dslreports logo
 
    All Forums Hot Topics Gallery
spc
Search similar:


uniqs
5765
AgentGoat
join:2011-09-07
Springfield, OH

AgentGoat

Member

AT&T/Yahoo email trainwreck

I'm a local "computer guy" helping an elderly fellow here, and we're trapped between AT&T and Yahoo. I'm a uverse user myself as well. I've gone through support processes with AT&T many, many times.

This gentleman has an @yahoo.com email address that pre-dates his use of AT&T as an ISP. He was originally a DSL customer as of ~2006 and is now a Uverse user.

As of this past Wed. or so, his password stopped working for his email, for unknown reasons (hacks? Who knows). I attempted to help him through the password reset process on yahoo, only to get bumped to AT&T. Ok... linked account.

Naturally he didn't even know he *had* an AT&T user ID, so off to tech support to get that straightened out. Turns out the user ID is auto-generated random text + numbers, but we got it, got a password on it, and got into the control panel. This password does not work for the @yahoo.com email either, as expected.

AT&T support claims that a linked yahoo account should appear as a sub-account in the AT&T control panel (Is this correct?). The sub-account panel is empty in his account. Maybe not a linked account? Off to yahoo email support, who claim that this is indeed a linked account which is AT&T's problem.

Back to AT&T tech support on Friday, explained the situation. They tried to help, as they always do; their idea was to create the yahoo account as a new sub-account, which naturally won't work, new sub-accounts are @att.net. Tech support punts... they'll call back tomorrow, which of course they didn't.

So here I am. Obviously tech support has no template for dealing with this situation, and I have no appetite for another hour on the phone when they seem unwilling to bump me to a higher level. Does anyone have a suggestion for getting this thing dealt with?

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

Forosnai
join:2011-09-30

Forosnai

Member

Sounds like he imported his yahoo ID over as a paid ATT account. When that is done they are exactly the same, but all the password and security stuff behind ATT's walled garden is done as xxx@att.net.
For instance, if his yahoo email address is oldman2@yahoo.com then do change or manage the password you have to go to att.com and change the password to oldman2@att.net. They are effectively the same email account.
AgentGoat
join:2011-09-07
Springfield, OH

AgentGoat

Member

Hmm... that is interesting, b/c the prefix on his @att.net login is @att.net. We did change the password on that, and it had no effect on the @yahoo.com.

I guess I could try logging in as @att.net and see if that works at all... thanks for the suggestion!

Forosnai
join:2011-09-30

Forosnai to AgentGoat

Member

to AgentGoat
If the level 1 tech agents can't explain the breakdown of the email accounts for you, just kindly ask to go to a level 2 tech more familiar with solving ATT email problems.
The following article may give some insight if it is indeed a merged Yahoo ID.»www.att.com/esupport/art ··· bGYmXCR2
AgentGoat
join:2011-09-07
Springfield, OH

AgentGoat

Member

Thanks again... I had found that page, but alas we were already locked out of yahoo, so I couldn't get in to try that and find out.

Forosnai
join:2011-09-30

Forosnai to AgentGoat

Member

to AgentGoat
It really could be a case where he quite literally has a "free" and non-merged @yahoo.com mail account completely separate from the same identical address @att.net, and the password reset pushing you over to ATT is just a user error or browser cookie problem. Level 2 should be able help you sort it.
AgentGoat
join:2011-09-07
Springfield, OH

AgentGoat

Member

The cookie angle is interesting as well.

I suspected it might be a non-linked account, but yahoo support claims their records show that it is in fact an ATT linked account.

I'll head back there tomorrow and try these things, and then call up and request Tier 2 if need be.

Thanks again for your help.

NormanS
I gave her time to steal my mind away
MVM
join:2001-02-14
San Jose, CA
TP-Link TD-8616
Asus RT-AC66U B1
Netgear FR114P

1 edit

NormanS to Forosnai

MVM

to Forosnai
said by Forosnai:

Sounds like he imported his yahoo ID over as a paid ATT account. When that is done they are exactly the same, but all the password and security stuff behind ATT's walled garden is done as xxx@att.net.

Sounds a bit different from what I remember. Back when I was a customer, and before SBC bought AT&T, I was able to "merge" a free Yahoo! Mail account with the SBC account; but the Yahoo! account did not become a sub-account, it became an alias to whichever sub account I merged it with.

Edit to demonstrate:

Merged accounts.

Although the same user name was used for both, I have also merged with different user names. I have not recently played with account management; not since leaving AT&T.

Forosnai
join:2011-09-30

Forosnai

Member

Yup. If it's merged it doesn't become a sub account at all. The @yahoo.com and the @(insert att domain) effectively become the same exact account, same inbox, all the same mail settings, etc, but the @yahoo.com name just turns into an alias of the @(insert att domain) account.
It's a poor implementation on ATT's part because you can go years just typing in the @yahoo to check mail and have all your mail addressed to, but the second you need to actually mange the account password typing @yahoo behind ATT's walled garden doesn't fly.

kevver
join:2003-12-11
Palatine, IL

kevver to AgentGoat

Member

to AgentGoat
The same thing happened to me on 2/10 or 2/11. My old (pre-uverse) sbcglobal.net account can not be accessed. This account was previously merged with Yahoo. Also I can't access Yahoo with the ID I've been using for many years.