Best Buy & Geek Squad Policies

[kweickert]

I just bought the New iPad 32 Gb ATT 4g.  Like many others that purchased at Best Buy, I am not happy with my experience in regards to the purchase.  I could go on and on about all the other stuff (mobile hots spots, external storage, etc.) that the salesperson was trying to push and I turned down.  But, I will stick to the main point.  BB is not being honest about the data plans. 

They offered to activate my ATT $14.99 monthly data plan for me.  (They didn't inform me that there was such a low cost plan.  I already knew that).   I figured OK, might save me trouble later (actually, opposite was true).  He then informed me that ATT charges a $35.00 activation fee.  That didn't sound right to me, because a benefit of the iPad data plan was supposed to be able to turn on/off via the iPad without activation fees.

Through my own research time on the internet,  I found that there are prepaid plans and postpaid plans.  BB said nothing of these choices.  They just put me on the postpaid plan.  Apparently, only the prepaid plans can be managed from the iPad.  So, now I have a $35 activation fee postpaid plan that BB pushed me into without informing that there were other options.  And, I can't manage the plan from the iPad!  And that was even though I clearly informed the salesperson that the ability to turn the plan on and off was something that was appealing to me. 

Now, I am stuck with a plan that I didn't want, has a fee that I shouldn't have to pay, and am wondering what kind of wasted time and pain that I'm going to have to go through to get this all undone and put the way that it should have been in the first place.

So far, I've contacted ATT.  They said they can't help with iPad - go talk to Apple.  So, getting run-around from ATT, and now looking to BB for some help undoing the mess they created for me.

Ken

[NoNoBadDog]

If you are within the grace period...you can cancel the AT&T pland through them...you have to do it through AT&T, not Apple or Best Buy.

[kweickert]

From what I'm reading from others that have had this experience, it's not as simple as just canceling the ATT postpaid plan.  Supposedly, that invalidates the sim card in the iPad, and I have to obtain a new sim card.  Haven't confirmed that yet, though.

Thanks,

Ken

[NoNoBadDog]

It shouldn't deactivate the card, but then we are talking about AT&T here...so I guess I wouldn't be surprised....

[kweickert]

I contacted ATT a second time, not accepting their first answer of referring me to Apple, and asked for a better response.  This time, I got a very good answer from ATT, which I have pasted below.  Apparently, the BB salesperson was incorrect about the $35 ATT activation fee.  And ATT confirmed that I do have to go to an ATT store and get a new sim card to switch to the prepaid plans that you can manage from the iPad.  Here is ATT's response:

"Please allow me to address your concerns in the order that you presented them:

1. AT&T does not have a $35 fee. I have also verified that your account has not been charged a fee for the activation of your iPad.

2. Your iPad was activated on a post-paid data plan to be billed as another line on your existing account. If you wish to subscribe to a session-based data plan instead of the post-paid data plan you are currently subscribed to you will be required to go to an AT&T-owned retail store and a sales representative will have to cancel the existing line and activate a new line with a new SIM card in it's place on a session-based data plan. Please keep in mind that session-based data plans required that your iPad be billed on another account separate from your existing AT&T account. To locate a store near you please use the following link:

wireless.att.com/find-a-store

3. Canceling/Activating an iPad data plan will not result in a fee.

4. I am not at liberty to say that you should/should not subscribe to a session-based data plan or post-paid data plan. This decision must be made by each customer of their own free will. Just keep in mind that session-based data plans are unable to be billed on your existing AT&T account and post-paid data plans can be billed on your existing AT&T account."

I hope others that read this post learn from my bad experience at BB, and not activate their data plan in the store.  Do it yourself from the iPad!

Ken

[Jesus-BBY Senior Social Media Specialist]

kweickert –

Thank you for taking to the time to share your concerns with us. I was disappointed to read about all the misunderstandings regarding the iPad Data plans. I see that our friends over at AT&T have cleared this up for you. I was happy to see that! I’ll be sure to properly document your concerns for further review. Please let me know if you have additional questions, comments or concerns!

Thanks,

[DanK Best Buy Employee]

For AT&T, I do usually recommend the postpaid data plans. There still is no contract, and no activation fee, and you can add it to an existing AT&T bill. However, Verizon does charge an activation fee for their embedded tablets.

[Mbrguy Emerging Expert]

AT&T doesn't charge an activation fee to the best of my knowledge for the iPad.  I would go to the management at that store and complain because it sounds like you got a raw deal.  Either that, or you can wait for the Community Connectors to look into this for you and help get these things settled.  Sorry that you had to go through this.