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AT&T Wireless

AT&T Wireless • Billing disputes • Unexpected contract expiration • Network problems • GSM service • Number portability • Sales practices • Customer service • GO Phone • Everything else --- News • Cingular-AT&T Wireless Deal is Done • Cingular Buys AT&T Wireless • Software Glitch Blamed for Losses • Cingular, AT&T Wireless In Merger Talks • AT&T Wireless Leads In Number Portability Problems

Although AT&T Wireless shares the name of its former parent company, it has long since moved out and started life on its own. But even as an independent company, AT&T Wireless displays many of the same traits that have caused its parent to watch its once-massive customer base ever so steadily erode.

You can't say AT&T is no longer innovative. Whereas most cell phone companies insist their contracts run until the moon has turned to dust, AT&T now waits quietly for some favorable contracts to expire so that it can hit customers with the highest rates imaginable. Don't laugh, it happened to Alina.

A few recent complaints:

Myron of Poway, CA July 22, 2009

I cancelled AT&T service for my 5 family phones after several years of service. Upon termination I was billed early termination fees on several of the phones becasue I had upgraded them. At the time I purchased them off the AT&T web site I SPECIFICALLY elected NOT to upgrade or renew my plan. I thought this would be enough. My final bill refects termination charges becasue to activate the new phones I had to pay an 18 activation fee. I was told that by paying ht efee I agreed to renewing my phone plan, which is something I specifically did NOT want to do due to several instances on inaccurate billing and poor customer service. My final bill has Misc charges on it that add up to over 300 for early termination fees that I went to great lengths to avoid.

John of Dacula, GA July 22, 2009

Wow. I switched over to AT&T months ago to get the Iphone. Service was ok for a while but has been absolutely horrible for the last month and a half, all over the Northeast side of Atlanta. Dropped calls. No calls. Call "611" and call dropped while waiting on hold. Took me over 1 hour to complete a 5 minute phone call. Phone has been checked out. BIOS upgraded. Sim card replaced. All as suggested by AT&T customer service. After I've done all of this I'm told. Oh darn it looks like we are "upgrading service in your area. We will be done by the end of July. Until then your service will be horrible". This has been ongoing since the BEGINNING OF JUNE. That's 2 months! Luckily I was out of the country for a couple of weeks so I've only lost 6 weeks and countless hours on hold only to be disconnected in the middle of a conversation with someone.

Abigail of San Lorenzo, CA July 21, 2009

I had received the IPhone as a gift on April 23, 3009. On around June 22, give or take a few days, I had to bring my phone to the Apple store because it had stopped working. Apple was not able to repair my phone so, instead, they gave me a brand new one.

The next day, I called Apple just to see if it was possible for me to trade in my 3G for a 3GS, based on the fact that I essentially had a new one. I didn't have high hopes, but I thought it wouldn't harm anyone to ask.

Upon contacting Apple and explaining the situation, they transfered me to AT&T, saying that I have to request from them since I bought my phone from them. Apple said that they would explain my situation (which I wrote on their website as well as verbally ecplained over the phone) to AT&T. When I spoke to the representative, she said she was aware of my situation and, just for reiteration, I explained again my situation (how my phone was purchased in April but replaced with a brand new one at the IPhone in June). She put me on hold to speak with her supervisor/s and, upon coming back to me, she said that management has approved my request. I clarified this over and over again as I was in disbelief. She said that, if I had to pay anything, it would be restocking fees. She also said she would leave a note on my account to notify the representatives at Vallejo AT&T. After thanking her profusely, I headed to Vallejo.

Upon getting there, the first representative looked at my file and told me that I would just have to pay a 10% restocking fee (which would be 29.99). He told me to call daily to see if a 3GS was in stock. After doing that for a few days and getting the answer that the phone is not in stock (I also would have them look into my account to check out the note), I decided to drive up to Vallejo again and ask them in person. The other representative, the manager this time, told me that I have to actually return the current phone that I have so that they can place the order for me. I told him I will not be able to do it that day as I was going on a trip out of town. I asked him if this would be a problem, as far as my offer expiring. He gave me the guarantee that it wouldn't because of the note on my account.

So, upon returning from my trip, I went back to AT&T, armed with everything that came with the IPhone, ready to return it. It was there that I was told that they couldn't return the phone. This day, the reason they gave me is not because it is over 30 days (as they have said that the representative changed my purchased date so that I could get the exchange), but because the replacement phone I have now is from Apple, not from them, as Apple exchanged my non-working phone. I explained to them that I had told all the representatives that I spoke with that I had a replacement phone from Apple and I wasn't told that would be a problem. In addition, I had no choice but to bring it to Apple because they are the ones that service IPhones, not AT&T. They told me they would write to upper management to see if anything can be done.

After a week of not getting any response, I called once more to check on the status of my complaint. I spoke with another manager and he told me that the reason they cannot grant me what was guaranteed is because my phone is over the 30 days return policy. Once again, I explained how the representative stated this problem was fixed and how this is not supposed to be an issue. After reiterating myself, I just asked if I could speak directly to someone in corporate but I was told they will shoot another email.

It has been a week since and I still have not heard from them. I have started emailing AT&T's customer service myself and the responses I am getting are repetitive, almost identical in verbatim. Neither of the two letters I have received address that fact that the verbal contract had been broken.

Over and over again, I have explained that my grievance has less to do with the IPhone as it does their disregard for their promises and customer satisfaction. To date, I have filed a complaint with FCC. My next course of action is to write the AT&T two addresses I found as I researched online. AT&T's website and its representatives are extremely elusive in giving information with regards to contacting the upper eschelon of the company. I am extremely disappointed in their dishonesty. I am trying to perform this process as amicably as possible and will continue to do so on mere principle.

Karyn of New York, NY July 21, 2009

I have cell service with AT&T. My son and I had LG phones which were not working well. Warranty Exchange at At&T first agreed to replace my son's phone. I had 14 days in which to return the faulty phone. In the meantime, my phone got worse but could not be replaced, so I upgraded our contract (after researching other service plans) and got two new phones. I accidentally sent the wrong phone back to warranty exchange. (I had three or four bad LG phones. I had taken them out to send to the troops in the Middle East who need phones.) I didn't realize that I had mailed back a broken phone, as opposed to a faulty phone.

Two weeks later they sent the broken phone back and told me they were charging 115. to my account. I told them the mistake. One person said there was nothing they could do. Another person said they would allow me to mail back the phone. I have been going back and forth like this for two days. If I can mail the phone back, why shouldn't they take it? In the meantime, I got two new phones from AT&T with and a rebate which will take them two months to process. Clearly, since I am willing to send the phone in, I am not trying to cheat AT&T. I just don't want to pay an additional 115 dollars. I am a good customer. In the long term, economically, they would be better off keeping me as a client than losing me over a single charge of 115. (I pay about 140. a month). But I am not interested in maintaining service with them after all this time if they can't credit me on this one bill and understand the mistake.

John of Saint Louis, MO June 22, 2009

3 month ago company over charged me. Really stole about 100! At the time I wanted the service so I paid the overcharge (infull at that time), hoping that it would be corrected in few months. Now, 3 months after that and paying my bills (Close to infull) each month. Someone within company, it seems to me is trying to scam another over charge of about 100.

I paid infull the first over charge of about 100 and now after paying my bills almost infull each month for 3 months. I have made payment the 50 for this month. as my services call for CORRECTLY. And will not, for a second time in 4 months be be taken advantage the 100 overcharge scam!

Teresa of Lakewood, NJ July 18, 2009

My son was robbed in NJ at knife point. Over 16,000 worth of jewerly was stolen (and other personal items). When he reached the Toms River police dept. the det on duty was happy to her that he had an iphone. The iphone has a tracking device. Right away he called AT&T wireless - however he was told that they would not help him because my son was not dead of dying or lost body parts.

John of Floral Park, NY July 15, 2009

AT&T guaranteed their service and reception was bar none the best and that we would not have trouble making and receiving calls in any area. This was not the case and many calls were lost, unable to be made and never received.

Jana of Troy, AL July 14, 2009

I have had AT&T (formerly BellSouth) landline service for 24 years and added internet about four years ago. In March 2009, I added four mobile phones to the plan. The salesman told me the combined bill would be just over 200 for all services. The problems started with the first bill and have only escalated. Since adding the cell phones, AT&T has not been able to give me a correct bill for the price I was quoted.

Every month, I have called to complain and asked to be released from my "contract" with no early termination fees. Each time my bill has been adjusted but never to the correct amount. I have unlimited texting on all phones but incur texting charges on every bill. When I received the June bill, it was 425. I spent six hours and 45 minutes on the phone with 13 representatives (I have all names) and was assured that it was finally fixed and my July bill would be 203.09 as I was told when I agreed to service. I was also told that an account manager would call within two business days. I am still waiting for that call. My July bill was 305.11 including almost 60 in text charges.

I also noticed that my landline plan had been changed without my authorization and my internet had gone 10. I immediately called customer no service and had yet another representative promise that an account manager would call within three hours. I'm still waiting. Today, I again called and wasted another two hours and finally got an account manager who refuses to waive the early termination fee. He is talking to the landline division so he can get a better idea of what my bill should be and will call me back within 24 hours. I am not holding my breath.

He said that he was certain that my bill would not be 203.09. I have asked every person I have spoken with to pull the recording of the sales call so we could resolve the price discrepancy once and for all. I am told it doesn't exist. I don't understand how I could be under contract if they can't product a contract. I was told by the account manager today that as soon as I activated the phones that I was under contract. I did not activate the phones.

I only charged them and put in the SIM cards. He then stated that I shouldn't have continued to use the phones if I wasn't happy with them because I had 30 days to decide. After I pointed out his contradiction between activation and 30 days, I informed him that I did not receive a bill within 30 days of receiving the phones so there was no way I could have disputed charges. I do not know if I should file a complaint with the FCC or if I should continue to waste time listening to their empty promises.

Rick of nashville, TN July 13, 2009

Not being able to upgrade to new Iphone is a complete ATT scam and they know. On principle, I will wait for 4g and dump ATT for good. Verizon or tmobile.

Charles Reese of McCalla, AL July 10, 2009

I have been in this store on three different occasions with complaint abouts about a cell phone that does not work. On my forth and last visit the service rep would not talk talk to me directly, she kept tell my wife what I would have to do, and tried to extract an exorbinant fee to get another phone. I finally went home called AT&T customer service, and got the problem resolved for 39.99. I hope the phone they are sending will work. Given the service I have recieved thus far I doubt It.

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