I travel abroad often and the GSM technology most convenient for my purpose is not offered through Sprint, therefore I switched companies to the "New AT&T" that's when my cell phone nightmare began.
I shopped around on the internet and found the phone that best suited my and my family needs.instead of accepting the discounted offers offered over the internet, I called the AT&T customer sales department. The sales representative was very friendly and seemed at the time very knowledgeable of the products and services I was requesting. We talked a little more than 2.5 hours. We discussed the plans and options that were better suited for me; one of which was a data plan. He explained that because I was purchasing 2 PDA phones (one for me and one for my wife) that a data plan was a requirement. The data plans were 29.95 per phone per month which I accepted as it was a requirement, but had he not told me, Id have purchased one just the same because that was the purpose of the phone. Ill take this opportunity to say that I also purchased my daughter a phone (rzar). She knows not to go on the internet, but I know how she likes to text message, therefore I purchased the unlimited text message plan for her (same as I had with Sprint), Better yet I purchased the unlimited family text message plan which I later found out is not necessary if you purchase the unlimited data plan which I did for the PDAs. I also purchased the 1400 minutes not that we ever use that many, but as a precautionary measure. I purchased the nights and weekend package to start at 7:00 pm for an extra fee, I think around $10.00. Theres no way to make this long story short; dreams are short; nightmares last forever.
Upon receiving my phone I called the number in order to activate the phone as instructed by the sales person and as included in the instructions received and started using my phone.
About two weeks into the service my wife decided that the phone was too bulky and complicated for her and thought that shed return it before the 30 day trail period expired. We called customer service and they told us that we could take it in to a corporate store and they gave us three convenient locations. About a week later we took the phone in and they gladly exchanged it. During the exchange the sales person asked if we wanted any options on our phones re, data plan, nights& weekends, text messaging, etc. I told them that wed just keep the options we had and at a later date we would change it if we needed additional or less services. He then told me that we had NOTHING on our plan just the 1400 minutes. I asked him about the current charges but he told me that there was nothing he could do but he could add options at that time and we could call customer service once the bill arrived to make the necessary adjustments. Had I known at that time what customer services response and reaction was going to be Id have returned all the phones right then and there as the 30 day trial had not expired.
A week later I received a bill a whopping $957.00. OK no problem; because I know theres a mistake so I called customer service as instructed and I seem to have gone through the same routine that all the other complaints have voiced. I was bounced around from one customer service rep (CSR) to another. Two CSRs had no idea that a data plan was a requirement when purchasing a PDA and told me that it must have been a promotion or some sort. I requested to speak to a supervisor but during my 2.5 hour hold/conversation time I had my wife get the local AT&T store on the land line. They told me they too require a 3 month activation of a data plan upon the purchase of a PDA. Only now does the supervisor conveniently remember the policy. OK, but now she insults me by saying that she can give me a $200.00 credit Like Id rather pay a $700.00 phone bill.
Secondly, I dont want her to give me anything. What I want is to be accurately charged from day 1 with the services and options that I requested. Its only obvious that if the first phone salesman failed to apply the required data plan then he more than likely forgot to add the rest of the options that were requested upon purchase. After a long drawn out discussion the supervisor has one other option and that is to file a case. But in order to do that she would have to remove the credit she so graciously gave me. So Im on hold for another hour from this point as she sums up her account of whats happened to me ummm. She returns to the phone gives me the case number and notifies me that someone would be calling me within some specified time period, but at this time Im really not hearing what she has to say.
The very next day (while Im at work) I receive a call from someone that wants to give me a $416.00 dollar credit. Again, I had to explain to him thats not what Im looking for. I want to be charged according to what Ive used and in accordance to the options Ive purchased. He then got very argumentative and if I werent at work Id probably have argued back, but instead I told him I was not going to pay as a result of AT&Ts incompetent and under trained staff. He further stated what proof I had that I ordered any options. Well let me see; is it a requirement that the data plan be applied to the account upon the purchase of a PDA? Was it there? Now what proof do you have that I didnt?
I further want to say that AT&T if this is one of your ploys to detain customers; its not working. Why be so greedy up front. I was hoping wed have long-lasting relationship. And dont you know I was even thinking about dropping Time Warner (stupid me). For one, I dont have the means to pay this amount and wouldnt pay it if I did.
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