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$1000 deposit to restart service?

Martyimac

Martyimac

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Aug 19, 2009
2,492
1,730
S. AZ.
And no that isn't a fat finger error. The rest of the story.

Over the last year, I have ported my number in and out of AT&T 3 maybe 4 times trying out the IP3, 3GS, and 4. The last time I ported out was because AT&T had been promising us 3G since the summer and by October or so, they still hadn't got it so I ported back to VZW and payed the ETF and kept the iPhone 4 for my own reasons like iPod touch, or going back to AT&T once 3G was here. Well 2 days ago, 3G finally came to our neck of the woods. So I decided to go back in and start a NEW line, not a port, to try out the 3G service AND because we are heading out in a while to check out some homes in AZ and I figured I could check out AT&T's service in that area with my iPhone AND my VZW phone and see which one was best.

Well, basically the service rep, not the one in the AT&T store but one he had to call, told me because I had ported in and out so much, that they would require me to put down a $1000.00 deposit to start up a NEW account, again, not a port from VZW but a new number.

So, are there any AT&T reps here that can comment on this? Anyone else had a similar occurrence?
 
That doesnt make sense.
Porting back and forth shouldnt matter when it comes to a deposit. You can come and leave at any time as long as you pay your oustanding balance and ETF if any offcourse.
What comes into play is your credit, when they pull up a report if that has taken a hit and its lower then they might ask you for a deposit.
 
Three/four times in a year is crazy. I can't really say I'm surprised they are requiring such a large deposit. I'm even surprised they're allowing you to activate a new line at all. You're probably better off staying with Verizon now that they have the iPhone.
 
yeah the whole porting thing doesnt make sense but me and a buddy went together to an Apple store because we both wanted the 3GS when it came out and I didnt need a deposit but they asked my friend for a $1000 deposit. I had good credit while he either had very little or bad credit. Sounds like you may have bad credit haha.
 
SOrry, I will agree with the other and say that does NOT make sense. AT&T should not have a problem if you ported 10 times.


Asking for a $1000 to start an account is usually an indication that you neglected to pay your bill and or have horrible credit!:eek:
 
Its probably because they don't want you as a customer.

I recall reading a while back how sprint was basically telling some customers that they're not really welcome at sprint and go some where else.

Given the high signing/cancellation rate, perhaps ATT does not want to deal with you. The 1,000 deposit is just a way to make that happen.
 
maflynn said:
Its probably because they don't want you as a customer.

I recall reading a while back how sprint was basically telling some customers that they're not really welcome at sprint and go some where else.

Given the high signing/cancellation rate, perhaps ATT does not want to deal with you. The 1,000 deposit is just a way to make that happen.
Click to expand...

It is either this, or a bad credit rating.
 
Basically you are costing them too much with your experimenting. They are politely telling you to get lost :eek:
 
Givmeabrek said:
Basically you are costing them too much with your experimenting. They are politely telling you to get lost :eek:
Click to expand...

I dont see how he'd be costing them too much.
If anything he will be wasting alot of his money buying new phones, paying prorated monthly charges, activation fees, early termination fee's etc...
It shouldnt be a problem to the carrier as long as you're on time with your payment and dont leave without paying all the charges on your account in full.
They would still be making money either way. My guess is its either a bad credit problem or he had an outstanding or late balance with them prior and they want an insurance incase he defaults.
 
Martyimac said:
And no that isn't a fat finger error. The rest of the story.

Over the last year, I have ported my number in and out of AT&T 3 maybe 4 times trying out the IP3, 3GS, and 4. The last time I ported out was because AT&T had been promising us 3G since the summer and by October or so, they still hadn't got it so I ported back to VZW and payed the ETF and kept the iPhone 4 for my own reasons like iPod touch, or going back to AT&T once 3G was here. Well 2 days ago, 3G finally came to our neck of the woods. So I decided to go back in and start a NEW line, not a port, to try out the 3G service AND because we are heading out in a while to check out some homes in AZ and I figured I could check out AT&T's service in that area with my iPhone AND my VZW phone and see which one was best.

Well, basically the service rep, not the one in the AT&T store but one he had to call, told me because I had ported in and out so much, that they would require me to put down a $1000.00 deposit to start up a NEW account, again, not a port from VZW but a new number.

So, are there any AT&T reps here that can comment on this? Anyone else had a similar occurrence?
Click to expand...

That might be the reason too.
 
Maybe you received one of those ever so polite AT&T letters ...

Dear Sir, you are using 5 times the amount of Data as 99% of our clients.

and they are now moving to plan B.
 
Applejuiced said:
I dont see how he'd be costing them too much.
If anything he will be wasting alot of his money buying new phones, paying prorated monthly charges, activation fees, early termination fee's etc...
It shouldnt be a problem to the carrier as long as you're on time with your payment and dont leave without paying all the charges on your account in full.
They would still be making money either way. My guess is its either a bad credit problem or he had an outstanding or late balance with them prior and they want an insurance incase he defaults.
Click to expand...

While devices and such are paid for, there is some overhead to be accounted for with all of those activities. I'm guessing he's not the type of customer that looks good on AT&Ts books anyway.
 
heres an idea if you want to talk to an AT&T customer rep directly. call them up or if you have a facebook page (who doesnt now a days right?). friend AT&T on there and post up your concerns. they will usually respond with in about an hour. ive gotten better help with them through facebook recently then calling 611
 
CBR900RR said:
Nothing is wrong, but alot more profit for AT&T if he stay 24mos X $70, than just paying the ETF + $299, that might get him blacklisted by AT&T.
Click to expand...

Geckotek said:
While devices and such are paid for, there is some overhead to be accounted for with all of those activities. I'm guessing he's not the type of customer that looks good on AT&Ts books anyway.
Click to expand...

Both correct observations but I dont think something like that will get him "blacklisted" or a cause for a deposit.
As long as you got good credit you wont need to put down a $1000 deposit.
 
Givmeabrek said:
Basically you are costing them too much with your experimenting. They are politely telling you to get lost :eek:
Click to expand...

I think this is it. And OBTW, for those that commented, last time I checked my credit scores, they were all excellent and nothing has changed. I have no outstanding debt, no mortgage, no late payments. So I think ATT just said they don't want to deal with me.

Moral of the story, I guess ATT thinks you have to pay to play. :rolleyes:

So, anybody want to buy a little used IP 4?:D
 
I also think in line with what Applejuice has said. It is weird they are doing it to you; however, the other side of the story. You have bounced back-n-forth so much that one of the carriers put a stop to it by telling you, "Look, or you stay or you leave, but don't be jumping all over the place", in this case it was AT&T.
 
Applejuiced said:
Both correct observations but I dont think something like that will get him "blacklisted" or a cause for a deposit.
As long as you got good credit you wont need to put down a $1000 deposit.
Click to expand...

Well consider that it's a program rather than a human doing most of the deciding.

And also consider all the stories of people with great credit scores having to pay a deposit of $150 and up and some with bad credit scores didn't have to pay anything. It seems like ATT doesn't check your credit in a traditional matter. They are probably not concerned with actually debt or negative marks on a person, but more on the history of paying for services like cable, land line, and previous cell carriers.
 
You said restart. It's more like restart, restart, and restart.

I don't think AT&T wants you to come back.
 
LIVEFRMNYC said:
Well consider that it's a program rather than a human doing most of the deciding.

And also consider all the stories of people with great credit scores having to pay a deposit of $150 and up and some with bad credit scores didn't have to pay anything. It seems like ATT doesn't check your credit in a traditional matter. They are probably not concerned with actually debt or negative marks on a person, but more on the history of paying for services like cable, land line, and previous cell carriers.
Click to expand...

Not sure how they determine that but I'd go to a corp AT&T store and speak to a manager to look into this and give details or why and how is that they want $1000 to start service again.
 
If you owned a store and a customer came back 3 times to return/exchange, you'd probably start wising up too!
 
Geckotek said:
While devices and such are paid for, there is some overhead to be accounted for with all of those activities. I'm guessing he's not the type of customer that looks good on AT&Ts books anyway.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I feel like this is more administrative that anything else, which I can totally understand. Why would they continue to keep doing this for you if there's a clear indication that you won't remain a customer?

Seriously, if you tried this with buying a TV and returning 4 or 5 times inside a year, the store would probably stop selling/accepting them.
 
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