Why the Monlthly Charge for having 1 Phone Number Blocked?

[sixty4half]

I recently contacted Customer Service (as a side note: your IVR is HORRIBLE, plz make more intuitive and less "speechy" in regards to the robots that talk to me) to have a phone number blocked from my account as an extranged relative has recently taken to harrassing my wife.

I was told this would be $4.99 a MONTH!   I can understand a one time charge to push through the changes (actually, I find that even hard to swallow), but to charge a Monthly Fee which would require no upkeep or maintenance on your part is something I find really hard to believe.

If you EVER expect  me to pay that, then there had better be a GOOD explination of why that fee even exists.

Not to mention, I was told that it would be $4.99 per phone line.   Near $10 a month for 1 number being blocked is absolutely rediculous.

[jamileh]

I'm sorry that your wife is receiving harassing phone calls. 

It sounds like the feature recommened was AT&T Smart Controls (http://www.att.net/smartcontrols-SmartLimitsForWireless) which offers a host of safety and preventative methods, including blocking phone numbers. 

[BadBadLeroyBrown ACE - Warrior]

AT&T doesn't just block numbers as a courtesy to their customers. Verizon also doesn't. I'm not sure if there's a technical reason why they don't/can't, but they don't. AT&T is not the police. If you continue to have problems, there are phones that allow selective number blocking. Additionally, you can program that number with a "silent" ring tone so that it doesn't really ring when the relative calls. Or you could port your number to Google Voice and use their call blocking features (but a termination fee may apply if your contract isn't finished).

[Lyian]

Because they are a bunch of greedy **** who will find an excuse to charge you for anything. They seem to be splitting up everything a normal Land line use to have bundled into one and tossing an absurdely high charge to it just to make more money. They dont give a crap about their customers so long as they shell out the money for their worthless service. This feature alone is prompting me to go look for another carrier, and ive been with ATT for the last 8 years or so. But charging to protect yourself from harassment and (in my case) solicitations that COST YOU MONEY is **** stupid and unacceptable. Sorry AT&T.. you just lost a customer today.

[word filter avoidance]

[JFizDaWiz]

Get an android phone. Download app. Done.

Or even a basic Samsung phone

[Lyian]

Tell me. Why should i have to purchase a new phone, and get an app, just to avoid paying for a service that AT&T *should* be providing with every regular plan?

I just checked the my usage and sure enough, ive been charged for the unsolicited spam text i got from 646-***-**** --- Spam number

I should not be charged, nor should i have to pay just to keep from avoiding getting unsolicited text messages on my phone telling me about "over stock ipads" that i dont give a ratts butthole about. (oh and im suppose to reply with "stop" to keep from getting the message? How about you not message me in the first place unless i ASK for it. How about that?)  It infuriates me to no end that i got this message, as im very careful who i give my number too, which points to AT&T themselves possibly selling my number out.

Think about it,

AT&T Sells the number to spammers, makes money.

People get spammed, want to block the number

AT&T charges a monthly fee to block number, again makes money.

Does that seem right to you? Are they doing this? Not sure, but given they want to charge us for this (an absurdly high charge at that) seem to indicate that they are.

Also, JFiz, if i could afford to get a new phone, it wont be with AT&T. And i likely could afford it, give i wasn't being nickle an dimed by AT&T every chance they got.

[Edited to comply with Guidelines]

[jamileh]

AT&T does not sell or otherwise distribute personal information, including your telephone numbers.

The companies who spam via text messages have programs that automatically generate 10 digits strings which may or may not be working cell phone numbers. They're not getting your number, they're randomly generating it. 

I know this is frustrating, I've had it happen to me too. 

Here is some good information about blocking spam text messages: http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB115812#fbid=t9mjtZs2WYs

[sixty4half]

First:  JFiz - "Get an android phone. Download app. Done.

Or even a basic Samsung phone"

Doesn't answer my question (not to mention it's not even helpful.  You fail to tell me what app to D/L or take into consideration that I can't get an android, or fail to even see that I may already have one).   I asked WHY do they charge this fee.  I'm glad you feel the need to defend their internal policies, but your companies policy decisions have no berring on my expectation for customer satisfaction.

Second:  Jamileh -  "AT&T does not sell or otherwise distribute personal information, including your telephone numbers."

That is a lie.  I don't know that you intended it, and I'm sure that you believe what you say, but someone told you a lie, and you are simply regurgitating the same lie.  I know for a fact it's a lie.

When I first got with AT&T the guy who took my order misspelled my last name.  He put a B where a D is.  Within weeks I was recieving mail sent to me with the misspelling in my name.   I didn't put 2 and 2 together until I got my first AT&T bill which was sent with the same misspelling.  So, explain to me how, if AT&T doesn't sell personal information, this could have happened.

I'm also taken aback by the fact that you have the audacity to put "I am an AT&T employee and the postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent AT&T’s position, strategies or opinions." at the end of your post when you are a "Community Manager."  Just another example of how AT&T and it's employees have no accountability or pride in their work.

Would someone from AT&T like to answer my ORIGINAL question?   Why is it that you charge $4.99 a month per phone line to block 1 number?

[jamileh]

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sixty4half wrote:

First:  JFiz - "Get an android phone. Download app. Done.

Or even a basic Samsung phone"

Doesn't answer my question (not to mention it's not even helpful.  You fail to tell me what app to D/L or take into consideration that I can't get an android, or fail to even see that I may already have one).   I asked WHY do they charge this fee.  I'm glad you feel the need to defend their internal policies, but your companies policy decisions have no berring on my expectation for customer satisfaction.

Second:  Jamileh -  "AT&T does not sell or otherwise distribute personal information, including your telephone numbers."

That is a lie.  I don't know that you intended it, and I'm sure that you believe what you say, but someone told you a lie, and you are simply regurgitating the same lie.  I know for a fact it's a lie.

When I first got with AT&T the guy who took my order misspelled my last name.  He put a B where a D is.  Within weeks I was receiving mail sent to me with the misspelling in my name.   I didn't put 2 and 2 together until I got my first AT&T bill which was sent with the same misspelling.  So, explain to me how, if AT&T doesn't sell personal information, this could have happened.

I'm also taken aback by the fact that you have the audacity to put "I am an AT&T employee and the postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent AT&T’s position, strategies or opinions." at the end of your post when you are a "Community Manager."  Just another example of how AT&T and it's employees have no accountability or pride in their work.

Would someone from AT&T like to answer my ORIGINAL question?   Why is it that you charge $4.99 a month per phone line to block 1 number?

---

I'm sorry to hear that another company received your information, but AT&T does not sell or provide your personal information to anyone without your permission. I don't know the details of your order or what kind of mail you received so I can't speak to what may have caused it. 

Blocking numbers is one part of the Smart Limits service which is $4.99/month. Smart Limits provides many account management features that you can take advantage of if you chose to use the service. 

If you'd like to speak with someone about the calls your wife is receiving; please send me a private message with your name, account number, phone number and the best time to contact you. I will be happy to have a member of our team give you a call. 




To send a private message, you can either click on the link in this message or click on the little blue envelope in the upper right hand corner, click "compose new message" and type my username in the "Send To" field.

[sixty4half]

No private message needed. I would like someone to answer my question. If AT&T has a justifiable reason for this fee then it should be no problem to put it out here on the public record and on the internet by simply answering my question here on the forums.

If there is no justifiable reason for this fee, then simply tell me. Just say, we can charge what we want and you just have to deal with it. Like it or not.

[jamileh]

I requested your contact information so we can assist with the calls your wife is receiving. If you'd like to speak with a member of our team about that, I'm happy to assist. 

I mentioned in my earlier message that the ability to blocking numbers is only one feature of Smart Limits. There are many other features and capabilities you get for that $4.99/month fee.

[sixty4half]

You're still not answering my question.  I know there are other features.  I don't need those other features.  When my kids are old enough to have a cell phone I just might buy that, but for now, I don't need it.  I only need 1 number blocked. 

So, AGAIN, why the $4.99 charge PER phoneline to block 1 number?

[jamileh]

I understand your point, you don't need the other features so you don't feel you should have to pay for them. I agree with that.

The ability to block numbers is bundled with similar safety/control functionalities and is not currently available seperately. 

[sixty4half]

"The ability to block numbers is bundled with similar safety/control functionalities and is not currently available seperately."

Why?

[JFizDaWiz]

Sometimes the answer is "just because" . Att decided this is how they want to bundle features.

[BadBadLeroyBrown ACE - Warrior]

Why can't I buy cable channels a la carte, rather than having to pay for a package that includes a huge subsidy to ESPN? Because that's the way the cable companies do it at this point.

Jamileh is not authorized to speak on behalf of the entirety of AT&T. Badgering her won't get you an answer to your "why" question. In fact, NOTHING is going to get you an answer to your question in these forums. AT&T doesn't comment on their business strategies or why they make certain business decisions. 

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sixty4half wrote:

"The ability to block numbers is bundled with similar safety/control functionalities and is not currently available seperately."

Why?

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[G6x]

Keep in mind that if the relative is using a iphone, or blackberry their calls will STILL come thru. That stupid SmartLimits app does not block out iphones and blackberries. I was told this after subscribing to it for the same reason you did, and sure enough their calls and text keep coming in and I called AT&T to complain and thats what I was told. I cancelled the app after and am concidering chaning my number if the person does not give up with the calls and text soon.