Cingular Wireless Problems since Day One! USA Nationwide

I had cingular service with 2 phones for 1 year. the girl assured me that this new phone would get reception where my old one didn't . I didn't have reception at times in many places. I moved 6 miles from cape girardeau missouri. I didn't have service. After calling them numerous times, they still did nothing. They said I should have had service. After a trip to branson where my friends had service, and we did not with cingular, I switched.

Cingular said I owed them for 2 months service (which I did) and 150.00 per phone for early cancellation. I said I would pay 198.33 (which I owed) but would not pay the 300.00 cancellation fee. This was in november, in January they sent my account to financial asset management systems, inc. they sent me a bill for 664.25. I was contacted by Terrance Liles. That bill included a 100.00 collection fee. After several phone calls, terrance told me that I could only pay this bill with a check over the phone. I finally consented to pay 564.25 over a two month period. I sent 270.00 via western union on 2-17-05.

Tonight on 2-21-05 I get a call that I need to pay the balance immediately. I told the other guy that I had made arrangements with Terrence to pay the rest next week when I get paid. He said they are going to ruin my credit. He got pretty belingerant and told me he couldn't trust me. I am very angry that I have to uphold an end of a contract when they do not have to uphold to give you service. Can they ruin my credit?

I had cingular service with 2 phones for 1 year. the girl assured me that this new phone would get reception where my old one didn't . I didn't have reception at times in many places. I moved 6 miles from cape girardeau missouri. I didn't have service. After calling them numerous times, they still did nothing. They said I should have had service. After a trip to branson where my friends had service, and we did not with cingular, I switched.

Cingular said I owed them for 2 months service (which I did) and 150.00 per phone for early cancellation. I said I would pay 198.33 (which I owed) but would not pay the 300.00 cancellation fee. This was in november, in January they sent my account to financial asset management systems, inc. they sent me a bill for 664.25. I was contacted by Terrance Liles. That bill included a 100.00 collection fee. After several phone calls, terrance told me that I could only pay this bill with a check over the phone. I finally consented to pay 564.25 over a two month period. I sent 270.00 via western union on 2-17-05.

Tonight on 2-21-05 I get a call that I need to pay the balance immediately. I told the other guy that I had made arrangements with Terrence to pay the rest next week when I get paid. He said they are going to ruin my credit. He got pretty belingerant and told me he couldn't trust me. I am very angry that I have to uphold an end of a contract when they do not have to uphold to give you service. Can they ruin my credit?

I had cingular service with 2 phones for 1 year. the girl assured me that this new phone would get reception where my old one didn't . I didn't have reception at times in many places. I moved 6 miles from cape girardeau missouri. I didn't have service. After calling them numerous times, they still did nothing. They said I should have had service. After a trip to branson where my friends had service, and we did not with cingular, I switched.

Cingular said I owed them for 2 months service (which I did) and 150.00 per phone for early cancellation. I said I would pay 198.33 (which I owed) but would not pay the 300.00 cancellation fee. This was in november, in January they sent my account to financial asset management systems, inc. they sent me a bill for 664.25. I was contacted by Terrance Liles. That bill included a 100.00 collection fee. After several phone calls, terrance told me that I could only pay this bill with a check over the phone. I finally consented to pay 564.25 over a two month period. I sent 270.00 via western union on 2-17-05.

Tonight on 2-21-05 I get a call that I need to pay the balance immediately. I told the other guy that I had made arrangements with Terrence to pay the rest next week when I get paid. He said they are going to ruin my credit. He got pretty belingerant and told me he couldn't trust me. I am very angry that I have to uphold an end of a contract when they do not have to uphold to give you service. Can they ruin my credit?

I had cingular service with 2 phones for 1 year. the girl assured me that this new phone would get reception where my old one didn't . I didn't have reception at times in many places. I moved 6 miles from cape girardeau missouri. I didn't have service. After calling them numerous times, they still did nothing. They said I should have had service. After a trip to branson where my friends had service, and we did not with cingular, I switched.

Cingular said I owed them for 2 months service (which I did) and 150.00 per phone for early cancellation. I said I would pay 198.33 (which I owed) but would not pay the 300.00 cancellation fee. This was in november, in January they sent my account to financial asset management systems, inc. they sent me a bill for 664.25. I was contacted by Terrance Liles. That bill included a 100.00 collection fee. After several phone calls, terrance told me that I could only pay this bill with a check over the phone. I finally consented to pay 564.25 over a two month period. I sent 270.00 via western union on 2-17-05.

Tonight on 2-21-05 I get a call that I need to pay the balance immediately. I told the other guy that I had made arrangements with Terrence to pay the rest next week when I get paid. He said they are going to ruin my credit. He got pretty belingerant and told me he couldn't trust me. I am very angry that I have to uphold an end of a contract when they do not have to uphold to give you service. Can they ruin my credit?

Rick, you stated you wanted to provide documents and/or memos from the company proving the marketing, sales and CSR tactics are designed to mislead. I would like you to contact me via e-mail and hopefully, review what you have to try to force the company to establish procedures that are done with a show of good faith.

Each consumer must do the following:
1. Read your bills thoroughly each month and call immediately if there are questionable charges. Ask the CSR for his/her employee ID # and log the time, date and result of your conversation.
2. Calling the company after problems have escalated, is a waste of a lot of time and is frustrating. Immediately write a dispute letterthat clearly states specifically what you know you don't owe and why. Then, state the remedy you are seeking and a date certain for the company complaint division to answer. Send the letter return receipt requested. Copies of this letter should go at least to the state Public Utilities Commission and Federal Trade Commission.
3. Customers must send payments for exactly what they owe (i.e. minutes used and basic monthly charge, etc) and not send in payment for the formally disputed amount and let the company and agencies cc'd know owed amounts were paid. It doesn't hurt to offer to show agencies copies of front and back of payment checks cashed--to be sent as soon as received from bank. FYI: When you pay by check, you are giving most companies the ability to do electronic withdrawals from your checking account. Then, you have to go through a big hassle writing to get this practice changed. With passage of new laws this year, many of you won't get cancelled checks and may need to go to payments by credit card to have immediate proof. In addition, you can dispute charges with the big and whatever is left of reputable credit card companies.
3. Customers can fill out on-line complaints with the Federal Trade Commission, local state PUC and any other agency like the FCC.
4. Never send original documents as verification of your dispute; only copies--if warranted. This suggestion is for customers who primarily have Bundled/Combo plan services where the local service provider was paid and failed to pay Cingular. The local service provider with Cingular will be some type of "Bell" company like Bell South, Southwewstern Bell, SBC or the like.
5. Each person violated by a company can also write a Consumer Legal Remedies Act (CLRA) letter that demands a response within at least 30 days; depending on the jurisdiction. It's 30 days in CA. You can type in keyword on Internet or do a Google Search to find the contents and purpose of the CLRA letter.
6. Consumers can also request arbitration since most cellular and other telecom companies have this provision in their contracts. With the rules as they are, it's probably not worth the time and money for the company; especially, if volumes of them are initiated.
7. Small claims actions are another option. If everyone all over the country initiated this or the above actions in unison, it would be too costly for the company to not change its practices and develop guidelines to prevent the problem.
8. Re-read your contracts thoroughly to understand what you have agreed to, prior to the 30 day return policy time. If promises were made that are not in writing, cancel within this allotted time! For those of you where it's too late, know the end date of your contract so you can call to cancel and follow call with a letter. Get a confirmation # of some sort from the CSR.

Rick, please contact me. Additionally, anyone out there who is or was an AT&T customer under contract, that was notified in any way (verbally, by phone call or by written notification) that they must come back in to the local kiosk or store to change from AT&T to Cingular, please post the sequence of events and if the contract change and equipment change reduced your minutes for either the same price or lowered your usage conditions and raised the monthly amount.

Victor -from Bethlehem, Rhode Island
U.S.A.

Is absoluty correct in fact I still have the paper work from the staff meetings that I went to where they explained and trained us how to use all the information and tactics that they happened to think up in order to MAKE a few bucks for the company and supposedly for the employees on commission which was a bunch of bull. Anyway if anyone happens to do something about cingular ripping off the public and or its employees I would be glad to lend any support needed.

I first got Cingular wireless about 5 years ago. Within the first year I had 2 bills that had HUNDREDS of dollars in international phone call charges. The phone was under my fathers name as i was too young to have one at the time, so, he called them and complained. There was no way i could have made these calls. They were all at 3-5 am every day, at the same time, for the same length of time, and several of them would happen at the same time for the same length, to the same number. The number was always the same on each bill. Cingular was kind enough to fix THEIR mistake and took the charges off. Everything was fine then until spring of 2003. I was in college, an hour away from home. At the time this happened, the phone had been put under my name. I received a bill for around $1600.00!!! Again, it was the same number from before. But this time, some of the calls were made at outrageous times of the day, i.e. 2, 3, 4, 5 in the morning. When i called Cingular, they told me they would look into it. A few days later i received a call back from them telling me that i HAD made the phone calls because the "footprint" of the calls matched the "footprint" of my phone. When I asked them to explain what a "footprint" was, the man i talked to told me he could not put it into words, and he didn't know what it means. Which, in my book, told me they were pulling this all out of their a*s.

Keep in mind, I was going to school 40 hours a week, monday through friday, and had a fulltime job working 35-40 hours a week. Some of the calls were made when i was in class. I even went so far to go to the office of the school to find out what classes i had missed, and what days. I had been in class at the time of the calls, or at work, or sleeping. Not only that, but I am from BFE Missouri, who the hell am i going to know in the UK???

Cingular has horrible customer service. I am not blaming the CSRs because I have worked in customer service myself, and i know for a fact that in some places the rule "the customer is always right" does not exist.

I did not hear anything from cingular after i got a new cell phone with T-Mobile (whom i have had NO problems with) until March of 2004. Some woman from a "collection agency" called me on my land line phone and told me that she had left SEVERAL messages with my parents telling them to tell me to call her. I asked my parents about that, and they had no idea what i was talking about. The lady called 3 other times after that because I kept hanging up on her.

When i finally got through to her that i was fed up with Cingular, she explained to me that she had "talked to Cingular" herself, and Cingular told her (personally I'm sure) they would take my $1600.00 bill down to $475.00. The lady wanted to know if i would pay that. Of course I told her "HELL NO!" Why would I pay for something i didnt use? I had offererd to pay cingular the price of my bill minus the international charges, and pay the early termination fee from the contract and Cingular told me if i paid any of it, i would be liable to pay all of it.

Since they refused my offer then, why would they accept my money now? I havent heard anything from them since March, and i dont intend to.

If anyone has advice on how I can get this off of my credit please write back and let me know!!

HOW WOULD ALL YOU SO CALLED RIPPED OFF, MISRPRESENTED, PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES LIKE TO ACTUALLY HAVE AN EMPLOYEE OF AT&T WIRELESS/ CINGULAR, ON YOUR SIDE WITH LOTS OF PROOF THAT WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS SO TRUE.

THEY ARE ALSO DOING THE SAME THING TO THEIR EMPLOYEES, I KNOW YOU PROBABLY DONT BELIEVE THAT BUT IT IS TRUE.

WITHOUT NOTICE EVER SINCE JUNE 2004 THEY HAVE BEEN MAKING DEDUCTIONS FROM OUR PAY CHECKS FOR ALL THE THINGS YOU CUSTOMERS HAD CANCELED ON YOUR ACCOUNTS, THEY WENT BACK SIX MONTHS.
THIS IS WHAT THEY WANTED US TO DO,ADD FEATURES TO YOUR ACCOUNTS-THE TRICK (ONE MONTH FREE) AND HOPE YOU FORGET ABOUT IT.

THAT WAY THEY MAKE A LITTLE MONEY ON YOU AND THEN THEY CAN ALSO COME BACK AND THEN TAKE IT AWAY FROM US BECAUSE YOU CAUGHT ON AND CANCELED ALL THOSE FREE ONE MONTH FREE SERVICES THAT WERE ON YOUR BILL YOU NEVER EVEN KNEW ABOUT (SO THAT I KNOW IS TRUE).

MANAGMENT--DM'S---ON UP TO ZEGL-a*s HAVE QUOTAS TO MAKE EVERY MONTH SO -

THEY INSINUATE, THEY DO EVERYTHING SHORT BUT COME RIGHT OUT AND SAY DO THIS DO THAT, AND YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY MEAN. WITNESS'S YEAP EMAIL ME I WILL HELP ANY WAY I CAN.

AND FROM THE LOOKS OF IT CINGULAR AND AT&T WIRELESS ARE GOING TO MAKE A GOOD TEAM THEY TAUGHT THEIR EMPLOYEES WELL. I SHOULD KNOW. BUT BELIEVE ME WHEN YOU WALK INTO YOUR NEXT AT&T WIRELESS STORE THAT IS NOW CINGULAR REMEMBER HOW ( THESE POOR PEOPLE DONT CARE TO MUCH ABOUT THEIR JOBS ANYMORE BECAUSE THE MAIN THING YOU ARE THERE TO DO IS EARN MONEY THROUGH YOUR SALES IN COMISSION, BUT THE COMPANY IS TAKING IT ALL AWAY FROM YOU EACH MONTH FOR A 6 MONTH SPAN OF DEACTS ALL AT ONE TIME. SO IF THE REPS DONT SEEM HAPPY WORKING 10 TO 12 HOUR DAYS FACE TO FACE WITH THE MISERABLE CUSTOMERS THAT WALK IN THE DOOR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING AND RUIN YOUR DAY EVEN THOUGH YOU DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO HELP THEM ( THE REP IS PROBABLY THINKING) WHY AM I GOING THROUGH ALL THIS TROUBLE TO HELP THIS CUSTOMER WITH THEIR PROBLEM, BECAUSE I DONT GET PAID TO DO THAT, BUT I DO IT ANYWAY TO HELP THEM, WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR CUSTOMER CARE ALSO JUST LIKE THE CUSTOMER AND SOMETIMES WE GET HUNG UP ON SEVERAL TIMES A DAY FROM CARE ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES. AND IF YOU ARE LUCKY YOU WILL GET A SEASONED PERSON WHO ACTUALLY KNOWS WHAT TO DO-AFTER BEING WITH ONE BILL PROBLEM CUTOMER FOR 3 HOURS FROM 10 IN THE MORNING UNTIL 1 IN THE AFTERNOON AND YOU ARE NOT MAKING ANY MONEY DOING THAT 3 HOURS OF YOUR TIME WAS JUST WASTED HELPING THE CUSTOMER, MANAGMENT WOULD TELL YOU TO CALL CARE,CARE TELLS THEM TO GO TO THE STORE, WHAT ARE THEY SUPPOSE TO DO.

SO WHEN YOU COME IN THE STORE REMEMBER RIGHT NOW WE ARE NOT HAPPY EITHER WE ALSO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE COMPANY, YOUR GETTING CHARGED MORE THAN YOU SHOULD AND WE ARE GETTING OUR EARNINGS TAKEN AWAY WITH A 6 MONTH CHARGEBACK ON EVERYTHING WE DO.

SO SEND YOUR REBUTTAL I KNOW I CAN HELP, I AM BEHIND ON MY BILLS, MY MORTGAGE, ETC. I BET YOU CUSTOMERS ARE NOT IN TROUBLE OF LOSING YOUR HOMES BECAUSE YOU RECEIVED AN INPROPER BILL. AND IF YOU GET SOMEONE WHO HELPS YOU GET YOUR PROBLEM FIXED YOU ARE LUCKY BECAUSE A LOT OF STORES DO NOT HELP WITH BILL PROBLEMS AT ALL.

SO THE REP THAT IS TRYING TO HELP YOU IN THE STORE IS ACTUALLY GOING OUT OF THEIR WAY TO HELP YOU PROBABLY BECAUSE WE KNOW YOU ARE BEING RIPPED OFF AND WE WANT TO HELP YOU FIX IT. SO MUCH IS GOING ON, BELIEVE ME CINGULAR AND AT&T WIRELESS HAVE SO MUCH IN COMMON.

CINGULAR IS GOING TO PAY LESS, WHEN THEIR REPS HEARD WHAT AT&T WIRELESS WAS MAKING ANNUALLY AMD IN THEIR COMISSIONS THEY COULD NOT BELIEVE IT-MAYBE WITH THIS UNION OF YOURS WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER AND SEE ABOUT GETTING BACK PAY FIXED FOR US AND GETTING YOUR WAGES A LOT HUGHER THAN WHAT YOU HAVE NOW THEN MAYBE YOU WOULD FEEL LIKE DOING ALL YOUR CAN TO HELP YOUR CUSTOMER WITH THEIR PROBLEMS, WOULD YOU LOLE A CHECK FROM$1500 UP TO $3000 SOMETIMES MORE DEPENDING ON YOUR AREA, AND YOUR HONESTY.AND THIS IS NOT COUNTING YOUR PAY CHECK THAT IS EXTRA I DONT KMOW HOW MANY AT&T EMPLOYEES CINGULAR IS GOING TO KEEP AND I DONT CARE BUT THE ONES THAT THEY DO KEEP WILL NOT SETTLE FOR ANYTHING LESS THEN THAY HAD BEFORE CALLIDUS CAME INTO THEIR LIVES,YOU WILL ALSO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND TREAT YOUR CUSTOMERS THE SAME BECAUSE YOU WILL ONCE FEEL LIKE YOU ARE HELPING SOMEONE AND EARNING YOUR INCOME HONESTLY WITH NO TRICKS.

AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH ZEGL-a*s FOR SELLING OUT YOUR COMPANY AND EMPLOYEES THAT GOT YOU TO WHERE YOU ARE IN THE FIRST PLACE, LETS SEE YOU GIVE THAT STOCK MONEY BACK, YOU DID NOT GET NO BONUS. A BONUS FOR WHAT!THINGS HAVE BEEN GOIMG DOWN HILL SINCE 2000. BONUS DID YOU GET WHAT YOU DESERVED IT WAS ALL A DEAL IN THE MAKING FROM WAY BACK YOU SHOULD BE RIGHT WHERE MARTHA STEWART IS AND EVERYONE ELSE IN YOUR SHOES.

NO WONDER ALL THE JOBS ARE GOING OVERSEAS AMERICA DOES NOT TAKE PRIDE IN THEIR WORK ANYMORE THEY HAVE'NT FOR A VERY LONG TIME, AND ITS BECAUSE OF THE WAY THEY ARE BEING TREATED NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE LAZY OR STUPID.

THINK OF GETTING SOME NORMAL PEOPLE WITH HEARTS IM THOSE BIG POSITIONS WHO HAVE A CONSIENCE (HOPE I SPELLED THAT RIGHT) AND WATCH THINGS CHANGE ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE BEING PAID WELL FOR THE WORK YOU ARE DOING AND YOU ARE NOT BEING TREATED LIKE A DOG,AND THREATENED ABOUT POLICY ALL THE TIME. EACH DAM STORE MANAGER MAKES THEIR OWMN RULES ANYWAY,THEY ONLY GO BY POLICY WHEN WE NO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE VISITORS IN OUR STORE FOR A VISIT. THATS THE WAY IT IS!
LETS TAKE AT&T WIRELESS AND CINGULAR TO THE COURTS AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS THEN, ARE THEY HONEST AS WELL OR IN A POCKET ALSO, UNION OF CINGULAR TALK TO AT&T WIRELESS EMPLOYEE'S THERE ARE 30 THOUSAND OF IS WHAT A BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR YOU IF YOU CAN PULL IT OFF-WE HEAR CINGULAR AND ITS UNION HAVE A GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP I WONDER WHY THEIR REPS ARE NOT MAKING THAT MUCH MONEY.THATS WHAT THE UNION IS FOR YOU SHOULD GET THOSE BIG COMISSION CHECKS ALSO. BUT''' ''''

MAKE SURE WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD;;;;; CALLIDUS''YOU SAY NO TO WHO EVER IS TALKING ABOUT IT THAT IS THE COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT CAN GO BACK 6 MONTHS AND COUNT UP ALL YOUR DEACTS OF ANYTHING AND DEDUCT IT FROM YOUR PAY ANY TIME THEY WANT AND YOU HAVE NO IDEA IT IS COMING. TRY EXPLAINING TO THE DEBTORS THAT YOUR EMPLOYER JUST CUT YOUR PAY 50 TO 75% ON YOU JUST LIKE THAT AND THEY ARE DOING NOTHING TO HELP YOU. IF YOU CAN EVEN GET YOUR DEBTORS TO BELIEVE YOU . CINGULAR IS KEEPING AT&T WIRELESS FREE TO GO PRE PAID BECAUSE OF THE FREE REVENUE IT IS GOING TO BRING IN AND ALSO THE GO-PHONE, EVEN A PREPAID CUSTOMER LETS THEIR PHONE GO EMPTY ; YOU THE REP WILL GET A CHARGEBACK FOR THAT 3 DOLLARS YOU MADE SELLING THAT PREPAID SERVICE.

WHO DO THEY THINK THEY ARE..CINGULAR BETTER HOPE WHEN THEY DO THEIR LAYOFFS THEY ARE VERY CAREFUL WHO THEY KEEP ON THE AT&T SIDE BECAUSE WE ARE NOT STUPID EMPLOYEES (NOT SAYING YOURS ARE) BUT WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE WORTH AND YOU PROBALY WONT LIKE ANYTHING WE HAVE TO SAY. A

ND I PERSONALLY KNOW WHAT A UNION IS FOR AND THE JOB YOU NEED TO DO SO COME ON BRING IT ON GET IN THERE TALK TO AT&T EMPLOYEES, WHEN THEY DID A SURVEY ABOUT THE UNION A COUPLE MONTHS AGO WITH AT&T EMPLOYEES A LOT OF US WERE FOR IT, BUT YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGHT FOR US NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP YOU HAVE WITH CINGULAR. YOU WORK FOR THE EMPLOYEE NOT THE EMPLOYER.

I was with CINGULAR WIRELESS NATIONWIDE for several years until they started altering my plan and over charging me. I got the usual, oh I am so sorry sir, let me correct that for you.........not..........after 3 months of that I I cancelled my contract and they of course penalized me for that, as well they tacked all kinds of other charges on top of that. turned me over to a collection angency because I refused to pay them. They had me upset with my daughter,later found out she had nothing to do with the additional charges......CINGULAR FAMILY PLAN from hell is what I called it. Called an atty and he defended me against CINGULAR and there collection agency. I'm looking to join in on any class action lawsuits against CINGULAR WIRELESS if any law firms want to represent the little guy against this monster of a company.I've been told that they have the politicians in their pockets and that no atty. general in any state has the guts to take them on.I just heard at&t was going to buy them out.........I just hope they can do better with it than the big shots that own it now. By the way I am with sprint and I am watching them close as well. So far no complaints as of yet. advice to all get an atty.if you have to and fight this corruption where ever you can. big thanks to badbusinessbureau.com this site saved my credit line..............

I was with CINGULAR WIRELESS NATIONWIDE for several years until they started altering my plan and over charging me. I got the usual, oh I am so sorry sir, let me correct that for you.........not..........after 3 months of that I I cancelled my contract and they of course penalized me for that, as well they tacked all kinds of other charges on top of that. turned me over to a collection angency because I refused to pay them. They had me upset with my daughter,later found out she had nothing to do with the additional charges......CINGULAR FAMILY PLAN from hell is what I called it. Called an atty and he defended me against CINGULAR and there collection agency. I'm looking to join in on any class action lawsuits against CINGULAR WIRELESS if any law firms want to represent the little guy against this monster of a company.I've been told that they have the politicians in their pockets and that no atty. general in any state has the guts to take them on.I just heard at&t was going to buy them out.........I just hope they can do better with it than the big shots that own it now. By the way I am with sprint and I am watching them close as well. So far no complaints as of yet. advice to all get an atty.if you have to and fight this corruption where ever you can. big thanks to badbusinessbureau.com this site saved my credit line..............

I was with CINGULAR WIRELESS NATIONWIDE for several years until they started altering my plan and over charging me. I got the usual, oh I am so sorry sir, let me correct that for you.........not..........after 3 months of that I I cancelled my contract and they of course penalized me for that, as well they tacked all kinds of other charges on top of that. turned me over to a collection angency because I refused to pay them. They had me upset with my daughter,later found out she had nothing to do with the additional charges......CINGULAR FAMILY PLAN from hell is what I called it. Called an atty and he defended me against CINGULAR and there collection agency. I'm looking to join in on any class action lawsuits against CINGULAR WIRELESS if any law firms want to represent the little guy against this monster of a company.I've been told that they have the politicians in their pockets and that no atty. general in any state has the guts to take them on.I just heard at&t was going to buy them out.........I just hope they can do better with it than the big shots that own it now. By the way I am with sprint and I am watching them close as well. So far no complaints as of yet. advice to all get an atty.if you have to and fight this corruption where ever you can. big thanks to badbusinessbureau.com this site saved my credit line..............

I was with CINGULAR WIRELESS NATIONWIDE for several years until they started altering my plan and over charging me. I got the usual, oh I am so sorry sir, let me correct that for you.........not..........after 3 months of that I I cancelled my contract and they of course penalized me for that, as well they tacked all kinds of other charges on top of that. turned me over to a collection angency because I refused to pay them. They had me upset with my daughter,later found out she had nothing to do with the additional charges......CINGULAR FAMILY PLAN from hell is what I called it. Called an atty and he defended me against CINGULAR and there collection agency. I'm looking to join in on any class action lawsuits against CINGULAR WIRELESS if any law firms want to represent the little guy against this monster of a company.I've been told that they have the politicians in their pockets and that no atty. general in any state has the guts to take them on.I just heard at&t was going to buy them out.........I just hope they can do better with it than the big shots that own it now. By the way I am with sprint and I am watching them close as well. So far no complaints as of yet. advice to all get an atty.if you have to and fight this corruption where ever you can. big thanks to badbusinessbureau.com this site saved my credit line..............

I signed up for a combined billing account through BellSouth (wireless, dsl and home phone) with Cingular as the wireless carrier, obviously. From the get go we had problems including: porting, voicemail, mobile to mobile, SIM card, routing, rebate, and billing. I won't bore you with the details of each problem but Cingular has fixed problems with molasses like speed and with the technical ingenuity of a tadpole. I finally wrote Stan Sigman (CEO) a letter and copied Duane Ackerman (CEO BellSouth) and Cingular called me about my problems, but only after BellSouth called them. Cingular couldn't find the letter. They are incompetant plain and simple.

I am the earlier poster to this website who complained about 2 expensive phones (along with several others) I had purchased for my small company. I had bought 2 Motorolas and 4 Nokias only to have problems with the Motorolas dropping calls, refusing to make calls, lousy signal reception and on the receiving end from a CSR who told me "Forget it. You signed a contract."

At the time I was complaining I had been told by a female CSR that as she was from the office of the president there was nothing that would be done.

I continued to press my case with Cingular going up the ladder until an Administrative Manager for the state and a true person from their Executive Offices recognized that I had a legitimate complaint. I was given 2 new Nokia phones which I am now using. They have better signals and fewer issues than did the Motorolas. I still have the Motorolas in a desk drawer where they will stay - Uh - anyone want to purchase them with a certified bank check?

To make a long story short, Cingular did correct my problem --BUT -- I had an occasion to take the phone of my Office Manager into a Cingular Store with a complaint that the alarm clock function didn't work. At that time I got a smart alec CSR who told me I didn't know anything about cell phones. I've been with their company since that kid was in high school as I was with Bell South Mobility prior to Cingular. I know what works and what doesn't and have spent about $35,000 with that company over the years I have been using their phones. I average about $7,00 a year on cell phones.

It is irritating to get a CSR with an attitude. Perhaps many of the problems could be resolved by a little training in Customer Service?

One comment, one of your earlier responders - an employee of Cingular - seemed not to understand how a person using 8,000 minutes a month on his phone alone didn't know in 15 days whether or not a phone would work for him. Bud, the reason why is that the fthe first 14 days of the use I was in a major metropolitan city at a medical conference and inside hospitals and had few occasions to use the phones. One does turn the phones off inside medical facilities in case there is a problem with cardiaqc monitoring devices, etc. FYI I did launch complaints on the 15'th day to no avail.

Right now, I am satisfied with the phones I am using except for the crappy diosplay. They work well in the dark, but I really don't make too many calls in a dark room or at night. Suggestion: Train your CSR's in Customer Service and get rid of those with a Know it All Attitude that smacks of the song from Annie Get Your Gun - Anything you can do, I can do better - Anything you know, I know more and better.

Ive seen issues with billing same call what appears twice. had a customer in my store who was angry over it. i added all of their used minutes and it SHOWS the call twice (usually accompanied with something like follow me roam) but it only actually applies it to the total usage once, add it up and recheck it. If it is still wrong then it sounds like a bill issue to me. good luck

I think that all the wireless phone companies need to change their policies. Why can't they just charge a flat fee like our landline phones?

There is way too many different plans out there to make consumers confused. Not everyone can stop and read through every fine print in the contracts and we rely on the sales people to tell us.

I think the government needs to step in and take a look at it and do something to stop this craziness.

I searched the web tonight for a site like this. I have been at stroke level with this company since May 2003. I had one phone with Cingular for 5 years with no trouble; it was an old Nationwide Plan. Then I added a phone for my daughter and got on combined billing through Bellsouth to get additional discounts and to also condense my services into one bill and make life easier. What a joke!!

Don't wever get on combined billing on a cingular account. You will jeopardise all of your other services in being cut off when Cingular accidently charges you for something they shouldn't. I was charged roaming on my daughters phone due to a problem with the tower ,that got the s****.> Does any one have their phone just kinda go down in power and die for a few seconds when you hit the button to dial a number? It acts like it is connecting and then dies. This requires you to try again to make the call and Cingular gets to charge you for another minute on the first call that didn't work. This is another way to rip people off.

The consumers that have been ripped off, that are being ripped off and that have been caused undue stress and hardship destruction of their credit rating need to BAN together and own this company. No one should have to scrutinize the charges on a bill every month. If the company makes that many errors they need to be shut down. They know that the average person does not have the time or expertiese to analyze the phone bill each month much less spend days with different departments on the phone to correct something they caused at you own individual expense!! If it had not been for Bellsouth I would never have gotten any credits issued against the Cingular account. Thank God for Bell South! As far a Cingular, let's get um!

We would be happy to be a part of a class action suit. We have had trouble from day 1.

John,

Since you were NOT at the meeting I was at dont tell me I dont know what Im talking about. I found the documents that I want to post here. I just have to figure out how to do it. THEN we will see whos right. Im not mad. I have no reason to be mad at Cingular. I quit and got a better job. No biggie.

This is in response to J who wrote in the title good grief. I seen the comment you made about the credit bureau. You must not have read the problem I was having which I posted in a different section of rip off report.

My problem was that the sales associate I bought the added phone and family talk time plan did not give us the correct information. We were told we could talk between the two phones anywhere in central florida. We explained to him that my husband would be in Tampa most of the week and I would be in Orlando. He said no problem we would not be charged for the calls between the two phones. This was back in 2002, I'm not sure if the plan has changed since then, but I really don't care any way.

I had my phone for a year before I changed it to this plan and had no problems. I ended up with a bill over $2000.00 for the first month I changed. This was ridiculous. My mortgage isn't even that much. I called I emailed and even went into the local store and talked to the manager and told him the associate was not trained well because he misinformed us. The manager said there was nothing he could do about it because he was not the manager of the associate in the mall where we got the service. He wasn't sure who was responsible.
"My god how could he be a manager and not know who else to contact."

Would you pay a bill for $2000.00 if you knew you were misinformed and it was the companies fault?

When a bill goes to collection there is fine print that says if you dispute this bill please write back. This is what I did. I showed proof of my contacts with Cingular to correct the problem also.

I just wish I had a tape recorder when this associate told me it would cover all of central florida. This is where I am hung. It's my word against his.

I will never deal with Cingular again and tell every one who thinks of going to them not to.

So this is my story which I had already posted earlier.

I will get it taken off my credit report. I just have to be persisitant and show the proof.

This is in response to the "calls that were never made". Before I left Cingular I had a bill for over $300. When I started to look over my detailed billing I noticed that I had SEVERAL instances where I had TWO calls at the SAME time from the SAME phone number. How does that happen? Don't try to blame it on the "call waiting" like the worthless CSR tried to do when I called. I only got credit to my bill when I spoke with a supervisor and threatened legal action. Thank God I don't have to deal with Cingular anymore!!!

First of all, Rick - you don't know what you are referring to. Cingular doesnt and never have condoned ripping people off. That is just bogus and you are just mad. Cingular will more than credit back any charges that are the companies mistakes. We don't credit back customer mistakes.
Donald - about your phones, that is why there is the 15 day return policy plus per the contract it does state in there that we dont guarantee the phones as we do not make them. Take it up with Motorola. I have had no complaints just praise for the V400 and the V600.
Any court dealings per the contract have to go through small claims court so....no Class Action lawsuit....and there is no jury just a judge in the small claims...
Andrea - every company has a complaint filed about it. Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, Sprint, Nextel, AT&T Wireless, they are all listed in here complaints. I dont care that you supposedly deal with prominent people, so what? Trying to impress us?
Sue - it doesnt matter if you told the credit bureau it was incorrect. They will contact Cingular who will verify you OWE the money and it will go right back on your credit report.

Just responding to the response as to the location of the office of the President of Cingular. When I contacted the company and also the FTC and FCC I was given the name of John Gross, President of Cingular, Grayson, Kentucky. If this is incorrect, it came from 2 federal agencies and the company itself.

I just wanted to respond to Johnathon (sorry if I mispelled.)
Im going to look up the paper work that I got from the meetings I attended that we were TOLD to stop giving credits and to use anything possible to avoid giving people their money back on mistakes that were either human or computer errors. If I can find them I WILL try to post them here just so anyone that THINKS that cingular doesnt condone riping people off can see that its BULL and that they DO condone and threatin to fire employees that give credit back to people that deserve it.

Hey smart guy. that call you got from the "presidents office" and actually you claim came from Atlanta, looks like you win...

Well not really, the main office AND, you guessed it, the president and ceo offices ARE indeep at the corp. office in none other than Atlanta, GA.

Also, i doubt the statement is to impress you, it probably is just letting you know its from a high authority and that the response you got is final.

No company is perfect, just gotta have the "buyer beware" on everything you do, thats what i try to do. my new saying also that i apply to everything that i dont like, you can use it to, "it is what it is".

I have been reading the complaints and the responses and would suggest to the readers that they take a look at the posting I have just made regarding my $7,000 a year account with Cingular and the failed attempts I have had with their CSR attempting to return 2 expensive phones out of 5 I bought for my business because they do not work. A Motorola V400 and a Motorola V600. They drop calls, fail to make calls, have a miserable audio, and extremely lousy reception.

I was willing to return two phones and buy 2 more, but I was told "Forget it , Buddy. You have those phones for 2 years as you signed a contract" When I pointed out that there were 2 side to any contract - one side was to deliver a working product and the other side was to pay for that working product, the response was "We don't guarantee a perfect product."

This person was allegedly from the Office of the President - something she repeatedly kept saying as though she was trying to impress me. I reversed traced the call which came from a call center in Atlanta.

Folks, I could never recommend this company to anyone and I am seriously thinking about filing a small claims action against them alleging that they are not living up to their end of the contract. Wonder if that would get their attention?

I really wanted to respond to some of the answers as I read them including the current employees of the company. I could not, but consider this letter (a few comments) to be a true version that all is not well within the company.

The cell phone industry needs to listen to the consumer - not a bunch of teenage kids who want to play music, take pictures and have a neon colored phone that is extremely small and impractical to use.

I wish one of the Administrative - truly an Administrative Person - not a CSR who wants to put on airs by saying repeatedly "I am from the office of the president," would contact me. Anmy ideas, Folks?

Think I'll say it once more.. Not sure what training classes those two attended...but Cingular does not condone ripping off customers. IF a customer does have an actual billing mistake they will fix it. Creditiing must have management approval now -- like it should have been before. Customers of Cingular, Ameritech and BellSouth were catered to way too much.

And now they have to face the facts that Cingular is tired of loosing money on just making them happy when the customer is in the wrong. You would be amazed at the customers that come in my kiosk everyday because they went over their plan minutes and wanted credit.

Sorry -- you signed up for the cheap plan, pay for it. IF you are overbilled -- read your bill and find out what you are overbilled for and know what you are talking about when you call in. Regardless of what these people say -- Cingular's bills do say everything that you are charged for. The bills are hard to read, but if you actually look at them all the charges are lined out.

Taxes are not issued by Cingular... they are required by the government -- if you can't pay them -- you don't need cell service. Btw... the "I never made these calls" story is way too old. Come up with something new to try to get out of paying your bill, that one has been worn out.

The CSR was very nice and I asked if my contract would be extended if I changed my plan and she said it depends...if you have less than 1 year on your contract it will add another 11 months! Well, I changed my plan and I was TOLD it would nOT change my contract time.

Also, I opened my acct. in July last year and got 2 phones, activated them the same time. She said my phone was activated in July but the other phone was activated in November! HOW?? I activated both of them in July and she said they did NOT have my contract there and I would have to call SBC (my phone Co.) to get a copy of my contract. SBC is the parent Co. of Cingular.

I get frustrated because you go to change your plan and there is never any plan NEAR the one I am on now. I am so switching carriers in November when she said the contract are up.

I just wanted to point out that Cingular started getting bad about giving credit for their mistakes as early as 2002. I still remember the day when they had a meeting saying that they were NO LONGER going to give out credits on bills for mistakes if at all possible. They would come up with every way possible to try to match mistakes from prior bills and then try to tell the customer that they made calls in the prior months so that would mean that the calls were legit. To be fair in most cases this was true. Then there was the roaming mistakes that are too countless to list. But cingular would try any and every excuse they could to try and justify charges that were just NOT fair.

I just wanted to point out that Cingular started getting bad about giving credit for their mistakes as early as 2002. I still remember the day when they had a meeting saying that they were NO LONGER going to give out credits on bills for mistakes if at all possible. They would come up with every way possible to try to match mistakes from prior bills and then try to tell the customer that they made calls in the prior months so that would mean that the calls were legit. To be fair in most cases this was true. Then there was the roaming mistakes that are too countless to list. But cingular would try any and every excuse they could to try and justify charges that were just NOT fair.

I just wanted to point out that Cingular started getting bad about giving credit for their mistakes as early as 2002. I still remember the day when they had a meeting saying that they were NO LONGER going to give out credits on bills for mistakes if at all possible. They would come up with every way possible to try to match mistakes from prior bills and then try to tell the customer that they made calls in the prior months so that would mean that the calls were legit. To be fair in most cases this was true. Then there was the roaming mistakes that are too countless to list. But cingular would try any and every excuse they could to try and justify charges that were just NOT fair.

Until December of last year I was a single Mother. I DID have the CSR jobs, got no respect and the whole 9 yards. I worked for $7.50 an hour BUT I was there to HELP people not to tell people I will probably get fired because I am helping you with your problem that the company I work for caused in the first place when I am supposed to be at lunch!

If Cingular was a good company there would not be so many complaints. I will not defend myself and that fact that I worked VERY hard to get where I am today and I had NO money and no help and i did it raising a child on my own so any of these people working at Cingular can go to college, there are financial aid programs out there.

I am tired of having to call this place every month to help them do their job. You pay for a service and you expect people who were trained properly and can do their job.

Cinuglar is really anal about giving bill credits, especially under the new protocol. I believe it started 6/1/04...

Also, about the "calls I never made" and "numbers that I dont know"... I have been doing this for 3 years at an authorized agent (MS Wireless). Look up GSM technology, the use and security of a SIM card. Someone made those calls FROM YOUR PHONE, like it or not. Most people dont recognize some numbers because they use their phone book in their phone and store the numbers rather than manually dial them.

With GSM, and even with Cingulars horrible billing system, its not possible to be charged for calls you didnt make.

As for the extra charges (usually meaning under other charges and credits), there is extended taxes for state and federal on cell phone, there is regulatory fees, and there is addition fcc and cell tower charges also. Most people dont also know this, you are taxed on the amount of minutes you use, not on your plan. (eg if you have a 300 minute plan, and use 200 minutes your taxes will be higher than if you use 100 minutes, even if you dont go over)

THANKS

Dear Andrea,

Since you have a prominent job, you probably wouldn't know about entry level positions today. Some companies do not let you have more than 40 hours a week, so not taking a lunch that would cause the CSR to have 40+ hours. I'm sure he or she picked up the phone intending to get your problem solved in a quick and mannerly order, which was not the case. Since your CSR had no customer service skills, he or she is probably a working mother or father who is making $10/hour with no intention of going to college and is just trying to make it. I'm sure he or she didn't get quite the training skills as you did.

My argument was not over your Cingular bill or their credibility towards customer service, it was your attitude towards another human being. Regarding you having to miss your lunches, yes we are all paid to do a job, but we work to live not live to work.

Congratulations on working hard towards your very important job, I commend you and the other millions of other people who work hard to succeed in life and those who do not. Hear my applause.

I posted an earlier complaint about how Cingular doesn't train their sales associates correctly.

Sounds like Cingular is not well liked

After reading all these complaints I would be willing to be in on a suit against them.

They aren't going to rip me off because I'm not going to pay them the 2000.00 they say I owe. I have contacted the credit bureau on this also and told them it was incorrect.

I will never have Cingular or it's affiliate phone company again. I have chose a different company for all my phone needs.

You can't blame their customer service because they are only doing what they were trained to do. Make Sense?

Kacey,
I dont know where you got your info but I WAS AT these meetings where they tell you to do any and everything possible to keep from giving customers credit on there bills in fact I know a few people that got fired for doing that very thing.

I assure you they DO NOT want to give money back on mistakes they make millions on the mistakes that the system makes on peoples bills.

They come up with every gimick they can think of to avoid giving any credit what so ever be it an excuse or some kind of give away item just as long as they dont give any money back if you can at all avoid it. Thats why I quit. I could not work for a company as dis-honest as that one.

I have worked in "customer relations" most of my life...most jobs people deal with other people on a daily basis. I have NEVER said to a client that "I am supposed to be on my lunch break and I will probably get fired for helping you on my lunch!" I personally would get reprimanded or fired if I EVER said that to a client! I work with very prominant people in the media and I know how to carry myself and what is appropriate or not.I never said lunch is not important and obviously the person I spoke to had NO customer service skills at all to even say that. If it is your lunch do not answer the phone! In a place where there are over 1,200 people I am sure someone who was not going to lunch could have taken my call. Obviously Cingular has issues or there wouldn't be a "Rip Off Report" message board. Cingular does not have a good reputation and your customer service is the heart of the company and they have horrible service. They obviously have little training and I expect better when I am paying the money I am for a service. Would you pay for a meal that was not cooked to your liking? Would you tip a waitress well when she was horrible? Would you wear a sweater with a huge hole in the front of it? You should get what you pay for and Cingular is providing a service with people there who are supposed to help you with your issues and they don't. E. Elizabeth, I would GLADLY switch my provider, you send me a check for the fee to disconnect my sevice before my contract is up and I glady will. And by the way, some days I do NOT get to eat lunch and I don't cry like a baby because of it. I am at work and I am paid to do a job and if I have to skip lunch I leave early and if I eat later, I eat later. I have a good job and I worked hard to get it. Pick a better topic that "LUNCH!"...whine, whine, WHINE!

Dear Andrea,

This isn't regarding Cingular, or your bill. I am assuming that you have never worked in the guest relations industry. Your harsh words "precious lunch" really made me angry. Do you not realize that these people working have to eat, drink, and crap too, just like you do?! Oh I guess not, like you give a d**n if they haven't eaten that day or not, all you are worried about is your phone bill and how the CSR jipped you and it's all his or her's fault. First all of the CSR's work for the company they don't own it nor do they overcharge you. I know that these things may make one angry but jeeze have some class and act like an adult. So they overcharged you, get over it and change you wireless provider.

Andrea, I am with you on this. I have had nothing but problems with this company. I have a complaint filed a couple down (from Oak Harbor, Wa) and I am willing to go in on a class action suit!! I need people who are willing to do the same!!!! I am tired of them ruining my credit!!!

Andrea, I am with you on this. I have had nothing but problems with this company. I have a complaint filed a couple down (from Oak Harbor, Wa) and I am willing to go in on a class action suit!! I need people who are willing to do the same!!!! I am tired of them ruining my credit!!!

Um...if CINGULAR would not have CAUSED the problems in the first place they would NOT have to be fixed! It has been problem after problem. Customer service is horrible. I had one man tell me that he was working into his lunch hour and was not supposed to and would probably be fired!! So, I should not call during your precious lunch breaks??! If I am on the phone with you and it is time for your lunch we have to hang up?? Even though you are in the middle of helping me? Yes, Cingular fixed SOME of my problems but it was after my checking acct. was withdrawn over $300 due to the EXPERIENCED customer service girl HELPED me with my payment. I even got charged to call the treasury dept. in Texas when they told me to call on my CELL PHONE! It's should not be a regualr thing to have to call your cell phone company to get their mistakes corrected. Consumers are aware of the illegal practices of companies and are calling them out on it. Our awareness will be your downfall! Honey, I did not fall off the truck yesterday, I am educated and every day I learn more about the world of rip offs, illegal ways companies get money out of ignorant consumers but the truth is coming out and we are more aware and will FIGHT not to be exploited! Who is with me??!

I am not sure what training class you went to Rick but I can assure you that Cingular Wireless does not train their employees to rip people off. Andrea you are complaining about Cingular as though they ripped you off. Didn't they fix your bill and give you free phones? I thought so. I assume since this is a perfect world there is no way there could be a glitch in the system that caused these problems. As for the misc. fees go to every carrier and then let me know which ones didn't have fees. Then you will see they are not so mysterious.

I worked for Cingular Wireless for almost a year. They train you to (ignore) any problems with peoples bills that you notice and the customer doesn't. So if you find something on a bill one month you more than likely have the same problems on ALL of your bills and will ALWAYS have that problem on your bills.

The company makes millions on this and by NO means wants to correct it. They make too much money on mistakes that either the CSR or the computers make to try and fix it. They just find better ways to cover it up or make up new Regs to use when they explain the foulups to the customers.

We had monthly meetings on this!