After all that... I'm sticking with AT&T

[Taunman]

You clearly aren't even reading anything that I write. If they said no, I would've moved on and went to Verizon, not tried to fight it. The fight began when they said "yes" then later told me that I wasn't getting a phone even though I had a charge on my credit card. You wouldn't be pissed if AT&T charged you $350 but didn't give you anything for it?

They are legally required to return it. In most cases it would have been automatic and would have been refund within 5 business days.

 

[mc511#CB]

Last year i was able to upgrade my HTC inspire 4g to a samsung galaxy s2 (switching back to iphone this april) but i had to buy an android tablet and a phone and they bumped my cousins upgrade for me about 9 months. I paid $600 but got a new phone and tablet and kept my unlimited data plan. I think this all depends on things like credit rating, and your payment history. Do you pay your bill on time? Do you have a good credit score? Is there a problem paying your bills? I am not positive on this but i believe its a factor. My mother has an amazing credit score and always pays the bill on time.

 

[dbello92]

In case you missed it, I was planning to switch to Verizon.

Then this morning it dawned on me that I never asked AT&T about get an exception made on my husband's line. They told me on the phone that I couldn't upgrade because they never make any exceptions in under 20 months (which is weird, because they have several times in the past) and that my husband's line should be at least 20 months into the contract. Sure enough, his official upgrade date is October 21st, exactly 30 days after the iPhone 5's release date.

So, this morning, I called AT&T to ask them. After jumping through some hoops, the rep said she was able to get the line approved for full upgrade pricing because it was within 30 days of the upgrade date. Great! But I need the phone on Friday in order to get my work done for iMore, so I asked if that would be a problem. Not at all -- she told me I'd get the phone on Friday. Awesome! The only requirement was that I would have to respond to the email to accept the terms and conditions, otherwise the order would be canceled. No problem.

Several hours passed and the email never arrived.

So I called AT&T to see what was up with the terms and conditions. The girl tells me that she doesn't know how to resend them, but she can transfer me to a number that lets me accept them over the phone. Ok cool. Except that the system tells me that I've already accepted them. Nope, not right. So I call again.

This time I'm told there is no record of my order and that what I "claim" to have happened earlier in the day would have actually been impossible. I go through two different levels of managers, both who tell me the same thing. My order does not exist. No notes in my account. Nothing... except for the $358.11 pending charge from AT&T to my credit card. I have an order number that turns out to be completely useless. At this point, I'm not even concerned about the phone anymore, I'm concerned with the fact that I have a pending charge to my credit card that AT&T is denying exists. After more time on hold, a manager says she's transferring me to someone else. This "someone" ends up being some weird voicemail that spews off a bunch of phone numbers then hangs up on me.

Now I'm livid.

During one of my several conversation, someone told me to go to an AT&T store and bring my credit card statement to get it taken care of. I knew this was total BS, but I went to an AT&T store anyway so that if they told me to go to one again, I'd just say "I'm actually at the store, here, talk to the manager".

Of course, the first thing the AT&T store does is put me on the phone with 611. A really nice guy answers and I'm kinda rude by demanding to speak to a manager because I don't want to repeat myself for the 50th time just so he can transfer me and I be required to repeat myself yet another time. He puts me on hold and reads through all the notes left on my account and makes it his personal mission to set everything straight. He was able to find my order, but confirm that it never completely went though. AT&T's system immediately rejected my order because of "restrictions placed on AT&T by Apple". This is why my terms and conditions never arrived. He tells me if I wait for Oct 1st, I can get the upgrade without problem. I tell him that this isn't an option because I MUST have it on Friday to do my job.

He then speaks to several different managers on my behalf and gets the line approved to attempt the order again. He says he's not confident it will work, that the same thing may happen, but that he's going to give it a try. The system goes through several glitches but eventually my order goes though. The terms and conditions email arrived almost immediately so I accepted it and confirmed that my acceptance went through. Everything looks good. Everything except the delivery date. That is unknown.

So, my plan is to stand in line at the Apple Store on Friday and purchase an iPhone on my own line for at the more expensive price. Then when the iPhone 5 that I just ordered arrives, I'll return the one I bought at the Apple Store. This allows me to get my work done for iMore, but also saves me over $200 in ETFs and taxes to switch to Verizon.

What a day.

This is exactly why I will NEVER have at&t again, the customer service experience is an absolutely atrocious nightmare!

 

[aileronguy]

well...

I have been a cingular/att customer for over a decade. I have 5 phones on the plan. Unlimited text, One iPhone and one blackberry, three dumbphones.

I have never missed a payment, never had a complaint. I upgraded one phone last year, and waited to upgrade my iPhone 4 until the 5 came out.

I went in to the store to pre-order, and found out I am not eligible, even though last year all my phones except one were supposedly eligible this year. "Somehow" (according to the att rep in the store) my dates are all changed, and I can't upgrade ANY until Nov 1.

Their reply to my incredulity? "Come back and see us maybe we can work something out in 6 weeks or so."

Att really does have No business running a profit. I am now looking forward to my switch to Verizon. At least I may get a hotspot, instead of a eff-off from a jerk rep (oh yeah, he was an asst mgr).

 

[mtalty]

Great Story Leanna, thanks for sharing. I had similar issue with AT&T and made the switch to Verizon. There are some add'l charges with Verizon. I paid my ETF - $225 and then had to pay Verizon $35 activation fee per line and then a $30 upgrade fee to get the iPhone 5. I opened an account prior to iPhone 5 launch to make getting the phone easier.

I don't care about the extra money though. I just can't deal with AT&T and their approach to treating customers. Also their business practices when it comes to data throttling. I would rather pay more an get what I pay for. Verizon has a real cell tower coverage and LTE service actually exists in many major cities. AT&T runs on a toothpick and bubble gum connected system. I'm not OK paying $200 a month for that.

Looking forward to hearing more about the iPhone 5 at iMore. I like your site.

Best,

Martin

 

[CooperS84]

I was eligible for an upgrade on July 17th, I changed my number a few days after because I was receiving a lot of harassing calls and text messages, my new upgrade eligibility date is october 21st. I've called several times and spoken to several managers even visited an ATT store, and was told there is nothing they could do about that, it comes as a consequence of changing my telephone number which to me makes no sense.

I thought I'd give it one last try because I live in Philadelphia and ATT happens to be the only carrier you can use in the underground subway, spent about 40 minutes speaking to what I'm sure was a brand spanking new customer service rep who told me he could get my wish of being able to upgrade at a store friday morning accomplished only to find out at the end of mine phone call that he couldn't. He told me he wasn't sure where I got the impression that if I had preordered my phone on 14 Sept that I would have it by the 21st.. Honestly.

I think the point is that I've never had any issues extended my contract with ATT because I've been pleased with the service but the fact that they seem to be going the extra mile to keep me from something that I am technically entitled to (I think you are eligible for an upgrade 18 months in to your 2 year commitment) gives me all the incentive to change carriers. My EFT is 145 dollars, I can sell my iPhone 4 to cover that. I have friends who have Verizon Wireless, whenever we are at a concert or any setting with large amounts of people my phone seems to never work and theirs do. I'm excited to move on to a (hopefully) better network

 

[CooperS84]

I have been a cingular/att customer for over a decade. I have 5 phones on the plan. Unlimited text, One iPhone and one blackberry, three dumbphones.

I have never missed a payment, never had a complaint. I upgraded one phone last year, and waited to upgrade my iPhone 4 until the 5 came out.

I went in to the store to pre-order, and found out I am not eligible, even though last year all my phones except one were supposedly eligible this year. "Somehow" (according to the att rep in the store) my dates are all changed, and I can't upgrade ANY until Nov 1.

Their reply to my incredulity? "Come back and see us maybe we can work something out in 6 weeks or so."

Att really does have No business running a profit. I am now looking forward to my switch to Verizon. At least I may get a hotspot, instead of a eff-off from a jerk rep (oh yeah, he was an asst mgr).

Honestly something must be going on, your the 3rd person I hear (including myself) who's upgrade date has been changed for some ludicrous reason.

 

[CooperS84]

Last year i was able to upgrade my HTC inspire 4g to a samsung galaxy s2 (switching back to iphone this april) but i had to buy an android tablet and a phone and they bumped my cousins upgrade for me about 9 months. I paid $600 but got a new phone and tablet and kept my unlimited data plan. I think this all depends on things like credit rating, and your payment history. Do you pay your bill on time? Do you have a good credit score? Is there a problem paying your bills? I am not positive on this but i believe its a factor. My mother has an amazing credit score and always pays the bill on time.

Your credit couldn't have anything less to do with your upgrade eligibility.. I have great credit, and have never missed a payment on my ATT account and my date was changed due to "changing my phone number"..

 

[aileronguy]

I wonder...

...if ATT is paying attention to anything posted on any threads anywhere. What better place to start than here, on one of the better known iDevice sites?

 

[Fausty82]

Has anyone else been told by the AT&T rep that this was a Apple directive? The lady I spoke with was very pleasant all the way through the conversation. She tried to push the upgrade through on my primary account (primary of 5-line account of iPhones w monthly bill just over $250) - the line for which I was given an annual upgrade for at least the past 5 years... only to find out that she could not work around it. When I pushed her on "why it changed?" she said that it was something Apple now required.

I explained that Apple had nothing to do with it - their primary objective was to sell the phones, and it was AT&T that offered the subsidy/allowed (or disallowed) early upgrades, etc... and at that point she became quite short and started working to end the call.

Do they all think that we're stupid enough to believe whatever crap they want to throw at us?

I read online somewhere that others were reporting similar reasoning, and was wondering if any one here had gotten it, too.

 

[BreakingKayfabe]

Has anyone else been told by the AT&T rep that this was a Apple directive? The lady I spoke with was very pleasant all the way through the conversation. She tried to push the upgrade through on my primary account (primary of 5-line account of iPhones w monthly bill just over $250) - the line for which I was given an annual upgrade for at least the past 5 years... only to find out that she could not work around it. When I pushed her on "why it changed?" she said that it was something Apple now required.

I explained that Apple had nothing to do with it - their primary objective was to sell the phones, and it was AT&T that offered the subsidy/allowed (or disallowed) early upgrades, etc... and at that point she became quite short and started working to end the call.

Do they all think that we're stupid enough to believe whatever crap they want to throw at us?

I read online somewhere that others were reporting similar reasoning, and was wondering if any one here had gotten it, too.

They've used the Apple excuse since the first iPhone.

 

[Leanna Lofte]

So what I'm getting from you is that your a whiny spoiled rotten individual. Who has no respect for people. First of all you are going take an IPhone and return it later so that another person will not have the chance to pick one up. Secondly your going to hit the person who gets stuck selling that phone with a return rate as well a diminished pay check. Please grow up and realize that your actions have consequences that affect other individuals.


Best Regards,

The gentleman who will most likely get stuck helping you.

Yep. You nailed. Have a good day.

P.S. Apple employees don't get commission. Also, I explicitly told the rep that if he can't guarantee a Friday delivery, I didn't want to place an order, and that I'd just wait in line. He placed the order anyway.

 

[mc511#CB]

Your credit couldn't have anything less to do with your upgrade eligibility.. I have great credit, and have never missed a payment on my ATT account and my date was changed due to "changing my phone number"..

Not your regular upgrade, an early upgrade. I got an upgrade months in advance. The upgrade was until this July or august and was able to upgrade super early in march.

 

[Spaz888]

How are you going to return the open used iPhone back to the store? Dont they have a limit or restriction on the number of minutes it has for them to return it?

 

[Leanna Lofte]

How are you going to return the open used iPhone back to the store? Dont they have a limit or restriction on the number of minutes it has for them to return it?

Apple gives you 30 days to return an iPhone as long as you have the original packaging and the phone isn't damaged. Even if I was opening a brand new line, the number of minutes wouldn't matter -- carriers will prorate your charges for the portion of the month that you had active service. But I'll be adding it to an existing plan, so I don't even have to worry about that.

 

[Windlasher]

Re: well...

I have been a cingular/att customer for over a decade. I have 5 phones on the plan. Unlimited text, One iPhone and one blackberry, three dumbphones.

I have never missed a payment, never had a complaint. I upgraded one phone last year, and waited to upgrade my iPhone 4 until the 5 came out.

I went in to the store to pre-order, and found out I am not eligible, even though last year all my phones except one were supposedly eligible this year. "Somehow" (according to the att rep in the store) my dates are all changed, and I can't upgrade ANY until Nov 1.

Their reply to my incredulity? "Come back and see us maybe we can work something out in 6 weeks or so."

Att really does have No business running a profit. I am now looking forward to my switch to Verizon. At least I may get a hotspot, instead of a eff-off from a jerk rep (oh yeah, he was an asst mgr).

ATT changes those dates all the time. They tried that on me last year but I had print screens from my account. The rep on the phone said no way they were those dates. Went into a store and had the manager call them with the print screens. Problem solved.

 

[katrzyana]

i used to work for at&T.its true apple wont let them process any overrides with an iphone...bcause its an "iphone"!

 

[Fausty82]

i used to work for at&T.its true apple wont let them process any overrides with an iphone...bcause its an "iphone"!

That makes ZERO sense... especially since Apple is in the business of selling phones. Telling a provider not to sell a new (subsidized) phone is costing Apple and the provider a sale.

 

[ibanana]

I had a semi similar experience with AT&T for this upgrade as well which made me consider switching after nearly 6 years with them.

Basically I went into AT&T to upgrade my phone on 9/14. I was using my dads upgrade and he was then going to get my iPhone 4 that I had. Everything was set. On Sept 20th I got my bank account balance text message and noticed it was $200 more than it should have been. I checked my statement and sure enough the AT&T charge for the phone was gone. I called corp and they stated that my order somehow got canceled and I needed to reorder. I was not happy as the lead time was now 3-4 weeks when I should have gotten my phone delivered Sept 21st to the AT&T store. This made me pretty upset considering my iPhone actually started showing some issues the day before the phone was released. This hadn't been the first time AT&T had screwed up for me in the last 3 months (double payments and not removing international charges when asked to which resulted in over $240 over payments) and decided if they didn't help me figure out the issue I would consider switching to Sprint or even Verizon.

I logged into the AT&T chat and confirmed that my upgrade had been restored in writing, printed it out and then went to the Apple store in hopes they would have some iPhones left, and they did! I was able to purchase my iPhone 5 for $199 and then have the lines switched around as they needed to be.

A couple days later I found a $215 charge from AT&T for my iPhone, because the one they said was canceled had just been shipped! I was not happy. I called AT&T and no one could explain to me what was going on. I then got an email stating that my iPhone was ready for pick up at the store. I went into the store and discussed this with the manager. After doing research on her end it looked like I had only gotten 1 iPhone 5 for my upgrade (the one she had in her hand). She checked all of our other lines to make sure the other upgrades weren't used. In the end she determined that this phone in her hand was rightfully mine because I had paid for it. She agreed that someone made a major mistake and that because she didn't see any issues on their end I should just take the extra iPhone 5 home with me...and I did.

In the end I put that iPhone 5 on eBay and it sold in 8 minutes for $800 and it worked out for me. Luckily for them I wasn't having any other bills pending at the time they took their money for the second phone as it probably would have ended much differently!

 

[erwaso]

Re: After all that... I'm sticking with AT&T

My upgrade is available nov 8. I'll test next week if they'll let me:

- use it for my wife's line a few weeks early
- use it for an iPhone 4S

Been with AT&T since 2007 (from Verizon) and the only issue with customer service I had was when I moved to Colorado 3 years ago and this d bag tried charging me $60 per line fee to change area codes. I asked him to verify that multiple times and he insisted. I asked to talk to his supervisor and while on hold the line was cut lol. I called back the next day and the nice lady said moving and stalking allow for number change fee waived. Problem solved.

Its a fact the random person in the call center you talk to makes a world of difference.