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Disappointed with Cingular!!!

blueribbonpie

Jul 1, 2004, 11:22 AM
I am seeking input and advice as to where I can file a formal complaint . I have been a cingular customer for several years and have been very satisfied with their service. A few months ago I added a third phone to my plan. At the time it was never explained to me the phone I was buying was a GSM phone. The first month the roaming charges were expected because the carrier was out of town, but last month the bill came with more roaming charges. I phoned customer service and they graciously removed the charges, explaining to me they were also completing a trouble ticket that should solve the problem. This months bill comes and more roaming charges!!! I phone Cingular again only to hang up frustrated and highly disappointed. They will o...
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filabeaner

Jul 1, 2004, 11:30 AM
when you change your plan with cingular, it will likely extend the contract if you are that close to the end of it. so be careful with that. also, know that you can't take your number with you until the contract is up with cingular. you will have to get all new numbers for the phones still under contract.
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tryptophanatic

Jul 1, 2004, 11:51 AM
what're the dates on the calls made that incurred the charges? roaming charges can take up to 90 days to show up on your bill.
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blueribbonpie

Jul 1, 2004, 12:47 PM
The dates of the roaming are ok with the exception that some of the roaming charges are from that phone number to my phone number and we have unlimited mobile to mobile so that is unacceptable when the call was from two miles away, at the most! The excuse they gave for this was the AT&T tower explanation.
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CainMarko

Jul 1, 2004, 3:36 PM
It has nothing to do with att towers. It has to do with your plan and the extra line. The way i understand your situation is that you have a gsm phone added to your tdma family plan? If that's the case, your coverage on your gsm phone will only match your tdma plan. Your M2M will also reflect that area. The old TDMA m2m is only in your local home area EVEN if you have a national plan. The new GSM nation plans offer m2m nation wide no matter where you or the other party is. This should have been explained when you rec'd your first roaming charges. The reason that Cingular is offering only 50% is because once a billing situation is explained, it cannot be credited. i'm sorry you are having problems with your billing. If I have mistaken your si...
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blueribbonpie

Jul 1, 2004, 4:21 PM
Your explanation sounds like a good one and probably is the mahem behind the madness. However, still my beef is this month is the first time I have ever heard that I needed to change rate plans and I have had the gsm phone since March. That is why I am upset and expect Cingular to do more than the 50%. Even though they credited me fully last month, the representative did not tell me what the problem was. She only submitted a trouble ticket, which I thought meant it was a Cingular problem. In my opinion, if the situation was only explained to me yesterday when I called they should have credited the full amount, give me 50% for next billing, and allowed me to change the rate plan. I also feel when I went to the Cingular store the represe...
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kingfrog77

Jul 1, 2004, 9:54 PM
I think he can port his number to another carrier even if he is still under contract. If one could not port their number out until contract end that would be a good reason to avoid Cingular.

If you are willing to pay the ETF you should port to another Carrier but there are not many left to choose from'!!!
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filabeaner

Jul 1, 2004, 11:36 PM
you can port from any carrier to another carrier at any time. however all companies will apply the early termination fee if that number is still under contract.
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phonepimp3376

Jul 3, 2004, 12:09 PM
How long do you have until the older phones on the plan (the TDMA phones) are eligible for upgrade? If they are eligible soon I would recommend upgrading the equipment and switching rate plans to GSM Nation.

This may seem like I am convincing you to stay, but in reality it is with concern of the charges you might not be aware of that I suggest this.

You will be looking at a $150 per line Early Termination fee, plus any outstanding balance on the account, in order to switch carriers via port-in. You will also incur new equipment costs, new activation fees for the lines, and most likely the first month's bill and a prorated portion of a months service.

Even if the phones are not eligible for upgrade, if the rep knows his stuff he can ...
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Myth

Jul 3, 2004, 4:27 PM
phonepimp3376 said:
How long do you have until the older phones on the plan (the TDMA phones) are eligible for upgrade? If they are eligible soon I would recommend upgrading the equipment and switching rate plans to GSM Nation.

I agree that this might well be the best way to handle this, assuming of course that we haven't made you angry enough to want to leave Cingular, whatever the cost. (And if we have, I apologize. It does not sound as if we handled our end well at all.)

Your out-of-contract phone and your near-end-of-contract phone should both be eligible for upgrade. With 3 GSM phones, you can take a GSM Nation Family plan, and never worry about roaming again, at least within the US. For $80 an...
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phonepimp3376

Jul 3, 2004, 4:36 PM
Let me point out that Myth is using the $80 figure to represent the inital plan cost for 850 minutes, plus the two lines on family talk at $9.99 each. The plan itself is not $80... that includes all three lines 😁
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muchdrama

Jul 2, 2004, 12:27 AM
CainMarko said:
It has nothing to do with att towers. It has to do with your plan and the extra line. The way i understand your situation is that you have a gsm phone added to your tdma family plan? If that's the case, your coverage on your gsm phone will only match your tdma plan. Your M2M will also reflect that area. The old TDMA m2m is only in your local home area EVEN if you have a national plan. The new GSM nation plans offer m2m nation wide no matter where you or the other party is. This should have been explained when you rec'd your first roaming charges. The reason that Cingular is offering only 50% is because once a billing situation is explained, it cannot be credited. i'm sorry you are having problems with your
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CainMarko

Jul 4, 2004, 5:17 AM
Actually... it's only a clusterfuck in situations like his, which are few and far between. If you sign up for a Nation GSM plan with cingular... it's pretty damned simple. Nation Wide, No Roaming, No Long Distance, M2M Nation Wide and Rollover minutes. They Don't give you 12 different maps to view your "nationwide" coverage either. One map for data/Voice/m2m. Of course there is some confusion when switching from one type of technology to another, but that's what Cingular has implemented to make things much less confusing. One Map for everything you do on your phone. Hell, if the guy keeps calling, he can always ask for an address to send a letter... letters have more impact than phonecalls.
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coldsteel

Jul 1, 2004, 1:11 PM
filabeaner said:
when you change your plan with cingular, it will likely extend the contract if you are that close to the end of it.


Nope, Cingular doesn't extend your contract if you simply change your calling plan...
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jinx7676

Jul 1, 2004, 1:56 PM
coldsteel said:
Nope, Cingular doesn't extend your contract if you simply change your calling plan...


yes we do, but only if you are in the second half of your contract. if you are still in your first half, then no, there is no contract extension.
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CainMarko

Jul 1, 2004, 3:47 PM
Um wrong again... WE do NOT require a contract extention when you change plans. We DO require a contract extention if you are more than half way thru your contract AND WANT TO SIGN UP FOR A "PROMOTIONAL" PLAN. Speak with your supervisor if you have any questions.
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filabeaner

Jul 1, 2004, 11:34 PM
could you please explain to those of us who don't know the difference between a "promotional" plan and all others. i don't work for cingular, but i sell it and that has never been established with me. thanks.
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AGENT DEBIT

Jul 2, 2004, 12:29 AM
filabeaner said:
could you please explain to those of us who don't know the difference between a "promotional" plan and all others. i don't work for cingular, but i sell it and that has never been established with me. thanks.


the difference it like with ATT the local plan is 39.99 400 included minutes,promotions like 200 additional anytime minutes,unlimited nights and weekends,free ld fro the hoe callingh area are promotions you don't get without an extention
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jinx7676

Jul 2, 2004, 8:13 AM
AGENT DEBIT said:
free ld fro the hoe callingh area are promotions you don't get without an extention


i can't get an afro for my hoe without a contract extention? damn.. lol 🤣 🤣 🤣
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jinx7676

Jul 2, 2004, 8:10 AM
filabeaner said:
could you please explain to those of us who don't know the difference between a "promotional" plan and all others. i don't work for cingular, but i sell it and that has never been established with me. thanks.


promotional items would be stuff like Mobile to Mobile.
example:
Nation plan @ 39.99 currently includes 450 anytime min and free M2M. If a customer wanted to obtain that feature and they were already GSM, but were more than halfway into their contract, they would need to sign a new 1 year contract. (which would not change their upgrade eligibilty). If they didnt want to extend, they could get the same plan WITHOUT the free M2M.
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CainMarko

Jul 2, 2004, 1:48 PM
She is correct. Actually the customer would only need to agree to a verbal 11 month agreement. Promotional plans would also include NYC's METRO plans which include alot of minutes but only cover the tri-state nyc metro area. Basically, any plan that has something "extra" or different than the normal plans. All promo plans are explained BEFORE adding a contract extention.
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jinx7676

Jul 2, 2004, 7:57 AM
ah yes, i do apologize. i forgot about the magic word - promotional...sorry to all i confused 🤭
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timslo

Jul 5, 2004, 10:59 AM
Cingular will extend your commitment if you're in the second half of your contract.
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coldsteel

Jul 6, 2004, 12:56 PM
NOT for JUST changing your CALLING PLAN... 😡
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AGENT DEBIT

Jul 6, 2004, 1:27 PM
if you are within the last year of your two year agreement,and you change your plan,you do have to renew your contract as you changing the terms of your original contract by changing the package,which is only fair since you are changing the package and promotions change so the promotions would autoatically come off so if you change you have to renew for new plan and new proos,but if you change with renewal,the promotions come off can't be added with agreement of renewal
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coldsteel

Jul 6, 2004, 1:49 PM
NOPE.

ONLY IF you take a PROMOTIONAL OFFER.

If you just change plans, say from Nation 450 to Nation 600, there is NO requirement to renew ANYTHING.
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CainMarko

Jul 6, 2004, 5:07 PM
Do you actually work for Cingular? If so, you need to speak with your supervisor about getting some additional training. That's alot of misinformation. Contracts are required ONLY WHEN SIGNING UP FOR A PROMOTIONAL PLAN and YOU ARE MORE THAN HALF WAY THRU YOUR CONTRACT. THAT'S IT! No other time!!!! >.< PERIOD. Another bit of misinfo... Promotions don't automatically "come off" because the contract expired. If the customer changes PLANS and the new plan doesn't have the same feature, then yes, the promo would fall off. But if the customer stays on that plan, nothing will change on it, unless HE CHANGES it. For example: Mr. Customer has 1000 minute promo for 39.99 but the normal plan is 600 minutes. Mr Customer will keep his 1000 minute plan un ...
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