Hello. . . Hello?? Are You There??
Written: Jan 08 '02 (Updated Jan 16 '02)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Local Coverage: |
 |
|
| Customer Service: |
 |
|
|
Pros: flat rate for service
Cons: frequent disconnects, red-tape if replacement needed
The Bottom Line: Choppy reception, added charges, unreliable customer security all equal a company that needs a basic overhaul. I cannot recommend Cricket.
|
|
|
| 2of4's Full Review: Cricket Communications Mobile Phone Service in Mem... |
Get a Cricket phone and you'll find yourself repeating the words of my title over and over. After a while, you just get used to the unexpected disconnects and the little beeps that signal the "dead air". The idea behind Cricket phones is great. First, Cricket offers local phone service for a flat $29.95 monthly. There are no pesky credit requirements. Not only do you not have to have good credit, you don't need credit at all. The initial fee for the phone is usually $69.95 with a free month or a $40 rebate. I got the free month--after a lot of calls to customer service reps who seemed to have no idea what I was talking about! As I said, on the face of it, Cricket is a great idea. However, putting that idea into practice is another thing altogether!
Before getting into the negative aspects even deeper, I think it only fair to give all Cricket's good points. There are lots of promotional incentives. In lieu of the free month or the $40 rebate you can also opt to receive a free telephone accessory of your choice. Accessories include headset kits, colored snap-on faceplates, desktop chargers, various ring tones, on-screen games, cigarette lighter chargers and much more. Programming the phone is fairly simple and there is even an online site if you need more help than the large owner's manual can provide. Several models of Nokia phones are used as Cricket phones and the site www.Nokiahowto.com will walk you through operation of the units. You can also complete the warranty online.
Now for the negatives. Reception is choppy at best. Be prepared to never finish a conversation and to get lots of false busy signals. A replacement agreement is available for a small monthly fee in case you lose your phone. I recommend passing on this since a $35 fee is required before the unit is replaced--not to mention the required police report and inquisition at the hands of numerous customer service reps.
Cricket offers most of the regular calling features. But, if you decide to add these, they can skyrocket your bill in nothing flat. Each feature is around $3.95 for the first one and $3 for any others. By the time you add Caller ID, call waiting, etc., your $29.95 monthly fee is a thing of the past.
One recent wrinkle with Cricket is a debit card scandal where subscriber and past subscriber debit card numbers have fallen into the hands of someone who has used them fraudulently. People all over are beginning to lose hundreds of dollars from their bank accounts due to charges from Cricket. A class-action suit has recently been filed against the company to reclaim funds. Cricket Communications says it plans to make a special toll-free number available to those who are having problems with charges. Although Cricket offers several payment options, I would not recommend any method of payment except in-person cash payments.
Cricket still has a great idea that needs a little fine-tuning. However, until changes are made, I cannot recommend this service.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 69.95
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
2of4
|
|
Reviews written: 29
Trusted by: 32 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.