Landline Number Disconnected by AT&T without permission/HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE

Do you have AT&T Internet?  If so, have you tried plugging your phone into the port on the back of the gateway (modem) marked “phone”?

Perhaps they switched you to digital.  It would be weird to do that without your authorization but it could’ve happened while you were gone.  🤷‍♂️

Thanks Skeeterintexas I have internet.  I tried plugging the phone into the jack on the modem like you suggested but still no dial tone.  Thanks for the suggestion. 

I am beginning to believe the other forum information that AT&T is deliberately taking away the standard old landline phone lines, but why go about it in such a sneaky way that no one can explain.  They should be in enough hot water leaking sensitive information on people among other corporate lies to charge all types of fees on landline, wireless phones, internet, non-streaming cable/uverse/fiber TV.  It's just shameful.

I guess I will continue with the phone in and hold or wait for a call back nonsense hoping to get resolution to a problem created by AT&T but taking up my precious time and costing me the same amount of money as the bundle that included my landline.

File a complaint with the BBB.  Those are handled by the OOP and someone should reach out to you.

I spent today 2 May 2024 calling the AT&T 800-288-2020 customer service number and another number given to me 800-246-8464 which essentially are the same numbers that you have to go through the automated voice helper to tell why you are calling.  From there your number that you are calling from is looked up and assumed to be the trouble number you are calling about.  After that, we are having heavy call volume, you can get a call back or hold for 11 minutes.  Accept the call back and the recording says you will not lose your place in line.  When the call back occurs and I verify I am the person on the line expecting the call by pressing 1, I get a message that I may be on hold for 18 minutes.  Finally after a long hold, I get a person who says she needs the last 3 numbers from my paper bill account number.  I tell her I don't have a paper bill in hand (what about folks who only do electronic mail??), she then says she has one other way to authenicate me by calling a number associated with me that she will not reveal to me.  She comes back on the line and says there is no answer and she cannot help me as much as she would "love" to.  She then suggests that I go to a AT&T store to get help.  I tell her this is a landline issue not a wireless issue and she has all the records not the local AT&T wireless store, she acknowledges she has the records but cannot give me any further information without the 3 digits from the bill.  I tell her if the authentication number she is calling is my landline, she is not going to get an answer because there is no signal and tht is why I am calling in the first place.  She again tells me to go to the local AT&T store for resolution.  I then request esclation to a higher level, she tells me her supervisor has been listening and is aware of the problem and will call me back after I hang up.  I say thank you and wait hours and still no supervisor call.  Customers are being treated with total disregard by these employees but just let a customer not pay a bill, you get a late fee, a disconnect, etc.  My bill is not delinquent, AT&T just TOOK AWAY MY LANDLINE NUMBER AND I'M SUPPOSED TO ROLLOVER AND BE HAPPY WITH NO REASONABLE EXPLANATION FROM EMPLOYEES. - GEESH!!

Mind you at one point when talking to this person, there was much backhground noise of others talking, laughing and she said to me, "I can't hear you, I suggest you call back to AT&T."  I replied very loudly I can hear you just fine and all the noise in the background.  That is when she could suddenly hear me.  I am so frustrated with this wasted time, cheated phone number grab, no decrease in monthly bill and ghost employees/supervisors not coming on line to talk or not returning promised calls.

I will file the BBB complaint and see where I get because I am wasting so much of my day on hold or trying to make sense to AT&T employees who I do get on the line who absolutely are NO HELP!!!!

Wow, I thought I have had hard times with AT&T but your case is a nightmare.  I do not have automatic pay with them but they have tried to push that on me for the past 4 years.  I do however go on line to pay my monthly payments and I believe they keep a record of my debit card even though I tell them not to save the number.  I know they will be cutting the cord on me from my traditional landline as they are in the process of doing it all over the country, unless I disconnect it myself first.  But before I do that and or before they do it, I am going to my bank and get a new debit card number, they will not have access to my bank account to see how much they can squeeze out of me the way they are doing you.  I can't believe how they are charging you the same thing as what you paid including the home line that you no longer have.  I personally am getting to the point that I want nothing to do with a company that makes their customers go though such things, it only shows how much they care about their customers.  AT&T is not the only ones that provide cell service, internet, cable, they are biting the hand that feeds them and it is going to come back and bite them.  This could explain their sneaky way.  If it is the number itself you are trying to get back they most likely don't want you to have the number itself unless you open up another alternative phone service with them.  Phone service companies must be limited to access of phone numbers and they are considered as theirs once they ever own them.  I have heard of other companies who would not release a phone number once their customer leave although they expect a number from another company when their customer goes to them.  I suggest you stay away from these companies.  

If you have decent Internet, get a VOIP line, they can be had for as little as 10.00 per month and if your number is active you can port it to the voip line.

People that are older that live in rural areas where this is no reliable internet and very little access to reliable cell towers are now in trouble.  If AT$T is truly ripping up the old land lines or just letting them rot, this is bad.  When one of these elderly home owners ends up dead or has some medical issue where they are unable to get help, I hope they sue AT$T for all the $$$ they can get.  I should know, I am one of these people.  at 84 years of age, I am in an area with no internet except satellite, poor cell coverage, and the only communication that was reliable up until the recent tornadoes was my land line phone.  I am currently at my sons home typing this.  Why?  Because the phone line is dead right now, and I am trying to find a way to get THROUGH TO AT$T!!!!!!

There's a new service called AT&T Phone Advanced. Per a firsthand customer experience from forum member atm2 even in weak cell signal areas it gives a better usable signal. It's a cell-based service that you plug a regular phone into, much like other wireless home phone services. It isn't available in all areas, so you'd have to call to see if it is in yours. If you'd like to see the members experience with this service you can find it here 

I have called their cs number 5/3, 5/12 and 5/13 requesting my landline long distance be cancelled. Got the run around from cs, asked to speak to supervisor, not available. Been a loyal prompt paying customer since at least 1975. Got new bill today indicating that long distance has still not been canceled even after the last cs rep told me it would be and gave me the adjusted bill amount.  Currently paying $75 - $80 per month including ld. This bill is $78.78 .........  They are playing games and I've had enough.  Next step is to cancel service all together....  Can't even post this because i beed a forums account.   B Oexmann

If calling into the customer service number and saying cancel service at the voice prompt is not getting you any satisfaction file an FCC complaint.  If you don't say cancel service and just talk to a regular frontline rep it's not going to get done, you need to cancel through the retentions/loyalty group. Don't understand your last statement.