problem with U-verse internet billing [ Edited ]

[dslai]

Hi,

Here's the background on the issue.

In October 2011, I called to cancel my AT&T DSL service as I was planning to switch to a competing Comcast internet service. The retention department offered me a $24.95/month promotional price good for 1 year to switch to AT&T's Internet U-verse Max service. I agreed to this and the service was installed last November. Since then, I have been overbilled over the $24.95 promised amount, except for the intial month where a manual credit was applied to make the bill correct. Sometimes, I had been charged the regular $48/month price for the service and sometimes I was billed $34.95/month. The billing made no sense to me so in March 2012, I called in to ask about this. The person I talked to apologized for the issues, said I had been put in the wrong promotion plan, applied a manual credit to my account to resolve the past issues, and re-signed me up again for the $24.95/month 1 year promotion.

Since March though, I have been billed the regular $48/month price instead of the $24.95 promotional price. On 5/14/12, I called in again to ask about this and an internal case # was opened for me to investigate the issue.

Today, I called in to find out that the case was closed, and that I would only be offered a $34.95/month promotion. The reason stated was that I did not have another AT&T U-verse service besides internet. I was told that I needed to add another U-verse service such as tv or home phone to get the $24.95/month promotional price. (I already have AT&T wireless and landline service, but these services apparently don't qualify.) These requirements had never been mentioned to me before. If I had known this, I would never have switched to AT&T U-verse internet service and would have switched to Comcast instead last year.

I feel I have been caught in a bait-and-switch situation being baited with one price, but instead getting charged a higher price and needing to add additional services to get the price I was originally promised. I'm really upset ov er this.

I have tried to work this out over the phone but the reps apparently can't do anything about the issue. I'm wondering if there is any other recourse to get this resolved. I am thinking of filing complains with BBB, FCC and California attorney general's office about AT&T's sales and billing practices. Any other suggestions?

[Computer-Joe ACE - Guru]

You should send a message to Alex. Supply your account number, phone number, and a good time to call, and he will have the appropriate people contact you within a few days to assist in finding a satisfactory resolution to this issue for you. You will find his reply by clicking on the little blue envelope, upper right corner of page.

__________________________________________________________
How can you be in two places at once, when your not anywhere at all?
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I really want to become a procrastinator, but I keep putting it off.
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“Our great democracies still tend to think that a stupid man is more likely to be honest than a clever man, and our politicians take advantage of this prejudice by pretending to be even more stupid than nature has made them." :Bertrand Russell

[whatup2020]

Contacting "Alex" might help, but this is 'Computer Joe's pat answer I think I went directly to "Alex" and got not ONE, but three phone calls. I simply wanted ACCESS to my new U verse internet bill. Each person I spoke to I stated I just wanted my bill so I could get it paid before I got put in collections.  Each "service rep" was concerned that I spoke poorly of the Uverse service and that I was dissatisfied. I have NO ILLUSIONS that I will get fast internet (like I did with DSL) nor will I get uninterrupted service free from loading etc.. Problems. I really don't care anymore. I have seen enough here on the web to  know I will be lucky if I ever GET a bill, let alone a CORRECT bill!

One rep wanted to give me discounts and try to speed up my service. I declined, stating that anything she does will be invalidated by the next person, or ignored completely and I will be left hanging with more bills to pay on top of that. Another wanted to credit me for the 7 ,12 hour shifts that my service was down (b4 the techs switched out the horrible modems they are using) I declined pointing out that any manipulation done to my bill will only end up hurting me by being denied down the road. I then reiterated to both service reps that I JUST WANTED TO SEE MY BILL AND THEN PAY IT.  Is that too hard?

Yes, it is. I was sent a link. I logged in, It shows my phone bill. Yeah, big whoop. I STILL CANNOT ACCESS THE U VERSE INTERNET BILL! The bill is due to be paid (I think) by the 28th of May. So, in ten days, If someone can't seem to come up with a way for me to access and pay my bill I will be in arrears and it will apparently be MY fault. Funny, ain't it?

Also, just as an aside, Computer Joe is obviously a friend to computers every where and knows them, but Joe, ya gotta give us Non computer people a BREAK. I don't think it's my job to do all the tech work when a new service is provided. I'm not going to sit all day at my computer trying to fix stuff I know NOTHING about, and I'm not going to download speed tests and such just to prove that the new Uverse here is not what everyone thinks.  And contacting Alex isn't a free ride to freedom from the trial called ATT "Service" it might just be another big headache. (though as I stated, I did get a response, just no one was listening!)

[aviewer ACE - Wizard]

whatup2020 - Yes, it is a horrible mess. When I saw your post I thought you were getting the telephone side because you were logging in with your tel number. Try your U-verse/yahoo e-mail to get u-verse.

But, I tried that & get a messy account runaround. If I click PDF bill it does not load.

What link were you given? This is the link I get in the e-mail notify - https://www.att.com/olam/loginAction.olamexecute?pId=U_View_Bill_Passthru&source=EACA000000000000

Log in with u-verse ID. You will get a page that you will see summary charges for billing period. You can open each summary by clicking + for details.

If you click PDF bill you will need more patience than I have.

[Computer-Joe ACE - Guru]

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whatup2020 wrote:

Contacting "Alex" might help, but this is 'Computer Joe's pat answer I think I went directly to "Alex" and got not ONE, but three phone calls. I simply wanted ACCESS to my new U verse internet bill. Each person I spoke to I stated I just wanted my bill so I could get it paid before I got put in collections.  Each "service rep" was concerned that I spoke poorly of the Uverse service and that I was dissatisfied. I have NO ILLUSIONS that I will get fast internet (like I did with DSL) nor will I get uninterrupted service free from loading etc.. Problems. I really don't care anymore. I have seen enough here on the web to  know I will be lucky if I ever GET a bill, let alone a CORRECT bill!

One rep wanted to give me discounts and try to speed up my service. I declined, stating that anything she does will be invalidated by the next person, or ignored completely and I will be left hanging with more bills to pay on top of that. Another wanted to credit me for the 7 ,12 hour shifts that my service was down (b4 the techs switched out the horrible modems they are using) I declined pointing out that any manipulation done to my bill will only end up hurting me by being denied down the road. I then reiterated to both service reps that I JUST WANTED TO SEE MY BILL AND THEN PAY IT.  Is that too hard?

Yes, it is. I was sent a link. I logged in, It shows my phone bill. Yeah, big whoop. I STILL CANNOT ACCESS THE U VERSE INTERNET BILL! The bill is due to be paid (I think) by the 28th of May. So, in ten days, If someone can't seem to come up with a way for me to access and pay my bill I will be in arrears and it will apparently be MY fault. Funny, ain't it?

Also, just as an aside, Computer Joe is obviously a friend to computers every where and knows them, but Joe, ya gotta give us Non computer people a BREAK. I don't think it's my job to do all the tech work when a new service is provided. I'm not going to sit all day at my computer trying to fix stuff I know NOTHING about, and I'm not going to download speed tests and such just to prove that the new Uverse here is not what everyone thinks.  And contacting Alex isn't a free ride to freedom from the trial called ATT "Service" it might just be another big headache. (though as I stated, I did get a response, just no one was listening!)

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Sorry if I've disapointed you. Yes, contacting Alex is my pat answer, if your having a billing/account issue, as there is absolutely nothing I can do about that.

As well, you are correct, I do consider myself a freind of computers, in that I like to see them free of malware and running optimally. I also like to come to this forum and try to help others with their technical problems, and as far as giving you a break if you're not technically inclined, I'd be glad to try, if you had actually asked a technical question.

edit:

I do know that to access my online billing I have to have a totally seperate account/registration which is which is completely disconnected from my main AT&T account (main email account).

Have you asked to be changed to paper billing and have your bill mailed to you?

__________________________________________________________
How can you be in two places at once, when your not anywhere at all?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I really want to become a procrastinator, but I keep putting it off.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are three kinds of people, those that can count, and those that can't.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Our great democracies still tend to think that a stupid man is more likely to be honest than a clever man, and our politicians take advantage of this prejudice by pretending to be even more stupid than nature has made them." :Bertrand Russell

[ingleboy]

Hi, There..

I'm got the some problem like you. DSL to U-Verse.. Dsl $24.95 Promised pass Up to $40, So I  moved up to U-Verse.Now Att bill me DSL and U-verse  for over 2 Month now.I try to call them No one can't do it right. Att just takeing out off my Bank Account.for DSL and U-verse..Please let me know, any suggestions?.

Thanks,

Ingleboy

[mibrnsurg ACE - Geek]

Generally the discounts show up in the 3rd billing as credits, if they haven't, contact Alex, the AT&T Community Manager that has helped many users, by Private Message (his response, blue letter in upper right are PMs). Include your full name, account # and good phone #.:

http://forums.att.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/318276

Let us know how things work out if you can after contacting Alex.

Chris

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Please NO SD stretch-o-vision or 480 SD HD Channels
Need Help? 1-800-288-2020, After he gets acct info, press # a bunch of times, get a menu from Mr. Voice recognition
Your Results May Vary, In My Humble Opinion
I Call It Like I See It, Simply a U-verse user, nothing more

[dslai]

I just wanted to provide an update and mention that the person Alex forwarded my case to looked into my situation and appears to have resolved my issues. I need to wait for my next bill to make sure, but from a discussion I had with the person over the phone, it appears my billing issues will be resolved.

I don't know if the people Alex forwards the issues to have more authority and/or ability to resolve issues compared to the standard representatives you get when calling in. Next time, if I have any U-verse issues that can't be resolved thru the normal channel, I'm going to make to come to these forums and get in touch with Alex again. Hopefull, this will never happen though.

[RCSMG ACE - Master]

Thanks for letting us know.