Questions about AT&T Wireless-to-Cingular migration

I'm an AT&T Wireless customer with an old TDMA phone, and I'd like to get a new GSM phone.

1. I'm wondering if I should make the default switch to Cingular or if I should go with another provider (e.g., Verizon, which Consumer Reports says provides better service where I live, in San Francisco). What do you think?

2. I don't know if I'm still under contract with AT&T Wireless and if I'd therefore be subject to an early termination fee if I switched to a provider other than Cingular. I can't seem to find this info when I'm logged in to AT&T Wireless's Web site, nor is it on my most recent bill. Will I have to call AT&T Wireless to find out if I'm still under contract, or is there another way to find out?

3. I want to get a Motorola clamshell phone. If I stay with Cingular, I'm looking at these phones, in increasing order of cost:

- Motorola V180
- Motorola V220
- Motorola V551

The Motorola MPx220 seems cool but costs more than I want to pay. Any opinions about these phones? What about any of Verizon's Motorola phones?

4. Finally, it seems like it's possible to get good deals on phones via Web sites like Wirefly.com -- like, it's possible to get the Motorola V220 for free by signing up with Cingular. Can I do this? Or do I have to go through AT&T Wireless/Cingular to migrate to Cingular?

Lots of questions...This is all very confusing. Like many people, I just want a good phone, good services, and to pay as little as possible. Any and all assistance will be much appreciated!

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› See More: Questions about AT&T Wireless-to-Cingular migration

I just went through the AT&T to Cingular conversion and found it was much easier by phone than on-line. I think the on-line capabilities are not in full woking order yet. If you call AT&T you can find out about your contract but also find out about your service date. If you cancel at the wrong time of the month you may have to pay for the whole month. We were one day past so they let it slide. I got the v220 and like it so far.

1: not sure
2: there will be no etf w/ going ot Cingular, you'll have to call in to find out your contract end date
3: not sure
4: if you're going to cingular and want to keep you # you need to migrate over the phone, in store or on the cingular website only.

Just so you know, you WILL NOT keep your promotions. Cingular doesn't care about good credit, or how long you've been an ATT customer. I repeat. They don't care.

I've currently got 1000 anytime minutes with ATT digital for 39.99/mo. This is with promotions. Cingular wants me to give up 550 minutes to convert. They can rot in Hell for all I care. I'm switching carriers as soon as my contract is up.

Originally Posted by mrsubway

Just so you know, you WILL NOT keep your promotions. Cingular doesn't care about good credit, or how long you've been an ATT customer. I repeat. They don't care.

I've currently got 1000 anytime minutes with ATT digital for 39.99/mo. This is with promotions. Cingular wants me to give up 550 minutes to convert. They can rot in Hell for all I care. I'm switching carriers as soon as my contract is up.

Why would Cingular allow you to keep AT&T promotions. Those promotions were given to you by AT&T, not Cingular. I'm sick of AT&T customers thinking that Cingular has to bend over backwards for them. You expect Cingular to change their plans just to make you happy.

And I don't want to hear "well cingular and att merged so they should have to".

They did not merge, Cingular BOUGHT AT&T. You have the option of sticking with AT&T through your contract and then finding another carrier if you don't like what Cingular offers. No one is making you change. That rate plan you had was only guaranteed to you through the length of your contract with AT&T. If you sign with Cingular, you're no longer with AT&T.

When will the customers finally understand that AT&T wireless is being phased out. It will be no more in the future.

Originally Posted by scott14661

Why would Cingular allow you to keep AT&T promotions. Those promotions were given to you by AT&T, not Cingular. I'm sick of AT&T customers thinking that Cingular has to bend over backwards for them. You expect Cingular to change their plans just to make you happy.

And I don't want to hear "well cingular and att merged so they should have to".

They did not merge, Cingular BOUGHT AT&T. You have the option of sticking with AT&T through your contract and then finding another carrier if you don't like what Cingular offers. No one is making you change. That rate plan you had was only guaranteed to you through the length of your contract with AT&T. If you sign with Cingular, you're no longer with AT&T.

When will the customers finally understand that AT&T wireless is being phased out. It will be no more in the future.

Um....Scott? Like you say, Cingular BOUGHT AT&T. When they did, they bought the obligations as well as the assets. They need to honor them. We, as customers, did not ask Cingular to buy AT&T, but I DO expect Cingular to honor the contract that I have.

Zephyr

You will get to keep your ATT promotions as long as you do not decide to change your plan because ATT does not have another plan to go to. Your options are to stay with the at&t plan, which cingular must honor but if you decide to change anything abouth the plan then you must accept what plans exist today which are Cingular plans. Good or bad the only business that exist now is Cingular wireless so like it or choose another provider, its a free country.

We can unlock any cell phone or PDA locked to AT&T or Cingular at flat rate of 50 dollars per code.

We offer BULK quotes for reseller or cellphone store owners. So please contact us at 706-247-4464

to discuss further details.

For individual clients:

you can fill out the details of the phone and IMEI numbers at the following website:

http://www.globalgsmphones.com/UnlockProcessing.htm

we are professional and once we receive the request, then within 24-36 business hours you will

receive the unlock code with instructions.

We do not work on weekends. So keep that into consideration when ordering from us.

NOTE: Unlock code for latest models of phones or PDA will cost slight extra.

regards,

Vikas
Global GSM Phones, Inc.

Originally Posted by scott14661

Why would Cingular allow you to keep AT&T promotions. Those promotions were given to you by AT&T, not Cingular. I'm sick of AT&T customers thinking that Cingular has to bend over backwards for them. You expect Cingular to change their plans just to make you happy.

And I don't want to hear "well cingular and att merged so they should have to".

They did not merge, Cingular BOUGHT AT&T. You have the option of sticking with AT&T through your contract and then finding another carrier if you don't like what Cingular offers. No one is making you change. That rate plan you had was only guaranteed to you through the length of your contract with AT&T. If you sign with Cingular, you're no longer with AT&T.

When will the customers finally understand that AT&T wireless is being phased out. It will be no more in the future.

This is why so many customers complain. AT&T did bend over backwards to satisfy their customers. I've been an AT&T customer for 10 years and have not had any problems with them. In the past 2 days I have gotten 3 different conflicting answers regarding the free phones I am eligable for every 12 months. The first person told me it wouldn't be a problem to get new phones for free without migrating unless you goto a cingular store were migration is required. The 2nd person told me migration is required regardless of how I get my free phones and the last person told me I could goto a cingular store to get AT&T phones and not have to migrate. I have given AT&T over 10k dollars in the last 10 years on my phones and expect cingular to treat me with some amount of respect. Every Cinglar employee that I have seen post on this message board talks about how they hate customers expecting the same service they got from AT&T. If you deal directly with customers, your job is to care about what your customer wants. You should care more about what a customer wants and expects than anybody else. Thats your JOB.

Originally Posted by mikeaustn

This is why so many customers complain. AT&T did bend over backwards to satisfy their customers. I've been an AT&T customer for 10 years and have not had any problems with them. In the past 2 days I have gotten 3 different conflicting answers regarding the free phones I am eligable for every 12 months. The first person told me it wouldn't be a problem to get new phones for free without migrating unless you goto a cingular store were migration is required. The 2nd person told me migration is required regardless of how I get my free phones and the last person told me I could goto a cingular store to get AT&T phones and not have to migrate. I have given AT&T over 10k dollars in the last 10 years on my phones and expect cingular to treat me with some amount of respect. Every Cinglar employee that I have seen post on this message board talks about how they hate customers expecting the same service they got from AT&T. If you deal directly with customers, your job is to care about what your customer wants. You should care more about what a customer wants and expects than anybody else. Thats your JOB.

100% agree

Does anyone know how much it cost to forward calls from your cell phone to your home phone?

My phone lost it's signal so I went to the Cingular store and they were complete jerks. The people on the customer service line are much more helpful. They have new phones that are programed with AT&T for their corporate customers, they just don't tell everyone that.

Correct. Paying $41 Billion dollars in CASH means you have some leverage

Originally Posted by mikeaustn

This is why so many customers complain. AT&T did bend over backwards to satisfy their customers. I've been an AT&T customer for 10 years and have not had any problems with them. In the past 2 days I have gotten 3 different conflicting answers regarding the free phones I am eligable for every 12 months. The first person told me it wouldn't be a problem to get new phones for free without migrating unless you goto a cingular store were migration is required. The 2nd person told me migration is required regardless of how I get my free phones and the last person told me I could goto a cingular store to get AT&T phones and not have to migrate. I have given AT&T over 10k dollars in the last 10 years on my phones and expect cingular to treat me with some amount of respect. Every Cinglar employee that I have seen post on this message board talks about how they hate customers expecting the same service they got from AT&T. If you deal directly with customers, your job is to care about what your customer wants. You should care more about what a customer wants and expects than anybody else. Thats your JOB.

Cingular does care about it's customers BUT it also has a business to run. No wireless provider is going to give you a free phone every year. As for the $10K in business over 10 years I am certain that the FORMER AT&T appreciated that as would Cingular with your continued business. However Neither Ford or GM are going to give you a new car for free each year now are they? It's a business and too many people expect too much for free

Originally Posted by glitzy

My phone lost it's signal so I went to the Cingular store and they were complete jerks. The people on the customer service line are much more helpful. They have new phones that are programed with AT&T for their corporate customers, they just don't tell everyone that.

Please keep in mind Cingular as certain legal obligations to their business customers as opposed to normal consumers. There are a few ATT phones left but if you are having trouble with your phone signal, upgrading to a new Cingular phone is a much better idea as opposed to remaining on an ATT phone. While ATT phones can utilize both the Cingular and ATT towers, they don't utilize the network seamlessly, at least not yet. The newer Cingular phones do however, because they utilize a different type of SIM card.

Store representatives, in all honesty, tend to be rude when a customer is not interested in purchasing something, but who can blame them? They work on commission. It's just like walking into a department store...the representative is going to help the rich lady buying up all the Gucci and Prada, even though all you want to know is where the bathroom is. That's not to say you shouldn't have been treated better, but I usually recommend to most people to call customer service - we are trained to address your needs, not sell you stuff.

;-)

- Your source on the inside