DavisS_ATX's profile

Tutor

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5 Messages

Monday, January 16th, 2017 11:02 PM

Closed

Paying $7 a month equipment fee for a modem/router (MotorolaNVG589) I purchased and installed myself

In March 2016 my 2WIRE modem supplied by AT&T became unusable and after verifying with an ATT Technician that the modem was the problem I opted to go buy a new modem at Best Buy rather than have them send one out. (Needed home connectivity restored quickly for work.) I bought the Motorola NVG589 installed it and it has worked like a charm. I expected to receive paperwork to return the 2WIRE modem but did not. The $7 equipment fee keeps showing up on my bill and I called today to try to correct the situation and after three 45-minute conversations with three different groups - customer service, tech support and billing - a billing representative informed me that there was no need to return the 2WIRE modem and that there was a $7 equipment fee just to use the new modem I had purchased whether I had purchased it or not. The explanation I was given was that the modem I had purchased would support download speeds of greater than 12 Mbps. I have a DSL plus account which is supposed to provides speeds of 18 Mbps. They rattled of a list of modems that I could purchase and get the $7 fee waived - all of them were modems that would not reliably support 18Mbps. Basically high speed modems like the Motorola N589 must be rented from AT&T. This makes absolutely no sense to me since they sell it with AT&T logo on the front in retail stores. Has anyone else run into this?  

S

Tutor

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4 Messages

6 years ago

To me this is an underhanded tactic by ATT to extract more money from the customer. ATT employee statement of 7a does not mean this is ethical means of dealing with customers.

 

Employee

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8 Messages

6 years ago

I'll definitely have to double check that on my next At&t store visit. Could you tell us what the model is of that router? 5031, 3801, etc.

Tutor

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4 Messages

6 years ago

Upon further research it appears than even if you purchase your own modem/router, ATT has changed their policy and will charge you 7.00$ a month regardless. Does not seem legal to me but that is what they are doing.

Tutor

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4 Messages

6 years ago

Wow!! To bad ATT has to use underhanded tactics to squeeze more money from its loyal customers. I am thinking they probably won’t be so loyal any more.

Tutor

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5 Messages

6 years ago

I am also  paying for broadband connection over $7 monthly. 

Tutor

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5 Messages

6 years ago

Looks like  you are rich enough. Carry on!

Contributor

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1 Message

6 years ago

seems like a few years ago the government (FCC I think) required the internet providers to allow (or make available) consumer owned equipment WITHOUT fees and not just ATT. I dont know if that is fact - just something that my old brain may recall or just an "I wish it was true"

[Per Guidelines:  Keep it Relevant and Appropriate].

Teacher

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19 Messages

5 years ago

Where can I return my NVG 589 modem to avoid paying $7/month.

Teacher

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19 Messages

5 years ago

Where can I return my NVG 589 modem to avoid paying $7/month.

 

TY

Expert

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15K Messages

5 years ago

@RaymondGuy 

Did you read the solutions for this thread?

 

But if you insist you can return your gateway by calling customer support (or specify "cancel" as you navigate down the phone tree) so they have a record that you want to cancel service because without the att gateway you have no service.  You will probably be given instructions but they will be essentially to take your att (and uverse if you have that) equipment to a UPS Store or FedEx for a free return (they will also want your account number).  You will have 21 days from the cancellation time to do the return or you be charged for the equipment.

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