Cingular Dumping Former AT&T Wireless Customers

When I dumped Cingular for Sprint, it was like a breath of fresh air. After
a year of putting up with Cingular's deliberate cutback of TDMA towers (a
move apparently taken with the objective of coercing ATTWS customers to
abandon their cheaper rate plans and to re-up for two years at the higher
Cingular rates) I was about ready to smash my phones in exasperation.

Then one day I phoned Sprint, which handles my business long distance and
data service, to make a minor change in the configuration of one of my
lines. The rep told me that I was preapproved for up to 6 PCS lines, free
phones, no activation fees, free roaming, etc. I said, "why not," and
ordered 3 lines. I was given a choice of 3 different phone models, all of
which were free.

Next morning, UPS delivered the phones, all programmed and activated. The
calls were crystal clear, compared to my old TDMA service. I then promptly
called Cingular and terminated my account. They made an effort to "upgrade"
me to higher rates and a 20year contract, and I told them to stuff it.

Yesterday I saw a post on the Cingular NG from a guy who also was a former
ATTWS customer and who received a notice advising that his TDMA service
would be terminated on 4/30 and he had to re-up for 2 years at the higher
GSM rate plan! If he failed to enter into a new contract, he'd have no
service from Cingular.

So it appears that this is the way that Cingular will deal with customers
that have been hanging on to their old AT&T plans--their arrogance is
astounding.

It just confirms my decision to get the hell out of Cingular. I regret only
one thing--that I didn't move to Sprint much earlier than I did.

And my three lines cost me about $5 bucks less than I was paying under the
old ATTWS rates. Better call quality, new free phones, and a lower price!

Thanks, Sprint.

Jeremy wrote:
> And my three lines cost me about $5 bucks less than I was paying under the
> old ATTWS rates. Better call quality, new free phones, and a lower price!

I had excellent GSM and CDMA calls...and crappy ones. If you're closer
to the tower, of course. But not everyone, including you will always be
that close.

Free phones = low feature entry level phones.

Is $5 a month *THAT* critical?

DecaturTxCowboy <forgetit@bummer.com> wrote:
> Jeremy wrote:
>> And my three lines cost me about $5 bucks less than I was paying under the
>> old ATTWS rates. Better call quality, new free phones, and a lower price!
>
> I had excellent GSM and CDMA calls...and crappy ones. If you're closer
> to the tower, of course. But not everyone, including you will always be
> that close.
>
> Free phones = low feature entry level phones.
>
> Is $5 a month *THAT* critical?

Depending upon the features you use and how you use them, it can be MUCH more
than that.

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse
Key Fingerprint: 2DB9 813F F510 82C2 E1AE 34D0 D69D 1EDC D5EC AED1

Thomas T. Veldhouse wrote:
> DecaturTxCowboy <forgetit@bummer.com> wrote:
>> Jeremy wrote:
>>> And my three lines cost me about $5 bucks less than I was paying under the
>>> old ATTWS rates. Better call quality, new free phones, and a lower price!
>> I had excellent GSM and CDMA calls...and crappy ones. If you're closer
>> to the tower, of course. But not everyone, including you will always be
>> that close.
>>
>> Free phones = low feature entry level phones.
>>
>> Is $5 a month *THAT* critical?
>
> Depending upon the features you use and how you use them, it can be MUCH more
> than that.
>

Very true as we don't know what features he has added, but I was mostly
pointing to the $5 advantage he keeps referring to assuming he has
similar features he's comparing too.

"DecaturTxCowboy" <forgetit@bummer.com> wrote in message
news:CL52g.50755$_S7.38077@newssvr14.news.prodigy. com...
> Thomas T. Veldhouse wrote:
>> DecaturTxCowboy <forgetit@bummer.com> wrote:
>>> Jeremy wrote:
>>>> And my three lines cost me about $5 bucks less than I was paying under
>>>> the old ATTWS rates. Better call quality, new free phones, and a lower
>>>> price!
>>> I had excellent GSM and CDMA calls...and crappy ones. If you're closer
>>> to the tower, of course. But not everyone, including you will always be
>>> that close.
>>>
>>> Free phones = low feature entry level phones.
>>>
>>> Is $5 a month *THAT* critical?
>>
>> Depending upon the features you use and how you use them, it can be MUCH
>> more
>> than that.
>>
>
> Very true as we don't know what features he has added, but I was mostly
> pointing to the $5 advantage he keeps referring to assuming he has similar
> features he's comparing too.

I think his point had to do with the additional cost of getting the same
service with Cingular.

"DecaturTxCowboy" <forgetit@bummer.com> wrote in message
news:2SY1g.68330$H71.68162@newssvr13.news.prodigy. com...
> Jeremy wrote:
>> And my three lines cost me about $5 bucks less than I was paying under
>> the old ATTWS rates. Better call quality, new free phones, and a lower
>> price!
>
> I had excellent GSM and CDMA calls...and crappy ones. If you're closer to
> the tower, of course. But not everyone, including you will always be that
> close.
>
> Free phones = low feature entry level phones.
>
> Is $5 a month *THAT* critical?

$5 isn't the issue, nor is the issue of low feature entry leven phones. From
what I can gather, it's better quality calls for the OP. After all, anyone
can have the cheapest rate plan or most expensive rate plan available, but
if they can't make or receive calls, then what good is the service.

Bob

Bob Smith wrote:

>> Is $5 a month *THAT* critical?
>
> $5 isn't the issue, nor is the issue of low feature entry leven phones. From
> what I can gather, it's better quality calls for the OP. After all, anyone
> can have the cheapest rate plan or most expensive rate plan available, but
> if they can't make or receive calls, then what good is the service.

I agree the most important factor is Sprint works better for him.

But to start flaming Cingular/ATTW with non-issue items was getting
ridiculous.

I've always maintained that 10,000 minutes for $60 a month (yes, that
what an MCI mailed flyer implied, until you read the 10,000 minutes was
per year), unlimited M2M, 7:00 nights/weekends, the coolest phone ...all
mean nothing if it doesn't work where you use it the most.

"Bob Smith" <usirsclt_No_Spamola_@earthlink.net> wrote in message
newsBr2g.7688$sq5.5806@newsread2.news.atl.earthl ink.net...
>
> "DecaturTxCowboy" <forgetit@bummer.com> wrote in message
> news:2SY1g.68330$H71.68162@newssvr13.news.prodigy. com...
>> Jeremy wrote:
>>> And my three lines cost me about $5 bucks less than I was paying under
>>> the old ATTWS rates. Better call quality, new free phones, and a lower
>>> price!
>>
>> I had excellent GSM and CDMA calls...and crappy ones. If you're closer to
>> the tower, of course. But not everyone, including you will always be that
>> close.
>>
>> Free phones = low feature entry level phones.
>>
>> Is $5 a month *THAT* critical?
>
> $5 isn't the issue, nor is the issue of low feature entry leven phones.
> From what I can gather, it's better quality calls for the OP. After all,
> anyone can have the cheapest rate plan or most expensive rate plan
> available, but if they can't make or receive calls, then what good is the
> service.
>
> Bob
>

I should have been more specific--most of the ATTWS customers had pretty
good deals from AT&T. Lots of bonus minutes, free M2M, 7PM N/W, etc. So it
was significant that I could get a current rate plan that could beat out my
previous ATTWS rate.

Cingular couldn't/wouldn't come near that price.