Cingular gets the boot from the NY BBB

It's not exactly the end of the world for the nation's largest wireless carrier when it gets the boot from one state's Better Business Bureau registry, but it certainly doesn't make for good press… like this article, for example. Apparently Cingular couldn't figure out its 20 outstanding or unresolved complaints (of 200 total) over the past three years standing in the New York BBB, so they were immediately expelled. We have a feeling this won't be enough to get them to change their ways, but it's nice to know that all that whining about poor wireless service can accomplish… something.

[Via TechDirt]

[ben @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

As bad as that is... doesn't that just hurt those other 180 customers that had their complaints resolved? I'd like to know what those 20 unresolved complaints were.

[get buff @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

what exactly does this mean for cingular?

[NutritionN @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

What does it mean for Cingular? Probably not much, besides some BS story about how these complaints weren't their fault. Seriously, they are the worst. My wife tried them out, moving over from TMobile, a few months ago. The week we put up with their service was the worst CS experience I've ever had.

It's really as though they don't care if they are considered good CS or not.

[narco @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

I used to have Cingular and HATED it. I would have to call them immediately after every bill I received to dispute charges, sometimes spending multiple hours on the phone. I got fed up and switched to Spring.

Bad idea. Sprint was 20 times worse than anything Cingular, but I don't mind because their internet plan is awesome.

Fishes,
narco.

[matt nicklin @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

even though I hate cingular I have to stand up for them this time. The BBB is bullshit you have to pay to be one of their preferid people. I hate the BBB even more than i hate cingular so go cingular!

[Z @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Here's a solution: Go with T-Mobile.

Great pricing, nationwide EDGE data service (in October), good CS.

The end.

[Pete Nice @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Funny, I have great customer service from Cingular... I guess I must be on the "special plan" where everything works...

[Pete Nice @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

#5

You forgot the smallest network of any of the major carriers in the US. Not to mention loads of network capacity issues and soon to be only 10Mhz of spectrum in NYC. Sounds like a good idea to me...

[ronald rani @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Cingular has always sucked monkey balls. I hope this incident gets publicized across the states, maybe it can be some guy of wake up call for those bastards

[nox327 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

You can very simply resolve the CS issue with Cingular. Step #1 call them up and cancel the Service (if you have no contract), Step #2 go to an T-mobile authorized dealer and sign up. This will successfuly resolve every problem.

[Simon @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

It's hilarious how every cell provider is absolutely despised.

Cingular - Awful Customer Service
Verizon - Awful Phones
T-Mobile - Awful Network
Sprint - As stated above: "Bad idea. Sprint was 20 times worse than anything Cingular"

Is there any service provider anyone likes? Doesn't seem like it.

[Pork Rind @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

#10

Sure, except for the tiny network...

[hesh @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

This is just weird. I've had nothing but stellar customer service from Cingular since switching to them from Sprint. Sprint was even alright for me. But everyone I know who has Cingular has had great customer service. We are down in NC, so I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it.

[tpp @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

I've had service from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Cingular during the past five or so years.

Sprint was the absolute worst and I couldn't have been happier dumping them.

AT&T was otherwise fine, but they insisted in cutting my service with no warning when I was travelling and went over my minutes without noticing it (no, they didn't notify me about getting near my minutes either).

I was relatively happy with T-Mobile, but switched to Cingular when it became apparent T-Mobile would never get any cool new phones, or would get them 12 months later than Cingular.

No problems with Cingular so far, but I haven't had the service for a full year yet.

[hall @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

good idea, poor service...get booted

[manfinger @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

I've had Verizon, Cingular, AT&T, and Sprint. They all sucked so badly that I just gave up on cell phones entirely. The unadvertised charges are just obscene. It cost nearly the same amount in these charges as the monthly charge. Put down the cell phone! That's truly the way to fight back.

[Lunarcade @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Here in NJ I get great reception from Cingular and have never had any problems with my bill or any trouble from CS when I've had to call them. My mother in DE (30 minutes away) on the otherhand gets no service in the state (but apparently nobody else does either regardless of carrier) and complains endlessly about the poor CS. Different strokes?

[Shawn @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Cingular - Awful Customer Service
Verizon - "VERIZON KICKS ASS BITCH" GET A MOTOROLA E815 OR THE RAZR YOU NOOB!
T-Mobile - Awful Network
Sprint - As stated above: "Bad idea. Sprint was 20 times worse than anything Cingular"

[Nate MC @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

This is at my house.. where I am about 75% of the time.

AT&T - Never had an issue with their service, now I did have problems with my phones but they would always overnight me a new one as a warranty exchange. Great signal at home, traveling, not so good, especially through california & in Pasadena, but worked great in Hawaii & Canada.

Cingular - Billing issues EVERY month, and then it takes forever to get through to customer service.

T-Mobile - Nice customer service but absolutely no reception at my house when they can't figure out why because I am really close to one of their towers, it was the same with VoiceStream, wanted to make a call.. go outside.

[James @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Cingular may have the largest network, but their plans are expensive. Sprint has a slightly smaller network, but the minute plans and internet service has the best prices of anyone in my opinion. T-Mobile has the best customer service of any carrier. Verizon is okay, but no service in my area at all.

[Zach Littleman @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

I got my sprint, great price, great network options.. plus i have really no problems with them.. the first 2 montsh bills were messed up that was under 30 minutes of work. the network isn't that great.. but its better than verizon, cingular, .. but worse than tmobile and alltel(damn alltel has the best network ever!!!!)

[chuck @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

i don't get why everyone thinks t-mobile's network is so bad, they actually have more towers than cingular, cingular just has a TON of roaming agreements to give you the illusion that they have a larger network (and when you're roaming, they don't tell you, vs. t-mobile where it actually displays the carrier that you're making calls through on your screen!) my friend with cingular can't even make calls in a lot of places that i can with t-mobile in chicago.. including huge malls like water tower place- on some of the floors, she has 6 bars (roaming on tmo) but can only call 911!

[Hyena_The_Pirate @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

The problem here with cingular is that it eventually becomes the 'modus operandi' of ALL companies..

arrr, i remember the days of yor, when Sprint was the best thing ever.. they were practically paying ME to have their cell phone.. now they could give two schillings about my 'problems' with service..
the problem is that only the small companies who DEPEND on their customers and word of mouth to grow to become monolithic giants forget far too quickly who it was that put them up on that pedestal once they arise to corporate "God-mode" status..
once upon a time, Cingular was a good company. Everyone kept hearing about it, and people flocked to them in droves. THen Cingular decided that they were far powerful and mighty enough that they needn't remember the little pathetic peons who made them what they were.

i'm to the point now that i dont bother with cell phones anyway. after all, why exactly DO i need to be accessed by telephone 24/7 in the middle of nowhere to begin with? ahoy, me thinks there be somethin to be missed in the good ol days when people just paged you and hoped you'd return their calls...

... on your OWN time or rather, whenever the hell i FELT like it.
arrrrr. :)

[Finished.Law.School @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

I emailed their corporate counsel directly and that helped resolve my issues quickly. Their CS is thoroughly useless, including supervisors and so on - a bunch of clueless fucking morons.

[jeff @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

verizon is the best, and I've tested each carrier. T-Mobile's network is garbage and they still don't have EDGE yet (which is practically obsolete, Cingular's EDGE is too damn slow, Sprint has EV-DO but in barely any cities. Verizon is a little bit pricier but its well worth it. Guess what? I'm using my verizon connection to type this right now. Eat it!

[Jamar @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

It would seem that many companies are not interested in making dual-mode phones or they try to stay low-profile if it could cause issues. Here in Shanghai, there is a phone, a f***ing brick of a phone, called the CoolPad that carried 800MHz CDMA and tri-band GSM. Maybe people are coing to call BS on me because they have not seen such a thing on their recent trips to China or whatever, but it exists. It just isn't being advertised, and it is often hidden among the loads of cooler phones when I went looking to buy a phone in China (went for an unlocked, flashed, imported V902SH) so few people know of its existence, and though it was something I was looking for- carry a "loads of minutes for cheap" plan with T-Mobile and a cheap, prepaid Verizon Wireless plan for emergencies, but we use the R-UIM, so data can't be directly programmed into the phone, but such a phone can be used to hold a T-Mobile card and a Cingular card at the same time, switching as desired without powering off the phone. The only reason I don't see such a phone in the States is probably because if one carrier sells the phone, they will lose out to another carrier because they don't make money from say CDMA or GSM. In China, such a phone is profitable because China Unicom, which carries this phone, operates GSM and CDMA, making profits off of both sides of the equation.

[duestown @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Verizon is pretty much the only one that actually gets service up in Ithaca... so that's what i go with. I just want the cool new phones first, but no one wants to make a cool CDMA phone. I'm pretty happy with my LG VX6100 I got almost a year ago though.

[Pip @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

I didn't know the BBB had "members". I thought it was a fed consumer protection agency that fined the crap out of companies that didn't behave? Kicked Cingular out? Shouldn't they be threatening to shut them down entirely in NY until they get their act together?

[Matt @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

I maintain two phones now, when I really only wanted one, so I have a nice perspective on the service between Cingular and Verizon.

I ported my Verizon number to Cingular about a year go. Why? Because I travel internationally, so the quad-band GSM BlackBerry from Cingular was the way I went.

The actual Cingular service in the US is so poor, I took my number back to Verizon and carry an ED-VO phone (Mot E815) for domestic use. When I go back overseas, I just *72 my Verizon number to the BlackBerry.

Cingular has such a bastardized implementation of GSM that the quality of the call is quite poor. Not to mention the smaller footprint outside of large metro areas. Sure, Cingular may have 50 million customers, but that�s what happens when you buy your competitor. Just because 30 million + 20 million = 50 million, it doesn�t mean that they got to where they are because they are reliable. Crap + crap still = crap.

It's funny, everywhere else in the world (except Japan) the GSM implementation is pretty darned good. I get far better quality of service in the UK versus here the US.

As far as customer service? Cingular staff seem inconsistent with their training and knowledge. For example, I repeatedly get different answers to the same question by different people. Verizon on the other hand is nice to you, is consistent with their answers, and seems genuinely interested in my call.

Overall? Yay for Verizon! They consistently score well in Consumer Reports surveys. While Cingular/AT&T don�t fare so well.

[stiev @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

The people that say verizon is great only use thier phones for calls. If you like having a tampered bluetooth and extorted ringtone and game prices for your phone, they are your carrier. Oh, and having to spend money to get YOUR pictures off the phone! Sure, I'd go with them if I was just making calls- but my phone has to be more than that these days.

I like the fact that I can pop a few mp3's on my memorystick, load it into my s710a and go for a jog. And then while on that jog, I can stop and take a picture (1.3mp). When I get home, I can put that picture on my computer and e-mail it to someone- while talking on my non-limited bluetooth headset. All for the cost of service each month.

I don't know where you people have had crappy service, but I've had nothing but excellence from Cingular. Broken phones/parts(from dropping), a broken bluetooth headset, billing issues- all of these were taken care of promptly and without question.

This is most likely due to the fact that I have a 5-phone contract that is about $200/mo, and two high-end phones(s710a, both with BT headsets).

You get what you pay for- so don't expect great customer service with a $20/mo cheapo nokia contract. Are you really worth their time? Maybe that's not the way it should be, but that's what it is.

Oh, and T-Mobile is the one that contracts out the towers- that's why their service is limited. Cingular has the towers(except for what they are selling off of AT&T) and T-Mo rents.

Out of the big four, Sprint is by far the worst. WAY TOO EXPENSIVE phones, wierd contract agreements(they held a $300 check from a friend of mine for 6 months in case he cancelled or changed his contract), restricted internet(the same friend couldn't download a song(midi or mp3, both of which his phone played). Every where we went in Texas & New Mexico, I had either the same or better service with Cingular.

My guess is that you guys either had a REALLY bad experience with cingular, or have never tried it. Don't knock it til you try it.

[Frankenstein Black @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

My engineers and I test the latest, cutting edge, soon to be released phones and mobile devices for a living. Oh, and I don�t pay for cellular service. Don�t you wish you could be me? ;^)...

Hate to say it but I think CW will always lead the pack in getting the coolest devices first. Why? Because their tech is the most widely used globally and manufacturers will always play to (and manufacture for) their largest customer base from a tech perspective. ;^(...

[Sherry Chaudoin @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Go with T-Mobile! I've gone through Sprint, At&T and Cingular - they were all maddeningly bad. It's hard to believe someone could stay in business with such horrible CS. T-Mobile is a completely different story. I'm actually shocked at how good they since the industry standard seems to be so low. I've had nothing but great experiences with them in nearly two years.

[Nathan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Nationwide EDGE? You mean new roaming agreements with Cingular. You really think T-Mobile managed to pull nationwide network upgrades out of their ass in a few months?

Sorry but #30 is right, you do get what you pay for. Don't expect excellent service for a phone you got for or practically got for FREE online.

And about the article, even if those 200 BBB complaints were around the country, 10,000 unhappy and usually ignorant consumers out of 50,000,000 ain't bad.

[Nathan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

Chuck, you are horribly misinformed, if you counted the towers in roaming agreements that Cingular has with 200+ countries, Cingular would wipe the board. Cingular maintains the largest wholly owned GSM network in the US. With the aquisition of AT&T there are actually towers that are being deprecated because of surplus coverage. Only in the west does the amount of roaming coverage (provided by mom and pop operations) out number the amount of in-network coverage. This coverage is primarily (and respectively) in sparsely populated, rural areas. This is, of course, just the GSM network, you still have TDMA which is still sold/available in some markets and AMPS (which still comprises about 2% of the 50 million customers).

[John @ Dec 19th 2005 1:06AM]

I have been battling Cinular ever since they took my service over from ATT. I have numerous complaints into the FCC and my first into the BBB. Service sucks, any they have the audacity to bill for it! The line they give me repeatedly is that they are working on the towers, thats why I am without service! But again, they bill me for it!