4330 Forrest Park Drive
Eight Mile, Al 36613
Re: President of AT&T/SunCom
This letter is in regards to my dissatisfaction with your company's' customer service department. I received a bill from your company in September and October with astronomical billing prices. I contacted the customer service department in September, but I neglected to get the representatives name that I had spoken with.
The representative told me she would check the bill and call me back but to no avail. My husband went ahead and paid the bill not knowing I had contacted the customer service department in reference to such an astronomical bill of $500+dollars.
No one ever called me back. In October I received another astronomical bill and I have made several calls to the customer service department explaining to them that I have received another astronomical bill, which was definitely out of character for our account. The lady I spoke with on October 15, 2002 at first was very rude and really not listening to me until I raise my voice and ask her to please listen to me and pull my previous account records on the computer so she could see why I was complaining about bill. She then replied OK and asked me for my cellular phone number.
I explained the incidence to her that my cell phone is not roaming in the areas that I had visited therefore I thought I was OK to use my phone. My husband and I were in Atlanta, Georgia in September and his cell phone nor my cell phone roamed therefore we thought we were OK to use the phones in that area. The following month of September my daughter and I visited Detroit, Michigan and Chicago, Illinois once again my phone nor did my daughters' phone ever roam.
I was charged roaming charges in Birmingham, Alabama in which I also roamed there. The problem is evidently with the cell phones not properly functioning, as it should, because our phones are not roaming when they should be. I feel like this is a form of entrapment. Your company is offering a service and charging people astronomical prices when the cell phones are not functioning properly.
The customer service person I spoke with told me she would be talking with her supervisor and that she would go back over the bill and she would probably give me a courtesy credit for this bill but not explaining at this time to me actually what happened. She asks me to give her 3-4 days and she would call me back. I waited several days for Ms. Shelly Higdon to call me back but to no avail. I have not heard from her as of 10/23/02. I called again and spoke with a customer service person by the name of Kim who I explained my problem to that I was having and she ask for my number.
I gave it to her and she gave me the name of the representative in customer service name Shelly Higdon and stated she was out for lunch and that she would have her to call me back when she returns from lunch. I have not heard from Ms. Higdon as of 10/24/02. We have been loyal customers, paying our bills on time, and not causing any problems to SunCom/AT&T.
Next, I called 611 again on 10/21/2002 and spoke with Sharissa @ ext. 6411 in Jackson, Mississippi explaining what has happened and I have not heard from her in approximately 5 days. She stated she would also call me back but no message has been left on my cell phone or my home telephone number concerning a bill from your customer service department I have become very stressed and frustrated because no one has tried to contact me from your customer service department.
On 10/23/02, I also went to the office on Schillinger Road in Mobile, Alabama and spoke with Ken who was very nice, he called the customer service department and tried and get someone to work with me on the bill. He stated someone told him they were not going to work with me on the bill.
I don't know whom he spoke with but he in term hung up the telephone and did not give me a reason why they would not work with me or give me an and explanation as to what happen that caused my bill to be so high.
I have been with the Sun Com/ATT Company for 2 years and have never abused the system at all and when I asked someone to talk with me about the bill and making some type of adjustments, no one ever called me back to talk to me directly.
Continuing to be stressed and upset I went to Airport Blvd office in Mobile, Alabama and spoke with Cheryl who was very pleasant and tried to talk with someone in customer service, she was very apologetic and took the time to explain what service I had but understood my concern that the cell phone did not roam in areas where it should have and it roams in areas that it should not, such as my (home areas) and I have also been charged for those particular calls and I have called in about that and told nothing could be done about roaming calls in my home area.
It seems as thought the customers are penalized for a default with the cellular phones and the company that put out the phone because the cell phones were not programmed properly. Again this is another form of entrapment. I came home on 10/28/02 being very frustrated and ready to disconnect my service with SunCom/AT&T and spoke with someone after calling 611(Adrienne) who connected me with the retention representative who was Paula at extension 4189. I explained everything to Paula, she then pulled up my account and stated she see where I had made numerous attempts to speak with someone but to no avail. She stated she left a message for Shelly Higdon (at the St.John's office) to give me a call and talk with me concerning my account. Today is November 6, 2002 and I have not received a call from anyone. I feel I have been very patient, being stressed, trying hard to get someone to talk with me concerning the outcome of a supervisor reviewing my bill. No one has communicated with me from your customer service department to explain anything to me. Whether it is good or bad news someone from your customer service department should have contacted me. I have been given the run around, deceived and lied to by the people in your customer service area where accounts are reviewed.
I went ahead and paid my bill under duress because I did not want a delinquent account or want my credit to be turned over to collection. I have exhausted myself trying to speak directly with someone in your customer service department, but as you can see to no avail.
PS: Your prompt attention in this matter will be greatly appreciated and I will await a response from you.
Sincerely Yours,
Under duress I will pay this bill.
Barbara
Mobile, Alabama