No wonder cell phone companies and cable companies have such a bad reputation with practices like this and the one I am will to tell you about. My daughter bought a new LG shine on 7/25/08. The phone has never been right. She is now on her third one and I found out two days ago they have been replacing them with refurbs. I thought that was trash so I went with her to get the third one replaced and get a new one only to find out not only would they not give her a new one, they would not replace it at all because they said it had been dropped based on a scratch on the corner of the phone. I called the CS and they said they could get back with me today with what choices we had to replace it with. Today she calls and starts talking about what the new phone is going to cost!! I said I thought she was going to replace it for her. NO, we will have to buy another one ONLY THREE MONTHES LATER! I was looking at ATT UVerse for TV and other services but not now. I have been with SBC/ Cingular/ ATT for almost 20 years and never thought I would be treated like this. Now I will be checking into Verizon, I guess for all my services and talking to a lawyer about how to get out of the rest of her contract (she still has 6 monthes left). They act like they're a monpoly again. Maybe they are, but not at as long as I have anything to say about it.
I was just talking to a friend who bought a bike from the dealer I refuse to step foot in. He was unaware of the repulsive "service" department. I told him how I posted on the internet about the shite they pass off as "service." But, thanks to the internet, we can spread our discontent throughout the world.
our cell phones are through sprint, and have been for 17 months. i think that there may have been 1 month i have not had to call because they have messed my bill up. we upgraded to one of there data plans about 2 months ago and it has been screwed up more than it has worked. my daughter lives 200 miles north of me with my ex-wife and sprint is in roaming all the time where she is at so i got here an att cell phone. she got the lg shine also and has had nothing but good luck with it (so good she dont know how to hang it up). i have had the att account since june of this year and every bill has been spot on all the time every time. when our contract is up with sprint we are leaving them also. dave
well telus here is the same way.... although i have to say i was recently very very impressed by bell. service has been good, cheep plan, good phones and coverage. Well my wife washed my pants with my phone it. so it got a little wet. i oppened it up and let it sit for 2 days, it worked but had odd problems(would vibrate when powered off). So affter a couple months it eventually stopped working(would not call out). So i took it in 100% expecting them to say..."um your phone got wet, your going to need a new one" So I never bought the warranty and i had used the phone for 15 days less than a year. they fixed the phone with entirly new inarads and upgraded the software...for free.
I understand your frustration and trust me i dont have any affiliation with ATT at all outside of us paying them hefty amounts of money for services(phone, internet, cel phones, and uverse). to be honest some companies build crappy phones. AT&T just provides the service to the phones. they usually get stuck with replacing the phones that they dont make. I can tell you from experience. When you call customer service, the reps you speak with are trained and paid to get you reburbished units.(worked for sprint, and worldcom wireless) your cell phone is like a car, once you power it up the first time, it loses value. so they would lose money if they replaced all used phone with new phones. what i would suggest and again i have no affilation with AT&T ourside of being a customer. if she has 6 months on the contract, switch her plan to the lowest possible plan (which in most cases is not the lowest they advertise.) they usually have plans for like $10 a month, just have to SERIOUSLY inquiry about it, threaten to cancel or say she doesnt need it and they will work with you. When the year is up, if i am not mistakened the phone has an anniversary date at which time for being a good customer they get you a new phone... again SERIOUS inquiry...maybe call CS and ask to speak directly with a manager...dont speak with cust serv at all..say "hello...put a manager on, (make sure to get first/last names and locations of reps)" dont give any information what so ever. just ask to speak with a manager...managers are approved to resolve issues quickly...hell you can get a new phone and a possible credit for your inconvenience. but speak with manager and AGGRESSIVELY inquire. you wont be sorry...and as far as UVERSE...please dont pass that up, we just got it, and love it...much better service than anything i have ever seen. IMHO!!!! with the digital phone plan you get caller id on your TV...if we didnt need a landline for house alarm, we would definitely have gotten it. Good luck...and make sure to get first/last name emp id # and location...just in case.
oh and i forgot...dont be scared to ask for a higher manager if the one you speak with doesnt give you what you want...chain of command rep -> team lead -> supervisor -> manager -> another manager. just keep going until you get to someone who can give you what you want. NEW PHONE and CREDIT!! worst case scenerio, they give you credit towards the cost of a new phone...just the nature of business and get something else besides a SHINE.
i use verizon got 3 phones free. in to in calling unlimited web access etc had no problems with the phone or service except where the towers drop calls. the phone itself is an lg. it will breal later today becuase i said it was good but for now been fine dropped it got wet etc etc
I'd like a simple cell phone with buttons big enough for a man without all the doodads that is tough and hold a friggen charge long enough. I dont need a friggen camera or voice recorder. I just need a cheap ass working cell phone. My old nokia worked great until it stopped handling the new digital networks... maybe I should just get rid of the cell and go back to using the landline (God forbid!)
Senior Cell Phones | Easy To Use Cell Phones | Emergency Cell Phones they make phones like that and even special plans for them.
ATT sucks monkey butt.... I did not have reception in the heart of Vegas the last 3 days I was there and none at my dads house in Utah the 3 days I was there. I guess its time for a change...
