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FCC Warns AT&T Wireless on Portability Problems

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AT&T Wireless

therepublic

Dec 4, 2003, 7:35 PM
The process is supposed to take 4-24 hours. AT&T Wireless is taking up to a week. Bad boys. I hope they are severely punished.


😈
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moobak

Dec 4, 2003, 8:24 PM
heeey slow down there cowboy... wait until AT&T Wireless responds... there IS a reason for the backlog, and it isn't probably completely AT&T Wireless's fault. 🙂
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jlowder

Dec 4, 2003, 9:27 PM
I signed up with TMobile on Monday and am still waiting for my number to be transferred. In the mean time, I have two phones, and am still being billed for service for a carrier I no longer wish to use. Any additional bill I have should be cut in 1/4 or however long it takes to transfer my number.
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fishboy75

Dec 4, 2003, 9:35 PM
I've been told but don't quote me on this...because i too am porting 2 numbers and been without a phone for 11 days now. AT&T is ridiculous I am trying to port to Sprint and AT&T will not reply. Any way I was told that as long as your number is being ported that the phone company on either end can't charge you until the change is complete. Although they might not want to share this info this is what I was told but then one never knows what's true and what's not in this portability dilemma.
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SlaveToVZW

Dec 5, 2003, 6:59 PM
Interesting, I'll look into this and try to verify. I would assume that credits will be issued by the new carriers even if the delay was not their fault. Of course the FCC may step in and make sure that it won't be necessary 😉
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fishboy75

Dec 4, 2003, 9:38 PM
it is totally AT&T's fault I've spent over 6 hours a day trying to resolve my issue with them and their systems are ALWAYS updating. since their not open 24 hours like the other major carriers maybe they could update after they close in the evening. it would only seem logical.
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handyman

Dec 5, 2003, 1:03 AM
acualy attws opens before the top 6 carriers and closes after....cingular is closed on sat and sunday evenings. around 6 or 7 central. the baglog is due to extreme port in requests witch attws takes more seriously than people who go to sprint...look over your rate plan sir 25 annual fee for customer service and 3 dollars per call. ( and PCS is the oldest form of wireless, developed in early 70's)enjoy, fishboy! By the way attws gives 1 free phone away to all 2 yr contractors...sprint however offers zero incintives for extended agreements : )
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USFHETT03

Dec 5, 2003, 2:45 AM
Hey Handyman, learn some facts before you go spouting off! Sprint doesn't charge an annual fee or $3 per call, give me a break. Sprint does have an upgrade program for customers that have has the same phone for 18 months. 18 months or 24 months, hmmmmm????? After 18 months, they are eligible for any rebates that a new customer can get. Yea thats right any phone, not just the few POS's that ATT&T gives out every two years. So would you rather be able to to choose any phone, or a crappy one that AT&T determines. And PCS being around since the 70's, are you serious. Sprint uses CDMA, AT&T uses TDMA and GSM. CDMA is superior to TDMA in voice quality, data transfer, almost everything. GSM has the potential to be better, but with the sho...
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fishboy75

Dec 5, 2003, 10:58 AM
I am not a religious person but I say Amen!!You couldn't be more correct USFHETT03. I had several accounts with AT&T and had these accounts for over 9 years. It wasn't always AT&T, but AT&T bought out my old company a few years ago and ever since they took over customer service has gone downhill. And yes they offer discounts on phones barely--you only get a real discount if your a new customer. If your an existing customer forget you only get a small amount off the phone. I was trying to reach the porting department thru customer service at AT&T the other day and the lady flat out lied to me and said there was no such dept. when I just spoke to them less than an hour before. And then when I asked to speak to her supervisor she hung up on me....
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MEMEFE

Dec 5, 2003, 11:44 AM
we have been told not to bad mouth the other carriers during the porting process when we talk to the customers directly...however when a customer calls in and starts screaming that they were told by their new carrier that attws is keeping their number on purpose, it is not true and it makes us look like the bad guy. we cannot legally keep someone's number per the new law...we are not trying to make it so hard for the customer, there are such things as computers that are relied upon to process the requests. everyone was told to not try and rush in on the process and wait to let the dust settle. im on hold now with another carrier for 40 mins, and there are another 3 carriers that will not allow multiple ports!! so everyone is having probl...
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USFHETT03

Dec 5, 2003, 11:47 AM
I am not saying that all carriers are without their problems. But why didn't AT&T contract the same compnay to handle WLNP as the other 5 major carriers. Most believe this is the reason that AT&T is having the most trouble.
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MEMEFE

Dec 5, 2003, 12:04 PM
all the carriers have their own version of software that processes the ports..we use the same as maybe two other carriers. My point is that...we are not alone in this... a lot of this has to do with perception.. people think that because a guy walks around in a commercial saying "can you hear me now? Good!" means that their phones work the best. its good marketing.. the fcc is putting out the perception that attws is the only company having problems and i know that we are not...i am just as frustrated when i can't help a customer as they are, but i'm not going to tell them "sprint won't give up your number sir, call them!"
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jlowder

Dec 5, 2003, 2:51 PM
I don't know. Tmobile told me that they have no problem releasing their numbers within the required amount of time. I spoke to someone at AT&T today and after looking at my account he said that my number should be processed over to them within 5 days, so by tomorrow at latest. I'm wondering if he even had something to look at or if he was just making that up to get me off the phone... In any event, it's really frustrating.
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dumpATT

Dec 5, 2003, 4:39 PM
I have a lot of frustration with ATT as well as a lot of my friends.

We are now waiting anxiously to cancel ATT accounts after FCC gave ATT a BIG warning!

I wish FCC will fine ATT $10,000 per customer complain for WNPL violation.

I had service with ATT for 4 years now and it is time to teach ATT a good lesson. I am leaving for Cingular for good.

Cingular treats me nice. I am so glad I can dump ATT. I even registered my bank account login name as dumpATT and my home server name changed to DumpATT.
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MEMEFE

Dec 9, 2003, 12:54 PM
you have issues
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manynumbers

Dec 9, 2003, 2:31 PM
You may be right about that, but as a current customer of AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile in NYC I can tell you AT&T is far and away the most maddening of those three to deal with from the customer perspective. Whether they are "open" or not at any particular time on any particular day doesn't mean that you will get through on the phone. You should go ahead and try it yourself -- when phone traffic to customer service is heavy you just get a message telling you that they're real sorry for the inconvenience and that you should call back later and then the system just hangs right up on you. As a last-ditch effort to avoid what I knew would be the hassle of porting out my primary number from AT&T, I even tried to get AT&T to migrate that number f...
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USFHETT03

Dec 5, 2003, 11:47 PM
Go all the way to the last two paragraphs

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2003-12-04-att-por ... »


Funny how you stated that AT&T is using the same software as other companies...
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SlaveToVZW

Dec 5, 2003, 7:02 PM
While ATT is obviously not purposely delaying the process, I have witnessed quite a few carriers refuse to give out any account information over the phone to their customers.

Bring a copy of your bill, and lots of patience, to whereever you plan to take your number. End of story for now, unfortunately.
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iammebutnotme

Dec 5, 2003, 8:12 PM
According to the article I saw on Yahoo about it, there were on file 65 complaints. What gets me is that the vast majority of them (again, according to the reporter) were from AT&T 😛.

Working for RadioShack, I know that both Sprint and VZW have put numerous efforts into making sure that things go easy when you want to port. AND, if you notice, it's the companies that stand to LOSE on the porting issue that are giving the roadblocks (AT&T, Cingular, and Nextel, believe it or not!) 80.

I expected there to be some headaches as everyone was forced into sharing. BUT, you also have to give props to the companies who WANT to make some money off this proposition, namely VZW, SPCS, and T-Mobile. Nextel is losing people left and right now w/ bo...
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IIXxRaVeNxXII

Dec 5, 2003, 5:50 PM
There is no new porting department, there is an existing department that is taking care of the porting, NAS = New Account Services...so she didn't lie, you're just an idiot...

RaVeN
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moobak

Dec 6, 2003, 6:53 PM
Funny how over the last week I'v had issues with about 20 people trying to port IN from Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile. Sometimes the company doesn't even respond to the request, our Porting Administration Group is flooded with calls and has nearly a 30 minute wait for access to them. PAG (Port Admin Group), ONLY does port ins. Funny, alot of people like our service enough to port in as well! 🙂

Everyone is having their own problems, you're all jumping to conclusions, we're not dragging our feet purposely, we're having issues yes, but if it was Cingular who was having the issues, you'd be bitching about them, now wouldn't you? DOn't give me the bull that you wouldn't. Its mob mentality.

I just got done with a customer who canceled a por...
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USFHETT03

Dec 6, 2003, 9:01 PM
Why is that one AT&T rep says one thing, and another rep says something different? Is there a freaking port department or what? I slammed a previous rep because he clearly stated that AT&T gives a free phone every two year, not one year like was just stated. So what is it, one year or two? If its one year, yea its better than Sprint, if its two years, than no its not better than Sprint. Do you think I know each and every carriers upgrade programs? NO, but when an AT&T rep stats it here, I kinda wanna take his word for it. Nobody is jumping to conclusions about AT&T, all they have to do is read and major business publication, AT&T is all over the place getting blammed for this and that. The FCC isn't questioning Cingular, Sprint, Veri...
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IIXxRaVeNxXII

Dec 7, 2003, 10:25 AM
Moobak stated there is porting administration group soley doing port in error repair.

And I stated there is no NEW department handling the porting, just an existing department(NAS) doing more work......

We have clearly stated two different departments, one for the errors, one for the porting....
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moobak

Dec 7, 2003, 6:24 PM
Hey I'm just calling them as I see them! 🙂 NAS is a big department, PAG is part of it because they deal with NEW ACCOUNTS (NAS = new account services). Its a seperate entity, though... lets not argue I know what you mean lol.

USFHETT03, you told some other rep he shouldn't spout off before doing research, you should do some research as well, then! I'm right, by the way. ;)

So the FCC hasn't noticed the other providers taking weeks to port stuff out either yet. Lol... they will. Again, its probably just an error... and if you read one of the above posts you'll notice AT&T Wireless uses the same systems as everyone else. 🙂
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USFHETT03

Dec 7, 2003, 8:43 PM
I normally research things before I state my opinion. If I (A Sprint rep) told you that Sprint is getting rid of contracts all together, wouldn't you take my word on it? Thats all I was doing, refering to what a previous AT&T rep stated.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2003-12-04-att-por ... »

Of the six major wireless companies, AT&T Wireless is the only one using different software and the only one not using the Tampa, technology firm TSI Telecommunications Services to help with the number transfers.

This quote was pasted from the previous web link. If AT&T uses the same software, what is this article refering to?
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TDMA DUDE

Dec 9, 2003, 11:07 AM
well once again raven shows us just how little they know in wex. PAG doesnt handle only porting errors. they handle porting in. ie a cust calls me and wants to port in i check their eligability, and transfere to pag if they are eligable.
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TDMA DUDE

Dec 9, 2003, 10:54 AM
Yo MOObak. please pull your head out of attws's corporate ass for just a minute please. I realize you work for them, but that doesnt make them infalible. sure all carriers are having trouble, but not to the extent of attws issues, hence the fcc issuing a warning to only attws. dude like it or not your beloved attws has dropped the ball twice in recent weeks. first with the sieble "upgrade" then with the delay in porting requests. im sure you will stick to your guns and defend them as always, but that fine by me. I get a huge laugh at the stupid **** you have to say on here, you sound like my supervisors....clueless.
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moobak

Dec 10, 2003, 11:27 PM
You're the one thats clueless. PAG does not do port ins, you twit. DMDR sales does, as well as the AT&T Wireless stores. Do your frigging research before coming on these boards. List to me anything I'v said here that is wrong. Anything at all, and I will retract it and appologize. Until then, wait until AT&T Wireless releases a statement in response to the FCC and shut up. 🙂 Thanks.
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therepublic

Dec 8, 2003, 9:54 PM
Wow... you are swelling with pride. You need to accept the actual fact that AT&T is on its way out. They fail in every category.

😁
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TDMA DUDE

Dec 9, 2003, 11:02 AM
hey man, try not to pay much attention to moobak, he is an idiot who loves his job waaaay to much
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moobak

Dec 10, 2003, 11:33 PM
Try not to pay much attention to this person who hates his job, because he can't take the customers complaining about their issues to them. Go to any other job and you'll get the exact same thing.

AT&T Wireless isn't on its way out, and they don't fail in all catagories. Like I said a million times here bro, AT&T Wireless will make a statement stating what we all already know, that there is an error with our systems and it will be fixed. As of this moment it'll take anywhere from 2 hours to 5 days, averaging about 24 hours. Longer then the FCC guidelines, and yes they're GUIDELINES, not set in stone policy. What the FCC has done, is warn AT&T Wireless because of the ABSERDLY long port out times for a few hundered customers.

TDMA_Dude, ...
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TDMA DUDE

Dec 12, 2003, 10:45 AM
Once again you bore us with your corparate speel. you sound like one of our ivr recordings. I dont hate my job, as a matter of fact the only thing i dislike about my job is having to work along side doushe bags like you. no wonder customers are constantly bitching about reps. they keeps getting airhead company yes men like you. its funny to me that you talk about "having balls to help a customer" no matter what you think about the customer you wouldnt break p&p. thats not balls, thats just a simple minded man who can do as he is told. im sure we could train a chimp to be as efficient as you.
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ATTWS_H8TR

Dec 12, 2003, 12:58 PM
BURN!!! 😛
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therepublic

Dec 12, 2003, 3:23 PM
PORTS IN TO VZW FROM ATTWS: 47,881
PORTS OUT TO ATTWS FROM VZW: 6,165

(as of 12/10/03)

OUCH!!!!! That must have hurt... 🤣 🤣

The facts speak for themselves.

-therepublic
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TDMA DUDE

Dec 12, 2003, 4:34 PM
Well you can subtract one more off the VZW and add one to the ATTWS.

Just got off the phone with a customer that had done a port out to verizon from ATTWS, the cust had service with Verizon for a week and decided that attws customer care and service was way better! She could not believe the people that worked for verizon and how incompetent they were. She ported back to attws and said she would never go back to verizon! 🤣
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TDMA DUDE

Dec 12, 2003, 4:45 PM
PS you should go really take out your grade one math book and take a look at the subrtaction section, 21 millions customers - 47,881 (to VZW) + 47,881 (from VZW) = a lot of customers! it is going to take more than that to end attws. but thanks for caring!
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TDMA DUDE

Dec 12, 2003, 4:51 PM
*Correction* my bad


PS you should go really take out your grade one math book and take a look at the subtraction section, 21 millions customers - 47,881 (to VZW) + *6,165* (from VZW) = a lot of customers! it is going to take more than that to end attws. but thanks for caring!
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TDMA DUDE

Dec 15, 2003, 10:37 AM
where are you getting your numbers from? id like to look them over myself
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therepublic

Dec 17, 2003, 4:55 PM
🤣
Wow... You ATTWS peeps are just beyond fixing. I guess once your call centers close down or all move to India, you'll start getting the picture. I'm not about to continue this conversation. The writing is on the wall.

'Nuff said

-therepublic
(ex ATTWS employee, current VZW employee)
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