Comments on: Cingular: No Charge for Roaming* http://www.mouseprint.org/2006/03/20/cingular-no-charge-for-roaming/ Exposing the strings and catches in advertising fine print. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:41:54 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: coleen http://www.mouseprint.org/2006/03/20/cingular-no-charge-for-roaming/comment-page-1/#comment-188933 coleen Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:37:15 +0000 http://www.mouseprint.org/?p=27#comment-188933 I have had Cingular/ATT for 7 years on these numbers. I live near the Canadian border, when I moved here I was told by every one and the Congular store that they knew about the CA fringe roaming and that they would credit the overages. For years it has worked, but the last year or so, something is different and they are hassling me more. I was told by a rep this month that AT&T still has to pay the roaming fees to the CA carrier and they want to cancel accounts like mine. This means they are at fault but they would cancel my service rather than attempt to fix it and would rather cancel an entire community rather than seek a fix. I don't know the final resolution yet, but their corporate policies are created by idiots! I have had Cingular/ATT for 7 years on these numbers. I live near the Canadian border, when I moved here I was told by every one and the Congular store that they knew about the CA fringe roaming and that they would credit the overages. For years it has worked, but the last year or so, something is different and they are hassling me more.

I was told by a rep this month that AT&T still has to pay the roaming fees to the CA carrier and they want to cancel accounts like mine. This means they are at fault but they would cancel my service rather than attempt to fix it and would rather cancel an entire community rather than seek a fix.

I don’t know the final resolution yet, but their corporate policies are created by idiots!

]]> By: Joe http://www.mouseprint.org/2006/03/20/cingular-no-charge-for-roaming/comment-page-1/#comment-24841 Joe Thu, 10 May 2007 21:32:55 +0000 http://www.mouseprint.org/?p=27#comment-24841 I can tell you that I've heard of several people being dropped by Cingular using this clause in my area. Luckily, I do not use my Cingular phone in those areas that often, so I have not gotten dropped yet. FYI, a good area w/o Cingular coverage is in Northeast Missouri and Western Illinois. I can tell you that I’ve heard of several people being dropped by Cingular using this clause in my area. Luckily, I do not use my Cingular phone in those areas that often, so I have not gotten dropped yet. FYI, a good area w/o Cingular coverage is in Northeast Missouri and Western Illinois.

]]> By: anice http://www.mouseprint.org/2006/03/20/cingular-no-charge-for-roaming/comment-page-1/#comment-3241 anice Sun, 19 Nov 2006 13:04:12 +0000 http://www.mouseprint.org/?p=27#comment-3241 We have been with cingular for over 4 years. We have a family talk plan with four phones for the mobile to mobile. I live in bentley, la. Its about 20 mins from alexandria, la. We have had some problems with them in the pass but were always able to resolve them. Until, about 2 1/2 months ago when cingular and centennial broke contract with one another for tower usage. They didn't even tell any of their customers that was affected by this. This was my lifeline to my son away in college and my husband that works away from home. I was told by them different things about why my phone wasn't working. It took my a month of calling until I could find out the truth! That's a shame these cell phone companies do this from time to time. They said we could break out of the contract since I recently purchased 2 new phones. Guess that's what I will have to do. The only carrier here in Grant parish is centennial which does have roaming. Between a rock and hard place here. We have been with cingular for over 4 years. We have a family talk plan
with four phones for the mobile to mobile. I live in bentley, la. Its
about 20 mins from alexandria, la. We have had some problems with them
in the pass but were always able to resolve them. Until, about 2 1/2
months ago when cingular and centennial broke contract with one another
for tower usage. They didn’t even tell any of their customers that was
affected by this. This was my lifeline to my son away in college and my
husband that works away from home. I was told by them different things
about why my phone wasn’t working. It took my a month of calling until I
could find out the truth! That’s a shame these cell phone companies do
this from time to time. They said we could break out of the contract
since I recently purchased 2 new phones. Guess that’s what I will have to
do. The only carrier here in Grant parish is centennial which does have
roaming. Between a rock and hard place here.

]]> By: Greg http://www.mouseprint.org/2006/03/20/cingular-no-charge-for-roaming/comment-page-1/#comment-1665 Greg Fri, 06 Oct 2006 15:34:15 +0000 http://www.mouseprint.org/?p=27#comment-1665 I work in Louisiana about 40 miles from the Gulf of Mexico and have been hit with roaming charges up $2000 from Cingular. When I first saw "Cingular Extend" on my phone I called them and asked if I was roaming and the rep. said, "No, you have nationwide and you are in the USA." Then I got a $2000 bill. After much discussion they removed the charges but told me not to make any calls again if my phone said "Cingular Extend". I followed that rule faithfully but was charged roaming again and when I inquired they told me my phone had no way of knowing if it was roaming. Here are copies of two emails from Cingular about this problem. Remember Lousiana is many miles from Mexico or Canada. I understand you received international roaming charges, but you stated you were not in Gulf of Mexico. Your phones display does not indicate the rate at which you will be charged. Charges are based on the location of the site receiving and transmitting the call, not the location of the subscriber. Fringe service areas are those areas where coverage by two cellular operating carriers overlap, examples of such may be found in areas near Mexico, Canada, or the islands in the Caribbean. Overlapping coverage is common because there are no distinct service lines between competing carriers' cell sites, and may result in roaming charges even though you have not traveled outside of your coverage area. Unfortunately, the international roaming charges are valid. We do have packages available for those who travel frequently that will allow you to enjoy discounted rates. Please visit www.cingular.com/cingularworld for more information. We at Cingular Wireless appreciate your business and value you as a customer. Later..... Your rate plan is the Nation plan and you will not be billed roaming in the United States. Your phone may not display extended because you in your calling area. Some International towers put out a roaming signal and some do not. Cingular does not have access to those towers to make them send out a roaming signal. There is not way to 100% verify if you are in that same area, if you pick up an International carrier unless by experience you know how far in you can go. If you need further assistance or clarification, please call customer care at 1-800-331-0500 or you may reply back to this email. So basically what they are saying is that if you have the nationwide plan you still have to pay for roaming and there is no way of knowing if you are roaming until you get your bill. As the representative said you have to go by "experience" and believe me this education is very expensive. Also, it appears that the state of Louisiana is near some international border. Which foreign country would that be? Texas? Mississippi? Greg I work in Louisiana about 40 miles from the Gulf of Mexico and have been hit with roaming charges up $2000 from Cingular. When I first saw “Cingular Extend” on my phone I called them and asked if I was roaming and the rep. said, “No, you have nationwide and you are in the USA.” Then I got a $2000 bill. After much discussion they removed the charges but told me not to make any calls again if my phone said “Cingular Extend”. I followed that rule faithfully but was charged roaming again and when I inquired they told me my phone had no way of knowing if it was roaming.
Here are copies of two emails from Cingular about this problem.
Remember Lousiana is many miles from Mexico or Canada.

I understand you received international roaming charges, but you stated
you were not in Gulf of Mexico. Your phones display does not indicate
the rate at which you will be charged. Charges are based on the location
of the site receiving and transmitting the call, not the location of the
subscriber. Fringe service areas are those areas where coverage by two
cellular operating carriers overlap, examples of such may be found in
areas near Mexico, Canada, or the islands in the Caribbean. Overlapping
coverage is common because there are no distinct service lines between
competing carriers’ cell sites, and may result in roaming charges even
though you have not traveled outside of your coverage area.
Unfortunately, the international roaming charges are valid. We do have
packages available for those who travel frequently that will allow you
to enjoy discounted rates. Please visit http://www.cingular.com/cingularworld
for more information.

We at Cingular Wireless appreciate your business and value you as a
customer.

Later…..

Your rate plan is the Nation plan and you will not be billed roaming in
the United States. Your phone may not display extended because you in
your calling area. Some International towers put out a roaming signal
and some do not. Cingular does not have access to those towers to make
them send out a roaming signal. There is not way to 100% verify if you
are in that same area, if you pick up an International carrier unless by
experience you know how far in you can go. If you need further
assistance or clarification, please call customer care at 1-800-331-0500
or you may reply back to this email.

So basically what they are saying is that if you have the nationwide plan you still have to pay for roaming and there is no way of knowing if you are roaming until you get your bill. As the representative said you have to go by “experience” and believe me this education is very expensive. Also, it appears that the state of Louisiana is near some international border. Which foreign country would that be? Texas? Mississippi?
Greg

]]> By: Gracie http://www.mouseprint.org/2006/03/20/cingular-no-charge-for-roaming/comment-page-1/#comment-1518 Gracie Wed, 27 Sep 2006 22:42:03 +0000 http://www.mouseprint.org/?p=27#comment-1518 I had cell service with Centennial Wireless, a regional company. I opened a new account in TX, and was told I had no roaming charges. I told the service reps repeatedly that I would be moving to KY and taking the phone with me. I was told that was not a problem, all I would have to do is change my billing address. After living at school for 3 months in KY, Centennial informed me that I was being terminated because I had not used 50% of my minutes for 3 consecutive months in my primary calling area. I was not going to be charged a fee, they said, if I returned my phone in ORIGINAL condition to them. That meant the box, the user manual, charger, and template for drawing my own faceplate inserts. This was a phone I'd had for 5 months already, and of course I didn't have the box, and there were scratches on the phone. I was charged the $175 early termination fee anyway. I switched to cingular, and TODAY, I looked at my bill online, and there was a usage fee of $10 for roaming charges. WHAT?!?! I don't pay roaming charges! Its included in my plan!. It turns out that while I was at home, visiting in Texas, my phone for some reason connected to a tower that is conveniently located in the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf of Mexico is not included in the nationwide calling area, and is considered out of the country, even though the bill says Gulf of Mexico, LA. Meaning Louisiana. Which for some reason, I thought was in the country. I called and complained, and after 3 service reps and a supervisor, the charges were removed. What a hassle. I had cell service with Centennial Wireless, a regional company. I opened a new account in TX, and was told I had no roaming charges. I told the service reps repeatedly that I would be moving to KY and taking the phone with me. I was told that was not a problem, all I would have to do is change my billing address. After living at school for 3 months in KY, Centennial informed me that I was being terminated because I had not used 50% of my minutes for 3 consecutive months in my primary calling area. I was not going to be charged a fee, they said, if I returned my phone in ORIGINAL condition to them. That meant the box, the user manual, charger, and template for drawing my own faceplate inserts. This was a phone I’d had for 5 months already, and of course I didn’t have the box, and there were scratches on the phone. I was charged the $175 early termination fee anyway.

I switched to cingular, and TODAY, I looked at my bill online, and there was a usage fee of $10 for roaming charges. WHAT?!?! I don’t pay roaming charges! Its included in my plan!. It turns out that while I was at home, visiting in Texas, my phone for some reason connected to a tower that is conveniently located in the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf of Mexico is not included in the nationwide calling area, and is considered out of the country, even though the bill says Gulf of Mexico, LA. Meaning Louisiana. Which for some reason, I thought was in the country. I called and complained, and after 3 service reps and a supervisor, the charges were removed. What a hassle.

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