Cingular Fined $12.1 Million
The California Public Utilities Commission fined Cingular Wireless $12.1 million after concluding the carrier violated state laws by failing to offer trial periods while imposing early termination fees on customers who sought to end their contracts. Regulators found that Cingular didn't give new subscribers a chance to change their minds during an aggressive expansion that resulted in shoddy service.
Cingular has been a bad little boy...hehehe
Cingular has been a bad little boy...hehehe
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Um you also posted it here.... great.
Too bad that you didn't post the fact that Cingular is making an appeal on a federal level, because the state of california is making it's decision without any basis in the facts. Industry analysts around the country are saying Cingular should get it appealed with no problem based on the fact that the CPUC IGNORED THE FACTS.
Too bad that you didn't post the fact that Cingular is making an appeal on a federal level, because the state of california is making it's decision without any basis in the facts. Industry analysts around the country are saying Cingular should get it appealed with no problem based on the fact that the CPUC IGNORED THE FACTS.
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What facts exactly were ingored? That snipet is the only thing that I've seen on it...I was just posting what I know right now...why don't you share you're knowledge on this subject with the group
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Cingular DID allow customers to terminate their contracts within the original time allotment. Just like current. Cingular even IMPLEMENTED a 15 day return policy DURING that time period. Seeing that there were no california laws (at the time) that required Cingular to do anything different, then Cingular should not be fined. Essentially, California is trying to punish Cingular for breaking laws that were not in effect yet. The CONTRACTS stated that Cingular CANNOT GUARANTEE service in all areas. (no company can). Most important fact.... THE CUSTOMERS SIGNED THESE CONTRACTS. Then they bitch and complain when they are held to the TERMS of the contracts that they signed. That's not cingular's fault. According to their own laws, the CPUC is igno...
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Great, It's good to know Z1 hasn't scared the group off into the dark abyss. I am curious to know what you guys think about this mulit-million dollar fine California is trying to impose on Cingular? Usually the Phonepimp will chime-in and run with this sort of topic 😁
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I work for a competitor of Cingular, however, I must comment on this. There is something called "expost facto". Meaning you can not make a law and then enforce it upon anyone that had done any of this before the law was passed. Regardless of whether or not Cingular had made provisions of recourse for their unsatisfied customers, the fact is, our law makers can not say "it is now illegal to wear a yellow shirt on Tuesadays starting this week, but, Mr. Average Joe, you wore a yellow shirt last Tuesday and now will be fined for it."-BLS
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there's a big forum thread in the cingular forum with the exact same topic. basically my opinion is that Cingular will defeat this on appeals.
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Airwar said:I'm personally of the idea that we have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA what will happen because NONE of us work in the California legal system.
Where are you guys on this. 🙄
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The California legal system is set up to make the California goverment money 😛 Did you know that E911 charge that is on the bills in Calafornia being charged by the goverement was charged for almost a year before they got the E911 systems set up? Even though all wireless providers were government mandated to have the systems avaliable and it was avaliable Californa charged the surchage but didn't set the systems up in the call centers. too bad you can't fine the government 😛
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Exactly. And whether or not Cingular sucessfully appeals is irrelevant. Any bad press like that makes the company mentioned look less credible which is hardly something to take lightly in the wireless industry.
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That's not true at all actually. The more times you see a brand name in the news, the more the brand name sells. Case in point.... MICROSOFT. If you're looking for a MORE credible industry, look into insurance 🙄
The wireless industry's "reputation" is already in the toilet.
The wireless industry's "reputation" is already in the toilet.
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You have a point, but then again you don't. The more you see a name the more it sticks in your head, but that doesn't necessarily mean that you will think of it positively. I may hear SO-AND-SO plagarized all over the news as being a less than reliable carrier and while I may think of them when I'm shopping for phones I will not think to go to them and buy service.
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Well as soon as you hear news stories that say Cingular is a "less than reliable carrier", let me know.
ABC's 20/20 said the Cingular was the MOST reliable in NYC, and NYC is the BIGGEST trouble spot in the world. I understand what you mean about Cingular not looking good because of this fine that was imposed for issues over 2 years ago, but that doesn't mean that Cingular is unreliable now or that they actually ever were.
ABC's 20/20 said the Cingular was the MOST reliable in NYC, and NYC is the BIGGEST trouble spot in the world. I understand what you mean about Cingular not looking good because of this fine that was imposed for issues over 2 years ago, but that doesn't mean that Cingular is unreliable now or that they actually ever were.
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Oh, no! I don't think Cingular is an unreliable carrier at all. That's not what I meant. Sorry. 🤭 I simply meant that bad press can leave a negative image on a company.
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That is a rather generalized statement. I'd call it an opinion, if I might be so bold. Unless, of course, you have some evidence to support it?
But then again, evidence supports the contrary as well.
But then again, evidence supports the contrary as well.
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The following article was in the September 27, 2004 NY Times Business Section:
ATLANTA - Ralph de la Vega, chief operating officer at Cingular Wireless, has a vision for the future. In it, cellphone bills will fall, reception will improve and mobile access to e-mail and the Internet will be fast and easy.
Mr. de la Vega also has a big challenge. He must see that the impending union of Cingular and AT&T Wireless, which would create the nation's largest cellular company, goes smoothly.
Any serious disruption in customer service or the network could prove extremely costly in the cellphone wars. Even without major missteps, Cingular's rivals - including Sprint and Verizon Wireless, a joint venture of Verizon Communications and Vodaphone - a...
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ATLANTA - Ralph de la Vega, chief operating officer at Cingular Wireless, has a vision for the future. In it, cellphone bills will fall, reception will improve and mobile access to e-mail and the Internet will be fast and easy.
Mr. de la Vega also has a big challenge. He must see that the impending union of Cingular and AT&T Wireless, which would create the nation's largest cellular company, goes smoothly.
Any serious disruption in customer service or the network could prove extremely costly in the cellphone wars. Even without major missteps, Cingular's rivals - including Sprint and Verizon Wireless, a joint venture of Verizon Communications and Vodaphone - a...
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There were no new laws made in order to squeeze money out of Cingular.
It's simple, Cingular breached contracts w/ customers. The only fact that the PUC needs to look at is customers who termintaed their service w/in their trial period got an ETF; their is no "ignorance of facts."
Cingular never does anything wrong. All stats pointing against Cingular is biased and skewed and all fines imposed on Cingular are just a big conspiracy theory.
It's simple, Cingular breached contracts w/ customers. The only fact that the PUC needs to look at is customers who termintaed their service w/in their trial period got an ETF; their is no "ignorance of facts."
Cingular never does anything wrong. All stats pointing against Cingular is biased and skewed and all fines imposed on Cingular are just a big conspiracy theory.
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of course they are...you didn't know that...hehehe...It's a joke Cain...just to pre-empt your beating
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No I didn't. It's funny how you can predict Cain's barbaric replies simply by implying it as a beating. It's quite obvious that Cain is GOD, and everyone in the world is stupid. I have not read one civilized reply from Cain, they all bash to poster and how stupid they are.
Then when you call him on something he replies w/ "Yay, you were able to bait people by saying some stupid stuff. Great. Why do you remind me of Gargamel, now? Oh yeah... sniveling, coniving, and pathetic. Yeah, that's why. Only people with "manhood" problems play games like that...”
So much anger
Then when you call him on something he replies w/ "Yay, you were able to bait people by saying some stupid stuff. Great. Why do you remind me of Gargamel, now? Oh yeah... sniveling, coniving, and pathetic. Yeah, that's why. Only people with "manhood" problems play games like that...”
So much anger
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schnozejt said:
There were no new laws made in order to squeeze money out of Cingular.
It's simple, Cingular breached contracts w/ customers. The only fact that the PUC needs to look at is customers who termintaed their service w/in their trial period got an ETF; their is no "ignorance of facts."
Cingular never does anything wrong. All stats pointing against Cingular is biased and skewed and all fines imposed on Cingular are just a big conspiracy theory.
Ummmm NO. I'm sorry, did you say you worked for the CPUC? Oh you don't? Hmmmmmm. Let me guess, you've never even SEEN the Charges and Judgements imposed by the CPUC. I HAVE. The CPUC is basically saying that the customer should have been allowe...
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I guess the article I read from three different sources are wrong. They all stated that customers canceled their service w/in 15 days and were charged an etf
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I'll send it later tonight when I get home. I can't access LATimes.com, USAtoday.com, and seattletimes.com from work
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I read the articles on USA and LA Times.
They both report that Cingular was fined for violating regulations that did not exist. It also shows that Cingular implemented a 15 day return policy BEFORE any investigation into law violations. Customers signed contracts that did not include a trial return policy, but the fact is, the largest percentage of these customers were wanting to cancel MONTHS down the line. Customers signed contracts that said "Cingular cannot guarantee service in all areas....blah blah blah....". Another FACT that the CPUC ignored. Customers with trial periods in their contracts were charged nothing to cancel within the time alloted. the state had NO law which mandated such a trial period. Basically, this opens up the do...
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They both report that Cingular was fined for violating regulations that did not exist. It also shows that Cingular implemented a 15 day return policy BEFORE any investigation into law violations. Customers signed contracts that did not include a trial return policy, but the fact is, the largest percentage of these customers were wanting to cancel MONTHS down the line. Customers signed contracts that said "Cingular cannot guarantee service in all areas....blah blah blah....". Another FACT that the CPUC ignored. Customers with trial periods in their contracts were charged nothing to cancel within the time alloted. the state had NO law which mandated such a trial period. Basically, this opens up the do...
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