ATT Shady Practices

T

TechieSooner

Supreme [H]ardness
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Nov 7, 2007
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This is an email I sent off to an ATT manager one day. That manager never responded, so true to my promise: I'm making this readily accessible for anyone that wants to research this problem, or these agent's names.

The short story is this: I caught ATT's reps making up terms of service that don't exist.

Hi Renay,
I've got a complaint about an experience I had this past Sunday with a couple of your agents.

First, the background of why I called. The line had a Blackberry Curve 8310 for many months. She decided she wanted to try out getting email on the device, and noticed we had some form of "Internet Access" on the account already. But there was no browser on the phone- which is why I called on her behalf to get that fixed, the first time in early December.
Turns out it was a problem with the service books. The agent pushed these out, and the browser was there. Good! Fixed!

However my problem of why I called last Sunday (Jan 3), is because (unknown to me), the agent in December had added on a Blackberry internet plan. I discovered this after the user no longer wanted the emails, I figured I'd go remove the feature online, if it was costing any money monthly. So I called to see what the problem was.

The first agent I talked to was Julias Dickens. He acknowledged I had this device for months. He refused to take the Blackberry internet plan off of the device, citing the new Smartphone policies. I explained the grandfather clause as well as the fact I was never informed about this being added on, and yet he refused to take it off.

Getting nowhere with him, I asked for the manager. I then talked to Michelle Espy. She acknowledges as well, I had the phone for months before the Smartphone rules went into effect. However her stance was first that since I added the plan AFTER grandfathering, that'd negate those rules. I'd agree with that, but I didn't know the agent early in December had added that or I would have never had them add it. The agent in December just "fixed" the problem is all I knew, I didn't know he was adding any new services, I wasn't informed of that. She eventually agreed with that, and then came up with a second excuse: The bill would have told me that I have to CALL IN AND OPT OUT under the new Smartphone rules to prevent the plan from being automatically added, so this is the new reason why she wouldn't take it off.

My next problem was the line is on paperless billing and I wouldn't have seen that. Excuse #3 was that "You have to look at that bill to know how much to pay". When I stated it's autodrafted, the next excuse was a weak one, "Well, I'd expect you would want to look at that each month to know what you're paying". Weak argument because the account never uses all the minutes (700 minute plan with over 3000+ rollover minutes), and unlimited texting: so the bill is the same each month. No reason to look at anything online. I let that slide though, and addressed the core issue: That the bill supposedly stated I had to call in and opt out.

Being familiar with ATT's policies, I knew she was lying through her teeth about calling in and opting out, so I asked her to walk me through and show me exactly where it is on the bill. She did- she pointed out the notice about the new rules on the bill. She said it in such a way "There it is, I have now proved you wrong, are your issues resolved?", like that's the final matter. But in fact, there's nothing stating a customer must call in and opt out. I stated this, and now it's time for her to make up another excuse. The next excuse (we're up to #5 now) was that you had to go to the mentioned link to see the full rules. OK, I just decided I'd humor this and let her own argument self-destruct. I had her walk me through and show me where it was on the link. Again, she showed me a line in the terms (That says something to the extent of "All future Smartphones require a data package"). Again with the "There it is, I have now proved you wrong, are your issues resolved?" attitude. And again, a more timid customer might have given up by then. I'm not a timid customer. I then told her nowhere did it say a customer has to call in and opt out. So then I was put on hold while she "looked for the statement".
After about five minutes of waiting on the line with her, I did a "Find" on that webpage for the word "opt". No matches. I told her this, and with her still prevalent snide attitude she acted like I was a moron, "Thank you for informing me of that."

So I wait some more. Naturally, she came back on the line (after failing to find it), and took that plan off. No admitting she was wrong, she suddenly became helpful. Knowing complaining to her would get me nowhere, I just ended the call and decided I'd find out who their manager was and send you an email.

My whole complaint is that the agents (and their MANAGERS, no less) are making up blatant lies that are screwing users out of money they shouldn't have to be paying. Luckily, I'm familiar with ATT's policies and knew what the truth was. I can imagine a little old lady making $200 a month off retirement getting screwed out of $30 more/month. That's sad, and downright dirty.

Let me be clear: I don't want anything out of this complaint. I want ATT to resolve this issue for future customers.
Please let me know what your/ATT's plans are to remedy this problem. I fully intend on taking this public to the Consumerist and other customer-advocates if I am not pleased with your plans for resolution within 7 days (January 13).
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What I expect from AT&T and/or any Major Wireless Carrier..

These days you have to be extremely careful what companies try and do / charge you for. I'm not taking either side but double checking EVERYTHING is key here. Even in a mutual business relationship will a corporation not seem as nice as it is beforehand. They're there to make money, screwing you out of it and hoping you don't call them is a big practice nowadays if you let them.

TBH, you just got a CSR / Supervisor that wasn't willing to comply, wear them down enough and they will.
 
I don't disagree with any of it :D But the fact the Management doesn't even care is what kindof set me off on this... The "Manager" was the one throwing out lies, and the "Manager's Manager" didn't even care enough to reply back.

I'm ditching ATT as soon as feasible, that's for sure.

And while that line might have been for personal uses, it's still the same ATT I pay over ten thousand a month to on the company accounts. So they can say bye-bye to that revenue.
 
yeah I used to be a CSR for at&t, started out wireless, then went to combined billing, then transfer of service( now transfer of ownership), I don't work for them anymore. I was there when we changed the smartphone policies. I do remember the information that was sent out to customers. There was several e-mails, sms's, and physical letters that were sent out to point out the fact.

but...

You were totally in the right, the previous CSR who had changed your plan to a BB data (the only one the system will allow) should have informed you that by doing that you were giving up the right to the grandfathered plan. Which is what happened to you.

1. you wanted to try e-mail
a. Meant that you had to add a data package, you were probably on a PPU plan or a data
opt-out which means you had to actually tell them at some point you DO NOT want any data
on the line including MMS.
2. CSR added data package but did not inform you that it would change your rate plan, he/she just "took care of it" without informing you of the details.

3. when you tried to go back you could not ( not the next CSR's fault, it would be pegged on them if they removed that data package without authorization. per AT&T's policy.

4. Manager is not supposed to remove either but you did a good job at getting them to comply.


Edited: Finished ( sorry had a customer )
 
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jburman01 said:
You could also try to lodge a complaint with the FCC and the BBB and CC
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No one of importance is going to punish ATT for what an individual agent did, or for making you keep what you were told you would have to keep. It is not ATT or any one else's fault that you do not read your bill or email correspondence. You ASKED for internet access, next time do your research and know what you are asking for.

Just take your business elsewhere and let your money do the talking. Just remember that everyone else requires internet on a Blackberry and Verizon requires internet on just about everything.
 
ExplodingTaco said:
No one of importance is going to punish ATT for what an individual agent did, or for making you keep what you were told you would have to keep. It is not ATT or any one else's fault that you do not read your bill or email correspondence. You ASKED for internet access, next time do your research and know what you are asking for.

Just take your business elsewhere and let your money do the talking. Just remember that everyone else requires internet on a Blackberry and Verizon requires internet on just about everything.
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You really didn't read any of what I said, did you?

That said, I do agree that the FCC and BBB or CC won't care about this. I mean, they did resolve the problem, it's just I'm spreading the word about these idiots that outright lied about it, so other folks know to look out for this.
 
TechieSooner said:
You really didn't read any of what I said, did you?

That said, I do agree that the FCC and BBB or CC won't care about this. I mean, they did resolve the problem, it's just I'm spreading the word about these idiots that outright lied about it, so other folks know to look out for this.
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I apologize, I was responding to jburman01, replace the "you" in my statement with "OP." Maybe it wont seem so harsh. I would be pissed too, it is just that the only thing you can do is take your money elsewhere. The only problem is the same thing can happen with anyone else.
 
ExplodingTaco said:
I apologize, I was responding to jburman01, replace the "you" in my statement with "OP." Maybe it wont seem so harsh. I would be pissed too, it is just that the only thing you can do is take your money elsewhere. The only problem is the same thing can happen with anyone else.
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So your advice to him is to lick his wounds? If he does that then your right nothing will happen but if enough people complain and he could be the one to put it over the top than someone of importance will take notice and maybe decide to do something. The hope of something maybe happening is better than it definitely not happening.
 
You are asking him to fight something that is just as much his fault as ATT's. He got what he asked for, internet and email. He was just not aware of what he was asking for and the ATT agent did not explain.

Fight battles you can win.
 
@Techiesooner do what you want no matter what pessimists say

ExplodingTaco said:
You are asking him to fight something that is just as much his fault as ATT's. He got what he asked for, internet and email. He was just not aware of what he was asking for and the ATT agent did not explain.

Fight battles you can win.
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ExplodingTaco said:
He was just not aware of what he was asking for and the ATT agent did not explain.
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:rolleyes:

Sorry, but my browser icon wasn't showing up. I know that's an issue with service books sometimes, so I called in to have it fixed. They never told me they were adding the BIS.
 
TechieSooner said:
This is an email I sent off to an ATT manager one day. That manager never responded, so true to my promise: I'm making this readily accessible for anyone that wants to research this problem, or these agent's names.

The short story is this: I caught ATT's reps making up terms of service that don't exist.
Click to expand...

I agree with this in a whole. I went thru the same thing kinda after my smartphone died. I had had it for years and traveled everywhere with a unlimited data plan n/p but when I get home no service. Now I want to replace my smartphone, and I am required to purchase a data plan for a new phone and the service is not even available in my area. Why should I pay for a service that is not actually available in my area, and I dont even travel any more.
 
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