Does ATT require a credit check for internet?
AT&T is one of the leading internet service providers in America and has been providing internet services to millions of residents in the country. When registering for the AT&T internet service, one of the most frequent questions that go through the minds of the clients is? does AT&T perform credit checks for the internet? Here, we will examine the answer to that question in detail.
In general, AT&T does not run a credit check whenever you register for the standalone internet service that they provide to their clients. This is true for various categories of AT&T home internet, which include DSL, fiber, and fixed wireless. If you are only applying for a broadband internet connection, you will likely not have to go through a Hard Credit Inquiry or check.
A credit check is rarely done unless you are opting for bundled services where you agree to have an ATT phone, TV, and/or Internet service. However, if you are interested in a particular automobile, they may perform a soft or hard pull on your credit to ascertain your qualifications and deposit. Hence, it is more likely to check your credit history when signing up for an AT&T bundle or triple play package as compared to the internet-only package.
However, it is important to point out that although AT&T does not typically conduct a credit check on standalone internet customers, other qualifications are taken into account. These are things like an existing balance that you have or equipment that has not been returned in previous accounts. If so, they may not serve you again until you move out or sort out whatever problems you have. They will also run your credit if you had collections or non-payment problems with AT&T in the past.
In conclusion, AT&T mainly verifies credit when extending other services such as TV and phone in addition to internet. This also gives them a way to verify whether you are eligible for the bundled discount pricing. But if you are getting internet only without the other services, in most cases the credit check is not going to be run on you. But it’s still possible to check other eligibility criteria such as past due balances or collections related to AT&T in particular.
Why does AT&T run your credit for bundled plans?
Extra services provided involve ATT checking potential customers’ credit scores when subscribing to other services with deposits. In other words, customers with poor credit ratings are deemed to have higher credit risks or likely to default on their balances. To reduce such risk with bundled plans, AT&T might demand that you pay a deposit before activating your services. This deposit serves as a credit balance they can use when you fail to pay your bill as required for some time.
Well, in a nutshell, what AT&T does is that credit checks with bundles to determine whether or not a deposit is required depending on one’s credit risk. Customers with a good credit rating probably will not be required to pay a deposit. However, people with a bad or no credit history might be required to pay a deposit which can cost as little as $100 or as much as $450 depending on the services to be bundled. This deposit is fully refundable upon ticket renewal after 12 consecutive months of on-time payments.
Does AT&T perform a hard pull or soft pull credit check during the job application process?
Although AT&T may perform a credit check when you sign up for bundled service, in most cases it will be a ‘soft’ credit check. Soft credit checks are also referred to as soft pulls and they include those credit checks that do not in any way affect your credit score. It means that even if AT&T gently tugs on your credit to assess your deposit, it will not have the same effect as a hard inquiry on your credit score.
Hard credit checks are performed in crucial circumstances, such as when you apply for one of AT&T’s credit cards or opt for an installment plan to buy a new phone and pay for it in installments. Such credit applications enable AT&T to offer you real credit or lending terms. So unlike when a creditor checks your creditworthiness for a deposit, which is considered a soft pull, hard pulls show that you have applied for credit and have been approved for it, and usually means that you are regularly paying for it on credit.
Is it possible not to let AT&T perform a credit check on you?
The best way to not get your credit checked by AT&T is to only request stand-alone high-speed internet service with no bundle services. From the information given above, it is also clear that standalone internet from AT&T does not usually entail regular credit checks in most cases.
If you do want TV and phone services and you want them bundled, another area where you may be able to avoid a credit check is if you pay for the first 2-3 months when you sign the contract. Doing so demonstrates that you’re willing to pay something and that you are sincere about payment. It mitigates the immediate nonpayment risk from the perspective of AT&T. As such, they may do away with the normal credit check and deposit system.
However, one can agree that even if you pay several months in advance, the company may still perform a credit check. In the end, this relies on the specific customer service attendant one has to engage and the internal protocols at the time of the interaction. However, evidence of the ability to prepay a portion of the bill can be a sign of creditworthiness without going through the credit check process.
Overall, it is clear that the main factor that influences the credit check policy of AT&T is whether you are signing up for basic internet service or combining it with other products such as television and phone. Internet by itself generally does not involve a credit check. But bundled plans often do dictate deposit requirements based on your financial risk level. Being aware of AT&T’s current credit check policies allows you to have proper expectations when opening a new account.
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