ATT Voice Plans

[spmaniusa]

Hi,

I am planning to get the 250 minutes Voice plan. The plan features does not indicate of clues if this 250 minutes is just outgoing? Or both incoming and Outgoing??

Also does calls to 1-800 numbers are charged or not ??

Any ideas??

[jfw ACE - Czar]

To be certain, my advice would be to call Customer Service. I have Voice Unlimited so I'm not familiar with the Voice 250 plan. From reading the plan features http://www.att.com/u-verse/explore/voice-plans.jsp it would seem to me it's 250 minutes per month calling (dialed calls). 800 numbers are toll free, but I think they would still count as minutes used.

250 minutes is not a lot of time and if you run over it's an additional $.05 a minute. IMHO the Voice Unlimited for $10 a month more is a much better deal.

[bobntina_1]

---

spmaniusa wrote:

Hi,

I am planning to get the 250 minutes Voice plan. The plan features does not indicate of clues if this 250 minutes is just outgoing? Or both incoming and Outgoing??

Also does calls to 1-800 numbers are charged or not ??

Any ideas??

---

Incoming and outgoing calls both count towards the 250 minutes...better off to just save all the hassle and pay the extra 10.00 a month for unlimited

Best,

Bob

[NBNP]

I have the 250 plan and it appears from looking at my bill that only the outgoing call are counted.

My bill only shows 2-4 calls being made and I have received more call than that, mostly telemarketing.

[Datalyss]

I just activated Voice service this weekend and I did pose that question to the sales person and she confirmed that on the 250 plan, that only includes outgoing calls. Incoming calls are free and doesn't take away from your inclusive plan minutes.

[jfw ACE - Czar]

That makes sense, heck with wrong numbers and solicitors (even with do-not-call) 250 minutes would be gone in no time.

Hope you like Uverse Voice, I've  had it for almost a year and it's been problem free.      (knocking on wood.)

[schweb]

Do you know if calling 800 numbers counts against the 250 minutes?

[texasguy37 ACE - Champion]

Yes.

[WGNemmer]

I was very surprised when AT&T confirmed that all calls counts against the 250-minute U-verse voice plan - EVEN THE CALL TO 6-1-1 (customer service) to confirm this "feature".  That's ridiculous, support calls should be free.  Also, like wireless, I think calls to other U-verse lines should be free.

Does anyone know where should I send an email to suggest these enhancements?  The "contact us" links are not helpful.

Bill

[texasguy37 ACE - Champion]

Unlike wireless, incoming calls do not count against your 250 minute limit.  Only outgoing calls count against the limit.  Since you want it to be just like wireless, U-verse needs to make that change also so that the incoming calls will count against your limit.

[lyttlebit66_1]

Calls to other U-Verse customers do not use your minutes- (great way to recruit your friends and family)

[WGNemmer]

Thanks - you are correct (I hope).  I called AT&T again and I think I got someone who knew what they were talking about.  He confirmed incoming calls are free.  I should be getting my first bill soon ... now if they just had rollover minutes :-)

Also - it appears there is no way to see how many minutes I've used.  Any ideas or do I need to wait for my bill?

[RobertPBell]

I have has the 250 minute per month plan for a a couple of weeks so far.   250 minutes a month is about 8.3 minutes per day - not a lot.  I have a 1000 minute per year plan on my gophone, so I thought it would be OK for the Uverse phone as well.

But I am not clear if this includes incoming calls or not.  For example, I get a lot of "Robocalls" in the last month, from political campaigns.  Are these counted, even if I hang up right away?

Also, calling AT&T customer service is usually a half-hour phone call.  Love the service, hate the customer service, I'm afraid.

I called AT&T customer service to ask these questions.   The first person spoke in a thick foreign accent and it took him two minutes to bring up my account.  He could not answer my questions.  He transferred me to sales.

The sales person, Marhrindra. said she lived in Rochester, New York.  I did not believe her.  She did not understand my questions, either.  She kept asking me about speed upgrades (I am already at 6.0 mps).

My question was this - I was told by one sales rep that if I upgraded during the first 12 months, I would lose the promotional pricing on my plan.  Mahrindria said this was not true.  Who is right?

Are 1-800 calls to AT&T customer service counted in this plan?   Are incoming calls counted?

I agree that 250 minutes is not enough - in retrospect.   It is a good plan if you are using a line for an alarm system or something (although going to internet alarm monitoring is probably a better idea).

They are offering a $30 discount to "upgrade" online.  But I am skeptical about this, as I was told that if I bite on this, I will lose the huge promotional discount offered initially.

Which is correct?  Customer Service doesn't even speak English very well.

Sorry, but "Call Customer Service" is a horrific answer from somone with an A.C.E. achiever award for 2012.

I will monitor my phone usage (you can check your phone usage on the UVERSE website, which works PRETTY WELL) and post a folllow-up and see whether my 1-800 calls or incoming calls are counted.

[RobertPBell]

Log in to your UVERSE account and click on the phone icon.  You should see a summary like this:

Domestic On Net Shows all calls made to AT&T U-verse Voice service customers. Minutes from these calls will not count against your block-of-time plan. Domestic Off Net Shows all calls made to non-AT&T U-verse Voice service customers. Minutes from these calls will count against your block-of-time plan. InternationalShows any calls made to international numbers.

Unlimited

13 13 of 250

0 0 of 0 Overage = 0

Usage as of: October 17, 2012.

Next billing cycle starts: November 16, 2012.

U-verse Voice Usage Detail

This page contains items associated with using your U-verse Voice service plan, and details of calls that are above and beyond your voice plan.

Filter Usage by

Date and time Place called/Phone # Minutes/Seconds Call type Amount

10/17/12 09:01 AM	FAIRFAX/(703) 246-xxxx	1:00	OFNT	$0.00
10/16/12 05:45 PM	OCSDPDTN/(760) 725-xxxx	2:00	OFNT	$0.00
10/16/12 05:44 PM	OCSDPDTN/(760) 725-xxxx	1:00	OFNT	$0.00
10/16/12 05:40 PM	OCSDPDTN/(760) 725-xxxx	2:00	OFNT	$0.00
10/16/12 05:39 PM	OCSDPDTN/(760) 725-xxxx	1:00	OFNT	$0.00
10/16/12 02:02 PM	ARLINGTON/(703) 627-xxxx	2:00	OFNT	$0.00
10/16/12 08:43 AM	BRUNSWICK/(912) 265-xxxx	4:00	OFNT	$0.00
Total	$0.00

[RobertPBell]

You will need to click on the link reading:

U-verse Voice Usage Since Last Bill  A summary of your usage that will appear on your next bill.  

to see the report.   It seems to update in real time.  Or at near-real-time.

[RobertPBell]

I just made a call, and it did not show up on this list, at least right away.   The ten-minute call to 1-800-ATT-2020 has not shown up yet, either.  So either it doesn't update in real-time, or these calls were not counted.  Funny thing, though, I made a call at 9:00 this AM and it appeared on the list by 9:30. 

If these calls do show up, I will update - which should answer the question.   I think actually testing the system and seeing the results is probably better than guessing at an answer or relying on "Joe" in "Customer Service" in Bangalore.

I think the reason why AT&T has such horrific Customer Service (on the phone) is that they want you to use the website, or forums like this.

Bear in mind that UVERSE is not a regulated utility.  They don't HAVE to take every customer, only the profitable ones.  

Vonage worked on the same economic theory.   If you got your Vonage box, plugged it in, and it worked, great.  If not, send it back and goodbye.   We're not sending tech support to your home to troubleshoot wiring or configuration problems - it isn't worth it, and 9 times out of 10, it will turn out that the customer's internet service is the problem.   Since they were not a regulated utility, they could walk away from customers where it was not economical to serve them.

The service (so far) works great.  Once I can get it to the "set it and forget it" point, the need to call Customer service will diminish.

The website could do a better job of explaining the 250 minute plan.

By the way, the 250 minute plan is explained here:  http://www.att.com/u-verse/explore/voice-plans.jsp

AT&T U-verse Voice 250

For just $25 per month, provides 250 minutes of calling each month within the U.S. and to Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Marianas and only 5¢ per minute thereafter. Enjoy the added convenience of a second line with the same great calling plan for only an additional $15 per month (250 minutes shared between both lines).

As you can see, it ain't much of an explanation.

[RobertPBell]

UPDATE:

I just logged on to my account, and checked my phone usage.  I've learned the following:

1.  It does not update in real-time.   It takes about 1/2 hour for phone calls to log in.

2.  1-800 calls, at least to AT&T (1-800-CALLATT and 1-800-ATT-2020) did not show up.

3.  So far, no incoming calls have been logged.

If I see anything that behaves differently, I will update this posting.

Here is the record.  Between 9:01 and 9:53 I called AT&T's customer service number, twice.  It does not appear on the call log.

Date and time Place called/Phone # Minutes/Seconds Call type Amount

10/17/12 09:53 AM	ALEXANDRIA/(703) 474-xxxx	1:00	OFNT	$0.00
10/17/12 09:01 AM	FAIRFAX/(703) 246-xxxx	1:00	OFNT	$0.00
10/16/12 05:45 PM	OCSDPDTN/(760) 725-xxxx	2:00	OFNT	$0.00
10/16/12 05:44 PM	OCSDPDTN/(760) 725-xxxx	1:00	OFNT	$0.00
10/16/12 05:40 PM	OCSDPDTN/(760) 725-xxxx	2:00	OFNT	$0.00
10/16/12 05:39 PM	OCSDPDTN/(760) 725-xxxx	1:00	OFNT	$0.00
10/16/12 02:02 PM	ARLINGTON/(703) 627-xxxx	2:00	OFNT	$0.00
10/16/12 08:43 AM	BRUNSWICK/(912) 265-xxxx	4:00	OFNT	$0.00
Total	$0.00

[RobertPBell]

NOTE that there is a SEPARATE CALL LOG if you log into your UVERSE account and click on FEATURES and then CALL LOGS

This LOG seems to show ALL CALLS, whether billed or not.  It shows the 1-800 Calls and iIt also shows INCOMING CALLS as well.

Here is a portion of the CALL LOG reproduced below.  Note that compared to the BILLING LOG, this one seems to update in real-time.  It also shows both INCOMING and OUTGOING calls (see the arrow next to the headset icon).

It appears that incoming calls are NOT BILLED.

It appeasrs that 1-800 calls are NOT BILLED (if you are calling someone with an 1-800 number, use that instead of their toll number)

It appears that everything else IS billed, but that the billing log takes about at least a half-hour to log these events.

This answers a lot of my questions.

Quick Find:  

Name	Number	When	Length	Actions
Unavailable	703-474-xxxx	Today, 10:12 AM	0:08
Unavailable	800-225-xxxx	Today, 10:11 AM	0:26
Unavailable	703-474-xxxx	Today, 9:53 AM	0:41
Unavailable	800-288-xxxx	Today, 9:15 AM	16:49
Unavailable	703-246-xxxx	Today, 9:01 AM	0:06
WIRELESS CALLER	202-695-xxxx	10-16-12, 6:56 PM	0:07
Unavailable	760-725-xxxx	10-16-12, 5:45 PM	1:29
Unavailable	760-725-xxxx	10-16-12, 5:44 PM	0:47
Unavailable	760-725-xxxx	10-16-12, 5:40 PM	1:32
Unavailable	760-725-xxxx	10-16-12, 5:39 PM	0:37
WIRELESS CALLER	703-627-xxxx	10-16-12, 5:36 PM	0:29
Unavailable	703-627-xxxx	10-16-12, 2:02 PM	1:14
WIRELESS CALLER	716-481-xxxx	10-16-12, 1:38 PM	9:53
WIRELESS CALLER	703-627-xxxx	10-16-12, 11:42 AM	1:34

[RobertPBell]

Nice piece of coding, BTW, to whoever did it. AT&T gets the technology, but not the customer service. It ain't GEICO!

[RobertPBell]

I logged into UVERSE and under phone features, I found the answers to most of my other questions.   I can change my call forwarding without having to call landline and send a man out to the switch!  Halleujah!

I can also do call blocking and anonymous call blocking.

I also was able to TURN OFF my outgoing calller ID blocking as well.

Two nice features - INTERNATIONAL CALL BLOCKING and DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE CALL BLOCKING.

I prefere to use my AT&T calling card for international calls (if you call overseas only occasionally, it is cheaper) so this prevents me from accidently making a $15 call to Canada (BTDT).

The website is great!  The folks answering the phones at 1-800-ATT-2020 on the other hand, well, need a reboot.

Forget calling CUSTOMER SERVICE.  Explore the WEBSITE first!