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Tankman's profile

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.

 

[Legal discussions are not permitted per the Guidelines]

Employee

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3.5K Messages

8 years ago

The terms do not have to mention a specific arbitrary limit at which the network management goes into effect because that is subject to change at the carrier's discretion.

 

The AT&T Wireless Customer Agreement applies to everyone, on any plan, using the network.

 

 

  • AT&T may engage in any reasonable network management practice to enhance customer service, to reduce network congestion, to adapt to advances and changes in technology, and/or to respond to the availability of wireless bandwidth and spectrum;
  • AT&T may reduce your data throughput speeds at any time or place if your data usage exceeds an applicable, identified usage threshold during any billing cycle. AT&T will provide you with advance notice of the usage threshold applicable to your data plan

When it changed (during the price increase) that was when everyone was notified. In the last case, it was increased, not decreased.

 

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

8 years ago

@sdarca22


@sdarca22 wrote:

I'm glad that you found a solution, Tankman.  The disciples won't hear any dissent.

 

 

As I stated, REPEATEDLY, you folks qouted the website.  I quoted the TERMS OF SERVICE in the CONTRACT.  Which one are they held to in court?

For a short time, there was an error in one area of the information for the unlimited plan that had not been corrected.  In all the many other areas where the information indicated service would be slowed had been updated the previous fall.  It was brought to ATT attention and fixed.  

 

It doesn't change the fact the ATTs current policy is to reprioritise unlimited plans at 22 GBs. Not 3 or 5.  None of the unlimited users is being held to 3 or 5.  

 

 

It also also doesn't change the fact that the OP didn't understand the letter and email, which billsite provided and clearly states.   '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. '

 

 

 

Contributor

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1 Message

7 years ago

If you quit At&t , and still owe a balance on the phone, I think he send you a bill for the whole thing do you have the option to make do a payment plan or do you have to pay the whole bill out front.? I was told by the BBBas long as you're paying them $10 a month they can I put you through collections

Teacher

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7 Messages

7 years ago

I completely agree that ATT can not be worse in their handling loyal customers. I have been a customer with ATT for more than eight years.  My wife and I share a family plan for voice and text. I have an  unlimited data plan but my wife has a limited plan. Before I decided to cancel my service with ATT, I contacted the customer service to ask about the ETF for my wife's line. I was told there will be no ETF her line will be also affected in a negative way. So I cancelled the service. But ATT decided to lock my phone and told us we need to wait for the credit for ETF to take effect. We wait for one month until the final bill. It turned out ATT still charges ETF for my wife's line. Now ATT said my wife's line has a limited plan which is ineligible for the ETF waiver.  My whole experience with ATT can not be worse. I think ATT is a greedy company with no respect and appreciation for its customers at all. The loyalty does not mean anything to them. A good example is that while everyone else is reducing the price for their data plan, ATT just wants to charge more for its most loyal customers.       

Teacher

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7 Messages

7 years ago

Be careful about the wording "we will waive the early termination fees (ETFs) for the lines impacted by the price increase". My personal experience says those lines must be the lines with unlimited data plan. A line, even if it will be negatively affected by the price increase, is ineligible if it does not include a unlimited data plan. I personally got charged for ETF because of  this confusing sentence ATT is using. By the way, leave ATT as soon as you can. There is no reason to stay with ATT considering what others are offering right now. 

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

7 years ago

@john0120   How is that not clear?  

Lines without unlimited data are not increased in price by $5

Lines without unlimited data therefore are not effected

Lines without unlimited data are then subject to an ETF if you cancel early.

There is also no waiver for Next installments, which are not a service contract.

 

Teacher

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7 Messages

7 years ago

My example proves even lines without unlimited data could be affected.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Before cancellation: 

$50 for limited voice/text + $10 access fee for the second line

$35 for unlimited data

$30 for 3GB data

 

Total: $125.00 for Two lines

 

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 

After cancellation of the line with unlimited data

$50 for voice/text

$35 for 3 GB data

 

Total: $85 for a SINGLE line with only 3 GB data

 

It is clear the remaining line no longer makes any sense because its price is far worse than what is available in any carrier. So, it is also affected in a very negative way. By the way, it is ATT who said there will be no ETF for this line when I first contacted ATT before my cancellation. Second, if what ATT means is the line with unlimited data plan only, why not said it loudly and clearly at the first place? The wording ATT chose to use can only cause confusion, which has been proved by the numerous conversations I have had with various ATT representatives. I will file a FTC complaint regarding this. I hope ATT can eventually understand this issue.    

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

7 years ago

@john0120  Sorry Charlie.  But the LINE  and its related fee still remains at $10.  The cost for the entire bill increased by $5 on the unlimited lines only.  The cost for the plan stays the same.   It was your choice to cancel the unlimited plan line.  

 You're being given a pass on the rest of your contract on the unlimited line only.  Trying to find a loop hole for non contract lines or lines not on unlimited data isn't going to happen. 

 

Teacher

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7 Messages

7 years ago

The number I put in my post is not something I made up. It is exactly what I saw from my account after I first canceled the line with unlimited data plan only. Nobody here is trying to exploit a loophole. It is ATT who causes such confusion.  The whole thing is not all about the money we are trying to save. It is more about the basic respect we all deserve. 

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

7 years ago

Call ATT and see if they goofed on the data plan.   The new bill should show it less the data plan and line fee.

 

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