With all this talk about Cingular using a new tool to ascertain as to how profitable a customer is when it comes to upgrades and maybe other things, what exactly qualifies one to be one of these "wanted" vs. "unwanted" customers???

I'd like to know too. I see posts in other threads about people who have higher $ plans than I do and claim never to roam, yet they are being denied upgrades and I'm still showing as eligible.... I wish there were a way to find out now if that's going to change as of my eligibility date.

If you're on a $199 plan and don't use a fraction of yoru minutes, you're profitable. If you're paying for a data plan but rarely use data, you're profitable. If you pay for an unlimited text plan and you send 2 texts a month you're profitable. If you're on a normal plan but constantly go over your minutes by a ton and get hit with 40+ cents a minute you're porfitable.

What they basically want are people that pay a lot for service yet don't use what they pay for. They don't want people who pay for "unlimited" services actually using the service to the fullest extent. They just want to you pay up, pay BIG and don't use the service. They want money for NOTHING. Well, Cingular, there's no FREE RIDE for corporations either. If you offer and CHARGE for "unlimited" expect people to want to get what they paid for, jerks. If you advertise and push this "All Over Network" and nationwide roaming don't penalize people for actually using what you advertise! You wave around included UNLIMITED mobile to mobile calls yet get steamed when people are actually using the service?!? What mother truckers!

I was looking for a serious response.

I don't think Cingular considers how much you use what you pay for, unless of course you go over. I can't imagine use being a serious cost for them. I think they just pick an, elusive, APRU number to stamp on your forehead. and make a note.

I think in one of these threads $59.00 was mentioned and it makes sense because average APRU is still ~$50.00.

I'd suspect that they would have some program set up that could put you into one of 3 categories

1. Desireable - no roaming (little roaming), standard packages

2. Not too desirable - fair amount of roaming. This would be those in areas that borderline or are islands of roaming. I.e. Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Denver, etc. and you end up roaming quite a bit, driving down profits, and don't have any 'special' features (i.e. use lots of media packages or txt messaging)

3. Undesirable - those that roam a lot, and using buckets of m2m/n+w.

I wonder where I sit... I don't roam much, but use tons of m2m/n+w and the North America package. I'm sure that I'd become undesirable on Cingular if I lived near the border or called Canada a lot more.

I know my work would love the 'Alltel' circle where I could call a few numbers unlimited. This would work great for work conference calls.

I can tell you that I never roam, don't use data much, and I only use about 2/3 of my 1100 minutes.... and to cingular, I'm not profitable... i'll be porting to sprint this weekend!

Let's not get out of hand with the speculation. Where did all this M2M and N&W get dragged in?

K I just read the FAQ (no I will not post them, if you should have access, read them yourself. Search in CSP for "upgrade" it was the first link that came up for me)

It's a load of b.s.
1. No mention of what consitutes a customer as "unprofitable" (I hate that they use that word)
2. Basically says to become eligible, customer must raise rate plan, keep it for three months, and check again, fingers crossed.

All in all, I'm horrified at this. I'm glad I don't count on Cingular for equipment upgrades. This is awful. If you are affected by this, I suggest that you mention (politely) to whoever you're talking to's supervisor (read = available manager) and let them know that you'll be moving your service to a carrier who does not arbitrarily assess the "profitability" of their customers.

DO NOT JUST QUIETLY PORT. THIS DOES NOT LET CINGULAR KNOW THAT YOU'RE UPSET BECAUSE OF THIS SPECIFIC POLICY.

By politely letting the manager know, you will raise awareness in the upper ranks that customers don't like this. Let them know that it's unfair to not tell someone why, and also to not tell them how to become "profitable" (again, HORRIFIC words to use)

I agree - and yes, I was only speculating.

I do suspect that there is some sort of system in place that will show that revunue that each user creates. I also suspect that it isn't perfect.

I personally hope this gets attention and creates churn within Cinuglar to the point where they lose enough customers to lose their 1st place and have to work for that all over again, and not JUST ARPU.

Here's an excerpt from this.

I guess the part about "feature expenses" and "peak vs. off peak usage" is why some of us are worried about N/W and M2M being factored into the equation of our worthiness to be a Cingular customer.

Just had a text conversation with my old Cingular rep (we keep in touch) from when I was an agent. She basically said yeah it's a crock, hopefully we'll see some changes.

Guys if you have access to CSP go in there and search for upgrade, and read the first link. it's the FAQ about the whole ordeal and it's awful. Specially the last entry.

Is this after taxes? Does this include only the rate plan or also added features, such as MediaNet and text bundles?

From the link above:
* Early termination fees will be waived only if:

* Customer is calling in to cancel for any other reason outside of equipment upgrades and has less than 12 months left remaining on their contract


That would be moi. I roam 100% of the time on 170 and probably use 2000 M2M every month. I have a $39.99 plan and only once or twice have gone over my minutes. Now we know why they let me out of my contract *WHEN I DIDNT EVEN ASK*. I thought she was being all nice--now I know better, they just think I am unprofitable! Well excuse me for my money not being good enough!

So... for those of you who want out, just become unwanted! Call everyone you know at night, preferably while roaming. In a few months, Cingular will kick your butt right out there door and you can go to a company who *wants* your business and will treat you as such.

For all you fanbois who think Cingular can do no wrong, I just dare you to defend this loathesome attitude. Dont get me wrong, I am *thrilled* to be let out of this contract but wow, I feel like I smell or something now.

So if I call up Cingular customer service and ask what my LTV is, will they tell me? If this is something they are using to weed out customers, shouldn't we have a right to know what our 'rating' is?

I have a formula that makes Cingular a unwanted carrier right now. I can only pray that cancel me for being unprofitable. Thats a topic for another thread right now.