Action: Sorry, wrong answer, but here it is

Over the past months, Action has received numerous complaints against AT&T. Most involved problems with the pricing and/or billing plans. All shared at least one common theme, however: the impossibility of getting through to a customer service agent with the ability to solve problems. Consumers either get lost in AT&T's voice mail system or spend endless amounts of time on hold. They could also never get the same customer service rep twice, and no two reps give the same answers.

In an effort to help our readers, we asked AT&T what advice we could give its customers to easily and quickly resolve their billing problems.

The answer we received from AT&T did not address our question, "How can people reach a live person at AT&T who can help them?" We will continue to try to find out.

In the meantime, here's the answer we did receive, and since problems with operator-assisted calls are not foreign to Action, we thought we'd pass on AT&T's do's and don'ts for using an operator's help.

Do use operator assistance:

If you'd like to speak to a specific person or call a specific department, extension or office. This is known as a person-to-person call. You must use an operator to make this kind of call.

If you'd like to make a call and charge it to a number you specify. Known as a third party call, billing is subject to operator verification that the party will accept responsibility for payment. Once again, only an operator can do this for you.

If you have an emergency and need to interrupt the conversation of the person you are calling. Busy line verification and interrupt can be used only to verify whether a line is off the hook or simply busy.

If you need assistance placing an international call, the operator can help with dialing instructions.

If you prefer to use the operator to help you place your calls and accept the higher costs for this personalized service. The operator will do the dialing for you and can help with alternative billing methods.

Operator assistance is a personalized service and is priced accordingly. Customers should be sure their needs justify the expense involved. Though rates for in-state calls can be significantly lower, the maximum cost of a person-to-person and third party call made to another state is 89 cents a minute with a $9.99 operator service charge. A state-to-state busy line verification and interrupt call is a flat rate of $9.99. Since it costs AT&T more to maintain and provide operator assistance, the charges to the consumer are higher than other methods of calling.

Don't use operator assistance:

To dial a number you prefer to dial yourself. If you need assistance, ask an AT&T operator for dialing instructions. After assistance is given, hang up and try the call yourself. If you ask operators to connect the call for you, they will do as requested, but at a higher operator-assisted rate. When you place a call, if a recording states there is trouble on the line, wait a few minutes and try again. Otherwise, call repair toll-free at 1-800-222-3000.

To make a credit card, calling card or collect call. Instead, call toll-free 1-800-225-5288 (CALL ATT), and listen to the prompts. Operators cannot connect prepaid calls.

For directory assistance. Use "00" info by dialing "00" from a phone subscribed to AT&T, or dial toll-free 1-800-225-5288 from any phone and use prompt four.

For more information, customers can call toll-free 1-800-222-0300 or visit AT&T's Web site at www.att.com. Other consumer-related tips are also available at www.att.com/consumertips.

Miles for charity

Are there charities that accept frequent flier miles? I don't travel enough to use those I have. I have them on several airlines. Murry Seidenberg

Response: We suggest you call the customer service number for your frequent flier programs. A brief check of airline Web sites found that most, if not all, have programs that allow passengers to donate their frequent flier miles to charities. For instance, US Airways' dividend miles charity program distributes donated dividend miles equally between the Make-a-Wish foundation and Save the Children. It was not always easy to find the information on the airline Web sites, however; hence the suggestion to make a phone call

An alternative would be to call the charities of your choice and ask if they accept donated miles, and if so, how.

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Action solves problems and gets answers for you. If you have a question, or your own attempts to resolve a consumer complaint have failed, write Times Action, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731, or call your Action number, (727) 893-8171, or, outside of Pinellas, toll-free 1-800-333-7505, ext. 8171, to leave a recorded request.

Requests will be accepted only by mail or voice mail; calls cannot be returned. We will not be responsible for personal documents, so please send only photocopies. If your complaint concerns merchandise ordered by mail, we need copies of both sides of your canceled check.

We may require additional information or prefer to reply by mail; therefore, readers must provide a full mailing address, including ZIP code. Names of letter writers will not be omitted except in unusual circumstances. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

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