ATT sent me to collections for an account that was supposed to be cancelled

I've been a ATT home internet customer for some time. It seems each year, I've had to play three card monte with them to keep a supposedly "promotional" price (which was was more expensive and slower than cable). Many of my neighbors have Att with the same speed, all for different prices, depending on who we happen to get when we call. 

One day, Att decides to switch my service to U-verse and increase my price because of the supposed benefits- namely faster speed and tv capabilities. So I call to find out my options to get faster speeds and was told that I couldn't increase my speed beyond what I already had- 6mps but avg. of 5mps. So I start asking questions and compared with friends who already have U-verse and find out that what I have is U-verse in name only. 

Att never switched out the physical lines to my home. They didn't do anything but change the name of my internet service- I was getting service through the same lines (capped at the previous max speed) to the same router. Nothing changed but an increase in price and bill. 

Ok, wow that's shady I thought. But I was going to move anyway so I tried to put with the slight increase until I moved. Then I received a bill that increased my bill by over 150%. I called and after getting hung up on a couple times, I get a rep. that understands my question and agreed to adjust my rate. But she explained that I was mid. billing cycle so I had to wait until the end of the month. But at this point I wanted to cut my losses and go with cable. The rep. explained that the bill will finish out the last billing cycle and my service will cancelled as I requested.

Then I recieve another bill, now for about $100 for what was suppose to be $19+tax for the last month. I call again, and after being transferred around, hanging up, calling back, I get a rep. that understands what I am asking and informs me that the rate was never adjusted and my service never cancelled. I ask (beg) that my service be cancelled and that I would pay and close out the account then and there. The rep. says that she can't because we were mid-cycle and she can't calculate the exact amount. I felt like crying at this point from the frustration.

After spending countless hours on the phone speaking with several apathetic reps. I decided I needed to priortize my day with more important things- namely caring for a sick parent.

I am now getting bills from a collection agency threatening to send this $101 to the credit bureaus. I am left beyond words with frustration. 

Att is one shady operation. I am now trying to buy a house and I can only guess what this stupid $101 unpaid bill will do to my attempt at getting the best mortage rate. IT'S A MEASLY $101 that I tried to pay several times over the phone only to be denied because it's mid-cycle (whatever that means).

If there's one thing I can say to anyone reading this is to avoid doing business with Att if at all possible. They don't care one bit about you as a customer and try to nickel and dime you at every turn. Just look at my example of the supposed change-over to U-verse without changing anything. Then they increase my price because I now have "u-verse" but in name only, then when I balk at paying the increase in price, close my account and send me to collections that will affect my ability to buy a car, house, etc.

Absolutely incredible.