[Hidden-tech] AT&T Wireless service quality

michaelbix michaelbix at straight-arrow.cc
Tue Oct 13 21:00:53 EDT 2009


I think I'll weigh in here, having just attempted to make the switch  
to AT&T, given the Unicel (Vermont) is going off-line in December.

The sales pitch at the store was definitely misleading (the rep was  
trying to push me to a more-minutes plan based upon usage patterns he  
could "see on his screen" - but Unicel told me later the next day  
that AT&T doesn't have access to their customer records, and that he  
was fakin' it).

I decided to shop/sign-up via the Internet.   On line was a bit  
slower but the slow "reveal" that there was (first) a required  
monthly data plan paired with my chosen high-end phone, and (second)  
a connection fee to port-over my old number - were left to the very,  
very last minute/last pages.  And a crucial piece of information for  
you world travelers, the key attraction with any "international"  
phone is portability from one GSM-based plan to another.  Pull the  
SIM/GSM chip, put in another... and change carriers.   I like Sony- 
Ericsson phones (I prefer them for their signal pickup in remote  
Vermont valleys).    But only after a day of analysing fine print did  
I finally see in the "returns" policy that, ouch, this phone and all  
other sold by AT&T are "locked" to them... meaning, on their network  
only.

I had begun to set up the arrangement but had not yet digitally  
"signed" the agreement (a separate "click to agree" email) when I  
discovered this "locked" phone issue.  So I called the sales team  
back to arrange a different plan, where I could use my existing  
feature-primitive "unlocked" phone instead.

They couldn't accommodate.  Sorry.  The phone had been shipped.  The  
plan had been initiated and the phone activated from the time my  
order was taken down by the sales team.  And, somehow (according to  
them), although my activated "new number" on AT&T is the same as my  
in-use "old number" on Unicel, the phone-plan charge clock is already  
running.  Two plans on one number?  Didn't make sense.  (A different,  
U.S.-based AT&T rep has since told me the India-based supervisor was  
talking through his hat.)  Who do ya trust?

And the initial sales rep had definitely instructed me to be certain  
to acknowledge and agree to the plan (by live-link check-off) in that  
return email - otherwise the phone would not be shipped.  Simplexity  
(AT&T's fulfillment company) had screwed up... apparently this is  
standard, however.  Several supervisors and two days later I finally  
got the locked high-end phone and the plan cancelled (neither of  
which I had given final approval for) but the charges stayed on their  
books.  I'd have to return the phone to their warehouse for inspection.

It has since arrived here and has now been returned with their RMA,  
and they have acknowledged receipt at their warehouse (as agreed).   
So many calls had to be made, to get to this point.

Do I get my refund?  No.

I've (yesterday) received an email saying their accounting department  
will review "my account" (I have none... I've agreed to nothing,  
ordered nothing) to see if I qualify for a refund, which will be  
"processed" sometime within up to seven business days in the future.   
Who knows when I will actually see the money (for this high-end  
Cybershot phone) back inside my bank account.  Gees.

After all this I will still go AT&T eventually - signing up through  
my friendly Radio Shack store rather than the sharks at the AT&T  
front end.  I'll go for the bottom-bottom plan and the "free"  
phone... then switch that chip over into my unlocked phone (whichever  
one I get on the open market... whenever I choose to upgrade).    
Meanwhile, for my other data needs, I'm getting an iPod Touch.

I've had a many-year Vodafone plan in Europe... my calls in Ireland/ 
UK for instance cost me about the equivalent of $.37 per minute,  
whereas using AT&T's no-roaming "international minutes" would, I  
believe, cost $1.39 each.  No way.  I'll pull my AT&T chip when I  
step off the plane, and slide in my Vodafone chip instead.

Was this "switch to AT&T" complicated?  Way too much.  Losing more  
than a full working day on the phone and in emails and shipping, so I  
can come back to zero with AT&T was very disappointing.   It's been  
said here before, and I thought I was doing it too... but pay close  
attention, and then... pay closer attention.

Now.   Time to start again.

Best
Michael Cerulli Billingsley
Straight Arrow Recordings
Location Recording - CD Mastering - Audio Solutions/Sound Effects
802-254-3975  ~~  The Cotton Mill, Brattleboro, Vermont 05301


On  7 October 09, at 2:11 PM, Stefan Gonick wrote:

>    ** Be sure to fill out the survey/skills inventory in the  
> member's area.
>    ** If you did, we all thank you.
>
>
> Hey Everyone,
>
> I'm considering switching to AT&T Wireless specifically to get the  
> iPhone.
> However, I've heard some disturbing things about their service. In  
> particular,
> I have a friend who says that she can have her voicemails delayed  
> significantly
> (hours or even a day). That would be unacceptable to me if it's a  
> regular
> occurrence.
>
> What has your experience been with AT&T Wireless service in general
> and the voicemail situation in particular?
>
> Thanks,
> Stefan
>
> =====================================================
> Database WebWorks: Dynamic web sites through database integration
> http://www.DatabaseWebWorks.com
>
>
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