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This morning I found this over at Orangeply in response to the rumor that AT&T will be offering $10 DSL. If anyone is able to help “Mr Magooo” please post your suggestions here, or send me an email. I am hoping to get this situation resolved.

The Letter

Mr. Magoo:

Unable to find anything about the $10 dollar a month service on AT&T’s web site and only passing mention of it on the BellSouth web page I decided to give AT&T a call. They are my local phone provider here in Pennsylvania and I also have their cell phone service (my wife got me stuck in some 2 year plan.) After being passed around and given multiple numbers to call I was finally given 1-800-967-5363. This will allow you to talk directly to the DSL department with any questions regarding this matter. I should note that all representatives I spoke with were obviously outsourced, probably Indian, so it made communications difficult and frustrating.

My first go resulted in the representative saying that the $10 offer was not available to me so I asked to speak with the manager. The manager said the “special offer” was only available in 22 states. I asked him to list them and he gave me the following: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. I asked him why it is only available in those states. He didn’t know. I then told him that I had family in California who would be interested in this DSL price, how do I directly access the AT&T web page that details this “special offer.” He directed me to att.net which uncovered nothing, then to att.com/localhelp which also uncovered nothing, finally he told me to go to newatt.com which redirects you to attfashion.net a site selling shoes. At this point he was getting frustrated and said he would connect me to one of his “DSL specialists” to resolve the matter.

Can you guess what happened? He redirected me back to the main menu of 1-800-967-5363. *sigh* I waited on hold again for another outsourced Indian representative. This lady was armed with a lot of information. She was obviously reading a printed statement and basically said that the $10 offer is only available where BellSouth owns the land lines. Because Verizon owns the land lines in Pennsylvania the service is not available. I asked when the offer would be available to Pennsylvania and she said she did not have that information.

She then tried to sell on the 19.99 DSL offer. No thanks. Much faster than the $10 offer! No thanks. How about AT&T dial up? No thanks. Its very fast with an accelerator! No thanks. Would you like AT&T wireless? I have it already, it sucks and is overpriced. How about adding another line? *CLICK*

That was my experience. I say to hell with AT&T. Although if you’re in one of those 22 states you might be in luck and your best bet is probably ordering it over the phone.

Web 2.0 Roundup

An open letter to AT&T.

AT&T, as a company that prides itself on strong customer service don’t you feel that it would be in your best interest to make it easier for your customers to have access to all of your service options? Especially those options that would provide the most value to consumers? While it may not be financially beneficial for you to have wide adoption of this low priced alternative, it would be in the best interest of your customers.

Adding value for the consumer, in the long run, is always better frustrating them, especially in a world where the internet provides a venue for them to air your dirty laundry. I am not asking that you change your policy, but what I do request is that you clarify your DSL options on a section of your site that easily accessed by your customers.

Thanks for your time.

Anyone in the know, please pass my sentiments on to your local AT&T service provider and the good people at Digg.

[Photo credit goes to the EFF Be sure to follow this story through RSS]

Update

Via Consumerist,

UPDATE: For those of you having trouble explaining the $10 DSL program to your AT&T CSR, you might enjoy reading them the following passage from the AT&T/BellSouth merger document:

2. AT&T/BellSouth will provide an ADSL modem without charge (except for shipping and handling) to residential subscribers within the Wireline Buildout Area who, between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2008, replace their AT&T/BellSouth dial-up Internet access service with AT&T/BellSouth’s ADSL service and elect a term plan for their ADSL service of twelve months or greater.

3. Within six months of the Merger Closing Date, and continuing for at least 30 months from the inception of the offer, AT&T/BellSouth will offer to retail consumers in the Wireline Buildout Area, who have not previously subscribed to AT&T’s or BellSouth’s ADSL service, a broadband Internet access service at a speed of up to 768 Kbps at a monthly rate (exclusive of any applicable taxes and regulatory fees) of $10 per month.

Despite the date of July 1, 2007 mentioned in the document, AT&T has confirmed to the Associated Press that they are offering the DSL plan now.

As far as we know the 22 “magic” DSL states are: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

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