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$1000 deposit to restart service?

I agree with some others here. Either a bad credit rating, or they feel you're jumping back/forth too much, and it's costing them $$; or a combo of both...

It's like bank accounts. You can transfer $$ to/from accounts, but there's a limit before they don't allow you to do it, or charge you for it.

Why all the back/forth?
 
nefan65 said:
I agree with some others here. Either a bad credit rating, or they feel you're jumping back/forth too much, and it's costing them $$; or a combo of both...

It's like bank accounts. You can transfer $$ to/from accounts, but there's a limit before they don't allow you to do it, or charge you for it.

Why all the back/forth?
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As I stated in my post, it is not because of my credit rating. They think I'm switching too much....which again I don't get because I pay full retail for the phones... I'd understand if I sign contracts and breach / pay ETF, but that is not the case. I switch often because I live in a high rise apartment. I've tried the micro cell, I've tried Verizon's equivalent in the past.
 
ATT or most providers have so many customers they can **** on whoever they want with zero consequences. When you become that big of a company that option just comes along with it. No how they treat you or anyone else for any reason at all. 99% of people will keep paying them so they don't have anything to worry about. Like you said sounds like they just don't want you business. Now you can either pony up and pay the fee or move on.
 
jlp2979 said:
As I stated in my post, it is not because of my credit rating. They think I'm switching too much....which again I don't get because I pay full retail for the phones... I'd understand if I sign contracts and breach / pay ETF, but that is not the case. I switch often because I live in a high rise apartment. I've tried the micro cell, I've tried Verizon's equivalent in the past.
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What does AT&T say to your logic, since as you say, you aren’t costing them a dime?
 
jlp2979 said:
As I stated in my post, it is not because of my credit rating. They think I'm switching too much....which again I don't get because I pay full retail for the phones... I'd understand if I sign contracts and breach / pay ETF, but that is not the case. I switch often because I live in a high rise apartment. I've tried the micro cell, I've tried Verizon's equivalent in the past.
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it doesn't have to be about your exact credit score or what's on your report. If they look at your old accounts and you consistently paid 10-15 days late, that isn't going to show up on your credit report bc they don't start reporting until 30 days usually. Then if they see you keep changing things on your account and are constantly porting out and coming back they are probably tired of dealing with you. If they are slapping you with a $1,000 deposit obviously you aren't doing something correctly to be able to just sign up free. There is a point when customers are abusing companies as well......
 
rmhop81 said:
it doesn't have to be about your exact credit score or what's on your report. If they look at your old accounts and you consistently paid 10-15 days late, that isn't going to show up on your credit report bc they don't start reporting until 30 days usually. Then if they see you keep changing things on your account and are constantly porting out and coming back they are probably tired of dealing with you. If they are slapping you with a $1,000 deposit obviously you aren't doing something correctly to be able to just sign up free. There is a point when customers are abusing companies as well......
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I stated in my 1st post, I've never paid late. I don't see how I'm abusing AT&T, simply by canceling a service that I never signed a contract for because it just didn't work out? I mean I get why it'd raise a red flag in their system, I just think they are wrong.
 
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jlp2979 said:
I stated in my 1st post, I've never paid late.
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that could mean you just haven't paid late to where it went on your credit report. You can still pay a day or 2 late and not get in trouble. that's why they review old accounts bc not all of them are going to be late payments where it was noted on your credit report.
 
Ugh, my heart sank when I read the title.

Years ago I re-signed for AT&T (huge mistake, now with Big Red) and they wanted a $300 deposit. I thought that was bad.

My condolences.
 
rmhop81 said:
that could mean you just haven't paid late to where it went on your credit report. You can still pay a day or 2 late and not get in trouble. that's why they review old accounts bc not all of them are going to be late payments where it was noted on your credit report.
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Thanks for the quick replies by the way....nope, I never paid even a day late, always good about bills.
 
jlp2979 said:
Thanks for the quick replies by the way....nope, I never paid even a day late, always good about bills.
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there is something that is triggering it. so it's either past history or something on your report. who knows they could even be using you coming back and forth as an inquiry like on your credit report and deny you bc you have too many "inquiries" within a time period.

If it wasn't credit driven i could see it not being a problem. But go apply for a credit card, then cancel it 2 weeks later, then come back a month later...that's gonna be a problem.

Why can't u just do prepaid?

This is also a good example of why i think contracts are evil and i will never sign one ever again. Cell service should be as simple as the prepaid gophone. You hop online order it up and pick your plan online and you're done.
 
PittsDriver said:
Bingo. You are not valued as a loyal customer. You are more work then they want to deal with.
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That sentiment just doesn't make sense to me. I'm not breaking any contract. All I want to do is pay full price for a phone and start service. I don't see how that is too much 'work' for them. And I also see no need to do the $1000 deposit that WILL hurt my credit if I did it.

Maybe force me to sign a contract or else deny me service, fine, but this treatment is totally unwarranted in my opinion.

I didn't look into prepaid because I didn't think I could use a smartphone like the Atrix with that?
 
jlp2979 said:
That sentiment just doesn't make sense to me. I'm not breaking any contract. All I want to do is pay full price for a phone and start service. I don't see how that is too much 'work' for them. And I also see no need to do the $1000 deposit that WILL hurt my credit if I did it.

Maybe force me to sign a contract or else deny me service, fine, but this treatment is totally unwarranted in my opinion.

I didn't look into prepaid because I didn't think I could use a smartphone like the Atrix with that?
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that is the problem with mobile carriers in the US. they WANT you to sign a contract...they WANT you to fork over $1,000 for deposit. If a atrix has a microsim, just cut a gophone sim to the size of the microsim. that's what i do with my iphone 4.
 
jlp2979 said:
That sentiment just doesn't make sense to me. I'm not breaking any contract. All I want to do is pay full price for a phone and start service. I don't see how that is too much 'work' for them. And I also see no need to do the $1000 deposit that WILL hurt my credit if I did it.

Maybe force me to sign a contract or else deny me service, fine, but this treatment is totally unwarranted in my opinion.

I didn't look into prepaid because I didn't think I could use a smartphone like the Atrix with that?
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I'm sure there are costs associated for starting up an account and shutting one down and if you have a habit of continually starting/canceling they don't want the hassle of dealing with such customers. The 1,000 bucks is a gut check for you, as well. If you're serious about going with them then you'll pay the money.

It is obscene amount to ask for but its one way they can use to cull out customers who they don't want
 
Issue Resolved?

Sorry to post to an old thread but I am having the same exact problem. I have only done it twice in the same year, but I imagine this is why I am now getting $1000 deposit after the last two were $0. What was the outcome of your situation.
 
Moral of the story, I guess ATT thinks you have to pay to play.
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Yep. Nothing wrong with a company wanting to have profitable customers and not taking on customers they know are a lot of trouble (i.e. those that are high maintenance/unreliable as your service record indicates you are).
 
j1787 said:
Sorry to post to an old thread but I am having the same exact problem. I have only done it twice in the same year, but I imagine this is why I am now getting $1000 deposit after the last two were $0. What was the outcome of your situation.
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They stopped porting, probs.
 
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