AT&T Wireless Ripoff Just Another One Sided Billing Error they Won't Fix Bellevue Washington

This is another long story that I'll try to keep as short as possible and give you the Readers Digest version.

Last September 03, I called AT&T Wireless to cancel my wife's phone as we were not using it that much. At that time we were on the $59.99 for 500 combined minutes with long distance plan.

The lady I spoke with said 'What if I could entice you to remain with AT&T'? then she offered to reduce the fee for each of the two lines by $10 per month, thus lowering my $59.99 plan for 2 phones to $39.99. The minutes and everything else was to remain the same.

I agreed to this (mistake #1) thinking that was a good deal.

You guessed it: When I received my next billing --- there was no deduction on the plan price. Then the next bill came, and NADA.

And here's where things start pissing me off: I called their 'customer service' and went through the whole thing with this other lady. She said she would 'take care of everything.'

Next billing I see a $40 credit. Now I'm thinking all is well (mistake #2.)

Sure enough, the very next billing and we are back to the same ol stuff -- $59.99 for two lines.

So I call AGAIN --- on hold AGAIN ---- Finally get through to someone else, who then tells me that there billing software does not support the $10 reduction for two lines, only $10 reduction for one line --- AND of course she offers me this GREAT promotional deal!

At least she was able to confirm that it WAS their mistake --- but due to THEIR Policies and Procedures --- there was nothing she could do about that.

I then informed her that I was only going to be paying the amount I had agreed to $39.99, plus an estimated amount for taxes and access fees for each line. I figured this should amount to around $48 per month.

This is where I sent my first Dispute Letter, in December of 03.

As I understand it, once you send a dispute letter, some law says the other party must respond within 30 days. Don't know about this, except after 2 dispute letters, I have still to receive any reply.

Still continuing to keep this short, let me fast forward to today. After a couple other contacts with 'Customer Disservice' I have now made the decision to file against AT&T Wireless in my local Small Claims Court.

This is a pain, and I do believe that AT&T, along with other companies, use this against us, knowing that the vast majority will not do anything --- either because they are afraid of court or don't want to deal with the hassle.

I did try calling them 'One More Time' in the interest of eliminating this hassle. What I got were two things. First the rep I spoke with, although he understood my situation and how it was their fault, his supervisor said their policies (those darn policies again) state that their agent should never have offered me this special on each phone line, that she only could offer to reduce one line, they still could do nothing about it. Second, he offered me that GREAT deal of $10 off for one line.

So now we get down to 'My Policies and Procedures' which state that I will not do business with anyone or any company that treats me this way --- Period!!!

From what I read on this board, and other places online, this seems to be the Modis Operendi of AT&T these days. Offer Special Promotions and Lock-up as many as possible with contracts and damned be to their rights and privileges.

What ever happened real customer service. Obviously they don't care about that, they only care about selling more equipment and services on contracts that lock up the little people.

If any of you 'little people' decide like me to file suit, simply go to your local courthouse and get the small claims paperwork. Go home, fill it out, and return to the courthouse, pay your $20 or so, plus make arrangements to have the papers served, via USPS, UPS or another carrier (you'll need a signed receipt from an authorized agent able to accept the papers for AT&T Wireless) and then you'll need to file that signed receipt back with your court clerk to show service was received.

You can also choose to pay a bit more, which I thinking of doing, and have the local sherrif or process server do the whole thing for you. They will also file the signature with your court clerk.

The address to use for filing AT&T Wireless Suits is

AT&T National Subpoena Compliance & Court Order Ctr.
801 N. Point Parkway
West Palm Beach FL, 33407

I'm suspecting that since they have a special center just for dealing with all their court cases, that someone will be available to sign at that location. Usually you need to come up with a Registered Agent, and I believe this meets that requirement.

I will be filing for an amount through the end of my contract, but also be asking the judge to adjust that amount to the current time frame IF he finds in my favor. In my case, I will be asking for $240 (or 12 months X $20 per month) PLUS I will be asking for reimbursement of my filing, delivery and court costs.

PLUS I will also be asking the judge to reimburse me for all my aggravation and time spent dealing with this PUDGE of a company.

One final note: I have been a loyal AT&T customer for some 40 years and it has all come down to this.

Now the whole AT&T name is MUD in my book --- all one dirty ugly monster that rears it's head from a mudhole to spew slime and nasty business.

What a shame for such a great American Icon to have to come down to this. I knew there must be many others out there, just the way they treat me --- and that is why and how I found this site.

Oh Yes, one more thing . . . I don't usually talk like this . . . BUT ---- AT&T can KMA!!!

Brian
Bellevue, Washington
U.S.A.

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