A plea of help to Randall L Stephens, CEO & President of AT&T

A plea of help to Randall L Stephens, CEO & President of AT&T

To make this story as short as I can... in August 2008 I called AT&T from my office to have my AT&T voice-mail turned off in an attempt to save money.  Although I dialed the "residential" department phone number because I called from the office my call was answered (I found out this months later) in the small business dept.  But the girl I was talking to about my phone bill and ways to "save" money informed me that I could get a discount on my home phone simply because I also had a business line.  As it turned out they switched my home line to a business line and raised the rate before they applied to aforementioned "discount" and my net phone bill went up about $20 a month.

I called in October of 2008 to "undo" but was informed I had agreed to a contract and could not.

In March of this year I got a postcard in the mail about my contract renewal.

I called AT&T and spoke with Mark Florence.  He emailed me "opt out" forms which I signed, scanned and emailed back.  He at that time informed me that I would have to wait until August to change back to residential rates.

I called on August 8th to have the switch back to residential.

AT&T turned off my phone and DSL

On August 9th my phone service was restored with my same number 706-485-0905 On August 15th my number was changed to 706-485-0229 On August 19th my DSL was restored and my number was changed back to 706-485-0905 with a new account number (different from same account number I had with this number since 1990)

When my first residential bill came in September I called to dispute some of the "change" charges and "new service" charges and they agreed to credit my bill.

I was on vacation in late Sept and early October and when I got my mail on October 7th it include a not that my LATE (never got a bill for this) $1861.93 bill (old account number) was in collections. Apparently they lost my opt out form and think I need to pay for three years of phone service to the business department.  I called to dispute.  I was told by lady named Donna that no further steps would be taken with collections until dispute was settled.  She asked me to fax /email the opt out forms.  I did so. That was on Oct. 14th On October 24th I got a call from a Mr. Phillips (not an AT&T employee) demanding money for this payment.

His number is 800-373-0760

File Number XXX XXX XX 

I also have another bill which I have received on the old account number for an additional $368.81 Sheila Harris at AT&T says that bill does not exist in her system yet I have it.

She asked me to fax a copy of it to 866-472-6796 I have not done this yet.

The dispute department contact Donna's number is 888-776-7303 ext 58656

Her email is gd1653@att.com

I would estimate I have spent 40 hours in the past two months on the phone with AT&T (more than 30 in the two weeks without DSL)  Over 10 people from AT&T have called me. I am a real estate broker with a company to run, a website to maintain, a blog to write, buyers to show property to, I don't have the kind of time this is taking from my life to just throw away. I have begged, I have pleaded, I have cried and I have yelled.  I just get broken promise after broken promise from the people who work there.  Yesterday I was "transfered" 4 times to repeat my "story" and got no results. 

I have worked very hard in this housing market crisis to maintain my good credit rating and I cannot afford to have this collection for a bill I do not owe affect my credit rating.

My residential rate bill account is current.

Now I've hired an attorney.  I have given up on prevailing because I am right and do not owe the money that AT&T says I owe.  I am beyond frustration at this point.  My wits end ran out back in August and I feel like I'm being sucked into a black hole.  I formerly had Southern Bell phone service (always great service) then a merger and it became BellSouth (still great service) then the last merger with AT&T and the service has been the worst ever.  So Mr. CEO if you are out there.... if you have a google alert for your name... please help.  I just want a phone and DSL with a residential rate and my residence and for the rest of the bills I don't owe to vanish... Sadly what I have is a phone company with me on verge of a nervous breakdown.

Suggestions anyone?