Complaint Review: Consumer Cellular

I cannot make a phone call from my cell since 11/9/13 night. Because it was weekend, I called Consumer Cellular on 11/12/13 morning. A customer service lady tried to troubleshoot the problem; she told me to turn the phone on and off many times and wanted me to read some info to her. She also did something on her side, but there is no use. At last, she told me it may be caused by AT&T tower broken (since they are using AT&T GSM network and only AT&T). She wants me to wait until the tower is fixed.

I called back the next day, and another representative told me that AT&T tower is still down. He wanted me to wait a week which is around 11/19/13. I asked him will they contact me if the tower is fixed, and, will they give me compensation for the inconvenient waiting period. He told me: yes, they will not charge me during this period. I tested my phone almost every day afterward, but it is still not working. I even tried to put the sim card in another phone to see if it works. Unfortunately, I cannot make any phone call or receive any incoming call.

On 11/19, I called CC again. Their representative told me the tower was fixed one day ago. I asked why no one notifies meas they promised me. He said there is no record that they will call me back. (I start to doubt what they had said and wondering what kind of service they are!) I asked him why I still cannot make a call from my cell. He, again, do some test with me, but still not working. I told him my test and even tried to help him guessing what could be the problem. I ask: could it be the sim card problem? He told me it is possible and then he offered to mail me a new sim card, but I have to wait about 2 weeks. 2 weeks! How can I trust them and wait that long? I answered NO; I'd rather cancel the service and no more waiting. I asked how they will charge my bill with only 9 days of usage this month. He said they will check the last day I use the phone and use it as the billing end date. 

When I got the final invoice, the billing end date is 11/19/13 ( not 11/09/13 or 11/10) which including 10 days when I do not have service. While I call CC again, they told me the billing office cannot backdate the end date.

They fail to provide me service for 10 days and cannot fix the problem, but still charge me the usage fee?! The money is not much, but I am so disappoint to the cell phone company! In their final invoice prints: "we only bill you for the days you were on service.", but it is NOT true! I was a loyal customer with Consumer Cellular for 7 years and spent a lot of time on waiting, testing and troubleshooting with them on the "no-service" problem. However, while I cancel their "service", they treated me like garbage. 

I urge that a neutral third party to mediate this dispute from the legal point of view. CC admit the fact that they cannot provide me the reasonable service (towers were down), but keep denying returning me the extra money they charge me.

I want to get everyone’s attention:DO NOT use Consumer Cellular cell phone service!!!  Especially elder senior people, they are now advertisement with AARP. Do not trust them!