I started with Voice Stream in Dec of 2001. From the beginning it was trouble. People who tried to call my cellular said that it was not a working number. This went on for three weeks. The customer care employees all stated that something was wrong with other peoples phones and told me to call the cellular carrier. It was horrible.
Even the technical support was in denial. After calling every other day and being told there was nothing wrong with my cellular, out of frustration I call the 800 number on the back of the phone box in which my cellular came from. To my shock, the customer service rep was pleasant and very disturb about the situation after he read the log notes.
He called technical support, who tried to tell him that there was nothing wrong with my phone, and requested that they run some test. The TS rep was surprise and apologized. What he found, after being rude to me, was that Voice Stream hadn't loaded my prefix into the towers. He explained that they had just merged with Powertel. Well the TS rep continuously apologized gave me three months of free minutes, and started working on my trouble ticket.
My question is: WHAT WAS SO HARD ABOUT TRYING THIS ON THE FISRT I COMPLAINED???? Why did I have to go through rude and disrespectful Cust. Care Reps for three entire weeks??? Why? Still, not an answer from Voice Stream on that matter.
This next incident has now pushed me into researching other wireless phone carriers.
I was mobilized on Feb 13, 2003 to Ft. Stewart, GA. Fortunately I was not allowed to deploy to Kuwait with my unit, due to military reasons. However, the Army felt they could use me to support Fort Stewart, while my unit was away. So I had no choice but to stay. Meaning away from my child, not being able to start grad school this summer. But to work 12 to 14 hours shifts, supporting "Operation Endurance Freedom." Here is the problem.
When I get off of work to go home to my TEMPORARY HOUSING, my does not pick up service. It is in the zip code 31313. Now T-Mobile is suppose to have a deal with Cingular, to pick up service were service is not rendered. Only twice, has this happened with in the zip code where I stay temporary. That second time it I dialed 611 and got a Cingular Cust Ser Rep named Traci. I made her aware of my problem with T-Mobile and she immediately transferred me to their Tech Supp Dept.
Paul, the tech supp rep, ran test and found that T-Mobile does have an agreement with Cingular in the zip code as well as other surrounding areas. He said I should not be having problems with my cell not getting service. Now I have been living off of the base for close to 4 weeks now. And I have complained for about three weeks. Finally today, June 19, 2003 at approximately 8am T Mobile gives me their resolution. Angel Cust Ser # 2519, Mike TS#0151913, and Hazel Cust Ser #07, told me:
"There is nothing we can do. We have marginal coverage there, and we do NOT have an agreement with Cingular for the 31313 zip code. You just will not get service there. Sorry."
This is it. They care nothing about me serving this country being away from my family. And just the little bit of phone time I would like to have at night to talk to my child. No, this is not important to them. Even though I pay for the max plan at 99.99 a month. No, none of this matters. As well as I, the customer does not matter either.
Cherylann
Marietta, Georgia
U.S.A.