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Radiation is good
If I hadn't left my Cingular blue account the minute my contract expired last month, this would have definately pushed me over the edge. I agree, Verizon will be #1 again before too long. Cingular had better watch out or they will find themselves dropping from #1 directly to #3 behind Sprint. The Sprint and T-Mobile offices near me have been VERY busy lately.Originally Posted by bobolito
...and MORE radiation is GOODER!
I've climbed a cellphone tower
Does anyone know if Cingular Service Summary document has any bearing on this? Mine clearly states the text message pricing. I'm out of contract, so it doesn't matter to me, but might help someone else. BTW, according to the CSS, PPU text messaging is part of my plan, not a separate feature.
hofo codemonkey
Ahh, thank you very much for the link.
"My downfall raises me to infinite heights." -Napoleon Bonaparte
01101010 ...
Mobile Pro
I don't care anymore I ordered T-Mobile and will argue with Cingular till the end once they try to charge me after they port my number over.
cell site spotter
Yeah, I'm seriously looking at T-Mobile too. They are also good in the SF Bay Area where I live.
At the moment for $49.99 one can get 2 lines, 1000 AT minutes, unlimited M2M. For $5.99 one can get unlimited email (plus apparently most www). For $19.99 one can get unlimited messaging on ALL lines. I could probably cover myself, Mom, Dad, sister, brother-in-law for $79.99, and my data needs for another $5.99. That would cost a lot more on Cingular...
Radiation is good
To state first, I agree that customers should be allowed to move due to the increase as I have done by leaving without ETF and moved to sprint. But be careful with porting your number over before getting them to put you month to month because it does state that porting your number before contract is over will incure an ETF. While cingy is in the wrong on the ppu issue, they will use the argument against you that you ported your number while in contract and therefore have to pay ETF. Just trying to help you out because you wont have a foot to stand on if you port before going month to month.
Phone Collector
Here's my letter to the chairman:
--------------------------------------------------------
Mr. Sigman,
I am writing to you because I am quite disappointed with Cingular as a result of the notification on my latest bill regarding the price increase of pay-per-use text messaging from $.10 to $.15.
The contract I agreed to with Cingular included a text messaging charge of $.10 per use, not $.15. So I consulted the Terms of Service (TOS) on the Cingular website and I found the following:
“IF WE INCREASE THE PRICE OF ANY OF THE SERVICES TO WHICH YOU SUBSCRIBE, BEYOND THE LIMITS SET FORTH IN YOUR RATE PLAN BROCHURE, OR IF WE MATERIALLY DECREASE THE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA IN WHICH YOUR AIRTIME RATE APPLIES (OTHER THAN A TEMPORARY DECREASE FOR REPAIRS OR MAINTENANCE), WE WILL DISCLOSE THE CHANGE AT LEAST ONE BILLING CYCLE IN ADVANCE (EITHER THROUGH A NOTICE WITH YOUR BILL, A TEXT MESSAGE TO YOUR EQUIPMENT, OR OTHERWISE) AND YOU MAY TERMINATE THIS AGREEMENT WITHOUT PAYING AN EARLY TERMINATION FEE OR RETURNING OR PAYING FOR ANY PROMOTIONAL ITEMS, PROVIDED YOUR NOTICE OF TERMINATION IS DELIVERED TO US WITHIN THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER THE FIRST BILL REFLECTING THE CHANGE.”
Furthermore, I came across the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA) Consumer Code page on the Cingular website. Here Cingular proudly proclaims that they were the first wireless company to earn the CTIA "Seal of Wireless Quality".
The CTIA Consumer Code for Wireless Service states:
7. Provide customers the right to terminate service for changes to contract terms.
Carriers will not modify the material terms of their subscribers' contracts in a manner that is materially adverse to subscribers without providing a reasonable advance notice of a proposed modification and allowing subscribers a time period of not less than 14 days to cancel their contracts with no early termination fee (ETF).
Given the information contained in your TOS and the CTIA Consumer Code, I called Cingular Customer Service to terminate my contract agreement without being subject to the ETF and the representative I spoke with insisted that text messaging WAS NOT something I subscribed to, that it was a feature of my service and that I could not avoid the ETF. She also used this as an opportunity to upgrade me into a text messaging package.
I asked the representative if someone could use Cingular text messaging without being a Cingular subscriber and she stated that they could not. So I asked if Text messaging wasn’t something I subscribed to, why is it that only Cingular Subscribers are able to use it? She had no legitimate answer for me.
Based on her logic, Cingular Text messaging is one of the numerous services I currently subscribe to as a Cingular customer.
I then inquired if she was familiar with the CTIA Consumer Code and I offered to read #7 to her, but she was not interested. After talking in circles with her for approximately 10 minutes, I got extremely frustrated and hung up the phone. She was clearly reading from a script regarding this matter; I can only assume Cingular is getting many calls regarding the price increase.
I have been a loyal customer, having been with AT&T Wireless prior to Cingular’s takeover of AT&T Wireless. Up until now, I had nothing but good things to say about both AT&T Wireless and Cingular in my 10+ years as a customer. In fact, I have recommended Cingular to friends & family members who were unsure about Cingular and wanted to stay with Verizon Wireless.
But now I question if this is price increase is a well timed opportunity to increasing revenue as the upcoming season of “American Idol” begins in a few weeks. Certainly this is a price increase that not many people will probably notice being mentioned on their bills. For those customers that do notice, it is a chance to up sell them into a text messaging package that they probably don’t need.
To be honest, my motivation for exiting my current contract without an ETF is to become eligible for a contract renewal and therefore be eligible for renewal pricing on a Samsung Blackjack PDA phone. Prior to today, I have been happy with Cingular and would like the opportunity to take advantage of the 3G network that was recently rolled out in NYC. Unfortunately, I cannot afford the full retail $400 price that I have been currently quoted by Cingular for the new phone. Even though Cingular hasn’t been honest with me, I thought it is best if I reveal my true intentions to you.
That being said, this Text messaging 50% price increase is exorbitant (how can a few bytes of text cost so much in comparison to what Cingular charges for voice minutes & for data?) to say the least and clearly changes the Terms of Service that I agreed to. Given the language of your TOS and the CTIA Consumer Code, I don’t see how your company representative can deny that there is a clear and distinct price change to my subscription.
This experience has completely changed my opinion of Cingular and makes me wonder what other price increases I can expect in the future. Will I soon be charged $5.00 every time I want to access my voice mail?
Simply put, you cannot increase rates anytime you want without allowing consumers the option to decline the increase. I do not appreciate being taken advantage of as a customer and I seek resolution of this matter.
If I do not receive an appropriate reply, I will be lodging a complaint regarding this situation with the Federal Communications Commission, the CTIA, and the Better Business Bureau. I will also alert the consumer reporters at all New York City television news stations.
For your reference, the phone numbers on my Cingular Family Plan are 212-XXX-XXXX and 917-XXX-XXXX. I may be contacted at 212-XXX-XXXX or at my office number listed below (prior to Friday December 22). Your attention in this matter is greatly appreciated.
Mobile Pro
Here's the letter I got back from Office of the President...:
Hello,
As this is a pay per use feature without a package, increasing the incremental cost does not violate the contract. Additionally, this and other pay-per-use features, such as calls to directory assistance, are not subject to this provision as they are non-subscribed features.
Based on your average text messaging usage, pay-per-use messaging may be your best value over a subscribed to package of messages.
Office of the President
Cingular Wireless
-----------
Owch... Oh well after I sell the Dash I'm gonna get from T-mobile I'll make $80 which should help with the ETF. I'm sick of them.
I've climbed a cellphone tower
I`m still waiting to hear back from them but from what I`ve read here, blue will now be charged for incoming. If this is true, this should be enough to get out.
Phone fan
If anyone really wants to complain, file with the FCC and copy the congress members on the committee overseeing the merger with ATT.
Clearly, service and reception are getting worse, dropped calls and unconnected calls are increasing, and prices for everything are going up. Consolidation in the market is not better for the consumer it is making cell phone use worse.
I have a blue tooth
Unfortunately T-Mo is the only "Big 4" (national) provider with no 3G services, and even the rollout for them may be over 6 months away. Any delays in AWS spectrum reallocation could push it back further. I am looking forward to T-Mo getting 3G though, maybe Cingular will be forced to make their rates more competitive.
hofo codemonkey
Biiiiingo.
Lack of competition is not good for anyone.
Phone fan
Success! sort of.
After reading the very helpful comments of everyone here, I embarked on my quest to end the day with a good price on a Blackjack, one way or another.
I went from rep to manager to supervisor who locked horns with me for over an hour. She was very firm and scripted and at that point I heeded the wisdom of everyone here and repeated my own script. She clearly was told not to let me out of the ETF, no matter what. I finally mentioned I would like a 2 year upgrade price and without skipping a beat she instantly agreed. I must have really tired her out.
Here is where it gets weird. She started talking about pricing (Premier) and mentioned the $175 that I can see online (with the phone plus PDA connect unlimited). She said she noted the 2 year upgrade price deal with me on my record.
Remembering the countless postings on blackjack threads, I mentioned the Media Max 200. Not a good idea. First she stated that it was inappropriate for the phone. When I told her some friends (*cough* other HF posters) had problems with Cingy Video on PDA unlimited, she told me if I insisted I could have Media Max 200, but although it was unlimited I could see some overages. She essentially threatened me with overages if I tethered or used too much data, and then without my prompting noted on my account that she had informed me of this and that I was aware of the fact that I should have PDA connect. Busted! I realized I had overplayed my hand and got off the phone with her, but not before she confirmed again she had noted by upgrade eligibility. She essentially noted that I was weaseling my way into a deal.
Well I called sales to buy the device and what do you know? The CSR acted like I was a convicted sex-offender and said there was nothing that indicated I had such an offer. Amazing amounts of scorn were heaped on me. She said there was no way to contact the other supervisor. She read some of the note back to me, and the supervisor apparently never made a concrete mention about my eligibility, only vaguely mentioning discussing the price of the device. Back to another supervisor and 40 minutes later he approved the price. As the sales rep completed my order I dashed off to my account page and added media max 200. I figure I will take off PDA unlimited and be golden in no time.
So to recap, 175 dollars+18 dollar upgrade fee
-100 rebate
+a note on my account that makes me look like a criminal
Not a terrible result.
Does anyone know if I will have trouble removing PDA unlimited?
I've climbed a cellphone tower
I don't know how they are going to get away with doing this, especially since the AWE agreement included free incoming SMS & since they bought both the customers & contracts from the merger, I don't see how they can charge Blue customers for incoming SMS.
Maybe if your out of contract, they figure they can charge?
I am not sure, but it doesn't sound right to me.
Post Machine
The rest of this letter was excellent. However, I think this is the weak point of it. The problem is, once the corporate elite reads something threatening, they close their eyes and ears and simply can your letter and send you a scripted response. Unfortunate, but true.
Nevertheless, I would really love to see this story on the 10 o'clock news, or even better on 20/20.
I DON'T HAVE A SIGNATURE....SORRY
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