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alliegirl108's profile

Contributor

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1 Message

Tuesday, March 31st, 2015 4:13 PM

restoration fee

My son is going to school full time and working a a full time job. He is on the go constantly. His phone has been turned off several time because he just hasn't had the time to stop by a location to pay it. I have now told him to give me the money and I will pay for him. My issue is that I was checking his bill out just now and I saw where the reconnect fee is $40!!!!! Are you kidding me!!!!! That is just excessive. I have no words to express my utter shock & disbelief. My son working his tail off and 30% of his bill is for you to flip a switch or hit a keystroke. I can see $5.00 but $40.00. I am going to contact the utility commission in NC and advise them and the attorney general's office. AT&T is robbing people blind.

Master

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4.1K Messages

9 years ago

The fee is large, yes. In most cases, the fee is large enough that people don't want to pay it more than once, so they will remember to pay their bills on time.

There is a little more invilved than just pressing a button, or flipping a switch though. Think of it like your job not giving you your paycheck on time. It really has no impact on you, right? Well, our payments to AT&T is their version of a paycheck, so understand that a late payment to them may have other impacts to them than you realize because you are withholding their money from them that is expected to be paid by a certain date.

ACE - Sage

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117.2K Messages

9 years ago

I agree. The reconnect fee is meant to be a deterrent to repeating the mistake.

As the mother of 18 and 20 year old sons, I can verify that once the problem becomes THEIR problem, not yours, they do solve it on their own.
Helicopter parenting doesn't do anything for the male self esteem or independence. The fact he hasn't excepted your offer to pay for him should be a hint....
If the topic comes up again with your son, just say, " Your a capable kid, I trust you to sort this out on your own." Then bite your tongue.

I know it isn't easy to let go. But when you do, they sometimes amaze and impress you. Give your son a chance to prove himself.
☺️

Scholar

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99 Messages

9 years ago

Yes, part of it is a "deterant" from the customer point of view

 

Yes, part of it does involve cash flow and other business aspects

 

But part of it also goes towards the attempts to reach out to those who aren't on time via phone calls, text messages, emails, and finally physical pre-suspend letters to arrange when that bill will be paid. Kinda going back to what was said earlier, if you call your HR department, stop by, text them, email them, and they never respond about WHEN you're going to get paid...the final step is to stop working till you get paid.

 

Even if it is going to be paid the day after, a week after, or however much time is needed to get it paid, set up a payment arrangement and you will avoid the reconnection fee and correspondence saying that the payment is late. Yes, it will take 5 minutes or so of your time, but it is better than eating the $40 restoral fee

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