I'm leaving AT&T and the main reason is poor customer service.

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Ben in TN - 19 Nov 2003 02:03 GMT

I have been an AT&T wireless subscriber since back in 2001 when it was
originally SunCom in my area. Anyway, I was about to leave SunCom while it
was still Suncom and they offered to let me drop my minutes from the $35 400
minute plan down to the 100 minute plan for $19.99 which was the current
deal they were offering and they additionally let me keep my unlimited
incoming calls feature for $5 which was $5 less than I had been paying for
that feature when I had that $35 plan so I was quite happy with that $25 +
tax plan. About 5 months ago the $5 credit I had been receiving on my AT&T
bill dissappeared so I called customer service to inquire about it and was
told that it was only set up for that period of time and that I could not
have it back even if I quit their service and that I would have been charged
a $174 amount for early termination so I just gave up and stuck with my
contract which expires on the 20th. I called AT&T customer service a couple
days ago to see if they were in the mood to offer any incentives to keep a
loyal customer. Sadly I found out that they were in no such mood. It
basically came down to me asking for either my $5 credit back or give me
some additional anytime minutes to make up for the increase in our
previously negotiated deal or I was even open to any incentive on a newer
plan but, there were no incentives offered of any kind to keep me as a
customer. Furthermore the customer service lady (i use the term loosely)
all but called me a liar about the $5 credit I had been receiving. She
repeatedly said that I never had such a credit on my bill and I know that I
did and have the old statements to back it up. I can understand that maybe
her computer system didn't show the credit I had been receiving because it
ended around 5 months ago but, don't dispute the customer and tell them they
never had something that they knew very well they had been receiving. It
was very disrespectful to say the least. Before our conversation was over I
told her that I did not appreciate being called a liar. She said she was
not calling me a liar and I said that apparently she was since she's telling
me I never had something that I know I had and not just once but,
repeatedly. Right now I'm leaning towards going to Cingular and their GSM
service immediately. I'm just glad my contract is up in 2 days.

John "Ben" Pennington

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Andy M --Tampa Bay-- - 19 Nov 2003 04:23 GMT

stick a week out, nov 24th is round the corner... things will happen

| I have been an AT&T wireless subscriber since back in 2001 when it was
| originally SunCom in my area. Anyway, I was about to leave SunCom while it
[quoted text clipped - 30 lines]
|
| John "Ben" Pennington

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Will Cover - 19 Nov 2003 05:13 GMT

I work for the company and I can tell you there are no new plans or
special offers in the works that have been brought up to the
employees. Perhaps they (corporate) are keeping a tight lid on
things, but usually that is not the case. Sprint PCS has already
introduced 7 p.m. N & W minutes and has taken the lead on pricing
points. The only change we have made to our rate plans and this is on
a local level, is the introduction of 2 new rate plans - 1000 anytime
minutes for $49.99 and 1250 anytime minutes for $59.99, both plans
included unlimited N & W minutes, 1000 M2M minutes, free LD from the
HCA, voicemail, caller-id, blah blah blah on a 1 year service
agreement. Great plans, but get this, they are not being advertised.
No collateral, no brochures, no radio, no television ... nothing, but
yet they are supposed to have a big impact on sales. Okay.

Hope this helps.

WC

>stick a week out, nov 24th is round the corner... things will happen
>
[quoted text clipped - 42 lines]
>|
>| John "Ben" Pennington

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Arthur Dent - 19 Nov 2003 05:03 GMT

> I called AT&T customer service a couple
> days ago to see if they were in the mood to offer any incentives to keep a
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> plan but, there were no incentives offered of any kind to keep me as a
> customer.

What kind of incentive would you expect? In all honesty, it comes down to
$$ and you are not on a very profitable plan. I expect AWE has some kind of
formula to measure your account's value and I'm guessing it wasn't too high.
Still, you are getting a very, very good deal on a plan with unlimited
incoming minutes. That's not enough, eh?

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Dan Albrich - 19 Nov 2003 05:29 GMT

There's a few issues here:
- When a change takes place to your billing that negatively impacts you, you
really do need to report it as soon as possible. I typically complain
before I
receive two bills with an incorrect amount. This may not be fair, but this
is much easier when trying to work something out-- I presume they can see,
at the very least, your last statement if not a few.
- In some cases it helps to call back and deal with someone else. Remember
to always be polite as it never helps to be rude with these folks. Even if
they cannot help you, they may make notes in your account. Getting branded
a disgruntled customer gets you no where fast.
- The plan you are on now seems like an extremely good deal relative to
anything currently offered. While it may feel right to take your business
elsewhere now that they "screwed" you, you may do better to consider what
actually serves you best. If you actually do need more minutes and will be
forced to choose a new plan anyway, then I probably would shop around etc.
- I have a brother with AT&T who has an old grandfathered plan that is
totally awesome. About once every year or two his plan changes without his
intervention and he ends up with a whopper bill. He calls customer service
and they put things back the way they were. The last time this happened the
customer service person indicated that he could not have his old plan back--
he's month to month and can leave at any time. He threatened to quit
service, and some how they magically got his old plan back again. He's a
happy AT&T customer of at least six years.

-Dan

> I have been an AT&T wireless subscriber since back in 2001 when it was
> originally SunCom in my area. Anyway, I was about to leave SunCom while it
[quoted text clipped - 30 lines]
>
> John "Ben" Pennington

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Ben in TN - 19 Nov 2003 18:11 GMT

Dan, I did contact AT&T as soon as I got the first bill without the
additional $5 credit and asked why and it was missing. They said that
credit was only set up to be deducted for that amount of time and of course
I was not aware of any cut off date for that credit to stop. I asked for
the credit once again and was told I could not have it and I then asked how
much it would be for me to get out of my contract and was told $174 I
believe and even if I quit then I could not have the $5 credit back. This
was the same case when I got on the phone with the disrespectful woman the
other night and once again with the nice gentleman I talked to last night
from ATT. There was nothing he could do of any type. He could not give me
the $5 credit with my old SunCom plan or give me any additional anytime
minutes. He could also not give me any better deal on any new plan that ATT
offers currently. No incentive what so ever to continue being a customer.
It's not even like I was asking for a new phone or anything. I just wanted
the deal back like I had originally negotiated or some additional minutes
with my old plan or a slightly better deal on any new plan. AT&T has
apparently fired everyone in their customer retention department. The 300
minute national plan would have been my next choice on a new plan but, they
weren't offering any incentive with that plan either.
As far as the phone number portability issue that effects the 100
largest markets on the 24th and it could be next May before the rest of the
smaller markets have that ability. I live in a smaller market so I told the
nice gentleman last night to stop my account on the 20th which was the
period for which I am billed. One of my friends from work already called
AT&T a week ago about getting some kind of a better deal on his plan and
they had none and offered him no incentives to stay either so he went to
Cingular and that's likely where I am headed as well even if it is for the
$39.99 national plan with roll over minutes. I got tired of exceeding my
100 minute plan with AT&T this past year. For instance, my Grandmother died
a couple months ago and I used my phone quite a bit during that month and my
$30 bill turned into $75. AT&T doesn't have very good coverage in my area
anyway and the disrespectful woman I talked to the other night convinced me
to leave.
Ben

> There's a few issues here:
> - When a change takes place to your billing that negatively impacts you, you
[quoted text clipped - 67 lines]
> >
> > John "Ben" Pennington

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Ted - 19 Nov 2003 20:20 GMT

Ben you did the right thing... I posted just about the same thing 5 days
ago... As soon as my contract is up Im out of here with no regrets. ATTWS is
a joke!

> Dan, I did contact AT&T as soon as I got the first bill without the
> additional $5 credit and asked why and it was missing. They said that
[quoted text clipped - 124 lines]
> > >
> > > John "Ben" Pennington

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Dan Albrich - 20 Nov 2003 07:01 GMT

Sorry I misunderstood you Ben.

Best regards,
-Dan

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