Billing Blues

Automatic payments had been set up in November.

AT&T's automatic billing for December did not happen. Now the bill is back to $70 (two month's rent), to be billed January 12.

Huh?

1-800-ATT-2020. Voice response: "Enter the ten-digit number on your account"; "U-verse"; "Billing"; "Payments" ... For some reason the call routes to Chris in residential service. Chris reroutes to U-verse. "All our customer service representatives are helping other customers. Please stay on the line." Music and announcements play for 23 minutes, then the line goes dead.

1-800-ATT-2020. Ten-digit phone number. "U-verse". "Billing". Route to operator Sam. He checks the account; automatic billing is enabled.

Sam comments that it takes four to six weeks for automated billing to kick in once it's set up. Apparently, automatic billing was set up too late to make the December billing cycle.

Wow. AT&T is in no hurry to get paid.

Just wait until January; the whole charge for November and December will be billed then. "You can pay it yourself at any time."

Super. Let's let it ride and see what happens mid-January.

Sam makes an upsell to unlimited long distance for the house's back-up landline.

No thanks, Sam. Cells phones are for long distance.

Did I provide you with excellent service today?

Thanks Sam, you did. Happy New Year.

Happy New Year, sir.