- Report: #375220
Complaint Review: Cincinnati Bell - Cincinnati Ohio
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Cincinnati Bell
www.cincinnatibell.com Cincinnati, 45140 Ohio, U.S.A.
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888-391-3925
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Cincinnati Bell Cincinnati Bell Locks cell phones so they are paperweights when you buy a new one. Cincinnati Ohio
I have been using Cincinnati bell for many years. I have had few problems with their wireless services till now, usually they can take care of them within reason. However this time everyone I have contacted seems dumbfounded. I bought a Sony k550i about a year ago for over $200. Now I wish to give it to my son so he can stay in contact with his new wife who is in he Navy and just deployed to the Middle East. IT IS LOCKED TO CINCINNATI BELL, and they refuse to unlock it. It is MY phone and the kicker is, if I can unlock it I plan to buy the Blackberry Curve FROM THEM and set it up to use wi-fi!!!! A $300 phone!!!
Can anyone explain to me why, after you move on to a newer model phone your old one MUST be thrown in the trash? Why can't it be unlocked and given to someone else who can't afford a phone as nice and who desperately needs it? He lives in Virginia Beach and uses Cingular.
They act as though they CAN't unlock it and I know thats not true, there are plenty of unlocking programs online but no-one wants to try it with a Cincinnati Bell phone.
I am interested in a class action suit against any and all cell phone comanies who lock thier phones. There is already legislature working its way through the ranks to make it illegal. If I buy a car at a dealership I do not have to fill it up with gas there forever....
Cam
Loveland, Ohio
U.S.A.
Can anyone explain to me why, after you move on to a newer model phone your old one MUST be thrown in the trash? Why can't it be unlocked and given to someone else who can't afford a phone as nice and who desperately needs it? He lives in Virginia Beach and uses Cingular.
They act as though they CAN't unlock it and I know thats not true, there are plenty of unlocking programs online but no-one wants to try it with a Cincinnati Bell phone.
I am interested in a class action suit against any and all cell phone comanies who lock thier phones. There is already legislature working its way through the ranks to make it illegal. If I buy a car at a dealership I do not have to fill it up with gas there forever....
Cam
Loveland, Ohio
U.S.A.
6 Updates & Rebuttals
Cinbell
Cincinnati,Ohio,
U.S.A.
Happens to everyone
#2UPDATE Employee
Sat, March 14, 2009
Not to sound rude, but Cincinnati bell is not the only company that locks their phone to the network. Every carrier locks their phone to the network. This is to prevent fraud. So that you don't go into an AT&T store, purchase an iPhone, and then go to Verizon. Carriers don't typically give out subsidy unlock codes, however you can typically find free/cheap ways to unlock your phone by google searching "How to unlock ***phone brand/model***".
Bill
Cincinnati,Ohio,
U.S.A.
Unlocking Phones
#3UPDATE Employee
Fri, February 20, 2009
FYI: Unlocking phones voids the manufacturer warranty.
Debbie
Cincinnati,Ohio,
U.S.A.
You CAN get it unlocked....
#4Consumer Suggestion
Thu, October 30, 2008
Cam, it is possible to get your Cincinnati Bell phone unlocked, because my boyfriend has THREE that he's had unlocked by them over the years. It can be tricky however. What you need to do is call Cincinnati Bell Wireless customer service and explain to them that you want to buy a new phone and TELL THEM (like my boyfriend did) that you are shipping the phone you have (that you need to get unlocked) out of the country so that your son's wife can use it (even though that's not the case, you have to tell them this, otherwise they won't unlock it because you would still be able to use it in the States). If that customer service rep won't help, hang up and keep calling back, getting a different rep every time until you get one that will help you. If you are planning on buying a new phone, they should be more than willing to help you unlock the other one. Plan B, if this tactic doesn't work is to buy an unlock code on Ebay. Just go to Ebay and search for your phone model "unlock code" and you'll probably be able to get one for 5 bucks or so. Good luck. KEEP TRYING because I know it can be done!
Debbie
Cincinnati,Ohio,
U.S.A.
You CAN get it unlocked....
#5Consumer Suggestion
Thu, October 30, 2008
Cam, it is possible to get your Cincinnati Bell phone unlocked, because my boyfriend has THREE that he's had unlocked by them over the years. It can be tricky however. What you need to do is call Cincinnati Bell Wireless customer service and explain to them that you want to buy a new phone and TELL THEM (like my boyfriend did) that you are shipping the phone you have (that you need to get unlocked) out of the country so that your son's wife can use it (even though that's not the case, you have to tell them this, otherwise they won't unlock it because you would still be able to use it in the States). If that customer service rep won't help, hang up and keep calling back, getting a different rep every time until you get one that will help you. If you are planning on buying a new phone, they should be more than willing to help you unlock the other one. Plan B, if this tactic doesn't work is to buy an unlock code on Ebay. Just go to Ebay and search for your phone model "unlock code" and you'll probably be able to get one for 5 bucks or so. Good luck. KEEP TRYING because I know it can be done!
Debbie
Cincinnati,Ohio,
U.S.A.
You CAN get it unlocked....
#6Consumer Suggestion
Thu, October 30, 2008
Cam, it is possible to get your Cincinnati Bell phone unlocked, because my boyfriend has THREE that he's had unlocked by them over the years. It can be tricky however. What you need to do is call Cincinnati Bell Wireless customer service and explain to them that you want to buy a new phone and TELL THEM (like my boyfriend did) that you are shipping the phone you have (that you need to get unlocked) out of the country so that your son's wife can use it (even though that's not the case, you have to tell them this, otherwise they won't unlock it because you would still be able to use it in the States). If that customer service rep won't help, hang up and keep calling back, getting a different rep every time until you get one that will help you. If you are planning on buying a new phone, they should be more than willing to help you unlock the other one. Plan B, if this tactic doesn't work is to buy an unlock code on Ebay. Just go to Ebay and search for your phone model "unlock code" and you'll probably be able to get one for 5 bucks or so. Good luck. KEEP TRYING because I know it can be done!
Debbie
Cincinnati,Ohio,
U.S.A.
You CAN get it unlocked....
#7Consumer Suggestion
Thu, October 30, 2008
Cam, it is possible to get your Cincinnati Bell phone unlocked, because my boyfriend has THREE that he's had unlocked by them over the years. It can be tricky however. What you need to do is call Cincinnati Bell Wireless customer service and explain to them that you want to buy a new phone and TELL THEM (like my boyfriend did) that you are shipping the phone you have (that you need to get unlocked) out of the country so that your son's wife can use it (even though that's not the case, you have to tell them this, otherwise they won't unlock it because you would still be able to use it in the States). If that customer service rep won't help, hang up and keep calling back, getting a different rep every time until you get one that will help you. If you are planning on buying a new phone, they should be more than willing to help you unlock the other one. Plan B, if this tactic doesn't work is to buy an unlock code on Ebay. Just go to Ebay and search for your phone model "unlock code" and you'll probably be able to get one for 5 bucks or so. Good luck. KEEP TRYING because I know it can be done!
