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Fight Back Against AT&T’s DSL Price Increase – Call AT&T and Threaten to Cancel to Enjoy Significant Savings

Phillip Dampier March 4, 2010 AT&T, Competition, Data Caps 3 Comments

'Don't worry about our new higher prices.'

AT&T is raising its rates for existing DSL customers.  Stop the Cap! reader Bill writes that his latest bill shows a $3 forthcoming rate hike on his “Elite” DSL service just three months after his one year promotional price expired.

“First, there is nothing ‘elite’ about AT&T DSL.  Their promised 6Mbps speed is really closer to 3Mbps, and worse when the weather is bad,” Bill writes. “Second, I’m going to be paying more than $45 for DSL service that my nearby neighbors pay for 10Mbps cable modem service that actually delivers 10Mbps.”

Bill doesn’t have that option unless he pays $8,000 to his local cable company to install a cable down the street to reach his home.

“I called AT&T and tried to downgrade my service,” Bill adds. “When you call and reach the cancellation department, they’ll offer you all sorts of incentives to stay.”

Bill joined many other AT&T customers who have called the company to complain about the price increase during difficult economic times, and many are getting substantial discounts.

“They gave me another year of service for $24.95, the same promotional price I had before, which saves me $20 a month,” Bill notes.

That’s more meaningful than AT&T’s explanations on customer bills.  Broadband Reports quotes from AT&T: “We’re adjusting our pricing for AT&T High Speed Internet service in an effort to better align our pricing structure across our entire service territory, and to better reflect the value of our broadband service. But don’t worry, even with this adjustment, our pricing is still competitive across the industry.”

Some of our readers are not satisfied with that explanation and have been calling customer service looking for discounts, which they’re finding.  Among the offers:

  • Six months of service for $24.95 with a promise of an additional six months at that price if you call and ask at the end of the term;
  • Six months of service at $22.95 with a similar six month extension when the first six months are up;
  • 12 months of service at $22.95.
  • 12 months of service at $19.95 (mostly found in Illinois).

Representatives may first offer to “lower your price” by switching you to a lower speed tier.  Refuse that offer and tell them you simply want a lower price.  Customers who have other competitive options (cable) will find AT&T most amenable to offering a lower price.  Those with no other options may find AT&T less willing to negotiate.  In those cases, some of our readers recommend calling back to speak to a different customer service representative.  If you do not have a standard residential phone line along with your DSL service, getting discounts becomes very difficult.

Trying to negotiate takes less than 30 minutes of your time and often brings you more than $200 in savings over the coming year.  That’s worth the effort.

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Harold Young
Harold Young
13 years ago

I plan on calling other providers for service. You people are ridiculous in your service and prices are out of control. Your service is slower than you promised and I am just tired of lies and charges that have NO merit whatsoever.

H
H
13 years ago

At AT&T, we value your business and strive to provide you with the best possible Internet experience. In the coming months, we will be making some changes to AT&T High Speed Internet service that we want to make you aware of. What’s Changing? We’re adjusting our pricing for AT&T High Speed Internet service in an effort to better align our pricing structure across our entire service territory. Depending on your plan for AT&T High Speed Internet or AT&T High Speed Internet Direct service, monthly rates for Express, Pro, and Elite plans will increase by $2.00 per month. The new monthly… Read more »

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