Cingular Wireless Service in Calexico

elchrist · Last edited by elchrist on 22 Apr 2005 03:26 PM; edited 1 time in total

I've been a customer of Cingular Wireless for over one year now and I must say that I am completely unsatisfied with the horrendous service they offer in the City of Calexico. Day in and day out I live in anger with my cell phone service as I glance at my screen and approximately 50% of the time I see it reads either "MX TELCEL" or "MX MOVISTAR." At this moment, I am not using Cingular's wireless network, but an international one and the urge to slam my mobile telephone to the floor arises.

In the past six months I have paid over $200 USD in roaming fees alone. This equates to four months of regular service that I pay for. With international roaming fees ranging from approximately $1.50 to $4.00, I have no choice but to decline all calls when not on the Cingular wireless network.

I've called numerous times within the past few months to express my dissatisfaction and anger with Cingular customer service. At first, they were able to discount half of the roaming fees for the previous statement, but stated they would no longer be able to credit my account for another year. I've demanded each month to have my roaming fees waived as I have almost no control over the fee. When a new call arrives and I am unable to decline the call, the caller is sent to voice mail and the fee is incurred. In fact, I'm not even certain that declining the call prevents the fee as the customer representative stated it still occurs.

With no more opportunities to credit my account the roaming fees for another year, I demanded that they waive the early cancellation fee so that I may move on to another service provider. The fee is $150 per phone and I have two phones sharing the account. If you do the math, I will need to pay $300, plus my telephones (Sony Ericsson T616) are rendered useless as they are programmed to only work with Cingular. Cingular declined to waive the fee, even after all attempts to sway them my way.

Ultimately, Cingular offered one solution: turn off your phone.

I was shocked to hear such an unacceptable solution. This is what Cingular Wireless was advising one of their paying customers to do in order to avoid additional roaming fees, even though they advertise their service in the area and have plans to open a Cingular store in Calexico this year.

Motherfuckers, I thought.

I know I'm not the only one having problems with Cingular Wireless in Calexico. I know of at least one other person who is having similar problems.

Are we the only ones completely unsatisfied with Cingular Wireless service in Calexico?

Radiodude · Posted: 03 Feb 2005 11:21 AM Post subject:

do what I do. Buy a Sprint.

superplayer · Posted: 03 Feb 2005 12:24 PM Post subject:

Do what I do, just don't own one. Cellphones are gay.

No, seriously, start considering all the advantages you had these last months over the consequences. Sure a cellphone might save you from an emergency, but still for me it's always better to hang around with those damn things. I have never bought one and most probably never will, I don't want to be another victim of evil American marketing.

Radiodude · Posted: 03 Feb 2005 12:32 PM Post subject:

elchrist · Posted: 03 Feb 2005 01:56 PM Post subject: Cingular

OK, let me make it clear:

I have Cingular Wireless as my mobile provider. I'm in a two year contract with less than a year to go before I drop them and make my decision on my communication needs.

The problem here is Cingular Wireless, not Sprint or Verizon (not at this moment). I am not looking for a recommendation. I am looking for existing Cingular customers.

Cingular Wireless is advertising and offering service in the City of Calexico. Cingular Wireless has plans to open a Cingular store this year in the City of Calexico. They realize that there is still an untapped number of residents who do not have their service and are looking to sign them on to one or two year contracts for wireless/mobile communication services.

If no one stops them from coming in people will continue to subscribe to their service and soon realize that they are tied into a horrible service contract with no way out, except by paying their early disconnection fee of $150 USD. Although Cingular offers it's new customers a trial period, it is not enough to completely evaluate their service, just as I found. There wasn't a problem in the beginning and there is now.

It is not fair for any customer to be tied into a service by contract when the service they provide is not reliable approximately half the time. Cingular Wireless claims that they do not provide 100% guaranteed coverage, but in reality they are responsible for providing service comparable to their competitors. Why is it that the others are not having this problem?

What I'd like to see is the opening of the Cingular store halted indefinitely until service improves dramatically. Regardless of what Cingular-provided equipment you use on their network, it should work exceptionally well. It may be that my phone does not have excellent reception, if so then they should not be offering this equipment.

My next step is to put together a petition and have residents of the City of Calexico and the vicinity sign it. If Cingular gets its way, they will open up shop and offer a defective product/service. We can't allow that.

If we can't stop the opening of their store, their potential subscribers need to become aware of their quality of service in the area.

You may be thinking, "Why do I care? I use another company." Well, the reality is that someone in your family or a person you know may become a victim. If you can stop this from happening, then you did your part.

It's plain and simple: If we collectively bitch enough, service will improve.

elchrist · Posted: 03 Feb 2005 03:35 PM Post subject: Cingular in Calexico Petition

Cingular Wireless in Calexico: Improve Service Before Opening Cingular Store
http://www.petitiononline.com/CingInCx/

To: Cingular Wireless

Cingular Wireless intends to open a Cingular Store in the City of Calexico, California in the year 2005. Normally this would be good in assisting the improvement of the local economy, offering more products and services to the community, and in increasing competition with existing wireless providers and vendors.

There is just one problem:

The service that Cingular Wireless provides in this Southern California city is unacceptable. Cingular Wireless advertises their products and services in the area, although customers find themselves roaming on international mobile networks (originating from Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico) and incurring expensive roaming fees that are uncontrollable. Even with numerous attempts at contacting Cingular Wireless customer service, their suggestions do not remedy the continuing problem.

If Cingular Wireless is to open a Cingular Store in the City of Calexico, they are to first improve upon their existing wireless network infrastructure so that existing and potential customers are not paying unnecessary additional fees and receiving dependable service. Roaming (international), along with numerous dead spots, is a problem with Cingular Wireless’ mobile telephone service in Calexico, California.

We, the paying citizens of Calexico, California demand that Cingular Wireless provide its customers with service exceeding in quality or comparable to their competitors before the opening of their Cingular Store. We expect reliable service where one may be able to place and receive a phone call without the risk of incurring additional service costs.

We, the citizens of Calexico, will not allow Cingular Wireless to engage in business by selling Calexico’s residents and businesses unsatisfactory service. The City of Calexico is deserving of so much better.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

To sign this petition, please visit:

http://www.petitiononline.com/CingInCx/

or

http://www.calecia.com/cingular/