On January 5, I visited an AT&T store in Washington, DC (7th and H Sts NW). I informed the saleswoman that it had been more than two years since my last phone upgrade, and that I wanted to upgrade my current iPhone to the iPhone 5S and keep the plan I currently had (which was with a two-year contract). The saleswoman said that AT&T has a new system for upgrades, where I'd pay for my new phone in installments but overall price of my monthly bill would stay the same. Only when my bills started arriving did I find out that I was now paying the FULL PRICE of my new phone, which the saleswoman did not tell me (instead of the $199 that most people pay when they sign up for a 2-year contract). Most concerning, I am paying $30 more a month than I was under my previous plan, which is in direct contradiction to the amount the saleswoman assured me.
I called the AT&T customer service line and the rep with whom I spoke said that I could have been set up with another two-year contract, and paid $199 for my new iPhone, and she didn't understand why the saleswoman had not informed me of that option. However, she said because it was past a 14-day "buyer's remorse period" there was nothing she could do and that I would have to return to the point of sale (i.e., the AT&T store).
When I went to the store and received a phone number to call, I spoke with an assistant manager and explained the situation. The assistant manager repeated that because I'm past the "14 days buyer's remorse" period he could not switch me back to a two-year contract, despite being misled by one of his store's employees. Two subsequent calls to AT&T's customer service line have similarly been futile.
I have been a loyal AT&T customer since 2008 and am shocked to find myself still in this situation after hours of trying to correct this matter. I want simply to return to a two-year contract, and have the money I've paid so far toward my new phone be applied toward the $199 I should have paid for this new phone. If this situation is not soon resolved by AT&T directly I will file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and be forced to take my business elsewhere.