So Long The New AT&T

11 Sep 2007 •

I’ve been a relatively satisfied AT&T Cingular AT&T customer for going on four years now. Service has been good, I can’t remember the last time I couldn’t get a signal or had a dropped call. There’s an AT&T store within walking distance of my apartment, and with friendly, helpful staff and reasonable wait times for service.

I really questioned my patronage after the illegal eavesdropping whistleblowing, but then Paris Hilton ate a sandwich or something and I was distracted by more important, pressing issues.

And everything was hunky-dorey (as the kids say) until Thursday, when my fancypants RAZR V3 decided we’re not friends anymore.

Driving Home Thursday

So I’m driving home from work Thursday, 5:30-ish p.m., and the phone is working fine. I make some calls, handle some business, the usual.

8:00 p.m. rolls around and I go to make a call to my Ladyfriend to see what’s shaking.

Except, no dice.

I flip open the phone, and nothing. No flashy screensaver, no lit up keypad, nothing.

I hold down the key that turns it back on, and the keypad lights up, but still no display.

After some head-scratching, mild cursing, what-have-you I discover I can still make calls, receive calls, check my voicemail— I just can’t see anything. Hooray speed-dial.

The Next Day at Work

I mention to my fellow I.T. co-worker my troubles, and he says the display actually dies on our company RAZRs all the time, the way the hardware connects to the display is surprisingly shoddy.

So we do what Computer Nerds do and take apart the damn thing, make sure everything’s connected properly and still; no dice.

Looks like I’m going to need “professional” assistance.

Which Brings Us to Today

After a few failed attempts at some service over the weekend, I stop in the local AT&T store after work to see if I can get some help.

Unfortunately, I’m two months past my warranty date. But don’t despair yet, gentle readers. I’m told by Mike the helpful associate, they just opened an AT&T Hardware Service Center next door. While the phone is no longer covered they may know what’s wrong with it, or at least be able to fix it for a “small fee.”

And if not, he’ll just switch my service over to my old, but still functioning (in semi-retirement as my alarm clock) Sony Ericsson. So I head on over next door.

The Friendly Young Fellow behind the desk has me sign in and takes a look at my phone, confirms I’m past my warranty but he’ll talk to his manager to see if there’s anything he can do.

I thank him him and tell him if it’s going to take a while or be expensive, don’t worry about it. But I appreciate him taking the time.

I sit down and peruse the magazine selection while I eavesdrop on the conversation about my phone (looks like two can play at that game AT&T!).

And Here’s Where it Gets jacked Up

Friendly Young Fellow is explaining to the situation to Ms. Middle Manager. I overhear Friendly Young Fellow say “…yea, but he’s only past his warranty by two months…“ but I can’t hear the response.

And I don’t need to. I can tell by her expression that Ms. Middle Management didn’t get to where she is today by actually helping customers, she follows the rules and the rules must be followed.

As she puts her best fake-polite, I’m the One in Charge Here smile on her face, Friendly Young Fellow apologetically explains to me the situation.

For “two-ninety-five” he can exchange the phone for me, complete with 90-day limited warranty.

“So, like, $3.00?“ I reply, tongue firmly planted in cheek.

“No… $295.00,” Friendly Young Fellow slowly answers, as it dawns on him I’m already aware I’m over the proverbial barrel.

Two Hundred Ninety Five Dollars.

For a phone I paid $50.00 for.

Fifty. Dollars.

Thank you AT&T, but fuck you.

I thank Friendly Young Fellow for looking into it for me, and head out the door. As I’m walking out, I hear his voice again in my head:

“…yea, but he’s only past his warranty by two months…“

And it hits me.

If I had gone in there and raised some hell, screamed my head off, they could have (and probably have before) looked past the two months and hooked me up with a new phone. He wouldn’t have said that if it wasn’t a possibility.

But I was polite. It wasn’t his fault that the RAZR is a piece of crap and I wasn’t going to take it out on him. I’ve worked in customer service before. And, you know, I’m a hell of a nice guy.

He did more than he had to, and I appreciate it, but I am a little burned that I know if I gone in there like a jackass and made a scene I’d have myself a free, functioning replacement phone right now. Way to reward a (formerly) satisfied and long-term customer, AT&T.

So Are You Done Bitching Now?

Not quite.

The thing is, I was prepared for the possibilty of having to buy a new phone. In fact, this was coming very close to being the excuse I was looking for to purchase a shiny new iPhone. I was almost hoping my phone couldn’t be fixed. I mean have you seen the iPhone?

Which would also mean signing on with AT&T for another two years. And probably for a long time after that. And bragging to my friends how awesome the thing is.

Not anymore.

And for what? Do people seriously “exchange” their broken phones for almost six times the price they paid? What MBA Suit thought this one up? Is making a quick $295.00 worth more than the potential thousands I would have happily given them over the next few years?

Seriously. At least there’s an Alltel store a block down the street.