AT&T Installation Fee

I moved from one home to another and had my service transferred to the new home. When we spoke with the Sales person about transferring service I was informed there would be no charge since I was moving. It was even asked on the call if we could install the wireless router and Uverse receiver ourselves since it was equipment being brought over from our previous address and we got the short answer of no. July 10, tech comes out to "install" the equipment which I had already connected the router to the exiting ONT and Uverse receiver to the router and TV. When the tech left 10 minutes after being on-site, I asked if i needed to sign anything and he said there would be no charge so no need to sign anything. Now I've had 2 separate employees of AT&T in 2 different departments tell me I would not be charged and then the bill arrives; $199.00 installation fee.

I call Customer Service on 7/30 to inquire about this charge since I was assured by two separate employees of AT&T there would be no charge. I speak to customer service first and am told "Your right you shouldn't have been charged for this since it was a move" then he comes back and says because you have the lowest Uverse Plan, Uverse20, there is a installation fee. So, because I don't have the highest priced Uverse Plan this is AT&T's way of extorting money from me? Quite questionable business practice. I am told he can no longer help me he would need to transfer me to sales to get this issue resolved. The transfer never actually takes place because he spoke with Sales and they claimed they were unable to assist. Sales tells the guy I need to be transferred to the Retention Department.

I'm now working with the Retention Department to try to get this worked out. She basically explains to me that its an install charge for installing UverseTV which was installed by me. so now, she can no longer provide assistance because its another departments problem basically. Now I am transferred to Tech Support. 

I'm now working with tech support to resolve this issue. I ask what the charge is for because I've already got 2 different answers so why not see if I can get a third. Low an behold I am told this is for an installed the technician ran a wire in your house. Interesting.... 3 different departments 3 different answers. At this point I am trying to understand how a multi-billion dollar company doesn't have one platform that all departments work off of. I'm told this needs to be escalated (to whom I don't know) and then I get disconnected.

So, I have spent nearly 2 hours on the phone being transferred from department to department, I have got disconnected twice and had to call back in, and still in the same place I started. I try to call back but now its after 8pm so no one answers.

Call back in this morning 7/31 to speak with tech support and get this situation escalated. The support agent goes thru all the notes and reaches out to this Escalation Department, in the meantime, I am sitting on the phone for another hour and a half because she cant get a hold of anyone. She finally get a hold of someone and I get transferred.

Now I am on the line with this escalation department (unsure what the departments name actually is) who goes thru the notes for the 5th time and basically comes back and tells me the same thing the first, second, third, and fourth departments told me. Now she is reaching out to another department to talk to the tech and figure out what was installed which I am 100% sure will result in the same answer I've received previously, "it can not be waived." Now I am waiting for her to get back to me, it may be today or it may be Monday she doesn't know.

So now I have spent 4 hours on the phone with AT&T trying to get them to do the right thing and waive this charge. I am BEYOND frustrated that it has got this far. At some point AT&T has to hold their employees accountable for their actions. 

As I informed the last lady I spoke with I will be cancelling service and having Spectrum service my home if they will not waive this fee. Additionally because this was handled so poorly I will be cancelling my Wireless account with AT&T as well.