I was issued a NetGear 5GB Unite Pro Mobile WiFi Hotspot through my employer for about 2 years now and it has preformed without any issues, problems, or headaches. Because of it's mobile flexibility and coverage areas, we decided to get another Unite Pro for our personal use at home instead of a fixed home wi-fi system.
We have a little less than a year left on our contract, and about June 2015 started experiencing spikes in our data plan usage. We thought nothing of it because my wife and our two teenage children were maybe just using the internet a little too much that month. We only use the internet for checking email, surfing, and the girls homework assignments. We never stream any music, movies, and on rare occasions download (about 1 every 6-9 months) music from iTunes.
From our first data overage, we started to pay attention to our data usage. We noticed spikes from 1GB to 4GB just within an HOUR! Then it would go back DOWN (if you can believe that!) maybe a 1GB, but would eventually come back up. Just last night we noticed when we turned it off the day before, the usage was at 1.46GB . . then turning it on last night the plan usage was a whopping 4.45GB! Within 2 minutes, it then went DOWN to 3.86GB, and we hadn't even turned on the computer yet. We also do NOT leave the computer on indefinitely and shut it down immediately after each use.
After contacting AT&T about this problem in June 2015, I was told by their representative JAMAICA that AT&T has been experiencing these data spikes and weren't sure why they were occurring, but to be patient and not to worry about the spikes. She confirmed our usage history and again wasn't sure why the spikes were happening. She would start a file on our problem and someone would get back to us via phone. She also suggested I check our Windows 8 history and disable the Auto Updates, which I did.
The following billing period proved to be the same problem and charged us for going over the 5GB plan. I called again regarding this issue, and after retelling my story to TIFFANY, she would transfer me to another department to take care of it. I was transferred to SHERINE in Customer Relations, and after retelling my story the third time, said she was in the Cancellation Department. It would cost me $106 to cancel our plan. I told her I didn't want to cancel my plan, just get some answers because AT&T hadn't contacted us like they said they would.
She then transferred me to Tech Support and after retelling my story for the fourth time to SYLVIA, said she would credit my account and also mentioned the file AT&T started on my problem was closed! I asked why and she couldn't tell me, and had a slight attitude like we were bothering her with our problem. After insisting I get some answers and/or come type of compensation, she transferred me to her supervisor JAMES HARRIS. He told me our file was closed because they tried contacting our home phone LAN line, and each time wouldn't leave a message on our answering machine so they closed the file. James was very pleasant to deal with, and gave me his personal guarantee we wouldn't be charged anything over 3.5GB of data until our data spike issue was resolved.
I was pleasantly surprised and comforted on his word. He even gave me his employee id# for his guarantee. We then proceeded to set up another call to receive a replacement NetGear Unite Pro replacement device. We did that in late September 2015 - early October 2015, but still have the data spikes and if/when we go over our 5GB plan, I have to call and request the credit ; each time having to explain to the CSR the history of our problem.
I have read a lot of postings regarding data plan overages, but has anyone experienced anything similar to my situation? My wife has suggested we go as far as bring our issue to the large, local news Investigative Reporting Team to see if AT&T is quietly screwing its customers.
Please respond when you have the time. Thank you