Contributor
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3 Messages
Renewal of 1yr Contract without notification
Why is it that AT&T is unwilling to stand behind their product and instead resorts to underhanded tactics to trick small businesses into staying with their subpar service? Here's our story:
We have been unhappy with the quality of our phone service since we moved into our new office. We have static on 3 of our 6 lines. Our phone guy said it was most likely AT&T's issue and I should have them check the lines. AT&T said they would be happy to check the lines but if no problems were detected there would be a charge of $150 per line that was not found to have a problem. The possibility of being charged $450 to verify that we are getting the service we're paying almost $300 a month for is totally unreasonable. AT&T should stand behind the quality of there product.
I decided we would cancel our service because we aren't being given the given the service we're paying for. I was then told by the representative that we would be charged $15 per month for each of the 6 line remaining on our contract. I told them I never signed a contract. Apparenlty, they send out a letter with "bold print" stating that contracts are automatically renwed annually unless they are contacted . I've since been talking to folks at "the president's office" to try to resolve this issue to no avail.
Accepted Solution
MTPOwner
Tutor
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1 Message
9 years ago
I too am having a similar issue, we sold our commercial rental property which has used AT&T since at least 2002. It took me over an hour to find someone within AT&T who could help me transfer the line over to the new owners. The woman I finally talked to was extrememly nice and gave me her email to have the new owner send their new billing info to and everything got handled. That was three weeks ago, today I got a bill in the mail with an early termination fee on it of $165.00, because apparently two years ago a "contract" was entered into that automatically renews each year and which contains a early termination fee, however at the time of speaking to the representative two years ago, I was never informed of A) auto renewals or B) Early termination fees. AT&T has not lost any business, the new owner of the building retained the service. It just seems like a horrible money grab to charge a termination fee when the phone line is still being used! I guess I need to contact AT&T and find out when all of my other phone lines for my other properties "auto renew" so that I can cancel them and move to a different provider if this is how a customer of over 13 years is going to be treated. The best part is the phone line is for a fire alarm system and doesn't even get phone calls. I just looked and in the last 7 years we have paid AT&T over $3,600 just for this one phone line, and they can't waive $165 when they haven't lost any business?
Matt I would be curious to know who you switch to because I will need to find a new provider soon.
Kerry
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Alexis
Employee
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513 Messages
9 years ago
Hello Family Support Network,
This is certainly not the experience we want you to have. As we discussed yesterday, I reached out to our Escalation team to ensure that they will definitely be looking into this for you and will be sure to follow up with you so we can get everything back on track. Talk with you soon,
Alexis
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Family_Support_Network
Contributor
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3 Messages
9 years ago
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mjlarson84
Contributor
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3 Messages
9 years ago
Hi,
I too am having this issue. I just tried to cancel only the internet portion of my services and was informed that it was automatically renewed in April 2015 for one year. We received no notification. When I asked for a copy of the contract. They said that they could not send it. There is a hefty termination fee now for cancelling our internet. We have been doing business with AT&T for many years, I think since 1995, telephone, mobile and internet. I don't understand why they would treat a long time current customer like this.
Please help.
Matt
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Nancy_A
Employee
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121 Messages
9 years ago
Hi Matt,
Thank you for your recent posting. We appreciate your participation within the Business Community. In order for me to research the issue with your Uverse account, I will need to verify some information. Please send me a private message by clicking here: http://bizcommunity.att.com/t5/notes/privatenotespage/tab/compose/note-to-user-id/126057
And include the following details:
Thank you,
Nancy A
AT&T Social Media Manager
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mjlarson84
Contributor
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3 Messages
9 years ago
Thanks for the quick reply. I sent you the requested information. Please give me a call.
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mjlarson84
Contributor
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3 Messages
9 years ago
Dear Nancy,
Thank you for your help.
I was called by billing and also by the customer service at the president's department concerning this issue and given call back numbers for both. They said that there was no autorenewal policy in effect on my account and that we could cancel, which was in direct contradiction to what the previous customer service agent, Chris, had stated and also his supervisor reiterated with me on Aug 25th. The entire initial phone call to cancel took one hour and twenty minutes before I got on this forum after being denied the ability to cancel without a hefty early termination fee.
I also filed a complaint with BBB. See below. I wish it had not taken me filing a complaint on BBB to cancel the dsl portion of my service, but at least it was resolved without legal recourse, and within a day. Telecom companies like At&t need to stop using these bullying tactics with their customers. This was really the first terrible experience I've had with At&t.
COMPLAINT ACTIVITY REPORT
Consumer's Original Complaint :
Unauthorized automatic renewal of contract
I too am having this issue. I just tried to cancel only the internet portion of my services and was informed that it was automatically renewed in April 2015 for one year. We received no notification. When I asked for a copy of the contract. They said that they could not send it. There is a hefty termination fee now for cancelling our internet. We have been doing business with AT&T for many years, I think since 1995, telephone, mobile and internet. I don't understand why they would treat a long time current customer like this.
Account Number: XXXXXXXXXXX
Consumer's Desired Resolution:
To cancel our internet service without termination fee, and stop claiming that we under contract.
BBB Processing
08/25/2015 web BBB Case Received by BBB
08/25/2015 kh BBB Case Reviewed by BBB - AB
08/25/2015 Otto EMAIL Send Acknowledgement to Consumer
08/25/2015 Otto BBB Notify Business of Dispute - AB
08/26/2015 WEB BBB RECEIVE BUSINESS RESPONSE : AT&T spoke with the customer 8/26/15 and confirmed the DSL internet was established in April 2013 for a 12 month term that has since been fulfilled. The term did not auto renew and there is no early term fee associated with his DSL service. AT&T then placed an order to cancel the DSL service. Direct contact information was provided to the customer should he have additional concerns regarding the matter.
08/27/2015 kh EMAIL Forward Business response to Consumer
Moderator: Your post has been edited due to personal information. Please follow all guidelines when participating in the Business Community. The Community Guidelines can be found HERE.
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Muriel1
Former Employee
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288 Messages
9 years ago
Hi Kerry,
My apologies for the problem you are having with your account. I would like to have this issue reviewed.
Please send me a private message by clicking the link below and provide the following:
Full Name:
AT&T Account Number:
Name on Account:
Preferred Contact Number
Email:
What type of service (Uverse, DSL, Landline, Wireless):
Description of Issues:
http://bizcommunity.att.com/t5/notes/privatenotespage/tab/compose/note-to-user-id/103558
Thank you,
Muriel
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smmillerdds
Contributor
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1 Message
8 years ago
I am very disappointed to hear so many others are going through this same experience. We have been a customer of att certainly well over 15 years as our email address is @xxxx.
We got many mailings over this past year saying to renew our contract as it expired or we would go into some sort of full fee month to month situation. I attempted to call to discuss our plan with someone and could never get through so knowing that I would be looking to change I did nothing further as the letter instructed.
Fast forward to now. I am being told that out of no where I was auto-renewed into a one year contract despite what the letters say and I would have to pay contract termination fee of over $300. What? Where did this come from I had zero intention of renewing.
This seems very deceptive and I am feeling disrespected being such a long standing customer. I followed the communications and was placed into a contract without my consent.
Moderator: Your post has been edited due to personal information. Please follow all guidelines when participating in the Business Community. The Community Guidelines can be found HERE.
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Lyoung
Employee
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355 Messages
8 years ago
smmillerdds,
I am truly sorry for all the inconvience you have encountered with your account concern. I will be glad to take a look into this for you. Please send me a private message by Clicking Here http://bizcommunity.att.com/t5/notes/privatenotespage/tab/compose/note-to-user-id/103392 and include the following information so we may assist?
Please include the following information.
Full Name:
Preferred Contact #:
Preferred Time to be contacted (include time zone):
Thank you
Lisa
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