Finally out of AT&T (I thought)

[grumpyduck]

We switched our cell phones out of AT&T on June 24. The next day I checked on their web site to make sure it was closed. Yesterday I received a bill covering the period June 24 thru July 23. I called them. Turns out there's a clause in the agreement that requires a 30-day notice for closing out an account, even after the initial 2-year, or whatever it was, period is over. Without that 30-day notice, they can charge you for the month you never used.

I'm going to cool down for a couple of days before I decide what to do, but, in the meantime, just wanted to alert you folks that AT&T has that little clause, buried in the fine print, that basically allows them to RIP YOU OFF.

Good riddance, AT&T.

[Sherman A1]

1. Interesting

I got a small credit check when I closed my AT&T account, but I had been with them for many years.

[roody]

2. They pulled some crap like that on me.

I never paid it, and they spent way more than 40 dollars trying to get it from me.

[virgogal]

3. If it's under $50.00 don't pay it---they will just write it off,eventually.

I am not giving legal advice,it's just that I have done this.

[Phentex]

4. We have decided there's no way around this unless you get new phones immediately....

they ALL do this. For some reason we sign a contract and we can't get out of it for 2 years (or whatever we agree to). So then you have your phones for say 5 years. So you think you have fulfilled your part. But no. You must give them notice. At which point they'll say, okay but it may take a few days from the date you want to end the service (meaning you can't switch the numbers over to someone else on a particular date until they feel like doing it) so you end up paying something no mater what. I think the only way around it is to move to another company and get new numbers. There really is no point to a contract for the consumer because the fine print says things like they can change the price at any time, you must pay for the full term of the contract, and the contract continues even after the end date unless you give them notice 30 days in advance. Sometimes it's 120 days notice. It's crazy.

[sarcasmo]

6. That's why I left Verizon and went with Consumer Cellular, no contract.

I'm contract free.

[Phentex]

9. Nice!

[suprcali]

5. att greed

This is the same company charging customers hidden fees. Then they said they would lower prices after merging with Time Warner. They just announced raising charges for DirecTV now.

[llmart]

7. I once contacted the BBB about AT&T.

Next thing you know, some bigwig from ATT headquarters was contacting me with apologies and saying my account would be credited. Can't remember the specifics but I think it had to do with some exorbitant rate hike on my landline. They couldn't bend over backwards enough to then give me a new package that was even less expensive than I already had. I think this was about 3 years ago or maybe less.

I've used the BBB threat on a few companies and it always works. My sister used to work for them for a few years and she suggested I use this tactic.

[triron]

8. I also did several years ago.

Got rid of them as my landline carrier and had to fight them over charges after I cancelled my service.
They never got anymore business.

[Patterson]

10. Complain to the FCC.

[BSdetect]

11. We switched within Concast to Business Concast and tried to keep our phone number

Took them months to sort that out. Charged us $10 per month (plus tax) to keep the phone number on suspend.

Had to call several different people at different parts of Concast to finally get their "release" of the number to our new account.

What a load of crap.

Ended up having to pay $33 (for 3 months) just for the phone number swap.

So a sweet deal for Concast.