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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.

 

[Legal discussions are not permitted per the Guidelines]

Teacher

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7 Messages

7 years ago

Thanks for the advice. I have already cancelled both lines and contacted ATT about ETF many times. They now simply said they can not waiver the ETF because the line does not include the unlimited data plan. I guess ATT no longer cares.

ACE - Expert

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64.7K Messages

7 years ago

@john0120 The reason for waiving the ETF is the $5 price increase and that only applies to lines with the unlimited plan. However, your previous post showed your line with the 3GB plan also increased $5 after you cancelled your unlimited line. Do you have that anywhere on a bill? Perhaps you can use that to get the ETF waived for that other line.

Teacher

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7 Messages

7 years ago

The whole situation has been a very bad experience for me. I do not want to deal with ATT anymore.  

ACE - Sage

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117.2K Messages

7 years ago

@john0120

If you canceled all service, you have no more leverage anyway.  Good luck.

 

Teacher

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7 Messages

7 years ago

I guess that is why ATT does want to get things right. Thanks.

Tutor

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1 Message

7 years ago

AT&T cancelled my unlimited data plan without my consent.

ACE - Sage

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117.2K Messages

7 years ago

@RApples

Somehow that seems like a thought that got cut off before it was .....

How about when?  How about:  are the new plans cheaper?   They have been for most customers 

 

Tutor

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2 Messages

7 years ago

Sad to know I'm one of MANY who got suckered by LOYALTY to ATT with no Perks 

ACE - Sage

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117.2K Messages

7 years ago

@Cost2much  This is a self help, community forum.  Random comments don't help you.   If you have a question or problem, the best way to get attention and help, is start your own thread with a detailed description of what happened,

 

Mentor

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29 Messages

5 years ago

Gee I was very confused. That’s why I called att today and rep was rude and even more confusing and said att changed all plans

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