Resolved AT&T ETF question.

[Centient]

Does anyone have experience with AT&T ETF? Specifically how long it takes from the time you cancel your contract until they come after you for the ETF?

Cancelled on Wednesday and system says nothing is owed. Live operator said the same thing. Says the phones are free and clear.

The only explanations I can come up with are:

1. My account was linked through a FAN with my employer, but don't think dodging ETF is part of the arrangement.

2. Had called to complain about reception in my home recently. We lost calls constantly, and maybe they let us skate out because of that?

3. It takes a few days or so for ETF to be issued?

This just seems to good to be true at this point...

 

[ulbador]

I think you get it around the time your next bill would be due. My cycle always went from the 16th or something like that and that is when my ETF bill was sent.

 

[Centient]

Just spoke to my 3rd rep in two days about this and she tells me that any final charges should appear tomorrow.

The fact that I had to speak to 3 people before finding someone who could give me something of a clear answer speaks to one of the main reasons we left AT&T.

 

[eternlgladiator]

Were you trying to avoid them or just collect information about them from AT&T?

 

[Centient]

Were you trying to avoid them or just collect information about them from AT&T?

Not trying to avoid them at all. Though I'd gladly not pay if they don't ask. Just trying to determine what we owed and get it paid off.

I kept calling, and decided to ask here, because I've not had a much luck in getting accurate information from AT&T reps in the past, and I thought it was highly suspect that I just managed to escape any fees.

 

[eternlgladiator]

Not trying to avoid them at all. Though I'd gladly not pay if they don't ask. Just trying to determine what we owed and get it paid off.

I kept calling, and decided to ask here, because I've not had a much luck in getting accurate information from AT&T reps in the past, and I thought it was highly suspect that I just managed to escape any fees.

Have you tried talking to them about reducing or eliminating it based on the service issue you mentioned? I know mileage varies from rep to rep but its usually not too hard to find an understanding helpful one that will do things beyond the rest.

 

[Centient]

Have you tried talking to them about reducing or eliminating it based on the service issue you mentioned? I know mileage varies from rep to rep but its usually not too hard to find an understanding helpful one that will do things beyond the rest.

Good advice. I'll gladly give it a try when/if something shows up saying I owe them. Keep in mind that until I reached this latest CSR a few minutes ago I'll I'd been told was that I owed nothing. Once some kind of ETF shows up on their screen I'll be happy to try to negotiate with them.

As an aside/rant, it's been really interesting in dealing with AT&T employees. It seems that for every 1 person I've dealt with who's actually been helpful, I've previously been connected with 2 or more folks who didn't know what they were talking about and decided to pass on info to me that was wrong. The folks who have been helpful have simply put me on hold and actually looked into my question before answering.

 

[eternlgladiator]

Good advice. I'll gladly give it a try when/if something shows up saying I owe them. Keep in mind that until I reached this latest CSR a few minutes ago I'll I'd been told was that I owed nothing. Once some kind of ETF shows up on their screen I'll be happy to try to negotiate with them.

As an aside/rant, it's been really interesting in dealing with AT&T employees. It seems that for every 1 person I've dealt with who's actually been helpful, I've previously been connected with 2 or more folks who didn't know what they were talking about and decided to pass on info to me that was wrong. The folks who have been helpful have simply put me on hold and actually looked into my question before answering.

I've had similar results talking to people. I've found I got better mileage on the than in the stores. All the store employees I've dealt with have been generally rude and unhelpful whereas people on the phone have been helpful and willing to dig up information for me. I'll try to feel them out right away with a relatively simple request and if they can't handle that or their mood seems terrible I'll just end it there and call back.

 

[Centient]

I've had similar results talking to people. I've found I got better mileage on the than in the stores. All the store employees I've dealt with have been generally rude and unhelpful whereas people on the phone have been helpful and willing to dig up information for me. I'll try to feel them out right away with a relatively simple request and if they can't handle that or their mood seems terrible I'll just end it there and call back.

ETF and last months bill finally posted Saturday. Unfortunately I canceled one line at the end of the billing cycle, and the other line on the first day of the next. So now I have to wait it out one more month for the final, final bill to post. My bad. *sigh*

Called in Saturday to ask about paying. At the outset of the conversation, as I was explaining my reasons for dropping AT&T, I told the CSR about how difficult it was to get accurate info from most of the people I had dealt with at AT&T. That it was beyond aggravating and it just seemed to me that many of the people at AT&T were content to give you whatever came to their mind without knowing or checking. He apologized and agreed that it was frustrating and he sympathized with me.

He then proceeded to give me incorrect information regarding ETF's on the iPhone 4. He said there was no way it was more than $200 because that was the absolute maximum AT&T charged for an ETF. I asked if he was sure. He kept politely insisting he was confident. After about 10 minutes explaining my situation to him I then asked him specifically to check on those ETF costs. He was gone for almost 5 minutes, before returning and apologizing profusely for giving me bad info.

I was pretty generous in my reply to him and asked about waiving the ETF's given the difficulties with reception and customer service. Polite as always, he refused. I thanked him for his time, and his manner, and told him AT&T had just lost a customer for life and that I whenever it comes up I will relay my experiences with AT&T to others and always recommend against using the company.

End rant.

 

[FSUSem1noles]

ETF and last months bill finally posted Saturday. Unfortunately I canceled one line at the end of the billing cycle, and the other line on the first day of the next. So now I have to wait it out one more month for the final, final bill to post. My bad. *sigh*

Called in Saturday to ask about paying. At the outset of the conversation, as I was explaining my reasons for dropping AT&T, I told the CSR about how difficult it was to get accurate info from most of the people I had dealt with at AT&T. That it was beyond aggravating and it just seemed to me that many of the people at AT&T were content to give you whatever came to their mind without knowing or checking. He apologized and agreed that it was frustrating and he sympathized with me.

He then proceeded to give me incorrect information regarding ETF's on the iPhone 4. He said there was no way it was more than $200 because that was the absolute maximum AT&T charged for an ETF. I asked if he was sure. He kept politely insisting he was confident. After about 10 minutes explaining my situation to him I then asked him specifically to check on those ETF costs. He was gone for almost 5 minutes, before returning and apologizing profusely for giving me bad info.

I was pretty generous in my reply to him and asked about waiving the ETF's given the difficulties with reception and customer service. Polite as always, he refused. I thanked him for his time, and his manner, and told him AT&T had just lost a customer for life and that I whenever it comes up I will relay my experiences with AT&T to others and always recommend against using the company.

End rant.

No offense, but you lost your bargaining chips when you cancelled your service... There's very little hope they would waive or reduce your ETF, you're already gone what do they care about the time it took you or the fact you had to chase down how much you owe them?? What do they care what you tell other people??? They simply don't... All that matters to them is you owe them XXX.XX amount of dollars..

 

[Centient]

No offense, but you lost your bargaining chips when you cancelled your service... There's very little hope they would waive or reduce your ETF, you're already gone what do they care about the time it took you or the fact you had to chase down how much you owe them?? What do they care what you tell other people??? They simply don't... All that matters to them is you owe them XXX.XX amount of dollars..

I'm not sure I could be offended as it seems you didn't read the entire entry before responding. Getting out of paying the ETF was never a stated goal, only a suggestion by the poster that I was responding to in my latest reply.

Edit: I see why you might be confused. My reason for never coming back to AT&T has nothing to do with waiving the ETF. Actually didn't have all that much to do with the poor reception in my home. It was all the time wasted and aggravation achieved in trying to track down accurate information from poorly informed, and largely unhelpful AT&T employees. One person says one thing, another person says something else. It was this way with several questions I had, and didn't share those encounters in detail here or elsewhere.

 

[FSUSem1noles]

I'm not sure I could be offended as it seems you didn't read the entire entry before responding. Getting out of paying the ETF was never a stated goal, only a suggestion by the poster that I was responding to in my latest reply.

Ahhh, ok... after reading your edit that does clarify a little because I have been following this thread..

 

[Goldinboy17]

Cancelled a contract recently and AT&T took over a month to send me the bill! I was almost not expecting it anymore after having waited so long. I cancelled about mid-month of December and wasn't charged until the beginning of February. Could they be any slower in taking my money when I want them to?

 

[Centient]

Ahhh, ok... after reading your edit that does clarify a little because I have been following this thread..

Cool. Sometimes something you write makes perfect sense in your head, and you hit "submit reply" before reading it through. Sorry for the confusion.