AT&T
Reviews and Complaints

I just want to comment on one statement that was made.

"Beyond their stupid "Best Effort Service", their support is an absolute joke. There's just not enough time or space here to rant about that!"

AT&T Customer Assistants (first level of technical support) are very limited in what they can assist you with when it comes to troubleshooting. Beyond that they have to play the guessing game to figure out what is the right department to send you to if they can't solve your issue. They have to follow specific troubleshooting paths without deviation (for fear of termination) that are seriously flawed. Please remember that helping AT&T DSL customers fix their issue(s) is just as frusturating for agent as it is for you the customer.

DSL has value if that's the only service you can get where you live. Otherwise, it should be your last choice. Unsolved problems and service failures are very common.

Neither speed you're quoted anywhere is accurate. Go to speedtest.net to check your actual up/down speeds (ignore their 'free scan' offer). Your speed is never what they told you. If you have Comcast cable, they'll report you compare poorly to their "average" customer, because many of them have a business very-high-speed connection.

Also, Comcast in my area filters all kinds of nasty traffic for me (the kind of stuff hackers like to use to break into PC's) -- NetBEUI, NetBIOS, open ports, etc.

Check out grc.com then Services and Shields Up! to see what your ISP is filtering for you.

My son said his DSL service just let all that traffic right into his home -- no filtering whatsoever. PeoplePC dial-up also filtered nothing.

I hope your anti-virus is up to date. Install Avast! for free for home use.

I went to my local AT&T store in Frederick, Md and purchased a pay as you go phone for about $40.00. I tested the phone at home by calling my wife's cell phone so that the number would show up on her phone. I noticed a dialog on my new AT&T phone indicating a $0.25 charge for just dialing the number. My wife never answered her phone and I was charged.

I returned to the store to return the phone and was told that they would only refund about $20.00 of the $40.00 charged because there is a $20.00 activation fee.

It would have been nice of them to tell me these things when I purchased the phone. I think AT&T is being unethical with their fees and has unfair business practices.

I'm so sick and tired of ATT billing and the changes they come up with a day to day bases I'm a valued customer with them and spend at 400.00 a month with various services I'm sick of them treating to turn my D*** services off because i cant pay a bill one month, I'm just going to move my services to another carrier I'm sick of the B********...

There are two charges on my monthly phone bill. One is the Il. Telecom Relay Svc and Epuip. The other is the Federal Universl Service Fee. These charges are to assist low income and disables person's with their phone service. I feel I should not have these charges on my bill. This should be a donation and I should be asked if I would like to donate. These charges need to be stopped.

I called the AT&T number listed on the phone guide, to get a new service. I asked the answering Operator for the basic service, and she started to give me the run around, giving all kind of prices and services. I insisted on the most basic service, but it seemed like she wouldn't hear. She wanted to push a better deal; a better slide for herself.
I did telemarketing some time ago, and I left because some people from south america filled the room, specialy argentinians, breaking alll the rules, even the most basic principles.

This time, this girl, wanted push further than the basic service; whatever I signed, this story goes about how, from an advertised rate of $12.94 on the internet, they wouldn't just turned into a $13.56, but still added some federal charges that finnaly ended on $21.37?

company took 79 dollars out of my account for no reason

I am trying to buy a house and just found out that atat reported an account that does not belong to me. I have been trying to contact atat fraud dept. But all I get is a message saying to leave name and number and that they will return the call. I am still waiting for the call.

I was promised that U-Verse would have Israeli channels which was quoted by the telephone sales person and verified by her supervisor. During the course of the installation on 03-Jun-11, the technician checked with his supervisor who said that the work order was for service including an Italian channel, but no Israeli channel was available. I ask him to abort the installation and return my service to the existing DSL on my main phone line, as before. He could not, but promised along with his supervisor that service would be restored by 06-Jun-11. After many calls and many promises, I now have an email promising that new U-Verse hardware will arrive by UPS ground on 21-Jun-11

At the end of October, 2011 my Bank Of America sent through the mail without any prior notices a new debit/bank card with a letter stating there was a Breach at one of their branch offices an employee had walked out of the Bank with several customers files in hand. Then November 7, 2011 I received a new iphone 3gs in the mail I thought I had just won it because I knew I didn't order it. A few days later I started receiving several different letters from big named credit card/clothing stores informing me that they had received my application for their credit cards. I called the number on the letter and I gave them all my information until they asked for a phone number, email address, and in some cases home address of course I had no idea except MY information, they then informed me they couldn't allow me access to the online accounts because I gave the wrong information.
They refused to give me anything from my questions like from the information I gave them what was different, they did say email isn't the same or phone number isn't the same. But they refused to close the accounts or even investigate the situation even more then my phone call. I ended up going through one of the Credit Bureaus who eventually got the companies to close the accounts except AT&T wireless, which before I was informed about the Credit Bureaus helping I spoke to AT&T Wireless Representative myself and informed them that I did not open this account what can I do? The gentleman stated "We don't know if you did or didn't so if you don't pay it will just go on your credit report" and he hung up on me.
From here after many many phone calls made to AT&T and no sign of any care or any help I decided to keep the wireless account in good standing as long as they would allow me to have the phone I would have chosen if I actually made the account I even offered to pay for it but as long as I got the price as a member price and not the $5-$600.00 price, which they agreed. Here everything seemed to have settled down a bit until Feb 22, 2012 which is when my ex live-in talked me into paying $499.00 for AT&T Uverse it was shortly after that everything went straight down hill.
I went from one payment a month to AT&T to three payments a month, daily password changes, main email account changes, voice packages changes, to finally sub accounts made, my home phone calls were being transferred, to pictures, text messages, voice mails being uploaded, charges for cell phone numbers that was issued when I first received the phone. And AT&T Uverse or AT&T Wireless neither has bothered to fix any of it but I sure received two separate bills 1 for wireless at &700.00 and 1 for Uverse at $1800.00. And I find through my own investigation the very first number that AT&T Wireless assigned to the account when it was opened was ported over to Verizon Wireless and AT&T was still charging me for the data it was using.
However the same individual who made the AT&T account then today has the Home phone number that AT&T is still trying to charge me for today, And also a old Time Warner account with home phone number that was once mine. The address used to make the AT&T account fraudulently then is the same address that comes up when a background check is done on my ex live-in of 5 long years. And also for some people who don't know this but did you know that companies like AT&T subcontract out to different so called subcontractors like my ex in fact who call themselves a subcontractor to run tests on your services. You fill in the blanks on this one but here's a little tid bit of information a Private Investigator found out on my ex, A ML Communications who has been traced back to a construction company is associated with her name was also found in not only my own cell phones but anyone who's purposely or accidentily was logged onto WiFi at or from around my home area. IP address of my old account which I haven't had access to for quite a few years now was caught by a 2011 Apple Mac book security monitoring system the local High school furnished to my sons and which through tracing that IP in my name of course went straight to the very town she lived in she has since moved and use too and or still has my old AT&T home phone number at her mothers apartment.
I don't need to attach proof photos at this time until I find out from an Attorney first, but all you need to do is look her name up in the local directory white pages of Kansas City Missouri. But after I make sure she can't come back on me for posting her information on here I most deffinately post all that I have including her so-called first arrest card that shows different DOB, Hair color, Social Security number, and Height, which this thing was actually hand written like in the old NY cop shows with finger prints and all.

they are scam artists. Just be glad you got rid of the phone the service is terrible! No reception anywhere!

His real name is Ron Wharfield, I went to high school with him. He must now have a psych disorder. He was caught in Northern Michigan and charged with a felony, pled down to a misdemeanor. You should file a criminal complaint against him.

You can add me to the list. I returned to AT&T for home service as I already had internet service with them. I too was promised $50 rebate. After waiting 30 days I have followed instructions for claiming the reward. Finally called and spoke with a supervisor. All I got was "I'm sorry, you do not qualify". The persons answering the phones for new service need to be better trained with the correct information for customers and stop wasting our valuable time.

No. [protected]
Have received only one reward notice.
Was promised a second reward card.
Please expedite.
Thank you, mkk

Account No. [protected]. I was promised a $100.00 gift card and a $75.00 card. Todate, I have received and responded to only the $ 75.00 card. Please respond with the $100.00 card. Thank you.

I too, enter the phone number used to purchase modem and sign up for high speed internet. Information is unavailable. I can not be found in the systerm. Tried sending monthly payment via automatic payment from bank account. Bank shows taking out of my account - AT&T says they do not get my payments. I want to know where my money went, where is my $100.00 Visa card and just WHAT IS THE DEAL HERE? Sounds like a big ripoff to me. I am retired on a fixed income and could really used the $100.00 I paid for my modem so I could have internet. NOT HAPPY!

I have been trying for more than two months to get my gift but every time I put my phone number on line they always say that my information is unavailable, that is funny because my high speed sure comes out on my bill.

I am a Senior with very little income to live on. My only entertainment is my Antenna TV, Internet and home phone. I was paying $14.95 for my Internet service with AT&T and renegotiated it for another year (I thought) when I spoke to a Customer Service Rep. named Michelle on 2/29/2012. When I received my bill this month (May/2012), the Internet charge was $38.00! I called AT&T and they conveniently could not find the record of my calling and speaking to Michelle. Because of my poverty level income, I cannot afford to pay the higher rate for the Internet increase plus my home phone. I will have to cancel my phone.
AT&T will suck you in with a low rate and then stick it to you! After many years of being a loyal bill paying customer, I have had it with their indifference to their long time customers! I have to find another way.
Unfortunately, this is a type of monopoly within the Telephone industry. I would go with Verizon, but can't as I am not within their defined service area!
Something needs to fixed here!

Good luck with that. I have a $200 collections on my credit for a box that AT&T never sent to me, which came to me with bills addressed to "resident" at my address. I don't know how they got it onto my credit report, since it was never even in my name, and I never had the account that the bills reference. Instead, I paid $200 to discover that their services didn't work. I terminated and returned the equipment. Still, they slapped me with the additional $200 collections for a "ghost" account they created at the same time I set up my (never to materialize) DSL. 16 hours on the phone with customer service and four letters did nothing to resolve the problem.

My teenagers trade cell phones with their friends from time to time and one of them acquired a smartphone about a year ago. He had been using it without incident for several month when I received a text stating that AT&T had added a data plan to his phone. He had used no data and just used the phone to text. He has no interest in surfing the net on a tiny phone. I called att and they removed the plan. He stopped using the phone for a while then started again recently. I again received a text stating that a data plan was added. I called and had it removed only to have it replaced several hours later. When I called again, they said that it was required and they would not remove it. The contract I signed allowed a texting plan instead of a data plan. I didn't renew his contract recently and they never asked me to sign a new contract. Watch this company. They obviously have no problem enacting new rules to increase cash flow. I will be changing companies asap.

I live in Northern California and I used to get a better signal than I do now. If I am lucky I get 1 or 2 bars in my house or anywhere in town for that matter. Why can’t AT&T fix this problem. They are so busy expanding and buying up more businesses that they do not even take care of there existing business. I do not recommend AT&T wireless.

This is happening to me right now. I sent the bill to their correspondence address and let them know I did not have a contract so there is no early termination. Did not get a response, but they turned it over to their collections agency, who is calling me every day. I have written back to them disputing this false charge. I have excellent credit (because I pay all my legitimate bills) and I will be very angry if this affects my credit. When I signed up I tried to get the promotional deals for tv and internet, but was told I could only have one deal. I chose tv, so my internet was regular, full price, month-to-month, no contract. Unfortunately I was charged $400 early termination by DirecTV, but I paid it, because I owed it. I knew what I was getting into when I signed up for it, so I kept my end of the deal. But I will NOT pay a bogus charge, no matter what. It's been about 4 months and I still haven't gotten internet again since I moved. I'll just use my computer at work as long as I can. It's frustrating not having the convenience of having service at home, but I just don't want to deal with these companies anymore. Bad business will drive people away, not to mention the economy. Don't they get that?

I have been an ATT DSL customer for over 5 years, I have had my home phone as well as my cell phone with them. I own my DSL router, which I purchased so that I would not have to sign a contract with them. I just recently upgraded my DSL service to a faster speed. At the time I was given various misinformation including no mention of a contract or an early termination fee. However, when my service was installed it took more than 24 hours of which I had no internet service, and which I was originally told it would only take one to one and a half hours to install. I called to complain. After being treated very poorly by more than one representative, and being transferred no less than six times, I was then bullied by a representative in the Retention Department to either make the decision right then and there to either change over my service monthly or to state that I wanted the contract. I stated that though I had not been informed of the contract up front, that I am being told by her now and that I guessed that I now don't have a choice, that I now have the service and that must constitute a non-participatory contract on my part. She continued to harass me until, I had to loudly state "YES! that is what you told me, I have a contract, I am not sure what this is all about, but yes, I guess I have a contract! It was amazing and very upsetting how I was bullied by this representative into accepting something which I was not originally informed about. AT&T is pretty much a monopoly in my area, especially if one is looking for the lowest price. Therefore, If wanted affordable internet service I do not have much of a choice. I had previously been a loyal AT&T customer. However, I will transfer any other services I have with them that I can obtain from anyone else. Beware of ATT!

This just happened to me. I was not told there was a contract and I never agreed to the contract, but when I tried to cancel the service, they told me that there is a $135 early termination fee. Is this even legal? I was on the call today all day and each rep keeps transfering (blind transfer back to the queue with a 30 minute hold each time) and when I finally asked to speak to a supervisor, it was blind transfered to the waiting queue again! Stay Away from ATT altogether!

I am an 10+yr AT&T customer service employee. The only thing management cares about is revenue. They don't care about customers. They care even less about their employees. Everyday we are told to do more & do it faster. They are calling representatives in to write them up about how often they use the bathroom! Sorry but we have to take call after call, keep them under a specified amount of minutes, be verbally abused by customers while keeping our cool, & sell something before the call is over. And then company is angry because of our non stop stress & talking on the phone that we drink water & then need to use the bathroom! I am not kidding. If they could make use adult diapers & not leave our desks ever -they would do it .

If you accidentally overpay on something, do you want *your* money back? Of course you do!

I am a customer of AT&T (11 years). An employee Kelly, signed my business up on AT&T YELLOWPAGES on line. Kelly, allowed a rating service be posted on my site " WITHOUT MY PERMISSION". I have a local competitor whom I suspect was the one that placed a defaming comment about me and my business on my $3500.00 AT&T Yellowpages on line. This was on there 2 months when a client alerted me and two weeks later it was removed. AT&T has a disclaimer limiting their liability of any damages to the exact amount of your one month of :"PHONE BILL". I believe the FCC should help the consumers with AT&T. Also before the employee (Kelly) quit working for AT&T he put my business into the computer as a disconnect..this resulted in my business being deleted from the yellow pages directory for this year.

my problem is little bit different - my payments went to the land line account ( which i never used), instead of u- verse and for last 4 month i can't make them to transfer it to the correct account. the late charges acumulated ( $30.00 for Internet & $30.00 for TV !) and my payment for 3 months & 20 days came out to over $700.00 ! and that's when my s U-vers servise was about $100.00. I didn't even had too many TV chanels either, only basic ! I like to resolve the issue - IMPOSSIBLE ! ! - they now treataning with collection agency. i cancel all the services. using my cell phone, whatching TV via anthena ( not much of TB watcher ), and using high speed internet services only - with TIME WARNERS.

So ridiculous. It's an obvious inconveinience to us, their clients, but what baffles me is that it's more costly and inefficient for AT&T. They need to recheck their policies against the very basic principals of finance and income generation. If I were on their board of directors, I would be a very unhappy camper.

I have a very similar problem, ATT does not want to allow me to pay online. The short story is that I had 2 phones, internet DSL service as well as U-Verse all bundled into 1 account. I have learned that this is a very, very, very dangerous mistake to make when dealing with ATT. If you do this, then the only person who can talk to you is a U-Verse account manager/rep. Finding one of these people in the ATT matrix is akin to locating "Bigfoot" in the deep forest. You will be transferred to many people who will take your name, verify your address, double check your zip code and phone number/s, then, and here it is - ASK FOR YOUR ACCOUNT NUMBER. This, in turn, will let them know that you are, indeed, a U-Verse customer - back on the merry-go-round with you! "Oh, you're a U-Verse customer - I have to put you through to a U-Verse representative." ME: "But the last 6 people I talked to said the same thing - I thought you WERE a U-Verse representative!" ATT: "No, sir. I do apologize. Please hold the line for the next U-Verse representative...should only be a lifetime or so..."

OK, I ranted - but that is what every phone call to ATT is like. I had so much difficulty that I made the error in thinking that, well, if I UN-BUNDLE all of my services, this should be easier. WRONG. Now, because I am a U-Verse customer but have cancelled all but my DSL service, they do not want to allow me to pay online.

Your summation was quite right - ATT is the worst. They have great services but, if you can't provide good customer service, you need to hand the reigns over to someone who can.

I agree. AT&T Uverse service sucks. We had the service put in a few months ago as well. The service cuts out for 10 seconds or so every few hours. They lied to us about the rewards and discounts we were supposed to get for the service we bought. It wasn't until the service was put in that we found out that they could not transfer the 800 number we have ringing at the house for a non-profit we manage. We specifically asked if this was possible at the store in person. To AT&T's credit, the folks on the phone worked with us to make sure our home phone service (including the 800#) was the same cost to us, as it would have been with Uverse. Back to the complaints...You cannot pay your bill automatically with ebills. You can pay your bill electronically through your bank, but have to pay it through the bank manually each month. AT&T cell and AT&T home phone bills are both paid via ebills. Every month I ask AT&T when they are going to set up ebills...I've never gotten the same answer. "It is set up...you need to check with your bank." "You should use the automated bill pay via AT&T website." or...the person on the phone or on chat has NO CLUE what I am talking about. Last complaint. It appears that the customer discussion boards are filled with folks that are on the AT&T discussion boards. They even go so far to chastise those of us that complain on the boards. I have a friend that stopped visiting the boards because of these folks. Anyway. As soon as I can get back to DirectTV I'll be happy.

That was a waste of time that you will not get back. I hope there are more important things in your life that needs attention other than reporting a litter bug. It's not like he's going to be fired. Duh?

I'm glad you called him on it and reported him. Hopefully they at least write the guy up. I doubt they want someone like that giving them a bad name.

AT&T Uverse costumer service reps are a bunch of liars ! When i've ordered the service, an year ago, i've been promised a reward card in the amount of $100.00, wich i suppose to receive it in 4-6 weeks ! I never received nothing from them, not even a letter with any information about this matter ! I've called them back, in May, and they ( Ms. Carmen - costumer service rep ) promised me, that i will receive the card in the mail in another 4-6 weeks ! Two months waiting and still no REWARD granted or received ! Now i'm calling them back, and the answer was that nobody processed my reward because was nether posted a reward request in my account, and they cannot help me anymore, because the time passed and they cannot do nothing anymore ! What a BAD and UNHONEST Costumer service provided by the AT&T team ! They took my money, and they gave themself the reward, by stealing the money from their costumers ! I wonder how many people are out there, in the same situation i am ! How much money AT&T stole from their costumers ! I need help here, and if it is anybody out there in my situation, let-s go after this crooks from AT&T ! SHAME ON THEM BY DOING THIS TO THEIR COSTUMERS !

I hope AT@T lose every wireless customer they have. I have never met so many incompetent customer services reps. The only reason why I decided to sign up for their wireless service is because of the iPhone 4. I pre ordered my iPhone on june 15 got an conformation email stating that I would have it delivered on June 24. I didn't receive it at all. So I called customer service and they said that they do show an order from me even though I had an order number etc. So I spoke with the ordering dept and they said that my order number doesn't match my name address email or nothing. SO I decided to cancel a order that was never placed according to them. I thank God I didn't get the iPhone from them cause I can see now what type of problems I would have from them. I'll just wait until the iPhone is available on another carrier. I will tell everyone do not purchase any services from AT&T take your business somewhere else.

If AT&T knows that a particular device is defective in some way they should be obligated to report this to the consumer and offer a way to rectify the situation. After 45 minutes on the phone about an issue I'd been having for months I was finally told they determined something was wrong with the device (after they transfered me to another guy he said he knew exactly what was happening because several other consumers have had this particular issue) but my warranty had expired a month ago so there was nothing they could do. I then asked if my insurance policy would do anything for this and they transferred me to that department where I was then told it would be $125 deductible to get a new device, which would be the same device I am currenly having issues with. Why would I want to pay another $125 to buy a device that I'm unhappy with and will likely have the same issues? I feel that AT&T should have contacted me when they knew about this problem and given me a different phone. I'm sure they don't do that so that when people call they can tell them oops sorry even though we've known about this issue we didn't contact you or do a recall and now your warranty if expired. better luck next time.

Go to FCC.gov at http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm and ftc.gov at https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/ and file a complaint.
You would think this would fall on deaf ears, but believe it or not I received a call the next day from my wireless company. The excuse is that they are charging for the data plan to recover their investment in their data network. Of course, that is no excuse for charging customers who DON'T want the data plan but still want to use their phone network. So, it appears that in this case complaints may actually get some results. The company is required to contact the consumer AND file a written response with the FCC or FTC so this will have an impact on their business practice if enough people do this.

Suklau, dont take this the wrong way, but are you autistic by any chance?

Agree. I don't have any contract with them. My husband gave me the iphone3 because he got the iphone4. I don't want to use any data plan. I just want to use the phone for the games and AT&T said they charge whoever is using a smart phone. It doesn't matter even if you're not using the plan. So are we supposed to stay using 'dumb' phones forever to avoid the extra charge even if we don't use the extra stuff? This is not fair. Someone should start a class action.

I agree we should sue.. I've been with the company since they were cingular. I don't see how they just change the terms of a contract without first asking if we accept them first. I dropped my phone in water. I was given the Blackjack which they consider a smartphone by a friend for free. I don't want the internet on my phone. The only reason I have that phone is because I cant upgrade. I get that the phones were designed for socializing etc etc but why is it required. I get they want all the money they can get but I'm switching providers as soon as my contact ends!

Same problem here...i hope they get sued

I believe it was 9/09 that AT&T required all smartphones to require data plans. It appears that your blackberries are on the grandfathered plans that do not require data plans, so no it is not possible to have a smartphone without a data plan anymore. You can always switch back to a non-smartphone to get the data plan dropped. Put the SIM card into the non-smartphone, and call AT&T with the IMEI of that phone and ask that they remove the data plan.

I personally am not a fan of AT&T. They just like to charge you higher prices for crap service. U Verse is a joke. Sounds to good to be their because it is. Once you are past two months of having service with them(u-verse in my situation)..you will start to notice you are late. Which is impossible because you payed it early and you even got the confirmationfor that payment. But what you know, a few days after the due date you get a notice that the payment is late so you go check and turns out the money was not taken out. So you enroll in auto pay thinking this will stop all the problems but what you know it..they didn't they the money again. Now you have to pay late charges and there goes your credit! I hope ATnT goes out of business! Robbing people broke while your over there enjoying all our hard earned money!

absolutely accurate and true!

AT&T management is fraught with liars, cheats, and crooks. It is a virtual Mafia type operation; NOT with regard the nice, unknowing, and innocent persons who speak with you on the phone. They deserve a pay raise, a bonus, and a company car. The Managment, however.. a sad bunch of sad sack liars, cheats, and crooks. Managment knows that they had a "service:" (or, better put, a "non-service") that was not completed before it was rushed to the market place, such that from the one, single service AT&T reaped a $300 MILLION profit in the first three months of this year, the first Quarter. AT&T managment, knowing that they did NOT have a fully complete and reliable service, rushed this to the market, thrust it upon an unknowning public, and now have and have had "us", the innocent victims, doing the R&D, (research and development) while WE were paying these crooked cheats to enjoy their power lunches at the club, as their wives drove the golf cart on the course, paid by AT&T credit cards and accounts.. This quasi-governmental Mafia type operation needs a thorough house cleaning, from the TOP! The management needs to be putting their applications in over at Walmart! Liars, cheats, crooks! AT ALL COSTS, avoid AT&T Uverse! A total scam, not-withstanding a legal fraud!

You should never do business with AT & T. Never ever!