ATT

208 South Akard Street

Dallas, Texas 75202-4206

December 21^st, 2009

Dear Mr. Ralph de la Vega

I’ve been an ATT customer all my life. I’m addressing you in this open letter format as a way for my voice to be heard. Over the last week, “I AM NOT SATISFIED” with the service I’ve received while trying to transfer my phone service from one location to another. As I don’t really don’t expect a response from you, this letter will allow for me to publicly expose how ATT’s department structure needs to be given an overhaul. To be a giant communication company, your internal communication is extremely antiquated.

On December 11^th, 2009, my phone and internet service was supposed to be turned off from my old address at 5451 S. Cornell, unit #212, Chicago, IL. to my new address. I was told by the customer service representative that I couldn’t have my service turned off and on in the same day. So, I agreed to be without service for the entire weekend in order to have my service on Monday, December 14^th. The service representative then attempted to sell me the cable, phone and internet package. I agreed to have the service and was then quickly told that the television service wasn’t available in my area. She assured me that everything else for my change in service was set.

On December 12^th, I received a phone call from ATT. At first, I was thought the call was going to explain why my service was not turned off. Instead, it was what I found out later on the call to be a third-party vendor calling to sell the package that wasn’t available in the area that I was moving to. Mr. De La Vega here is the first area that I would like to make a suggestion at. If ATT department were linked and in sync with each other, I would not have received a call if the third-party vendor would have access to my records and seen that the service he was trying to sell me wasn’t in my area that I was moving to.

On Monday, December 14^th, when I finally moved into my new place, I saw that I had both internet and phone service. Here is where a second problem occurs. The phone number that was active was 773-783-095X. That was not the new number that was assigned to me. I immediately called the repair center that evening. I was told that they would have someone out that next day.

On Tuesday, December 15^th, I found an ATT door hanger left by the repairman when I arrived home from work that evening. The repairman checked the box that stated, “Your service has been tested to your home/business and is working properly. Our testing was done at the Network Interface located West side of Bldg.” I then went inside to check my phone and noticed my phone display read “In use.” So I picked up the phone and was completely surprised to hear someone else conversation. There wasn’t anyone home but myself.

On Wednesday, December 16^th, around 8:00 a.m., I called the number the repairman left on the door hanger. I spoke to Mr. Haygood about my order/ticket # PL1KNC50. I explained that this wasn’t my number and I was able to hear someone’s conversation. He then said that he thought that telephone number was assigned to the house. I let him know that was incorrect. He then said that he knew what the problem was and would be out to fix it. Around 9:30 a.m. I noticed that I had lost my dsl connection. I picked up my phone line and it was also dead. I went upstairs to see that there was an ATT van sitting outside my house. I was relieved to see that my phone problem was being worked on so quickly. After watching the van drive away after fifteen minutes, I went back downstairs to check my phone line. I noticed that my dsl modem middle light was still red. I picked up the phone and now had a dial tone. I unplugged and replugged the power connector. After recycling, the middle light came on red again. I immediately called Mr. Haygood. I received his voicemail greeting. I left a message letting him know that my dsl wasn’t working. That evening, when I arrived home, I listened to the message left on my voicemail from Mr. Haygood saying that he was calling me from line. I then checked my dsl modem, and the light was still red. It is now after 6:00 p.m. and the ATT business office is closed. I called the repair service. When the repair representative greeted me, I explained to her my problem with the dsl. She then asked for my phone number. She couldn’t locate that phone number in her system. She asked if it was a new order, and I had said yes. Since she didn’t have my new number in her system, she was unable to help me. I could tell from her heavy accent that I had probably reached ATT’s outsourced call center overseas. Mr. De La Vega here is another department of ATT that I think needs to be looked at. Why is it that any ATT departments not have my updated records at anytime? There is too much advanced technology in the communication industry for this to happen. Again, “NOT SATISFIED.”

On Thursday, December 17^th, when the business office opened, I called the customer care department. I explained once again the problem that I was having with my dsl service. I was told by the customer care representative that it was because they don’t have dsl service in my area. I asked your representative to explain how I was able to have dsl service on Monday and Tuesday with the wrong telephone number and now all of a sudden be told that they don’t have dsl service in my area. She then connected me with the internet provisioning department. The representative came the phone and for the first time acknowledged to me that there was an error with the original order and that the dsl service was trying to be reactivated at my old address. He said that he would try and get it fixed for me. He also assured me that he would leave a message on my voicemail by 4:00 p.m. that day updating me on the status. I again left for work. Around 4:30 p.m. I called again to check on the status and was told by a customer care representative that they didn’t see a dsl order for me. I spent, Mr. De La Vega, while at work, one hour on the phone with several ATT departments. The overseas outsourced technical support department still didn’t have my updated records. Here is another area of how antiquated your internal communications is. Why is it that ATT employees have to call the same 800 number as customers do to communicate with internal ATT departments? Yet, again, “NOT SATISFIED.”

On Friday, December 18^tharound 7:00 a.m., as soon as the business office opened, I placed yet another call to resolve my dsl problem. I was determined to try and get my problem resolved today. The automated greeting that ATT has connected me to the billing department. This isn’t what I had wanted adding to my week long frustrations. I had Tray, ATT’s billing department representative connect me with Abby, from the dsl department, which again, didn’t have my records. I asked them to stay with me online with me until my problem can be resolved. I was connected with Pat, from the order department. I explained my problem, and she said that she couldn’t resolve my problem because the order on my old address had to be completed before they could issue dsl service on my new line. She then said that it would take twenty-four hours for the order to be complete. I then told her that is what the representative said yesterday in the internet provisioning department. I wanted to be transferred to the department who could make that release. Pat then told me that they had no way of transferring me to that department and that the only thing she could do was email them and wait for a response. I then had her transfer me to her supervisor, Adrianna (AP2372) who basically told me the same thing. She did inform me that it could take up to two weeks and not twenty-four hours like Pat had told me prior to transferring me. Adrianna did say that she would try to place a new dsl order for my phone service.

After hanging up Adrianna, I called the ATT’s Executive Business office and spoke with a Shelia Sharp. I vented my week long frustrations out to her. She said she would see what she could do. Two hours later, I called again, asking for an update. She said that she did contact the DSL Executive Business office to let them know my problem. I requested from Shelia if she could follow-up on my order and have someone leave an update on my voicemail as I had to leave for work. When I returned home that evening, I saw that the middle light on my dsl modem was still red. I did have a message on my voicemail from Lamont Williams. Lamont said that he was working my order but there was an error on my order and he was waiting for those errors to clear. Once cleared, Lamont said that he would be able to give me a due date.

On Saturday, December 19^th, I received a call from ATT automated phone system tell me that order # T0045892528 placed on December 4^th, was completed on December 14^th. And that order # F0045892528 placed on December 4^th, was completed on December 14^th. I then connected myself to a representative. I got customer care rep, Corvette. I explained again, my dsl problem. She said she didn’t see an order for dsl service, but she would be glad to place an order for that service. When I asked her how she could place an order for service and Lamont Williams, couldn’t (I had played Corvette the message left by Lamont on my voicemail) she said it probably wasn’t cleared at the time Lamont had left the message. The only date she could give me was December 30^th. She promised me that Monday morning, she would see if she could get me a date sooner than that.

Today is Monday, December 21^st, and I’m writing you this open letter which I still plan on posting to express my dissatisfaction as a long-time ATT customer. During the time I was writing this, I placed a call to Lamont Williams at the business office updating him about my conversation with Corvette on Saturday. Corvette also called me this morning to let me know that she was able move my date to Wednesday, December 23^rd. As I’m relieved that I don’t have to wait until December 30^th, I am still “NOT SATISFIED.” Mr. De La Vega, I’m a part-time Forex trader. I have a live order that I can’t close because I don’t have an internet connection. It was an ATT employee who fouled up my dsl order. In addition, I think that all of the apologies expressed on my behalf from the all the ATT employees about my dsl problem and ATT’s mission statement is nothing more than propaganda. I hope that you will address the internal communication weakness that I’ve noted as I will be considering another phone and internet service provider. ATT has too many competitors to have Ma Bell communication management. I’m willing to wager with you Mr. De La Vega that the news of my open letter to you will reach you faster than my dsl being turned on Wednesday.

Sincerely,

Eric P. Martin