I live in North Carolina. Back in March, 2008 I was informed that the duties of my State Government job were changing. The three counties of which I was currently responsible for as a bridge maintenance supervisor were changed to include all fourteen counties in our highway division. I am hearing impaired and therefore was allowed to use my personal cell phone and to be reimbursed a set amount each month for it's use. Because of my job, I must have phone coverage 24/7 in case of a bridge emergency.
The cell phone service I had with Cingular/AT&T did not have coverage in a good portion of the areas I am responsible for. I contacted AT&T by email and asked were they planning to upgrade their coverage areas in the near future and specifically named the fourteen NC counties. I received an email back that there were not any plans to increase or expand coverage in these areas at this time. I then looked at their coverage maps and printed the maps for the fourteen counties. The maps did not show service/coverage in more than 75 % of the area I would be working in.
I then had my wife call customer service and explain the situation. The customer service rep said they needed to "troubleshoot" my cell phone and asked were we making the call from a land line phone, which we were. The rep then told my wife what to key into my cell phone. We were then asked what appeared on the cell phone screen, which my wife read off to the rep. The rep said "No wonder your phone wasn't working in Edenton, NC, your phone wasn't on the system." My wife and I asked the rep how was my phone working at all if it wasn't on the "system". Our question was never answered. My wife then asked to speak with a supervisor. At first she was told there was not a customer service supervisor, then after repaeted demands to speak with a supervisor, a supervisor was connected. The supervisor did not provide us any assistance or answer the question why my phone worked if it wasn't on "the system". The supervisor then said that my phone should work now. Go to Edenton and see if your phone works now. We told the supervisor that we were not going to drive to Edenton just to see if the phone worked there now (Edenton is about 73 miles or 1.5 hours from our home).
In April, I changed cell phone providers to another company. I received a bill in the mail from AT&T for about $ 676 (3 phones). I then wrote a letter to AT&T and agreed to pay them $225.00 towards the early termination fees and outlined my reasons as to why I shouldn't have to pay them the full amount. I never received a response to my letter except another bill for the balance remaining after the $ 225.00 payment. I then have been sending them payments each month since of $25/month towards the remaining balance. After cashing the check for $225 and the first $25 check, AT&T turned my account over to a collection agency. I have continued to send a monthly $25 check towards my balance each month. In the mean time, the collection agency is hounding me. They have repeatedly called my work place and have repeatedly been told not to call me at work.
What options are available to me ? What else should I do, I can't pay them the full amount I owe in a lump sum ? How am I going to stop this from creating a negative impact on my credit ?
The cell phone service I had with Cingular/AT&T did not have coverage in a good portion of the areas I am responsible for. I contacted AT&T by email and asked were they planning to upgrade their coverage areas in the near future and specifically named the fourteen NC counties. I received an email back that there were not any plans to increase or expand coverage in these areas at this time. I then looked at their coverage maps and printed the maps for the fourteen counties. The maps did not show service/coverage in more than 75 % of the area I would be working in.
I then had my wife call customer service and explain the situation. The customer service rep said they needed to "troubleshoot" my cell phone and asked were we making the call from a land line phone, which we were. The rep then told my wife what to key into my cell phone. We were then asked what appeared on the cell phone screen, which my wife read off to the rep. The rep said "No wonder your phone wasn't working in Edenton, NC, your phone wasn't on the system." My wife and I asked the rep how was my phone working at all if it wasn't on the "system". Our question was never answered. My wife then asked to speak with a supervisor. At first she was told there was not a customer service supervisor, then after repaeted demands to speak with a supervisor, a supervisor was connected. The supervisor did not provide us any assistance or answer the question why my phone worked if it wasn't on "the system". The supervisor then said that my phone should work now. Go to Edenton and see if your phone works now. We told the supervisor that we were not going to drive to Edenton just to see if the phone worked there now (Edenton is about 73 miles or 1.5 hours from our home).
In April, I changed cell phone providers to another company. I received a bill in the mail from AT&T for about $ 676 (3 phones). I then wrote a letter to AT&T and agreed to pay them $225.00 towards the early termination fees and outlined my reasons as to why I shouldn't have to pay them the full amount. I never received a response to my letter except another bill for the balance remaining after the $ 225.00 payment. I then have been sending them payments each month since of $25/month towards the remaining balance. After cashing the check for $225 and the first $25 check, AT&T turned my account over to a collection agency. I have continued to send a monthly $25 check towards my balance each month. In the mean time, the collection agency is hounding me. They have repeatedly called my work place and have repeatedly been told not to call me at work.
What options are available to me ? What else should I do, I can't pay them the full amount I owe in a lump sum ? How am I going to stop this from creating a negative impact on my credit ?
