Cancellation Horror story

Depends on your service dates. As of over 2 years ago the final month is not prorated. You pay for the full service month. So for example if your service month was January 24 thru February 23, you pay for that entire time. Only if you were billed for the service month starting after you called to cancel would it be in error.

Sent to us customers in 2018:

Please read this if you receive DIRECTV, AT&T U-verse® TV, AT&T Internet, AT&T Phone, and/or AT&T Fixed Wireless service(s). We want to remind you that you’re billed in advance for recurring service(s) and/or programming charges and applicable fees based on the terms of your current service agreement(s) with us. Starting January 14, 2019, subject to applicable laws, we’re updating your agreement(s) to include your recurring service(s)/programming charges and fees won’t be prorated if you cancel the above service(s) on any day other than the last day of your billing cycle. Your service(s) will continue until the end of your billing cycle but you won’t get a refund (prorated credits) for any remaining days left in your billing cycle. For products not listed above, refer to their terms of service for more information.

Questions about this change? Go to att.com/ProrationPolicy for more information and to see the revised section of your service agreement(s).

I canceled April 28 & returned all equipments on time.  They said my billing cycle is the 20th of the month.  My thought: I should get refund for days I have no connection (or) pay for days that I used for the next billing period.  Their "billing period" and "service period" was weird.  Totally unreconcilable for a novice.  I was charged (auto paid) a full amount on May 11 and the reason:  THAT'S THE WAY THE SYSTEM WAS SET UP AND THEY ABSOLUTELY CANNOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.  What about the word:  "override"?  What a SCAM!!!!!!

As of January 2019, over 2 years ago, when you voluntarily cancel your service, your service is cancelled effective on the last day of the billing cycle for the current period and no refund or partial credit is given back as you continue to receive service up through then. So even if you unhook the equipment cause you don’t like it anymore or have already got a new service installed and return it, your service is still active.  If your billing cycle (the end) is the 20th, and you cancelled on the 28th, you are paying for the period between April 21st and May 20th since DTV bills in advance. It is not a scam and that is I’m sure how other providers and streaming services like sling Netflix Hulu etc work too.

@Thumbelina 

If your cycle date is the 20th (so the day your service/bill month starts) and you canceled on April 28th, then you pay for April 20th thru May 19th. That is per the Terms of Service updated over 2 years ago, which is why there is no override to adjust April 29th thru May 19th.

DTV does not bill in advance you billing cycle started the day you where installed and the bill is made and sent on day 2.

Well DirecTV does bill "in advance" so much as the bill produces before most of the days used (producing on day 2 of the cycle), as opposed to after the service month has fully completed like many usage based providers (i.e. cell phone).

They just don't bill before the service month starts.

They bill “in advance”, as when you get your bill, your due date is on one day, but you’re paying for service up through another day after the due date. You’re not paying for the previous month..

Also, cancelling the service does not cancel AutoPay. You have to cancel that too if you don’t want to be automatically charged, which that doesn’t really matter because you would still be responsible to pay the final bill anyway.

The due date is 20 days after the bill is produced on day 2.  DTV bills from the install date not a calendar month.

Right. So if the bill is produced on day 2, they’re billing you in advance since you obviously haven’t used a whole month of service yet.

Read the TOS, you are billed for the whole month and will receive service until the end of the billing cycle regardless of when you cancel.

Yes we all agree about when it bills.

Day 1: Service month starts, determined by your install date.

Day 2: Bill produces (also credit card auto bill pay date)

Day 15: Auto bill pay if EFT/electronic check

Day 20: Listed due date if not on auto bill pay.

However, it doesn't matter how far into that you cancel. Be it day 20, day 7, or even day 1, you pay for the ENTIRE bill regardless of what you have used. This is per their Terms of Service that apply to all customers. So there is no proration or adjustment for days not used.

Your final bill will only be prorated if you live in New York, California or Illinois, or if you move or die. 

You can place a mover's order and take it with you.

Yes, you can, and then you also wouldn’t have a final bill.