I refer you to Eric Northman.

[newredshoes]

People in Chicago -- do you use an internet provider other than AT&T? If it's Comcast, are they the devil? Because AT&T has fucking insisted, again, that they haven't been receiving my automatic payments, on top of three other horrific experiences I've had with them in the year since I've moved, and I'm fucking done.

This was originally posted on

Comments

[tygrestick]

Is RCN available in your building?

[newredshoes]

I'll have to find out -- I'm guessing you had a less-than-stabbity experience with them?

[tygrestick]

Welllll, tough to say. As far as internet and cable service goes, they were perfectly competent and, at the time, far cheaper than comcast (I don't know what the story is now, though!) I had a rather odd experience though because I sublet the apartment when I moved out, and the subletters kept the cable and just changed it to be under their names. I didn't realize that my debit card was still one file and like 2 years later I got a huge charge for a unreturned cable box, which took forever to sort out. But I don't imagine that's a situation most people would face so I would, in the end, recommend them, with the caveat that their customer service is only ok if you do have to deal with it.

:p

[newredshoes]

Well, I've been put on hold for over an hour at the AT&T store, and I wound up breaking down crying and yelling at them, plus many other horror stories, so I will totally take "only okay" instead.

[tygrestick]

yeah, it wasn't that bad. at first they told me it would take 5 weeks to get the money refunded, but I called back and bugged them for a day or two and asked to talk to a manager until I got an AWESOME woman who got it returned that week. So persistence when necessary, I guess, and I was certainly never on hold an hour!! Man!

[newredshoes]

God, they made me miss two days of work, waiting for someone to come in and install my internet. (The guy couldn't even manage to give me wireless.) They routinely try to contact me on the landline that 1) I didn't have, 2) was only for the sake of having an account, 3) WAS NOT MY CONTACT NUMBER, and then got bitchy at me when I kept telling them that I WAS NOT CONTACTED. The fucking service guy called that stupid number and did not buzz my front door, despite being right there.

And then they were charging me for a land line I didn't have, instead of my internet, which I had thought was my internet bill, until they smacked me with a "We're shutting down your service!" notice, and once I shouted and them and got that sorted out, they kept then they weren't receiving any payments at all, apparently, because they didn't have my CC info? I HAVE NO IDEA, I GAVE IT TO THEM A ZILLION TIMES. And they wouldn't refund me for the charges they had made on my CC for the service I didn't order and wasn't receiving. And then it happened again, and

[tygrestick]

Oh my god, what a nightmare. Yes, get rid of them *immediately*. I think Comcast would definitely be a better bet than that, if RCN isn't around.

[rymenhild]

Yikes. This may be a case for the Consumerist.

[newredshoes]

The worst part was almost that I had to go without lunch on the days where I went to the AT&T store instead. I get positively inhuman when I'm that hungry.

Just. What fucking fuckers.

I don't follow the Consumerist -- out of curiosity, if I submitted something, would anything happen?

[walksbyherself]

Follower of the Consumerist here!

They may or may not be able to do anything directly, but you could get some good advice from commenters of strategies they've used to bend AT&T to their will, or an executive customer service number which tends to be a shortcut to more helpful personnel.

[newredshoes]

I will check it tomorrow -- right now I am drinking sachlav and listening to my "comfort music" mix so I don't go to bed filled with fury and rage.

[rymenhild]

They're pretty well-connected, and there are frequently stories in which the corporate masters find out and fix the problem.

[newredshoes]

I think the only thing I'll want sorted out is letting AT&T find my damn credit card number themselves after I cancel. I don't know how this can possibly get "lost" so many times. If they're too incompetent to take my money, why should I pay them?

God, the more I think about it, the more infuriated I get.

[indy_go]

Seconding this - I have RCN currently, though I know it's only available here and there in the city. If it's not, Comcast was pretty okay for me in the old apartment.