MCI Worldcom Wireless again. threats, a ripoff, abominable service

I got an MCI Worldcom wireless phone contract from Allstate Cellular in August of 2000. They promised me if I had MCI long distance (I did) I would get the same price for long distance on the cel phone as I got at home. After a number on days of calling about this, interminable hours on hold, getting shifted around from one person to another, none of which knew what I was even talking about, I reached someone who said "oh, we don't do that in California." They also added extra above the basic services which I didn't want or need.

When I called to cancel that I also cancelled voice mail. So they cancelled my ability to reach voice mail, but they didn't cancel caller's ability to leave messages. So people were leaving messages and didn't know why I wasn't calling them back. After several attempts to get this straightened out I surrendered and took voice mail back. But it never worked right, I couldn't reach it from the cel phone and eventually found a way to reach it from my home phone. At some point this year they sent me a new phone and a letter saying they were changing to a new system, with instructions on how to activate and operate the new phone,and threats that if I didn't send the old one back within a certain period of time I would have to pay for it. I followed the instructions and weeks went by without being able to use the new phone.

I called several times and they said the new system wasn't running yet and they would let me know. Eventually I reached someone who said they have to deactivate the old phone to acitivate the new one. That sounded reasonable to me, so on May 20, they deactivated the old phone, BUT DIDN'T ACTIVATE THE NEW ONE! I had to go to another state and needed a cel phone that worked, so using the shipping label they sent me I sent both phones back, included a copy of a letter I also sent to the company offices in Pheonix,which included most of the above, and signed up with another company. Coincidentally, they had a 3 month "catch-up" period where they didn't send out bills without notifying anyone they were doing this. So when I didn't get a bill I assumed they were accepting my cancellation without objection.

I paid the bills for any months that I had used the phone. 3 months later I got a bill demanding 3 months back payment and now I got a bill demanding a fourth. They are threatening to put me in collection. They kept telling me I had a 2 year contract, but I went into my records and as I thought I had a one year contract. Besides they keep talking about how I have contract as if I did but they didn't.

They seem to think they can provide any abominable level of service but I should still pay full price. I also have a close friend who has had similar experiences with them. I suggest a mass complaint to the Public Utilities Commission, possibly the Interstate Commerce Commission, and a class-action lawsuit.