Complaint Review: Cingular Wireless

Where to begin? In September of 2002, my fiance signed up for Cingular's Nation 250/3000 plan. As far as we know, everything went fine until February 24, 2003.
On that date, we added a second line to the account, signing up for the Nation 250/3000. We both travel a lot and we needed the nationwide plan so as not to incur roaming charges, and we chose to go with the Nation 250/3000 plan due to the fact that the cell phones are our primary contact numbers. We also chose free mobile to mobile calling as we are not always in the same place at the same time and we need to be able to contact each other in regards to the business, children, etc.

On our bill for 2/11/03 thru 3/10/03, the total came to $259.51. We questioned this as the bill normally ran right around $100.00/month for one phone. We'd only had the second phone for 16 days!

Upon closer examination, the bill read as follows:
Original phone/line:
Monthly service charge: 39.99
Home Charges: 62.10 (we had gone over our 250 Day min by
138 minutes)
Other Charges: 4.23
Taxes: 11.42
Total: 117.74
Ok, that one was about average, not a problem.
Second/new phone:
Monthly service charge: 22.66 (partial month 2/24 - 3/10)
Monthly service charge: 39.99 (full month 3/11 - 4/10)
Home Charges: 25.65 - wait a minute, we only used 307 TOTAL
minutes, only 239 day, that was in our 250 range..????
Other Charges: 41.02 ??? oh, activation fee that was going
to be waived is now $36.00???
Taxes: 12.45
Total: 141.77

Ok, I understand that they added and extra 16 days to this phone, but $141.77 for a phone I'd only used for 307 airtime minutes?? Come on! So I began looking even closer at the bill. Finally realized that 2nd line read Nation 250. So I looked at original phone, it read Nation 250/3000.

Now we had a problem. I knew that when we signed up for second line, we were both supposed to have same plan. I called customer service, and after being on hold for approx. 45 minutes, I explained what I had found on the bill. Gentleman from Cingular was very polite, apologized for the inconvenience it may have caused and put me on hold again while he checked to see what he could do. Twenty minutes later, he's back on telling me there was a mistake, he has now noted on our account that we are to both be on Nation 250/3000, and will credit our account 62.65. Still had to pay activation fee, but felt I had won bigger part of battle and let it go.

Next month, bill due May 10, 2003. WHAT THE HELL?? Bill reads for over $500. So I again go through it. This is when I also realize that we are not getting detailed billing. Then I see that second phone is still on Nation 250, and that there are over $300 in extra minute charges.

Back on the phone to customer service, another 45 minute on hold session. By this time, I was not impressed with all the cute little "ads" about how great and wonderful Cingular and it's service are. Human voice finally gets on the phone. Go through all details with woman from customer service. She puts me on hold, looks at account, comes back five minutes later and tells me that she does see that we were credited last month for charges we didn't believe that we owed. I bring up problem with the plan minutes.

On hold again as she again goes looking (do they keep these computer files in another building? state??). Comes back approx 5 minutes later to tell me that she doesn't know why I am still on Nation 250, as it is notes on our account that it is supposed to be same as first phone. Promises that it will be corrected before next billing, and credits our account for the extra minute charges (again).

Go forward a few weeks, fiance and I are 1100 miles from home. Phones work first day, next morning they are disconnected. Wait, I know we paid the bill, even have confirmation number in checkbook. Find payphone to get ahold of customer service. (Beginning to feel as if I should know all ads, music, etc. by heart.) Finally reaching live? person (will not ask if Cingular requires you to be brain dead before being hired) after 30 minutes being on hold. Explain situation. Ms. High and Mighty tells me that yes, there is a note in our account about needing to have a credit put towards it for overbilling.

HOWEVER, until a supervisor looks it over and okays it, we still owe remaining balance. I try explaining again about this happening on both bills since new phone was added. Ms. H&M keeps interrupting me, "Ma'am, I can not reconnect your service until remaining balance is paid, or until supervisor approves credit." Fine, let me talk to a supervisor. On hold for about 5 minutes. Ms. H&M gets back on, "I'm sorry, my supervisor stepped out, would you like to leave a message?" (Does she want me to answer this honestly????) I again explain that I am 1100 miles from home, cell phones aren't working. The only number I have at this time that is in service will ring 1100 miles away from the location I am at. Get off phone, explain to fiance what I was told.

Wait for steam to stop coming out of his ears, then ask what he would like for me to do, as the account is technically in his name. We know that we need service, for my job to contact me and for the kids, and I remember that for some reason we had brought checkbook. It is decided to call Cinguhell back and give up and make payment, even though we don't owe it. We will get it straightened out when we get home.

Call customer service AGAIN, wait another 20 minutes to talk to live being. Don't even bother explaining to man that answers what is going on, just make check by phone payment.

Get home, and new bill has arrived by this time. Surprise!! It's for over $1000. Yes, credit from adjusted balance is on there, but extra that we paid by phone almost a week ago (from 1100 miles away) is still on there. Not a problem, brings bill down to around $800. Now, there's a problem. Call customer service back, wait 30 miutes, go through story again. New woman tells me that yes, she sees that there are notes on credits, wrong plans, etc. Can I hold while she checks the records?

Wait another 10 minutes for her to get back on the line to let me know that the problem with the wrong plan has been fixed, BUT it seems that the plan we were supposed to be on had expired by the time we had opted for second line. (Not sure how we were able to sign up for it if that is the case) However, she can offer a plan almost as good, it just won't have nationwide roaming. By this point, we just want to be able to have two phones in working order that we are not getting charged 45 cents a minute for, but there is a small problem. The main office close to us is 40 miles away, and our phones read roam in our hometown. Woman assures me that they only read that due to the tower close to us is only "rented" to Cingular by another company.

We will not be charged for roaming as long as we stay in service area as indicated by map. Fiance is on road more than me, I don't have to have roaming, so I agree. She gets our bill down in the $250 range, and knowing that it was over three times that, I agree to it. By then I have decided that Cingular trains it employees to keep you on hold and then interupt to wear you down so that whatever they offer is worth it just to get them off the phone.

Make payment for "new, adjusted" balance. In my head, I'm thinking, finally!! It's all straightened out. We don't have what was originally signed to, but it is close.

Next bill comes, balance reads over $900. Still not on right plan, still getting charged for extra minutes and now roaming. Fiance threatens to find sales rep and do unmentionable things with cell phones. Get him calmed down, call and hold for 45 minutes. Go through story again with new person. Person checks records, tells me to ignore bill.

I request new bill, am told that there will be a charge for one to be mailed, but I am more than welcome to check bill online. (I think I forgot to mention that we also had problems with the bills, we wanted detailed, all we got was a general statement, had asked for this to be corrected, and was told that it's an extra $3 or so for a detailed paper bill every month. Said, fine, just send it. Some months we got it, others we didn't.) I tell the person from customer service (still not sure what they service, but anyway)that for business records, I would prefer to have corrected bill mailed, with details. She says again that I will be charged for this. I tell her, no, I will not. I win this one. Told we will have new bill in 3 days.

Wait a week, call back and am told it was mailed day I had called last week. New bill shows up 3 days later. Is not updated, is not detailed. Call back, refuse to pay bill. Phones shut off for at least 3rd time due to our not paying their outrageous fees.

Another week goes by, start getting 3 or 4 calls a day from Cingular telling us that our account is overdue and we need to pay it. Somewhere in here, get "updated" bill, shows balance around $650. Tell next rep that calls that we do not owe what is shown, am tired of having to call every month to get things straightened out, only to find out my calls did nothing. Get service through a new company, making sure EVERYTHING is in writing, explaining past problems.

Still getting calls from Cingular. Fiance finally talks to Cingular rep and tells them exactly what he thinks of their company (will not repeat that here!), and he is not paying them another dime, to cancel account. This is fourth time or so for us to tell them to cancel. Rep tells fiance that there will be $150 termination fee for each phone. Fiance tells him what to do with fee. Hangs up. Continue to receive calls from Cingular, get more harrassing with each call.

Still getting bills, total is now in $950 range. Still getting e-mail updates from Cingular telling us how "great" their service is, etc. These stop in December 2003. Wonder if after all the calls we have received and made to Cingular concerning bill have finally paid off. February 2004, start getting calls from collection agency regarding unpaid balance to Cingular. Tell collection agency about problem, told that they don't care, they need the money. If there is a dispute to contact Cingular.

As of today, 8-1-04, still receiving calls from collection agency. Know this is going on or has been put on credit report. Don't like the idea of that, but not going to be out almost $1000 to a company that are a bunch of conmen and ripoff artists. At a loss of what to do at this point.

I know this is long, but doesn't even begin to go into all details. I would just like to warn all out there that Cingular does not stick to contracts, etc. I do wonder how many innocent people out there just pay the bill without looking it over.

Any help or advice anyone can give us would be appreciated!!

Babette
Dumas, Texas
U.S.A.

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