AT&T canceled my phone service, after unpaid bill

Hey Amcfarland6,

If it's only happeneded a few times, you might not have a good idea. AT&T has a system that's largely meant for customers to take advantage of.

Depending on history and credit, many accounts won't get charged a late fee for 3-4 days after the due date and not get cut off for 1-2 weeks.

If you have at least some history, then, AT&T will often work with you to set up an extension. Even the automated payment system, MyAT&T, att.com website, you can request to arrange a late payment. You can tweak it often times, if things change.

Once your service gets interupted, it requires a payment of just the past due amount, and any restoral fee gets applied to the next bill, instead of immediately.

There's a little bit more flexibility before, vs after certainly, but, there's a whole system available to help you avoid it in the first place.

-Alex

Why is it that I'm reading a lot of negative things here and it's seems to be true.  I'm in the unites state army and I use my phone everyday. I gotten my first bill and it 2 as pretty high.  I went to the store where I bought the phones and they told me to get in contact with the customer service  and I did.  I was trying to make a payment plan and the told me that there was nothing I could do.  Even with trying to give my last 150 dollars to try to get them on I couldnt.  I understand later that if state side customers call after 5:00 you get some one from over sea's.   How is that fair?  I was told here in the states that I could do a payment plan. This is how people credit get destroyed because 9 non payment when people are trying to pay.  5 his also made me miss my rebate of 200 dollars and I have to deal with the fact of jo phone.  So please could someone tell me what to do before I just say for get it and go back to straight talk?  SSG

AT&T tries to send you an email notice with an estimate on what that first bill will be, so you have time to prepare for what usually is high.

AT&T's made changes to the payment arrangment system. You often have a week or more after the due date without needing any special arrangment.

If it's possible, the website is one of the main ways to get an extension.

This walks you through the step by step: www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB404857

Making partial payments early makes very little difference, since the system is based on how many days late you are.

-Alex

I feel your pain. I've complainted about this today because it been going this year I'm tried of it just like you are

I'm sorry but that is a load of crap. you can make payment arrangements with them and they will still make you miserable and not help. All because of the companies stupid policies. How in the world doesn't a phone company have a set grace period. As much as I can't stand my electric company they have grace set period and let you know straight up what will happen. I was told today that ATT anytime pass your due date they will cut you off and do not have abilities to reverse the suspension.

I have to agree, I am currently in the same situation and no one wants to help me. I actually attempted to keep my arrangement. All I tried to do was make two separate payments using the mobile app and when the first payment didn't update I thought there was a problem. I can't afford to have double payments tying up funds in my account so I waited until the next day to ensure my account balance was updated (which was yesterday) to pay the remaining amount of the arrangement. So I did pay the entire amount of the arrangement and this morning my service was suspended and no one will help me.

+1 Totally aggree with AT&T's lack of caring if you try and set up a payment plan. The customer service rep's do not care if and when you are able to pay, they simply tell you "oh im sorry theres nothing I can do unless we receive payment today". So there is no payment plan only customer service reps that cant perform customer service. Its funny how most peope commenting on here have had accounts over 10 years.... hmmm "oh well that dosent matter either, Oh your government employee oh well nothing I can do about it". Looks like the only thing left to do is cancel AT&T and swith to a different carrier.