The incompetence of AT&T
Jan. 1st, 2023 04:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
altivoI call to mind the old TV program jokes about "We're the phone company. We don't care, we don't have to." Those referenced the AT&T monopoly over most of the US, of course. Now they face competition nearly everywhere, since most electronic communications go over the internet or the cell phone airwaves.
However, it seems to be very much true that they still don't care. My truck has a modem/hotspot that is (by default at least) served by AT&T wireless. Back in June I dutifully contracted for their services and agreed to their requirements. Monthly payment to be charged to my credit card, internet access to unlimited data (no cap) but subject to slowdowns at busy times. This seemed to work for the first six months, no problem.
Now it has stopped. When I sign into their web access, my account is still there and the account information is still valid. The credit card is good, and will not expire for another year. But I am greeted with the message "This vehicle has no data plan." And indeed, the truck can no longer connect to the internet to provide a hotspot, though it still shows up as an available connection. When I try to connect to it, I am connected to a sales page from AT&T demanding that I set up an account and a contract.
Note that they continue to charge my credit card every month for the original agreed amount, with the most recent charge paid on December 25, 2022.
There is no way to contact them about this by paper mail, e-mail, online chat or any other means except by calling a "toll free number." That number is clearly swamped with calls and doesn't have enough (maybe even no) service rep to answer. I get a recorded message telling me to stay on the line and someone will be with me shortly. "Shortly" apparently means more than 30 minutes, as that is the longest I have waited before hanging up in disgust.
It appears that my only choice here is to tell my credit card provider to stop paying them. Then see if any other provider in my area can give me a connection. T-Mobile is the most likely, I guess, but aren't they the same company now?
Catch-22 anyone?
However, it seems to be very much true that they still don't care. My truck has a modem/hotspot that is (by default at least) served by AT&T wireless. Back in June I dutifully contracted for their services and agreed to their requirements. Monthly payment to be charged to my credit card, internet access to unlimited data (no cap) but subject to slowdowns at busy times. This seemed to work for the first six months, no problem.
Now it has stopped. When I sign into their web access, my account is still there and the account information is still valid. The credit card is good, and will not expire for another year. But I am greeted with the message "This vehicle has no data plan." And indeed, the truck can no longer connect to the internet to provide a hotspot, though it still shows up as an available connection. When I try to connect to it, I am connected to a sales page from AT&T demanding that I set up an account and a contract.
Note that they continue to charge my credit card every month for the original agreed amount, with the most recent charge paid on December 25, 2022.
There is no way to contact them about this by paper mail, e-mail, online chat or any other means except by calling a "toll free number." That number is clearly swamped with calls and doesn't have enough (maybe even no) service rep to answer. I get a recorded message telling me to stay on the line and someone will be with me shortly. "Shortly" apparently means more than 30 minutes, as that is the longest I have waited before hanging up in disgust.
It appears that my only choice here is to tell my credit card provider to stop paying them. Then see if any other provider in my area can give me a connection. T-Mobile is the most likely, I guess, but aren't they the same company now?
Catch-22 anyone?
