Billing period is only 3 weeks?

[xSnowyOwlx]

I just got my phone last week - November 2nd, 2012. I have not had AT&T before so I have had my account since that date. I am planning my budget for next month so I decided to look and see when the bill is due. My bill is due on November 24th, which is only 2 weeks from Saturday, just about 3 weeks from when my account was activated. I'm wondering why it's due this month and not the next and if it will be every 3 weeks or every month after the first billing cycle.

[MicCheck · Accepted solution]

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@xSnowyOwlx wrote:
I just got my phone last week - November 2nd, 2012. I have not had AT&T before so I have had my account since that date. I am planning my budget for next month so I decided to look and see when the bill is due. My bill is due on November 24th, which is only 2 weeks from Saturday, just about 3 weeks from when my account was activated. I'm wondering why it's due this month and not the next and if it will be every 3 weeks or every month after the first billing cycle.

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You just got your phone last week an you've already received a bill? That's strange.

After the first bill, which is almost always strange, you will have one month bill and it will be due about the same day each month.

[kdfederer · Accepted solution]

AT&T sets the billing period and it is NOT ALWAYS 30 days from when you sign your contract. But your billl will be due the same time each month.

After your first bill, you billing period wiill end the same each month.

[xSnowyOwlx]

I didn't receive the bill yet, I was checking on the website for when it would be due and it says 11/24/2012. That's disappointing since I prefer having the bills at the beginning of the month so I can get them out of the way and not have to worry about it for the end of the month.

[MicCheck · Accepted solution]

You can requested your billing cycle be changed. Be warned, though, that this will create further proration.

[wilcre]

Changing your billing cycle is not an option in all service areas. Please contact us to find out if this option is available in your service area.

What you should know

Before you change your billing cycle, please be aware that:

• Your billing cycle cannot be changed during the five days before or after the close of your current cycle.
• Your billing cycle cannot be changed if your account is in a delinquent status, or if the account will fall delinquent before the requested change date.
• If you have a payment arrangement set up, the payment arrangement must be made before the billing cycle is changed.
• If you have Autopay, you may see two Autopay drafts in one month due to the billing cycle change.
• When a billing cycle change is made, prorated charges will occur.

[GEOtime]

One one has addressed the real issue. Question is not changing the billing cycle, but the frequency.

Unfortunately, for strange reasons it is true ATT charges your credit card ever 2.5 to 3 weeks. Tried to call customer service, they told me that att charges 1 week in advance. Still does not make sense, as the difference between previous and next bill needs to spread out to 4 weeks. It looks to me they always have advance payment of close to a month with them!!!. Just playing billing tricks..  

[lizdance40]

@GEOtime

Had you read your email :   If you auto pay with a credit card, your auto payment was moved to 2 days before due date to 6 days after bill closes.  It moves once.   All subsequent payments will be the same date each month.  

If you change your payment method to debit or checking the date will go back to 2 days before due date.   

Copy of the email sent:

[GEOtime]

Thanks for the reply. Your response does not give any details on how does ATT bill customers. 

* If billing due dates are once ever 4 weeks and by email it says week in advance. It means the frequency of billing is 3 weeks, one week in advance to due date!!!!

* Here are the facts on how we got billed. ATT customer for 6+ years (still confusing on we get charged).  Some are 2 weeks and one of other time its 4 weeks etc.. Can dig back all prior years.. No clear explanation to customers on this works..(may be something boiling to explode).. 

10/4/2018 ATT Charged 

9/3/2018 ATT Charged 
8/18/2018 ATT Charged 

7/3/2018 ATT Charged 

6/21/2018 ATT Charged 

[sandblaster]

@GEOtime The date you pay is not the same as what you are paying for. The billing dates are the dates for what you are being billed for and they should be the same on every bill, they should be for one month of service. Each of my bills is for service from the 24th of the month to the 23rd of the next month. The due date is always 21 days from the 24th, so it will change depending on number of days in that month. 

[lizdance40]

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@GEOtime wrote:

Thanks for the reply. Your response does not give any details on how does ATT bill customers. 

* If billing due dates are once ever 4 weeks and by email it says week in advance. It means the frequency of billing is 3 weeks, one week in advance to due date!!!!

Bill cycle:   The same monthly dates unless you change them, for which you are billed.  Bill is produced 4 days after your bill cycle closes.  

Due date:   21 days after your bill closes your bill is due.  Auto pay takes the money 2 days before due date if you pay with debit or checking.  If you pay by credit card, it’s 2 days after bill is produced, which is 6 days after your bill closes.

* Here are the facts on how we got billed. ATT customer for 6+ years (still confusing on we get charged).  Some are 2 weeks and one of other time its 4 weeks etc.. Can dig back all prior years.. No clear explanation to customers on this works..(may be something boiling to explode).. 

10/4/2018 ATT Charged 

9/3/2018 ATT Charged 
8/18/2018 ATT Charged 

7/3/2018 ATT Charged 

6/21/2018 ATT Charged 

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Unless you changed your payment method twice, you would not have the odd dates.  

Note there is 6 weeks between 7/3 an 8/18 payments.  

[MicCheck]

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@GEOtime wrote:

Thanks for the reply. Your response does not give any details on how does ATT bill customers. 

* If billing due dates are once ever 4 weeks and by email it says week in advance. It means the frequency of billing is 3 weeks, one week in advance to due date!!!!

* Here are the facts on how we got billed. ATT customer for 6+ years (still confusing on we get charged).  Some are 2 weeks and one of other time its 4 weeks etc.. Can dig back all prior years.. No clear explanation to customers on this works..(may be something boiling to explode).. 

10/4/2018 ATT Charged 

9/3/2018 ATT Charged 
8/18/2018 ATT Charged 

7/3/2018 ATT Charged 

6/21/2018 ATT Charged 

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Your payment dates are strange; we've this happen to a few customers since the change to credit card autopay dates. 

It looks like you biling cycle is approximately the 1st through the 30th/31st, so I'll just say the month for the billing cycle you are paying for. The actual dates are on the bill might be slightly different, but the concept holds. 

The 6/21 Payment is for June.

The 7/3 Payment is for July

The 8/18 Payment is for August

The 9/3 Payment is for September

The 10/4 Payment is for October

Based on the new "6 days after the billing date" credit card autopay policy, you payments should be on about the 3rd or 4th of every month. I haven't heard a good explanation as to why the August payment reverted to the old policy, but like I said, you aren't alone. That said, you've been charged on the correct day for two months in a row now, so hopefully that pattern will continue.