Some people reading this might say that I`m only publishing the negative comments here & no positive ones, therefore making this article biased.

Allow me to correct those nay sayers on this

The purpose of publishing these comments is to establish the fact (and to prove to you) that contrary to what AT&T claims, these complaints are not just an isolated incident, or comments posted by people that are eccentric or unpleasable.

These are real problems that are being experienced by tens of thousands of people nationwide.

Just as a note, these negative complaints about AT&T outweigh the positive comments about 20 to 1. If you don`t believe me, do as I have done & research this yourself.

In this article we`ll show you:

AT&T Cellphone service is in terrible shape

AT&T DSL is anything but High Speed

AT&T Customer Service will do anything but help you

AT&T will resort to devious tactics to get your money

BUYER BEWARE 

"Your World Delivered"

Click here to see

 an internal AT&T manual for handling all kinds of consumer complaints.

This is the info in their database that their customer service reps use to handle your calls. This is from August of 2007, back when AT&T`s cell service was Cingular, but I can assure you that these guidelines have changed very little since then. This will appear in a pop up window that you can simply close or minimize when you`re done.

AT&T DSL

by

Blair Jett

of JettPowered Media Services

I`m not even going to go into the fact that AT&T charged me $14 for a one minute operator assisted call in 2004, or that I finally had to break my contract with Cingular/AT&T cell service in 2006 because I had complained about their inferior service for five months with no resolution.

Those are other stories for another time. But I will tell you about my DSL horror story from 2009.

In February 2009, I called AT&T to enquire about getting DSL service. I explained to the customer service rep that I operate an internet television station & must have at least 5 mbps download speed in order to operate the streaming video. I told the rep that this is absolutely important & if they cannot provide me with that speed, then I would not be interested. My whole reason for being insistive about this was to avoid any problems in the future that companies seem to pull. You know...the ole promise one thing, but provide another. The last thing anyone wants is to find out weeks into a project that it`s not going to work. It`s like spending money on a new home only to realize a few weeks after moving in that it`s not big enough.

Well no matter how much trouble I went to of making this very clear, That`s exactly what AT&T did to me!

The rep told me that I want the most expensive package they have called the DSL ELITE plan for $47.95 a month. She said that she has this service herself and it`s absolutely awesome! She said that in times of high traffic I may only get 4.5 mbps download speed, but most of the time it will always be at right around 6 mbps. So I purchased it.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     * 

actual ad for DSL ELITE as it appears on the AT&T website 

DSL ELITE PLAN - $47.95 per month

Our DSL Elite plan provides downstream speed up to 100x faster than dial-up—perfect for home networking, streaming video, online gaming, downloading movies, and sharing photos.

Downstream Speed: Up to 6.0 Mbps
Upstream Speed: Up to 768 Kbps
IP Address: 1 Dynamic

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *      *     *     *     *     *     *

AT&T Wouldn`t Let Me Pay My Final Bill & then Sent Collections After Me

Ryan`s Story

Originally Published on Jan 1, 2010

by Phil Villareal at Consemerist.Com

I recently moved into a new house from an apartment, and I canceled my AT&T DSL. My service was canceled around November 11, 2009. When I canceled I gave them my new address, which they started using immediately. I called AT&T a week or so later and spoke with a customer service representative. I asked to pay my final bill, and I made the payment over the phone. I asked to pay my final bill several times during the conversation with customer service, and was assured that my account was paid in full.

 After that I received nothing from AT&T other than a post card that said I was getting a free month of service during my move. Touched, I heard nothing more from them until today. Sitting in the mail was a collections notice saying that I’d ignored their previous attempts to collect payment, and that if I didn’t pay immediately they would refer my account to a collections agency. I have not received so much as a single piece of mail from AT&T other than that post card, and before you ask I forwarded my mail a month before I moved.

I feel betrayed on two counts. First, I’d already asked to pay my final bill the month before, so that I wouldn’t have to deal with this. Second, their collection notice was issued to my new address (which I’d given them over the phone). Even if the post office somehow messed up forwarding my mail, everything should have been sent directly to my new address.

I’ve already called and paid their bill, but I don’t want this to destroy my credit rating. I’m a recent college grad, and I don’t need this on my record, when I think this is clearly their fault.

What should I do?

ANSWER

Contact your state Attorney General`s Office

COMPANIES DO NOT WANT TO HEAR FROM SAGO!!

I WANT MY DSL!!!

A tech support nightmare!

James Kendon

California

Had home office phone and DSL for 3+ years with AT&T... was not getting much use out of the office telephone (have cellular) and decided to change to "dry" DSL. Big mistake.

Their website help was useless - lots of dead links (seemed to be any link that was related to canceling service, or contacting support was a dead end - should have been a tip off) so I called them directly. The person in the ordering department seemed to be knowledgeable, and was able to explain the process - they would cancel my existing service the following Friday morning, and shortly thereafter establish my new service.

I did find out during this call that AT&T had been overcharging me for my DSL service for 2+ years, I was paying $35/month for the slow DSL that was supposed to be ~$25/month. Nice. No refunds or credits for me of course.

The plus in changing my service would be double (or faster) service for ~$40/month. Okay, I would save ~$30 a month for not having a phone line - so a net gain. On Friday, my phone (and existing DSL) turned off... and I waited, and waited. Called in the early afternoon - checked status - was told my service order was complete. Obviously not.

After explaining the situation, was sent to tech support - they told me the issue was on my side and to power cycle the modem (no change of course!) then that it was a issue with my wiring and to plug the modem in directly to the wall (bypassing the DSL filter) - sure - whatever, still no DSL sync on the modem.

Tells me he will do a line test (BERT), but then says he can't see my modem - no kidding, really, which is what I already know. Since it was working just hours ago - it was surely not the modem, or my equipment/wiring (CPE). They told me that it will just take more time, and to wait.

So... useless. Saturday... still no sync. Called support and of course - they apparently don't answer calls. I found a mention to use extension 305 (I think?) on some other website (full of complaints like this one) - which got me in touch with someone. Same business, he tells me the service was completed yesterday... power cycle modem, check wiring, etc. Of course, it's not changed. Explain the situation again. Appears that he is unable to open/create a trouble ticket - since my "old" service is gone, and the new service (which shows complete) actually has not been provisioned - I am in limbo - so, he has no place to add notes/comments, etc.

Tells me to be patient, and it they will look at "the issue", and I will get a call back. I explain the issue is on their end... either at the Central Office (CO) or at the DSLAM - he agrees, it's on their end (I know this already)

Sunday afternoon, still no call... no sync on the DSL. For fun, try to contact them again at 877-722-3755... after a while, got to an agent, had to explain everything again. Put on hold again, and he contacts the provisioning department, amazingly enough... an engineer/tech gets on the call and explains there is "an error" and they will have someone look at it tomorrow (Monday). Right... and I should get a call too. Though he also suggests that I call 888-720-1275 for a direct connection to their department (wow, seems like progress!)

Monday afternoon... no calls from AT&T, no sync. Call the new number... of course, it's for service repair... since I have NO service - he can't help me (can't even look up any details), tells me to call the other "generic" number again. Great, lather - rinse - repeat. Another 20 minutes later - I'm back where I started. They tell me the service was completed Friday. Explain the situation, again. They call the provisioning department - tell me the order is actually incomplete (no, really?) and they will assign someone immediately to look at my case (but still have no trouble ticket), and I will get a call within 24 hours. Sure... the check is in the mail.

Tuesday afternoon, no calls, no sync. Call again, same routine - they tell me it's completed (I explain again), they check, confirm it's not... yet. Tell me they are assigning someone to look at the issue (same thing they said yesterday) - and after waiting on hold while they check - they do confirm, "the issue is on our side"... yes, I know that. I should expect a call back within 24 hours. Sure.

Wednesday morning... call again... same routine. They tell me that someone was assigned late yesterday (really?... can I speak to this person? No, of course not). Told me to expect a call. I explain this is the same thing I have been told 3 days in a row. The best they can do is suggest that tomorrow (assuming they don't setup the DSL by then, or call me) that I should ask to speak to a manager. Hmmmmmm. I do assume that they have been billing me for service since last Friday (since they claim the order was completed).

I have no internet... I can only blame myself at this point for changing my service (attempting to anyway).

I assume that there are a few factors at play here... 1) incompetence. 2) apathy. 3) lack of communication internally at AT&T.

I'm at this point considering canceling my other AT&T line (line 1) at my home, canceling this order for "dry DSL"... waiting a few days, and requesting "new" service - perhaps they can figure out how to do that? Doubtful.

So... waiting for the mythical "call back". It would be nice if they simply sent an engineer to the CO or to check the DSLAM and fix "the issue" - I find it interesting that they can shut down service by hitting a button, but can't re-establish service just as easily. My best guess? I think they are trying to provision "dry DSL" on my existing line 1 "pair" that is still functional, and not the 2nd line at my home (to the office, that was just disabled by them), and the system generates errors when they try to do this.

Even if they do complete my issues... they get the worst marks possible based on the ineffective support provided so far. If they could simply keep notes and share, and called me at least once... I would be somewhat satisfied that they were at least interested in my satisfaction. Who knows, perhaps... when they are done... I'll have 6Mb download speed based on the enhanced service (yeah... I can dream).

Customer Service & Billing Blunders

By Liz Pullman Weston

at

MSN Money

All Jana Fleming did was move from one apartment to another within her Dallas complex earlier this year. That simple change of address led to a months-long battle with AT&T that endangered her credit rating -- not to mention her sanity.

AT&T erroneously charged a $216 disconnection fee for her high-speed DSL service, which she actually took with her to the new address. After numerous calls, hours on hold and six certified letters, AT&T issued a $342 credit -- to Flemings telephone account. Her DSL account was turned over to a collections agency.

Its almost comical, Fleming said. Its just been so absurd.

Fleming believes her problem may be resolved; AT&T finally credited the right account and called off the collection agency.

A billing dispute kiboshes a car loan
The consequences for Laura Miller of Overland Park, Kan., were more serious. AT&T reassured her that a $36 charge she disputed would be corrected in her next billing cycle, Miller said; instead, the company turned the account over to a collection agency. As a result, Miller said she was denied a car loan and her credit card interest rates were hiked.

Miller said she needed the intervention of the Federal Communications Commission before AT&T acknowledged its mistake and cleared her credit report.

Poor Service

from Elizabeth

Sacramento, California.

August 29, 2009

Though I placed an order for residential phone service and DSL in June 2008, as of Aug. 28, the service has not yet been connected. I have called numerous service representatives, repeatedly since June, only to be transfered around, and then told that the problem is being examined and fixed.

The problem began when my subletter attempted to switch the service out of her name. She called to cancel the service in early June. I subsequently called to start new service. I was told that the DSL service in her name had to be cancelled and completely shut off before new service could be started. The subletter called again to cancel the service. I called again to re-start the service. I was told that the phone service could be switched into my name, but that I had to make a follow-up request to initiate the service.

At this point, I was already getting irritated that the internet service required multiple calls. As I was out of town, I was not able to call back in the designated one week time period. I called the following week, and was chided for not calling promptly. I explained that I had been out of town and that I would like the internet service connected. I was told that the internet service would be connected, but that I would need an installation CD. Did I have the installation CD? No. Could AT&T send one to me? No, they could not send one to me until after the internet service had been connected - approximately seven to ten days. Then I would have to call back AGAIN to request the CD.

I called back after 7-10 days to request that the CD be sent to me. I was told that it would arrive in another 7-10 days. At this point, I left on a month-long business trip to Asia. I assumed that the installation CD would show up any day, allowing my new rooommate to access the internet, as I promised she would be able to do when she moved in.

After three weeks, she emailed to tell me that the installation CD had still not arrived. This was creating a serious problem for her, as she is a student and was about to begin online college courses. She reported that AT&T had left a 'courtesy message' on our home telephone number stating that we "had not completed the set up" and instructing us to call 877-722-3755.

On Aug. 28 (Aug. 29, 9pm Asia (Bhutan) time), I phoned this number, from Asia, where I was on a business trip. I explained the problem in detail to the first representative that I spoke to, who promised to investigate the issue and put me on hold for 20 minutes.

A second representative answered the phone. I said that I had explained my problem to the first representative, who had gone to investigate. She said that he had transfered the phone to her, and she promised to stay on the line with me until the problem was resolved. She said that she was in Billing, and wouldn't be able to resolve any technical issues, but promised to see that I got the necessary help. She transferred me to 'level 2 tech support.' By this time, I had been on the phone for more than 30 minutes from Asia.

I explained the problem a third time to Tech Support. He said that he needed to check with Billing. I explained that I had just been transferred from Billing. He said that there was a discrepancy between my name and the name on the DSL account, and he needed to straighten it out with Billing. He said that even if he just changed the name on the tech support side, it would not match the name on the Billing side and would lead to problems later on.

More than 45 minutes after my call began, Tech Support put me on hold to check with Billing. He eventually returned to the phone to explain that the subletter's name had never been taken off the DSL account, even though she had called multiple times in June to close her account. Because her account had not be closed, no new account could be created. I explained that both the subletter and I called multiple times in June to close her account, and I called repeatedly in July to start my account. He said that nothing could be done until she called back to close her account.

I asked to speak to someone who could help me resolve this problem. He repeated that nothing could be done until the subletter called back to close the account. I told him that this level of service was unacceptable. He said nothing could be done. An hour and ten minutes after the call began, he ended the call, unable to resolve my problem. At this point, the subletter and I have spent a combined total of more than 10 hours trying to change the DSL service out of her name and into my name. This is an issue that should be resolved in ONE SIMPLE PHONE CALL. It should not require multiple calls, to representatives who don't do what they say they will do. Numerous representatives assured me that my DSL order was in process and would soon be operational, but after two months, we are still unable to use DSL. 

CUSTOMER SERVICE LIED TO ME!

by

Debbie in Texas

August 19, 2008

I just signed up over the phone for dsl on Friday. My friends have it for about $24 a month. Justin, the At&t rep, said it would be $35/mo. I questioned him on it because it was higher than expected. He said that was the price. I asked about discounts. He said I would be getting a $200 rebate. I said I wanted a phone...he said it would be $7 per month and would be good for the entire metroplex. He then asked for a credit card number to secure the modem. I protested saying I used to have AT&T before and that I usually don't even have to pay a deposit because my credit is good. So I signed up, the phone was turned on and I was to receive the modem in a few days.

Then I got a call from the AT&T credit department...they had the wrong account number on my account. I was transferred back to the sales department. Turned out Justin lied and lied again to me about my options. There are 3 tiers of internet service based on the speed. (Actually on line there is an even cheaper version making 4 tiers) The amount ranged from $25/$30/$35 which I was only given the choice of the premium $$$ service. The rebate is incorrect, $150 max. Also I'm being charged for the modem and shipping, something that Justin didn't bother to inform me of. Also the basic phone line only can have 25 outgoing calls. Something Justin forgot to mention. And he didn't mention I was being signed up for automatic monthly bill pay. I do not want monthly bill pay. I would have backed out of the "deal" if I had known that. Now I have to wait for the dsl to be turned on (according to the new rep) and then cancel it and change it over to a regular account. This new account will be based on my actual credit score which Justin didn't bother to run. My instinct was not to go thru with the "deal" when he asked for a credit card, but he assured me "that is the way we are doing it now". Evidently, NOT.

Trust your instincts. Hang up and call again and see if the next new rep says anything different. Do it 2 or 3 times. Perhaps you can eventually get the real truth about their range of services.

Because of the lies I was told, my instincts tell me not to do business with AT&T, however, as far as getting telephone or higher speed internet, I'm stuck with them.

I have a message into the supervisor to file a complaint against Justin formally. He needs to be repremanded and reinstructed on how to sell the service. If he cannot improve, let him find other work

CUSTOMER SERVICE

from

Hiya in Michigan

Oct 22, 2008

***** STAY AWAY FROM AT&T DSL, The customer service is completely useless *****
I've just got of the phone with DSL customer service for the 8th time in 5 weeks (over 8 hours, with over 6 hours just on hold). After trying to get DSL installed, and finally (after 4 weeks) getting a DSL signal, I could not do the final log in (Error: ATM Link not found).

AT&T then installed, de-installed, re-installed, and de-installed my service. Then without notice cancelled the service. After I called this last time, they state DSL is not available (even though the DSL modem indicated I had a 4MB download speed, and a 640K upload speed).

The call in customer service for DSL is worthless. Average wait time to get to the first customer service rep if 5-10 minutes, then if you need to talk to Tech Support (normally always) the average wait time is 40-50 minutes. Even when you get through, they can't solve anything, and will just transfer you back to the main customer service line, or leave you on hold forever.

My recommendation is to STAY AWAY FROM AT&T DSL AT ALL COSTS (unless you like being on customer support forever!).

AT&T Telephone Company Bellsouth Once again AT&T Bellsouth has found a way to screw the consumer!!

Erin

Forsythe, Georgia. 

AT&T suspends iPhone sales to New Yorkers disguising their technical infrastructure shortcoming as fraudulent consumer activity

AT&T SUCKS

By

Michael Wolff

Newser.com

Huffingtonpost.com

12/29/2009

Let’s try to do this reasonably and with particularity: Every call I made yesterday on my iPhone dropped. A number of them were to my 84-year-old mother who has a hard time understanding why telephones no longer work.

I have a hard time understanding this, too.

Is it mere success, as AT&T seems to suggest? The iPhone is just too popular, straining its network. The fault, in other words, lies with consumer demand and great design, and not with AT&T and its resources and infrastructure.

But how come for the last two years I go dead in the East Thirties, on 57th Street and Sixth, on 72nd and Madison, on Bleecker and Lafayette, on the Williamsburg Bridge, and about a hundred other specific locations I’m too irate to remember now?

Overload would be random (of course, iPhone calls drop randomly, too), but a plainly crummy system is one that can’t cover some of the most well-trafficked thoroughfares and intersections in the world.

Even though this dysfunction has been going on since the dawn of the iPhone, AT&T now seems to be claiming there’s especially high data volume in New York—hence, brilliantly, no more iPhones for New Yorkers. Or, that’s not the reason, some other PR star at AT&T seems to have decided; rather the reason the geniuses at AT&T won’t sell you an iPhone if you’ve got a New York City area code is because of something to do with “increased fraudulent activity.” Whoops, forget all that: Sales of iPhones in New York are back on.

Sometimes, in a cab, especially after I get through the long dead stretch in the East Thirties, I’ll call and berate them. The folks at AT&T may not know how to build a cellular network, but they do know how to train their operators to remain unruffled (it is, perhaps, a legacy phone company skill, training operators). Try as I might, I can’t get an AT&T operator to admit they have had thousands of such calls like mine. Rather, what they want me to believe, believe in a way in which my own sanity seems at issue, is that I am the only one who has ever suffered so.

And, after all, why blame AT&T at all? What’s Apple doing? Why did Apple do this deal with these stumblebums in the first place? And, surely, such flagrantly vile service is enough to call it quits on any deal. So what gives over there at Apple? Why aren’t they suing AT&T and making the iPhone an open network device? Steve Jobs is famously unsympathetic to human weakness and heartache, but AT&T is beyond normal sadism. I suppose, the great iPhone accomplishment, the test of its virtuosity, is that so many people believe they need to have one even if that means dealing with AT&T.

But enough. Come on. Please, God.
-------
Replies to Michael`s article

 Ben T.

wrote

Dec 29, 09 12:02 PM CST

Jon H.

wrote

Dec 29, 09 12:28 PM CST

I dumped 'em long ago, even before the Iphone. I could sit in my home and watch my signal go from 5 bars to zero bars and back and forth. Random dropped calls every day. And they were always just amazed when I complained

Anonymous in San Francisco

wrote

Dec 29, 09 5:14 PM CST

When asked about the iPhone dilemma

AT&T Customer Service Reps, Spokespersons, & Support staff Aren`t On The Same Page

Dec 30, 2009 

Last night The Consumerist & CNET reported that AT&T had stopped selling the iPhone in the greater New York area. News immediately spread though the internet and the story was almost quickly picked up by the main stream media (e.g. New York Times, CNN). With no direct channel for finding out information about AT&T, the media ended up quoting numerous conflicting sources.

Here are some of the justifications that were reported:

"Sales were suspended due to “increased fraudulent activity in that area when ordering the iPhone” –AT&T Support Representative

 

“We periodically modify our promotions and distribution channels.” –AT&T Spokesman

 

“New York is not ready for the iPhone. You don’t have enough towers to handle the phone.” –AT&T Support Representative