It may not apply to all areas, but here in Northern California, AT&T has informed customers of price increases averaging 32% effective 1/21/07. In particular, Caller-ID is going up 29.5% to $7.99 per month. Their WirePro service is going up one dollar to $3.99, a 33% increase.
AT&T
I work as the consumer advisor at TURN, The Utility Reform Network. Your advice is exactly what I recommend to the dozens of people that complain about AT&T on a weekly basis. What many renters don’t realize is that they don’t need WirePro at all; landlords are legally required to take care of that service, and yet AT&T will automatically stick Wirepro on people’s bills. It amounts to "cramming" in my opinion. I tell people to stay away from those bundles, they lock you into features most of us don’t even want. AT&T simply wants to fund their continued expansion, as if they’re not big enough.
After looking at my phone bill this month, I decided it was time to give COX digital telephone a try. I’ve had enough of AT&T and their price gouging.
I have had problems finding where and how to complain about AT&T’s lousy phone service here in Richmond, VA. We ordered a phone connection 3 weeks ago before our move and it was, supposed to be connected on Friday 3/9/07 then they said by Sunday 3/11/07 now they are saying by Friday 3/16/07. I have an ailing mother living with me and it is imperative that there is a phone. You feel so powerless because it is hard to find someone to complain to. I am calling the local televison station tomorrow to request a public forum for complaint and the stations assistance in getting this phone turned on immediately. Thank you for this space so I could complain. I am livid!!!
Thanks for the great article.
I am considering Measured Rate myself, but want to use it to always Call Forward to another Local Number (VOIP).
My question is after the call is forwarded to the other number, will the entire DURATION of the call be counted towards the 300 minute (free local call allowance in Measured Rate)??
rrendra, In most, if not all, cases the Call Forward call "counts" as a call, at the same rate as though you dialed that number on your line directly.
AT&T wants to charge me $7.88 per month for not making any long distance calls (their name for it is "AT&T One Rate Plan"). I have cancelled AT&T as my long distance carrier and I have a PIC block so I don’t get "slammed" by some other long distance carrier. You can buy 2 phone cards for the price of 1 at various sales throughout the year at local drug stores. I can’t believe a company could charge me almost $100 a year for *not* making calls! This is beyond price gouging.
What IS WirePro anyhow?
Price gouging seems to be the new trend, after they make a few clients they start to play with their bills. Just cruel.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Did AT&T ruin your cell service? $$$
I had Cingular for almost 2 years prior to AT&T getting thier "meat hooks" into my cell plan! I’m pretty pissed! For nearly 2 years my cell phone bill averaged in the $90’s. This month AT&T says I owe them $265.
I knew from the moment I heard the announcement that I was going to be worked over just like I was by Sprint. When I talked to AT&T on the phone they sounded just like Sprint. Two big corporate giants!
I was in a store last week and an AT&T person came up to me and asked if I’d like to do a survey. I kind of got devensive and complained about how that very day I got my $265 bill and felt insulted by the AT&T rep. She told me that lot’s of customers are complaining about high bills. I know I’m not the only one experiencing this.
Today I called and wanted to resolve this issue. All I heard was that I was using my phone more. I saved all of my bills and all of them had roughly the same usage so all I know is that since AT&T got involved it got way more expensive. When I told the Rep that the minutes look the same on all my bills and the only thing different was AT&T he said, "it’s a coincidence".
It’s no Coincidence it’s fact. If you get involved with AT&T it will cost you alot of money. The same can be said about Sprint.
The end result was me cancelling my plan. $175 to cancell my phone line, $265 for my inflated bill and yes, the last bill of which had one minute left on it exactly half way through the month so I could have expected close to $300 next month. It would have just been a coincident…..Again! And one other thing, why do I have to continue a contract with a company I never signed one with?