Tutor
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5 Messages
BEWARE Overcharges for International Plans $$$
This is a fact not a question but I can not find any other way to notify someone at AT&T who "cares". If you buy a 30 day International Passport 1GB | $60.00 one-time charge and if you have previously bought a International Day Pass, you will be charged $10 per day on the International Day Pass even though you buy a 30 day International Passport. For example, I purchased $60 for the 30 day International Passport from Jan 2 to Jan 31, if I used my cell phone internationally for 16 days between Jan 2 and Jan 31, I will be charged $160 even though the International Passport plan is in effect. So my bill for international calling on this trip would be a total of $220 (in addition to my domestic plan charges). I spoke/chatted with FOUR customer services agents (Rowe, Zyra B, Ricky G, and Alex T). Alex T ended up removing the Day pass charges because of my "inconvenience". They all said it was my problem since I did not disable the International Day Pass! How is a customer to know this? I have used both the International Day Pass (since I live very close to Canada and go there for a day or two at a time) and also the International Passport for international travel. I have NEVER had this issue on prior international trips. However, I had always used customer service to buy the 30 day International Passport and the rep must have also disabled the International Day Pass (if it was enabled). The last time I used the 30 day International Passport was in Aug 2018. In Sept 2018, I spent a few days in Canada so I replied BUY to the International Day Pass via my cell phone. I did not realize that this meant that the International Day Pass was enabled until I called in to disable it! Even if I had known this, I would have expected the 30 day International Passport to override the International Day Pass! The last time I purchased the International Passport the customer service rep said that I could do this online. I much prefer online to avoid the frustrating & time consuming automated phone tree to get to a customer service rep. So at the end of Dec, I logged into my online account and purchased the 30 International Passport but did not disable the International Day Plan. Apparently MY BAD ... can't find any other way to tell a person at AT&T who "cares". Hope this helps people avoid this issue and save their hard earned $$.
Accepted Solution
Official Solution
cschettle
Tutor
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5 Messages
4 years ago
The big picture has not changed. For AT&T customers with International Day Pass enabled, it is very easy to get "unintended charges". One of these "unintended charges" is that the International Day Pass takes precedence over the Passport Plan. The full details of "unintended charges" can be found under Support at https://www.att.com/esupport/article.html#!/wireless/KM1175103 The full plan details can also be found these international plan links https://www.att.com/offers/international-plans/passport.html or https://www.att.com/offers/international-plans/day-pass.html by selecting the tiny link "See Details" which will put up a modal/dialog window with that does explicitly state that the International Day pass takes precedence over the Passport Plan. This documentation is only a tiny improvement because the user cannot get this information once they select the "Get Started" button. IMHO, AT&T is purposely making these plan details hard to find. The solution is easy: AT&T should provide the link "See Details" and the link for avoiding "unintended charges" on EVERY page where the user selects and/or purchases international plans/options. Best Practice (for 98 out of 100 users): if you buy the 30-day Passport Plan, disable the International Day Pass. Since I live close to Canada, to avoid "unintended charges", I ALWAYS keep the International Passport Plan disabled except when I intentionally want to use it... that way I won't accidentally get charged for day use if I go up to Canada for the day (if the plan was enabled, I would be charged if my phone is on and I don't have roaming disabled when I cross into Canada).
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Vitalyk
Contributor
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3 Messages
4 years ago
AT&T acting as an absolute fraudster towards its customers with its International plans.
Overcharging at each possible point.
Compare to other international cell phone companies AT&T prices are just laughable.
it’s just so amateur for the company of this caliber to conduct its business in such way.
We are using this company for 20 years and just now we tried its International options.
Stay away from AT&T “awesome” offers.
AT&T is definitely not the way to go.
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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110.9K Messages
4 years ago
@Vitalyk It would help if customers paid a bit of attention to how these plans work.
https://www.att.com/ecms/dam/att/consumer/upperfunnel/2018/pdf/Travel-Tips-IDP.pdf
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Vitalyk
Contributor
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3 Messages
4 years ago
The problem is that there is NO acceptable INTERNATIONAL plans offers from AT$T.
Who would charge $50 per 1GB this days???
No wonder att keeps changing those plans non stop. Just too many unhappy clients.
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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110.9K Messages
4 years ago
Hmmmmm. Verizon. Wait, they charge $70 for half a gig. Or $130 for 2 gigs.
Personally I travel without any plan whatsoever. Are use Spare Phone that is unlocked, our use Wi-Fi calling and texting from my condo. I leave data roaming off, and I don’t answer phone calls. When I’m on vacation, I’m ON VACATION. The most I’ve ever paid was just under $27 which was mostly for text messages. (Pay per use)
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MicCheck
ACE - Expert
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13.4K Messages
4 years ago
Am I missing something? I see the 2GB plan for $70 ($35 per GB) or the 6GB plan for $140 (~$24 per GB) with both charging a $30 overage per GB.
https://www.att.com/offers/international-plans/passport.html
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Vitalyk
Contributor
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3 Messages
4 years ago
Yes you are missing a big picture.
3 weeks ago it was $50 per 1GB.
like I mentioned earlier AT&T keep changing its “sweet” international offers non stop.
The new offers just as BAD as the old ones. The entire world is moving forward in more robust and thoughtful way but AT&T just crashing it’s customers with its unreasonable prices.
Who would travel internationally and do business overseas with such high prices for basic communication needs? In Europe you can get cell phone and internet service
10 times cheaper than AT&T best offers.
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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110.9K Messages
4 years ago
@MicCheck I swear, I looked at the international page yesterday, and those plans were not there.
Still, At&t has the better price for what it offers compared to Verizon, no matter if you read it 3 weeks ago or today.
@Vitalyk Doesn’t matter. What does matter is there is information on how the plans work. It’s up to us, as it’s our account and money, to make sure we manage it correctly.
It is not unusual for travelers to pick passport, but add day pass for a day or two if they need to use their phone a lot. In fact we have an agreement if one of us is traveling to text home in an emergency to add day pass.
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MicCheck
ACE - Expert
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13.4K Messages
4 years ago
How much do you think it should cost you to use a foreign provider, who must pass the information to an overseas carrier, who must then process the information and pass the charge along to the customer?
The Mobile Share Value 3GB plan is $50/month, so the pricing for the passport plans isn't THAT much higher, all things considered.
Lots of people travel and do business internationally. If you think they all find AT&T's prices too high, you should switch to whatever provider you think all of those people use.
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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110.9K Messages
4 years ago
@MicCheck I actually wish AT&T and Verizon we’re both offering a more budget friendly travel option like they used to. The first time I traveled to the Caribbean was also my first year with AT&T and passport was still $30. It didn’t offer very much, but all I needed was free text and a minimal amount of data. If they would cut that $70 in half and offer half or less service for that $70 I would be more than happy to use passport, and I’m sure other would too.
I think they passes a reasonable thing for business customers who require the use of their phone abroad because they’re using it for business. But I don’t think most vacationers need full use of their domestic plan. Not a $10 + tax per day.
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