We signed up for AT & T's bundled services packages because it claimed to offer the convenience of one call and one bill for telephone, hi-speed internet, and satellite TV. It has been a nightmare. AT & T entered the wrong information on the work order for Dish Network so the installer brought the wrong equipment. Dish brought out the wrong equipment on their second and third trips, as well. AT & T was a no show on their first appointment and when the technician did show up we learned AT & T had fowled up both our telephone service and sent the wrong equipment for our internet service. To top it off they billed us for the wrong equipment and for 3 installation visits. All told, between my wife and I, we burned up 5 vacation days sitting at home waiting for a Dish Network or AT & T technician and spent countless hours on the phone being bounced back and forth between AT & T and Dish because neither was willing to take ownership of the issues. I responded to an e-mail from Dish offering a referral reward for recommending Dish to our friends and family. Surprisingly I actually got a response from a Miguel in their customer service department and via e-mail Miguel worked with me to get credits issued to our account and shipping labels sent to us so I could return the wrong Dish Network equipment. I thought the nightmare had finally ended. No such luck. I have an e-mail from Miguel dated 10/1/08 stating $449 had been credited back to our account. I have a check posted to our account by AT & T for the remaining balance on 10/3/08. On 10/10/08 (Friday) we received a past due notice from AT & T, dated 10/7/08, stating that if we did not pay the outstanding balance by 10/13/08 our service would be interrupted. On Monday morning, 10/13/08. I called AT & T and spoke with a Ms. Cotter. After finding the correct account she confirmed AT & T had received our check and confirmed credits to our account totaling $449 — actually leaving a CREDIT due us of $19. Let me say this again — by AT & T's own records they owed us $19. Ms. Cotter also confirmed our check and all the credits were posted to our account prior to 10/7/08, the date of the past due notice. She could not explain why the letter had been sent. Tonight, Thursday, October 16, my wife and I settled in to watch our favorite TV show and 30 minutes into the program the service was abruptly replaced by a message stating our subscription does not allow access to certain programming and gave the phone number for Dish Network. Upon calling Dish I learned AT & T had issued an interrupt order on our service for non-payment and had locked out the account. Here's the icing on the cake — the only people authorized to re-establish our service are AT & T's accounts payable department and they are CLOSED. I have to call back during THEIR normal business hours.
0 comments