The story starts from last years' after Christmas. We were looking for some prepaid service because of upcoming travel from NJ to Orlando. We went to AT&T's direct shop at Paramus NJ.(on Rt.4) The guy named Eric was nice AT THAT TIME. He basically recommended to buy $100.00 more as prepaid card because initial $25.00 would not be sufficient. But I was wondering and asked him there would be an expiration for those minutes or not. He said " No there is no expiration. You can use as long as minutes is there". Not only me, my wife also heard this phrase same time, so it was impossible that two people misunderstood at same time. Also, there was store manager and all other employees around us because there was no other customer. They were listening to our conversation and they did not say anything.
Eric also asked me whether I want to add the $100.00 to my account because he insisted that it was easier to add at on store than I call to AT&T customer service. I one more time asked him about expiration for those $100.00 if I add it.
The reason I asked was obvious. I did not want to lose $100.00 because I knew I don't use cell phone so frequently.
I explained my concern again to Eric and he told me again that there is no expiration and not to worry about it. You easily figure out the story. There was expiration for minutes I added! I lost whole $100.00 after 90days!
I first went to the store and they said they never said there was no expiration date. I called customer service to do something about this. But what I heard is this: because my account is already expired, they cannot access to my account. Only way they can access to my account is to buy $25.00 minutes more to reactivate my account! Otherwise they cannot do anything. Is there anybody in this world that you pay more to get reimbursement? So I said no thanks. But the custmer service promised me and put notes on my account if I reactivate my account they will reimburse some of my $100. After 6 months later, I received $25.00 bonus card from AT&T as promotion of last December.(yes, 6 month later! I received another reimbursement promotion from Nokia phone 3weeks after last December.)I called Customer service again to reinstate my account. Here comes next lie! All customer service people said There is no way they are going to reimburse my $100.00 even they promised me 6 months ago! And actually one customer service guy admitted there were a lot of confusion about expiration date last year because of policy change of AT&T about prepaid wireless. The customer service guy also told me that a lot of customer were complaining about that.
So why don't they admit the mistake? I am believing this is the reason why AT&T is not in good business condition right now. So, don't deal with AT&T they are the worst.

BTW, one customer lady gave me very interesting phrase when I complained about this incident. She said:
"well, But you chose AT&T because this is the best wireless company in the industry, right? So why do you complain?"
Well, this is my personal opinion.
1. if you are the best company in the industry, you don't have to say it to customer because everybody knows it. It sounded like they "want" to be the best, not they "are"
2. if you are customer service, I believe the very first word you should say is
"Oh I apologize to the incident. However blah blah blah" If I hear any kind of apology from them, I was not mad as this.



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