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We happen to use AT&T for our land line service. Recent thunderstorms took out the service, leaving us with a semi-live line: no dial tone, some calls able to ring in but not connect.
I fully understand that bad things can happen to phone lines when there are electrical storms. Not a problem... IF there is a reasonable attempt by the phone company to be somewhat customer friendly for their $70+ per month.
I attempted to report the problem online, since I have satellite. Went to the ATT website, entered information, reported (I think) the problem and the coding on the site immediately wanted to send me to my online account. NO. I do NOT have or want an online account with AT&T. I want to report a problem.
After hitting cancel to go to my non-existent account, the site says "Thank-you for using AT&T" or some such. No confirmation or ticket number.
Tried it again, just to be sure. Same thing.
Tried using a cellphone (reception out here is bad) to call in the problem. Got an automated system that wanted to keep yammering, even though the connection was bad, finally got it to try to get me a person, and it went to a Bach hold music until it cut out.
Called back again. No live person.
Called back again. Managed to get a clear enough connection to report the problem and have it recognize the number. It then yammers on about an $85 service fee if the problem is inside the house. I had already taken a phone to the demarcation point and verified it was a system problem.
Then it wants a telephone number where I can be reached. HELLO??? The phone number I am paying for is the phone number where I can be reached. If you were a cruise line and the boat sank, would you be asking me what boat I could be found on???
Then, it finally responded that it had found a problem, and that it would be repaired within two days.
Good.
As soon as it is repaired, I'll be calling up every other phone service provider to find out the best way to dump AT&T.
Let this be a lesson to companies. Sometimes your customers get really really upset with your asinine methods of saving five cents on customer service, while increasing your fees.
LOL- not laughing at you but been there done that.
not with ATT but with time warner cable, who we have phone service through.
when we first moved here, it took them no less than 3 months, coming out 2x (at LEAST) a week to fix cable, internet, or phone or sometimes all three. our cell service here is iffy too, and not at all inside the house, so everytime id call id have to go sit on the porch.
they did finally figure out the problem (a neighbors dog was chewing through a line at the box (which is on neighbors property )- wish the stupid thing had been electrocuted but nooo its still alive and as annoying as ever!), and i havent had a problem again, but geez- i was not a happy camper for a long time (and i work from home, so I can't NOT have it!!!)
The last time I had trouble with AT&T gavea relatives number as the contact number and withi a day the people fixed the problem. The service man whcame out wqas very professional and even moved a line that I wanted to my house.Other than that even hurricane Rita passing 10 miles from my house had no effect on the service afterwards.
people who complain about the policies and customer service of large corporations , do not understand how corporations in the 21st century work
you call in to the large corporation.. The CEO is NOT going to answer, nor is ANYONE that can make an actual change to your account that isn't part of their policy and procedures. They have rules to follow, and you aren't going to change that. You are 1 customer out of MILLIONS. So stop thinking they need your business.
You can cancel att, but you won't find any better service elsewhere in the oligopoly gov't approved markets.
Actually, I'm very aware of how large corporations work. The difference between other folks and myself is that I refuse to accept the more insane policies without a fight and an exposition of those insanities to the public.
This particular company could have made me a happy customer with one dollar's worth of a worker's time. A simple live person on the phone saying "Yes. I see you have an issue with your phone service. Someone will fix it in our system or be out before Thursday." Instead, that dollar times one-hundred customers was deemed too much to lose, so an automated system was used for phone response, and a website designed to keep hackers out constructed; one so poorly designed it cannot perform the basic function of taking a repair request.
When I have asked others what they have done in similar situations, a lot have simply given up the landline. I would do that as well, except the cellphone service around here is spotty at best. In any event, the loss to AT&T from poor customer service is loss of customers, a financial loss far in excess of the money saved on a call center. I've worked in businesses that thought that way. Those ones I worked for eventually went bankrupt bowing to accountants and trying to prop up fluctuating stock prices.
You are spot on about the oligopoly gov't approved markets. Such markets embody the worst of Democratic control and bureaucracy and the worst of Republican predatory business practices and cost saving. It will only get worse with time.
Here is link to report a repair issue
You would click on the one for landline and input the number. You would have a account if you have phone service.
Also normally you can dial 611 from another landline phone and it will ask for the phone number you wish to report. You also can dial from your cell phone 611 and they can transfer you to the landline dept. If you hit cancel the system would not be able to generate a repair ticket number.
Normally you will reach a system that the moment you input the number it generates a process that checks your line and it can tell if it is problem they can correct without speaking to you. They are legally required to notify you there could be a charge- Sometimes people cut their own lines digging all kinds of stuff and that could result in a charge. Also sometimes it could be your own equipment. The only way to hold costs down is to do as much as possible through automated systems but you usually can reach a operator if you ask. Try saying operator or agent. I have done it several times with companies and it normally works
Even the cable company when you call them advise you if they come out there could be a cost if it is found in your equipment unless you subscribe to the maintenance plan.
A good bit of my phone bill and cable bill is taxes and surcharges that the government has imposed. No matter what and who you report they always want a good can be reach number. Most people have a cell phone and there may be some reason they need to call you if they find a delay or another issue. Nobody that I call to do any kind of business transaction fails to ask me for a alternate contact number.
I hope your phone is repaired now and that things went smoothly for you. I am sure you were very frustrated that night.
Tried 3 times,
but if you go
repair.att/repair/landing.do#
You havent posted enough times to put links up.
Harry, dont feel bad, we have CenturyLink, and cannot go with another service, they are the absolute pits!
It took 5 years of non-stop calling on my part to get high-speed internet here.
After getting it (finally) we cannot connect at the promised speed, and to add insult to injury, every time it rains, the internet cuts out!
I recently found out, after countless more calls, that there is a note on our account that we have a "slow" connection.
We have also been told that the phone company will be doing nothing about the internet cutting out, as that would involve replacing lines, which they are not going to do.....we still have the original old lines that were installed in the 70s......grrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!
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Phone problem
