Restoral Fee

[superrandy]

So last month my bill was one week pastdue, which I admit is my fault. My service was shut off and I went and paid the bill. My service got turned back on. Well this month I go ahead and pay our regular monthly bill amount, only to have my service shut off again today. Apparently when it was shut off previously I was charged a restoral fee. So now my service is shut off over a $40 restoral fee, so once I pay this then my next bill will have yet another restoral fee.

Does noone seem to see a problem with this? Its already ridiculous that I get charged a restoral fee thats way more than other carriers, but you charge that to just push a button on your end.  Im thinking of just canceling my service instead of dealing with being charged fees at every chance ATT gets. The customer service is terrible, if my bill is one day late I get multiple calls a day, I get charged overly-high fees, and my service is shut off after being a week late.

I know theyre not going to do the right thing and give me a break, but I figured posting and letting others see would at least let everyone know to look out for the fee. 

[shenanigans]

If you know you are going to be late on your bill, call in and make a payment plan, don't just wait for your service to be cancelled. Tell them you are going to be late! They can help you if you let them.

[youngjm ACE - Professor]

Hard to have compassion when an account is shut down for a late bill unless you are proactive with them to make arrangements.  As a business, they need to protect their interests and expenses of offering service without being paid.  It may help you if you use the "'myWirelless Account" option at the top to review your true balance and you can trigger any payments that you need to make.  The fees are what they are but if you are proactive in your communication, they may be able to help you.  The folks calling you after a late bill are probably on commission based on recoveries and that is why they are aggressive.

[superrandy]

Last month I was late, it was my fault, I didn't realize I was going to be late therefore I didn't call-in to make a "payment plan." This month I was not going to be late at all, I just paid my regular bill amount, only then later to find out I had this seperate restoral fee. Which my account is now shut off for. So after I pay this restoral fee I'll have yet another on my next bill. At no point did I know before hand to setup a payment plan. The $40 fee is absolutely ridiculous. If it wasnt for the iphone ATT wouldnt have a lot of peoples business.

[kdfederer ACE - Wizard]

Do you ever check your bill amount? You should check it monthly to make sure there are no erroneous charges. By paying your normal monthly amount, you could be under paying regularly. Taxes change. My bill fluctuates by a few cents occasionally due to changes in taxes and fees. If you had gotten behind by "paying your monthly amount", that could have been why you were shut off and the $40 could have been months of late charges for not paying properly.

[1ofaknd]

sounds to me like you did not even look at your bill's current balance, which would include any additional fees or past due amounts. If that restoral fee get's carried over for two months because you ignored it, that amount is WAY past due, and your service has every right to be shut off at that point.

pay your bills, it's your responsibility, not ATT's. They have many options for making payments, you can setup autopay so you are never late, you get letters and reminders when you are late before they suspend service. Pay attention to your account and you wouldn't have any problems.

[PhoneScoop]

the reps for AT&T who do their calls whenever you're past due are not paid on commission they are hourly paid employees who only handle accounts past due, suspended for past due payments or cancelled for past due payments. the department is called RM or Receivables Management. People think their agressive but they only want to prevent you from being shut off for a past due bill. It's actually a courtesy that AT&T even has this department becuz no law requires AT&T to contact a customer either by phone, sms, email or even a letter to notify that you're in danger of being shut off. you get your bill every month & see the due date & everyone knows once a bill is late whatever the service is can be turned off. It's your responsibility as the customer to pay your bill on time no AT&T.

If you call them whenever you're gonna be late on a payment then they can set up a pay arrangement if your account qualifies & even in light of the current economic woes they've even been setting up pay arrangements for customer who don't qualify. The thing is no one can help if you don't tell them ahead of time. Pay your light bill late & be shut off are you gonna complain to them. Not really becuz there may not be as many utility companies in your area. Pay your cell bill late & be turned off & of course you'll complain becuz there are plenty of carriers out there to choose from. And the favorite lines of any customer who's in the wrong & mad becuz they can't have their way is #1 "Lemme speak w/ your supervisor & #2 "making mention of cancelling their account becuz of the issue hoping the company or rep rather will budge & make a nexception. If you notice nowadays AT&T can't make many exceptions becuz their starting to hurt as well.