AT&T Review

Several years back I thought I would join the real world and get a cell phone. It made sense to get cell phone service from my usual company - AT&T. My parents went with AT&T for long distance. Phone services deregulated by the time I decided, but I went with AT&T. Felt pretty solid. There were other companies out there, but I felt comfortable with AT&T.

I went to the mall in town and got my cell phone and AT&T service all set up. I went home, and the phone would not "set up." I called the mall. They said to try it from where I work. This should have been a clue, but I did not get as not having had a cell phone.

I got my cell phone set up from work (in town). Plug in. It sets up. I called my mom on the way home. I tried to call my aunt when I got home. My cell phone would not work. Bummer.

I called AT&T, and the problems started. I explained the whole thing. The lady (NOT) said that I was in their service area. I said that the phone would not work. She said, "You are in our service area." OK. Well fine. But, my phone is not working.

AT&T not lady tells me to drive down the road and call. I tell her that I am not that darn coordinated and that I do not need or want a phone that will not work from my house. She tells me about I am in their calling area. Well, why do I need to drive down the road to use my phone?

I ask to speak to a supervisor as I do not understand all this. She tells me that she is perfectly capable of helping me. I beg to differ and southernly polite. She snots back. I call her a word I shall not print (not a real bad one), and she melts down. So, I hang up.

I call back and back and back. It takes six months to settle this. They want several hundred dollars when all I made is one call for maybe 30 seconds to my mom in town when I first got the AT&T service. As soon as I figured out that the call circle quite clearly marked on their map and including where I live (and what I guess this nasty AT&T chick was talking about) did not really include my own house, I never used the phone again. If it doesn't work from my house (how many times do I have to repeat), then it's not going to work for me period.

Not only did I quit AT&T after one call in town to my mom (the only time the service worked for me), I quit them on long distance, and this is a long term AT&T family. We don't usually shake it up that much. If it's good, we'll stick with it. The service was awful. The customer service rep was as bad as I've ever seen anywhere. She was the bad word I called her, and I hope AT&T has the tape. They can play it and see who comes out smelling like a rose. My mom told me to never get down to that level, but this chick was not going to understand any general English words.

This is maybe five years later. AT&T sends all those suck up letters. Ought to save the postage. They blew it. I'm sure they have have better reps now and better training, but that first cell phone I had that would not work and then the super nasty AT&T lady cured me on AT&T for all times.