It's a constant battle to stave off new phone line charges from AT&T. I have their most basic POT service with DSL. I use the cell for long distance. Until about 3 months ago as long as I didn't use the land line for long distance there was a $0.00 charge for service on my AT&T bill. Now there's a $5 a month charge (with associated taxes) just to "support" the long distance feature even if I don't use it. AT&T is activley trying to buy T MOBILE which I've used for 9-10 years. If they can push that through my cell charges will go up. T Mobile works well where I live and their plans are the cheapest. I've had AT&T cell service (company phone) and it stinks. In '91 AT&T bought the 100 yr. old company I used to work for, drained all the cash out it, and "spun it off". So I've actually worked for AT&T and experienced their incompetence. I really hate AT&T.

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SOS USA

I just recently said BYE-BYE to my AT&T Land Line.

Costs just kept rising, probably because more and more people kept dropping them and they are trying to make it up.

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NRA Pistol/Rifle Inst. RSO

Do as you wish. I had had ATT for years and no problem. I have their total features such as nationwide calling, DSL, call forwarding, call waiting, caller ID and others. Add to that I have a fax line with the same features Never a problem.

I also have cell phones and a niece that works for the Credit Bureau. She told me that those using cell phones in lieu of hardwire phones takes a hit on their credit rating.

From an emergency standpoint, it is difficult to track down a number when law enforcement needs to notify a family member of a death or medical emergency

Not saying anyone is getting rid of the hardwire for cells but for the money, ATT is hard to beat. Every thing has increased in price. We can all thank Judge Greene for his decision about 1975 to split ATT up. The consumers got hit hard. Now they are right back where they were before the divesture.

My suggestion to all is use ATT for your long distance calls. You will have better sound and virtually no dropped calls. Reduce your cell phone plans to a minimum of minutes and use the savings toward ATT.

I dropped conventional landline phone service a long time ago. If you want to make calls without using up your cell minutes then use your ISP via your computer.

Google Call Phone (Gmail) works great. Free outbound calling anywhere in the US using your computer's speakers and microphone. Takes about a minute for a free download from Google and you're good to go. It was free in 2010 then they extended it to being free for all of 2011. Haven't heard about 2012.

If you want your own phone number for inbound callers then MagicJack is an option. I have used it and it works great. MJ is a small USB device that hooks up to a conventional home phone. You can also hook it up to a cordless phone base station. Outbound and inbound calls are free anywhere in the US/Can. When your computer is off MJ will still accept inbound calls and take voice messages which are then e-mailed to you which can be retrieved via computer or phone if not at home. It's really a very nice system for $39/2 year service with no fees of any kind. There's also a new MJ "Plus" that doesn't even require a computer. Just plug MJ Plus into an AC outlet and run a Ethernet cord to it from your router. You're supposed to be able to keep your current home phone number. I haven't tried MJ Plus.

I have AT&T for cell phone and mobile internet, and have had no major problems in the last fifteen years. However, we had them at home and for DSL, and they were a nightmare. We dropped them for a "bundled" cable package and never looked back.

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Insert short witty words here

I droped AT&T a year ago. I was paying over $90 a month. I got the same package from Charter for $29.99 per month.

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Regards,
Windjammer

Howdy,

I am with JcMack,
I have no use for A.T.&T..
We had two cel phone plans for 17 years and I was in need for a new phone,I came upon one I liked at the A.T.&T. store. I was told I would have to upgrade my monthly Package to be able to get the phone I wanted.
I asked if it required that package to work and was told "No".

I informed the lady that I was not looking for a free phone and would pay for the phone in question and again I was told I would have to upgrade to a more expensive monthly package before they could sell me the phone.
I asked if after 17 years of service and never having been late on a payment if they could sell me the phone I wanted to be used on my current plan and was again told "No." I pulled my sim card and left my old phone with them and got the phone I wanted down the street at Verizon.
Now,I pay more. I have spotty service at my home and better service most everywhere else but I am dealing with people who want my business and will try to help me.
Thanks
Mike

Something else to consider, in the event of a storm like found during Katrina or at Joplin, how good was your communications?

In the very unlikely event of a terrorist attack, it is being said that cell phone service will be jammed.

Granted, both examples are extremes but possible.

I would love to own a satellite phone but they cost too much to use. My hardwire service will remain in place and I consider the cost of it very reasonable at $71 per month for everything including high speed DSL.

I've used AT&T for everything and never had a problem that was not resolved.

When I was active duty USAF, we had to deal with practically every phone company in OK for data and voice, and many of them were "very nice" but did not deliver the service.

During a disastrous ice storm that took out all main power lines to the entire county and several others for 10 days, the only phones working for most of it were AT&T land lines.

Around here, everybody cusses US Celluar for rotten service and indifferent attitudfe. I guess if you deal with any phone compacy long enough, something will happen to p you off..........sorta like any long-term relationship. Maybe that explains the divorce rate and phone company hopping....

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Science plus Art

i recently had a problem with my att/yahoo service, called em and all they were interested in doing was to try and sell me their uverse service and other garbage.

companys just dont care about customer service and repeat business in usa today.....just make that quick buck as fast as you can.

Yea lets all thank the judge.You have a HUGE company doing a good job for reasonable price.We cant have monopolies,they are unfair.So now we have a conspiracy to rob people blind,give horrible sevice,and lock them in contracts so you have to pay out of the wazoo for the God given American right to TAKE YOUR BUSINESS ELSEWHERE.

Lately they have gone down hill. I had a line problem, it took them SIX DAYS to look at my land line. Then he said it was an internal problem after the tech looked in the Demarc box. Funny, it was working again. Then he checked the box by the curb and the bigger box across the street. The circuit blocks were NEVER WATERPROOFED in FLORIDA!!
So while the phone was out I got a majic jack. It works. I have AT&T cell phones, they work...so far...and I am beyond the contract date and have a boatload of rolled over minutes. So I try and cut my service down to the $5 special @ $0.07 per minute. I have a confirmation number. Did not work, I called, they said they fixed it, the Website says it's fixed, I GOT BILLED FOR $58 and change.
AT&T? Garbage.
I have written my congress cretin to oppose the merger....RIGHT>>>
Oh, and land lines are still a monopoly....
Geoff
Who is old gray and cynical this afternoon. Oh and they signed me up for paperless billing WHICH I NEVER MENTIONED IN THE CONVERSATION!

I hate AT&T mobile, but I'm addicted to my iPHone!! (..early adopter). Verizon has it now, but again, I'm addicted to my iPhone's speed and multitasking (internet and phone call at the same time is sweet).

I tried Virgin mobile USA and the voice coverage was great but the data was terrible. I realized that I depend much more on data than voice, so I'm sticking with AT&T.... As soon as the iPhone is on another carrier that's cheaper with good data, I'm gone.

I hate them too. Some years back I got a call from them regarding international long distance service. I signed up since I have family in NZ. When the bill came, the charges were 5 times what I was quoted. When I complained to customer service, I couldn't believe his response. He told me they aren't responsible for claims made by their telemarketers! So I dumped them and use my cable company. I get free long distance anywhere in the US now for the same price as their local service (was always getting hit with toll calls too). As for international calling, I use skype and net2phone now.

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

AT&T Customer Service, is right there along with Gator tail, I tried it once and simply concluded, that was enough for me.

The one good thing I can say about AT&T is this:
Thier paychecks don't bounce.
RD

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Got a Phd from Hard Knocks U

They did add the minimum long distance charge. They hope you won't notice. I also have the basic line, because I need the DSL and enjoy having a home phone that someone can call on. We rarely make outgoing calls on it.

I called them, and they took it off my bill all the way back to where it started. I don't like that they did it unsolicited, but they did take it off and I'm back to the basic line.

Munster

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GO NAVY!

I called them too. They would not remove it. I use the land line to fax stuff and make the occasional call, otherwise I'd cancel the phone.

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SOS USA

FWIW, in the big quake in Japan in March, cell phones were jammed/congested, land lines, too. What worked was the internet...

I dropped my land line right after Vonage came out ( tried it for 30 days before dropping AT&T ). When the Vonage 2 years was about up, I ordered MagicJack. I've kept it.

I paid $60.00+ for a five year contract ( local and long distance ).
It works like a champ. No issues at all with it. All the features of land lines w/o the huge monthly fees. My wife and I moved to Fla 33 years ago to get away from " helpful " relatives. Hence, many long distance calls. And for a $1.60 a month, I think MJ, and moving, was right on target.

There's no disk. Just plug their USB w/self-loading software into your USB, plug your phone into the plug on their USB, and that's it. I have 4 phones scattered around the house, and NO problems at all. Call waiting, forwarding, set up your answering machine, if you miss a call, they send you an email with a .wav attached with the message left on it, etc...etc..etc..

And for that price, you can have a second phone using MJ, and give that number to friends, family, whoever, and when it rings you can be comfortable answering it.

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Firearms and Saltwater Fishing

But how many folks were laid off when AT&T took over BellSouth?
Geoff
Who hopes he wins the lotto tonight and can afford to lobby to reverse the take-over decision here in FL.

As I understand it, it was Bell South that took the AT&T name and similar logo. As a retiree of the old AT&T, Ma Bell, as we called her I too have noted the changes in telephone service and cost. My take is service is awful with poor transmission of varying levels and much distortion.
The old Ma Bell land lines were always there if the cables were not broken and even if all power was lost the dial tone was still there. Today we see lots of down time during blackouts and other disasters. Cell phones are only good until power is cut and the battery gives up. All this technology is fine but it does have limitations. Personally I think that the friendly sound of dial tone very calming.

Well I got my latest bill from AT&T. The DSL service went up to $40 (from $25). Every year about this time for the past 4 years this happens. I call AT&T and they put me on the "special rate" and once again I get DSL for $25 for another year. Not so this time. No more special rates for me. So I'm going AT&T DSL only and dropping POTS. AT&T lady says $36 de install POTS fee and I will get special rate DSL for $25 a month for a year. We will see. Only problem is I FAX stuff (very rarely but it's handy) using a free standing FAX machine. Is there a combo printer that will scan and fax over DSL?

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SOS USA

Jc - they probably read this hate thread

I didn't know that.

My wife and I have had att for about 10 years with no problems, until a couple months ago her phone wich had 4 months warranty left started acting up, att wanted us to pay 49.99 to replace it, I just don't understand it, I really don't think they care anymore. She called them everyday for two months complaining about it until they finally agreed to fix/replace it at no charge, all this for a phone that was still under warranty!

I (now) have AT&T only for local service, and only because emergency services can't locate you from a cell phone. When your a Sr. Citizen you have to consider those things. It took me 4 months to finally have AT&T discontinue my long distance service. They did adjust my billing every month after I called to complain. I have US Cellular for cell phones,and couldn't be happier. It works great everywhere, even out in rural S. Dakota hills hunting Prairie Dogs. When I had AT&T cell service they had so many places they had no service it was like pouring water through a sieve. The entire SE 1/4 of S. Dakota had no service at all. If you stepped more than 5 feet off an interstate they had no service. I've used US Cellular from S Dakota, IA, MO, IL, KS, CO, WA, adjacent Canada, and Alaska. I've yet to be anywhere it doesn't get you good service.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I've had Verizon for years. I've had my GZ'One ruggedized cell phone for almost 5 years now, long enough that my original monthly plan ($39.00) is no longer available. If I upgrade to another phone, I'll lose my cheap plan. My monthly bills average $47.00. I'm looking into buying another GZ (Rock or Boulder) outright and switching the SIMS card.

Gaffer,

Southwestern Bell bought AT&T and started calling themselves AT&T. Then AT&T/Southwestern Bell bought Bell South. I retired in 2001, and was back as a term employee for the Uverse project when the takeover took place. It was always my understanding that Bell South out performed Southwestern Bell. When the inferior company takes over a superior company, guess what takes place. As I have told other retired Bell South people, if you think things were crazy when they left, you wouldn't believe it now. I used to really admire Texans, but AT&T sure changed my opinion. Dean

Do a web search for "internet fax". There are several outfits out there that do that kind of thing, some for a monthly fee, others free if you watch their advertising. I haven't used any of them personally, so I can't recommend one in particular, but I've talked to several people who are happy with the technology.

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