Photo by: N.L. Belardes
One Bakersfield Woman's Blog to Mankind
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Held Hostage by Cingular
I have what you would call a basic cell phone. I have basic ring tones and text messaging but nothing fancy like a camera phone. It’s not even a flip phone.
Everyone I know has a really cool phone. Phones that take pictures, store pictures as wallpaper and as caller ID. And phones with a different downloadable ring tone assigned to different people in their call logs.
I’ve wanted a new phone for several months now. But I’m being held hostage by Cingular…
I’ve been with Cingular for at least 6 years, maybe longer. I pay my bills on time. I have no problem with their service. I rarely have dropped calls, no service or roaming. My phone even worked in Hawaii! I just want a new cool phone with all the cool features. Is that so much to ask for? I guess it is for loyal long-term customers.
Recently I saw a special on the cool phones with all the bells and whistles and went to check into upgrading my phone.
“I’d like to upgrade my phone.” I told the Cingular sales clerk.
“Let me check what I can do for you.” He said while typing in my information into the computer.
“Hmmm… you’re not eligible for an upgrade until September.” The clerk informed me.
Sigh. I’ve heard this before…
“Are your specials only for new customers or can existing customers take advantage of them too?” I asked.
“Oh they’re for existing customers too, let’s see what we can add to your package to get you a new phone.” He said.
“Do you have text messaging?” He asked.
“Yes.”
“Maybe we can increase your minutes.” He continued.
“Oh!”
“What?” I asked.
“You’ve been a customer a long time.” He replied.
“Yeah.”
“You’re paying less for your plan than our current rates.” He explained.
“So, what does that mean?” I asked.
“We can’t do anything for you until your contract is up in September.” He stated.
“I see.” I said annoyed.
“But if you want to go ahead and purchase a new phone today at regular price.” He gave me his sales pitch.
“How much is regular price?” I asked.
“Three hundred and fifty dollars.” He stated.
“Um, I don’t think so. I’ll just wait until September.”
Ugh! I just want a little upgraded technology! A cool phone with pictures and downloadable ring tones and all that stuff… I thought as I walked out of the Cingular Store.
It’s totally unfair of Cingular to hold me hostage until September when I’ve been such a good customer all these years!
I have what you would call a basic cell phone. I have basic ring tones and text messaging but nothing fancy like a camera phone. It’s not even a flip phone.
Everyone I know has a really cool phone. Phones that take pictures, store pictures as wallpaper and as caller ID. And phones with a different downloadable ring tone assigned to different people in their call logs.
I’ve wanted a new phone for several months now. But I’m being held hostage by Cingular…
I’ve been with Cingular for at least 6 years, maybe longer. I pay my bills on time. I have no problem with their service. I rarely have dropped calls, no service or roaming. My phone even worked in Hawaii! I just want a new cool phone with all the cool features. Is that so much to ask for? I guess it is for loyal long-term customers.
Recently I saw a special on the cool phones with all the bells and whistles and went to check into upgrading my phone.
“I’d like to upgrade my phone.” I told the Cingular sales clerk.
“Let me check what I can do for you.” He said while typing in my information into the computer.
“Hmmm… you’re not eligible for an upgrade until September.” The clerk informed me.
Sigh. I’ve heard this before…
“Are your specials only for new customers or can existing customers take advantage of them too?” I asked.
“Oh they’re for existing customers too, let’s see what we can add to your package to get you a new phone.” He said.
“Do you have text messaging?” He asked.
“Yes.”
“Maybe we can increase your minutes.” He continued.
“Oh!”
“What?” I asked.
“You’ve been a customer a long time.” He replied.
“Yeah.”
“You’re paying less for your plan than our current rates.” He explained.
“So, what does that mean?” I asked.
“We can’t do anything for you until your contract is up in September.” He stated.
“I see.” I said annoyed.
“But if you want to go ahead and purchase a new phone today at regular price.” He gave me his sales pitch.
“How much is regular price?” I asked.
“Three hundred and fifty dollars.” He stated.
“Um, I don’t think so. I’ll just wait until September.”
Ugh! I just want a little upgraded technology! A cool phone with pictures and downloadable ring tones and all that stuff… I thought as I walked out of the Cingular Store.
It’s totally unfair of Cingular to hold me hostage until September when I’ve been such a good customer all these years!
The Man obviously runs the cellphone racket.
Have you ever seen "Pierre Bernard's Recliner of Rage" on Conan O'Brien? The tone of your article is very similar to something Pierre would do.
i think every cell phone place is like that... i like my phone now, but when i was trying to upgrade, i was where you're at now... and i've been a sprint customer for 9 years... sux that they can do that to us!
Oh my goodness, it's such a coicidence I hit the "random blog" and came upon yours....I work for Cingular in customer care and I can help you out...we have an offer for customers (which as soon as you tell a Cingular rep that you've been with us for 6 years, they will honor this offer) who want to upgrade their phone but aren't eligible yet.
The offer is that we would sell you a phone at the 1 year pricing (which means that it is a discounted price on a phone but maybe $20-50 more than if you wait until you're eligible in Sept) with a new 2 year contract starting now.
To get this offer, you have to call our customer service, (dial 611 from your cell or 1-866-cingular) and just tell the rep that you were told of the "exception upgrade offer" where you can upgrade a little earlier and purchase almost any phone at the 1 year pricing with a new 2 year contract. If they don't see it in the account notes, they'll probably still do it anyway because there are always dummy representatives who forget to notate an account when you're finishing up a call.
I take calls mostly from the California area since I take calls from the West Coast in the Customer Service dept I work in...man, what a coincidence...I really wish I would have you on the phone at work so I could do the order for you...I love helping people out and not everybody knows that hope is not lost if you're not eligible yet!!! If you have any more questions, need info or recommendations on phones, let me know...my blog (i'm not sure if it's public or not, is under "bedhead rock star" and email is Jesy031@yahoo.com....
Good luck!!!!!! Ad let me know how it turns out for you!
Jessica
I don't have a Cingular phone, but I can swtich it Jocelyn becomes my best friend too!
I am a Cingular customer and had to pay full price for a phone because I wouldn't sign a two year contract and give them my first born. Hey! Those kids are hard to train and once you've invested 16 years into them, it's hard to give them up. I offered my youngest but they wouldn't take him. So there you go. $300 for a phone I could have gotten free if only I agreed to their terms and conditions. It's a neat phone, though. I can take pictures and videos, comes with a memory card, and I can record my own voice and use it as my alarm. I think it can also toast bread and blends great margaritas.
Yep I am an AT&T(Cingular) customer (GOPHONE) been w/them many years-always paid on time..bought a phone that I love... a Siemens... now guess what? Us Gophone customers have to purchase a new phone and sign a new plan. I didnt want a new phone, like my Siemens...
Well went into Cingular last nite... bought a Pantech C300 (150.00 including new headset).. also had to rerun my credit card for my old rate plus $10.00 and it isnt even due for another two weeks.
I was in there for 1 and 1/2 hours... have phone but no activation... seems computers have been down for days.... was supposed to be activated last nite but here I am 16 hours later... still no activation... and no rollover yet of my unused money ($91.00) plus now I have to use all that and the new minutes they give me w/i 4 weeks...
Yes, the cell phone companies hold us all hostage... I like my old Siemens phone and I am just disgusted..
"Held Hostage by Cingular" is an interesting article and I'm happy to have come upon it. I have my Small Claims Court papers almost ready for them for the games they played to get more of my $$.
There is a rumor that they played games and lost CSUB as a customer. And, when you search "cingular billing errors" you just may be surprised.
Ask for a telephone directory of some of those millions of alleged subscribers and you get nowhere. They say it's to "protect our subscribers privacy". Our "major telephone company" must have sold my name and number within a week of me getting new service. People phoned here and even knew my name, asking me to buy something or donate money. I know they didn't just look in the phone book and find me.
You dial *646# and send that to get your minutes used. Compare that to what it says when you login to cingularwireless.com and tell me who is playing games. I could go on, but I want to save some for the judge. Heck, maybe I'll get on the Peoples Court with this one.