AT&T AT&T Bait & Switch NA Nationwide

Since early 2016 I received offers from AT&T to switch to direct TV with the total bundle cost of $89.99/Mo.  I finally decided to investigate my eligibility and called them 7 July 2016. I called the number on the marketing material (855-679-4357) and it was not AT&T but DIRECTV.  I explained why I was calling and that I was an existing U-verse customer. I did not want to switch to DIRECTV unless I was eligible for the bundled price for Internet, phone and TV that was noted in the marketing literature I was being mailed.  The one exception was I asked for a higher level of DIRECTV service (Choice). The sales rep (Jake) checked with his manager and said that I was in fact eligible for the bundled pricing of 89.99 but that adding “Choice” TV programming would bring my monthly bill to $104.92.  That was acceptable. After I agreed to that he stated I would be directed to an “AT&T” rep who would “bundle” my services.

The AT&T rep I was transferred to (Tamisha) said my actual bill (no taxes or fees added) would be $106.93 and not $104.92.; this was acceptable to me so I went through with the deal.  On 8 July I received an e-mail showing my new estimated bill and it was NOT close to the $106.93 I was told it would be. Basically, there was NO change to my U-verse phone or internet pricing. The estimated bill was $158.05.

I immediately called AT&T customer service (800-288-2020) and spoke with a rep (Dukens) who assured my AT&T would honor what they told me but that since the new bill was still in “processing” I just needed to wait a while before I seen the corrections he made.

On 11 July I called (800-288-2020) and spoke with “Jessica” who explained that my DIRECTV cost was $64.93 and that my new combined phone and internet cost is $42.00 which comes to $106.93. She then transferred me to customer care (Martha) who “guaranteed” me that my next bill would reflect $106.93 and that the new phone and internet pricing was good for only 12 months whereas the DIRECTV pricing was good for 24 months – all of which was acceptable to me.  Here calculation of the breakdown of $106.93 was different.  Martha stated my DIRECTV cost would $66.98/Mo., phone would be $20.00/Mo., and Internet would be $19.95/Mo. Which still adds up to $106.93?

On 14 July 2016 I called again after not seeing any changes in my account and spoke with “Michael” in Las Vegas. He assigned me a case number J30461211 and told me that the phone and Internet cost for the current month would be $40.00 for both and that he was removing $49.48 from the current bill.

On 5 August 2016 I called again because I see no change in my bill. I spoke with “Kevin” who transferred me to Aileen ID #AC4404. I asked for the manager but he was ”in a meeting.” Aileen said she would make an adjustment so my DIRECTV bill would be $64.93 and that a supervisor would call me in two hours.  No call came and after several hours I called again and spoke with “Willina” ID # WG251D, she transferred me to Promotions (877-999-1083) where I spoke with Troy ID #TG4049, he transferred me to customer service – which was CLOSED!!

I called 800-288-2020 and explained what just happened and spoke with Pat ID #PB732Y and was transferred to another manager “Jarvis” ID # JP8504 who assured me AT&T would be mailing a letter confirming correction of the account issues I had been calling about.

On 9 August 2016 I called and spoke with Louie ID #LS909S from the Arizona office who told me my monthly charges would be $25.00 for phone, $32.00 for Internet, and $54.00 for DIRECTV which were yet again different amounts that I had been told before. And he assured me I would see NO change in existing service Internet speed, Choice package, etc.).

On 24 August I noted my bill had never changed and was overdue. I called and spoke with “Brian” ID #BN2122 who changed my services again to reflect Internet cost of $40.00/Mo, Phone of $9.99/Mo and TV of $54.93/Mo. Which comes to $104.92.

On 5 September 2016 I received an e-mail about my AT&T bill being ready. I went online looked and the bill WAS STILL INCORRECT.  I can only assume that AT&T thinks we are all pretty foolish out here in “customer land” and that essentially, there is ZERO culpability on the part of the many AT&T reps I spoke with.  This does seem a bit hopeless so prior to looking into class action possibilities (considering the amount of bait and switch complaints I found about AT&T) and contacting the FCC I am trying this forum just to see what will come of this problem.

As of 22 September, nothing has changed on the account, my bill remains approximately $40 higher than what I was promised.  Anyone interested in a class-action??