AT&T Dumps VOIP Customers

Proudrooster writes "In the past two weeks AT&T has sent out disconnect letters to VOIP customers in big rude red letters, stating that VOIP service will be suspended in 30 days and permanently disconnected in 60 days. They cited E911 service as the reason. (It is peculiar that AT&T is unable overcome an E911 technical hurdle, since SBC/AT&T is also the local landline company in many areas where VOIP cancellation notices are being received.) Many AT&T VOIP customers have found that they are unable to transfer their phone numbers to a new provider. Further, AT&T is unwilling to set up a forwarding message directing callers to a new phone number for those who are unable to transfer their old numbers. In effect, AT&T has told many long-term VOIP subscribers: 'We are turning off your phone in 30 days, goodbye.'"

Comments

Welcome back Ma Bell

[TheReaperD]

All the monopolistic tendencies that you love and none of that silly customer service stuff...

Re:911 Operator: can we get your address?

[Chris Mattern]

Darwin in action, then. If you don't know where you live, you've got bigger problems than trying to give the right directions to the emergency services.

You know, sometimes people who call 911 are *unable to speak*. You may be having a stroke, to pick an example. Standard procedure for the 911 operator when 911 is called but no one talks on the other end is to dispatch emergency response to the phone number's location, for precisely this reason. Which can be done only when the 911 operator knows where the phone number is, of course.

Chris Mattern

Re:The Phone Company DOES care!

[Turn-X Alphonse]

I love people who think they are in the right when they arn't and have power that they don't.

You will be charged like it or not, they can and will get the money out of you for a service they are provided. Going "a part is missing" is NO EXCUSE for not paying the bill. If you keep it up they'll take you to court and win, then send a nice bayliff round to remove your goods if you still refuse to pay up.

I suggest you ring up and act POLITELY to the staff and they will help you get your answering service back on. It's all good and well that you go in with your mouth running, but they are people NOT the company, if you appeal to their nature (make them feel you're greatful for their time and help) they are more than likely to help you rather than shrug you off as "that dick who shouted at me".

Remember you're a fish in a barrel, they have all the power (oh yea you have a tiny amount of money, wooo you can buy a lollipop!), even the longest rung (the call centre) have the power over if you get results or not. So if you speak to them as human beings and use a little politeness they will use their little bit (read 'a lot') of power to help you get your service back.

Goto a play like Customers_suck on Livejournal. A lot of it is "this complete back came in earlier, bitched like fuck so I acted politely and pushed her off" but there are also posts like "this nice guy came in, he was really polite and patient even though I was having a horrible day. I was exhausted but bent over backwards to help the poor chap". And maybe you'll see that your mouth and "OMG I'LL SUE YOU! DON'T HOLD ME!" infact make you the biggest bump in your little ego based road.

Be nice, it does more than stops your mouth hitting you on the ass.

Re:The Rape of Ma Bell

[Overzeetop]

You must not remember $0.25/min long distance in 1980 dollars, with no alternative carriers and no other options. And if yo udon't remember that, you certainly don't remmeber having to lease a phone - never owning it - in perpetuity becuase if you didn't lesae one you didn't get service.

What they should have done - and what they should do with cable, power, and all public utility services which have installed infrastructure - is to require separation of physical plant from the actual data/power/other services. No company or conglomerate may own any part of both a plant and a service.

Re:Small Claims.Re:The Phone Company DOES care!

[vmfedor]

I take it you've never worked a customer service job in your life, my friend. Being rude is never, ever a constructive option. It doesn't mean you have to be a pushover, but telling the operator that you're not going to pay your bill and generally freaking out on them is not a way to get anything you want and have people still respect you. It's akin to a temper tantrum by a child, sure they'll get the candy just to shut them up but everyone knows that they're being spoiled little brats.

I'm not trying to say that you haven't been wronged by AT&T, I'm just saying that believing it's "their problem" isn't correct, because it's obviously YOUR problem, because YOU'RE the one whose answering service isn't working. And instead of acting like an adult you rant like a little kid and pound and stamp your fists and threaten to beat them up if they don't "pick up the ball." I've worked customer service jobs in the past and although I've never refused to help someone based on them being rude I sure as hell wasn't going any extra miles for them. But I also have known other fellow agents who had no remorse about fucking around with people like you that demand, demand, demand. Usually the ruder you are the longer you're on hold, that's not a coincidence.

You're taking the proper action but you need to chill out on the hate speech. Realize that the "Company" is just an illusion and that you're really talking to someone that just needs to pay their rent at the end of the month and doesn't need some dick call them up and refuse to stay on hold, even though the agent most likely can't do anything about it themselves. Take legal action if you must but don't get all bent out of shape about it! Or, you know, you could switch providers....

Who has a landline?

[sczimme]

- Adults who live in houses, as opposed to transient youngsters who move from apartment to apartment

- People with DSL connections

- People that understand how 911 works

- People that understand that the landline is pretty darn reliable, and that using only a mobile is a Single Point of Failure