Complaint Review: Cingular Wireless - Atlanta Georgia

April 7, 2003

Stephen M. Carter, CEO

Cingular Wireless

Glenridge Highlands Two

5565 Glenridge Connector, Ste 1401

Atlanta, GA 30342

Dear Mr. Carter:

I am writing this letter to document the unsatisfactory customer service that I have received from Cingular Wireless. Last year, I purchased a cell phone from a Cingular Wireless dealer in Studio City. As soon as I got the phone, I started to get bad service and immediately contacted Cingular to see what the problem was.

I was experiencing static with all of the connections in addition to dropped calls. Then, I was told by Cingular that they were doing work on the network in my area and that it should not last long. I went the next few months enduring the horrible connections with nonexistent clarity in calls. I then contacted Cingular wireless again and explained my troubles.

Now, I must say that I have debated the best of them, but every time I contacted Cingular, the representatives were not looking for a solution, rather they were looking to debate me. Every time I brought up a point that I was unhappy with there were no apologies. Instead, they aggressively and vigorously used debate tactics to undermine my concerns and made it difficult for me to continue the conversation.

The Cingular representative was adamant with abundant force that my concerns were a result of personal fault. I have never in my life had to endure such intense and erroneous debate with someone who was supposed to be a customer service representative.

After I hung up from that call, I was dismayed at what had just taken place. I regained my composure and carried on with my life. A few more months went by and I was still having problems with my cellular phone service. I then found out that MANY of my friends and associates had very similar problems. After doing some research, I found that there have been many lawsuits against Cingular Wireless for similar problems.

Here is an example: Cingular Lawsuits Galore

As if Areawides transformation wouldnt already put a healthy dent in Cingulars pocketbook, several lawsuits are now on record against Cingular, which is one of the nations top three wireless carriers and is majority owned by dominant Chicago telecom SBC.

Pace Communications filed a class action lawsuit against Cingular on April 4.

Individual Scott Kempner also recently followed suit. Kempner owns five wireless stores in the Chicago area and is currently suing Cingular for alleged breach of contract and fraud. Kempner's lawsuit Web site can be found at CellularDealerLawsuit.com. His company is called Kempner Mobile Electronics.

Though Areawide isnt involved in the lawsuits, Kaplan says the complaints range from the purported stealing of customers, customers disappearing from residual lists and insufficient agent compensation.

Cingular serves 22 million customers nationwide and has revenues of $15 billion. With only 220 million people in the country who are between the ages of five and 65, Cingular already has 10 percent of them.

In addition to this disturbing lawsuit, I also found that Cingular Wireless will pay $100,000 to federal regulators for missing the Oct. 1 deadline to begin building a system that lets police locate cell phone users making 911 calls.

I felt that I was not the only one that was having problems with Cingular. The information that struck me the most was what I found at http://www.badbusinessbureau.com. If you go to that link, you will find a plethora of rip off reports on Cingular Wireless.

After reading the endless complaints against your company, I called Cingular again and was more confident that they may be willing to find a solution for me. Again, I was humiliated and debated by the supervisor and representative at Cingular.

As the supervisor thought she was on mute, she went on to tell the representative that I was a BAD CUSTOMER. Once again, they were not willing to help me and I hung up feeling terrible and saddened by the conversation that just took place. After a few more months, my phone was stolen and I called Cingular because I felt this was the sign that I needed to part ways with your company. I explained the situation and informed them that I would like to disconnect service effective immediately. I also explained that after all I had gone through, I felt that I should not have to pay for the bad service and the less than satisfactory customer service I had to endure through out the tenure of my relationship with Cingular Wireless.

Finally, the representative assured me that everything would be taken care of and not to worry. Finally I had peace of mind. That lasted until early this year. In February of 2003, I was contacted by NCO Financial. NCO financial said that they were working for Cingular Wireless and that my account was in collections. They said that I owed hundreds of dollars to them and if I did not pay up, it would go on my credit report.

I have been hounded, almost on a daily basis by NCO Financial about my Cingular Wireless account. Now I feel like I am being harassed. I am asking you once and for all to clear this up. I have documented a very serious and troublesome experience with Cingular Wireless and I would like it to end.

I would like you to clear this account from collections and release me from any further financial responsibility with NCO Financial and Cingular Wireless. I do not wish to take this any further, but if I must I will take it as far as I have to. It is a matter of principal and a matter that has similarly affected many Cingualr customers throughout the country as I have clearly displayed.

Mary J.

Darren B.

California

Darren

Studio City, California
U.S.A.

Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Cingular Wireless