreber]

Gina, my experience was 7 to 9 years ago. I had another company's phone, and ATT bought them out. However, the signal strength was slashed drastically! (I think they closed the other company's tower!) I could not call from inside my own home! And once I tried to make a call from a school (a mile from home) to home, and was told I was in roaming territory! When I called to find out what could be done, I was told there were not enough customers in my town to justify doing anything about my problem! I did find out on this call that the closest signal tower was only about 5 miles away, but there was a hill between my house and the tower.

During the same timeframe, I was sitting at a traffic light, and noticed that the "signal strength bars" on my phone kept going from full signal to no signal, all in a matter of seconds! And this was 30 miles from home, and deeper INSIDE the ATT (supposed) coverage area!

Needless to say, I began searching for a new company, and have been part of the Verizon network ever since I could change. They have done wonderful service for me for the last 7 years. Just got two new phones in July, and DW and I love them.

Oh, yes. When I called ATT to cancel the (lack of) service I had, ATT actually tried to get me to change my mind by offering to lower my monthly cost! I politely told them they were too late, as I had decided not to do service with them months earlier, when the first thing I mentioned above happened. I told the customer service rep I was talking to, that ATT needed REAL customer service, not just lower rates. Then I hung up! The problem was not his fault, but I think he got my intended message. I hope he passed it on!

BTW, isn't it great that we can talk to God anytime, anywhere, without a cell phone? Gotta love it!

Bill :godisgood:

 

[RevGKG]

I was a long time AT&T customer until 8 months ago. I started with AT&T in 1999. Then when they were purchased by Cingular, I had to pay an activation fee because I was a "new customer" to Cingular (even though I was forced to switch; not because I choose to switch). They also made me purchase a new phone because the old AT&T phone would not work on the Cingular network. Then they transitioned back to AT&T.

After putting up with all of these obstacles, last December I tried to make a change to my account. The change was blocked and I found out there was a hold on my account of which I had receive no notification of any kind. After about 2 days and 20 calls I learned that someone with my name, at an address I had never lived at and with I phone number I never had ran up a bill of nearly $900 and had skipped out. Finally I was able to talk to their fraud department and they opened a so called investigation. One week later I was notified that they could find no fraud and would not remove the charges. There was nothing about this dead beat account that linked it to me in any way except someone with the same name as mine.

After several attempts to clear this up, AT&T refused to do anything about their error. So I switched to Verizon. They have far better coverage than AT&T. I also changed my home phone and home internet provider which use to be AT&T. So now I have no dealings with them and do not intend to ever have any accounts with them again.

 

[glfredrick]

Like a few of you, years ago I was trapped in the Cingular and ATT cycle with cells and home phones. It was a great day when I escaped their clutches!

These days, with the advent of the i-phone, ATT's cell network has seen a revival of use, but the network is still horrid. If you are not in a large city, along a freeway (well traveled!) or an airport, good luck finding a decent signal. My Verizon works everywhere, and I do a lot of backwoods off-roading where I'm a way off the beaten path. I have a signal when all the ATT guys are finished. :thumbs:

 

[Gina B]

You now have to scroll down a bit to reach that post, but I have been putting updates on it.

I'm really hoping that the BBB complaint response will do the trick. It's not like I'm asking for anything that isn't in my contract. I kept my end of it, they messed up and so far haven't fixed it. I do find it amusing that they couldn't figure out how to call me. Mind-boggling.