AT&T MTM billing problems (long)

[TiMeLeSsS]

This is part vent/part seeking advice post.

I'm on the family plan with 3 lines. We have the unlimited MTM amongst other features. About 2.5 months ago, the MTM calls stopped showing up as MTM on the main line. It is being billed in the other buckets of minutes. For example, MTM calls made after 7pm weekdays are billed as 'early evenings', calls made at 2pm weekdays are being billed as peak (bonus, included, etc). The second example should be billed as MTM instead.

The MTM calls are being billed correctly on the other two lines. If one line is having problems, all three lines should experience the same problem. Unfortunately (or fortunately) only the main line is having the problem. I keep a spreadsheet where I can easily enter in formulas to tell me which numbers belong to whom and mark phone numbers that belong to other ATTWS customers.

I called customer care twice (today and last month) and the user of the main line called once. They claimed there's no known problem with the MTM feature. (how does an unknown problem become known??) The only way that the calls weren't being billed correctly is because both lines weren't on the AT&T network as displayed by the AT&T alpha tag. Well I know I made one call to the main number and checked beforehand to make sure my phone displayed AT&T during our last statement period. After going around in circles with the AT&T CSR, he finally checked what system the call I made to the phone was on - both phones were on pac bell. How can my phone display AT&T and roam on pac bell? He said it couldn't. So to me, it's obvious there's a glitch in the system. To AT&T, there's no problem.

So basically the CSR claims that all the calls made from the main line to other AT&T customers weren't made on the AT&T network. I'm claiming that's not correct - there's something wrong with that phone line. I can understand a few calls, but to go down to zero MTM calls for two full months? I asked for a trouble ticket to be opened and he refused since there is no "known" problems with the MTM feature and their systems showed that we were roaming during that one call that I KNOW we were on the AT&T network.

The only way to confirm is to have the main user to lock his phone on the AT&T network for a week or so to see what happens. I don't think this will help. I will continue to call back each month as long as the main line still doesn't show the MTM calls billed correctly. According to the CSR, if I call another attws customer while I'm on the network, the MTM feature (credit) will apply on my line. If the other person isn't on the network, he won't get the credit, but I still will.

Anyone else experience this problem? Advice on how to handle the call after next month's bill shows the same thing? Should I talk to technical support instead of customer care? CC seems to like to reiteriate the same stuff over and over. It's a bit frustrating since it took over 10 minutes for the guy to offer to check what network some of the calls were on. Next time I call, I'd like to go straight into investigating instead of having the CSR tell me a dozen times how the feature works. I remember reading about someone on the family plan had a similiar problem but it affected all the lines.

[WiggyFife]

maybe a code got deleted off your account that was necessary to make the distinction. Did they check that possibly???

[Steve B]

One thing to try and look at too is when the mobile to mobile minutes were made. On some carriers such as Cingular, minutes are deducted from each bucket in a specific order, for example, Cingular, minutes are deducted from UN&W then deducted from M2M, etc. Maybe AT&T does it the same way. You should call and ask them in which order are the minutes deducted. If that doesn't cover all your calls then I also believe there is something else wrong with the line. ATTWS CSRs sometimes flaky. Good luck to you though.

[Etorres777]

Originally Posted by TiMeLeSsS

This is part vent/part seeking advice post.

I'm on the family plan with 3 lines. We have the unlimited MTM amongst other features. About 2.5 months ago, the MTM calls stopped showing up as MTM on the main line. It is being billed in the other buckets of minutes. For example, MTM calls made after 7pm weekdays are billed as 'early evenings', calls made at 2pm weekdays are being billed as peak (bonus, included, etc). The second example should be billed as MTM instead.

The MTM calls are being billed correctly on the other two lines. If one line is having problems, all three lines should experience the same problem. Unfortunately (or fortunately) only the main line is having the problem. I keep a spreadsheet where I can easily enter in formulas to tell me which numbers belong to whom and mark phone numbers that belong to other ATTWS customers.

I called customer care twice (today and last month) and the user of the main line called once. They claimed there's no known problem with the MTM feature. (how does an unknown problem become known??) The only way that the calls weren't being billed correctly is because both lines weren't on the AT&T network as displayed by the AT&T alpha tag. Well I know I made one call to the main number and checked beforehand to make sure my phone displayed AT&T during our last statement period. After going around in circles with the AT&T CSR, he finally checked what system the call I made to the phone was on - both phones were on pac bell. How can my phone display AT&T and roam on pac bell? He said it couldn't. So to me, it's obvious there's a glitch in the system. To AT&T, there's no problem.

So basically the CSR claims that all the calls made from the main line to other AT&T customers weren't made on the AT&T network. I'm claiming that's not correct - there's something wrong with that phone line. I can understand a few calls, but to go down to zero MTM calls for two full months? I asked for a trouble ticket to be opened and he refused since there is no "known" problems with the MTM feature and their systems showed that we were roaming during that one call that I KNOW we were on the AT&T network.

The only way to confirm is to have the main user to lock his phone on the AT&T network for a week or so to see what happens. I don't think this will help. I will continue to call back each month as long as the main line still doesn't show the MTM calls billed correctly. According to the CSR, if I call another attws customer while I'm on the network, the MTM feature (credit) will apply on my line. If the other person isn't on the network, he won't get the credit, but I still will.

Anyone else experience this problem? Advice on how to handle the call after next month's bill shows the same thing? Should I talk to technical support instead of customer care? CC seems to like to reiteriate the same stuff over and over. It's a bit frustrating since it took over 10 minutes for the guy to offer to check what network some of the calls were on. Next time I call, I'd like to go straight into investigating instead of having the CSR tell me a dozen times how the feature works. I remember reading about someone on the family plan had a similiar problem but it affected all the lines.

I think it's the same thing that's happening to me except I haven't got the bill yet. I saw it on the internet. I was talking to my cousin (has AT&T) for about 1 1/2 hours, so I was checking my minutes and it looks like they deducted it from my anytime minutes. I'm afraid my bill is going to end up weird. I hope not.

[BKKloppenborg]

Thats really wired sorry to hear that.. I ALWAYS had probelms with AT&T CS when i had them it took them only a month for me to quit. AT&T fas far the WORST CS i have EVER encounted more the Moto, D-link, Lynsys, Verizon, Cingular and Sprint... I would try to talk to the Manager and try to see if he can help you. Thats what i finally had to do to get my account deacvivated... Usally they are better but not always other then that thats all i can think of. Sorry i can't be more help.

[TiMeLeSsS]

Originally Posted by SBacklin

One thing to try and look at too is when the mobile to mobile minutes were made.

SBacklin - After the first few weeks that I noticed this problem, I took note of the time and bucket and compared it to the other two lines. During peak time, the minutes should deduct from MTM before going to the regular included/bonus peak minutes. It just isn't showing up as MTM at all I just need to keep waiting and tracking the calls and continue to call AT&T constantly.

One thing I noticed was that this CSR (male) was extremely polite and cool. I know how some can show irritation or let some annoyance creep up in their voice.

[TiMeLeSsS]

Originally Posted by Etorres777

I think it's the same thing that's happening to me except I haven't got the bill yet. I saw it on the internet. I was talking to my cousin (has AT&T) for about 1 1/2 hours, so I was checking my minutes and it looks like they deducted it from my anytime minutes. I'm afraid my bill is going to end up weird. I hope not.

Etorres777 - I'm going to have everyone lock their phone to AT&T so there's no chance of roaming. If you keep noticing this problem, you should do the same. I was told by this CSR that as long as I'm calling another ATTWS customer, that my calls should be billed as MTM as long as I'm on AT&T network. It doesn't matter if the other person is or not. Then again, another AT&T csr told me a few weeks ago when I first called that both callers need to be on AT&T. Which one to believe?

I'd be interested if you continue to have this problem. Maybe if enough people have this problem, then AT&T will have to start opening trouble tickets. The CSR just insisted that we weren't on AT&T for any of the MTM calls.

[TiMeLeSsS]

Originally Posted by BKKloppenborg

I would try to talk to the Manager and try to see if he can help you. Thats what i finally had to do to get my account deacvivated...

I asked at least twice if there was anyone else I can speak to since he was just reciting the same mumbo jumbo. This guy was polite, just couldn't do anything. He didn't transfer me..something about how no one else would be able to help me since the feature is working the way it should. *blink* uuhhh..you got a disgruntled customer who disagrees vehemently.

We're on the never-ending plan - aka 2 year. The main account holder upgraded our plan so we can have early night and evenings...which they messed up and didn't put it on our account. I called a month later to correct some billing problems when the CSR went over our account and started fixing little things before I got to ask her! Now that CSR was good. Each time we change our upgrade our plan, the two year contract somehow gets extended.

[TiMeLeSsS]

Originally Posted by sstrosberg

maybe a code got deleted off your account that was necessary to make the distinction. Did they check that possibly???

I don't know how the system works. The csr kept telling me that the MTM shows up on the line in question. The MTM feature works as it was intended. The system doesn't show anything wrong. This isn't a known problem. blah blah blah. Now that I think of it, he also mentioned that if it wasn't on one line, then it wouldn't be on the other lines. That's incorrect. Last time I called CSR, not all of our lines were configured properly or the same way. I wouldn't have known if the CSR didn't take the time to check over things. I wish I could contact her directly. *sigh*