AT&T "No-Love" Lockdown 8am-8pm

[RIDDLER STUDIOS]

I ordered online Home AT&T phone service. I was given an "install" date and told I had to stay at home between the hours 8am-8pm. A technician never turned on my service. I called customer service (using my cell) the next morning and was given excuses and was scheduled for another "install" date. Again, 8am-8pm I stayed home and nothing happened. I still don't have service. Can I sue for loss of income for staying home 2 days from 8am-8pm? As you can imagine, I'm a little mad over this and feeling that there isn't one thing I can do about it. Except "vent" on the forum, cancel my order and BOTH cell phone accounts!!

[Crashoran]

Sounds like you need a couple of months of free service, and a free installation.

[Jeff_Green]

sounds par for the course with AT&T. This is uverse or regular AT&T?

[KD5NRH]

Originally Posted by RIDDLER STUDIOS

I ordered online Home AT&T phone service. I was given an "install" date and told I had to stay at home between the hours 8am-8pm.

What other service options do you have? The tech shouldn't need to get to anything beyond the demarc (somewhere outside - should be a gray or green plastic or metal box similar to one of the first two here) unless you specifically requested some interior service. When we got Embarq phone + DSL at the new house, they didn't even wake me up; the line was dead when I went to bed around 8:30 AM and live when I got up that evening...and the DSL modem was on the porch. If the place had AT&T service before, they probably don't even need to get to the demarc, just turn it back on at their switch.

If you're getting a second line, and the wiring is already 4-wire, then your jacks are either already wired for 2 lines, or it's a five-minutes-and-a-screwdriver job you can do yourself. (As is switching the order of the lines on a jack, but there are also plugin splitters that bring one two-line jack out to two one-line ones)

[Wes]

I'd be burning up the AT&T lines until I got something like the next year for free. This kind of stuff is a pet peeve of mine. Waste anything that I have except my time because it's the only thing that's truly irreplaceable.

Of course, there are other alternatives. Whatever it is that you're trying to order from AT&T is most likely offered by some other carrier.

[KD5NRH]

Originally Posted by Wes

Of course, there are other alternatives. Whatever it is that you're trying to order from AT&T is most likely offered by some other carrier.

...and if you like what you're getting, I'll give you the runaround for half their price.

[Finepixdude]

Not sure what part of town.,, you live in.. but verizon fios rocks.. and also have good cell phone plans

[ldelacruz]

You may be able to talk them into a few months free but the stress of dealing with them may not be worth it. Also try calling the Public Utilities Commission or PUC. I know phone companies have to stick to very stringent guidelines and the PUC takes this very seriously. The PUC would be a good start so the next time you talk to AT&T you can let them know you have already started the process with them.

I am in the phone business and dealing with the phone companies is the worst part except for the occasional customer who knows it all.

[raevyncent]

John, I understand this more thatn you know! I work as an ATT customer service representative, though I would not be able to get your info and work on a solution since I rarely get time off the phones. i do recommend calling again, and do not just let them make another order and turn you loose. If the previous 2 orders did not happen, there is likely some issue that needs resolved. Normally, as someone already said, there isn't even a need for a tech to come to the house, unless there hasn't been telephone service hoooked up there for a long time, and even then, only in extreme cases would they ever need to have you at home...all they need is free access to the Network Interface box on the outside of the house. Next person you call, ask for the Executive Complaints number, which they can find in their ExchangePlus telephone number reference.

Hope you get it worked out.

[RIDDLER STUDIOS]

Thanks to all for your comments and support. I'm going to try and "clear" my mind of it today. Maybe even take up letter writing like they did in the "old" days...uh, wait; I think stamp prices just went up again - so, scratch that, ha! ha! Just kidding, only trying to make light of a frustrating situation.

[toverman]

Why do you need a home phone line? None of my business, but seems like AT&T doesn't want to sell you one ...

[dbphotos]

In the past (2 times) I have had similar frustrating experiences with companies and each time I resorted to sending a letter to the CEO via FedEx. I got a fast f/u in both cases and the problem was resolved to my satisfaction. FedEx only cost about $12 and that was a lot cheaper than spending more time on the situation. You won't get a call from the CEO, but it wil be someone that can fix your problem.

[RIDDLER STUDIOS]

Originally Posted by toverman

Why do you need a home phone line? None of my business, but seems like AT&T doesn't want to sell you one ...

Lately I've been having to fax a lot more than usual...I already have a fax machine...so, I thought it would be easier to get a line instead of going to Kinko's all the time. Boy was I WRONG!!!

RIDDLER STUDIOS added 2 Minutes and 42 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

Originally Posted by raevyncent

John, I understand this more thatn you know! I work as an ATT customer service representative, though I would not be able to get your info and work on a solution since I rarely get time off the phones. i do recommend calling again, and do not just let them make another order and turn you loose. If the previous 2 orders did not happen, there is likely some issue that needs resolved. Normally, as someone already said, there isn't even a need for a tech to come to the house, unless there hasn't been telephone service hoooked up there for a long time, and even then, only in extreme cases would they ever need to have you at home...all they need is free access to the Network Interface box on the outside of the house. Next person you call, ask for the Executive Complaints number, which they can find in their ExchangePlus telephone number reference.

Hope you get it worked out.

From your experiences/professional opinion...any chance I could get any compensation such as a period of time of free or reduced price service?

[RicknTX]

John...I would also get an order number when you call for service that you can refer to if they fail to respond. i would think that ANY company worth its beans would be professional enough to do that...otherwise its just your word against theirs that the order ever really was placed...and who do you think they are gonna believe if you don't have the order number...?

[thequintessentialman]

Originally Posted by RIDDLER STUDIOS

Lately I've been having to fax a lot more than usual...I already have a fax machine...so, I thought it would be easier to get a line instead of going to Kinko's all the time. Boy was I WRONG!!!

FYI, some of the (legitimate) ISPs offer Email to Fax service. Works just like email for you, but starts/stops in a fax machine on the other end. I don't so a lot of fax here at home, so I just use the incoming fax to email service and my PC modem for out going. Incoming Fax show up in my email IN box.

John