What they don't tell you about buy one get one

@init4fn

Im trying to clarify a couple things.  

At some time in the past, you added a line for your son in law and did a BOGO.  The ‘Buy one’ is on the existing line the ‘get one free’  on your SIL new line.  Any credits were on his phone, not the ‘buy one’. 

He transfered his line off your account.  No matter whether he paid off the phone or not, his phone was the ‘get one free’, not your upgraded line.  

With that in mind, why are you expecting credits?  Or did I miss something?

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@init4fn wrote:

I have had an account with AT&T for over 10 years, and have switched my sat. TV etc... Always loyal always paid on time! I have a family share plan that had 7 lines.  My daughter got married and we added her husband to our account making it 9 lines.  When doing so we were also having to buy him a new phone.  We were offered the buy one get one IPHONE deal.  It was explained that this would be in the form of a bill credit, on the second phone and that it would not be paid off until the other phone is paid off, and that if we defaulted on the other phone we would be charged for the second phone.  This was fine.  Until my son in law who is in the military went into the At&T store in San Diego to find out about upgrading his phone.  He was told if he moved his and my daughters lines to their own plan with the military discount it would be cheaper, at which time they contacted me and I spoke with the representative who assured me this would have no effect on my lines or my bill except removing the portion for those two lines.  The only stipulation was that his phone that was on the payment plan had to be paid off, easy enough.  Of course we were willing to do this if it was going to save them money and had no other consequences, so we paid off the phone and transferred the lines.  I was told it make take a cycle to catch up, OK... Next cycle I am still being billed for the 2nd phone though not receiving bill credit.  I called I was told not to pay that amount and it was being fixed and would be reflected on new bill.  Next bill, late notice for not paying that amount, still being billed and no credit. When I called I spent over an hour trying to explain the situation and not able to understand person I was speaking to and they were unable to explain why.  At which time I went to At&T store, they said they only handle new orders not billing information.  Back home back on the phone 2 people 3 1/2 hours later this is the explanation:

 

Buy one get one was applied to the two phones both are billed and one receives a credit back each month until other phone is paid off, though if you default you do not receive credit anymore. When you switched lines and paid off the one phone you paid off the phone that was free and was receiving the credit, so you paid off the free phone not the one that was being paid for.  The phone paid off was my son in laws, which was the original phone I bought, the buy one get one was suggested and I took advantage of it for another family member. It was my son in laws phone I paid off? Yes but, when it was set up his phone # was set up as the free one.  So your saying if they had applied the payment to the other phone number it would have paid it off and then the phone would have been free? Yes. Well then why was it not done this way, or told to us? Will you reverse it? No, there is nothing we can do now.  So basically we just paid $385 that was not applied to the phone I owed $385 to it was applied to the free phone and I still owe $385 on the phone? Yes and there is nothing we can do I apologize.  Can it be refunded, bill credit etc? No

 

This conversation went on as I was so upset to be loyal customer, and because of someones hurry to sell a new phone the customer service portion of this company, went out the window... This is the thanks you get for being loyal...

 

So long At&T, now that you have wasted 4 hours of my day, I can tell you what I will be doing this week, shopping for a new cellular provider.  

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The new line had to be the "give one" portion of the BOGO. You were also told on every bill which line was getting the BOGO credit. 

What you mean these details that you did read when you signed the next agreement?  This is on every bogo offer...  I know your mad but the rep was worried about your son in law and did not pay attention to what it would do to your account.

I did read and ask I was told, this said MAY because if you cancel or default they can stop credits, though as long as phone is paid in full the other would also. This is why phone had to be paid in full to transfer vs transferring the amount owed.  When I called upon seeing it on my bill I was even advised then it was incorrect and given an amount less the phone payment and told to pay that amount and it was being credited.  Lastly as you stated the Salesperson was worried about selling my son in law a new phone, and did not pay attention to what it was doing to my account.  He did not make this change w/o me he had the Salesperson call and explain it all to me.  So the fact that they were worried about one thing and did not pay attention to another is ok business practice for you? I understand it can't be reversed though I run a large national company and no the value of customer service, sorry there is nothing we can do is not the correct answer for a long term customer.  Shame on you AT&T!

I understand that, though your sales rep at the time I purchased and when we made this transition once one was paid the other was also.  What is the point either way I paid in full for one why would not pay off the other, this is shady business.  I understand defaulting cancelling etc... I paid my part now so should you.

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@init4fn wrote:

I understand that, though your sales rep at the time I purchased and when we made this transition once one was paid the other was also.  What is the point either way I paid in full for one why would not pay off the other, this is shady business.  I understand defaulting cancelling etc... I paid my part now so should you.

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Considering I don't work for ATT they are not my reps.  Again it says in the agreement that you have to complete the full 30 or 24 months to receive your free phone its right there in the terms of service.  As for customer service in cell or cable that went out a long time ago.  Right along with customer loyalty...  

@init4fn So is the husband, "him" and your son-in-law all the same person?

It seems like a lot of work to save 15 percent off the base plan, especially since I DO NOT see how this was going to save them money unless everyone moved over to the military plan. It's only saving 15% on the base, which is less than $15 a month (if it was $100 for the base, which is pretty high).

If they started their own plan which has a new base cost of $100 a month or low like $40 a month (only $6 savings), plus the cost of the lines they are going to be paying more. They'd be better off staying on your plan and splitting the plan equally, 2/9 the cost of an expensive base plan is WAY better then 15% off a base plan, even if it's a cheaper plan.

We have had major issues with the AT&T customer service reps also.  Here's our story.... My husband and I had phones already which we handed to my children and we "thought" we were receiving the BOGO on two new phones for him and I.  We initially spoke to someone on the phone to set this up but turned out the two new phones would take a while to be delivered to us so we went to the physical store to do this transaction.  We received two new phone numbers there and had the adult numbers transferred to the new phones for my husband and I.  We found out shortly into the billing we were getting billed for four new phones instead of two; notwithstanding the credit for the BOGO.  We were told the phone conversation put two new phone numbers on the account and in store put two new phone numbers on the account although you try to walk out of there assured they did the right thing.  This billing error went on the over 12 months.  Every month the bill was completely incorrect and we were always told it would be corrected.  I need to mention we also put internet and DirecTV on as the full package.  We dealt with the DirecTV on the phone with a rep as well directly after we got the phones.  We were told in order for all credits to work the DirecTV had to be in my name whereas the phones were in my husband's name.  Our address is the same, let me point out, and we went with what we were told.  I am certain AT&T records every conversation but when it comes to them admitting fault to correct a monetary action, well none of those many, many, many other conversations are ever heard of again and as many of you know you have to repeat the same scenario every time you speak to someone.  Finally, we were told today, after 19 months of paying, the BOGO is null and void because the DirecTV is under my name and not my husband's.  Now I will tell you that we were told to put the DirecTV under my name for all of this to work in the first place by their representative.  I had no intention of having DirecTV run my credit and wanting my name on the account; my credit is excellent by the way, I simply don't like inquiries.  Nevertheless, the excuse was always that the four numbers were being charged to TODAY, it's that the two new phones (not new anymore) weren't eligible for the buy one get one free.  AT&T takes no responsibility for the people they hire who tell you whatever it takes to make a sale; whether it be on the AT&T side or the DirecTV side as they are under the same umbrella.  Neither do you have appropriate time to ensure everything plays out as told because it takes a few bill cycles to see if the charges are correct.  Meanwhile, you will be strung along until they get every red cent out of you.  I will contact every government, state, and city agency to present my case.  My husband's time has been wasted for many hours at one time over the last 19 months and there, dare I say it, is no compensation for that either.  It's simply a disgrace and more people need to report this humongous company once and for all.  

@ATandTBOGO

The direcTV did not have to be in the same name. It had to be new service installed at same billing address in 30 days.  

The screw up is on the phone end.  You did not say what the phones were?  Why not?   If the phones weren’t eligible then the bogo was dead in the water from day one.