Teacher
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3 Messages
Signed a 1-year contract and then AT&T raised price
I was going to cancel my service in December last year, but when I called to cancel, AT&T offered U200 for a certain rate for 12 months in exchange for me signing a contract for one-year. So I agreed to keep AT&T U-Verse for 1 year and pay that set price.
Subsequent to our agreement, AT&T raised the bill by ~$4 in February (yes, the notification was in the December bill but that bill was generated after I entered into the one-year contract).
I had an online chat with customer care and I was told that it is AT&T's policy to apply the rate increase even to customers who are under a contract. I sent a private message this past weekend but I have yet to hear back.
It is absurd that AT&T thinks this is okay:
1) If I cancel the service before December this year, I have to pay a penalty.
2) Yet AT&T can raise the rate at any time without my consent.
3) If I don't like the rate increase, I can cancel the service but I still have to pay the penalty.
Is anyone else having this same issue (i.e., those who have to pay a penalty if they were to cancel within the contract period, similar to how cell phone contracts work)? Please share your experience here. Thanks.
don1jones
Tutor
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11 Messages
10 years ago
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cgus01
Contributor
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1 Message
10 years ago
When I created an account with AT&T U-verse for internet service I was given a 12 month price and a price that the contract would default to once the 12 month introductory period expired. One month after introductory pricing expired the default price took effect. Immediately thereafter the price went up by 5 dollars per month. This AT&T practice of inching up the price is a historical pattern used by AT&T. I have been an AT&T customer for longer than most of their customers have been alive. Why does AT&T forever mistreat their customers? I only wish there was an option
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JefferMC
ACE - Expert
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35.1K Messages
10 years ago
AT&T U-verse has a price increase every February, and they did phase some Internet-only increases at the end of the month. You can plan on that happening every year, but not every month (or at random times throughout the year which is what my experience with Charter had been).
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dydxlnx
Mentor
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75 Messages
10 years ago
I find it amusing how quickly the ATT employees on this website simply quote the fine print rather than acknowledge the deception of their agents. If you promise a customer something, you should live up to that promise. All this talk about promotions and fees is simply smoke and mirrors to hide that the real problem--sales reps promise a fixed price for a year, then the base price changes after a couple of months. Not the fees or taxes, but the base price.
Then they act like we should have known. Well, we do now.
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skeeterintexas
ACE - Expert
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27.7K Messages
10 years ago
Three things you need to look at: PLAN amounts, FEE amounts and TAX amounts.
If your PLAN rate increases then yes, you need to call CS and get a credit for the amount. You would know that by comparing the amount(s) on your last few bills.
If it's the FEES & TAXES that increase, those are exempt from any promised long term PLAN rate amounts.
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dydxlnx
Mentor
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75 Messages
10 years ago
Skeeter, it was my plan that increased within two months. I complained here, but no one responded. Do you think it was simply because I included it in my previous complaint? Should I have opened a new one?
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dydxlnx
Mentor
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75 Messages
10 years ago
See? It is your fault for not knowing that they one-year plan they sold you on was not really a one-year plan.
Jeffer does a wonderful job of explaining that it happens every year, but completely ignores the fact that you were sold a plan at a fixed rate. He assumes that we as customers should know that when a rep sells us a plan at a fixed price for a year, it is not really fixed. It is only fixed until they decide to raise it--regardless of their promises.
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JefferMC
ACE - Expert
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35.1K Messages
10 years ago
He said that one month after his introductory plan expired, the price went up again. So... what does this have to do with your assertions?
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don1jones
Tutor
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11 Messages
10 years ago
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don1jones
Tutor
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11 Messages
10 years ago
Flood Better Business Bureau with complaints. I just want a bumper sticker that says QUIT USING AT&T.
[Edited to comply with Guidelines]
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