vB Easy Archive - Possible lawsuits over BLackjacks and data plans?

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Possible lawsuits over BLackjacks and data plans?
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Posted by: MenTLPiRacY

What do you think.. I think most of us can agree here that the BJ is a glorified smartphone. The only big PDA qaulity it has is a querty keyboard. All these people paying $40 a month for somthing that is met for people who are using actual PDA's is kinda bad dont you think? If they base their pricing on the amount of data that is bieng used then a Cingular 2125 smart phone and a Blackjack should be using the same amount of data, since they are both using smartphone software right? At Cingular they are told in training that a PDA is anything with a querty keyboard so that is what the reps have to go by as far as identifying a PDA. If the general population found out that the BJ is not an actual "PDA" and there are cheaper plans available to cut half of your feature plan, dont you think they would want their $$$ back, for paying for somthing they werent even really using? i have a freind that works in a store in the dallas area and i e-mailed him about what the BJ is supposed to be on. She said that it works fine with the Smartphone connect plan, but if they want the rebate they have to do the $40 plan. She, atleast has no problem of putting anybody with BJ on it SP plan if they argue that it is not a PDA. Anybody correct me if im wrong about anything.. discuss.

Posted by: I have a phone

four letters differentiate the BJ from the 2125: UMTS. People who know what they have are burning through kb like crazy. Where's the lawsuit come in for a company looking to make money?

Posted by: PhantomFone

Lawsuit? I don't think so. Everyone knows the $39.99 plan is NOT required on the BJ. Its only mandatory to receive the $100 MIR. I position that with all my customers and I get the same response each time ... "Put me on that one then b/c I want my rebate".

Posted by: slipz

^ so they can get the plan for a month, send in teh rebate then take it off and it works?

Posted by: LaurynNYC

Rebate???

Well....the rebate is kinda of enticing...after I get I'll change it..no biggie

Posted by: crystus

I work for Cingular and amid all the confusion I called the Data Support Tech team to ask them about all the devices and find out what they are considered. And from talking with the manager the Blackjack is a smartphone. The Nokia E62 on the other hand is considered a PDA. Thought I would throw my 2 cents in. If they have put you on a PDA plan call customer service to get it switched and if they give you any grief ask them to call the data team to be educated.

Posted by: Vapor03

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhantomFone

Lawsuit? I don't think so. Everyone knows the $39.99 plan is NOT required on the BJ. Its only mandatory to receive the $100 MIR. I position that with all my customers and I get the same response each time ... "Put me on that one then b/c I want my rebate".

To clarify your statement and avoid more confusion, the "$39.99 plan" refers to the qualifying voice plan for the rebate. There is no amount put on the data plan. It just states that an "Unlimited Data feature" must be activated (or present) as well.

Posted by: jerryk

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vapor03

This is a key point. The $19.99 Media Max 200 qualifies as a unlimited data plan. The $39.99 PDA unlimited data plan is the default plan sold, but it is just one of the data plan options.

Posted by: andy4310

Ok, the Blackjack IS a Smartphone and this is defined by its operating system which is "Windows Mobile 5.0 for Smartphones" and not "Windows Mobile 5.0" The regular Windows Mobile 5.0 has increased functionality with various different attachments and touch screen compatibility. That is the key difference.

The term "PDA" simply means Personal Digital Assistant and as originally defined, that term could be applied to many of the voice products that exist today because of the calendar, alarm clock, and voice memo features.

While the Blackjack is a Smartphone it ALSO is a PDA, just as a Blackberry is also a PDA... but we don’t call them PDA's, we call them a Blackberry. It IS a PDA.

Cingular has every right to dictate which plans can be bolted onto which phones on their own network, this is because it is THEIR network and a customer can choose if they want to subscribe to those features or not.

Cingular wants the $39.99 plan to be attached to this device because it is a 3G product with a QWERTY keyboard and as a result will have substantially higher data and email usage then the 2125 and 3125.

Regarding the rebate...

On the rebate form the Blackjack is the ONLY phone with a little cross by it. Then if you look at the fine print for the star, double star, triple star, and cross all it says for the Blackjack is "Requires activation on an unlimited data rate plan plus a Cingular Voice Plan with a minimum monthly access rate of $39.99 or higher."

The last time I checked the $19.99 Smartphone plan was an unlimited data plan. The rebate does not specify that the customer must get a $39.99 or higher data plan along with their $39.99 or higher voice plan.

To say the least this will be interesting when rebates start getting processed…

Posted by: forest007

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy4310

.

Regarding the rebate...

On the rebate form the Blackjack is the ONLY phone with a little cross by it. Then if you look at the fine print for the star, double star, triple star, and cross all it says for the Blackjack is "Requires activation on an unlimited data rate plan plus a Cingular Voice Plan with a minimum monthly access rate of $39.99 or higher."

The last time I checked the $19.99 Smartphone plan was an unlimited data plan. The rebate does not specify that the customer must get a $39.99 or higher data plan along with their $39.99 or higher voice plan.

To say the least this will be interesting when rebates start getting processed…

When I bought my Blackjack (the first day it was released in the stores) the rep told me I absolutely had to have the PDA Connect Unlimited (39.99) plan and proceeded to add it to my account. As soon as I got home I read a post on this forum from someone who carefully read the rebate form (I didn't). He/she stated that the form specifically states "an unlimited data rate plan" where it pertains to the Blackjack. For some of the other PDA phones it specifically states "unlimited smartphone connect plan", "39.99 or higher applicable unlimited data rate plan", "media Max bundle" etc. That day, after reading that post, I changed to the Mediamax 1000 Bundle 29.99 ( includes 1000 messages). I checked the status of my rebate 2 days ago and it says "Your rebate has been processed. A check for $100.00 was mailed to you". I checked my account online and I am not being charged extra for data. I know the rebate is a gift card but it says "check" on Cingular's website. I am waiting for the check/gift card to arrive in the mail and will post as soon as I get it. Internet, Cingular video and everything works perfect on my phone

Posted by: andy4310

If you got someone to provision the Media Max feature on your rate plan and your rebate was processed then don’t mess with it. Cingular might catch it eventually but until then...

As time goes by and enough employees get in trouble for it you people will find it harder and harder to get that feature provisioned.

Posted by: Omega2008

As long as you do exactly what is says in the TOS for the rebate to hell with what a Cingular REP says, the fullfillment center goes by those TOS and you did what your supposed to by those terms then you are fine. Cingular sales people are just trying to make more money and thats ok....but you don't have to have it if you don't want it.

Posted by: juiceppc

They need to stop paying these Cingular goof offs commission.

Posted by: forest007

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy4310

If you got someone to provision the Media Max feature on your rate plan and your rebate was processed then don’t mess with it. Cingular might catch it eventually but until then...

As time goes by and enough employees get in trouble for it you people will find it harder and harder to get that feature provisioned.

There's nothing to "catch". The same day I purchased the Blackjack I had them add the Media Max 1000 plan. Their own rebate form states that "an unlimted data plan" qualifies for the rebate. Cingular Video (one of the highly advertised features on the phone) does not work for people who have the PDA Connect plan (from my experience and what I've heard from many people who visit this forum). I think Cingular is the one with the problem not us consumers. If they "catch" anything I hope it’s the fact that something internally is wrong and it’s causing an inconvenience for many of their customers.