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AT&T Complaint - Lousy Service - Home Phone Service
Home Phone Service - Complaint
WINSTON SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA -- I ordered phone service thru AT&T a few weeks ago with an install date for 9/2. I was not initially given a window of time and was basically told it was anytime in the day. I took off work and spent the day home waiting for them. I called in to AT&T a number of times and the automated machine kept hanging up on me. I waited at the low end 1 hour at a time on hold to speak with someone and most of those representative lost my call during transfer which meant another hour on hold trying to get to speak with someone again. Well this went on for around 4 hours today.
I finally spoke with someone who told me my window of install was between 12 and 6pm so I didn't really need to stay here all day but was never initially told that. This person checked the account, checked the numbers and verified that the install was scheduled. Well at 6pm tonight after no one I had shown up I started the entire process of calling them all over again. The first representative after an hour on hold told me he could not give me any info on the account and had to transfer me to another number to obtain the information and of course that office was closed. I once again called back and went thru the entire hold process again to be told the account was put on hold and no other information was available except from the office which of curse was closed.
Now mind you, I don't even have their service and already am being treated with disrespect and like garbage. No one called me, no one told me there was an issue they just let me sit home like an idiot all day begging them for information. Well I want to know what happened between 3pm when the install was verified and 6pm when no one showed up and no one called. This is lousy service.
I finally spoke with someone who told me my window of install was between 12 and 6pm so I didn't really need to stay here all day but was never initially told that. This person checked the account, checked the numbers and verified that the install was scheduled. Well at 6pm tonight after no one I had shown up I started the entire process of calling them all over again. The first representative after an hour on hold told me he could not give me any info on the account and had to transfer me to another number to obtain the information and of course that office was closed. I once again called back and went thru the entire hold process again to be told the account was put on hold and no other information was available except from the office which of curse was closed.
Now mind you, I don't even have their service and already am being treated with disrespect and like garbage. No one called me, no one told me there was an issue they just let me sit home like an idiot all day begging them for information. Well I want to know what happened between 3pm when the install was verified and 6pm when no one showed up and no one called. This is lousy service.
Comments:
Posted by justcuz3993 on 2008-09-02:
This seems to be an ever increasing common occurence with a lot of companies these days. No show, no calls, customers wait on hold for hours, take time (sometimes days when all is said and done) off from work...don't any of these companies provide solid service anymore or understand the concept that first impressions are key?
I hope you get your issue resolved w/o any more issues, but I wouldn't bet on it at this point.
I hope you get your issue resolved w/o any more issues, but I wouldn't bet on it at this point.
Posted by superbowl on 2008-09-02:
Cityguync, who is your local cable provider? They may offer VoIP phone service. Better rates than AT&T and they will probably want your business.
Posted by Suusan B. on 2008-09-02:
Excellent idea, superbowl. I've been in the telecom industry as a customer for over 20 years and AT&T has always been my last choice for a vendor as their prices are too high and their service is terrible. I recently moved my home POTS line from AT&T to Cox Communications VOIP service. Cox is charging me less than half what AT&T did, they were very prompt in scheduling and showing up for the installation and I can't tell the difference in the line quality.
Posted by superbowl on 2008-09-03:
Suusan, I have been with Cox VoIP since they started offering it and have had excellent service and quality.
Posted by hell2pay on 2008-09-03:
I see Vonage advertises a lot, might be worth considering.
Posted by superbowl on 2008-09-03:
Vonage is the worst of the worst. Lousy service, terrible quality and they steal their customers blind every chance they get.
Posted by Sparticus on 2008-09-03:
I'm one of the few fans of Vonage. I've been a happy customer for a few years now. No problems. We pay $14.99/month and can't complain at that price.
I have read horror stories when folks try to cancel, but fortunately we have not had to go through that.
Also, the quality of their service is highly dependent on the internet setup you have at home. If you don't have good high speed internet, it can affect the quality of your calls. Another common problem with Vonage is incorrect setup. You need to make sure your Vonage modem gets top priority on your home network, which means you usually have to put it first BEFORE your router. Then have the router wired from the Vonage modem. This gives Vonage the ability to use the maximum bandwidth if needed to give the best quality phone calls.
I have read horror stories when folks try to cancel, but fortunately we have not had to go through that.
Also, the quality of their service is highly dependent on the internet setup you have at home. If you don't have good high speed internet, it can affect the quality of your calls. Another common problem with Vonage is incorrect setup. You need to make sure your Vonage modem gets top priority on your home network, which means you usually have to put it first BEFORE your router. Then have the router wired from the Vonage modem. This gives Vonage the ability to use the maximum bandwidth if needed to give the best quality phone calls.
Posted by MissMarple on 2008-09-03:
I agree with Sparticus, as I also have Vonage with zero issues. I love it..
Posted by hell2pay on 2008-09-03:
My neighbor and brother in law have Vonage for years and absolutely love it. I've heard it can be daunting to install if one isn't very tech minded though.
Posted by Sparticus on 2008-09-03:
Installation isn't too tough. You just need to know where to add it to your setup. We simply plugged the Ethernet line from our cable modem straight into the Vonage modem, and then ran a line from the Vonage modem straight into our home wireless network router.
But most folks are not going to realize how to do this from the instructions, since it can be confusing with so many "gadgets" plugged into your router. I would imagine the majority of consumers just see that whole setup of an internet modem and router as a black box that just works...
But that is what we are here for on sites like this! To help out! ;-)
But most folks are not going to realize how to do this from the instructions, since it can be confusing with so many "gadgets" plugged into your router. I would imagine the majority of consumers just see that whole setup of an internet modem and router as a black box that just works...
But that is what we are here for on sites like this! To help out! ;-)
Posted by hell2pay on 2008-09-03:
Neighbor told me it was one of the best feelings to finally unhook the blood sucking phone company from his house. I'm considering taking the plunge and doing it too Mr. Sparticus.
Posted by Sparticus on 2008-09-03:
That is exactly why we did it. We do not have an active phone line to our home. We were fed up paying $40/month for a basic phone line with no long distance. And on top of that if we accidentally called long distance, it would let it through and bill us ridiculous rates from some 3rd party crime partner (MCI at the time). That was the last straw for us. We cancelled that week. They called us trying to get our service back, asking what can they do. I told them if they can give me the phone service with free long distance for $15/month I would consider returning. They of course said they could not do that. So we said our goodbyes.
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