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Teacher

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4 Messages

Monday, June 4th, 2018 7:42 PM

What they don't tell you about buy one get one

I have had an account with AT&T for over 10 years, and have switched my sat. TV etc... Always loyal always paid on time! I have a family share plan that had 7 lines.  My daughter got married and we added her husband to our account making it 9 lines.  When doing so we were also having to buy him a new phone.  We were offered the buy one get one IPHONE deal.  It was explained that this would be in the form of a bill credit, on the second phone and that it would not be paid off until the other phone is paid off, and that if we defaulted on the other phone we would be charged for the second phone.  This was fine.  Until my son in law who is in the military went into the At&T store in San Diego to find out about upgrading his phone.  He was told if he moved his and my daughters lines to their own plan with the military discount it would be cheaper, at which time they contacted me and I spoke with the representative who assured me this would have no effect on my lines or my bill except removing the portion for those two lines.  The only stipulation was that his phone that was on the payment plan had to be paid off, easy enough.  Of course we were willing to do this if it was going to save them money and had no other consequences, so we paid off the phone and transferred the lines.  I was told it make take a cycle to catch up, OK... Next cycle I am still being billed for the 2nd phone though not receiving bill credit.  I called I was told not to pay that amount and it was being fixed and would be reflected on new bill.  Next bill, late notice for not paying that amount, still being billed and no credit. When I called I spent over an hour trying to explain the situation and not able to understand person I was speaking to and they were unable to explain why.  At which time I went to At&T store, they said they only handle new orders not billing information.  Back home back on the phone 2 people 3 1/2 hours later this is the explanation:

 

Buy one get one was applied to the two phones both are billed and one receives a credit back each month until other phone is paid off, though if you default you do not receive credit anymore. When you switched lines and paid off the one phone you paid off the phone that was free and was receiving the credit, so you paid off the free phone not the one that was being paid for.  The phone paid off was my son in laws, which was the original phone I bought, the buy one get one was suggested and I took advantage of it for another family member. It was my son in laws phone I paid off? Yes but, when it was set up his phone # was set up as the free one.  So your saying if they had applied the payment to the other phone number it would have paid it off and then the phone would have been free? Yes. Well then why was it not done this way, or told to us? Will you reverse it? No, there is nothing we can do now.  So basically we just paid $385 that was not applied to the phone I owed $385 to it was applied to the free phone and I still owe $385 on the phone? Yes and there is nothing we can do I apologize.  Can it be refunded, bill credit etc? No

 

This conversation went on as I was so upset to be loyal customer, and because of someones hurry to sell a new phone the customer service portion of this company, went out the window... This is the thanks you get for being loyal...

 

So long At&T, now that you have wasted 4 hours of my day, I can tell you what I will be doing this week, shopping for a new cellular provider.  

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

5 years ago

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ACE - Expert

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14.1K Messages

5 years ago


@Honesty-n-cash wrote:

I would have to agree that the consumer is responsible for understanding the details and following through with the agreement they have signed. However, can’t we all agree that this is a shady deal full of caveats the average person would not take the time to read and fully understand? I mean let’s be honest here, ATT is in this to make money, and the devil’s in the details. ATT is no more or less wiley than others, but it scheme no less. 


This is the "fine print" for the BOGO offer currently advertised on the AT&T website. It's hardly onerous to expect someone would read this before making a purchase of equipment worth $1500+

 

IBOGO Offer: Limited time. Available in select areas and locations. Requires buying two eligible smartphones on 0% APR AT&T Next (30 mos. Up to $48.34) or AT&T Next Every Year (24 mos. Up to $60.42/mo.) from the same manufacturer with one new wireless line.  Max discount varies by device combination and will not exceed the cost of the lower price device or the max credit for that manufacturer’s BOGO. Tax on full retail price of both due at sale.   iPhone BOGO: Max Credit $750.  iPhone 8, 8 Plus; XR, X, Xs, or Xs Max (priced up to $1449.99). After up to $750 in credits, get iPhone 8, 8 Plus 64GB or XR 64GB for free. Get iPhone 8 Plus 256GB, XR 128GB/512GB, X, Xs, or Xs Max for up to $750 off. Samsung BOGO: Max Credit $1000. Samsung Galaxy S10e, S10, S10+, Note9 (priced up to $1250.00). After up to $1000 in credits, get Galaxy S10e, S10 128GB, S10+ 128GB, Note9 128GB for free. Get Galaxy S10 512GB, S10+ 512GB, S10+ 1TB, Note9 512GB, for up to $1000 off. LG BOGO: Max Credit $950. LG V40 ThinQ (priced up to $950) free after $950 in credits.  Req’d Wireless: Postpaid wireless voice & data on both devices (min. $80/mo. combined if new with autopay and paperless bill discount. Pay $100/mo. until discount starts w/in 2 bills. Existing customers can add to current plans). If you cancel wireless on one, will owe that device balance of up to $1,450. Activation/Upgrade Fee: $30/each. Return: Return w/in 14 days. Restocking fee up to $45 each may apply. Add’l BOGO terms for customers w/consumer acct & Subscriber Paid User acct: Buy one device must be on Subscriber Paid User acct & free/discounted device must be on the consumer acct.  Billing addresses for Subscriber Paid User & consumer accts must match.  Req’s elig. postpaid wireless voice & data svc on both devices. Combined min. elig wireless svc is $28.50/mo. on Subscriber Paid User acct + $45/mo. on consumer acct after autopay & paperless bill discount. Pay $83.50/mo. until consumer acct discount starts w/in 2 bills.  Bill Credits: Credits start w/in 3 bills. Will receive catch-up credits once credits start. Applied monthly in equal amounts over entire agmt term & will not exceed the lower of the device cost or $750 for iPhone devices, $1000 for Samsung devices, or $950 for LG devices. Both wireless lines must be on same acct, be on an installment agreement, active & in good standing for 30 days to qualify. Installment agmts start when device is shipped. To get all credits, free/discounted device must remain on agmt for entire term and you must keep eligible service on both devices for entire installment term of free/discounted device.  If you cancel service on either line, credits will stop. If you upgrade or pay up/off agmt on free/discounted device early your credits may cease.  Limits: May not be combinable w/other offers, discounts or credits. Purchase, financing, other limits & restr’s apply. This offer may make your account ineligible for select other offers (including bill credit offers) for 12 months.  See store or att.com/Smartphoneoffer for offer details.

Tutor

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5 Messages

5 years ago

No actually it comes with more than a dozen. Enough for your whole kitchen. 

 

Tutor

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7 Messages

5 years ago

They main point in all this is that AT&T doesnt care about customer
service. They only care about how they can make money fast. Draw the
consumer in with only partial information. Tell them what they want to hear
and not do the research of what is actually happening. Then blame the
consumer for not "reading the fine print". Its just bad business. I can say
that after my contract is up I will no longer be with AT&T. A major company
with such little regard to customer service doesn't deserve a penny more. I
have made sure to let my friends know to stay clear and until AT&T starts
recording there conversations and holding there employees accountable for
their actions and statements I will never reccomend AT&T to anyone.

ACE - Expert

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14.1K Messages

5 years ago


@wwalker87 wrote:
They main point in all this is that AT&T doesnt care about customer
service. They only care about how they can make money fast. Draw the
consumer in with only partial information. Tell them what they want to hear
and not do the research of what is actually happening. Then blame the
consumer for not "reading the fine print". Its just bad business. I can say
that after my contract is up I will no longer be with AT&T. A major company
with such little regard to customer service doesn't deserve a penny more. I
have made sure to let my friends know to stay clear and until AT&T starts
recording there conversations and holding there employees accountable for
their actions and statements I will never reccomend AT&T to anyone.

What makes you think they don't? AT&T's HR practices aren't public knowledge. 

Tutor

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7 Messages

5 years ago

AT&T's HR practices are public knowledge. Not the official transcripts or
written rules and regulations. AT&T's HR practices are public knowledge
based off of public experiences. From my experience and the one were
posting on. Along with multiple other complaints of customers being told
one thing and then being forced to another. I know they dont recording
there conversations or making sure to note the experience you had with your
customer. I know this because I spent several days with deferent
departments and management. Not once were they able to find the people I
originally spoke with. Nor any of the multiple conversations I had with
employees, supervisors or managers. Had they simply noted or recorded the
original conversations, or any for that matter, the issue would have been
resolved in half the time and effort. If it wasnt for my persistence it
would have never been resolved and AT&T would have just gotten another 400$
from some one an employee lied to. Or like this unfortunate customer
another 600 something dollars. The longer they behave with this kind of
attitude I feel they will again fall to the back of the cellular industry
like they were several years ago.

ACE - Expert

 • 

14.1K Messages

5 years ago


@wwalker87 wrote:
AT&T's HR practices are public knowledge. Not the official transcripts or
written rules and regulations. AT&T's HR practices are public knowledge
based off of public experiences. From my experience and the one were
posting on. Along with multiple other complaints of customers being told
one thing and then being forced to another. I know they dont recording
there conversations or making sure to note the experience you had with your
customer. I know this because I spent several days with deferent
departments and management. Not once were they able to find the people I
originally spoke with. Nor any of the multiple conversations I had with
employees, supervisors or managers. Had they simply noted or recorded the
original conversations, or any for that matter, the issue would have been
resolved in half the time and effort. If it wasnt for my persistence it
would have never been resolved and AT&T would have just gotten another 400$
from some one an employee lied to. Or like this unfortunate customer
another 600 something dollars. The longer they behave with this kind of
attitude I feel they will again fall to the back of the cellular industry
like they were several years ago.

If the conversation was through the customer service number, the call was recorded, unless there was some sort of technical glitch. As reps are human, they alone can determine what notes are on an account. None of that matters, though, because the people you speak with when you call customer service don't determine promotions. AT&T will only honor valid promotions, which is why it's a lot of effort to get escalated to someone who can override that policy. 

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

5 years ago

Come on.  I get coupons all the time.  The CVS ones that are conditional “buy this get $1 off” or stop and shop “buy this and this and get that free” or “buy 2 get 3rd free”.  To get the deal we read the coupon for its conditions and limits.

So why do people read for a 70¢ canned good and not for a $700+ phone?   If it’s worth that much to you, read the deal, save the deal.  

Then if AT&T screws up (and they do) you have recourse to nail them to the wall.

 

Tutor

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5 Messages

5 years ago

Haha! Yes if AT&T ran the grocery store, it would work like this:

 

If you open your green beans before 30 days but later than 45 days, your store discount will be voided and the free green beans will be charged to your credit card. All beans must be eaten within 48 hours of opening, and within the limitations of the above mentioned time restrictions. Free green beans eaten at any other time will be considered as paid green beans and will be charged to your credit card. If for any reason you encounter a quality issue, and you return the green beans to the store, you will be returning the free green beans, the paid green beans are the opened ones you have already eaten, therefore no refund will be issued. Unless you eat both cans of green beans, at which time the free green beans will be charged to your credit card according to the user agreement. Not all green beans may qualify for this offer. Black beans are not green beans. Green is a color that may be subjectively determined by AT&T customer services, and certain restrictions may apply. Please be patient as it may take up to 45 days to apply your credit. If you eat the free green beans during this time, you will be disqualified from the AT&T grocery discount program. If you eat the paid green beans prior to your credit being applied, you will break the terms of this agreement. All green beans transactions are subject to the terms found at: www.green-beans-are-not-worth-the-effort-I-put-into-writing or reading-this.com

 

Site administrator: I know my punishment for this humor is to be abolished and I accept my IP banning with my head held high as I relinquish my free green beans willingly. My paid green beans however, have been eaten.

 

Sincerely,

A life long AT&T Customer with a better sense of humor than most!

(AKA, Bob)

 

ACE - Expert

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14.1K Messages

5 years ago


@Honesty-n-cash wrote:

Haha! Yes if AT&T ran the grocery store, it would work like this:

 

If you open your green beans before 30 days but later than 45 days, your store discount will be voided and the free green beans will be charged to your credit card. All beans must be eaten within 48 hours of opening, and within the limitations of the above mentioned time restrictions. Free green beans eaten at any other time will be considered as paid green beans and will be charged to your credit card. If for any reason you encounter a quality issue, and you return the green beans to the store, you will be returning the free green beans, the paid green beans are the opened ones you have already eaten, therefore no refund will be issued. Unless you eat both cans of green beans, at which time the free green beans will be charged to your credit card according to the user agreement. Not all green beans may qualify for this offer. Black beans are not green beans. Green is a color that may be subjectively determined by AT&T customer services, and certain restrictions may apply. Please be patient as it may take up to 45 days to apply your credit. If you eat the free green beans during this time, you will be disqualified from the AT&T grocery discount program. If you eat the paid green beans prior to your credit being applied, you will break the terms of this agreement. All green beans transactions are subject to the terms found at: www.green-beans-are-not-worth-the-effort-I-put-into-writing or reading-this.com

 

Site administrator: I know my punishment for this humor is to be abolished and I accept my IP banning with my head held high as I relinquish my free green beans willingly. My paid green beans however, have been eaten.

 

Sincerely,

A life long AT&T Customer with a better sense of humor than most!

(AKA, Bob)

 


I know you meant that only as a joke, but in all seriousness, it took about 90 seconds to read that. While the rules were silly and non-sensical, they were in plain English and easy to understand, just like AT&T terms. I don't think the time and effort you put into writing that proved the point you were hoping!

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