Reach out and touch someone

Yesterday was my lucky day when it came to all things AT&T. AT&T, all is forgiven!

It started with the mystery cheque. I ripped it open, it was for quite a bit of money, and I was very confused. The usual deal is that *I* send AT&T money, not the other way 'round. Had AT&T, in a bout of generousity, randomly decided to send its customers money? And if so, for what? I called the phone company of AT&T and they denied all knowledge of said cheque. I had no promotion, no rebate, no nothing. But the service rep was very kind and tried about 80 gazillion things to figure out the cheque. I apologized for taking up her time and gave her my sob story about having all my identifying information stolen a few months ago, and was wondering if this cheque had something to do with that or was it one of those deals when I cashed it, I was suddenly and automatically locked into some hideous program, possibly one with the evilest of all evil, call waiting?

Finally, we figured out that the cheque had to do with my cable service, not the phone or the DSL (my phone and DSL are in my initials, my cable in full name). Turns out that AT&T had stopped charging for my level of cable service about five months ago and was refunding ALL THE MONEY BACK TO ME. And on top of that, they will NO LONGER CHARGE ME. I nearly fell over. "Are you sure?" I kept asking. Who gives away cable service for free? Granted, I only get local service, but *still*. For *free*, people, for *free*.

And then I wanted to get the DSL thing straightened out. The last time I'd talked to AT&T, they'd said if I added like 80 gazillion services to my phone, including the bane of my existence, call waiting, I could keep the $14.99 rate for DSL. Reasoning with the rep didn't seem to work at that time, because he didn't seem to understand the concept of math, and addition, and how adding $19 worth of stuff to my phone to get $15 worth of DSL still added up to $34/month and that was exactly what I was trying to avoid in the first place and in the second place, why would I -- a girl with TWO cell phones -- need $19 worth of stuff on a landline I barely use?

Anyway, yesterday, they re-upped my DSL for $14.99/month, up a nickle from my previous rate, but hey, I think I can find a nickle in my sofa cushions to pay for the increase. Turns out if you just *call* AT&T to renew prior to expiration, they will re-up you at the same rate. Plus, according to the rep I talked to, I'm not in a 1-year agreement either; I can cancel anytime without a termination fee. However, the rate itself is only guaranteed for a year.

So go me. Not only did I get what I wanted for the DSL, I now get free cable.

Maybe I should go play the lottery now.