Cellphone Providers Customer Contract Terminations

Bob Schafer

Bob Schafer

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With all the existing previous threads related to cellphone service and providers I was reluctant to start a new thread for this, but I couldn't find a recent appropriate thread, so here goes.

This article is probably mandatory reading for all of us, even if it may be somewhat alarmist:

http://msn-cnet.com.com/Splitting+u...036_3-6195301.html?part=msn-cnet&subj=ns_2510

Most interesting to me is the way Sprint comes off sounding in that article. It makes me very glad I don't use Sprint! Also of interest is the suggestion that we may want to be a little careful to not download "large" chunks of data (5 megs/month is cited, though we all know 5 megs is nothing to d/l in a single chase day!). Note that this is a two page article.

I'm eager to read replies regarding this.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Bob Schafer said:
Also of interest is the suggestion that we may want to be a little careful to not download "large" chunks of data (5 megs/month is cited, though we all know 5 megs is nothing to d/l in a single chase day!).
Click to expand...

That is an innaccuracy in the article. Verizon cancels on 5GB of downloads in a month.

-John
 
While I'm not a huge fan of any cell phone provider, I'd say the case in the article is a genuine mistake and is probably very rare. The fact that the subject's cancellation hasn't been overturned is likely more an issue with one or two incompetent employees rather than the higher-ups in the company, which will surely straighten things out as a result of the article.
 
I have Verizon, and they canceled my contract for 5gb of downloads. They said to just get a new line of service the next day after the cancellation went into effect. It was there way of getting another 2 yr contract and $35 fee.
 
An interesting article! It seems obvious where the problems within Sprint lie; for instance they apparently have major issues with their contract and billing folks. Previous posts here in the forums seem to confirm that; perhaps if they boned up on accuracy they would improve profits and not have these issues.

It also sounds like they could vastly improve their customer support system as well if it's such a burden on them, especially if folks are getting bounced around from person to person while waiting for an answer to their issue (although this is a huge problem IMO with a lot of other services too). Perhaps better training?
 
When I started with Cingular back in 2003, my training for the prepaid system consisted of 5 days. Then nine months later when they finally moved me to post paid that got a whole 3 weeks training. The training reps get now is a whole 3 months. Were was that when I started. But I would agree that for all providers AT&T included, alot of calls would be avoided if some reps would either 1, find a new job or 2, decide to take pride in there work, pay attention to what there doing and make sure that they let a customer know what they might see on there bill from a feature change. I am glad I went to technical support. I do better there.:)
 
I saw in another story about this that the people they canned averaged 25 called per month, per person...

First, I think I'd dump people if they called me that much... Second, who has time to call and complain that much? If you're bill is that f'ed up, go somewhere else! Or... Maybe they're doing the subscribers a favor!

-John
 
John Wetter said:
I saw in another story about this that the people they canned averaged 25 called per month, per person...

First, I think I'd dump people if they called me that much... Second, who has time to call and complain that much? If you're bill is that f'ed up, go somewhere else! Or... Maybe they're doing the subscribers a favor!

-John
Click to expand...

The article also explained that Sprint counts transfer calls as separate calls. So let's consider a possible scenario: You call to resolve a billing issue. You get transferred three times, and the final time you're put on hold for over five minutes, after which your call gets dropped. That's frustrating, but you call back and go through more transfers before you finally connect with someone who seems able to help you. Problem solved, or at least you hope. But in the meantime, while you may think you've only called Sprint twice, Sprint has counted each transfer as a separate call, and in their records you've called them six times or more.

With that arrangement, five calls could be all it takes to put you over the limit, because your five could become twenty-five when you factor in transfers. However rare that may be, when it happens to you, I doubt you'll care about statistics. You'll just want fair and reasonable treatment. From what I read in the article, Sprint's approach was anything but.
 
Bob Hartig said:
With that arrangement, five calls could be all it takes to put you over the limit, because your five could become twenty-five when you factor in transfers. However rare that may be, when it happens to you, I doubt you'll care about statistics. You'll just want fair and reasonable treatment. From what I read in the article, Sprint's approach was anything but.
Click to expand...

I doubt it was just for the number of calls. They were probably abusive and unreasonable.
 
I keep seeing these threatning articles. I even started a thread about it once, but no one I know has been kicked off for data download while chasing. I think the main issue is downloading big music files. I am familar with some recent situations where Hughes Satellite forced customers to go to a higher service level (more expensive) for being on/ downloading too much.

I've been using AT&T for about 10 years and tethering for about 5-6 years, so far no problems. This last season I was out from February through early June sometimes for a few weeks at a time. All of that would have been roaming. Perhaps I've been overlooked because I'm part of a "family plan" deal?? Who knows, I try not to anger the cell tower gods.
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There are quite a few (state supported) class action lawsuits in progress over this "unlimited service" mess.

Gene Moore
 
Bob Hartig said:
That's a pretty big assumption to make. The article attributed the cause to number of calls, not the customer's attitude.
Click to expand...

actually my boss used to work CS for cingular and my other boss worked for Sprints CS company. they both said that 1/3 of the calls were someone they couldnt help because they didnt want help, they wanted to bitch about something. my bosses also said that at least once a month, a fellow employee would blow up on someone and quit/get fired. theres only so much yelling and screaming and pissing and moaning one person can handle.

as someone who has worked a few terrible customer service jobs and is currently working a good one, i wouldnt be able to hadnle that. i wouldnt want to. i also know that there are a few people who are impossible to satisfy. and i would end all business with them in a heartbeat.
 
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