Cingular raising PPU SMS pricing 1/21/07 - Waiving ETF?

[torifile]

What state are you in? Just type "attorney general" and your state, etc. Contact anyone who seems relevant to the issue.

[RGEER]

So contacting the attorney general or the BBB are my only options at this point?

[Opi]

Well we'll see if I get charged, a few days ago I ported out and was told I wouldn't have to pay the etf's. Now I'm going to call in and try to get my best friend out of contract because his g/f wants to buy him a Verizon phone for Christmas.

[Joan]

So contacting the attorney general or the BBB are my only options at this point?

You only options??? - more like a starting point.

Here is who I would contact - (in no particular order)

• Federal Communications Commission

• CTIA

• U.S. Public Interest Research Group

• Your local PIRG

• State Public Utilities Commission

• Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights

• Better Business Bureau

• State Attorney General

• Channel X On Your Side - your local tv consumer advocate

• Network news consumer advocates - think Today Show, Good Morning America, The Early Show, 20/20, 60 Minutes, etc I'd email them all

• The Consumerist - the more stories he has to tell, the better

• Local newspaper consumer advocate

• Local rabble-rouser newspaper consumer advocate - our local one handles some really big stories, often breaking a soon-to-be-national story. It may be easier to get a local interested in your story and then let the nationals pick it up from them

[Opi]

Well I just called for a friend of mine, and for TWO HOURS, I spoke to 5 people, Ive come to the conclusion that Cingular is probably the WORST company out there that I have ever had to deal with. My own personal two lines I got cancelled a few days ago, I even referenced that account with the 4 supervisors I spoke to, they said that the rep that did it was wrong and will receive coaching. I mentioned EVERYTHING, i defined the words service, feature, subscribe i went back and forth with everything and I can honestly say I will never, ever want anything to do with cingular ever again. Nothing but bad things will come from my mouth about them. The absolute WORST company of any product I have ever had the displeasure of working with. It's absurd what they're doing to their customers.

[Aurora]

Well I just called for a friend of mine, and for TWO HOURS, I spoke to 5 people, Ive come to the conclusion that Cingular is probably the WORST company out there that I have ever had to deal with. My own personal two lines I got cancelled a few days ago, I even referenced that account with the 4 supervisors I spoke to, they said that the rep that did it was wrong and will receive coaching. I mentioned EVERYTHING, i defined the words service, feature, subscribe i went back and forth with everything and I can honestly say I will never, ever want anything to do with cingular ever again. Nothing but bad things will come from my mouth about them. The absolute WORST company of any product I have ever had the displeasure of working with. It's absurd what they're doing to their customers.

I hate to say it but I think this is a bit of an exaggeration.

I don't know if "Cingular is the WORST company ever." Cingular is indeed making a poor decision by not letting people out of their ETFs due to this change in prices. Nevertheless, all carriers have their quirks, and Cingular is no exception. Sprint had a similar problem earlier this year, if I'm not mistaken. Use the options that were outlined in the posts immediately preceding yours and I imagine that Cingular will eventually come to its senses.

Good luck.

[Aurora]

Consumerist has been updated again to reflect this ongoing saga...

http://www.consumerist.com/consumer/...tes-223311.php

This is what Cingular will probably tell you if you call up trying to get out of your cellphone contract and service without paying an early termination fee based on their recent text message rate raise.

Q. Since Cingular is raising its rates, are customers entitled to cancel service without paying an early termination fee?

A. No, that doesn't apply here. This is simply a pricing change for pay-per-use text and instant messaging, which is an optional service. It's similar to buying a ringtone - that's optional as well. It's not part of your monthly rate plan.

Customers who pay for text and instant messages on a per-use basis are generally those who use text messaging occasionally. Frequent users generally purchase packages or bundles, so they can send and receive messages for as little as a penny each."

This was provided to us by a Cingular employee and directly copied from the Cingular Knowledge Management System.

It's also a giant bologna train shoved up your ***.

Text-messaging is not an optional service. Cingular phones are set to receive text-messages by default. It's only optional If a user has a text-message plan or blocks text-messages. Only then have they exercised a choice.

Cingular's legal team is wrong, and Cingular is lying to its customers. A battle-royale in the courtroom over this would find in the customer's favor.

If you're trying to cancel, be adamant and demanding. They've locked down the organization, but you might get lucky and hit a weak rep. Or, keep escalating and escalating, and escalating, which costs Cingular a lot of money, and might get you some traction. — BEN POPKEN

[Opi]

I hate to say it but I think this is a bit of an exaggeration.

I don't know if "Cingular is the WORST company ever." Cingular is indeed making a poor decision by not letting people out of their ETFs due to this change in prices. Nevertheless, all carriers have their quirks, and Cingular is no exception. Sprint had a similar problem earlier this year, if I'm not mistaken. Use the options that were outlined in the posts immediately preceding yours and I imagine that Cingular will eventually come to its senses.

Good luck.

I have never ever dealt with anything like this in my many years of wireless experience. I WORKED for Cingular for a year, and honestly up until this scandal I had a decent opinion of them, but theyve always pulled **** like this, they did it with the 7pm nights and weekends. Bottom line is, they're liars, shady, and horrible at honoring contracts. They cannot be trusted

[schultzy]

Just got a call from the "Office of the President," I'm guessing due to my FCC complaint. Basically, they are towing the company line and will not waive the ETF.

Guess I'll be testing out the new arbitration agreement.... I'm cancelling my contract as soon as I get new service in hand. Merry Christmas from me to you, Cingular.

[Opi]

Just got a call from the "Office of the President," I'm guessing due to my FCC complaint. Basically, they are towing the company line and will not waive the ETF.

Guess I'll be testing out the new arbitration agreement.... I'm cancelling my contract as soon as I get new service in hand. Merry Christmas from me to you, Cingular.

at this point if i had lines in my own name and was being given this much trouble i would cancel anyway

[coreynyc]

Attention NYC area Cingular subscribers who are angered by the price increase and have been refused no ETF contract termination by Cingular.

I have been in contact with WABC Eyewitness News "7 On Your Side" and they are looking for others. Please contact them HERE

[Aurora]

Attention NYC area Cingular subscribers who are angered by the price increase and have been refused no ETF contract termination by Cingular.

I have been in contact with WABC Eyewitness News "7 On Your Side" and they are looking for others. Please contact them HERE

Now THIS will get Cingular's attention.

The minute the media starts portraying the company as one that breaches contracts, things will change very rapidly I imagine.

I would suggest that any of those in the NYC area call the news channel immediately so that your story goes on the air. I would imagine it won't take Cingular long to rectify the situation once reporters start digging around.

[tszefr]

Now THIS will get Cingular's attention.
... I would imagine it won't take Cingular long to rectify the situation once reporters start digging around.

For sure. Now what if those reporters looked into how much profit there is in text messaging? The carrier could sell it at 1 cent/message and be enormously profitable. If they went for the greed angle wouldn't that make it bigger? I don't begrudge a company making handsome profit, but when the profit level is in the stratosphere it is time they be exposed.

[veriztd]

For sure. Now what if those reporters looked into how much profit there is in text messaging? The carrier could sell it at 1 cent/message and be enormously profitable. If they went for the greed angle wouldn't that make it bigger? I don't begrudge a company making handsome profit, but when the profit level is in the stratosphere it is time they be exposed.

Unfortunately for the consumer, any and all cellular companies will continue to sell products and services for as much as they can. Simply law of supply and demand. Unless demand starts dropping, prices will continue to rise as time goes on.

[tszefr]

Unfortunately for the consumer, any and all cellular companies will continue to sell products and services for as much as they can. Simply law of supply and demand. Unless demand starts dropping, prices will continue to rise as time goes on.

No ma'am I think you are wrong here. It is not supply and demand. But let us take a look at an example:

Hurricane is coming. Thousands want out. I have a gas station and 10,000 gallons, on the road out. You want gasoline and I have it. Demand far exceeds the 10,000 that I have. Therefore I will price it accordingly. $20/gallon thank you. That is called gouging. Will I get in trouble? Likely.

Back to text messaging: Let's see I have 450 + 5000 + unlimited M2M minutes. Let us just say I have a thousand. But in each of those one minute slices there can be sent easily 50 or so text messages. How many text will fit in my minutes allotment now?

There is no want of supply! The carrier would be better off encouraging usage rather than penalizing texting with an outrageous 15 cent charge.

What is lacking is common sense on high. Cingular has everyone from the cube farms to the leather offices up in a stir trying to make sure that the victims don't get what the contract says they should get: Out without an ETF. Instead of putting in a hike, they should have and should now announce a cut.

You are probably too young to remember but we used to have a 90% top "income" tax rate in the USA. President Reagan changed all that. Down to something like 20 or 25% top rate. Know what? The government revenue went up as a result of the tax cut! Cingular revenue would do the same if they would cut, not hike the cost of text messages.

tszefr for VP of Marketing!