Screaming Penguin - Source Does Matter

Although my problem was not similar to yours, I just got off the phone with AT&T about my bill and got the same frustration. I switched my regular phone over to a PDA 3 months ago. When I signed up at the counter, I particular asked to be put on a plan that will allow me accessing internet as well as at least 100 text messages (as I don't do them alot but when I do, I do not want to be charged $.15 per message). That plan costs me $29.99/month --- alot but I thought that is not bad. I got 3 other phones on the account. All told, my bill is about $187/month! Well, I noticed that I am being charged for IM on the PDA. When I called in today and asked how come I am being charged for the IM? They said that I am paying $29.99/month for 20MB of internet access (I know that! and I also know I used no more than 4MB a month most!). IM is a separate deal and that I should never listened to the sale people at AT&T. I should call in Customer Care as they will be more honest and will help me with the right package. So, this guy offered to "give me" $4.95 as credit for three months to cover my future IM just to see how much I like it and if I do, then I can sign up and pay yet another $4.99/month for IM. When asked is there any package that will allow less than 20MB of internet access and maybe 100 IM, he said there is none! Contrary to the guy that I just talked to 10 minutes ago who said he can have me on a plan that will cost $19.99 with lesser MB for internet and more IM. This makes me feel like it depends on which person you talk to. I told him that last year, when I asked them about buying unlimited IM for my daughter's phone; they said they only had certain plans and that it is not unlimited. Within a month later, when I talked to another CSR, the person was surprised that I did not know better to sign up for unlimited! It feels like they all working for a different company. I am checking with Verizon tomorrow as I think I cannot do worse than paying $187/month for basic phone for 3 phones and 1 PDA.

I used to spend 18 years in hi-tech - in communication industry so I know MB and usage and how to read my bills. It just feels like they are deceitful and as I "reward" them with more business, I am being punished by having to pay more each month just because they simply don't have plans that will work for you....

Never been so mad in my life....