Complaint Review: AT&T - CINGULAR

Dear Congressional Committee Persons:

I am writing today as a victim of billing tactics that seem to be popular with the communications giants, although I am writing specifically about AT&T.

I have been a customer of AT&T since they merged with Cingular Wireless a few years ago. After many years of loyalty to my phone plan,my phone broke. AT&T offered to replace that phone if I agreed to a new 2 year commitment.I went to their store in Lemon Grove,California to find a new device and expected a device comparable in quality to the one that I was replacing.The unit that they gave me turned out to be junk.

A few days later, I returned to the AT&T store and was told that I would have to purchase a replacement.When I complained that the unit was useless and even inoperable at times,they ignored my complaint and sent me on my way....So, I called AT&T customer service. AT&T customer service told me that despite AT&T endorsement of the store by putting their name on the store sign,that the store,not AT&T Corporation was responsible.

By the time the finger pointing between the store and the corporation was finished, my 30-day "Buyer Remorse Period" had expired. AT&T refuses to replace the defective phone and refuses to reinstate my month-to-month agreement unless I pay an early termination fee (ETF) of $170.

My sole motivation for entering into a 2-year agreement was to not have to purchase a new unit. I am outraged at being forced to purchase an acceptable unit or pay $170 to get out of the new contract. This is an unfair lose-lose situation for honest consumers.

ETFs stifle healthy competition and unjustly enrich the already obscenely profitable communications giants.

I believe it is incumbent upon Congress,and specifically your committee,to revisit and disallow such deceitful practices. I believe that ETFs promote violation of anti-trust laws and violate the rights of the public and the common good.I urge you to protect the public from what presently amounts to legal thievery.

Thank you.