Yesterday it was everywhere that Consumer Reports rated AT&T the worst service provider, and today this little press release appeared from AT&T stating that the Better Business Bureau rated them A+.. Can you say “Damage Control” ? If you’re interested in what AT&T has to say in their defense then read on, if not continue on, nothing to see here..
Over the past year, AT&T Mobility has recorded the fewest number of Better Business Bureau (BBB) complaints and received the lowest BBB complaint rate among the four largest national wireless carriers, contributing to an average national rating of A+.1
For complaints closed within the last 12 months as of Dec. 3, 2010, AT&T Mobility’s nearest competitor had 32 percent more BBB complaints and its largest competitor had 62 percent more complaints. However, the best way to compare industry peers is by complaint rate, which is calculated by the number of closed complaints per wireless provider subscriber.2 Using this method, AT&T Mobility’s largest competitor had a complaint rate 34 percent higher, and the complaint rate of its two other industry peers were two times and three times more, respectively.
Wireless customers in the U.S. file more core customer issue complaints related to carrier advertising and marketing, contract-early terminated, service related issues, and billing and rates with the various BBBs each year than they do with any other entity.3
Earlier this year, AT&T Mobility announced that it was the only company in America to achieve separate ‘A’ ratings and separate accreditations from every BBB in the U.S. on their report cards for ethical business practices and responsiveness to customers concerns. These rankings are based on BBB confidence that the business is operating in an open and trustworthy manner. Each business undergoes an evaluation in 17 categories including BBB accreditation, how well the company has responded to consumer concerns, the company’s complaint history with the BBB, and the truthfulness of its advertising claims.
1 As of Dec. 3, 2010, AT&T was rated A+ by 100 local BBBs, A by 7 local BBBs and A- by 1 local BBBs.
2 Rate determined by the aggregate number of closed complaints per company as listed on Dec. 3, 2010 on the 108 local BBB Web sites divided by the average quarterly total of reported retail postpaid/retail prepaid subscribers (which does not include connected device and wholesale customers) per company over the last four reported quarters.
3 In 2009, the BBB received 36,086 complaints while the FCC received 18,989 complaints relating to Carrier Advertising and Marketing, Contract-Early Termination, Service Related Issues, and Billing and Rates. The FCC also received 47,902 Telecommunication Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) complaints against wireless carriers which stem from unsolicited text messages and voice calls. Excluding these non-core customer issue complaints, there are roughly twice the number of wireless complaints filed with BBBs as opposed to the FCC.
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
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