AT&T does not want to support conventional landlines and lies to their customers

I have invested over 7 hours with AT&T, in getting an 88 year old a conventional landline before Christmas!!

It all started when we were forced to put our 88 year old into assisted living.  I thought it would be easy to transfer her current service (Local landline) to her new home.  

On the first call, the AT&T rep said that wasn't a problem, but we would not be able to keep her current number.  It bothered me since she had had this number for years and years, but business is business.  I was informed the service would be available the next day.

The next call (next day) was from a field tech that informed me that he was on his way over to install a new line.  I explained to him that the building already had AT&T service (which I explained to the AT&T rep, the day before), into all the rooms.  He said thanks for the info, he would go there anyway to make sure everything was good.   He called me on the landline phone that I had installed in the room...everything was good...until the next day!

The evening we got the service, I sent an email to family members with the new phone number.  

The next calls were from everyone informing me that when they called the number, it was disconnected.

My next call to AT&T was to inform them that the landline was not working...I was informed by an AT&T rep that couldn't be possible, because AT&T doesn't offer conventional landlines and she would be happy to sign me up for internet and digital phone service.  I explained to her that this was an 88 year old that has nothing to do with computers and did not want to pay for something she wouldn't use.  She then tried to sell me on a cell phone.  By this time after and after receiving no apology, I informed her that I wanted to immediately cut all ties with AT&T and instructed her to cancel the service immediately, which she said she did.

Lets go approximately 25 days later, we receive a full month bill and installation fees on a phone line that worked for one day and was cancelled immediately. To top it off, the account number was a totally different number that the one given and worked for one day.

I contacted AT&T and it took 4 department transfers, before someone was intelligent enough to understand my problem. (The first three tried to sell me on Internet and digital phone service. 

The 4th person was willing to listen to my story and eventually informed me that I could get traditional landline service and that she would ensure everything worked the way it should.  I explained to her that I didn't want things to get screwed up using my aunt's name, so I put everything in my name.  I explained that I wanted paperless billing and that I wanted to set up auto pay...she said no problem, she would send me an email with the appropriate links.

I received the email the next day and tried to create an account so that I could set up the paperless billing and auto pay.  I tried several times with no success and kept getting the following message (From AT&T's website): "It's not your problem, it's ours...please try back later"

I tried for 2 days and kept getting the same issue.

I finally called and was informed that I cannot have an online account with a conventional landline, but they would be happy to set up while on the phone.

And I now go back to my subject line...AT&T DOES NOT WANT TO SUPPORT CONVENTIONAL LANDLINES!!!

WHAT A FARCE!!!!!