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Teacher

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11 Messages

Saturday, February 27th, 2016 8:31 PM

Grandfathered unlimited data plan bait and switch

I'm incredibly disappointed in AT&T.  In December, they sent me an email and a letter outlining the extra $5 a month charge and offering an early termination fee waiver if I cancel my unlimited data plan, not service but PLAN.  I went to AT&T to move all of my 5 lines to the Mobile Data Share plan.  This sounded like a good deal because the 3 lines I have under a 2 yr contract would only be $25/mo vs $40/mo.  Several AT&T customer service reps later I find out that this is really just a trick to lure unlimited data plan customers in and have them give up their plans.  I was offered to move my phones off my current plan and sometime in the future some rep somewhere was going to adjust my monthly bill according to the letter I received.  I asked the customer service rep to get someone on the phone and do that now.  2 phone reps later I'm told that the word "plan" is synomanous with the word "service", so there is no waiver of early termination fees if I want to cancel my unlimited plan and move to a Mobile Data Share plan.  This makes no sense at all.  No one interchanges the term "service" and "plan" in the industry.  Go to AT&T's website and try to find the menu where you change "service".  You won't find it.  It only gives you options to look at "plans" and change "plans". These corporate letters and emails are vetted through lawyers and words are chosen very carefully.  I can only conclude this is a case of bait and switch. 

 

Other than that glaring issue, the offer makes no sense whatsoever if AT&T really meant to say cancel "service".  So let's examine the options given to the customer:  Option 1: Pay an extra $5/mo for each line that has unlimited data.  Option 2: Move to a more expensive plan and get charged $40/mo for each phone under 2 yr contract.  Option 3: Leave AT&T with no termination fees and go to another carrier owning all 5 phones and get a lower rate.  I have been with AT&T for 10 years and there is absolutely no reward for customer loyalty.  

 

I changed my plans back to unlimited data and I'm weighing my options but it sure sounds like AT&T wants it loyal customers to move on to another carrier.

 

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Accepted Solution

Official Solution

Guru

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321 Messages

8 years ago

Here is a copy from the AT&T website:

  • This price increase will not impact your current unlimited data speeds. You’ll still be able to enjoy the nation’s most reliable network and will only see reduced speeds if you exceed 22GB of data in a billing cycle and are in a congested area. Learn more about reduced speeds for smartphone unlimited data plans.
  • You can change your plan at any time. Learn more about the benefits of Mobile Share Value or learn about the AT&T Unlimited Plan. You must have DIRECTV or U-verse TV service to sign up for the AT&T Unlimited Plan, and after 22GB of data usage, AT&T may slow data speeds. If you switch to a different plan you will not be able to switch back to your Unlimited Data plan in the future.
  • Should you decide to cancel your wireless service because of the $5/mo. increase, we will waive the early termination fees (ETFs) for the lines impacted by the price increase, so long as you cancel within 60 days after the price increase first appears on your bill. However, if you enter into a new term commitment after receiving notice of this price increase, and cancel thereafter, you will be subject to the usual early termination/cancellation fee.
  • As with all service cancellations, if you have a smartphone on an AT&T NextSM installment plan for the lines you are canceling, the cancellation will require the remaining NextSM balance to be paid.

Second paragraph is about "Changing Plans"

Third paragraph is about Canceling Service"(leaving AT&T)

 

Both are very clear and definitive, changing plans does not state that the "Early Termination" fee will be waived, only terminating("canceling") service with AT&T will result in waiving of the fee

ACE - Sage

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116.4K Messages

8 years ago

The notification has been published by other customers and it was pretty clear to everyone else.

 

No one tricked you or forced you.  You could have kept your unlimited plan and paid the $5. 

 

 

Teacher

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11 Messages

8 years ago

Sorry, you have not answered anything I posted.  It's not clear AT ALL.  You provided no links to solutions and you have not defended AT&Ts use of plan for service.  For someone who is highly rated, that is a very poor response.

ACE - Sage

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116.4K Messages

8 years ago

The letters went out in November, the forum was full of posts on the subject.  

 

None of the previous posts were confused about their options to keep the plan and pay the increase or cancel, have the ETF waived and leave ATT.

 

 No mention of switching to another plan with ATT is in the letter.

 

If you did not understand your options, you could have asked.

 

 

Teacher

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11 Messages

8 years ago

The letter went out in November and you could not implement until February so the topic is relevant. Dismissing my logic and facts because you talked about it in November is ridiculous. I understand my options completely and I would like AT&T to comply with what they promised they would do in both the email and the letter. It's not that hard. If you promise something in writing you live by your word.

The letter does mention switching plans so maybe you have not seen it. It also mentions cancelling a plan but nowhere in it does it mention terminating service.

New Member

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25.7K Messages

8 years ago

At&t has never said they would let you out of your contract if you changed plans. what was promised is you can cancel without termination fee. You misread the letter. And it's not a trick to get people off unlimited data. You signed when you signed your last contract saying if the price of your plan was increased without your permission. You would have the option to cancel service with at&t or chance to a different provider without having to pay to terminate the contract, which is exactly what was offered to you.

Teacher

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11 Messages

8 years ago

I appreciate your reply but I read both the letter and email very carefully. No where in there is a mention of waiving early termination fee for canceling service. It only mentions cancelling plans which of course would involve moving to a different plan.

Go to the AT&T website menu. It is very clear how they use the word Plan.

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

8 years ago

So how many of your lines have unlimited data? The etf waiver is only for those lines with unlimited data. The other lines would cost you the etf.

Mentor

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30 Messages

8 years ago

ATT supporters are like Clinton disciples: They are unswayed by obvious truth.

The purpose of ALL of the actions of ATT regarding this issue was to get everyone off of unlimited plans.  They can say whatever they want, but it has no impact on the obvious truth.

The one thing that they finally caved on in the last couple of months is that they have created another unlimited plan.  Strangely enough my bill went DOWN by switching to the "new" plan.  There is no logic to this.

The only difference is that they made it clear under the new terms that they will CHOKE your data speed if they think you are using too much, and their definition of "excessive" is ridiculously low.  Clearly that amount was chosen to discourage acceptance of the unlimited plan.  The lack of clarity in their previous "announcements" about choking data usage is what got them in trouble with the FCC.  I assume that this new TOS is intended to correct their previous error.

Once more this once great company is stooping to questionable tactics in order to get over on customers.

Mentor

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30 Messages

8 years ago

The TOS in the new unlimited data plan clearly state that the data speed will be reduced if you exceed 3GB on a 3G or 4G device or 5GB on a 4G LTE device in a billing cycle.  There was NO mention of "22GB", and I don't know where the disciples keep getting that number.

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