What I learned from AT&T today

[Roger 2008]

If you already have a phone and you want service on it from AT&T without
starting a contract you have to place a phone call to AT&T because if you
try to get service for you phone at an AT&T Store they will put you on a 2
year contract and the worst part is even though you supplied your own phone
for AT&T service you can not upgrade either so if I wanted to buy the
Samsung Galaxy Note today I'd have to pay $649.99 for it instead of just
$299.

My complaint has been forwarded to a special group that gets 72 hours to
make a decision and that was 71 hours ago and I'm still waiting but I'll bet
they didn't start their clock until Monday so I'll end up waiting 96 hours
before they laugh at me for not knowing I had to order my SIM over the
phone.

Signed: Pissed at AT&T and still waiting to see what AT&T plans to do about
the contract and my inability to Upgrade.

[nospam]

Post by Roger 2008
If you already have a phone and you want service on it from AT&T without
starting a contract you have to place a phone call to AT&T because if you
try to get service for you phone at an AT&T Store they will put you on a 2
year contract and the worst part is even though you supplied your own phone
for AT&T service you can not upgrade either so if I wanted to buy the
Samsung Galaxy Note today I'd have to pay $649.99 for it instead of just
$299.

if you want to pay a subsidized price, you will need to sign a contract.

[Roger 2008]

Post by nospam

Post by Roger 2008
If you already have a phone and you want service on it from AT&T without
starting a contract you have to place a phone call to AT&T because if you
try to get service for you phone at an AT&T Store they will put you on a 2
year contract and the worst part is even though you supplied your own phone
for AT&T service you can not upgrade either so if I wanted to buy the
Samsung Galaxy Note today I'd have to pay $649.99 for it instead of just
$299.

if you want to pay a subsidized price, you will need to sign a contract.

TOTAL BULLSHIT. I can't get the subsidized price because I'm already under
a contract and I am not eligible for an upgrade either because that part of
my contract where I did not buy a phone from AT&T was screwed up.

And to make matters worse, I just found out AT&T will not do a DAMN thing
for me because they claim it is the place I got the contract at that has to
fix it for me so that could make things go another 6 days.

Man, I've had so much of this shit I just want out of it and I just found
out it will only cost me $141 extra if I cancel now and that amount goes
down $4 a month.

[mikeyhsd]

if you did not start this at a REAL AT&T store but used a reseller instead, this is the problem.
you need to go back the reseller and get the problem fixed.

mikeyshd

Post by nospam

Post by Roger 2008
If you already have a phone and you want service on it from AT&T without
starting a contract you have to place a phone call to AT&T because if you
try to get service for you phone at an AT&T Store they will put you on a 2
year contract and the worst part is even though you supplied your own phone
for AT&T service you can not upgrade either so if I wanted to buy the
Samsung Galaxy Note today I'd have to pay $649.99 for it instead of just
$299.

if you want to pay a subsidized price, you will need to sign a contract.

TOTAL BULLSHIT. I can't get the subsidized price because I'm already under
a contract and I am not eligible for an upgrade either because that part of
my contract where I did not buy a phone from AT&T was screwed up.

And to make matters worse, I just found out AT&T will not do a DAMN thing
for me because they claim it is the place I got the contract at that has to
fix it for me so that could make things go another 6 days.

Man, I've had so much of this shit I just want out of it and I just found
out it will only cost me $141 extra if I cancel now and that amount goes
down $4 a month.

[Roger 2008]

Top posted in response to a top poster.

Thanks for the input and going back to the reseller is what AT&T suggested
too until I called someone and asked them how much it would cost me to end
my contract. Then things finally changed.

Oddly enough it was only $141 extra to break a contract and I'd save more
than that if I bought the Galaxy Note as a new customer. But I'm not so
thrilled about the Samsung Note anymore and might I want to see the LG phone
with the 1024x768 display first.

"LG Announces Optimus Vu with 5-Inch Display"
http://www.phonescoop.com/articles/article.php?a=9878

Besides, due to circumstances beyond my control it isn't easy for me to make
it back to the reseller.

------------------------------------


"mikeyhsd" <***@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:***@giganews.com...
if you did not start this at a REAL AT&T store but used a reseller instead,
this is the problem.
you need to go back the reseller and get the problem fixed.

mikeyshd

Post by nospam

Post by Roger 2008
If you already have a phone and you want service on it from AT&T without
starting a contract you have to place a phone call to AT&T because if you
try to get service for you phone at an AT&T Store they will put you on a 2
year contract and the worst part is even though you supplied your own phone
for AT&T service you can not upgrade either so if I wanted to buy the
Samsung Galaxy Note today I'd have to pay $649.99 for it instead of just
$299.

if you want to pay a subsidized price, you will need to sign a contract.

TOTAL BULLSHIT. I can't get the subsidized price because I'm already under
a contract and I am not eligible for an upgrade either because that part of
my contract where I did not buy a phone from AT&T was screwed up.

And to make matters worse, I just found out AT&T will not do a DAMN thing
for me because they claim it is the place I got the contract at that has to
fix it for me so that could make things go another 6 days.

Man, I've had so much of this shit I just want out of it and I just found
out it will only cost me $141 extra if I cancel now and that amount goes
down $4 a month.

[Ryan P.]

Post by Roger 2008
Top posted in response to a top poster.
Thanks for the input and going back to the reseller is what AT&T suggested
too until I called someone and asked them how much it would cost me to end
my contract. Then things finally changed.
Oddly enough it was only $141 extra to break a contract and I'd save more
than that if I bought the Galaxy Note as a new customer. But I'm not so
thrilled about the Samsung Note anymore and might I want to see the LG phone
with the 1024x768 display first.

So wait a second... You were put onto a contract against your will,
prevented from using the new contract discount, and then paid $141
dollars to get out of the contract you shouldn't have been put in in the
first place?

Sorry, but that is just ridiculous. Or did I misunderstand what you did?

I know you said it would be difficult to get back to the store you
activated your service at, but couldn't you call them and talk to the
store manager and get it fixed?

[SMS]

So wait a second... You were put onto a contract against your will,
prevented from using the new contract discount, and then paid $141
dollars to get out of the contract you shouldn't have been put in in the
first place?

If you go to an AT&T reseller, rather than a company owned AT&T store,
it's definitely possible that you could be put under contract even if
you brought your own device and did not take a subsidized handset. They
get their kickback only if you sign a contract.

Roger used the term "reseller" which seems to indicate that he was not
at an actual AT&T store.

If I were bringing my own AT&T smart phone, and not buying a heavily
subsidized handset, I'd order a SIM card from StraightTalk, and be on
the AT&T network with unlimited everything for $42-45/month. Of course
"unlimited" doesn't mean unlimited anymore on any of the carriers. On
StraightTalk apparently unlimited is somewhere between 2GB and 5GB/month
but they won't tell you this directly. <http://www.straighttalksim.com/>.

Jailbroken iPhones work too,
<http://wiki.howardforums.com/index.php/Straight_Talk_iPhone>.

What you don't get with Straight Talk is free access to any paid AT&T
Wi-Fi hot spots, and no international roaming, but I'd stick a prepaid
SIM card in anyway for international travel.

[Roger 2008]

Post by SMS

So wait a second... You were put onto a contract against your will,
prevented from using the new contract discount, and then paid $141
dollars to get out of the contract you shouldn't have been put in in the
first place?

If you go to an AT&T reseller, rather than a company owned AT&T store,
it's definitely possible that you could be put under contract even if you
brought your own device and did not take a subsidized handset. They get
their kickback only if you sign a contract.
Roger used the term "reseller" which seems to indicate that he was not at
an actual AT&T store.
If I were bringing my own AT&T smart phone, and not buying a heavily
subsidized handset, I'd order a SIM card from StraightTalk, and be on the
AT&T network with unlimited everything for $42-45/month. Of course
"unlimited" doesn't mean unlimited anymore on any of the carriers. On
StraightTalk apparently unlimited is somewhere between 2GB and 5GB/month
but they won't tell you this directly. <http://www.straighttalksim.com/>.
Jailbroken iPhones work too,
<http://wiki.howardforums.com/index.php/Straight_Talk_iPhone>.
What you don't get with Straight Talk is free access to any paid AT&T
Wi-Fi hot spots, and no international roaming, but I'd stick a prepaid SIM
card in anyway for international travel.

What I want most is the ability to use my phone as a wireless hotspot. When
I ordered that service it was $45 a month but now it is $50 a month to use
your phone as a wireless hotspot. You also get 5gig now instead of just 4
gig for the $50 a month but even with 4GLTE I doubt if I'll ever go over
4gig in one month so I'll stay with the $45 for the data plan.

Rocky

[Roger 2008]

Post by Ryan P.

Post by Roger 2008
Top posted in response to a top poster.
Thanks for the input and going back to the reseller is what AT&T suggested
too until I called someone and asked them how much it would cost me to end
my contract. Then things finally changed.
Oddly enough it was only $141 extra to break a contract and I'd save more
than that if I bought the Galaxy Note as a new customer. But I'm not so
thrilled about the Samsung Note anymore and might I want to see the LG phone
with the 1024x768 display first.

So wait a second... You were put onto a contract against your will,
prevented from using the new contract discount, and then paid $141 dollars
to get out of the contract you shouldn't have been put in in the first
place?
Sorry, but that is just ridiculous. Or did I misunderstand what you did?
I know you said it would be difficult to get back to the store you
activated your service at, but couldn't you call them and talk to the
store manager and get it fixed?

To make a long story short, the manager had told me he would get me out of
the contract but I didn't want to wait 4 more days to talk to him in person
so I was willing to pay the $141 to get me out of the contract.

I have the name of the woman I called that worked for AT&T and she was very
good. She spoke to someone herself and got me out of the contract in less
than 10 minutes but she couldn't do anything about my upgrade eligibility
but that doesn't reality matter since I'm out of contract now I could always
just start a new contract if I really wanted to save $350 on a Galaxy Note.

[Paul Miner]

Post by Roger 2008
To make a long story short, the manager had told me he would get me out of
the contract but I didn't want to wait 4 more days to talk to him in person
so I was willing to pay the $141 to get me out of the contract.

Money has less value to you than it does to me.

If it's a choice between costing me $0 in 4 days or $141 now, I know
which one I'm taking.

[Ryan P.]

Post by Roger 2008

Post by Ryan P.
So wait a second... You were put onto a contract against your will,
prevented from using the new contract discount, and then paid $141 dollars
to get out of the contract you shouldn't have been put in in the first
place?
Sorry, but that is just ridiculous. Or did I misunderstand what you did?
I know you said it would be difficult to get back to the store you
activated your service at, but couldn't you call them and talk to the
store manager and get it fixed?

To make a long story short, the manager had told me he would get me out of
the contract but I didn't want to wait 4 more days to talk to him in person
so I was willing to pay the $141 to get me out of the contract.

I wish I could afford to have that attitude about $141. :)

[Roger 2008]

Post by Ryan P.

Post by Roger 2008

Post by Ryan P.
So wait a second... You were put onto a contract against your will,
prevented from using the new contract discount, and then paid $141 dollars
to get out of the contract you shouldn't have been put in in the first
place?
Sorry, but that is just ridiculous. Or did I misunderstand what you did?
I know you said it would be difficult to get back to the store you
activated your service at, but couldn't you call them and talk to the
store manager and get it fixed?

To make a long story short, the manager had told me he would get me out of
the contract but I didn't want to wait 4 more days to talk to him in person
so I was willing to pay the $141 to get me out of the contract.

I wish I could afford to have that attitude about $141. :)

It was either that or $85 a month for 21 more months.

[Unquestionably Confused]

Post by Roger 2008

Post by Ryan P.

Post by Roger 2008
so I was willing to pay the $141 to get me out of the contract.

I wish I could afford to have that attitude about $141. :)

It was either that or $85 a month for 21 more months.

No, it was that or get the contract canceled w/o charge in four days.

At least that's what you've indicated here. Either you have a terrible
problem with reading comprehension or suffer from an inability to
express yourself. Either way, that seems to go along way in explaining
your predicament.

[Roger 2008]

Post by Unquestionably Confused

Post by Roger 2008

Post by Ryan P.

Post by Roger 2008
so I was willing to pay the $141 to get me out of the contract.

I wish I could afford to have that attitude about $141. :)

It was either that or $85 a month for 21 more months.

No, it was that or get the contract canceled w/o charge in four days.
At least that's what you've indicated here. Either you have a terrible
problem with reading comprehension or suffer from an inability to express
yourself. Either way, that seems to go along way in explaining your
predicament.

The now let go of salesman told me not to worry about what the paper I
signed said and he was right because it just took one phone call to the
right person to get me out of the contract.

[Scott W]

Wrong newsgroup!

"Roger 2008" wrote in message news:***@giganews.com...

If you already have a phone and you want service on it from AT&T without
starting a contract you have to place a phone call to AT&T because if you
try to get service for you phone at an AT&T Store they will put you on a 2
year contract and the worst part is even though you supplied your own phone
for AT&T service you can not upgrade either so if I wanted to buy the
Samsung Galaxy Note today I'd have to pay $649.99 for it instead of just
$299.

My complaint has been forwarded to a special group that gets 72 hours to
make a decision and that was 71 hours ago and I'm still waiting but I'll bet
they didn't start their clock until Monday so I'll end up waiting 96 hours
before they laugh at me for not knowing I had to order my SIM over the
phone.

Signed: Pissed at AT&T and still waiting to see what AT&T plans to do about
the contract and my inability to Upgrade.

[Roger 2008]

attws removed

What makes you say that?

I have been posting to this newsgroup for years about my Sprint service so
why not let them know what happened when I tried AT&T service for a month?

FYI my Sprint service is 450 minutes a month, N&W minutes, unlimited phone
as modem with a Static IP address and all that for less than $85 before
taxes. Try to beat that.

Post by Scott W
Wrong newsgroup!
If you already have a phone and you want service on it from AT&T without
starting a contract you have to place a phone call to AT&T because if you
try to get service for you phone at an AT&T Store they will put you on a 2
year contract and the worst part is even though you supplied your own phone
for AT&T service you can not upgrade either so if I wanted to buy the
Samsung Galaxy Note today I'd have to pay $649.99 for it instead of just
$299.
My complaint has been forwarded to a special group that gets 72 hours to
make a decision and that was 71 hours ago and I'm still waiting but I'll bet
they didn't start their clock until Monday so I'll end up waiting 96 hours
before they laugh at me for not knowing I had to order my SIM over the
phone.
Signed: Pissed at AT&T and still waiting to see what AT&T plans to do about
the contract and my inability to Upgrade.

[R. F. Duffer]

Post by Roger 2008
If you already have a phone and you want service on it from AT&T without
starting a contract you have to place a phone call to AT&T because if you
try to get service for you phone at an AT&T Store they will put you on a 2
year contract and the worst part is even though you supplied your own phone
for AT&T service you can not upgrade either so if I wanted to buy the
Samsung Galaxy Note today I'd have to pay $649.99 for it instead of just
$299.
My complaint has been forwarded to a special group that gets 72 hours to
make a decision and that was 71 hours ago and I'm still waiting but I'll bet
they didn't start their clock until Monday so I'll end up waiting 96 hours
before they laugh at me for not knowing I had to order my SIM over the
phone.
Signed: Pissed at AT&T and still waiting to see what AT&T plans to do about
the contract and my inability to Upgrade.

So why are you complaining on a Sprint newsgroup? Are you planning on
switching over to Sprint because AT&T is so bad for you?

[Todd Allcock]

<snip Roger's issue>

Post by R. F. Duffer
So why are you complaining on a Sprint newsgroup? Are you planning on
switching over to Sprint because AT&T is so bad for you?

Excellent question.

Here's a better one: why are you getting so worked up over a five month-
old post?

IIRC, Roger was a subscriber of both AT&T and Sprint at the time, and
posted this as a cautionary tale.

My memory could be wrong, after all this was back in February!