General Reviews of Cingular Wireless Customer Service

Pros: The customer service people know how to use a phone and talk into the receiver.
Cons: The company tries to portray itself in a kind and friendly way. Completely bogus!

The customer service managers are rude, belligerent, dissatisfied with their jobs, and show no compassion or flexibility for the people who help them make a living.
After nearly being killed in an auto accident "out of my calling area" I was charged an extra $200 for the minutes that were ran up calling the police, a tow truck, booking a hotel, and all the other headaches that came along with the accident. After never running over one minute in two years, or having a late payment you'd think they'd cut us a break. It didn't happen. They treated us as if we were delinquent customers who were too poor to own a cell phone.
I would find another cell phone company with no roaming charges to do business with if I were you.

Pros: NONE
Cons: Failed to keep contract promise.

When I purchased 3 phones from cingular wireless I was told that I would receive a check for the rebates that applied to the phones. Instead I received a Debit Card with a expiration date so close to the date I received the card,That it was impossible to use. Contacted cingular wireless costumer service and was told that is the way they do business. Looks like I am out $150.00. Thanks for the great service. T-mobile here I come.

Pros: absolutely none
Cons: care nothing about their customers

So incredibly irritated right now. I've been trying to contact Cingular/ATT's customer service for an easy technical question. First of all, the robot tells me that my wait could be "over 20 minutes". Well, let me tell you, it was definitely over 20 minutes. AND THEN AFTER AN HOUR OF WAITING THEY DISCONNECTED ME! I then decided to email them with my inquiry. First I had to register my account. Which I did. Then I attempted to email and it says that it may take up to 3 DAYS to process my registration....I can't email them for 3 DAYS. Aren't we in the technological age?? Aren't they technology?? I can't call, I can't email. Tomorrow I am switching to another provider - one who wants my business.

Pros: None.
Cons: See review.

Long story very short, Cingular's billing department wasn't properly posting our on-time payments, and suddenly disconnected our service without warning. When I inquired they said they were sorry and they would fix the problem. That "fix" never happened and they disconnected us two more times. I decided to terminate them for lack of contracted service and they attempted to make me pay an early termination fee. I didn't pay the fee, but only after a very long and drawn-out battle with threats of lawsuits. Customer service would put me in continuous "loops" on the phone in order to dodge the real issue of doing the right thing and letting me go without charging me for Cingular's lack of service (Cingular breached an implied contract to provide me a service). Why would I have to pay an early termination fee? They should pay me an early termination fee for their breach of contract. I would never go back, nor recommend Cingular again. I highly recommend Verizon Wireless as an alternative. They have a much wider service area and a more understanding customer service team.

Pros: worked great out of town.
Cons: Completely unreliable cell service.

Sold "new" "great quality" GSM service in Portland OR metro area. Service was garbage- 7-8 dropped calls daily. Wanted to reverse migrate to ATT Wireless TDMA network. Customer service agents attitudes were poor. Treated my like I was bothering them. Failed to get second line reverse migrated after two customer service calls. Had to call ATT wireless tdma cust. service to finally get it back over.

Pros: If you like wasting your time and money, you'll love cingular
Cons: You'll beg your prior company to take you back

Cingular has the poorest everything that I have ever experienced, not just with a phone company but any company: from the condescending people at the kiosks, customer service (yeah right) representatives, to the supervisors that I spoke with. This company needs to go away forever! I spoke to an incredibly rude customer service representative and told her that I was thinking of breaking my contract because of it. She followed sarcastically with, "Well, you know you're going to have to pay the termination fee.." I said, "I would pay $500 dollars just for some customer service." This is why I left; I work for a major department store where customer service is our life, and you'd think that companies today would learn this valuable tool. Also, they keep sending me all these stupid unknown fees and bills.

Pros: NONE
Cons: TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE,CONSTANTLY OVER BILLED

CINGULAR WIRELESS HAS VERY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE, I ONCE CHANGED MY PLAN TO NATION WIDE SO I WOULD HAVE FREE ROAMING AND LONG DISTANCE, THE PRICE WAS AROUND 79.99/MONTH.I WENT ON VACATION A FEW WEEKS AFTER,WHEN I RECEIVED MY FIRST BILL AFTER MY TRIP IT WAS OVER $700 FOR ROAMING AND LONG DISTANCE.WHEN I CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE THEY SAID IT WAS A BIG MISTAKE AND IT WOULD BE CORRECTED.IT TOOK OVER 3 MONTHS FOR THEM TO CORRECT IT PARTIALLY. I HAD TO CALL THEM AT LEAST 10 TIMES BEFORE I FINALLY HAD A REP THAT TOOK THE TIME TO HELP ME.NOT TO MENTION THE WAITING TIME TO SPEAK WITH A REP IS CRAZY.YOU'RE CONSTANTLY PUT ON HOLD AND TRANSFERRED ALL OVER THE PLACE.I ONCE WENT INTO A CINGULAR STORE AND THE MANAGER THERE CALLED CINGULAR AND HE WAS VERY UPSET WITH THE CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT HE RECEIVED FROM THE REPS. I'VE HAD LOTS OF BAD EXPERIENCES WITH THEM IN THE LAST 2 YEARS.

Pros: Some of the phones are aesthetically pleasing.
Cons: Customer Service; Number of Reps; Inadequately Staffed Stores; Poor Reception

1. POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE
Customer service reps do NOTHING to assist customers other than apologize. Talk is cheap; customers need action and resolution to problems.

2. MORE REPS NEEDED:
Minimum wait time over 1 hour and 20 minutes in store on a weekday; Minimum two hour wait time on weekends. Wait time for Customer Service via telephone = 5 minutes!

3. INADEQUATELY STAFFED STORES
No store manager on duty to assist customers with special issues.

4. POOR RECEPTION
Calls drop several times during conversation whether phone in motion or still.

5. INCONVENIENCE IN NUMBER PORTABILITY
Customers choosing to take number to another service provider, should expect to be unable to use the number for 7 - 10 work days (1 1/2 to 2 full weeks).

Pros: To let me out of my contract with no fee
Cons: Too many to list

I have had constant problems with service, billing and the actual equipment. I have spent hours upon hours on the phone with multiple CSR's at Cingular. There has been no resolution. I feel that I'm being WAY overcharged and there is nothing to be done about it. I have sent multiple letters of complaint to Cingular Headquarters in Atlanta, GA with no positive outcome. I am requesting to have my service contract broken with no $350 break of contract fee. This has been going on for over a year now. They will not break the contract. I have since sent letters to the FCC, FTC and the BBB, Cingular has no responded to them either. I don't know what else to do. All's I can say is, why do I want intermittent cell service, why do I want to be overcharged every month when it's not called for without proper credits and why on earth do I want to be on my 5th, on my way to my 6th cell phone since February 2004?

Pros: NADA
Cons: EVERYTHING SUCKS

THE SERVICE SUCKS! AND CUSTOMER SERVICE - - - CUSTOMER SERVICE? YEH OKAY.. THEY TELL ME THEY ARE GOING TO SHUT OFF MY ACCOUNT - (AT MY REQUEST) AND WAIVE THE TERMINATION FEE --- BECAUSE MY SERVICE NO LONGER WORKS WHERE I RELOCATED ABOUT 2 MILES DOWN THE ROAD.. AND THEY NEVER SHUT OFF MY PHONE.. STILL GETTING BILLS! AND NOW THEY SAY THEY CANNOT WAIVE THE TERMINATION FEE! HAS THIS HAPPENED TO ANYONE ELSE:? THIS IS RIDICULOUS.. AND EVERYTIME I TRY TO TALK TO THESE PEOPLE.. I GET DISCONNECTED - (ON THERE END) WHY DO THEY HANG UP ON ME?... GRRRR

WELL NOW I HAVE SPRINT PCS, AND I AM HAPPY.. SERVICE IS MUCH BETTER, AND SO IS SERVICE. OH AND ALL THOSE RE-OCCURING BILLS? IM NOW DISPUTING THEM WITH COLLECTIONS.. I MAY EVEN HIRE A LAWYER BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE ARE REALLY F*#@ED UP!

Pros: None.
Cons: Dishonest service personnel and horrible customer service provided by Cingular wireless

I signed up with Cingular wireless and every thing was working fine for a while. Later, I was not able to receive any service at my house. At this point, I canceled my service and switched to another provider after speaking with Cingular. It was prior to my one year contract completion however, Cingular agreed that there would be no issues.

A few weeks later I received my last monthly bill and it included a $175.00 early termination fee. I immediately contacted the billing department who told me that I would have to pay the early termination fee. I then asked for a manager and spoke to him for another 10 minutes, he finally agreed to waive the fee.

A few weeks later I received another bill with the same termination fee. I again contacted cingular who told me that they would send me a new bill with the fee removed, however, that was not true. This is still on-going and they are claiming that there are no notes recorded about my conversation with the manager. I would never purchase Cingular wireless and would like to warn everyone about their dishonest customer service personnel

Pros: rollover mins
Cons: horrible customer service

hi
Has the worst customer service. Everybody will tell you a different story. Screwed me up with their plans and i had to pay alot because of a mistake made by one of the customer service guys and they still blame me.
They switched all their plans to GSM phones and so ppl with PDA phones had to suffer as cingular would not replace the phones unless you pay for it or sign a two year contract!!
Better to pay a little more with other plans but have good customer service

Pros: sadly enough there has been added benefit for me from the merger.
Cons: poor customer service and worst network problems.

I was an ATT customer and now find myself a Cingular customer. My problem is with customer service:

During the holidays I went over my plan minutes. There are two phones associated with the line. One line was charged 35 cents a minute and the other phone 45 cents a minute.

I called customer service to be credited for the second phone--only to be told that they always charge two rates for excess minutes on multiple phones on a singular line. I ask where on the contract does it state this--three reps no answer except that they always charge the additional phones 45 cents for additional minutes.

Finally I ask where I can write to get a better answer to my grievance and I was disconnected.

The sad part is that now I'm looking to change wireless carriers after three years with ATT and almost a full two years on my contract left.

Essentially because they have decided to focus only on sales not customer service, they have lost the $100 plus (multiplied by 20 months) a month of my basic plan and two subscribers for for the equivalent of less than $100.

Pros: Extremely apologetic, short wait times
Cons: Say they will fix things, but don't really do it.

I had to return a phone because I ordered one online and it was a duplicate order- it got returned, but I can't seem to get them to credit my account for the order, no matter how many times I call the tele-sales number, not their regular service number. They are not open 24 hours, and only 1 out of 6 people give the impression they know what they are talking about when you are on the phone with them. I have to always be put on hold so they can figure it out, it's been a couple of months since this order has been returned, and I still have not been credited. Very frustrating. I also needed a new SIM card, but they didn't send the correct one, It seems to take at least 6 phone calls before you think something has happened, but then you find out no action has been taken.

Pros: Friendly voices while on hold
Cons: Secret fees, fast shut-off and they slap you with a $36 reconnect fee without notice.

Each month, there are multiple extra charges that go beyond the scope of the plan. They get you also with their bill. if you're 1-2 days late, they can and will turn you off. No grace period, even if you're a new subscriber. And the information calls (411) are $1.29/each. We don't pay less than $85.00 a month for a plan we were told would only be $49.99/mo. for. ASAP, we're getting out and even the $130 disconnect will be worth it.