Teacher
•
9 Messages
Am I getting charged for the full month even if I use the service for 2 days?
I want piece of mind from my wireless service. That pretty much means, no bill surprises. I had wireless service with AT&T for 9 months or so, and it created many unpleasant surprises. For example, when I added a new line to my account, surprises. I am a fan through employer, retail employee said your application fee would be waived. I received my first bill, there is not only activation fee but also pro-ration due to the new line. The former is an unpleasant surprise, the latter is fair.
Then, in June, I decide to move to another carrier b/c I can get an unlimited service for pretty much the same price. I remember my bill cycle date as 21st, it turns out it is 18th. Still, I say go ahead, you are not happy with the service, cancel and move over. I proceed, a week later I receive a bill, they say my final bill. It correctly credits back the earlier activation fee to my bill, thank you, but instead of pro-rating my charge from June 19th-June 21st, it charges me from June 19th to July 18th.
Yes, you are reading exactly right, I am paying the exact same bill as if I had not canceled. By the way, today is June 28th, we are not even in July yet and I am no longer using the service. Still according to this bill, I need to pay for the service until July 18th, it is irrelevant whether I actually use it or not.
This makes me think maybe AT&T people are not smart enough to figure out proration. Then I remember, they were able to accurately and correctly pro-rate the new line I added a while ago.
Then, I think, maybe if I call the customer service they would help. I talk to an agent, we cannot get on the same page. I ask for a supervisor, she tries to explain to me how AT&T has the right to charge for the full month when I used the service 2-days, but I can hear her voice is trembling, maybe because she feels like **bleep** trying to defend a non-sensical policy.
Then, she refers to "an internal" document, which allegedly says AT&T does not pro-rate monthly bills no matter when you cancel. I am asking if I can see that document, she says it is internal but maybe if I can go to a retail store they might be able to print one for me. We all know, I am not going to do that.
So it does not look like that no proration statement is on my bill, and maybe not even on the T&S I signed while establishing an account. But, they leave me no choice but to believe that they have a document, and they are absolutely incapable of doing anything to help me.
Now I am trying to interpret this whole experience with a positive attitude, but really cannot stop feeling like duche who got ripped by a company in a sneaky way.
I am head of a household that makes six figures a year, so we have the financial power to pay the ~$50 bill. But if I pay that bill, that will be *the* final bill I pay to AT&T, as I have no interest in doing business with companies who are ripping me off.
[Edited due to word filter avoidance.]
sandblaster
ACE - Expert
•
64.7K Messages
7 years ago
Your final month of service is not prorated so yes, you do pay for a full month whether you used it or not. Whatever carrier you switched to will do the same thing if you leave them. All major carriers do the same thing.
0
hoktay
Teacher
•
9 Messages
7 years ago
Thank you for your reply. This just puts all major carriers to the same boat as oppose to acquitting them, I think.
0
0
formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
•
117.2K Messages
7 years ago
You might want to pay more attention to the customer terms of service with your new carrier. For the most part they are all pretty much the same. The one and only carrier that does prorate final bill is Google Fi.
0
hoktay
Teacher
•
9 Messages
7 years ago
BTW, just checked with T-mobile, a major carrier to me. They say they can pro-rate the final bill. Just saying.
0
0
GLIMMERMAN76
ACE - Expert
•
23.9K Messages
7 years ago
0
0
David606
Employee
•
3.5K Messages
7 years ago
https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-1101#subhead4
"The final bill is not prorated. You are advised to cancel your service during the last week of your monthly cycle."
https://support.t-mobile.com/thread/135625
Uhm, better check again. They WILL NOT prorate your final bill either.
0
0
sandblaster
ACE - Expert
•
64.7K Messages
7 years ago
@hoktay Don't be too sure about the hat. A quick search found this, I'm sure there are others: https://support.t-mobile.com/thread/136546
0
0
formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
•
117.2K Messages
7 years ago
So they will lie to make a sale? From the most recent to older, no T-mobile does not.
https://support.t-mobile.com/thread/135625
https://support.t-mobile.com/thread/130393
https://forums.crackberry.com/t-mobile-f69/warning-no-prorated-billing-porting-out-t-mobile-413079/
https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-1101#fourthheading
All carriers bill month to month. Only Fi says it refunds any unused service if you leave.
0
0
formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
•
117.2K Messages
7 years ago
LOL. @hoktay This ain't our first rodeo. This comes up all the time, and not just on ATT forums.
0
0
hoktay
Teacher
•
9 Messages
7 years ago
I guess I should not get too carried away by the verbal comments of a low level rep on the phone.
0
0