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Any ATT people in here, need some help with Plans

ronzoronzo Registered User regular
edited June 2009 in Help / Advice Forum
I have a bit of a problem. I currently have a gophone plan through AT&T (prepiad), and I would like to get one of the new iphone, and therefore switch from my prepaid plan to a contract (postpaid).

According to this link, I should be able to take my current gophone number and account balance ($250.00) with me to a postpaid account

So far in calling and visiting stores, which i did before i found this link last night I have been told the following:

- Nothing, not even the number can be switched over. I was told this in person
- The number can go over, but the account balance is attached to the SIM, so i could use it on another phone to buy ringtones. I was told this while having to call to cancel the gophone plan.
- The number will carry over, but the money will be lost the instant I do so

Obviously, I want to go with what the link to att.com says, because starting with 250 in credit would be like 3-4 months of my bill right there, and I've had the number for like 4 years so changing it would blow.

Anyone here work for att, or know enough to give me some advice on what to do? I printed out the link and plan to go to the store today with it, and try to speak to a manager. If that doesn't fly I guess I'll probably go with the calling corprate.

ronzo on

Posts

  • ronzoronzo Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    changed the title, since my thread was about to fall off the page and had all of 1 view

    ronzo on
  • PrioPrio Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I'm not an AT&T person, but I'll take pity and advise you to ask at www.howardforums.com
    They're dedicated to cell phones and you can't swing a cat over there without hitting a cell phone company employee. Specifically, post in the AT&T subforum.

    You could also go the more direct route and call AT&T's main customer support line instead of talking to a bunch of front line employees who might not be familiar with less common transaction types.

    Prio on
  • ApexMirageApexMirage Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Yeah I saw gonna suggest howardforums also, do that.

    ApexMirage on
    I'd love to be the one disappoint you when I don't fall down
  • WillethWilleth Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    This may not apply entirely, but I had a very similar situation with O2 in the UK. I owned a prepaid O2 SIM card which I've used for years, and bought an iPhone. To swap the number over I had to phone them and ask, and they did it within a day. The credit that I had left paid on that SIM apparently went towards my contract payment, but I haven't got a statement yet and so I don't know how accurate that is.

    Willeth on
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  • firewaterwordfirewaterword Satchitananda Pais Vasco to San FranciscoRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    Prio wrote: »
    You could also go the more direct route and call AT&T's main customer support line instead of talking to a bunch of front line employees who might not be familiar with less common transaction types.
    This. 90% of the people in the stores don't know shit. The other 10% do, but hate you. The phone people will have a lot more flexibility to get you right.

    firewaterword on
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  • DogDog Registered User, Administrator, Vanilla Staff admin
    edited June 2009
    You might have issues with the balance, but the person who said you can't transfer your number was completely incorrect.

    Unknown User on
  • I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell UpI'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    i work with ATT a lot and you can do all of these. anyone who tells you otherwise either a. doesn't know what they're talking about b. has gotten so jaded that they no longer care about actual customer service or c. just wants you to pay more money.

    this sounds stupid but take it to a walmart near you and have them do it. most of the people in the cell phone stores that I've met are huge jerks and just want your money. walmart cell phone people don't get paid on commission so they get the same amount of money if you leave with nothing as they would were you to buy everythign in the store. and the most important reason is because if they don't know something, most of the time they're the ones that are going to go through every level possible to check. (our district actually has an att rep that is pretty high up in att and goes out of his way to make sure customers are taken care of)

    I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up on
  • ronzoronzo Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    after calling another store today, i'm going to agree with most of the stuff said here. I also posted over at howardforums, but no response yet.

    The new person i called thought it couldn't be done, but when i said the webpage told me otherwise she said it might happen automatically since they apparently do not have much control over the whole upgrade system from gophone to contract.

    should i just try to go into a store with the hopes it works the first time, then deal with it if it doesn't?

    ronzo on
  • DogDog Registered User, Administrator, Vanilla Staff admin
    edited June 2009
    One thing I would highly recommend is after you get set up on your new plan be sure to go to your account online and make sure everything jives.

    For some reason they never get it right for me the first time. When we added a second line to our account they put the second line on its own family plan by itself and left the main line on an individual account. It's mindboggling really.

    Unknown User on
  • Iceman.USAFIceman.USAF Major East CoastRegistered User regular
    edited June 2009
    There was a federal law (RE: United States) passed several years ago that mandated cell phone companies allow you to transfer numbers, by and large.

    There are some exceptions but for 95% of the people who use cell phones, it applies.

    Those people were flat out incorrect/lying. Go to a different store who gives a shit about your business.

    Iceman.USAF on
  • ronzoronzo Registered User regular
    edited June 2009
    I doubt anyone really cares, but since H/A folks love hearing how stuff went, I'll revive this thread one last time.

    I got my number carried over, the balance of my account ($230), and managed to use my uni student status to get a 15% discount (only applies to voice, not data, still awesome). And on top of that managed to snag the TMB9 code, getting 750 texts for 7.50 a month (though they said they wouldnt be counted as MMS too, we'll see about that)

    I <3 my new iphone

    ronzo on
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