Has anybody been charged $200 to disconnect their regular phone service (not wireless)?

[NewJeffCT]

My wife and I were going to disconnect from our regular land-line service (AT&T) in another week or so.

When my wife was talking to AT&T last night, they threatened us with a $200 charge to disconnect from their service.

We did not sign up for any contract to have regular residential phone service, and I've never heard of a $200 disconnect fee?

Anybody know about this?

I did a google search and got a bunch of stories on wireless/cell disconnect fees, which most people know about when they sign their one or two year contract...

[redqueen]

1. What? Hell no...

:rofl:

They can't be serious!

[NewJeffCT]

3. well, they were talking to my wife

who is very careful about money, so I'm sure she would have had them repeat that story about the charge several times. However, sometimes I think people try to take advantage of her because she speaks with an accent.

[redqueen]

6. Did she ask them to send documentation

of this so-called fee?

I hope she got a name. I'd make someone's day hell for this if it's not 100% true.

[erinlough]

2. I don't believe they could do this

I was watching the hearings last week on cancellation fees for cell phone plans and the AT&T guy said they don't charge fees for canceling cable service or phone. This sounds like just what you said it was, a threat. Don't pay it.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

4. AT&T are Nazis!

I have them for home and for cell service.

I have thought about discontinuing our land line service because we use our cells most of the time. I wonder what AT&T would tell me if I called them and wanted to disconnect?

I know about cell disconnect fees but can't find anything on the Google regarding land line disconnect fees.

[NewJeffCT]

5. thanks for trying

I think it was because we were going to keep our AT&T DSL service.

[petronius]

7. If you have landline and DSL from them, you may be paying a discounted

package price - I've gotten offers like that from AT&T before. There may e some fine print in the package deal, and they may have bundled the two services without explicitly telling you...

[lizziegrace]

9. My landlord has a contract for DSL

with a disconnect or early termination penalty. But if all you have is a land line, that makes no sense.

[Debau2005]

8. NO! Call and talk to someone else

I disconnected my landline with no fee. I kept my dsl, AT&T charges me an extra $5 for the dsl with no landline. I didn't pay any penalties or disconnects.