Get the myAT&T app
MPUV555's profile

Teacher

 • 

6 Messages

Friday, February 7th, 2014 1:55 AM

Uverse breaking contract with added fees

So I sign up for Uverse hoping it will be better experience than Time Warner Cable.  I was wrong.  Its just as hard to get in touch with customer service and they add fees without telling me. 

 

When I signed up I was told I would have to pay for an extra receiver (an extra $7/month from what I was quoted), so I was annoyed but put up with it.  I was told my total bill would be $81/month before tax.  So my first bill was $117 which included an installation fee, then my 2nd bill was $100.  The excuse was something about charging me for extra days during the last billing period, which made zero sense.  I also noticed a $6 equipment fee (which was NOT quoted to me) and a $2 "broadcast surchage" added onto my QUOTED monthly total.  So I called and of course spent 45 mins on the phone, was hung up on TWICE even though I was perfectly reasonable with the reps, and finally the last individual agreed with me and said he would reduce my monthly bill to $81/month as originally quoted.  So this month I'm charged $93 total and the equipment and broadcast charge are still there. 

 

What would you do?  Cable companies are out of control.

ACE - Expert

 • 

27.6K Messages

9 years ago


@givemeabreak21 wrote:

Another question...why can't customers get the rates they are going to be charged AFTER the yearly promotional fee expires? My bill was consistent, to the penny, for the first year. The moment the promotion expired, don't you know my rates went higher every month for three months, including a supposed increase in those "below line" fees (read bullcrap fees)? Until I have called Customer Care this month to put a stop to it? (We shall see if it makes any difference.)

 

The answer I got when I signed up and asked what the fees would be once the promotion was over was that a quote couldnt be given because it would depend. Really? If a store has a promotional sale, they have a cost that the item usually is BEFORE the sale. Why can't we know what the approximate cost will be once the promotion is over?


"Below Line Fees" include any state, county or municipal taxes and fees that might be assessed by government entities.  Mine are different than yours. 

 

My bill includes the following fees and surcharges:

State Cost-Recovery Fee,

TX Local Video Facilities Fee,

TX Local Video Service Franchise Fee

Regulatory Video Cost Recovery Charge

Federal Universal Service Charge

TX Local 911 Fee
TX Municipal Right of Way Fee
TX State 911 Equalization Fee
TX City Sales Tax - Telecom
TX State Sales Tax - Telecom
 
Do you really think that ATT has knowledge every fee beyond the fees they have control over?
 
 

Tutor

 • 

10 Messages

9 years ago

My bill going from $104+ the month after the first year's promotion ended, then going to $129+ the second month after promo, then $137+ the third month after promo had nothing to do with the below line fees going up. I asked about that. There WAS an increase of a few dollars because of fees going up. The rest was greed.

 

But since you listed all of the fees YOU pay, it just demonstrates how deep the greed goes. Everybody thinks they deserve a piece of my money and all I really want to do is watch a little TV. I would be happy to cancel the TV portion of my bill, but guess what will happen? I will get punished by ATT, and the internet portion will more than double to make up for the portion I cancel!

 

No, I don't think ATT has knowledge of every fee beyond the fees they have control over. That's not what I and most people are complaining about.

 

I mentioned in another thread that Customer Care has offered to lower my bill if I signed another year's contract. I will wait and see if ATT honors what they have offered for the next year. If they do, I will once again be happy with ATT. If the games continue, I will be here complaining even more.

Expert

 • 

20.4K Messages

9 years ago


@givemeabreak21 wrote:

"But having said this, most people ignore the 'fine print' and that gets them into trouble.  Me, I download so I have it here if I need it.  Like when I got Uverse and would get $200 back. "

 

Fine print is usually used when someone wants to scam someone else. Why does there have to be fine print? If I ask how much something is going to cost, tell me what it's going to cost! Stop already with the fine print and hidden fees! For gosh sakes, these companies make millions or billions of dollars and they have to be so greedy that they can't be honest about what something is going to charge?

 

If I didn't have to have internet to make my living, I would for sure be dropping these companies. They are so dishonest. Smiley Mad


Fine print was there to finally save my bacon w/the $200 for Uverse they cancelled 20 times.  The joke is some TV ads have the fine print read superfast, or scroll it on the bottom of the screen. 

 

Buyer beware, read the fine print so you know what the real deal is and can fight back.  Would do everyone some good if they went online to read the fine print.

 

ATT isn't making much on Uverse, it's all being made on wireless, reason wireless is king here too. 😉

 

Chris
__________________________________________________________

Please NO SD stretch-o-vision or 480 SD HD Channels
Need Help? PM ATT Uverse Care (all service problems)
ATT Customer Care(all other problems)
Your Results May Vary, In My Humble Opinion
I Call It Like I See It, Simply a U-verse user, nothing more

Contributor

 • 

3 Messages

9 years ago

I was hot to trot to switch from one bad cable company (a known bad one) to U-verse.  It's a "no contract" company to U-verse, which has a contract but also has one dangerous line in their contract:

 

"Prices, programming, features and offers subject to change without notice." 
 
This one line stopped me dead in my tracks from switching.  The sales rep spent
a bit of time with me (I feel bad for him) said he hadn't heard of pricing increases.
He said it multiple times.  He also said only verbally and scribbling it on a piece
of paper was also worthless, the plan could be renewed at the same or lower
price after a year.  My statement to him about the one line was it renders the
consumer safety of no price increase useless and totally helps U-verse.  It didn't matter
how many times he said he never saw it happen.  I'm reading about it by different
posters and this year in too many forums. 
 
In other words, it allows U-verse to add fees and it's not breaking the contract.
 
I'd switch if the contract was clean and didn't have this line in it.  Then, it becomes
a safe contract for the consumer (me and you).
 
I'm attempting to stop being nailed by ripoffs/practices.  I walked out of the store
and I had been there three times.  With a line like that, no contract is needed
because it allows them to do anything to you and charge an early termination fee.
You saw it happen.
 
It's a pity and we were looking forward so very much to the switch.

ACE - Expert

 • 

27.6K Messages

9 years ago

He had never seen a price increase???????   How can anyone take that statement seriously?

 

That's laughable, I don't care who said it.

 

 

Contributor

 • 

3 Messages

9 years ago

I care who said it - it was the sales representative at the local store!  He and his manager

surrounded me trying to convince me otherwise.  I had even sent the rep. the link where

people were being nailed with increased despite the contract. 

 

So between the one line in the contract that invalidated it and the bunk about

no price increase despite a contract, I walked out of the store.

 

That's why I'm cautioning y'all to be careful when you get a contract.  It needs

to be read     and     questioned.  

 

 

ACE - Expert

 • 

34.7K Messages

9 years ago

About the second worst source of accurate information with regards to U-verse are the AT&T Stores.  The worst would be the door-to-door contract sales people.

 

Prices increase once per year, around February.  Depending on your promotion, your discount amount may or may not cover the increase.  And, as you pointed out, most fees are not covered by the promotional agreement at all.

Contributor

 • 

3 Messages

9 years ago

Thanks much! I hate it when I get this concerned about ongoing lies. I'm
getting hit all over
the place. Thanks for confirming I'm right 🙂 . I knew Evan (sales guy)
denied
the bad stuff and wouldn't admit it even when I put it in front of his
face. That
means we'll continue to be doomed with Charter.

I didn't even think about the fees going up. I know I asked questions -
total including
taxes and fees and couldn't get a straight answer. I worked in IT and ten
years ago at a
telecom office, we designed a program to be able to give consumers whatever
they
needed when calling customer service.

Door-to-door guys were ignored when they stopped by here three years ago.
They
were total nincompoops.

ACE - Expert

 • 

34.7K Messages

9 years ago

All that being said, the fees are not going to go up dramatically during the contract period.  If you're saving a moderate amount over Charter by switching, it's likely that Charter's price increases during the period will be comperable to AT&T's and you'll be in decent shape in 12 months.  At the end of the AT&T contract period, you're no longer subject to any ETF and then you're free to leave AT&T if the post-contract rate is too high, or re-negotiate a rate for another contract period.

 

What I'm saying is, Yes, per the agreement, AT&T could hit you with a new fee equal to 50% or more of your service rate.  The likelihood of that happening is small in the extreme [If the increase times the number of months remaining in your contract is greater than or equal to your remaining ETF, well, what's going to keep you?].

 

May AT&T invent a new fee equal to 2 or 3% of your bill?  Well, I won't tell you that's not going to happen.

Tutor

 • 

7 Messages

7 years ago

I agree with the consistent complaints posted.  I have had the same frustration and have a  large bill as a result of additional fees. To me, regardless of the fine print, it is just dishonest business and it reaks of sacrificing customers for profit. It is not excusable when I am paying good money each month to a company that makes plenty of profit.  The details in fine print are certainly important, but the respect for customers is important also.  Like many, I don't have the time to read the fine print every month or look for fees, nor do I have to time to run to the UPS store each time I need to replace their broken equipment.  Even if I pursue an understanding of these added fees, it is nearly impossible to navigate customer service or get a reasonable solution. I have been hung up on also. ATT takes advantage of these issues that many face. I will take responsiblity for not spending countless hours searching for fees, but will not take responsibility for predatory business practices, regardless of independent contractors, etc. and other excuses. Unfortunately, it is not just ATT. The other provider in my area will merge with ATT this weekend. As a result, I am left with the hard choice of not having service at all with ATT or even when they merge with the other provider. I don't mind hard choices, part of life, but don't like being forced into them because of these practices. Even if I reduce my services to just internet, I currently facing a large bill. Because ATT is merging with TBC and  I need access to internet for work/school and safety (I need wifi calling in my area) and I need to user the interet to make wifi calls on my phone since cell service in my area my area is very weak. In addition, I am paying a high bill regardless of whether I change my service provider.

 

I don't expect ATT to offer unreasonable deals and I am willing to pay for cable/internet. However, being disrespected by a company I am paying hard earned money to is not a good option either.

Not finding what you're looking for?
New to AT&T Community?
New to the AT&T Community? Start by visiting the Community How-To.
New to the AT&T Community?
Visit the Community How-To.