Scripting and automation does not fix problems

On Thursday December 13, 2018 I decided to give ATT U-Verse and Internet a try.  I abandoned decades of using cable and moved to ATT fiber. If you don't want to read further, I'll save you the effort.... making the move was a mistake!

Let me start by saying that ALL employees that have interacted with me have been extremely helpful and professional and should be commended for their patience associated with working with customers and the technology.

That is where it ends...

It has now been 9 days since installation and I/we have not had a full 24 hour period yet where TV and/or Internet service has worked properly.  Add to this the inability to create sub-accounts for family members and access their email accounts without issues, only adds icing to the cake.  Thus far I have been on the phone with ATT at least 5 separate times, had techs at the house 4 times (including once for installation), and had hardware replaced twice after the initial installation.  Thus far the issue(s) have neither been fixed or understood.  As a general statement, I am ok with the fact that there is a technical problem in need of further investigative troubleshooting, however my now mind blowing issue is that ATT just had the audacity to bill me $244.95.  For the moment let's skip the fact that I am being billed for service I have yet to receive.  I was told at the time of signing up that the total bill (tax, tag, and title) would be $155.  I can only hope that ATT isn't going to make claim that there are nearly $100 is startup costs.  But let's get back to the point about billing.  ATT is clearly aware that my service has yet to be provided in a useful manner because I have had techs schedule to be at my house every other day since installation (including again this Sunday, just before Christmas).  It seems to me that someone at ATT would have the sense to suspend billing until we all agree that service has been properly provided.

Now you're probably asking, why are you posting this on the Forum and not calling Customer Service about your bill and the overall issue.  Well, let me answer that.  First, according to the ATT web site it clearly states that Customer Service is available, yet the endless automation when calling is claiming that Cus Srvc is closed.  Hmmm.  It is currently (as of the last call attempt) 10am Saturday Dec 22.  Here is the web site text:

U-verse® TV customer service
Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. local time
Saturday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. local time

Last time I learned how to tell time, 10am was after 8am and earlier than 5pm.  Yet the broken automated calling system claims they are closed and hangs up on me.  So contacting them today seems out of the question.  Here's the bigger issue.  The bill I just received claims to be due on Jan 6.  Given the holiday week, that doesn't offer much time to sort this out before it is due.  AND since I was pressured into AutoPay, I suspect they will just take my money from me and I will have to blow a space ship gasket to be refunded or consider legal action for all my wasted time, loss of wages having to be available for techs to work at my home, and having to drop my old service and determine how to restore it without yet even more cost.

Needless to say, I am clearly not a happy customer nor do I see happiness on the horizon.