Ok this is kind of long but it's complicated so here it goes...
A few weeks ago I was interested in getting new service (phone, cable and Internet)with WOW. I wanted to discuss the cost with my husband first but WOW told me to lock into the promotional offer I should just get set up in the system and if I didn't want the service, I could call back and they would easily cancel it. So that's what I did, but after discussing it with my husband, and getting Comcast to lower our monthly bill for cable and Internet I decided against working with WOW. So I called to cancel, no problems.
Then we decided to cancel our land line with AT&T b/c we both have cell phones. When I call AT&T, they said the line was tied up with another service provider and they couldn't touch it. I explained I was going to go to WOW but decided against it and that WOW canceled the order. Their records didn't reflect that so I called back WOW and they confirmed the order was canceled "to port over my number" and that AT&T needs to go into their system and recognize that. So I called back AT&T and was told again, the order wasn't canceled, my phone line was "in control" of another service provider and that they could not touch the account - including just canceling it altogether!! Now, I'm stuck in limbo between the two companies b/c they are blaming each other for the problem. I even talked to another phone co. (Sprint) and they agree, AT&T should be able to fix the problem. I've even tried getting both companies on a conference call but AT&T hangs up b/c we're on hold too long. Now I'm starting to think AT&T just doesn't want to lose a customer so they are giving me the run around.
Any advice on what to do? I was going to file a complaint with the Better Biz Bureau but not sure if that will do anything immediate. We just want to cancel our land line and AT&T is refusing too!! My lesson from this is I should have never been pressured by WOW to "lock in" to their promotional offer. Any help is appreciated!!!
I had the same problem with ATT several years ago but it was for a line in a house that I moved from. Sorry to say but it took me two years to get get it corrected, yes that is correct it was two whole years. The only way I got help was calling the Illinois Commerce Commission, they got it resolved.
http://www.icc.illinois.gov/consumer/complaint/
S.
Well if WOW gave it up and ATT says they don't have control.... will you even get a bill ?
We had a similar issue when our phone was "slammed" by a scam long-distance company. We never signed up or talked to anyone, but somehow they took over our long distance when we moved and suddenly we had $400 long distance bills. (Normally they are about $40.)
We told AT&T that we had been slammed and we weren't paying the bills, period. We wrote a letter like that and attached it to every bill. After about 3 months they took the other carrier off the bill. It is very frustrating because it's so hard to get a human being on the line, and half the time they don't know what they are talking about anyway. See if you can get their attention by telling them that you will be reporting it to the Illinois Attorney General's office. Try the number at this link for help, too: http://illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/consumers/phonescams.html
FIRST STEP, I would encourage you to check into the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which is the governmental agency that handles complaints over these companies and the problem that you are having. Here is the website to find out about the necessary steps to file a complaint (don't file the complaint just yet - it will be much easier to gain the knowledge you need and then have one more conversation with the company first to get your problem resolved and it will save you lots of time):
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints.html
NEXT STEP: Contact AT&T back and be very sweet when asking to speak with a manager, (as it seems as they are the one holding everything up - interesting they hung up when you tried to do a conference call??). If anybody (CSR) says they can help you, thank them ever-so-sweetly and tell them that you really need to speak with a manager (without telling them the specifics of why). Be gracious and thank the Customer Service Rep(s) for their help, but keep your focus to get to a manager, BUT DON'T GIVE UP - ONLY SPEAK WITH A MANAGER!!
When you do get connected with a manager, take really good notes and do the following:
1) VERY IMPORTANT STEP: BE VERY NICE and ask for the manager's name right away (first and last name if you can get it) and BE SURE TO GET THEIR direct contact phone number / extension (this creates a situation of accountability on their part) - I ALWAYS start out half-joking with the person I am speaking with by telling them something like "heaven forbid we would ever get disconnected....... but if were to happen, then I can easily call back and reach you." Laughter is the best medicine for most situations - so this statement usually gets them chuckling (I even laugh with them).
2) advise the manager of what you need done NOW and also tell the manager how many phone calls you have already made where this problem has not yet been fixed. If the manager gives you a run around and does not help you, then go to step #3 below
3) advise the manager that you are prepared to contact the FCC and file an online complaint if your situation is not resolved today. Again, tell the manager what the solution is that you need to have done today. If the manager does not want to help you, then you can tell the manager that you are filling out the Complaint Form #475 as you are speaking with them - this will tell the manager that you mean business and ARE CREDIBLE and that you know what you are talking about. They will also realize that you have their contact name and telephone number to put on that complaint form and hopefully will HELP YOU RIGHT AWAY.
4) as an alternative or one last resort next to call the Attorney General's Office, if the manager does not want to help solve your problem, you could ask to speak with the manager's supervisor and then repeat the above steps.
I hope you get someone that will help you, S.! I've been there and done this in the past. My husband uses the above steps and he's even taught me and THEY WORKED FOR ME!! Good Luck!!
AT&T does give you the runaround. I would just be persistant with them ask to speak with every supervisor in the building and if they put you on hold don't hang up that is just their way to try and get rid of you. GOOD LUCK!!!
I had a run around with comcast when we moved so I know the feeling
Oh and when I ever I call to try and get a person I punch the zero key or the # key 20-30 times and I usually get someone.
Dear S.,
I have had nothing but trouble from AT&T. The moment I switched to a much cheaper provider they made the transition impossible. They strong arm you into wanting to switch back. It happened to me not once but more than 3 times.
The first time I switched to MCI and I ended up fighting with both phone companies for 6 months because I couldn't get a dial tone. I wasn't able to get incoming calls as well. AT&T finally had to replace something on the pole outside in order to fix the problem.
The second time I switched back to AT&T is when they had a sales promotion for a cheaper rate. Come to find out it didn't last very long. When I complained about them overcharging me for the highspeed internet and charging me for a modem I didn't ask for, they refused to reimburse me. It wasn't till I threatened to sue them because I had the receipt as proof of sending the modem back and they weren't able to proove I had access to the internet during a certain period of time because of a cable problem i was continuously complaining about, that they reimbursed me for the overcharges.
AT&T is notorious for their strongarming tactics of their customers into switching back. The only reason I have AT&T now is because my husband sucumbed to the strongarming tactics of AT&T. The moment you switch to someone else they make it impossible to stay with them because of their strongarming tactics. The other providers use AT&T cable in order to provide you with services. So AT&T makes the conection a problem so you will want to go back. If it were up to me I would never have AT&T again. I forced my husband to put it in his name because I refused to continue with AT&T. I hate AT&T and their tactics. In my eyes they are not an honest company. They are coniving, deceitful, and underhanded. I haven't a good thing to say about them.
I hope you have better luck at finding another provider that is not dependent on AT&T cable in order to provide you with service.
good luck
A.
S.,
My husband works for AT&T and I just ran this past him.
Are you still getting a phone bill from either AT&T or WOW?
This is how the process goes. Once you initiated the switch to WOW, AT&T has to release that line and phone number to WOW (WOW has to pay AT&T a fee), per the government. Even though you cancelled the WOW service, that line still belongs to WOW (for at least 6 months). AT&T can not legally touch that line anymore, even to shut it off.
AT&T has already lost that line, so whether it stays on or off they don't care, WOW is now paying them for that line. So while WOW *told* you it was no problem to just cancel it, more than likey THEY are the ones dragging their feet, because now they have to pay AT&T for a line you no longer want to pay for. They're probably hoping that you don't know this, and they can blame AT&T, you'll get fed up with AT&T and just say nevermind, I'll stick with WOW, and they get your money and no longer lose money on the line.
So, you shouldn't be getting a bill from AT&T because the line is now WOW's. And WOW shouldn't be billing you because you cancelled.
Hope that helps a little.
Try writing to "The Fixer" in the Chicago Sun-times. They get a lot of things like this fixed.
Wow, I would call AT&T back and say you are not getting off the phone until they cancel the service and that you've talked to several reliable sources that say they should have no problem shutting it off! I would also ask to speak to a manager or someone higher up that just a customer service representative. That really stinks that they're jerking you around like that. Hope you can get it resolved!
We had a similar experience with AT&T. We were told that Illinois customers were being served by a new company - they gave us the phone number. We were then given the total run around by the new company. They told us that they couldn't cancel our account until we verified who we were, but we couldn't verify who we were because they did not have any of our account information because we had not set up our account with them.
After 2 weeks, and numerous calls, we were able to cancel our account!
My only advise is to find our from AT&T who the new company is - and contact them. Even if you do not cancel your service now, you should know what company you are dealing with.
Good Luck!
When we lived in another state (NY) we had a problem with a creditor calling someone who used to have our number. We were told to contact the State Attorney General for anything relating to communication or intrastate commerce. We contacted them and right away the problem was fixed. I would recommend giving that a try.
My mother ran into a simular experience with AT & T. She recently relocated from Indiana where she use to be hooked up with At & T. When she relocated, we decided it was best for her to switch to voice over internet with Comcast so she would receive one bill for everything including cable. When we tried cancelling her At & T service they gave us a very hard time. I talked to three different AT and T customer services, requesting to cancel her service and although all of the representivives claimed that it would not be problem and that they would take care of the cancellation my mother continued to receive phone bills from them stating that she still has a phone service with them. The statements even has some phone number listed that she has never used. My mother already has been using her new phone # with Comcast for the last three months. I currently use At& T for my phone service just for local calls and cell phone service and I have not had a problem with them, so I don't know if it becomes more complicated when changes are made, or if it just takes longer for them to process the information. As for my mom, I told her to igore the statements if she isn't using the service. How can they force her to pay a bill for somthing she isn't using, especially when she made three attempt to cancel the service. Good luck to you! I hope you work out your situation. Nobody wants to have to spend their hours of the day waiting on the phone to talk to customer service representives.
Email me off board and I will give you a contact person that is a garage manager, but maybe he can out you in touch w/the correct person..
____@____.com
I had a lot of issues with AT&T myself....if you don't mind waiting for your next billing cycle just see who sends the bill (don't use the phone) and demand that they credit off the balance since they would not cancel service when you requested. Or mention to them you will be contacting the BBB and they might do something that way.
Do an online search for the citizen's utility board of Illinois. They have helped me a couple of times in the past with problems. The last time, I had huge problems with a scam phone company and after 1 phone call from them, they sent me a "we've cancelled your account and refunded all charges" letter. This was after me trying for about 4 mths to switch my phone service and then refusing to cancel my account even though MCI was now providing phone service. They are awesome!
Customer service won't do anything till a manager says they can or there computer info says its okay; so you need to get in "writing" from WOW your cancelation info and fax to a manager of customer service, obviously ask to speak to the dept. manager prior to sending. I worked in cust. service prior to having my kids & it didn't bother half of my peers to NOT help the customer, so many don't care. When a customer called asking immediately for a person in charge we were more than happy to transfer the call. All you can do is try. Good luck. C. L.
