Get out of your Cingular Contract w/o ETF

[isekii]

Originally posted by: RaGe420
talk to someone resolution, they are the best to talk to

Im talking to someone in retention lol..

BTW my contract ends in february

I have 4 lines on my account... do i have to port them out all togetehr at the same time ?

if i port out 2 numbers then port out 2 numbers a week later... will I be bound by the new terms ?

 

[isekii]

the bitch kept on arguing with me that
They are letting know of the price increase, so I don't get surprised on my next phone bill.
And that I had no say in the price increase at all.

 

[isekii]

Originally posted by: PaulNEPats

Originally posted by: tealk
I just called and got completly no where with it. he says that since text messaging is a free service until you use it. it does not fall within the contract of being able to terminate early" She was very polite, and put me onlhold and talked with a manager about Page 6 on the service agreenment that was shown above. And she came back and stated the above, that since a service that is changing that is free to cutomers it does not apply. I told her it's free until I use it...then you chjarge me and it becomes a service and I am paying for it. She dissagreed....I don't swee how they can lie threw there teeth.

So imoral....Ohh and another thing...i told her I had AT&T for 12 years before Cingular bought them out...and I never had a problem...and she goes...well do you ever think why they went under...they gave away things for free.....I said WOW......that's just proves the level of imoral buisness they practice.

Ask her what you're supposed to do when you receive an incoming text message that you can't disable. I think that qualifies as subscribing to a service.

THe CSR i spoke to sasid they can completely disable your text msging service

 

[isekii]

Originally posted by: tealk
UPDATE - I AM OFFICIALLY OUT OF MY CONTRACT.
She called back and said "Sir I cannot furnish your contract at this time" I said "Ok I would like to formally express right now that I would like to be released from my contract due to Cingular not being able to show me my current contract". She said Hold.....2 minutes later....came back and said "Ok Sir both your phones lines are officially released, and will not be charged ETF, would you like for me to cancel your service today?" I said no, I just want to be realsed from my contract at this point. She said your phone #'s will be available to port if you'd like. And she will notate the account of this fully. I said thanks for your time. And that was that.

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! F Cingular!

Thanks your plan worked out great.

They said since they can't find my original contract... they won't charge me for the ETF if I do decide to switch to a different provider.

She mentioned that this was due to the fact that I was over my 1 year on my supposed original contract.

 

[njcoig]

I just got off the phone - no luck. He says that "Cingular has decreed" that Text pay-per use doesn't qualify as a "service".

I think I'm taking them to the mat for this. I can't place reliable calls in the capital of my state, and this is a perfect way out since those a-holes are making a unilateral change of 50%.

Anyone else having problems?

-N

 

[Reckoner]

I filed a complaint with the FCC and BBB

 

[isekii]

Originally posted by: njcoig
I just got off the phone - no luck. He says that "Cingular has decreed" that Text pay-per use doesn't qualify as a "service".

I think I'm taking them to the mat for this. I can't place reliable calls in the capital of my state, and this is a perfect way out since those a-holes are making a unilateral change of 50%.

Anyone else having problems?

-N

Do what TealK did.. as for a copy of your original contract agreement.

they'll probably ask you if you signed a physical papers and what not.. Say YES.
They'll come back and say that they can't find the paper work.

Tell them waht Tealk posted above.

I did what he said and I am out

I only have 2 months left on the contract tho.. So i'm not sure whether it's worth it to switch 2 months out.

 

[njcoig]

Originally posted by: PaulNEPats
I filed a complaint with the FCC and BBB

Well, I'm staging to file suit and trigger their arbitration provision. It'll cost me $60 to file to get out of a 2-line contract with a $350 ETF. Cingular has gone straight downhill since they used to be BellSouth Mobility. I've been with them for 10 years, but when I can't place a call reliably at my office or house in the middle of town, I cannot have sympathy.

Are lots of people having an issue with this? Are there enough "similarly-situated" people to establish a class?

I know it seem silly, but I'm so fired up right now I'd LOVE to sue them.

>:-|

-N

 

[njcoig]

Originally posted by: isekii

I only have 2 months left on the contract tho.. So i'm not sure whether it's worth it to switch 2 months out.

Well, 2 months is nothing - they let people upgrade, etc. at 6 months out, so it is definitely easier for them to let you out with 2. I have 18. Different story, to be sure.

Thanks for the tip, I'll try what you suggested.

-N

 

[njcoig]

I'm out. Given my history of poor service and that this was icing on the cake, I was able to exit after speaking to an "escalated" CSR.

Best of luck to others that try.

Thanks to OP for the tip.

-N

 

[isekii]

Originally posted by: njcoig
I'm out. Given my history of poor service and that this was icing on the cake, I was able to exit after speaking to an "escalated" CSR.

Best of luck to others that try.

Thanks to OP for the tip.

-N

Did you cancel or did they put a note about no ETF fees on ur account ?

If it's the latter, you might want to call tomorrow and double check before you make any service changes.

 

[njcoig]

Originally posted by: isekii

Did you cancel or did they put a note about no ETF fees on ur account ?

If it's the latter, you might want to call tomorrow and double check before you make any service changes.

I dunno. What I was told is that "My contracts were cancelled". He was going to pull the plug on the accounts, too, but I asked that he leave those intact. He said that I could port the #s or call and cancel when I wished.

I should have asked for something in writing, but I was so relieved to be out, I didn't think to do it.

-N

 

[Maximus96]

Originally posted by: isekii

Originally posted by: tealk
UPDATE - I AM OFFICIALLY OUT OF MY CONTRACT.
She called back and said "Sir I cannot furnish your contract at this time" I said "Ok I would like to formally express right now that I would like to be released from my contract due to Cingular not being able to show me my current contract". She said Hold.....2 minutes later....came back and said "Ok Sir both your phones lines are officially released, and will not be charged ETF, would you like for me to cancel your service today?" I said no, I just want to be realsed from my contract at this point. She said your phone #'s will be available to port if you'd like. And she will notate the account of this fully. I said thanks for your time. And that was that.

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! F Cingular!

Thanks your plan worked out great.

They said since they can't find my original contract... they won't charge me for the ETF if I do decide to switch to a different provider.

She mentioned that this was due to the fact that I was over my 1 year on my supposed original contract.

I wonder if this 'method' works with other providers...

 

[RaGe420]

/\ It should

 

[0roo0roo]

gah talk about greed. imagine if what they charged for video and data services was based on the same .15cents per Xbytes they do for text messages i mean how do they justify this..they clearly have the bandwidth if they are trying to sell overpriced video/audio services.

 

[jhoiv]

I just spent 45 minutes arguing with some CSR and her manager about this and she is saying what others have posted, that it is an optional service and they can turn it off. I ask for retention and she said they would call me. I could go into detail about this call, but it was UGLY. I asked to speak to the manager at least 10 times and the CSR told me she didnt need to ask the manager anything b/c she knew it all. I am not lying. A blatant show of arrogance. I explained others were having success and they played the ignorance card and acted like there was no way that could have happened.

More on this when/if I speak to a CSR....

 

[Steve325]

Originally posted by: tealk
UPdate...I called back and asked for a copy of my ORIGINAL SERVICE CONTRACT and the lady put me on hold for what seemed a long time and then came back saying she cannot find it, and asked if she can call me back when she finds it. I told her if I cannot see in front of me the contract saying that I am in this for 2 years and ending on such and such a date...then I am not in one....she abruptly put me on hold. Haha...in the meantime I filed a claim with BBB.com

We'll see. But I think I'm getting ahead now....

they had a copy of mine, this sucks

 

[DigitalCancer]

This is awesome b/c i've been thinking about switching over to T-Mobile...they'll give me 700mins/unlimited n&w for a little less than Cingular is giving me 450mins/5k N&W, plus i'd get the 'pick 5' ****** from T-mobile and seeing as i rarely use my cell phone but for a certain few anyhow, it'd be perfect. Just hope the coverage is as good as cingular...

 

[njcoig]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
gah talk about greed. imagine if what they charged for video and data services was based on the same .15cents per Xbytes they do for text messages i mean how do they justify this..they clearly have the bandwidth if they are trying to sell overpriced video/audio services.

Simple. People who use pay-per-use text don't use very much, probably a half-dozen or so messages, for which they make $0.60. If they "coerce" you into a plan for $4.99 by upping the rates (see their notice of increase in fees), they net a profit of $4 per customer and theynever have to provide any more "work" because you'll probably still only use about 6 text messages per month.

-N

 

[tealk]

EXACTLY.....Just another way to F you...and increase there stock unit Price.

 

[Reckoner]

We have until Feb 27th to get this done, so there's still time.

 

[Marinski]

i called and asked for my contract and they told me it was on the website, and it is. So that isn't going to work.

 

[tealk]

Ok This is what I found out...If you transition from AT&T Wireless and had a contract...you will 100% be able to get out of it, if you had your contract within the last year forget about trying to get out of it by asking to see the contract.

 

[Marinski]

Ok i just called back and asked to see the contract again. She puts me on hold. I wait a few minutes. She comes back and says something about that i accepted the contract through IVR (some Voice recognition bullshit). I tell her i need it in writing. She says she can't give it to me but tells me the dates of my contract. I tell her it needs to be in writing. She says i can look online. I tell her i don't have Internet. She says i can use the net at the Library. I say i don't have a car to get to the library and can't walk. I ask her to send it in writing, and if she can't then how do i know i'm in it. She uses the IVR line agian. I tell her that means nothing to me. By now shes getting peeved and she hangs up. So the contract thing ain't workin.

 

[tealk]

At the point when she said she cannot furnish the contract in writting this is what you say word for word...."Since you cannot furnish the contract I have with Cingular in writting to me, I have been advised by the BBB(Better Bizz Beauru) to formally ask to be released from my contract here and now." If she still proceeds to say no, tell her a claim with the BBB is already filed, and they are awaiting your responce to what you have just asked Cingular to do for you.

To be honest....you are pulling some strings with that line...but it is actually completely legal. Beleive me I know....(don't ask).

If you have to file a complaint with BBB....you will have to wait about 4 weeks....But you WILL get what you want out of this. I can assure you that BBB will side with you and pressure/advise Cingular to comply. (again-dont ask-wink wink)