I lost my phone April 20, 2010. I had been an att customer for 9 years and had never previously needed anything from them above standard service as I wasn't a complaining customer nor had I ever lost my phone or had issues to call them about. I didn't have a contract for a few years, but as I needed a more modern phone to travel to europe, I bit the bullet and bought a new phone 5 months prior thereby locking me into a new 2 year contract. I had purchased the Samsung Solstice. Upon losing my phone, the store I went to informed me that I couldn't get a new contract and therefore a cheap nice phone because I had just signed on 5 months ago and they only let you enter into new contracts upon the 6 month. My options were to either purchase a new phone to replace my lost one at full retail value ($250). I could purchase a go phone and use it until I was eligible for an upgrade to get a new nice phone...the cheapest go phone they had was $80 and it was crap and I wasn't eligible for an upgrade until July 2011. Or, I could purchase the go phone, come back in a month and say I lost it and be at my 6 month mark and then I could sign a new contract and get a reduced rate on a new nice phone equivalent to what I had before. The salesguy "helping" me informed me that the only reason I got a cheap phone in the first place was because I signed a contract. I informed him that I signed a contract for service, not for a cheap phone and that phones are loss leaders for their company and that is not how they were making their money. He looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language, clearly not understanding how his company operates. I asked him to work with me having been a client of theirs for 9 years. He couldn't, or wouldn't and didn't feel the need to get a manager involved. Instead, he let me walk over to the Tmobile store across the parking lot after I told him this is what I would do. At tmobile, I walked out of their store with their equivalent to the iphone, (it's the my touch and is awesome!!) and a cheaper plan with better features than at ATT all for $75. They cut the price of the phone in half and charged me no activation fees. I told them my story when I walked into their store and asked them to give me the best deal they could to take me away from ATT after 9 years. Their customer service was excellent in the half hour I spent in their store.

What made matters worse was that when all was said and done, I had to go back to the ATT store to get my account number so tbmobile could port it. A different salesguy helped me when I went back. He'd been in the store earlier when I was there. He gave me the number and as I was walking out he said, "See ya", I just looked at him a little taken aback because his tone wasn't the nicest and said "See ya" back with a hard note of sarcasm in my tone. I was once told that it costs phone companies far more to get a new client than it does to retain an old client. Clearly they don't let their associates now this little tidbit. When I got that new contract 5 months ago with att, I went from paying $40/month to between $70-85 a month for services...with one fell swoop they lost that easy income. Yes, it cost me $155 to break my contract with ATT...but that's another story and in the end, is cheaper than all the other options they were giving me to replace my phone.

Got a new computer with a built in ATT air card...$60/month contract.
Went on a short cruise to Puorto Rico, St. marten, Nassau on MCL Cruise line MS Poesia!

Had no ATT reception once left Florida and Paid MSC over $100 for limited access to their WiFi service aboard ship to ck email etc.

Att suspended my service even tho I only used 357 Kb of 5200kb monthly allowance.

Then I rec'd a bill for 80, 613 kb of usage ($1671.95 ) for roaming in Jamaica !

I was never near jamaica and, I am 75 years old and couldn't use that much time if I lived to be 100 !

After my complaint, they said the charges were legit and that was that !

What do I doi next ?

I have a friend and we would talk on the phone or text each other a various time. We started figuring out that her husband was recieving the text messages and was able to listen in the conversations we were having. He was able to tell her word for word what was being said. We were best friends for a while. I had to end up changing my number and this is all because he is now a manager at att. Being able to talk to someone on the phone should be private unless you have broken the law. Not to have someone listen in on your conversations each time you pick up a phone. Be careful because you cant trust anyone these days.

1) I have NEVER been informed that cell phone coverage in the HOME is not covered.

2) I upgraded to add a "family" member - for the sole use of being able to simultaneously work on our computers (specifically for instructin purposes playing Bridge; looking at hands on Internet, watching World Bridge tourneys broadcast, etc.) (family member has dial-up internet & cannot be on computer & phone at same time) Purchased 2d phone & plan in December & have been paying monthly extra $20/mo.

3) 3 mos. ago I moved to Bay Point, in 2-story house, on top of hill. I CANNOT get phone service in this home, neither calls in nor can I make calls out.

I have to walk outside & sit in the car or walk around the block - weather permitting.

I have called ATT. 1st time they checked to see how close a tower is - one is around the corner w/in 1/2 mile.

I asked if there were a "better" phone or battery that I could buy to override this problem. NO, I have the best "type" of phone (not a 3G).

After missing some very important calls (re job interviews, notice of appt. times -- (add'l note: not that many (any ? jobs) available, especially to senior female needing to supplement social security restricted income ($1200/mo))

I called back yesterday saying I wanted to cancel 2d phone service (family member phone); that I signed 2 year contract IN GOOD FAITH however, have NOT been able to use service AT ALL! I want to cancel service & NOT pay "cancellation" fee. They said I would have to pay $165 cancellation fee AND that AT&T does not guarantee phone service inside home.

Third time in the last 6 months an added bill has appeared on my AT&T statement for a service I did not order or request. AT&T allows third parties to bill on their statement - the most recent monthly charge submitted by Directory SVCS Web Hosting through PaymentOne Corp of $39.95 was supposedly enrolled by an telemarketing firm hired by Directory SVCS. I am on the do not call registry and never requested the service. I tried to report the telemarketing agency to the 'do not call registry' and was hung up on - only later to be enrolled in their sales pitch.

AT&T puts consumers at risk by allowing third parties to bill on their statements who are not reputable.

Eric J Friedrichsen, MD