I paid my AT&T wireless balance, in full, through a customer rep. NOT ONCE did the representative inform me of the $5.00 charge...she told me my balance was at zero...she explained all the different ways in which I could check my most current balance, etc.

Shortly after my payment was made I logged on to make sure the payment had indeed posted to my account...and there sat a FIVE DOLLAR BALANCE!! How sneaky and unprofessional of the rep. to withhold this important information.

Yes folks, utility and mortgage companies DO charge for phone payments...but they ALWAYS inform the customer and they NEVER, I mean NEVER fail to add it to your phone payment. The charge instantly attaches to the outstanding balance. Paid in one nice little transaction.

The $5.00 charge is not unusual...it's the lack of communication with the customer and adding it to the next bill, without choice, that disturbs me.

I regret that I called customer care in the first place, I would've paid on the internet had I known I would be paying $5.00, on TOP of the $722. balance they let me rack up as a new customer.

That's a whole other story....UGH

I do occasionally ponder going to Sprint for SERO but somehow i don't mind paying Verizon for my basic, basic $39.95 a month for 450 minutes deal. I like my t-mo phone better, but try getting service in Castle Rock, Toutle, or Darrington...

Tampa Electric was doing the $5 charge for internet/phone payments by credit card. After I contacted Visa, Tampa Electric changed it to $5 charge for ANY payment (check or credit card) over the phone/internet. Boo Tampa Electric! Boo!

All of my other utilities gladly accept my money in any form I wish to send it.

Oh, wait, I can't because AT&T insists on using Flash on the login verification page, and that's blocked at work.

How's Sprint again, and that SERO thingy?

@Syrenia: You don't have to pay to get your bill. You will start getting a summary bill in the mail, and are able to view the detailed bill online for free.

The reason is to save paper. If they sent a bill with everything detailed you'd have 20 pages of text messages (each one) and 300 pages of internet usage (each time your phone transmits data).

If this wasn't done you'd be complaining about receiving a box in the mail with your bill (as many people have done). If you really want the box, you can pay 1.99 a month to cover postage.

I seriously doubt there will be a 5.00 charge for all payments. They probably want people to use the automated system (*PAY, paystations or online). They've been pushing for more online usage over the last year, and maybe this is just another push for that.

We're already supposed to charge 2.00 when paying the bill at a register instead of using the paystation, but no one in my store or other stores I've worked in have charged that fee in over 2 years...

I love it. I have to pay to get my bill.

When I logged on to pay off the remaining balance on my account, my family talk account came up instead. So I get a collections letter later that month. Yikes. Turns out they just never billed me for the remaining amount.

I called and paid it over the phone after making sure what it was, and though they already had the card to charge it to, said it would soon cost $5 to this.

Personally, the first thing you hear when you call is "To Pay your bill." $5 to just get a person to use the automated system? Jeez.

So, I tried the next $.50 and called again. This time, the wrong number picked up. Evidently, I don't know my own phone number. So, I didn't get my money back this time either.

Here is where the story gets fun. I dialed "0" and got an operator. I told the operator what had happened, and she explained that there were directions on the phone for getting my money. In this case, I would need to mail in a complaint, an approach that wasn't about to help me. I asked if I could make a collect call. She explained that the call could originate from the phone, but as a local provider she couldn't connect the call. She asked me who my long distance provider was. I told her Verizon. Then she said, "I can't connect you with Verizon, would you like me to connect you with a long distance provider?"

I asked, "Which provider?"

She said, "AT&T."

I asked, "Are you affiliated with AT&T?"

She said, "I'm a local operator."

I asked, "Are you affiliated with AT&T?"

She said, "You will need to be connected to a long distance provider to complete your call."

I said, "Will you please tell me if you are affiliated with AT&T?"

She then explained that I didn't need to know that. But when I continued to press, she relented telling me she was. She was channeling business to AT&T, who wanted $4.99 to connect the collect call and $1.15/minute once connected.

I hate AT&T with a passion.

I had a cell phone contract with AT&T for one year, about 7 years ago. They have lost my business forever. I avoid everything AT&T touches because they are ruthless bastards on the phone. AT&T deserves every shitty customer service review that consumer reports gives them. They are THE worst.

I really hate having to pay to pay!

It might be something one should look at in regards to fees when paid with credit cards. I know it's big no-no in the Visa play book for any company to charge you extra for making a payment. That whole "Minimum" purchase is a violation of Visa's merchant agreement. Hope this helps.

-Eshin

screw em it costs them more to process a paper check that an online or phone payment. Pay all your bills by check. If no uses the phone payment or online payment systems they will cease to be profit centers. I personally will never ever pay a company to receive my money. How would it play out if you told your employer that each time you got a paycheck he had to pay you a processing fee.

It would be a lot less bitter to swallow if they started actually advertising all their fees and surcharges added on.

I refuse to do business with any merchant that wants to charge me a "convience charge " for paying my bill.

Nor will I allow ANYONE to automatically debit my accounts.

Set up online bill paying and set your own system to automatically pay the bill. I have never paid one of these fees nor will I in the future.

I sincerely sympathis with those of you that have gotten bills late and have been placed in this quandry.

The electric/gas utility I work for is FORBIDDEN by the state commission to include any fees charged by credit card/debit card companies in the overall energy rates, and has ORDERED us to include it as part of the paynment of any customer who chooses to pay with a credit or debit card.

They wouldn't allow us to eat it if we wanted to!

I think Banana republic has this also. i called up to pay my bill and the lady told me there was a $10 fee to pay over the phone. I said to her "You're charging me because I want to pay you? do you realize how ridiculous that is?" and after a few seconds of silence she said "i know sir but it's policy". Needless to say i paid by snail mail

@jaydez: Um, most also charge for paying online.

I love the logic of charging someone for the convenience of making your payment. Seriously, when did we let this happen? Rise up!!

@Tank:
nah thats the truth. Having a cell phone is a availablity tax. Want to be available 24/7 then buy a cell phone. But they give a cell phone a power button, and sometimes you miss calls, so your being falsly taxed. It's time to riot.

AT&T has announced that they are starting a new program to ensure that people get connected to the right party. Called Right Party Connect. Now each time you push a button on the phone you'll be charged 10 Cents. Local Calls which are .70 Cents and Long distance calls which are 1 Dollar will ensure that your call goes through everytime you punch in the correct number. No need to call us to activate this wonderful feature. It's already mandatory and in place. We'll even go back and retro charge you for the past three months so you won't have to go looking up your old phone bills.
Right Connect - It's what is Right with AT&T

*Right Connect does not guarentee that you will be connected to the right party or even the person you tried to call. No refunds period for missed calls, wrong numbers, little billy getting ahold of the phone. If you disagree with this new fee we will send over our "family" to take care of the problem.

Or is the case that it does not matter?

At-least with Comcast if you pay by phone using the automated system, there is no charge.

Man, normally I thought no power in the 'verse could stop companies from finding ways to take your money. Shouldnt they be happy you're paying your bills?

I would bet they will start charging for phone payments, then for sending them a check.

I think it is time for some government law or Public Utility Commission rules barring companies from charging you to end services or charging you to make a payment.

More than half the companies I deal with on a regular basis do this. If you need to pay by phone you are cutting your bills way too close. Pay 7-10 days before the due date by check... or go online and make the payment. Its not that tough.

This is the rule, rather than the exception, among utility-type companies with monthly recurring fees: my mortgage company, electric company, gas company & cable company (comcast) all charge fees for credit card payments. Only Sprint holds the line!

My last cable company, RCN, was totally frank about the fee being for "convenience," rather than cost. Because that's what the business model: find a way to monetize every single thing about them that you might view in a postive (or even neutral) light.

My bank charges $10 to take a payment over the phone for my home loan.

Comcast already has a fee like this; I think it's $4 to pay over the phone.