AT&T charges extra to pay cash [Telecom]

An article in MSNBC reported that AT&T customers who pay their bills at a store in cash are charged an additional service charge for "the convenience".

The full article is at:

formatting link
I think that stinks.

Reply to
hancock4
Loading thread data ...

formatting link

Assuming the cash in question has the status of legal tender, although a peson who is owed a debt can refuse to take cash, an offering of cash is a complete defence to any action arising from the debt being unpaid.

A customer who finds that the cash is refused as payment of their debt, unless an additional payment is also made, can record the fact that they have offered the sum of the original debt, and be safe from action on the debt; it is a question whether the telephone company is regulated as to whether it can stop serving the customer for a reason which will not stand in court.

Reply to
_

formatting link

Probably an ACH debit transaction. Many businesses charge for those; most typically an ATM debit card transaction.

***** Moderator's Note *****

If the store is not owned by AT&T, then I doubt there's much to be done about it: although, in the past, phone companies have absorbed service fees, I don't think they're obligated to do so. Unless Ma Bell gets a part of the fee, this seems like something ratepayers have to live with.

Bill Horne Temporary Moderator

(Please put [Telecom] at the end of the subject line of your post, or I may never see it. Thanks!)

Reply to
Sam Spade

I think one problem we have is that "at&t" could mean local phone service provider, long distance carrier, wireless provider, or combination of all three. I got the impression it may have been a wireless store.

Years ago my Baby Bell regional company had its own offices where one could pay a bill and 'authorized payment centers'. Then they closed their own offices. Then the payment centers added a $1 processing charge. Then they ceased accepting payments. The only way to pay is to mail a check or money order to the specified address.

For many years the wireless business was kept completely separate and payment had to be sent separately. I also had to send in a separate check to my LD carrier.

A number of businesses I deal with work the same way--check or money order mailed in (or auto bank debits).

In this particular case I find at&t's practice objectionable since they do have an active retail store. With modern computers and networking, which the store has, reconcilling cash payments is not a big deal for them.

The companies seem to want to have it both ways: when it benefits them, the "at&t" name is used broadly. But otherwise, they act as if there's a brick wall between sub-units when it benefits them.

Reply to
hancock4

Several years ago I was paying my monthly phone bill in cash at a local grocery store, that was until SBC closed all of their contract bill payment agents, and they charged a 25" per phone bill service charge.

OTOH, that pittance was still less than the 37" in postage that it cost at the time to mail a check in every month.

-- ___________________________________________ ____ _______________ Regards, | |\\ ____ | | | | |\\ Michael G. Koerner May they | | | | | | rise again! Appleton, Wisconsin USA | | | | | | ___________________________________________ | | | | | | _______________

Reply to
Michael G. Koerner

Yeah, National Grid now charges you 50 cents if you pay at an agent location.

Reply to
T

formatting link

In Buffalo, wireless customers of Cricket Communications pay a $3 extra fee for paying their bills in a store for some time now. It probably is the case in most of their markets.

Reply to
Curtis R Anderson

Cabling-Design.com Forums website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.