I've been a ATT Wireless customer for almost 7 years now, and have the family plan. I wanted to split the lines into separate bills and keep the numbers. ATT said that they couldn't do that, because it consisted of a plan change, and no plan changes were allowed any longer. The only option is to migrate both numbers to Cingular. Ok, fine. But then, they stated that they needed to run a background credit check and charge me for new phones. I'm a 7 year customer, why would they need a check? I can go to Tmobile and get a free phone, why should I pay? Policy, ATT said. Cingular treats all migrating customers as new customers. So, I can't change my plan, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let some minimum wage junkie in a call center run my credit for no valid reason. Where the heck is the value in being a long-term customer these days? If you need to contact me, try smoke signals.
Between these guys, the banks and credit card companies how's a guy to get ahead? Everyone tries to get you for another dollar. Customer loyalty means nothing to them, they should mean nothing to you. The only thing that seems to matter today is the almighty dollar. Greed is good, well something tells me it just cost this company a seven year customer and some bad publicity on this board. Change companies then sit down and send a hand written letter to the Board of Governors telling them why you left. Itll get the attention of one of them.
Never, ever, go to T-mobile. I may need to sue them soon, sigh ... Worst customer service on the planet. Stick with ATT.
I'm actually getting ready to move from my 'old' AT&T to a 'new' Cingular also. Good info Tillman. I guess I better go in loaded for bear and prepared to speak to a supervisor.
The SBC deal is nearly done, at which time AT&T will have new management. AT&T has demonstrated how far a once mighty empire can fall, reminds me of Saddam living in that cave. LOL Within a year SBC will have altered polices and personal to reflect their more modern customer service views. To answer your question, there is no such thing as loyalty in this day and age, everything and everyone is disposible like a $49 VCR. The world has a different point of view than we had as children.
They are all whores. I was with Verizon for a long time... One day I recieve a collection notice from a collection agency. Apparently, per verizon, they had a computer glitch, and sent my bill as unpaid to a collection agent; BEFORE I HAD EVEN RECEIVED MY BILL! When they explained it was a glitch and shlt happens, I was perturbed, but said, ok. I was being reasonable at that point. Well, then they refused to call of the collection agency... "it's out of our hands... just send the collection agency a letter that you don't owe anything and they'll cease and desist". Are you kidding me?!?!?! Long story short, I think I talked to at least 20 people from different sections of Verizon before I finally found somone with their head up their ass. Had to waste at least 15 to 20 hours of my time over 3 weeks. Meanwhile the CA is calling me threatening to report me to the credit bureaus. When I finally got them to fix their F' up, they didn't even apologize, didn't offer me a token credit or anything just to say "sorry". I'm now a happy Cingular customer, enjoying the RAZR and roll over minutes.
I just changed my att acct over to cingular in order to add extra lines also. They didn't do the credit check but what I learned from reading over at howardforums.com is that the cingular stores in most places were either not running credit checks or disregarding the results of them if it came back needing a deposit. Go to howardforums.com and go to cingular and then to cingular blue(at&t) and there were some threads about this topic. IIRC there is a month long period where they will be doing these "migrations" or whatever they call them with no credit checks. It is really stupid, they bought the accounts and now they won't let you make any changes to them so you have to get rid of everything you had set up for years just to change one thing.
I have had Sprint for over 4 years now and I love it. Never had a problem and they always take care of me if I have a problem. Antony
Actually, thats funny because T-mobile and Verizon have been the 2 highest ranked customer service companies in the industry the last three years. T-mobile by J.D. Power and Verizon through consumer reports....Both have excellent customer service...and he can't stick with ATT...they are no longer no more.... http://www.jdpower.com/cc/telecom/ratings/wireless/Find.jsp?s=2&v1=4
O.K. Tillman....here's the skinny...As you know, I have been in the wireless biz for a long time and have worked for a few of the companies. I don't work for any of them right now. ATT is not treating you like a long term customer because they are no longer to be. Even if you think you are dealing with ATT, all the shots, all the policies, are being run by Cingular. Cingular doesn't not see you as a 7 year customer....and even if they did they probably would not treat you the way you want to be treated. Cingular has very good coverage, decent rates, and horrible customer service...They are usually ranked at the bottom with Nextel and Sprint (sorry Anthony, I'm glad you have been happy with them and I know a lot of people that have, but they don't make up the majority). Their customer service is NOT open 24 hours a day...they close at 9 and 6 on Sundays. T-mobile has very good customer service (for the most part but they do have their flaws, compared to the others though, their the best IMO). They have the best pricing in the market with Sprint almost equally or running a close 2nd. Every company has flaws and T-mobile's is there coverage. Probably the weakest in the industry (outside of major markets) with Sprint again running a close second. Verizon has good coverage, one of the best, and good customer service, again, one of the best. Their prices are the highest in the industry and they do engage in very aggressive revenue generating practices. I personally think the system that T-mobile and Cingular uses (GSM) is superior to Verizon's, Sprint's, and Alltel's CDMA system...but that is debatable.
t-mobile guy - no offense to you personally...but t-mobile suks. There is even a website dedicated to that fact. I won't tire you with my ordeal (feel free to search the threads - I have posted it before). Suffice it to say that after 18 phone calls, talking to 3 supervisors, talking to a regional director, and 2 certified letters later - I think my issue may be solved. This is such an as*-backwards company, that it should be embarrased. Each rep I have ever talked to told me something different, most of them always finished the conversation with "Its all fixed now" - but it never was. Of course, "We will call you right back" is a lie (heard that 4-5 times). "We fixed your bill" is a lie. "We will credit you for the problem" is a lie. Part of the ordeal even involved sending a phone back ... which I did - insured, signed for, tracked, verified, arrived. "I'm sorry sir - we never got your phone...you will have to pay for a replacement." The F-ck I will!!! To the readers of the board - use your own judgement. If I can steer at least 1 person away from t-mobile, I have done my duty.
There isnt a large company in the world that doenst have people who hate them. Its silly to think one company has a lock on being ignorant morons. The only thing that really does matter is overall stats from a large base of customers, which will tell you a general trend about whether you can expect to have a problem or not. I have had AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Nextel, Verizon and others that are no longer around. I have found AT&T and T-Mobile to be the best *for me*. They were not perfect. T-mobile would not give me the same discount as if I just signed up even though my phone had a problem (not my fault - known problem) and I had been with them for 3 years with 2 lines. I felt they should have done more, but whatever. They have done right by me a few times, unlocking phones, changing plans, giving credits, etc, etc.
I've had Nextel for about 2 years now and I've been very happy with them. I had Sprint and hated them, so dropped them and got Nextel. Looks like I'm not the one having the last laugh on this one. But anyway, Nextel typically cares if you are a long term customer. If you are, they'll hook you up. Every year they offer customers the opportunity to buy a new phone at a discount, granted you have to extend the contract, but hey, I'll gladly extend it as they've treated me well as a customer and fixed any problems I've had in the past.
I agree. I have had problems with T-mobile myself as well as other companies. Most of them handled them satisfactorily although one problem I had with T-mobile, I felt they should have done more....because it did take a while to fix....but all and all...I have been happy with them. I was relatively happy with Cingular. Verizon ran me through the ringer though. I bought a phone from Office Depot in 95', when they were U.S. Cellular. It was a yellow Motorola Laser. It was the first phone ever with built in vibration....the only problem with it was....when you put it in your pocket, it lost all its signal! So I returned it within 2 weeks. I then transferred colleges a week later. U.S. Cellular (which became Verizon) never got notice that the phone was returned to Office Depot (which I am sure was Office Depot's fault)....They billed me for 11 1/2 more months without my knowing (they were sending the bills to the old address). Had I known about any of this, it would have been simple to prove....However, they reported a collection on my credit report 6 1/2 years later! 6 1/2 years, first time they reported it.....I knew it was b.s....I called Verizon and they wanted proof from Office Depot. Office Depot return records only want back 5 years, so I couldn't get them proof. Verizon looked at the calling records...used for first two weeks.....next 11 1/2 months, not one phone call....I said "isn't that proof right there?"...They said no, they said I could have just lost the phone......what, lost it...????....They wanted $600 dollars...I told them "Kiss my azz, in another 6 months it will be off my report"....but it did cost me a percentage point or two on my loan.
T-Mobile > * I've never had any problems with them & their customer service is great! Cingular is horrible!!! You sign up with one plan & they'll hit you with so many taxes, add-ons, & etc, you won't believe your eyes. My bills with Cingular were different EVERY month!!! With T-Mobile, I signed up with their $49.99, 2 phones, 1000 minutes plan, & my bill has NEVER been above $60.00
Yeah, I've had mysterious stuff from VZN appear on my credit report years and years later. They should be sued. I mean that seriously. RMX
