Been getting a lot of automated marketing calls this week from AT&T about DirecTV, asking if I'm tired of paying high prices for TV, and if I'm interested in lowering my bill. I just hang up. My automatic assumption is that it's an attempt to get me to add something that will increase my bill.
A year or two ago I noticed my bill went up $30 a month. I checked the previous bill, and they had added NFL Network tier to my service, which I'd never requested. I got on the horn to complain, and the rep said my account showed I signed up for it, and listed the date I requested it I told them flat-out that whoever made that entry lied. The rep finally gave me a $30 credit for that month, and took NFL away. I'm pretty sure it was because earlier I had actually talked to one of their marketing contractors who was pushing NFLN. I always tell them flat-out "no" - and one particular SOB must have went ahead and marked on my account I said "yes". Sneaky bastards.