U-Verse Equipment Recycle

First and foremost, I would ignore that e-mail.  AT&T, a communication company, excels at miscommunication and you cannot get them to quit doing stupid things.  You will no doubt soon receive another e-mail (or physical mail) instruction instructing you to return all your equipment or face a $150 non-return fee per item if you do not do so with 21 days.

Please take your U-verse account number, and any AT&T Equipment, Receivers, power supplies, WAP, possibly remotes?, and Gateway (if you discontinued AT&T Internet as well) to the nearest location of The UPS Store or FedEx Office (note: one of these specific storefronts with the name indicated, not a drop-off or a shipping center).  They will take your account number, scan in the equipment to be returned, give you a receipt and ship the equipment back to AT&T.  Hold on to that receipt until your grandchildren are out of college.  If they say that AT&T doesn't want some of it back, they normally can accept electronics for recycling.

Thanks for the response and advice JefferMC.   The inconsistent communication with a dose of greenwashing certainly leaves this customer wondering.

My local UPS store took all the equipment no questions asked and provided a receipt.  I can't shake the thought if I would have followed the recycle advice, I would have been battling a $150 charge down the line.

Thanks again. 

AT&T is sending new U-Verse internet equipment and yesterday, they told me to be sure to mail back the old equipment to avoid $150 non-return fee.  They emailed a return label for this purpose. (Pitney Bowes).  It instructs me to go the US Postal Service to mail or drop in a mailbox.   This conflicts with AT&T's verbal instructions to use UPS or FedEx. 

Today I got the same "recycling" email that HerbF received (above).   Likewise, clicking on the "for step-by-step instructions and to print a pre-paid shipping label" link, I am directed to a general ATT site. 

I suppose I will take the old equipment to my UPS store as HerbF did.  Thanks for following up on your experience.

Ridiculous that AT&T can't get this right! 

I received a letter saying I do not need to return.  The letter directed me to directv/com/recycle but the options for returning equipment only listed Directv receiver or Directv other.  (I switched to Directv Stream). Just called AT&T & they sent me a return label, but it is for USPS not UPS. Pretty sure USPS won't package it for me ...

but the label shows no postage necessary.

The return is to Pitney Bowes Returns

Hey @Nan2007, let's start working on your device return.

What service did you have, and what product are you trying to return? You can find more info on returning U-verse and DirecTV equipment below.

• U-verse equipment

• DirecTV equipment

Please let us know if this information helps!

Tyler, AT&T Community Specialist

I went to UPS and returned it there. Much easier as there was no other paperwork like a return form with the USPS label. UPS scanned the back label of the receiver/dvr for the S/N & model so I feel more confident that AT&T will know what I sent.

We're glad you were able to return your device, @Nan2007!

If you need anything else, feel free to reach back out!

Thanks for using AT&T Community Forums.

Tyler, AT&T Community Specialist

At this point its basically a scam at&t runs.  They also sometimes mail physical letters saying to recycle old equipment.  Always return it if you don't want fees charged.

Even weirder I realized when I went to find one of the old letters to upload for someone that the letter I had was actually from directtv(on at&t letterhead), even though I've never had directtv or directv stream, only uverse tv.  At&t's computer systems just automatically send meaningless e-mails and letters to customers.  Any company that wasn't a telecom with an arbitration clause would get su*d (rhymes with dude) for these illegal practices