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Be aware of doing business with ATT in Ajijic


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AT&T got off to a horrible start in Ajijic in 2018 due to an employee Jorge who who activated cell phones for gringos and possibly nationals as well. If cash was paid it seems it went in his pocket but I activated an iPhone with a credit card. After a couple of months most of these phones were turned off by AT&T. It waa in the Gusd Reporter that the money was taken by the employee who never filed an actual contract. Who knows how much the thief made off with.  Not ATT fault anyone can hire a rotten apple. ATT's  huge mistake was the refusal to honor the paper contracts many people received for a cash payment. So they refused service and would not honor these contracts and refused to refund the cash paid shown on these contracts. This was a public relations  disaster caused by a thieving employee who was improperly supervised but the company refusal to correct his crime probably doomed them at lakeside for a generation. The 2 year contract we used a credit card to purchase provided excellent service with unlimited data, calling Mexico, USA and Canada and allowing  roaming there as well. Last week we received an email notifying us that both our phones were going to be. out of service on April 4, 2022i We went to the store and he (sic) looked up the contracts   We agreed to renew them both and wanted the 2 year contract quoted at $4640mn.  The current employee tried to run the credit card, but said the system was down but cash would work or come back later. 4 hours later it was still not working. I smelled a rat.  We returned once a day on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday. The story changed from system down to credit card not approved on three different cards. Then our Mexican debit card was not approved . Each time he insisted cash would work. Today we drove to an ATT office in the center where Superama was located on  south of Fresco grocery on Lopez Mateos/ Colima highway just south of Costco but on the west side if the street. The credit card renewal went right through of course and the cost of the 2 year contract was $4537 now with unlimited calls and text Mexico, USA and Ca with roaming in each. Avoid the AT&T store in Ajijic. The current employee may be honest but all the symptoms were there.

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ATT Ajijic are bad apples for sure. The first year was fine then I opted for the 2 year for the next go around. After 1 year in on the 2 year contract the service ended with no resolution.

Telcel Ana is another scam. The Telcel Internet en Su Casa service with Ana at the Telcel store near Alex's.

Bought the modem from her then she asked for first and last month cash. I could not activate the modem until I paid another 2 months of service. I figured I would get things corrected by her later since I needed internet to work online at least I had internet. She just played dumb so I just ate the cost. I felt I had no choice.

I no longer need Mexico internet so I let the plan expire after 2 years. I had a supposed 2 year contract.

Now I am getting emails from some lawyer in Joco about delinquency with Telcel and "Don't ruin your credit"

So much for first and last month paid.

Scammy people around those parts!

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Is there an English speaking att number I can call besides *611, which was Spanish only. I got an 8 month plan with att in Merida, Yucatan last October, but she thought plan wouldn't work when I return to Canada on 13april. I only post here because I'm pressed for time to know exactly what I have. My texting never worked, which was annoying, and voicemail doesn't work either. The loss of those two never bothered me much because most people I met here in Chapala either didn't have phones or if they did they didn't have texting.

When I checked att's website it said the only office in the lake area was closed. My contact in Merida who sold me a new phone and plan was useless. It's obvious they're just vendors selling att products but can't/don't know how/don't care to help when problems arise. I guess I'll know if I have roaming when I land in Canada, but I doubt it.

 

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On 4/7/2022 at 10:44 AM, Youngtimer said:

 

Telcel Ana is another scam. The Telcel Internet en Su Casa service with Ana at the Telcel store near Alex's.

Bought the modem from her then she asked for first and last month cash. I could not activate the modem until I paid another 2 months of service. I figured I would get things corrected by her later since I needed internet to work online at least I had internet. She just played dumb so I just ate the cost. 

.  If what your alleging is true why don’t you contact TelCel directly with the receipts.. You do have receipts don’t you  ?

 Ana is the most recommended cell phone person around Lakeside. She has been doing business for 15 years that I know of. She has helped thousands of expats with their cell phone issues. 
Many years ago I was delayed coming back from Canada, I called Ana to ask how I could put  money on my phone, she told me don’t worry about it I will put a month on your phone, pay me when you get back… 

 

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I have all of the receipts even the one Ana gave me and can verify all of the ones I paid online.

I am not going to spend my days trying to get refunds from Telcel.

I left Mexico and will leave it completely behind.

I just left a warning for other expats not to us her for internet modems and service.

Even the best of people will grab cash if the vault is left open sometimes.

End of story good bye.

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1 hour ago, Youngtimer said:

 

I just left a warning for other expats not to us her for internet modems and service 

Now the story changes .
You didn’t pay it all to Ana. you paid on line. Probably to one of the many 3rd party payment sites out there. Now I understand why she was unable to help  you.. although I bet she tried.

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My goal is to get a cell phone service that works from Mexico to Canada inclusive and has good coverage everywhere even in remote areas like the Peace River Region of northern BC. I don't think it's yet possible though. The only cells that seem to work good up there are Telus and Bell and other carriers who piggyback off others like Bell. It seems that having to switch carriers when moving back and forth is inevitable. Or am I wrong?

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5 hours ago, TelsZ4 said:

Now the story changes .
You didn’t pay it all to Ana. you paid on line. Probably to one of the many 3rd party payment sites out there. Now I understand why she was unable to help  you.. although I bet she tried.

In case you don't know Telcel has a website and that is what I used. Scam people and companies my my!

Ana must be giving you a percentage or maybe you are related?

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14 hours ago, CADmn said:

Is there an English speaking att number I can call besides *611, which was Spanish only. I got an 8 month plan with att in Merida, Yucatan last October, but she thought plan wouldn't work when I return to Canada on 13april. I only post here because I'm pressed for time to know exactly what I have. My texting never worked, which was annoying, and voicemail doesn't work either. The loss of those two never bothered me much because most people I met here in Chapala either didn't have phones or if they did they didn't have texting.

When I checked att's website it said the only office in the lake area was closed. My contact in Merida who sold me a new phone and plan was useless. It's obvious they're just vendors selling att products but can't/don't know how/don't care to help when problems arise. I guess I'll know if I have roaming when I land in Canada, but I doubt it.

 

Just take your phone to Canada and use it as long as they leave it on. It is cheap enough to use and you have already paid. You should at a Mexico ATT office how to call another north American phone when you are roaming/ I think last time we just dialed 1 & area code and number. If that doesn't work call (plus) +1 and number.  The plus is accessed differently on different phones. The ATT prepaid plans DO include North America calling and roaming, use it all you can  include roaming and calling all north American numbers. Remember you phone for incoming calls still has a Mexico number. To call ours even if in the northern countries one has to press (plus) + 52 331-XXXX. 

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8 minutes ago, geeser said:

I think last time we just dialed 1 & area code and number. 

I use Telcel, not ATT, but when in Canada, calling Canadian numbers does not use +1. My phone when in Canada becomes a "Canadian" phone, so dialing is just like if you were calling from a Canadian landline or Canadian cell phone. Which is why you then have to input +52 and the number when phoning Mexico.

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4 minutes ago, CADmn said:

Thanks Geeser. I was concerned it wouldn't work at all in Canada once I get there.

Some carrier in Canada uses that same frequency and will swap in a new 

SIM card when your phone stops working. You will just sign a new contract on their plan and it shouldn't take more than 20 minutes.

One of the carriers Rogers Wireless, Bell Mobility, Freedom Mobile, or Telus Mobilie will be on the same frequency as ATT. That is the one to try first.

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27 minutes ago, mudgirl said:

I use Telcel, not ATT, but when in Canada, calling Canadian numbers does not use +1. My phone when in Canada becomes a "Canadian" phone, so dialing is just like if you were calling from a Canadian landline or Canadian cell phone. Which is why you then have to input +52 and the number when phoning Mexico.

That is probably more current than my info. I operated a cell phone company as an agent but that ended 29 years ago.

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Let's be honest here. NOB AT&T was an absolute disaster to deal with. No reason to think they would be any better in Mexico. The fact that a billion dollar corporation won't make good on a dishonest employee's theft should tell you all you need to know. Couple that with many 'dead zones' Lakeside and I can't understand why anyone even bothers with them.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 4/9/2022 at 4:38 PM, mudgirl said:

I use Telcel, not ATT, but when in Canada, calling Canadian numbers does not use +1. My phone when in Canada becomes a "Canadian" phone, so dialing is just like if you were calling from a Canadian landline or Canadian cell phone. Which is why you then have to input +52 and the number when phoning Mexico.

Yes, I use the phone like it's Canadian based now that I'm back there. 'Rogers' now appears on my phone, so they are AT&T's partner. I'm curious though, Mudgirl, who do you use when you're in Canada? I'll probably switch to Telcell when I'm back in Mexico. Does Telcell have a cell partner in Canada?

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11 hours ago, CADmn said:

I'm curious though, Mudgirl, who do you use when you're in Canada

I only go to Canada once a year for a month or two to visit kids and grandkids, so no Canadian carrier.

Rogers also is what shows up for Telcel, at least in BC, where I go.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 4/10/2022 at 5:15 PM, MtnMama said:

Let's be honest here. NOB AT&T was an absolute disaster to deal with. No reason to think they would be any better in Mexico. The fact that a billion dollar corporation won't make good on a dishonest employee's theft should tell you all you need to know. Couple that with many 'dead zones' Lakeside and I can't understand why anyone even bothers with them.

I can tell you why on my experience.  I had Telmex phone with supposedly unlimited service.  One month , as I was preparing for a trip to the US, I had to make a lot of calls there.  My service stopped working. The Telmex office said they shut down my service because I made "too many calls" on my unlimited plan.  The clerk also said this has been done to other customers.

Telmex is also dishonest.

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On 4/6/2022 at 5:35 PM, geeser said:

AT&T got off to a horrible start in Ajijic in 2018 due to an employee Jorge who who activated cell phones for gringos and possibly nationals as well. If cash was paid it seems it went in his pocket but I activated an iPhone with a credit card. After a couple of months most of these phones were turned off by AT&T. It waa in the Gusd Reporter that the money was taken by the employee who never filed an actual contract. Who knows how much the thief made off with.  Not ATT fault anyone can hire a rotten apple. ATT's  huge mistake was the refusal to honor the paper contracts many people received for a cash payment. So they refused service and would not honor these contracts and refused to refund the cash paid shown on these contracts. This was a public relations  disaster caused by a thieving employee who was improperly supervised but the company refusal to correct his crime probably doomed them at lakeside for a generation. The 2 year contract we used a credit card to purchase provided excellent service with unlimited data, calling Mexico, USA and Canada and allowing  roaming there as well. Last week we received an email notifying us that both our phones were going to be. out of service on April 4, 2022i We went to the store and he (sic) looked up the contracts   We agreed to renew them both and wanted the 2 year contract quoted at $4640mn.  The current employee tried to run the credit card, but said the system was down but cash would work or come back later. 4 hours later it was still not working. I smelled a rat.  We returned once a day on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday. The story changed from system down to credit card not approved on three different cards. Then our Mexican debit card was not approved . Each time he insisted cash would work. Today we drove to an ATT office in the center where Superama was located on  south of Fresco grocery on Lopez Mateos/ Colima highway just south of Costco but on the west side if the street. The credit card renewal went right through of course and the cost of the 2 year contract was $4537 now with unlimited calls and text Mexico, USA and Ca with roaming in each. Avoid the AT&T store in Ajijic. The current employee may be honest but all the symptoms were there.

My plan with them is going to expire this month.  Is there anyother way I can renew it besides the Ajijic shop?

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7 hours ago, Zeb said:

My plan with them is going to expire this month.  Is there anyother way I can renew it besides the Ajijic shop?

I'm in the US right now, but, you can always pay at AT&T online or sign up there.  I've called the AT&T corporate office in Dallas Texas when I've had problems in the past.  A friend calls the "Office of the president" there and they always help.  Though I've never called The office of the President.

 

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  • 4 months later...

Ive been trying to talk to someone at at&t verbally over the phone in English for months now. I'm in Canada and my at&t prepaid phone plan ends on October 12. They sent me a link on September 12 to renew another prepaid term, with extras if I want them. In addition to many emails to them, with a 'no' response for adding voicemail, and a phone number they gave me that doesn't work, I get caught (for last 3 hours) in a loop with my at&t and Scotiabank trying to pay for another term with them online.  I've spent many hours in the last few months regarding at&t with no satisfaction. Any numbers they give me by emails or text don't work, or it's a Spanish recording. I've never experienced this degree of frustration trying to give someone money. 

I'm at the ultimate degree of frustration. If I can't talk to someone over the phone in the next few days, I'll have to buy some other plan. Does anyone have an at&t number that will talk to me in English?

Also, assuming I've given up on at&t does anyone know of a cheap phone plan (usually Mexican) that I can sign up to immediately online? 

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