AT&T Consumer Lease Services

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AT&T Consumer Lease Services is the d/b/a name of New York City-based Consumer Phone Services LLC, managed by Lucent Technologies. The AT&T name is used under license, as the company is in no way affiliated with AT&T.

Consumer Phone Services bought Lucent's telephone leasing business in 2000, when Lucent reorganized its equipment businesses.

AT&T CLS leases out the following models made by Western Electric:

• Traditional 500/554 Rotary Phone
• Traditional 2500/2554 Touchtone Telephone
• Trimline 220/222 Rotary phone

AT&T CLS also leases the following models released post-breakup, manufactured by AT&T Technologies, Lucent Technologies, or Advanced American Telephones:

• Signature Traditional Telephone Desk Model/Wall Model
• Signature Trimline*
• Signature Princess*

*These are trademarks owned by Lucent Technologies, as these telephones are available for lease only.

AT&T Consumer Lease Services also leases cordless phones & telephone accessories.

Customers of AT&T Consumer Lease Services number less than a million. A majority of the customers are elderly who have found conveinience in simply leasing the same telephone (1). Most customers are also leftovers from before the 1984 breakup of AT&T, who did not opt to purchase their telephones before the buyout option expired in 1987. Such customers have paid for their telephones 10 times over or more prompting critics to call the service overpriced. But customers do retain the benefit of free replacement if the phone ever breaks and free accessories such as long cords.

[edit] External links

• AT&T Consumer Lease Services
• Consumer advocates: Hang up on leased phones: August 16, 2004, by Michael Rubinkam, The Associated Press