My Fight w/ AT&T

[Dr Kevorkian94]

Im using my dads upgrade

so me and my father go into Att and they say it will coast me 700$ to upgrade because im still in a contract, So my dad starts screaming at the guy. So after that i ask the guy if i could use my fathers upgrade cuz he is eligible july 11th. the guy says yes, so i told him if my father upgrades to the new iphone then i downgrade to his razor, can i have the cell numbers switched so the iphone has my # and he has his #. So the says to me sure and my dad gets calmed down and we leave.

 

[pavvento]

An unhappy customer today is certainly not the same thing as a happy customer yesterday. If you understood the slightest thing about marketing, customer retention or guest service, you would know that.

Whatever, MacRumors community. Clearly, I didn't get my portion of the Kool Aid with my registration. And I don't have the mastery of "multi-quote" abilities.

AT&T changed the game with that memo. No advance notice. No attempt to educate their customers in advance. Just, SURPRISE - if you have been doing a certain something all along, we love you and you can have the iPhone 3GS for $199. If you haven't, there's nothing you can do about it, even though you didn't know in the first place.

Way to treat customers who have been loyal to you through (now 3) exclusive AT&T devices and over three years of service.

What tickles me the most is that everyone calling me an idiot and wrong are probably the same folks that bitched about the SATA I connection in the new MacBooks Pro's: But you knew what you were getting into! You bought the computer and you could check out the stats in the store!!! Right.

I can't stand all these 'kool aid' comments- because people don't think they are entitled to everything doesn't mean that they are making excuses for corporations.

I am a teacher and a lot of times I'll give my students a homework pass or something for going above and beyond what others do, and all the other students complain saying 'if I would have known I would have gotten a homework pass I would have done that also.'

Sometimes life is about being in the right place at the right time, or having the right monthly plan.

As far as you being a 'loyal customer' for 3 years: I highly doubt that three years of paying a bill on time constitutes being a loyal customer.

 

[uberamd]

I, I am speechless. Really. I read the original post, then I read his arguments, and I just don't even know how to reply. Is he serious? Is this some sort of joke? Did he really try to 'offer' AT&T $120 to change his upgrade eligibility? AT&T, a huge corporation? Oh, my, god. Is this where society is heading.

Obviously AT&T is not going to just take the $120 and give you the new price. The fact that you even offered is pathetic. I REALLY wish I worked at an AT&T call center over the last few weeks so I could field calls from idiots asking for discounts using all sorts of excuses as to why they are special and deserve a discount. I would go home every night with stories to share, stories of the dumbing down of society over a phone and the utter lack of contractual understanding so many people possess.

Wow. Just wow. Do I have a story to tell today at lunch or what? "Hey AT&T, if I slide you some money can you modify my account?" Hahaha.

 

[samcraig]

I highly doubt that three years of paying a bill on time constitutes being a loyal customer.

No that's not loyalty. That's simply called fulfilling an obligation.

.

Wow. Just wow. Do I have a story to tell today at lunch or what? "Hey AT&T, if I slide you some money can you modify my account?" Hahaha.

Like they're the maitre' D and a restaurant LOL

 

[uberamd]

No that's not loyalty. That's simply called fulfilling an obligation.

Exactly. What do I get for driving the speed limit? Do I get discounts on my taxes? No, I just don't see penalties.

 

[kkachurak]

I can't stand all these 'kool aid' comments- because people don't think they are entitled to everything doesn't mean that they are making excuses for corporations.

I am a teacher and a lot of times I'll give my students a homework pass or something for going above and beyond what others do, and all the other students complain saying 'if I would have known I would have gotten a homework pass I would have done that also.'

Sometimes life is about being in the right place at the right time, or having the right monthly plan.

As far as you being a 'loyal customer' for 3 years: I highly doubt that three years of paying a bill on time constitutes being a loyal customer.

Well, considering that after two years I could've left, yes, that makes me a loyal customer. After two years, I made the choice to stay and sign up for another two years. What, do you have to be with AT&T Wireless since the beginning to be considered loyal? Or maybe you had to put up with that crazy switch to Cingular and back? Ya, sure, maybe that makes you loyal.

Now I've made the decision to switch to a competing carrier the absolute moment the iPhone is available on one. Not a problem for Apple, but certainly an issue for AT&T. And I can't be the only one.

What happens when the iPhone is available on competing carriers and they keep releasing a new device each year? If each carrier only has a $120 ETF (or so) and the device is twice as much on your current carrier because you're not "upgrade eligible", then these companies stand to lose subscribers every year, guaranteed. They'll just port their number to another provider, eat the ETF and save $60-80 (thereabouts).

 

[brownieguy19]

I would just like to add this tid bit to those defending AT&T....

These "contracts" are not legally binding contracts. AND if you did a little research, very rarely will a judge hold these contracts up in court as noted by a very large settlement in the state of California.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/29/sprint-loses-early-termination-lawsuit-ordered-to-pay-73m-b/

I will have to agree with the OP's math; and because the math does not always make sense; consumer protection lawyers eat this stuff up for unlawful business practices. Furthermore, if you do a little homework, arbitration will usually favor on the consumer's behalf.

Just because AT&T has a "policy" and you sign a "contract" does not make it a)legally binding or b)appropriate or c)ethical.

However, I will add, just because there are these loop holes does not make it ethical for consumers to take advantage of unless they honestly feel they have been taken advantage of. (i.e. the elderly and disabled) I don't think it would be ethical to attack AT&T over the emotion of being upset over a $200 price difference.

 

[kkachurak]

Exactly. What do I get for driving the speed limit? Do I get discounts on my taxes? No, I just don't see penalties.

There's a pretty big difference between breaking laws and being penalized and being "tossed around" by your wireless service and deciding you're unhappy with the outcome.

Yes, at the end of the day, I'm in a contract I'm obligate to fulfill, but I can still tell friends and families not to sign up with AT&T and opt out of their service when my contract is over. I'm positive that's not something any wireless provider is looking to have their customers do to them.

I'd also like to add that everyone here is telling me how there are "policies" and "rules" and I'm dealing with a big corporation and these things just can't be "arbitrarily bent", and yet we've read countless stories of people "being nice" and "making jokes" and getting the $199 anyway. Where's the policy in that? What applies to the customer who happens to be the comedian ought to apply to the other.

 

[dagomike]

AT&T changed the game with that memo. No advance notice. No attempt to educate their customers in advance. Just, SURPRISE - if you have been doing a certain something all along, we love you and you can have the iPhone 3GS for $199. If you haven't, there's nothing you can do about it, even though you didn't know in the first place.

First of all, you could always have got a 12 month upgrade cycle if you paid more. That's nothing new at all.

Second, what would have you done? Increase your rate to $100/mo? Lets say you have the standard iPhone plan plus texting for $75. You go to the next tier for $90 + second teir texting to get over $100/mo and you're paying an extra $360 a year. Why not just pay the $200 early upgrade when you want to upgrade, rather than paying an extra $360 a year in case you want to upgrade?

 

[kkachurak]

Is he serious? Is this some sort of joke? Did he really try to 'offer' AT&T $120 to change his upgrade eligibility? AT&T, a huge corporation? Oh, my, god. Is this where society is heading.

Apparently society is heading in the direction of just accepting whatever the corporations demand of them and not questioning it.

Wow. Just wow. Do I have a story to tell today at lunch or what? "Hey AT&T, if I slide you some money can you modify my account?" Hahaha.

This is rude. I obviously wasn't looking to "tip" someone. I wanted to meet the obligation according to the memo release. No other way about it, I was $10 per month less than what was required. I simply wanted to make up that amount and proceed with life. What is so difficult to understand about this? I don't care about accounting practices and line items. These things should be transparent to me as a consumer. I shouldn't need to have an accounting degree to feel justified in a corporations arbitrary actions.

 

[samcraig]

Yes, at the end of the day, I'm in a contract I'm obligate to fulfill, but I can still tell friends and families not to sign up with AT&T and opt out of their service when my contract is over. I'm positive that's not something any wireless provider is looking to have their customers do to them.

I'd also like to add that everyone here is telling me how there are "policies" and "rules" and I'm dealing with a big corporation and these things just can't be "arbitrarily bent", and yet we've read countless stories of people "being nice" and "making jokes" and getting the $199 anyway. Where's the policy in that? What applies to the customer who happens to be the comedian ought to apply to the other.

First - it's hillarious to read how loyal you are yet will drop att in a second. That's not loyalty. Loyalty would be staying with ATT and understanding their position and perhaps not personally liking it - but dealing with your frustrations rationally. You're not loyal to ATT - and NEVER have been. You've been loyal to your iphone. Nothing wrong with that - but let's not kid ourselves or anyone else by saying you're loyal to ATT.

Second - the other posters aren't trying to bribe themselves into a new iphone and have different circumstances than you. You were trying to wheel and deal (illogically I might add) and they didn't "buy" it. Perhaps if you had tried a different approach, you would have been better off. Who can say.

What you will never be able to justify is your level of entitlement. You don't NEED the new iPhone, you WANT it. That's the bottom line. ATT doesn't NEED to give you a new iphone nor, as it appears, do they WANT to based on your critera.

There will always be something newer, better, faster - and people who are able to have more, better, etc than you. You're in for a miserable life if not having the 3GS around launch day is causing you this much grief.

 

[dagomike]

I would just like to add this tid bit to those defending AT&T....

These "contracts" are not legally binding contracts. AND if you did a little research, very rarely will a judge hold these contracts up in court as noted by a very large settlement in the state of California.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/29/sprint-loses-early-termination-lawsuit-ordered-to-pay-73m-b/

I will have to agree with the OP's math; and because the math does not always make sense; consumer protection lawyers eat this stuff up for unlawful business practices. Furthermore, if you do a little homework, arbitration will usually favor on the consumer's behalf.

Just because AT&T has a "policy" and you sign a "contract" does not make it a)legally binding or b)appropriate or c)ethical.

However, I will add, just because there are these loop holes does not make it ethical for consumers to take advantage of unless they honestly feel they have been taken advantage of. (i.e. the elderly and disabled) I don't think it would be ethical to attack AT&T over the emotion of being upset over a $200 price difference.

If the contract will hold up or not is only a matter for those wishing to cancel service. Not upgrade early. So... not relevant.

 

[samcraig]

And herein lies one of your biggest problems. There are no words... just none.

 

[kkachurak]

What would have you done? Increase your rate to $100/mo? Lets say you have the standard iPhone plan plus texting for $75. You go to the next tier for $90 + second teir texting to get over $100/mo and you're paying an extra $360 a year. Why not just pay the $200 early upgrade when you want to upgrade, rather than paying an extra $360 a year in case you want to upgrade?

Your math makes no sense at all. I'm currently paying $89 per month before taxes and fees. I could've have had some BS all along, like MEdianet or that stupid service where people hear music instead of a ring when they call me, for an extra $10 per month, bringing me to $99 per month.

Sure, it would've been a stupid, pointless addition to my account that I probably would not have used, but it would have served to make me eligible for the $199 price for essentially $120 more over the course of a year. Thus saving me 80 dollars.

First - it's hillarious to read how loyal you are yet will drop att in a second. That's not loyalty.
...
You're in for a miserable life if not having the 3GS around launch day is causing you this much grief.

I was loyal to AT&T before this. This action caused me to say, "screw it" and made me decide to leave them when I could.

And it didn't cause me that much grief. I posted just to throw out the concept of spending $120 extra to save $200, and how it seemed bizarre that I couldn't spend $120 (to meet the req's) to save the $200.

What's causing me grief is everyones apparent hard-on to let AT&T rape their wallets.

 

[dagomike]

Your math makes no sense at all. I'm currently paying $89 per month before taxes and fees. I could've have had some BS all along, like MEdianet or that stupid service where people hear music instead of a ring when they call me, for an extra $10 per month, bringing me to $99 per month.

Sure, it would've been a stupid, pointless addition to my account that I probably would not have used, but it would have served to make me eligible for the $199 price for essentially $120 more over the course of a year. Thus saving me 80 dollars.

You don't know those services qualify. From last week it sounded like it was based off of voice and data service. Texting might not even be in included, but I tossed it in there as a benefit of the doubt. Either way, this isn't news. People who pay more can upgrade earlier. Did you consider that when you signed up?

I was loyal to AT&T before this. This action caused me to say, "screw it" and made me decide to leave them when I could.

And it didn't cause me that much grief. I posted just to throw out the concept of spending $120 extra to save $200, and how it seemed bizarre that I couldn't spend $120 (to meet the req's) to save the $200.

What's causing me grief is everyones apparent hard-on to let AT&T rape their wallets.

If you're this upset, you shouldn't stay with ATT. They're not going to live up to your expectations so you should stop wasting your time and move on.

 

[kkachurak]

And herein lies one of your biggest problems. There are no words... just none.

...right... along with my BS degree (pun intended) in Hospitality Management in which I took financial account, managerial accounting, macro and micro, and a myriad of economics courses (many of which focused on tourism, to be fair).

My understand of any of that, however, is irrelevant. It seems illogical to tell a customer that they can't qualify for a promotion because they didn't spend $120 more with you, and then not accept their $120 when they offer it.

 

[uberamd]

Yes, at the end of the day, I'm in a contract I'm obligate to fulfill, but I can still tell friends and families not to sign up with AT&T and opt out of their service when my contract is over. I'm positive that's not something any wireless provider is looking to have their customers do to them.

Are you going to tell your friends why? "Dear Friends and Families, I wanted to get the new iPhone even though I didn't qualify, and AT&T said no. Due to this, AT&T is awful and I suggest you not use them."

Solid reasoning there pal.

 

[yg17]

What's causing me grief is everyones apparent hard-on to let AT&T rape their wallets.

My wallet is not being raped by AT&T. I'm getting what I paid for and I know what I was going to get or not going to get in terms of upgrades when I signed my contract.

Are you going to tell your friends why? "Dear Friends and Families, I wanted to get the new iPhone even though I didn't qualify, and AT&T said no. Due to this, AT&T is awful and I suggest you not use them."

Solid reasoning there pal.

And he'll switch to a different mobile carrier who will do the exact same thing.

After you've been through AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon and Sprint, leaving them because they didn't give you an upgrade you weren't entitled to, where are you going to go?

 

[uberamd]

My wallet is not being raped by AT&T. I'm getting what I paid for and I know what I was going to get or not going to get in terms of upgrades when I signed my contract.

Exactly. I saw the numbers, I understood the contract, and I signed. AT&T didn't double the costs in front of me or anything. We agreed to the terms, so if we are getting raped as you say, its our own fault.

 

[samcraig]

"Way to treat customers who have been loyal to you through (now 3) exclusive AT&T devices and over three years of service."


Ok.. I'm guessing not more than 4 years of service. Still not overly loyal since, again - you're loyal to the iphone NOT ATT

And you want to spend $120 to save $80? That's nice. ATT doesn't want to gift you $80. Get over it. Why should ATT forfeit their profit margin because you want creative accounting?

As for accounting - it doesn't' work that way. You can't just throw money at EVERY "problem" and make it go away. Get used to that too.

ALL promotions have rules of eligibility. If the promotion ends on Friday at 3pm and you don't get out of work until 5, you can't expect a discount at 5pm.

If you're in NYC and the promotion is for residents of California, you can't expect the discount

If you spend X and they require X+$20 to get the discount, you can't expect it. Understand?

 

[GoCubsGo]

...right... along with my BS degree (pun intended) in Hospitality Management in which I took financial account, managerial accounting, macro and micro, and a myriad of economics courses (many of which focused on tourism, to be fair).

My understand of any of that, however, is irrelevant. It seems illogical to tell a customer that they can't qualify for a promotion because they didn't spend $120 more with you, and then not accept their $120 when they offer it.

If your math is correct that is one thing but AT&T simply cannot just take $120 from you and call it a day. Your contract is what bound you buddy. Now I took the same classes you took and frankly even I understand the economics of it but what is even more obvious is the logistics of the contract that I signed. Those logistics prevail in any world of simple math.

Leave AT&T, I'm seriously guessing you'll find the same BS elsewhere.
And if I had a hard on I wouldn't be typing here. I'd be outside showing the world my wiener because it'd be truly amazing to me.

I think you should take your $120, go get yourself a nice dinner and some cocktails and chillax for the evening.

 

[brownieguy19]

If the contract will hold up or not is only a matter for those wishing to cancel service. Not upgrade early. So... not relevant.

There was discussion of "contract" and "obligation to the contract", etc....

So to counter the posts by other members presenting the word "contract" as legally binding as fact, my post was relevant to the clarifying the word "contract" so it can be used properly in the future.

Relevant on grounds misinformed members were using the word incorrectly.

 

[kkachurak]

Are you going to tell your friends why? "Dear Friends and Families, I wanted to get the new iPhone even though I didn't qualify, and AT&T said no. Due to this, AT&T is awful and I suggest you not use them."

Solid reasoning there pal.

Does it really matter what my reasoning is? I'm sure a whole bunch more people have much more ludicrous reasons to not choose one particular service or product as opposed to another.

The bottom line is, upset customers talk. They talk a whole lot more than satisfied customers. We, as MacRumors forums members, know this better than most. If I'm unhappy, whatever my reason, I'll make it be known. And when it comes time for the parentals (as an example) to get a new service (and they're thinking about switching) they'll recall my discussion about how much I disliked AT&T and they won't even consider them.

It happens way more than you think, bud.

 

[mrochester]

AT&T didn't have the policy in place a year ago. It's funny how they actually are helping their customers by giving people who wouldn't normally qualify for an upgrade a reduced price, and yet it is still seen as a bad thing.

This is *exactly* right. All 3G owners who bought at the subsidised price knew fine well they wouldn't be eligable for upgrade pricing until at least 18 months had passed. The fact the AT&T changed the rules the allow some customers to upgrade after only 12 is a generous offer on AT&Ts part! It's done the OP no harm as his upgrade date has not been altered.

 

[samcraig]

but MRO

HE WANTS AN OOMPA LOOMPA NOWWWWWWW