Cingular Wireless Service Contract Termination Rip-Off Tulsa Oklahoma

I started with Cingular on 8/26/03 with Kevin from Nashville. He promised me free mobile to mobile, free long distance, a rebate on the phones, plus only $150 to get out of the contract. This was all recorded, but Cingular is unable to find the recording. I had issues with the bill from day one. I found out a month later when I received the first bill that Cingular did not offer mobile to mobile, nationwide long distance, plus I lost my rebate because I was to send my old phone in, which I was never informed that I needed to do that in order to receive my rebate. If I had the address I would have sent my old phone. At this point I wanted to pay the $150 to get out of the contract, then I was informed it was a $150 per phone plus I had to pay my entire bill, and next month,which was around $800. I went round and round every month with them on my bill. Finally, on May 6, 2004 I talked to Shawna and was in the process of cancelling my contract. It was going to cost me over $800, but I had my debit card ready to get rid of this company. She convinced it was not worth paying that much, so she upgraded my plan to the Nation 850 plan. From that point on my bill seemed fine. It was never the same amount every month, but it was around the amount she told me I would have to pay. Since I had been a customer my bill has never been the same amount . Every month it differs for whatever reason. On Tuesday, November 8, 2005 I received a bill for $472.04. I called them right away only to find out on 10/14/04 they are saying I called and changed my plan to a lower plan. I advised them I did not make that change and asked to here the proof. They were unable to provide me with that information. I explained to them I had so much trouble in the beginning because I did not have enough day time minutes why would I call and lower it. Plus it was only a $10 differenc between the two plans and with the cheaper plan I would lose over half my day time minutes. It would make no sense to change my plan over $10. Then I asked for my contract from the 8/26/03, 5/6/04, 10/14/04. Now they are telling me they are unable to locate any contracts and my orginial contract was never legally binded it was stuck in pending status. So if I never had a contract with them, then why were they going to charge me so much money to get out of a contract with them when according to them the contract never exsisted. They refuse to fix my current bill, unless I sign a one year contract with them. I decided that legal action was the best choice for me.

I too was nearly a victim of a Cingular "family plan" sold to me by a representative of SBC. The plan called for: 2 lines, 450 anywhere-anytime minutes (with roll-over for up to a year), 5000 night/weekend minutes and unlimited minutes between the two mobile phones. SBC quoted me a monthly price of $54.98. I took extensive notes and asked a great many detailed questions. I can tell you that Cingular's version of the "cost" varied greatly from what SBC quoted to me. I did demand to know all of the additional "fees and taxes" that would be accessed as part of the bill. Sounded like a good deal....until after I activated the phones. A few days later, two custom "Welcome" packets arrived in the mail, with details on what I had supposedly agreed to.
It was a total outrage. Their documentation included written projections of both my first month's bill ( over $200.00) as well as my continuing monthly obligation. I had (what Cingular called) a "combined account". This means that their online telephone capability (for checking how many of your anywhere/anytime minutes have actually been used) does NOT work because they do NOT subtract mobile-to-mobile minutes (which are not supposed to count against the 450 anywhere/anytime or nights/weekends minutes). I tried to call their customer service # a total of six times. In all six instances, I asked the CSR to tell me how many of my 450 anywhere/anytime minutes had been used. (Nobody had been given the #s and the few calls that had been made were only between the two cingular mobile phones.) In all instances, the CSR gave me the wrong answer. When I complained, they told me that I could track the minutes on the cingular web site. WRONG! Turns out that can't be done with a "combined account". It also turns out that Cingular quoted me six different figures on what my regular monthly bill would be. I was never able to get a single scrap of paper from cingular in which they were able to state, positively, what my monthly bill would be......even though they expected me to commit to their plan for two years! As the 15-day trial period was quickly coming to an end, I notified cingular that I wanted to cancel the account immediately. Man oh man.....do they EVER try then to give you a total B.S. sales pitch as to why you should remain with them as a cingular sucker/customer. I was unmoved by their B.S. because I knew by that time that cingular was going to wind up billing me whatever they wanted to and I would have to pay it. The phones were returned, but not before the cingular representative told me (I recorded the conversations because cingular said that my calls might also be recorded) that there WAS a cancellation penalty......however, after I challenged that statement, the rep did say that they would waive it if I returned their phones to them. (As if I would keep them ?) I've read the comments from other cingular employees/robots on this subject and I know differently. Lesson learned: I keep my pay-as-you-go service, which costs me considerably less than cingular because I just don't use the cell phone that much. Secondly, not only would I not trust cingular ever again, I would NEVER commit to any kind of contract with a cell provider that could not put in writing exactly what they expected me to commit to.

This is really for the people that are complaining about the coverage, or lack thereof, in the Cingular markets. If you read your contract under the heading "SERVICE/COVERAGE LIMITATIONS" section, it states "Cingular does not guarantee service availability at all times in all places. Coverage maps are available at www.cingular.com and are subject to the additional limitations described there. There are gaps in coverage within the service areas shown on coverage maps, which, by their nature, are only approximations of actual coverage. I agree to accept Cingular's service with these limitations."

Now for the arbitration information. On the contract under the "ARBITRATION" section, it does state "Cingular and you(...)agree to arbitrate all disputes and claims arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or to any prior oral or written agreement for Equipment or services between Cingular and you. Notwithstanding the foregoing, either party may bring an individual action in small claims court....You agree that, by entering into this Agreement, you and Cingular are waiving the right to a trial by jury."

Now for the comments about different policies in different markets or states. This one is not one I can blame on Cingular but the individual state for having so many different regulations. This is also from the contract. "In FL, GA, SC, NC, KY, TN, MS, LA, AL, NY and parts of IN and NJ, an Early Termination Fee in the amount of $240 per phone prorated over the term of your commitment may be assessed against you in the event that you terminate this contract before the expiration of its term. In all other areas, an Early Termination Fee of $150 per phone may be assessed..." Also here in KS, if I start a call at 8:55 p.m. and continue until 9:15 p.m., our law (and contracts) state that we are to be billed according to the calling periods we are in. In other words, I will only be billed peak minutes from 8:55 to 9:00. At 9:01, I wll be on off-peak minutes. Any other state will be billed all peak minutes even though a call is being made in an off-peak period. Another difference is that on late fees, in KS and MO, the late fee will be the greater of $4.95 or 1.5% of the balance carried forward. In other states, it is simply 1.5%. And in others, it is $5, or the highest amount allowable by law.

Just to clarify, I work for a 3rd party sales company that includes Cingular, as well as Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, Alltel, and CellOne. In all honesty, in our market area, Cingular has been proven to be the best. This is with Sprint's world headquarters about 40 miles east of me. I went to their facility for training and Sprint did not perform well even for them on campus. I have had the most billing issues with Verizon, and the least from T-Mobile.

Any response (and I am sure I will get them) will be appreciated.

This is really for the people that are complaining about the coverage, or lack thereof, in the Cingular markets. If you read your contract under the heading "SERVICE/COVERAGE LIMITATIONS" section, it states "Cingular does not guarantee service availability at all times in all places. Coverage maps are available at www.cingular.com and are subject to the additional limitations described there. There are gaps in coverage within the service areas shown on coverage maps, which, by their nature, are only approximations of actual coverage. I agree to accept Cingular's service with these limitations."

Now for the arbitration information. On the contract under the "ARBITRATION" section, it does state "Cingular and you(...)agree to arbitrate all disputes and claims arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or to any prior oral or written agreement for Equipment or services between Cingular and you. Notwithstanding the foregoing, either party may bring an individual action in small claims court....You agree that, by entering into this Agreement, you and Cingular are waiving the right to a trial by jury."

Now for the comments about different policies in different markets or states. This one is not one I can blame on Cingular but the individual state for having so many different regulations. This is also from the contract. "In FL, GA, SC, NC, KY, TN, MS, LA, AL, NY and parts of IN and NJ, an Early Termination Fee in the amount of $240 per phone prorated over the term of your commitment may be assessed against you in the event that you terminate this contract before the expiration of its term. In all other areas, an Early Termination Fee of $150 per phone may be assessed..." Also here in KS, if I start a call at 8:55 p.m. and continue until 9:15 p.m., our law (and contracts) state that we are to be billed according to the calling periods we are in. In other words, I will only be billed peak minutes from 8:55 to 9:00. At 9:01, I wll be on off-peak minutes. Any other state will be billed all peak minutes even though a call is being made in an off-peak period. Another difference is that on late fees, in KS and MO, the late fee will be the greater of $4.95 or 1.5% of the balance carried forward. In other states, it is simply 1.5%. And in others, it is $5, or the highest amount allowable by law.

Just to clarify, I work for a 3rd party sales company that includes Cingular, as well as Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, Alltel, and CellOne. In all honesty, in our market area, Cingular has been proven to be the best. This is with Sprint's world headquarters about 40 miles east of me. I went to their facility for training and Sprint did not perform well even for them on campus. I have had the most billing issues with Verizon, and the least from T-Mobile.

Any response (and I am sure I will get them) will be appreciated.

I have used either cingular or another company for the last 6 years, without a problem. A friend of mine was using Cingular until they had a system upgrade and her phone would not work. She was told by Cingular that it was related to their upgrade but that they would not do anything to assist her. She was advised to file an insurance claim telling the insurance company it was lost and pay the $ 50.00 cost. The insurance claim would have been improper and considering the insurance company requires a police report for all lost or stolen, she could have been arrested for filing a false police report. Cingular advised that their contact did not guarantee service so she had to pay the bill. I believe they were wronge. The problem was caused by the company and should have been solved by them. That would be good customer service. I will do everything I can to reduce their customers in Tampa, Florida so others won't get ripped off. And if a lawsuit will solve the problem then they deserve to get what they get. They are in business to provide a service and when they fail to provide that service, they need to correct the problem.

Just wanting you to know, that there may be some people other than white people working at Cingular, because there are laws in the US prohibiting racial and ethnic discrimination for jobs and job advancement. I am a former employee for Cingular, first worked in Customer Service and was in line to be on the Technical Assistance Group to help with all the technical problems with the phones. I enjoyed my job very much, I enjoyed Cingular very much, and although 90% of the calls that come through the call centers are trouble calls, I enjoyed MOST of the customers. It is human nature that someone isn't going to want to be as helpful to someone else that is rude, and people do that without thinking about it. It is a natural reaction and something that is hard to shake off. Anyway, I would still love to be working for Cingular and still would be, but now I am in the Marine Corps doing greater things for this country. But I can tell you now, that when I get out, Cingular is at the top of my list of places where I would like to work, would love to be in management, but if I had to start out as a CSR and work my way up, it wouldn't be that bad. As far as the service, I'm still using Cingular, I don't get any kind of special pricing, or treatment like I would when I was a CSR, but I have not had any problems at all. But when I do, I know how to fix those problems, it is called being patient, clear, and willing to WORK with the person you are talking to. As far as you sueing them, you have "enough evidence" what are you waiting for?? 18th birthday, to get out of jail, or do you have enough smarts to know that you don't have anything, and that you are to blame just as much as Cingular for your problems??
To all the Cingular employees reading this, Keep on doing what you are doing, it is a very tough job and the company needs customers, but the employees as much important, why do you think they try to make it as comfortable and enjoyable as possible!?!

Susie, I worked at the OSCC, I had a Sue in my training class.. Is that you??

Even though I had no dialogue with you, and it's going to be a waste of time because you are clearly a close minded limited thinker, I will respond to your comment.

If you think Cingular is great, good for you! If you've had excellent service with them, good for you! And when you finally do have a problem and get burned, that's going to be good for you too.

It is hard to imagine that Cingular has millions of happy customers, but they must be making somebody happy because unfortunately they are still in business.

That means absolutely nothing to me. That does nothing to change the fact that I had horrible service and had to fight to get my money back that I was owed. That does nothing to change the fact that I can use this forum to let everybody interested in knowing, what happened to me and what I did to resolve it. That does nothing to change the fact that for every million happy customers Cingular has (according to you anyway), there are 2 million unhappy customers that are unfortunately for them, stuck in a contract.

I know you might have a hard time taking all this in, due to your limited brain capacity and all, but try to stay with me.

Yes, every survey has it's own spin on things, however this time, I had to throw the spin back at the previous poster because the survey he mentioned came nowhere close to what he quoted. It's called research on your own, and don't believe everything someone tells you.

I have Verizon service now, and have never had a problem. So I have nothing but praise for them, as you do with Cingular. I was with Cingular for years before I ever had a problem, but when I finally did, it really hit the fan.

Now you were just "bitching and moanin' for nothing" about Verizon, should I attack you on that? No, I take you at your word that you had a bad experience with them and I leave it at that. The moment I have issues with Verizon, if ever, and they are not resolved fairly and to my satisfaction, especially when it comes to trying to keep my MONEY, I will be right back here filing another rip off report on them. Just to let people know.

Now, J Jonah, if you would like to address and explain your minority comment directly to me instead of making everybody suffer from your obviously uneducated and downright stupid, narrow point of view, I look forward to hearing from you, people like you make my day.

Well Nakena, I'm here because in my book Cingular is #1! The surveys all have ther own spin to them and you can believe them or not. I hate Verizon because of excessive bills and poor service,but they are rated high on the JD Powers list also. For me the proof is in the pudding. Me and about a million other people are happy with Cingular. I guess that puts you in the minority (in more ways than one). That's what this site is REALLY about anyway,people like you bitchin and moanin' for nothing.

Tyler,
I was unable to believe that Cingular has ever been hailed as the best customer service provider over any other service.
As a matter of fact, I was unable to find your statement a fact that with the source you suggested. The most recent info that I could find on jdpower.com was a 2002 study and rates customer satisfaction by markets.
Out of a total of 27 markets studied, AT&T Wireless ranked highest in overall customer satisfaction in 15 markets. Verizon Wireless ranked highest in 9 markets, Cingular only managed to net 3 markets (Atlanta, Dallas/Ft. Worth) and the additional one was a tie with Verizon Wireless (Houston). I live in neither of those 3 markets, so those ratings don't hold any weight here. Your declaration made it seem as if Cingular is absolutely, unmistakeably, undeniably the best!
That is a misleading statement to say the least. What you shoudl have said was, "In Atlanta, Dallas/Ft. Worth and about half the time in Houston, Cingular provides the best customer service of any cellular service provider as noted by J.D. Power and Associates". Now there's an accurate statement.

By all means, if I have misidentified your source, or accessed the incorrect website, please let me know, I would like to see it with my own eyes. If Cingular was # 1, none of us would be here on this website.

Tyler in Georgia, I have a habit of expecting excellent customer service. Customer service is all I have ever really done in one way or another, so I know first hand how I should be treated. When I am not treated as I should be, I make that know in any venue that I think necessary. My choices were the Better Business Bureau, and ripoffreport.com.

If your company makes a promise to me as the customer, I expect them to keep it. Cingular's first promise was to refund my money if I returned the phones within 14 days. I did my part, and was told by your CSR that I would have my money back on my cc w/in 3-4 days. Did Cingular keep that promise? No.
As a customer, when speaking with a CSR that represents your company, I can only go by what they tell me. A Cingular CSR gave me a certain expectation, YOUR CSR, and again Cingular did not come through. If the process should take weeks to months, why aren't your reps advising that way the first time around?

The burden was on me, a customer that Cingular claims to value, to continue calling Cingular and have to explain more than 12 times to 12 different reps what my situation was. Frankly that tells me that not many of my calls were logged correctly if at all, otherwise I wouldn't have had to explain my situation over and over again. Maybe that's why I didn't get any return phone calls, because no one bothered to take down my phone #. CSR #1 should have written and logged precise notes on what took place during that conversation. CSR #2 should have had to do nothing but request the scripted necesseties. After speaking with 12 reps and 2 supervisors over a 3 month period of time, and it seems as though Cingular has no intention on following through with thir promises, I was then TICKED OFF.
Who can't understand that? Let someone keep your hard earned money for equipment that has been returned over 3 months ago, and see how quickly you heat up.
There was no issue with Cingular being left holding any bag, (except for the one containing my $) because CSR #5, or was it #8 or #9, confirmed to me that the equipment had indeed been received. Not that I needed confirmation, USPS had already provided enough confirmation for me with a delivery date, time and signature of a Cingular employee.

Your job as a supervisor is to make sure your CSR's resolve my problem. If they can't, then that responsibility becomes your job. Unfortunately, not all of your fellow supervisors care enough about Cingular's reputation as you do, because the two I had the displeasure of dealing with did not get the job done.

That is my main gripe with Cingular, not rollover minutes, or contract issues as others have, but your CSR's failure to rectify or resolve my problem, and the supervisors' unwillingess to followup and make sure that it was done.

I appreciate you feeling the need to standup for your company, and I am certain others will be more educated about certain processes thanks to you. But what you need to speak on, and what you can't deny with my gripe, is that there was a failure on every level of contact with Cingular Wireless until I got to the top by filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. That was my last resort and fortunate for me but unfortunate for Cingular, it worked. Soon after the BBB complaint was filed I received a phone call from the Office of the President, same day, I had the refund on my credit card. Believe it or not, that was the first phone call I had received from Cingular with any type of reponse to my problem.

Not every Cingular employee is irresponsible and uncaring. I don't believe that, but understand my position, I went through 12. 12 who were irresponsible and uncaring about my situation. I can't leave out 2 supervisors that are supposed to lead by example. And that they did. That's a total of 14 Cingular Employees who failed the customer, and the Company I might add.

By the way, our original account with Cingular was under my fiance's name for our usage. The phones that I purchased were under my name and for our parents to use. My account was never activated or used, phones were returned same day I received them. So there was no need for early termination fees, billing cycles, or any other of your stated necessary reasons for keeping my money. How do you place a refund on an account that has never been activated?

Tyler, I did read my contract, what I didn't see but maybe should have been included was a clause that states, all Cingular Employees will provide excellent customer service. Maybe then there will be more of an effort for satisfactory resolution. I am educated enough about call centers to know that all of Cingular's calls are not received and taken in one location, but several. So during all my calls, I probably was routed to a minimum of 4 or 5 different call centers. So all these incompetent people are not all housed in one center, so this is not an issue of 1 or 2 CSR's who haven't been trained properly. As a supervisor you have to admit that.

Bottome Line, even decent customer service should not have to be gauranteed, it should just be given. Speak to me on that one.

Well
Clearly Cleopatra you are as stuipid as you sound? Take the white sheet off before you read next time!! I do have children i have three boys who are extreamly responsible and have never gone over their minutes on a cell phone because they are intelligent enough to know that 300 minutes mean 300 minutes!! You probably couldnt afford a cell phone anywhy people like you cant get afford to pay their bill with thier welfare check. Cingular doesnt take food stamps!! Next time pick up a used cell phone at yard sale and get a prepaid You should be able to handle that the phone turns off when you money runs out!!
How dare you put down honest hard working people, its people like you the always want something for nothing. You think everone owes something. Just grow you and take responsiblity for you own action and quit making everyone one rates go up!!! I guess ing you have had service with every cell phone company out their and my guess is you owe them all a past due bill!! am i right!!! So what if I like my just Cingular is a great Company to work for Its people like you that make my job dificult!! So I think CINGULAR ROCKS!! And that what make this ccuntry great!! and bigots like you drag it down!!

Well, well little miss suzie Korea wouldn't it be just like you to go in here and talk crap when you can't even speak or spell ENGLISH (have you ever heard of English? That's the language we speak in America, you obviously have no idea). Leave it to you, a customer service rep at Cingular the worst wireless company in the history of wireless service! You have a heapin nerve to talk crap about us consumers who have spent hard earned money to purchase the crap we got from Cingular (by the way - which is how you got your stinkin paycheck girlfriend!) We wouldn't be putting in this report if we hadn't been ripped off from the nutty-butt cingular in the first place. OK???? So eat it. And another thing, you don't have a clue what the he-- you are talking about little girl from whereever you are from. You probably trained - NONE - for your position there. You are probably the very rep that caused most of these people on this site their heartaches, aren't you? speak up, I can't hear you!!! Speak English, if you dare....

Everybody's story is different, and i'm learning that a lot of these people's problems were resolved (actually not resolved) differently, according to the part of America they live in. Seems like different cities and different locations handle their problems differently with cingular. How absurd. They should be consistent wherever they are. I was a cingular customer and I hate their guts. And this goes to all you cingular employees. Eat it. I don't care how you feel. You all suck because you work at Cingular and cingular sux. So how is that? You wanna....what? I can't hear you!!!! Cingular sux, cingular sux, cingular sux, cingular sux, cingular sux, cingular sux, cingluar sux, cingular sux, a million times cingular sux big uns. Aint nothing you can say or do to change that fact.

I hope George in Lubbuck sues and wins big time!!!!!I should do the same thing. I could too, I have enough evidence against the dumb company to do it. They are do dumb. I bet they don't even hire English speaking CSR's because then they would all quit because they would realize what a rip-off company they were working for. Ha! You just don't have the sense to know, do you?

And don't be putting down people's kids either, just cause you can't have any. That will get yer butt kicked in Texas let me assure you. Learn to keep your mouth shut and just do your job and do it right , if you can, and then you might learn how to be a good person. But working for cingular is sure not gonna get you there. You might as well be working for the devil himself. Good bye, jerk, suzie Q Vietnamese.

To begin with, yes, I am an employee of Cingular Wireless. I work as a customer service supervisor in one of Cingular's many call centers providing telephone based customer support.

I choose to respond to these posts because I feel that if people were well informed, the situation would be easier for everyone - the customer and the Cingular representative.

I'll begin with Jackie's comment that Cingular service is fraudulent and sub-par. When a customer activates service with Cingular Wireless, we offer them a 15 day trial period. This means that during those 15 days a customer can try out our service and if they find that it is not beneficial to them, or if it is a bad fit with where they make most of their calls we will refund the purchase price of their phone equipment as well as cancel their contract. We also will credit a customer's account for any deposit they have paid and we refund those deposits promptly.

In this situation, Jackie had the phone for two months before deciding the phone and the service wasn't working. At this point, Cingular Wireless has decided that you have had your 15 days to test our services and if you decide to keep your phone, it's yours for the entire length of the contract. No questions asked. The only exception to this would be if Jackie's calls were made off our network. If less than 50% of a customer's calls are made on the Cingular network, we will proactively end that customer's agreement as well as notify them that we will be discontinuing their service because it would not be cost effective for them to keep it, nor would it be logical for us to keep providing that service. It's as simple as that. But don't come back two months later saying that you are not going to pay because you don't like your service.

Next is Nakena from North Carolina. She states that she ordered equipment from Cingular's TeleSales/online department and changed her mind during the contract's trial period. She states where we failed her was refunding her money for the phone equipment she had purchased. In the end of her post, she states that she is still using Cingular service and that she is going to cancel once her contract is up. This is a contradictory statement - if she had other service with Cingular exclusive of the service she activated through TeleSales, we would have placed any refund due to her on her account. The only exception is if she wanted to have the refund made back to her original payment method. In this case, the bill has to generate for the line(s) of service that are discontinued, there has to be a credit for the early termination fee(s) associated with the account (they are charged to the "final" bill and on the same bill there is a credit for the amount), and the telephone equipment has to be returned to Cingular within 14 days. This process could take weeks depending on where you are in the billing cycle. If your bill date just occured and cycled, the next bill will not cycle for 30 days. At this point, you must wait for the time allowed for the credits to post to your account and for the refund to be made. This would be different if you purchased your phone inside the Cingular store, because then you could walk in and return that phone and receive credit for it the same day. While purchasing online is more convienient in the beginning, there are additional steps when it comes to refunds. Cingular wants to make sure you are treated fairly, but we also want to make sure we aren't left "holding the bag" on telephone equipment that is never returned.

Coming up is Jason in St. Louis. Jason is absolutely correct in stating that the retail store could not help him with another phone, even if he offered to pay. The online divsion of Cingular and the retail store division are two separate divisions. When a phone is offered through the internet, an "internet rate" is applied. For instance, if you paid $9.95 for your phone online, the retail store may be charging $29.95 for that specific phone. The lower price is offered as an encouragement to try to reduce the time it takes a customer to decide what they want, and also to help reduce the wait they may experience by visiting a retail store.

The reason a retail store would tell Jason to cancel his service and to reactivate is because the store is allotted a certain amount of telephones and they are also forbidden from accepting a unit purchased online into their stock. Each store has an operating budget and must meet this budget. To accept a phone from the online division would make their inventory not match what Cingular says they are supposed to have, and this could affect everyone from the sales rep to the customer. If Cingular says you are supposed to have a certain phone and you don't have it because you took it to the store and purchased another phone, Cingular will "flag" that account as having one contract with two phones purchased at contract price. Guess who's going to have to pay for that second phone even though you don't have the first one anymore?

Also, as far as Jason's phone number from AT&T, that number could have been "banked" in the system and carried over to a new handset that he purchased in the retail store if that is what he decided to do.

This leads us to "P" in DC. "P" states that you have to go beyond a CSR to get results such as a refund or credit, and this is simply untrue. CSRs are NEVER, let me say again, NEVER forbidden or encouraged to not offer credit where it is due. If a representative knows that a credit or refund is due, that representative has the authority to credit that customer's account for WHATEVER the individual representative decides is necessary. There is no limit to the credit a representative can offer, and there is no encouragement for them not to offer anything. If a customer is haggling over a $30 credit, do you think that I as a supervisor want a call escalated to me just because they can't get the credit? Do you think our corporate offices want to take phone calls because someone didn't receive credit for $30 in overages or for a miscellaneous fee? The answer is no. If the credit is within reason, you can have it.

Also, if a customer calls in and says "I ran over my minutes this month and don't know how I did it." If this is the first time this has happened, we will credit that customer 50% as a good will gesture. This can run into possibly a credit in the hundreds of dollars. Am I going to risk that customer having a bad impression of Cingular or am I going to lose that customer to collections because of a lousy $200? Again, the answer is no. When you think of the big picture, if you want a $30 credit - this is virtually nothing to Cingular. While you and I may consider $30 something to be concerned about, on a service level to Cingular - we'd rather you have the $30 if it's a matter of you being happy with us or not.

Moving right along to George in Lubbock, Texas... George is obviously upset because he thinks that he is not getting credit for Rollover minutes that are due to him. Cingular Rollover is available to any service plan we offer at $39.99 per month or more. Customers that do not use all of their package minutes from the month before are allowed to carry over those minutes to the next month. The exceptions to this are that the customer MUST use these rolled over minutes within 12 months from rolling them over, and the customer must never default. After 12 months, if the customer defaults, or if the customer switches to a rate plan that doesn't offer Rollover, these minutes are void and you no longer have the use of them anymore.

George also stated that he is going to get a lawyer and sue Cingular over his minutes and for breach of contract and consumer fraud. George is certainly within his rights as an American citizen to utilize the legal system to try to protect himself. I encourage him to do that. What he also needs to be aware of is that when he agreed to use Cingular service he gave up his right to a trial. There is an arbitration clause that says if there is a dispute between Cingular and the customer, both parties will submit to binding arbitration using a neutral arbitrator.

Another possible explanation of George's dissatisfaction with Cingular is from reading his post, he is obviously no longer a Cingular customer. Once an account is terminated, those minutes are no longer available and we do not reimburse for them. Rollover minutes are not reimbursable because they have no value. Customers come up with figures such as "I have 350 Rollover minutes, these are worth $122 to me. This could not be farther from the truth.

When we offer you a service plan with package minutes, we usually offer you a certain amount of "anytime" minutes and a certain amount of night and weekend minutes - usually unlimited. If a customer is paying $49.95 a month for 600 anytime minutes, you are paying nowhere near 35 (which is the overage charge) per minute.

As a courtesy to our customers, if you do not use all of your package minutes we will roll them to the next month. Cingular is the ONLY carrier to do this. Most companies you either use your minutes or you lose them. By carrying these minutes forward, whatever value they had is gone. Personally I currently have 1,992 minutes rolled. This does not mean that Cingular owes me $700. This simply means that I have a little extra talk time next month without having to pay more.

......So please people, regardless of what carrier you use, read your contracts. Be familiar with your service rules and limitations. Don't wait until there is a problem before you know what you agreed to in the beginning. But do rest assured that if there is a problem with your service, there's always someone to talk to....

J. Jonah:

You are perfectly correct in what you said. I agree with you wholeheartedly. You can never expect more of a cellular carrier than what the carrier can offer. I should know. I've been a consumer of the cellular industry for about 9 years now. I was with AT&T, Verizon, and now, Cingular. Thus far, Cingular has been the best. Verizon took my security deposit and never gave it back (if you want to know what happened here, [contact] me [via ripoffreport.com][DELETED]).

[Place your comments below and be sure to include your FULL contact information so Rip-off Report can contact you.]

And AT&T just jerked me around to no end on everything. Going back to my initial statement, however, no cellular carrier can give you everything you want the minute you want it. And, I agree that if George can't handle that, he needs to go to Tracfone, Virgin Mobile, Boost, or some prepaid carrier. Then, he won't be locked in if he's not happy. My side of the story: Cingular gave me International Dialing after I had only been on service for 3 months...their guidelines normally require 12 months. How's that for service? So, I'm happy with Cingular. No complaints here.

George,you are a perfect example of the type of idiot I'm talking about. I am NOT an employee of Cingular but I have worked for Verizon wireless so I know how the business works from BOTH sides of the counter. I am a customer and have been for over 5 years. Also,"Within reason" means don't expect to get more than what you deserve. Why should you? Obviously you've never had your own business. And to top it off you're going to get a lawyer and sue over some stupid minutes you were promised. You are a first class LOSER! Stop wasting everyones time with your lame rantings,use a pre-pay service that doesn't involve a contract that you can't read anyway (why not get your lawyer to read it for you)and get back on your medication ASAP!

This is for George in Lubbock, TX:

Sir, you must remember that if your decision is to sue Cingular, there was a clause in your consumer agreement that stated very clearly that you are NOT ENTITLED TO A JURY TRIAL. You must use Binding Arbitration (which will cost you significantly more in most cases, depending on your state's rules). That clause in the Consumer Agreement was attached to the survivability clause. In other words, that part of the agreement survives indefinitely, even after you terminate service. So, be careful. If you try to get a jury trial, your case will be thrown out on the grounds that you violated the consumer agreement. You need to consult an attorney and find out how to file for binding arbitration.

"...you can get anything within reason from them" and "If there are ligitiment credits due on the acct cingular is more than happy to credit a customers acct" is are absolute lies. I called Cingular about rollover minutes that were improperly not applied to my account. I got a work order number and no minutes. I have got no satisfaction from Cingular and in the response to my FCC complaint, they said my service was "adequate". Woops - what about the breach of contract, conumer fraud, etc. These minutes were in addition to the "regional" minutes which also was not in the contract.

Maybe Cingular customers would get better service if Cingular customer rep's weren't busy posing as satisified customers at forums like this or crying about their customers stupidity. I wouldn't use Cingular if their service was free. Cingular sucks and I am suing for breach of contract and consumer fraud.

Cingular ROCKS!!! I have had other wireless services and for signal quality, service, price, features and helpful CSR's, Cingular is the BEST. I have worked for Verizon and kept my Cingular phone and glad I did Because Verizon is the WORST. I love Cingular and they love me. Just read the contract so you can talk to the CSR's like you have some sense and don't have that outdated "The Customer is always right" attitude, and you can get anything within reason from them.

I am a CRS with cingular, I have bills to pay and i life to live just like the rest of you. I have a job to do. If there are ligitiment credits due on the acct cingular is more than happy to credit a customers acct.But, if a customer is too cheap to buy a rate plan with enough minutes to suit there purposes or a nation plan because they travel out side of there state then they have one to blame but themselves!!! Time and Time again day after day i hear I didnt know how many minutes i had or the customer didnt understand They couldnt go out of state.

Thats just a excuse!!! Cell phones are a luxury not a nessessity!!! Cingular has several ways of keeping track of how many minutes you have used. The first time a customer calls in with a overage cingular will give you 50% of the overage as a misunderstanding even if it you your fault, But the problem is some customer call month after month with the same complaint, but will not change the rate plan so they wont go over they refuse because they only want something for nothing!!!!

As far as phones, Most customer that get upset because we wont replace there phone are the customer who want a new phone every 6 month because some newer and nicer is avalible. Or i hear " I didnt mean to drop my phone in the toliet it not my fault. i want you give me a brand new phone and i dont want to pay for it and i dont want a new contract" I have heard this one more time than i can count!!! The worst is when parent give there teenagers phone and they get them a 300 plan and they use 1000 minutes they want to complain my child never would talk this much!!!

Come one what teenager doesnt spent 50% of there life on the phone?? Think about it!!! Example imaging going into a restarant and ordering everything on the menu. ordering drinks having a good time untill the bill comes, and its ten times more than what you expected. Whos fault is that the waiter? the resturant? No its your fault!!! you ordered it you ate it and now you have to pay for it!!!! Thats not a rip off that just taking responsiblity for for you own actions like a mature adult!!!!

Just because you have had a bad day and you have over spent it not the cingular or the customer service reps fault that you went over you bill its yours!!! And just a clue people "home" means home, "Nation" means nation, if your going to stay at home the thats the plan for you you if your going out of you state than get a Nation it that simple. And if you agree to a two year contract. Well then expect to be with cingular two year. No one is making you agree to a contract no one is forcing you to take the free phone.

But if that the phone you chose. and take responiblity for you actions. Quit blaming the CSR because you acting like you two years old having to temper tantum on the phone because you cant have exactly what you want!!! Im not saying Cingular is perfect all i am saying is quit blaming everyone else because you failed to pay you bill, or even read the bill or the contract!!! If you break or lose your phone, it not cinulars fault, if you get a huge bill because you over talked it your fault, and if you cant afford a cell phone then dont get one!! Its that simple!!!!

I am a CRS with cingular, I have bills to pay and i life to live just like the rest of you. I have a job to do. If there are ligitiment credits due on the acct cingular is more than happy to credit a customers acct.But, if a customer is too cheap to buy a rate plan with enough minutes to suit there purposes or a nation plan because they travel out side of there state then they have one to blame but themselves!!! Time and Time again day after day i hear I didnt know how many minutes i had or the customer didnt understand They couldnt go out of state.

Thats just a excuse!!! Cell phones are a luxury not a nessessity!!! Cingular has several ways of keeping track of how many minutes you have used. The first time a customer calls in with a overage cingular will give you 50% of the overage as a misunderstanding even if it you your fault, But the problem is some customer call month after month with the same complaint, but will not change the rate plan so they wont go over they refuse because they only want something for nothing!!!!

As far as phones, Most customer that get upset because we wont replace there phone are the customer who want a new phone every 6 month because some newer and nicer is avalible. Or i hear " I didnt mean to drop my phone in the toliet it not my fault. i want you give me a brand new phone and i dont want to pay for it and i dont want a new contract" I have heard this one more time than i can count!!! The worst is when parent give there teenagers phone and they get them a 300 plan and they use 1000 minutes they want to complain my child never would talk this much!!!

Come one what teenager doesnt spent 50% of there life on the phone?? Think about it!!! Example imaging going into a restarant and ordering everything on the menu. ordering drinks having a good time untill the bill comes, and its ten times more than what you expected. Whos fault is that the waiter? the resturant? No its your fault!!! you ordered it you ate it and now you have to pay for it!!!! Thats not a rip off that just taking responsiblity for for you own actions like a mature adult!!!!

Just because you have had a bad day and you have over spent it not the cingular or the customer service reps fault that you went over you bill its yours!!! And just a clue people "home" means home, "Nation" means nation, if your going to stay at home the thats the plan for you you if your going out of you state than get a Nation it that simple. And if you agree to a two year contract. Well then expect to be with cingular two year. No one is making you agree to a contract no one is forcing you to take the free phone.

But if that the phone you chose. and take responiblity for you actions. Quit blaming the CSR because you acting like you two years old having to temper tantum on the phone because you cant have exactly what you want!!! Im not saying Cingular is perfect all i am saying is quit blaming everyone else because you failed to pay you bill, or even read the bill or the contract!!! If you break or lose your phone, it not cinulars fault, if you get a huge bill because you over talked it your fault, and if you cant afford a cell phone then dont get one!! Its that simple!!!!

I am a CRS with cingular, I have bills to pay and i life to live just like the rest of you. I have a job to do. If there are ligitiment credits due on the acct cingular is more than happy to credit a customers acct.But, if a customer is too cheap to buy a rate plan with enough minutes to suit there purposes or a nation plan because they travel out side of there state then they have one to blame but themselves!!! Time and Time again day after day i hear I didnt know how many minutes i had or the customer didnt understand They couldnt go out of state.

Thats just a excuse!!! Cell phones are a luxury not a nessessity!!! Cingular has several ways of keeping track of how many minutes you have used. The first time a customer calls in with a overage cingular will give you 50% of the overage as a misunderstanding even if it you your fault, But the problem is some customer call month after month with the same complaint, but will not change the rate plan so they wont go over they refuse because they only want something for nothing!!!!

As far as phones, Most customer that get upset because we wont replace there phone are the customer who want a new phone every 6 month because some newer and nicer is avalible. Or i hear " I didnt mean to drop my phone in the toliet it not my fault. i want you give me a brand new phone and i dont want to pay for it and i dont want a new contract" I have heard this one more time than i can count!!! The worst is when parent give there teenagers phone and they get them a 300 plan and they use 1000 minutes they want to complain my child never would talk this much!!!

Come one what teenager doesnt spent 50% of there life on the phone?? Think about it!!! Example imaging going into a restarant and ordering everything on the menu. ordering drinks having a good time untill the bill comes, and its ten times more than what you expected. Whos fault is that the waiter? the resturant? No its your fault!!! you ordered it you ate it and now you have to pay for it!!!! Thats not a rip off that just taking responsiblity for for you own actions like a mature adult!!!!

Just because you have had a bad day and you have over spent it not the cingular or the customer service reps fault that you went over you bill its yours!!! And just a clue people "home" means home, "Nation" means nation, if your going to stay at home the thats the plan for you you if your going out of you state than get a Nation it that simple. And if you agree to a two year contract. Well then expect to be with cingular two year. No one is making you agree to a contract no one is forcing you to take the free phone.

But if that the phone you chose. and take responiblity for you actions. Quit blaming the CSR because you acting like you two years old having to temper tantum on the phone because you cant have exactly what you want!!! Im not saying Cingular is perfect all i am saying is quit blaming everyone else because you failed to pay you bill, or even read the bill or the contract!!! If you break or lose your phone, it not cinulars fault, if you get a huge bill because you over talked it your fault, and if you cant afford a cell phone then dont get one!! Its that simple!!!!

I am a CRS with cingular, I have bills to pay and i life to live just like the rest of you. I have a job to do. If there are ligitiment credits due on the acct cingular is more than happy to credit a customers acct.But, if a customer is too cheap to buy a rate plan with enough minutes to suit there purposes or a nation plan because they travel out side of there state then they have one to blame but themselves!!! Time and Time again day after day i hear I didnt know how many minutes i had or the customer didnt understand They couldnt go out of state.

Thats just a excuse!!! Cell phones are a luxury not a nessessity!!! Cingular has several ways of keeping track of how many minutes you have used. The first time a customer calls in with a overage cingular will give you 50% of the overage as a misunderstanding even if it you your fault, But the problem is some customer call month after month with the same complaint, but will not change the rate plan so they wont go over they refuse because they only want something for nothing!!!!

As far as phones, Most customer that get upset because we wont replace there phone are the customer who want a new phone every 6 month because some newer and nicer is avalible. Or i hear " I didnt mean to drop my phone in the toliet it not my fault. i want you give me a brand new phone and i dont want to pay for it and i dont want a new contract" I have heard this one more time than i can count!!! The worst is when parent give there teenagers phone and they get them a 300 plan and they use 1000 minutes they want to complain my child never would talk this much!!!

Come one what teenager doesnt spent 50% of there life on the phone?? Think about it!!! Example imaging going into a restarant and ordering everything on the menu. ordering drinks having a good time untill the bill comes, and its ten times more than what you expected. Whos fault is that the waiter? the resturant? No its your fault!!! you ordered it you ate it and now you have to pay for it!!!! Thats not a rip off that just taking responsiblity for for you own actions like a mature adult!!!!

Just because you have had a bad day and you have over spent it not the cingular or the customer service reps fault that you went over you bill its yours!!! And just a clue people "home" means home, "Nation" means nation, if your going to stay at home the thats the plan for you you if your going out of you state than get a Nation it that simple. And if you agree to a two year contract. Well then expect to be with cingular two year. No one is making you agree to a contract no one is forcing you to take the free phone.

But if that the phone you chose. and take responiblity for you actions. Quit blaming the CSR because you acting like you two years old having to temper tantum on the phone because you cant have exactly what you want!!! Im not saying Cingular is perfect all i am saying is quit blaming everyone else because you failed to pay you bill, or even read the bill or the contract!!! If you break or lose your phone, it not cinulars fault, if you get a huge bill because you over talked it your fault, and if you cant afford a cell phone then dont get one!! Its that simple!!!!

I am a current customer of Cingular Wireless in Pennsylvania and I have to defend them. I apologize to those of you who do not like them, but I have had very good luck with Cingular. Actually, they are the best service I have had as far as cellular goes thus far. They have resolved every issue and complaint I have had, plus, they have taken the time to listen to me when I had a suggestion. They really are good people. As a matter of fact, I had a major issue with them. I can't go into detail here, but if you want to know more about what happened, feel free to e-mail me at rjbaker678@linkline.com and place "WANTING TO KNOW MORE ABOUT CINGULAR" in the subject line. Mind you, I am NOT an employee of Cingular...I am merely a customer.

You MUST go above the CSR, they are unwilling and unable to refund your money.

I also spoke with a rep from the "office of the president" in Atlanta. Unless you push Cingular with a complaint they will not assist you.

Tony at the Pres. office told me that the CSR's are not authorized or encouraged to suggest refunds. Always go above the first-liners.

I showed up to a Cingular store after purchasing a phone online and was told they could not help me, everything had to be done online. I wanted a better phone! I wanted an upgrade! The phone I chose online did not meet my expectation and I was prepared to pay additonal money for a better phone. I was told I could only do this if I agreed to lose my phone number, cancel the service entirely (I was 3 days into my contract) and start over again. Having just transfered my number from AT&T, I did not wish to do this. But they said I had to pay full price for a new phone because I was not "due for an equipment upgrade" for another 2 years. Store, phone, and internet purchase help line refered me to each other.

Please don't take advice from the Cingular employee, he's probably one of the 12 reps that I went through when I had problems with my account.

In my case I ordered equipment from Cingular on-line, they charged my credit card. Once I got the equipment my fiance and I decided the phones would not suit our purpose and then we returned them. Yes I was advised that you have 15 days to cancel. The contract was cancelled with no problem, but don't think it will be easy to get your money back. That's a joke.
It took me 12 reps (and one of the previous posts is correct, each rep gives you a different answer) 2 supervisors (who didn't ever call me back), and 3 months in order to get my money back. I had to call my credit card company and dispute the charges so they would not bill me and charge me interest on the balance.

I finally got pissed off enough to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. After I filed the complaint with the BBB, about 5 days later I received a phone call from Janet at the "Cingular Wireless Office of the President". After speaking with her, she apologized for the "delay" but made no explanation for her company trying to keep my money. After being told by several diffeerent people for months that it would take 3-4 days, 7-10 days, 6-8 weeks, Janet placed the refund on my credit card the same day.

Needeless to say, because of this situation and other problems we have had with them, we will never purchase anything else from Cingular, nor will we continue our contract once it is up.
I am at work and do not have her information with me now, but I will find it when I get home and post her number and business address, to hopefully help others out there who need assistance with Cingular Ripoffs.

cingular wireless customers are able to return equipment and/or cancel service with cingular within a 15 day period from the time the wireless service is activated without occuring any early contract termination fees or penalties.

csr cingular wireless

Actually ALL wireless companies offer a "trial period" its just not usually advertized. In the case of Cingular Wireless, you have a 14 trial period. The same goes for Sprint PCS, Verizon Wireless. Nextel is the only company that does not have a specified trial period but that is solved depending on the state you live in. Each state has a Buyers Remorse clause that gives you a certain amount of time to break a contract with out penalty. In New York, the buyers remorse is 3 days. Hope this helps.