A Cingular frustration
Written: Oct 05 '06 (Updated Feb 05 '07)
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Pros: Good calling plans, decent phones, OK features, coverage (not that it matters).
Cons: Dropped calls, dropped calls, dropped calls! Regardless of signal strength. Static if not dropped.
The Bottom Line: Service is improving slowly, phone selection OK, plans are OK, network still lacking, quality fuzzy. Marketing department may now be running the company (pure speculation).
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| customeright's Full Review: Cingular Mobile Phone Service in Washington/Baltim... |
Re-reading this review, I decided to update it with more pertinent and timely information. Since Cingular is again becoming AT&T, I'll update it yet again after the change, and I'm hesitant to see what will happen given our last experience. So this review is a work in progress, but so far, here's the latest...
Still not a big fan, but I'm giving them one additional star...
Here's what I had written last year:
After more than a year to get over their various mergers, network transitions, and system change-ups, Cingular has had more than enough time to iron out their kinks in my opinion.
Now:
There are still wrinkles in the fabric of Cingular service, but they are improving. I still have the service, so that must say something. But faced with yet another name change, I only hope another system change doesn't follow again as well. Who knows what they might have to do to accommodate the new Apple iPhone. Hopefully nothing.
My History
I was with AT&T for a long time with my company cell phone. I was happy with their service, and I found it much better than Sprint or Nextel at the time (2002-3). Eventually I switched my personal phone to AT&T for my fiance, so we could talk to each other for free. Then the system moved to Cingular, and then GSM, and I finally switched to the GSM phone technology, when I was forced to finally do so. I'm still unhappy about the way I was treated for this switch. I had been using my previous system's phone (Bellsouth/TDMA) until finally the service on the old network degraded so badly that I had no choice but to switch. Apparently they were taking TDMA towers offline, and they decided it would be cheaper just to let people call them to complain, instead of wasting the effort to be pro-active (Note the Darwinian customer service approach.) So I switched to GSM, expecting much better service. I got better service for about two weeks after that.
Initially I was euphoric that I could finally place a call outside of a 50 foot radius from a tower (what TDMA had become). I was delighted for being saved from bad service. However, all good things must end, and apparently that end came quickly for my service.
To be fair, here's some objectivity (just a little)
Features
Cingular has a number of plans, but most of which offer the following:
-Unlimited mobile to mobile calling
-Rollover minutes
-Large network coverage
-Exclusive phones
They also list 'Fewest Dropped Calls' which I highly contest and will discuss below.
Options
As part of most plans, Cingular also offers most basic phone features such as caller ID, call forwarding, voicemail, call waiting. Plus 3-way and 6-way calling, and long distance.
Night Time Extension for $8.99
They offer early nights and weekends, depending on your area, which gives you night and weekend rates starting at 7pm until 7am. The extension costs $8.99. I'm unsure of the normal night and weekend window. I believe it's 9pm-5am.
Media
Cingular offers a 'MediaNet' service on your plan, where you can use your phone for email and messaging, visiting websites, checking news, getting ringtones etc. Using MediaNet is free for all phones with the feature.
Text messaging plans start at $4.99 for 200 per month, and go up to 3000 for $19.99 per month. Or text messages can be packaged with various media bundles including video services and instant messaging to name a few.
(Also if you're interested, the selection of games offered through this service is rather limited. It may just be for my phone, but there isn't a huge library, and most games are expensive - to me, starting around $4.99. Of course the ones I was interested in were more, but I haven't seen the need yet.)
Website
Cingular has a website allowing you to do almost everything you'd need to do. You can manage your account, modify your plans, view your minutes, etc.. The site isn't too bad, and is very informational.
The Problems
Normally after the facts, I go right into good things. But I'm still trying to get over my frustration with Cingular, so here's the bad:
Least Dropped Calls or Most Exaggerated Marketing Hype Ever??
Note the recent TV ad campaign depicting this scenario: someone asks a question, the call drops just as the answer is said, an awkward situation arises. These commercials imply that Cingular is the cure. Cingular is more like the inspiration I think.
Full Bars?
The situation has gotten somewhat better over the past couple of months (I did give them one more star), but I still get dropped calls a lot. I don't even need to have bad signal strength. It can happen with full bars. Yes, full bars. I still get dropped like a bad habit. I'll be talking, driving (on speaker of course!), or just sitting there, and then all of a sudden... I'll either get pzzzt... nothing. Or 'beep beep beep'...nothing. If it's just nothing, I usually know that I cut out. If it's the three death tones, then I'll give Cingular the benefit of the doubt, because the other end probably disconnected first. But when it happens and it's my wife on the other end, that's Cingular again - we're on the same plan. And it happens frequently.
My Phone Needs Practice
Then there was a period where either my phone or the system was going through a 'phase' where I'd have to try to call someone at least 3 times to get through. The first 2 times were likely to be a scramble of static which was digital or robotic sounding in nature, like a scene from The Matrix. Now more recently I'm having an easier time placing calls. I don't always have to dial twice now. But when I do, usually on the second attempt it goes through.
On Restriction
Sometimes my phone treats me like I'm grounded. When I'm driving and I try to dial, a stop sign appears and says 'Restricted'. When I try to do something, it prompts me for an access code. I don't have an access code, and everything I guess turns out to not be right. I did find a way to crack the code: turn off the phone, then back on again. When I do this, the restriction goes away. But I probably don't have to point out that this is annoying.
Voice Quality
When I make or receive a call that doesn't get dropped, typically the voice quality is mediocre. I'm not sure how much of this is a function of my free Nokia phone, so I won't put too much emphasis on this, but it's bearable at best, and unbearable at worst.
So What's Good?
Aside from the service, the features offered are nice when they work, and the family plans aren't bad. The rollover minutes are welcome, and the unlimited mobile to mobile Cingular minutes are great. Especially given that my wife is most apt to talk, and most of her friends are also on Cingular (a major reason we never switched). Adding additional lines is only $9.99 which is good, and the phones they offer is very good. Cingular also has a large theoretical coverage area, but most of the major players do now as well - at least I would imagine these days. Plus the website is handy, and some of the text features are good too.
Conclusion
I think Cingular service is slowly improving. I've had more than one conversation with a service representative, and they have assured me that service is always good in my area. The last time I talked to them, they 'pushed down' an update to my phone, saying that it was supposed to be a signal booster, which did make me wonder if they were holding out on me. If they had a signal booster the whole time, why didn't they send it in the first place? Anyway, I have noticed that I have full bars more frequently now, although I still get dropped calls.
Also, I'm not sure who's in charge over at AT&T, but they seem to like keeping ad firms in business. I don't know how much they spent to build up the Cingular brand, but now they're throwing that away. Momma AT&T seems to have more identity crises than Prince. So now Cingular will be changing back once again to the brand formerly known as AT&T, hopefully they won't need yet another year to get things working properly with their network.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 0.00
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Epinions.com ID:
customeright
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Member: Alan
Location: Orlando, FL, USA
Reviews written: 71
Trusted by: 16 members
About Me:
Consultant by day, reviewer by night, but one thing I know: the customer's right!
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