Issues with ATT and contract

[Demo24]

So after getting tired of dealing with ATT, and finding more interesting phones on another network we decided to switch over. We of course had a 2 year contract, which we were told in a store was up(we went to change texting around). This was in earlish November. Late December we changed networks, thinking of course that we could do this without a problem. A call was even made to ATT to make sure doing this would not effect the bundling on other stuff.

So fast forward to now and we get a bill in the mail from ATT saying contract breach. Mom called them and spoke to 4 different people, but no real luck. Only option they said was to go to the store and see if they would put in a call for us to corporate.

Are we just shit out of luck or is there anyway we could get this waived? I think it highly unlikely the employee at the store will remember us 3 months later, nor would they likely owe up to it. We've been a customer for over 10 years and ended the contract by a mere 2 months, so you'd think they would cut us a break.

 

[erwos]

Well, much as I hate to say it, two years is two years. Might try getting it prorated, but you're probably not going to have much luck fighting it. Maybe try an FCC complaint?

 

[Demo24]

Yeah, I know. We wouldn't have broken it had we not been mislead by the person looking at our billing information. In hindsight we should have double checked.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

How much time left in your contract?

 

[tdawg]

Go in and argue your case, nicely at first, and then escalate as needed. An eventual threat to cancel all AT&T services might get them to change their tune if they don't respond correctly to initial arguments.

 

[Demo24]

How much time left in your contract?

Just until Feb. She's gonna try calling again, then we will see what next to do.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

I think they let you out of your contract early if you are going to resign for another contract, but if you are going to leave I don't think they will. Good luck though.

 

[boomhower]

Damn that sucks you were lied to. With only two months left it most likely would have been cheaper to just pay for the last two months of service than to pay the ETF. Hopefully they will work with you.

 

[Cuda1447]

Go in and argue your case, nicely at first, and then escalate as needed. An eventual threat to cancel all AT&T services might get them to change their tune if they don't respond correctly to initial arguments.

Uh.... they already did cancel AT&T services.... lol. Why would that argument work at all?



Depending on how many lines you have, it might be worth it to just reconnect AT&T for 2 months, finish the contract and then recancel. If the cost for 2 months of service is less than the ETF's paid, than do that.

 

[misle]

I was with AT&T for 9+ years (recently switched to Verizon). I believe they allow you to get a new phone and sign a new 2 year agreement after 18 months. The store employee was probably saying that you're eligible to get a new phone/sign a new contract, even though your existing contract wasn't up yet.

All that info is on AT&T's website (if you pay your bills online).

 

[Demo24]

I was with AT&T for 9+ years (recently switched to Verizon). I believe they allow you to get a new phone and sign a new 2 year agreement after 18 months. The store employee was probably saying that you're eligible to get a new phone/sign a new contract, even though your existing contract wasn't up yet.

All that info is on AT&T's website (if you pay your bills online).

I see, that we did not know and probably what happened in our case. A bit deceptive there.


And they want us to pay nearly 500 bucks. That's just for 3 lines, small amount of minutes, and a text messaging plan on 2 phones.

 

[Demo24]

Looking more promising now. She went and talked to another store, which happened to be a corporate store. They seemed to have better luck with ATT corporate, but some paperwork has to go through for it all to be approved.