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

[Leanna Lofte]

Cool they worked it out. But...if you need the iPhone 5 for work then shouldn't iMore/SPE sites provide you with one? Just saying, I don't have to bring in my own stuff to work. Rene should loan you his at the very least.

No. It's not like that. I'm an independent contractor. When you hire someone to do landscaping, are you expected to provide him with all the tools to do his job?

 

[v1nn1e]

Wow.. that's nuts. I personally held myself back from upgrading to the 4S so I could dump AT&T when my contract ended (June) and jump in the sack with Verizon for the 5. I've never been impressed with AT&T service as a whole. My customer service experiences with them have been good, and I can only confidently say that because the only time I contact them is via the Live Chat thing.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[BreakingKayfabe]

My friend just went through this yesterday. He ended up ordering two new iPhone 5's over the phone with
ATT and didn't receive the e-mail. Apparently his sister had a very old e-mail address on the account that he couldn't log into to see the e-mail. He had to change the e-mail address on the My AT&T site which took him forever because there was traffic. Then he spent almost two hours on the phone with a rep who ended up telling him he couldn't get the e-mail resent. Instead, he took him to the automated system to accept the terms and conditions. The rep could have just done that at the beginning of the call, lol

 

[anon(279851)]

Customer From Hell

Honestly, you really do seem like you are the customer from hell. All of this just for an iPhone upgrade? Who does that and why encourage other people to do it. It's just ridiculous.

 

[Fausty82]

They tried to give me the same run around. I bought the 4s last year at full price, it got stolen and had to get another one at full price (yes, I'm a boob) anyway, called AT&T to double check that I could get the 5 at the discount and of coarse they said no. After two days of screaming and fighting them (supervisors and managers) they finally told me to go ahead and order the phone and get the 64g Black for 399. So I suggest calling and screaming and act like a complete a-hole and it might work...it worked for me! Good luck!!

I guess now I know all I need to know.

 

[Emusedone]

Not to be rude, but being late on a bill is actually a really big deal. When you are given upgrade pricing, AT&T is essentially giving you a loan (the subsidy). You pay off that loan by paying your bill. If you were late twice in a year, you were late for over 16% of your payments. The only way to prove to AT&T that you're a valuable customer is to make your payments on time.

You should set up automatic payments and paperless billing online. You'll never be late again.

Again, I'm not trying to be rude, but to explain to you why AT&T made their decision. They're running a business.

Not to be rude, but being late on a bill is actually a really big deal. When you are given upgrade pricing, AT&T is essentially giving you a loan (the subsidy). You pay off that loan by paying your bill. If you were late twice in a year, you were late for over 16% of your payments. The only way to prove to AT&T that you're a valuable customer is to make your payments on time.*

You should set up automatic payments and paperless billing online. You'll never be late again.*

Again, I'm not trying to be rude, but to explain to you why AT&T made their decision. They're running a business.

Ummmm, I refuse to sign up for automatic debits from my account since in the past I've had incorrect charges added & getting a refund or allowing for that additional charge in your bank balance is a nitemare.*
Also, late payments may be due to so many things beyond a person's power. Like death in family, or you have an accident & end up in hospital where being two days late on your AT&T bill is the last of your worries. Whether it's 16% that I'm late over my contract time or 16.5% the fact is, I pay my bill.*
OK, I've dealt with a couple of cell providers & I have to say that when AT&T launched something new like this, the ass end doesn't know what the front end is doing when I call. Yes, they are polite most of the time but it's the transfers to other reps, the "I'm not sure, please hold" then the disconnect & call back scenarios. AT&T provides a great cell service, cool phones, but I'm not going to go so far as to say it's the best customer service IN THE LAND! All companies have good & bad points. But this iPhone 5 fiasco & eligibilty thing for someone who has a 100% on time paying history with AT&T plus has been a customer for a long time it makes me ill to think I've got to jump through so many hoops to simply upgrade. I totally understand everyone's disappointment & frustration over this upgrade stuff! I have an iPhone 4S & have to wait to upgrade (or pay the big money). Quit making newer phones each year or two & expecting your customers to wait. AT&T should reward valued customers & be happy with the new customers they will get by word of mouth from their happy, satisfied, upgraded customers....just sayin

 

[scottdoc718]

Not cool. At&t, the only carrier who's mission statement is to hassle current customers. Im not sure, but I think if you ask att to approve you for the upgrade, Then maybe you can just walk into radioshack that morning and pick one up?

BTW, Leanna, shared data plans on AT&T now get free hotspots. I thought that might have been one of your reasons for going to Verizon.

 

[scottdoc718]

BTW, Leanna, shared data plans on AT&T now get free hotspots. I thought that might have been one of your reasons for going to Verizon.

 

[Neutrino]

Switching carriers is never easy. Especially when all carrier staff are overly stressed with the iphone launch. I will share that VZW has a tendency to sneak charges on your account. I recently ported one of my VZW lines to AT&T, and noticed that VZW took the opportunity to charge me 65.00 for voice overages when the affected line was no where near the shared family plan limit.

Bottom line: scrutinize your bill, and stay on top. The carriers are nothing but school bullies.

 

[jerome g]

Ummmm, I refuse to sign up for automatic debits from my account since in the past I've had incorrect charges added & getting a refund or allowing for that additional charge in your bank balance is a nitemare.*
Also, late payments may be due to so many things beyond a person's power. Like death in family, or you have an accident & end up in hospital where being two days late on your AT&T bill is the last of your worries. Whether it's 16% that I'm late over my contract time or 16.5% the fact is, I pay my bill.*
OK, I've dealt with a couple of cell providers & I have to say that when AT&T launched something new like this, the ass end doesn't know what the front end is doing when I call. Yes, they are polite most of the time but it's the transfers to other reps, the "I'm not sure, please hold" then the disconnect & call back scenarios. AT&T provides a great cell service, cool phones, but I'm not going to go so far as to say it's the best customer service IN THE LAND! All companies have good & bad points. But this iPhone 5 fiasco & eligibilty thing for someone who has a 100% on time paying history with AT&T plus has been a customer for a long time it makes me ill to think I've got to jump through so many hoops to simply upgrade. I totally understand everyone's disappointment & frustration over this upgrade stuff! I have an iPhone 4S & have to wait to upgrade (or pay the big money). Quit making newer phones each year or two & expecting your customers to wait. AT&T should reward valued customers & be happy with the new customers they will get by word of mouth from their happy, satisfied, upgraded customers....just sayin

I too would like an early upgrade and I understand your frustration, but it is based on being spoiled, like the rest of us. You have to understand that things change. Just because they have upgraded early in the past it doesnt mean they should now. You should not expect anything special when you sign a contract. If it is for 2 years and they let you upgrade early then you should be thankful to AT&T.
That being said, I do agree that customer loyalty should come into play as well if you want to be a successful company. They have rewarded us in the past for that.
Maybe times have changed and the economy is bad now so the don't think it is wise to do that at this point. They obviously lose money when they let you off the hook for an extra $250 charge for an upgrade right ? Just think of how many they let do that in the past? Tens of 1000's probably, right ? How much money is that ? If you are a company in this economy now would you think it is wise ?
And the late payment thing is far more impactful than you think also. Yes, of course things happen it is not your fault or their fault either, it is just a fact, and they are running a business where the bottom line counts. You would feel the same way if it was you. I am part of a small business also and try to do what I can for loyal customers but sometimes it is what it is and I can't make exceptions like I have in the past when the economy was better.
Here is a hypothetical. Say AT&T has 5% of customers making late payments. Say they take in $10 million a month. Well I think that adds up to half a million dollars.
If you are AT&T then you would view those customers as bad customers, although loyal. And if that happens more than once, well you do the math.
It's about the numbers and I can see why they would make it a lot tougher to "give away" money doing early upgrades when you are not eligible.

 

[jerome g]

No. It's not like that. I'm an independent contractor. When you hire someone to do landscaping, are you expected to provide him with all the tools to do his job?

So actually it is not $200+ extra then since you need it for work and can write off a portion of it, right ?

 

[Leanna Lofte]

Honestly, you really do seem like you are the customer from hell. All of this just for an iPhone upgrade? Who does that and why encourage other people to do it. It's just ridiculous.

I'm not the customer from hell. I called AT&T and asked very nicely about getting an upgrade. I didn't demand anything, nor expect anything -- I was already planning to move to Verizon and just figured I'd give it one last shot on my husband's line.

Now, once AT&T started telling me that I did not have an order and refused to recognize that my credit card had a pending charge, you bet I got pissed. Wouldn't you? Would you just sit back and smile and say "oh ok, everything sounds good then, thanks!"? That's the whole reason I had to go through "all this" -- the pending charge that AT&T claimed didn't exist. The first call was very short and very happy for both parties.

I never told anyone to do it -- just sharing my story.

 

[Leanna Lofte]

BTW, Leanna, shared data plans on AT&T now get free hotspots. I thought that might have been one of your reasons for going to Verizon.

Yeah, I remembered that recently. But I'd have to give up unlimited data (which I'd do by moving to Verizon, anyway). Since I don't really use that much data since I'm usually around wifi -- I'll probably end up switching to a shared data plan when the next iPad comes out and get it on AT&T.

 

[Leanna Lofte]

Ummmm, I refuse to sign up for automatic debits from my account since in the past I've had incorrect charges added & getting a refund or allowing for that additional charge in your bank balance is a nitemare.*
Also, late payments may be due to so many things beyond a person's power. Like death in family, or you have an accident & end up in hospital where being two days late on your AT&T bill is the last of your worries. Whether it's 16% that I'm late over my contract time or 16.5% the fact is, I pay my bill.*
OK, I've dealt with a couple of cell providers & I have to say that when AT&T launched something new like this, the ass end doesn't know what the front end is doing when I call. Yes, they are polite most of the time but it's the transfers to other reps, the "I'm not sure, please hold" then the disconnect & call back scenarios. AT&T provides a great cell service, cool phones, but I'm not going to go so far as to say it's the best customer service IN THE LAND! All companies have good & bad points. But this iPhone 5 fiasco & eligibilty thing for someone who has a 100% on time paying history with AT&T plus has been a customer for a long time it makes me ill to think I've got to jump through so many hoops to simply upgrade. I totally understand everyone's disappointment & frustration over this upgrade stuff! I have an iPhone 4S & have to wait to upgrade (or pay the big money). Quit making newer phones each year or two & expecting your customers to wait. AT&T should reward valued customers & be happy with the new customers they will get by word of mouth from their happy, satisfied, upgraded customers....just sayin

Again, I hold no judgement against you regarding late payments. God knows I've been late on my share of various bills for various reasons. I was just trying to explain it from AT&T's perspective. They are a huge company and aren't going to investigate the reasons their customers were late. In their eyes, late is late.

Regarding auto payments -- I've never had an issue. Sorry to hear that you have. If I didn't have auto payments set up on just about every bill I have, I'd be late on so many of them because I'm terrible at that kind of stuff. A long time ago I did have adjustments that needed to be made, but they didn't refund my bank, they just credited my account for the next bill.

For the most part, I'be been happy with AT&T's customer service, but you're right, they're definitely not the best. Well, I guess I can't really compare with other carriers since I've always been with AT&T, but just as far as customer service goes, in general, AT&T isn't amazing, but they aren't bad.

 

[Apple4ever2011]

Honestly would it have made you feel better with a big fat "No"?? Customer service tried the best they could to hook it up. So now that you are not happy you chose to bring it up to management to put a service rep on blast because you cannot wait. This could cost someone their job but you are mad because you didn't get a break or the best out of AT&T?? I have a iPhone 4...I waited just like most. Don't take for granted a early upgrade ..it's a favor not a right. Think it over...you might have cost a good rep a job.....

 

[Eileen89]

Sorry that you had to go through this, but glad to hear that you got it sorted out after all that.


Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk

 

[Leanna Lofte]

Honestly would it have made you feel better with a big fat "No"?? Customer service tried the best they could to hook it up. So now that you are not happy you chose to bring it up to management to put a service rep on blast because you cannot wait. This could cost someone their job but you are mad because you didn't get a break or the best out of AT&T?? I have a iPhone 4...I waited just like most. Don't take for granted a early upgrade ..it's a favor not a right. Think it over...you might have cost a good rep a job.....

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?

 

[BreakingKayfabe]

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?

In all honesty, I'd be pissed. But if I put it on my credit card (not a debit card) and realized I would have to have gone through all that, I would have just made a dispute on the charge since it was a credit card. All the carriers are a bunch of dictators, though. Pick your poison. When you're coming in, they're nice. Once you're in with them, you're just a number.

 

[squire]

I'm glad it all worked out.

 

[Taunman]

Rude

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.