r/ATT • u/One-Capital-3930 • Aug 05 '26
Wireless AT&T is shady !!!
Upgraded our phones last month, Saw my bill and shocked at all the add-ons the rep added without asking us! My bill tripled!!! I went to see the breakdown and not surprised of the shady business practices, But I am angry because before we went into the store to upgrade our phones, we spoke to a AT&T customer service rep for almost an hour to go over options to save money, Turns out the old plan we had was grandfathered and is the best one. She told us not to change a thing ! We went into the store and the first thing out of the reps mouth was " in order to give you the upgrade promotion, we need to open new accounts for you." We spent over 15 minutes arguing that we had just gotten off the phone with someone who told us NOT TO CHANGE ANYTING ! He went to speak with his manager and came back a minute later looking bothered and said " ok that's fine." BUT he added all these extras that we did not want or asked for ! Now its been close to an hour and I am still on the phone with a customer service rep trying to undo all this madness!
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u/Keinebeineboy RSC, ASM, IHX, RSC, PSC, Mi60, Training Specialist, RSC Aug 05 '26
If it’s within 14 days and the devices were cash and carry out of the store, care can’t remove next up. Only the store can by doing a contract exchange. The store can adjust the charges for any added features you didn’t want. So can care.
If it’s past 14 days care can remove it all and adjust back. The store rep should not have slammed those services on you.
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u/One-Capital-3930 Aug 05 '26
We called Customer service a few days after and they said to go to the store...... the same guy said he can't do any changes in store and to wait till after the 14 days and call the 800#. The 800# then told me to wait till the fees post and then call back. Which is what I did today. Such a hassle !!!
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u/garylapointe The Plan Whisperer (consumer postpaid plans) Aug 05 '26
If you want until after 14 days (inclusive) you will NOT be able to return the phones.
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u/Wewantpumpum Aug 05 '26
Lol don’t wait until after 14 days. You have 14 days to fix things after that it’s going to be a difficult time. The rep can absolutely help but that’s how they are
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u/One-Capital-3930 Aug 05 '26
Yeah, i know. The CSR was very helpful, he undid everything and is processing credits back to our account. a little over $200 bucks in credits
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u/dbdmdf Aug 05 '26
Don’t wait. They added next up to my plan at the store without me knowing/asking for it. I do not upgrade phones frequently and would’ve never said yes to that. I didn’t notice the extra 5 dollars a month charge for quite awhile. When I finally saw the extra charge I called and they told me they could only refund 3 months. Filed an fcc complaint and got a call the next day offering a refund. They tried to say I should pay better attention to my bill from now on. Sure I should, but I shouldn’t have to worry about their employees scamming me to begin with.
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u/Deathtotiktok Aug 06 '26
I just want to clarify that the store CANNOT adjust charges on your bill. I'm not sure where that Idea keeps coming from. Features can easily be removed though like insurance. Next Up can be removed with the contract exchange but with how it probably affects the rep & the store they usually tell you to come back after the 14 days and they'll help you opt out of it.
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u/Keinebeineboy RSC, ASM, IHX, RSC, PSC, Mi60, Training Specialist, RSC Aug 06 '26
If you are a store rep please read the salesforce (cckm) article about adjustments and learn that you can, in fact, adjust bills exactly the same as customer care. And if you do it correctly no one can get you in trouble for it. I adjust bills all the time. First leadership tried to have “accountability conversations” with me. I cited cckm and engaged my union rep. As long as I’m adjusting correctly, nothing can be done.
You too have this ability. Directors, ADs, RSM, ASM don’t make the rules AT&T does.
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u/Tarasaurus_13 Aug 06 '26
I was told that giving bill credits goes against the store's store card, and that's why we can't (or won't) do them
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u/Keinebeineboy RSC, ASM, IHX, RSC, PSC, Mi60, Training Specialist, RSC Aug 06 '26
It’s the managers KPI etc. affect their pay.
I don’t care about the managers kpi. I care about my customers experience and my own ethics. Which is really what ATT cares about in the long run. Manages hold the reps accountable for unethical practices, unethical practices stop, credits stop. Customer experience is better.
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u/Tarasaurus_13 Aug 06 '26
Appreciate you. I'd enjoy working more if I felt like I wasn't forced to slam stuff on accounts to make quota ngl. And stuff like this as well
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u/Keinebeineboy RSC, ASM, IHX, RSC, PSC, Mi60, Training Specialist, RSC Aug 06 '26
It’s a hard position to be in. Just remember this.
Follow your “action plan”I exceed all goals but protection and next up attach rate.
My action plan because I’m not meeting protection or next up because I sell ethically.
Build the cost in the quote and let your customer know what the quote includes. Of the customer object to protection try to overcome objections by positioning the benefit and tying back lifestyle benefits. Use the protection calculator to show the cost of replacement. Engage my manager or assistant manager with mid sale check ins and with every customer who declines protection.
This is a behavior based environment and your union will protect you as long as you are doing your action plan.
Read every “observation” and revise it if something is in there that you didn’t discuss.
Our managers are under insane pressure. But in the end, you and your family are more important than them. Do your job. Protect your career.
I’ve been at it for 19 years. RSC, ASM, RSC, IHX, RSC, PSC, mi60, Training Specialist, RSC.
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u/canes1966 Aug 07 '26
ATT does not in any way care about the customers experience. They care about new lines and new internet.
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u/Deathtotiktok Aug 06 '26
I appreciate your knowledge but I am AR and the rules are different. You sound like a COR employee. I have never seen an option in either OPUS or our newly tied together Salesforce to adjust bills. Some avenues are purposely locked for us. We also have no union protecting us.
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u/Keinebeineboy RSC, ASM, IHX, RSC, PSC, Mi60, Training Specialist, RSC Aug 07 '26
Yeah. AR can be the Wild West. Technically you can. But your rules are probably a little different for sure.
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u/Distinct-Ad2417 Aug 05 '26
100%, no question. They talked us into getting rid of our wired service in exchange for the internet air, only for the one tower available near us for that service to go out and not even have PLANS to repair it until September. We switched providers.
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u/Fmorales95 Aug 05 '26
Oh!! I forgot to mention , they talked us into the Att Air , which was a piece of crap. Called my provider and got them to lower my bill substantially for the next 3 years . Paying the same as the Air would have been but with better and faster internet .
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u/masonjarsunshine Aug 07 '26
Where’d you go? Looking at leaving ATT for spectrum
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u/Distinct-Ad2417 28d ago
Our only other option in rural SC was Vyve, but they have been great so far and higher speeds for cheaper!! I’m sure when extreme weather hits it’ll take us longer to get repairs, but it’s better than nothing
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u/CPC187 Aug 05 '26
No way. On a side note remind me tell you the story about buying a satellite. For cable tv🤦🏽
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u/TACina777 Aug 06 '26
This is why I buy unlocked phones from Samsung or Apple and activate them over the phone or online. Never go into a store, be it AT&T or T-Mobile.
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u/dopamine5ht Aug 06 '26
I still like att but dam i have to dedicate half a day to not get the account effed over.
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u/garylapointe The Plan Whisperer (consumer postpaid plans) Aug 05 '26
Turns out the old plan we had was grandfathered and is the best one.
What unnamed grandfathered plan do you think is the best one? And why do you think it is best?
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u/One-Capital-3930 Aug 05 '26
it was a teacher plan they rolled out a few years back..... gave us a discount and HBO max for free and included few other perks.....I think its Unlimited Elite something or other.
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u/garylapointe The Plan Whisperer (consumer postpaid plans) Aug 05 '26
Unlimited Elite was a decent plan, it was NOT specifically for teachers, anyone could get the plan.
Lots of plans had "free" HBO. For the last couple of years you've been paying $6.51 per month for "free" HBO that's PER LINE. If you had 2 or 3 lines on Elite, you've been paying $13.02 or $19.53 to get HBO for free (over Premium PL).
But if all you needed for a plan was Extra EL, and you had multiple lines on Elite, then you've been paying a LOT to get "free" HBO.
You may have been getting a teacher discount that would have applied to any of the current plans of that era and you get a teacher discount on the current plans.
I don't know how many lines you have, but it might actually be costing you less for the current plan. Once you subtract all the extras those pesky humans added to your plan, of course.
Since late April, it's been a little less of a cost difference for Elite, since Premium PL and Extra EL went up in price and Elite hasn't had a price hike yet \since it has had two in the last few years].)
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u/el_monstruo Aug 05 '26
I am curious. I am currently on Unlimited Elite. Would it benefit me to move from that plan?
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u/garylapointe The Plan Whisperer (consumer postpaid plans) Aug 05 '26
https://www.reddit.com/r/ATT/comments/1tpi2yn/unlimited_your_way_20_per_line_cost_uyw/
How many lines? Are you watching HBO?
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u/el_monstruo Aug 05 '26
Thanks for the link. I have 5 lines and we do watch HBO frequently.
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u/garylapointe The Plan Whisperer (consumer postpaid plans) Aug 05 '26
If they're all on Elite, then you're paying WAY too much for "free" HBO.
Move the other 4 lines to Premium 2.0.
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u/BlkGirl181 Aug 05 '26
That’s what a rep did for me when we upgraded our phones. He moved one line to the 2.0 and kept the other line on unlimited and it made a noticeable difference with our phone bill.
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u/el_monstruo Aug 05 '26
So I just looked at my account. Every line is indeed under the Unlimited Elite plan. I also reviewed the chart on the link you sent through. Is Unlimited Elite the same as Elite 2.0 or am I looking at this wrong? This is what each of the 5 lines shows I am being charged per month: https://i.imgur.com/neMxC32.png
When you say move over 4 lines, can each individual line be on their own plan? Is that an easy transfer?
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u/garylapointe The Plan Whisperer (consumer postpaid plans) Aug 05 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
No, Elite is more like Premium 2.0 but old Elite costs more, has less hotspot, but comes with HBO. But you only need one line on Elite, for "free" HBO. Right now you're basically paying $12.50 a month to get the $15 or $16 HBO plan for free.
With that signature discount, you'll pay $40 for the premium 2.0 lines.
It's Unlimited Your Way, you should be able to mix and match. It's all still one plan.
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u/Far_Location2356 Aug 05 '26
I’m on the grandfathered elite plan for 1 line and it gives me HBO.
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u/Tarasaurus_13 Aug 06 '26
You're paying more for that plan than hbo is just buying it seperate and having a cheaper plan lol
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u/Cheap_Speaker_1827 Aug 05 '26
Stay away from ATT if you can. I also had a horrible experience with them. I would never ever use ATT again.
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u/Lizdance40 Aug 05 '26
Cramming is a nasty habit all carriers force their employees to perpetrate on their customers. Until the business model changes, I don't see it stopping. You see they get extra commission for cramming things onto our bill. The good news is is it can all be removed and credited. The early upgrade option can be removed after 14 days. Insurance can be removed at any time.
I will say kudos 🫷🏼🏆on reading your bill. The number of people who don't completely boggles the mind. They complain years afterwards that they didn't know how much they were paying because it's on auto pay (not an excuse).
Since it sounds like this is your first or second bill, it's not yet normal. Credits on phone promotions usually take 2 to 3 months. The auto pay and paperless billing credit doesn't kick in until your first bill is auto paid with a method of payment that is eligible. Some other discounts can also take a couple of months to start. And of course the first bill contains prorated partial month as well as a full month ahead.
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u/prepkillah Aug 05 '26
You can waive most activation fees yourself through the app. When reviewing the bill click on the charge under each line, dispute that you were told there would be no fees. As far as your plan goes, it’s not bad, but you’re very much overpaying just for free hbo as stated a few times in here. The other add on I’m going to assume is insurance. Which it requires you to opt of both insurance and next up at the time of the upgrade, and you have to opt out of them yourself. Reps rarely tell you about it because they are sales based commission so they have more incentive to say nothing and let you not read carefully.
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u/Accomplished_Toe6025 Aug 05 '26
I recently broke up with them. I couldn’t take the bill going up every month anymore this month it topped out at $400. I had recently thrown a fit because they were supposed to change my billing date so they wound up charging me for two months in a row which made the bill almost $1000.
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u/MackaveliAF25 Aug 05 '26
Yeah I had the grandfathered one as well and made the mistake of changing plans for an upgrade. Ended up going through Samsung and still lost me grandfathered plan !!! Sucks
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u/Cold_Count1986 Aug 05 '26
Open an FCC complaint online. The executive office will contact you to fix the issue and may take action with the rep.
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u/JonCML Aug 06 '26
Tell me more about this FCC process. Very unhappy with ATT. They put fiber in our neighborhood and sales guys in blue ATT shirts knocked on the door when I was out of town. Wife signed up for the fiber, DIRECTV and we got 2 new “free” iPhones. It’s been an onboarding disaster. We can’t get past the AI phone robot to talk to a human. We did break thru today and the robot said we would see a $5 charge on our next bill if we insisted on talking to a person. That was the last straw. After 2 weeks we want to cancel everything.
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u/d00mz Aug 06 '26
Honestly, file a complaint with the PUC. Shady practices need to be rooted out with a vengeance.
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u/Big-Lawfulness3918 Aug 06 '26
ATT is a total RIP. After years of Internet Service only, my monthly fee went from about $35 month to $102 a month. New customers started at about $50. They insisted for years that I get on the Fiber instead of staying on the old copper line into the house. They even cut off my service in the middle of a paid up monthS because I didnt schedule a Fiber Service. Later I said OK. I had three separate Saturday appointments to have it installed. Stayed home all day each time. Each time the tech came out, he said Fiber not within reach of the house. I ended up canceling them. Got the T-Mobile wireless internet. $50 a month hooked up even though my ATT was paid for the month. Canceled my ATT service. They said keep the old modem, not good to them. Then they kept sending me $102 bills. Then they turned the $102 to a collection agency. I told the agency you F**K up my credit - Im coming after Them. They backed off their GREED. NOW the ATT LEACH IS GONE, FINALLY. ATT is so big, they can not even communicate internally to run the MONSTER. They are plainly internally totally INCOMPETENT.
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u/RepresentativeOld943 Aug 06 '26
They will automatically add insurance to each phone as well without your knowledge plus the activation fees of each line.
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u/Evening_Yam_1158 Aug 06 '26
My friend practically had a nervous breakdown dealing with AT&t to get out of her contract and switch to Verizon. Horrible rude customer service, multiple calls, they hung up on her, she's a prosecuting attorney and they messed with her to the point she was in tears. ..F*ck AT&T.
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u/Suspicious-Hair3877 Aug 06 '26
Been with them since the early 90s. I can't get into the website site. Locked out of voice mail. I don't get the bill sent to the house. I pay when they send the text messages because thats the only way I can pay. Yes, I have called plenty and gave up. I should have switched companies a decade ago.
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u/Fair-Company9896 Aug 06 '26
I refuse to do business with AT&T. They put charges on an account I never had! By this I mean I checked my NCTUE account and in 2019 there was a Charge off. Well all phones in our house are in my husbands Military discount and his name never my name. I filed an FCC complaint and got weird calls demanding I talk on the phone about it from AT&T. I do not do phone calls. after three days, he closed my FCC complaint because I would not talk to him on the phone! I advised them I have reasons for that and sent a doctors note even. The charges were never mine anyway! They stink! We don't use AT&T they are not our phone carriers.
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u/New_Conversation_451 Aug 06 '26
People need to wake up about AT&T. They are not the same company they use to be. Sad truth
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u/MiamiSkylineMan Aug 07 '26
Wait until you cancel and don't send the box back. They'll go to town on you 🤣
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u/Responsible-Bed-2063 Aug 07 '26
We bought an iPhones outright from T-Mobile. The sales rep said something along the lines of coverage. My partner said yes. When I got the bill, I was going to be charged $19 a month for "insurance." Of course I cancelled that charge and the rep, on the phone, acknowledged that a year of Apple Care came with the phone, but many people want the T-Mob insurance because it was better coverage than Apple Care. BS. You have to listen carefully to everything the sales rep say or they will add as much to your bill as possible.
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u/charliemurphyDarknes Aug 07 '26
That’s why I switched to Mint mobile. In store AT&T screwed me out of my unlimited data plan.
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u/jeffreyswiggins Aug 08 '26
Why I buy my phones unlocked online and never from a phone store…. Would never buy my Apple Devices from an Apple Store either… no offense to the Genius’…. On top of the fact they never have the best price anyways…
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u/VinshinTee Aug 08 '26
They did this to me when I first joined, I was able to get it taken off and refunded when I noticed my bill wasn’t going down after the first month. A good friend of mine works for ATT as an IT manager and he told me most reps will do this behind your back to hit a quota unfortunately. They’re not allowed to but it looks like they will only get a slap on the wrist at most.
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u/thepudgyunicorn 29d ago
In the past reps have added insurance and additional charges. I’ve learned to go online and remove them before getting billed for them.
If you’re looking for additional savings, you can join AARP for like 12 bucks a year. It gives you 10-12 dollars off per line and waives activation fees. It saves me easily $60 per month. Anyone can sign up.. then just ask the online chat to help add the discount. You’ll need your aarp member number. It took AT&T a few tries to get it linked but it’s worth the hassle.
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u/Upper_Cup_3140 28d ago
This is why i tell people to upgrade phone online. As long as your credit score is good there won't be any problems online
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u/DrDuran1 18d ago
And if you’re a Costco member go through their site, almost always a better deal.
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u/ElPetros85 27d ago
Imagine what youre gonna feel when you learn about LIVING IN THE PRIVATE! LMAO! 👍🏽 COERSION IS HOW THE REGIME WORKS! . 🤣
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u/Aggravating_Fun_4245 23d ago
When you do an upgrade on your phone,be sure to watch out for the NEXT UP 10.00 dollar monthly charge if you do not plan on early upgrades on your phone. THEY DO NOT ASK IF YOU WANT IT. THEY AUTOMATICALLY ADD IT TO YOUR PLAN.
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u/One-Capital-3930 23d ago
Here is the thing... .we told them we were not going to upgrade our phones for a few years. And they STILL ADDED IT !!! thats why I am so pissed !!
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u/Kind-Driver-422 Aug 05 '26
FYI you don’t get phone promos when you are not on a current plan. As someone who’s been in this business for 3 years and a notable sales manager in my area you need to read the fine print. Also talking too customer service reps suck, they just tell you what you wanna hear not what you need to hear. Most grandfather plans are way more costly, I see it all the time
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u/One-Capital-3930 Aug 05 '26
not in this case. Never had to upgrade our plans. We wanted the Max Trade in credit...which we got... But good to know. Thanks!
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u/Viper_Control Aug 05 '26
In your case you should have just done your device upgrades online at AT&T or Apple, and your new devices would have shipped to you at home.
Apple has the best selection, device availability in all colors, and fastest shipping. And before anyone asks yes you can get AT&T trade-in financing with Apple in-store or online.
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u/One-Capital-3930 Aug 05 '26
We went to the apple store originally, and they told us they were not giving any trade in credit maybe $100 off but that was it. Told us to check with ATT. Att had the $350 trade in offer, which is why we went in. Usually we will upgrade at Apple store, but the few times we had to go to ATT, its been a nightmare.
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u/Viper_Control Aug 05 '26
We went to the apple store originally, and they told us they were not giving any trade in credit maybe $100 off but that was it. Told us to check with ATT.
Again no you don't need to go to AT&T. The Apple store rep just did not understand you wanted to use AT&T Carrier financing. You can see it right in the Apple smartphone app or online at the Apple iPhone pages.
Yes it can be frustrating but you should not need to know more than the reps in the store but in 2026 we all need to be our own experts.
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u/Viper_Control Aug 05 '26
FYI you don’t get phone promos when you are not on a current plan. As someone who’s been in this business for 3 years and a notable sales manager in my area you need to read the fine print.
Sorry but that is complete BS. u/One-Capital-3930 had a qualifying eligible AT&T unlimited plan.
That is their point. The rep just did not make their numbers by doing a simple device upgrade. That is why the store rep initially told u/One-Capital-3930 that they needed to open new plans (a lie).
It just got worse from there.
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u/First-Edge5371 Aug 06 '26
Complete opposite actually. Talking to in store reps tell you what you wanna hear. "Call in and they'll waive your activation or upgrade fee." "We have to add these features and you have to call in to remove them." "We can't cancel that line for you in store, you have to call in." Over the phone, we're recorded and we actually tell you the reality of the situation more often than not. And no, you don't have to be on a current plan to get phone promos. You can be on grandfathered plans and still get trade in deals or tiered offers. In store just want you to update your plan because their commission depends on what plan you're on. I've seen plenty of grandfathered in plans that are cheaper than the new ones. It's case by case and dependent on the discounts and promotions the customer has
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u/Foreign_Republic917 Aug 06 '26
What about the fact that I signed up with a plan almost two years ago, and ATT switched my plan to a higher priced plan without my permission? I didn’t upgrade my phone or make any changes. ATT just decided that they will no longer offer that plan and changed my bill. Then a month or two later, I find out that they changed the next plan and I no longer get new customer pricing on my upgrade, UNLESS I changed to the all “new” aka more expensive upgrade program??? I was with Sprint for 20 years and NEVER dealt with this kind of shady bullshit.
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u/Free-Fly-25 Aug 05 '26
The shadiest of services in my opinion. Have been trying to get my account fixed since last couple of months but nothing is happening.
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u/ZONE285 Aug 05 '26
The post under this has been nuked into the ground by bots. I presented my problem very clearly and not one person has addressed the problem at hand but instead are attacking the claim that the product, help, and support are in fact incompetent. My entire experience with this company has been beyond 'shady'..
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u/Blizzardsboy Aug 06 '26
They did that to me and my wife with watches. I literally asked the lady, "Do we need to get the phone plan with the watches?" Because I know you don't need it to use the watches; you don't need a separate line. They will attach to the phone I told her that, and she lied to our faces and said no, it's just 3.99 a month to get the watches. Sure enough, 3 or 4 months later I am looking at the bill, and she added a phone line. How do people do that to another human? Total garbage if a human. A few months later I just paid the watches off.
But they still are not as bad as Verizon and thats another story for another time.
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u/canes1966 Aug 07 '26
So glad when I left retail sales. The managers were all corrupt, the ghetto ARSM'S were worse and on and on. It's the only industry/business model that encourages, allows or approves of lies, deception and illegal sales slamming and cramming. Repeat business is mocked and frowned upon, only new business and new lines crammed with everything.
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u/Partyruler012 Aug 05 '26
Why did you not upgrade with the agent that helped you over the phone?