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Cingular Wireless Complaint - Fraud - Wireless phone service
Wireless phone service - Complaint
shaddad@7L.com
RE: Problems with Cingular Cellular Coverage, Teaneck NJ/North Bergen
The following complaint is in regards to the lack of coverage within our home calling area (North Bergen NJ) on both cellular phones within our household. I had signed on in Dec.16, 2003 and haven’t had the satisfaction or security I had expected using the Cingular cell phones since signing on. I travel a stretch of major highways within our local calling area everyday to and from work and during work. Unfortunately, I am unable to use the cellular phone to either receive or make calls on this stretch of roads.
This means that if I were to break down, the cell phone would be useless. The cell phones were purchased to handle such emergencies as those that arise. In addition, neither my wife’s phone nor mine can be used in or around our home or our shop or even many of the highways we travel on, which is also located well within our calling area.
We’ve gotten numerous complaint from many of our customers that we do not answer our phones, on the very few occasions that we do get a call many of our clients inform me that they had to call numerous times before being able to reach us. Which is also affecting my business that I highly depend on phones to set up appointments and contracts.
We have spent countless hours on the phone with Cingular, attempting to explain the problems we have experienced. We were told at first that the problem was related to the phones not being setup. On subsequent calls, customer service took detailed information, such as specific intersections and streets upon which we were unable to use our phones. In one case after giving this information We were informed by a Pam Ferguson on Wednesday 01/07/04 at 8:50 AM that Cingular didn’t offer service where our shop was and ask if my wife could go about a block or so away from our shop to use the phone because Cingular did offer service a block or two away, which I thought was extremely unintelligent to even suggesting this.
However before signing on we did indeed have a grace period to try the phones. They seemed to work with little problems during this trial period. However about a few weeks into our contract I found it almost impossible to get in touch with my wife or my wife getting in touch with me.
On Christmas Eve, my wife got stuck on the NJ Turnpike by exit 16W for over an hour before someone stopped to help and loaned her his cell phone to call for help. I had called Cingular another time on 1/14/04 at 9:50AM and spoke Christy ext 6080 to inform her of the same, this time she (technician) walked me through a few thing and claimed she had corrected the problem at the Cingular office and advised me to just shut the phone off for 10 minutes and turn it on and all will be fixed. We were hoping that all is fixed because we needed the phones to work. After doing as she had advised, again the same problem existed. We called again and spoke to the manager and were advised that they are not going to let us out of my contract; we responded that we didn’t want to be let out of the contract and that we just wanted our phones to work again like it did before we signed on with them.
We were originally with Verizon for over 6 years and hardly ever had any problem with their phones, We signed on to Cingular because we were solicited to take this offer and get better price for better service. Instead all we got was nothing but headaches.
The customer service was obnoxious and most were very rude.
The follow is what our complaint are:
q PHONE PROBLEMS: WHEN DIALING A PHONE NUMBER THE PHONE DISPLAYS NO NAME –
q EMERGENCY ONLY
q RINGS 2 TIMES THAN QUITS
q CAN’T CALL OUT FROM NORTH BERGEN.
q CALLING CELL TO CELL INFORMS: VOICE MAIL NOT SETUP.
We had a conversation with customer service and was referred to the customer service manager Miss---------------on Tuesday 02/10/04 at 9:45 AM which informed us that the reason that the phone didn’t work was because they had Disrupted our service for non payment, I immediately responded that the phone works the same with it connected or disconnected, We signed on to 5500 minute rollover minute plan which we used 150 minutes for the month. My average phone usage time was no less than 1500 minutes for 1 phone.
The manager insisted that we continue to pay the $100+ fee per month without the ability to make or receive calls, We will live to our obligations to the contract as long as we can get the service that we are paying for, I suggest that either provide us with real service so that I can pay them, or If they are unable to provide the service than we suggest they refund all our monies paid thus far and charge us for the calls we were able to get through and release us from a contract that they cannot fulfill, this is kind of like selling us a merchandise that they do not have which could be considered as fraud. They admittedly told us they do not service the North Bergen area where my shop is. Why would they sell us this service knowing this?
To make matters worse, we were told that we couldn’t end the contract with Cingular without paying a $250 cancellation fee. This means that we must suffer another nine months of shoddy cellular service. Cingular should be interested in avoiding bad publicity, by allowing us the end our contract.
Instead, though, they have provoked this letter. I am tempted to contact our local television station, which offers just the type of negative publicity necessary to prompt action on Cingular's part.
I would like a good faith remedy from Cingular. We should be able to rely upon our cellular provider (Cingular) to meet the terms of our contact. Since they are unable to do honor the terms of the contract, it should be
null and void. I believe that an attorney would agree. I expect to hear from Cingular within the next two weeks. If an amicable arrangement is not offered, I will contact and send a copy of this letter to the BBB, Attorney General’s Office, Post this in its entirety on the complaint sections on the internet and or start a class action law suite in which the Internet has many similar complaints throughout the country which are willing to sign on to a class Action suite, and our local television station, which airs grievances
such as this.
Respectfully,
Samuel Haddad
RE: Problems with Cingular Cellular Coverage, Teaneck NJ/North Bergen
The following complaint is in regards to the lack of coverage within our home calling area (North Bergen NJ) on both cellular phones within our household. I had signed on in Dec.16, 2003 and haven’t had the satisfaction or security I had expected using the Cingular cell phones since signing on. I travel a stretch of major highways within our local calling area everyday to and from work and during work. Unfortunately, I am unable to use the cellular phone to either receive or make calls on this stretch of roads.
This means that if I were to break down, the cell phone would be useless. The cell phones were purchased to handle such emergencies as those that arise. In addition, neither my wife’s phone nor mine can be used in or around our home or our shop or even many of the highways we travel on, which is also located well within our calling area.
We’ve gotten numerous complaint from many of our customers that we do not answer our phones, on the very few occasions that we do get a call many of our clients inform me that they had to call numerous times before being able to reach us. Which is also affecting my business that I highly depend on phones to set up appointments and contracts.
We have spent countless hours on the phone with Cingular, attempting to explain the problems we have experienced. We were told at first that the problem was related to the phones not being setup. On subsequent calls, customer service took detailed information, such as specific intersections and streets upon which we were unable to use our phones. In one case after giving this information We were informed by a Pam Ferguson on Wednesday 01/07/04 at 8:50 AM that Cingular didn’t offer service where our shop was and ask if my wife could go about a block or so away from our shop to use the phone because Cingular did offer service a block or two away, which I thought was extremely unintelligent to even suggesting this.
However before signing on we did indeed have a grace period to try the phones. They seemed to work with little problems during this trial period. However about a few weeks into our contract I found it almost impossible to get in touch with my wife or my wife getting in touch with me.
On Christmas Eve, my wife got stuck on the NJ Turnpike by exit 16W for over an hour before someone stopped to help and loaned her his cell phone to call for help. I had called Cingular another time on 1/14/04 at 9:50AM and spoke Christy ext 6080 to inform her of the same, this time she (technician) walked me through a few thing and claimed she had corrected the problem at the Cingular office and advised me to just shut the phone off for 10 minutes and turn it on and all will be fixed. We were hoping that all is fixed because we needed the phones to work. After doing as she had advised, again the same problem existed. We called again and spoke to the manager and were advised that they are not going to let us out of my contract; we responded that we didn’t want to be let out of the contract and that we just wanted our phones to work again like it did before we signed on with them.
We were originally with Verizon for over 6 years and hardly ever had any problem with their phones, We signed on to Cingular because we were solicited to take this offer and get better price for better service. Instead all we got was nothing but headaches.
The customer service was obnoxious and most were very rude.
The follow is what our complaint are:
q PHONE PROBLEMS: WHEN DIALING A PHONE NUMBER THE PHONE DISPLAYS NO NAME –
q EMERGENCY ONLY
q RINGS 2 TIMES THAN QUITS
q CAN’T CALL OUT FROM NORTH BERGEN.
q CALLING CELL TO CELL INFORMS: VOICE MAIL NOT SETUP.
We had a conversation with customer service and was referred to the customer service manager Miss---------------on Tuesday 02/10/04 at 9:45 AM which informed us that the reason that the phone didn’t work was because they had Disrupted our service for non payment, I immediately responded that the phone works the same with it connected or disconnected, We signed on to 5500 minute rollover minute plan which we used 150 minutes for the month. My average phone usage time was no less than 1500 minutes for 1 phone.
The manager insisted that we continue to pay the $100+ fee per month without the ability to make or receive calls, We will live to our obligations to the contract as long as we can get the service that we are paying for, I suggest that either provide us with real service so that I can pay them, or If they are unable to provide the service than we suggest they refund all our monies paid thus far and charge us for the calls we were able to get through and release us from a contract that they cannot fulfill, this is kind of like selling us a merchandise that they do not have which could be considered as fraud. They admittedly told us they do not service the North Bergen area where my shop is. Why would they sell us this service knowing this?
To make matters worse, we were told that we couldn’t end the contract with Cingular without paying a $250 cancellation fee. This means that we must suffer another nine months of shoddy cellular service. Cingular should be interested in avoiding bad publicity, by allowing us the end our contract.
Instead, though, they have provoked this letter. I am tempted to contact our local television station, which offers just the type of negative publicity necessary to prompt action on Cingular's part.
I would like a good faith remedy from Cingular. We should be able to rely upon our cellular provider (Cingular) to meet the terms of our contact. Since they are unable to do honor the terms of the contract, it should be
null and void. I believe that an attorney would agree. I expect to hear from Cingular within the next two weeks. If an amicable arrangement is not offered, I will contact and send a copy of this letter to the BBB, Attorney General’s Office, Post this in its entirety on the complaint sections on the internet and or start a class action law suite in which the Internet has many similar complaints throughout the country which are willing to sign on to a class Action suite, and our local television station, which airs grievances
such as this.
Respectfully,
Samuel Haddad
Comments:
Posted by finne on 2004-02-19:
The Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) is a federal law that has been adopted by most states which provides protection for consumers and sellers. You are not responsible for paying for a service you cannot receive. Hopefully your contract has your correct address where you stated you would be using the telephone. If so, the company knew from your application where you lived and if there was no service in the area..and they sold you a phone anyway...recommend you file a claim immediately in small claims court and represent yourself.
Posted by GottaGo on 2004-04-18:
You didn't mention what type of phone you have. I know the system is being built up in your area swiftly. If I may suggest something, they offer a particular phone that gets fabulous reception. It is a GSM Motorola V400. Literally everyone I know who has this model raves about the clarity and signal. I would spend no more time on the phone with customer service. Go to one of the many company owned stores and seek out a manager. The GSM phones offer no roaming plans that even include unlimited mobile to mobile minutes. With the high rate plan you have and claim to need, a manager is better suited to offer you help.
Posted by Ward on 2004-07-07:
I am the same problems in Ridgewood.
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