For those of you with a postpaid cingular cellular phone contract that want to cancel service, you can now do so for free. And you will NOT incur the $150 charge that you normally would. This is a limited time offer that will expire within 30 days.
The most recent bill from them says:
"Text & Instant Message Pay Per Use Rate Change Effective 1/21/07, Cingular will charge $0.15 for text and instant messages sent or received on a pay-per-use basis. If you already subscribe to a Messaging Package or Media Bundle, there is no change to your rate. By purchasing a Messaging Package or MEdia Bundle, you can send and receive messages for as little as a penny. Sign up & save at www.cingular.com/getmessaging or Dial *NOW from your wireless phone."
Narrative of my expierence:
-I called customer service at 611 -Pressed "0" to speak to a customer service representative -Then pressed "4" to close my account. This transferred me into the retentions department. -I stated that I wanted to close my account -They asked the reason for closing my account -I stated that the text messaging cost had increased by 50% and this is unacceptable. The costs of text messaging are clearly stated at 10 cents per message in the seperate brochure that I recieved when I signed my contract. -They then stated that I did not show any text messaging on my account for the past 6 billing cycles. So I stated that I use text messaging sporadically. And may not use it for months at a time. But when I do now use it, that portion of my bill will now be 50% higher than it was previously. -The first represenative I spoke to refused to waive the early termination fee (ETF). So I hung up the phone, and called back again a couple minutes later. This time, the representative offered to waive the ETF after I repeated the above procedure.
Notes: -I could not get any concessions from the retentions staff on being grandfathered into to the $0.10 per message rate structure. -They wouldn't give me any money as a service credit on my account to cover the increased cost of the messaging -They did suggest that I subscribe to a text messaging package. But did note that in my case, this would likely result in an increase in the total cost that I was paying for service since I don't use text messaging for months at a time. -The rate change from $0.10 to $0.15 per text message appears to further deter users from using the pay per use (PPU) feature. And get them to sign up for an added cost text messaging bundle. Presumably they are hoping that this will raise the average revenue per user (APRU).
"IF WE INCREASE THE PRICE OF ANY OF THE SERVICES TO WHICH YOU SUBSCRIBE, BEYOND THE LIMITS SET FORTH IN YOUR RATE PLAN BROCHURE, OR IF WE MATERIALLY DECREASE THE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA IN WHICH YOUR AIRTIME RATE APPLIES (OTHER THAN A TEMPORARY DECREASE FOR REPAIRS OR MAINTENANCE), WE WILL DISCLOSE THE CHANGE AT LEAST ONE BILLING CYCLE IN ADVANCE (EITHER THROUGH A NOTICE WITH YOUR BILL, A TEXT MESSAGE TO YOUR EQUIPMENT, OR OTHERWISE) AND YOU MAY TERMINATE THIS AGREEMENT WITHOUT PAYING AN EARLY TERMINATION FEE OR RETURNING OR PAYING FOR ANY PROMOTIONAL ITEMS, PROVIDED YOUR NOTICE OF TERMINATION IS DELIVERED TO US WITHIN THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER THE FIRST BILL REFLECTING THE CHANGE."
To enter a coupon code in your post please enter the following info:
Coupon Code:
Coupon Offer:
Merchant:
Expires (optional):
Restrictions (optional):
saving...
Cingular is not waiving the ETF due to the increase of pay per use text. Cingular corporate has already sent alerts to all employees they will not waive the ETFs. Have a great day!
This is is Addition to OP's notes! Specifically if you want to keep same numbers and want to go to another service!
DO NOT CANCEL STRAIGHT AWAY! Talk to the customer rep and ask him/her to put a note on the account that you can cancel without a termination fee! If there is a problem please ask them to refer to page 6 of the PDF file (terms of service) that OP has sent us a link to.
If the customer rep wants to see the file here is how to get there: www.cingular.com >>> click on support >>> at the right side there is a "Terms of Service" link (this is the PDF file).
There will be no problems in accomplising this!
Then go to the new service provider and port the numbers. Porting means getting your phone numbers from old service to new service.
This is pretty simple!
YES very simple, atleast simple for me. got cancelled my service within 5 minutes. Lady was very nice.
Another very simple way to cancel any cellular phone contract
Work for me with T-Mobile, Cingular, Sprint, U.S. Cellular
Work best is the contract is atleast 6 months
Call customer services me - when is my contract over rep - In a ____ months me - I thought it would be over by now rep - no sir you still have ___ months me - I would like to recieve a copy of the original contract rep - let me see if I can find you one and send it to you when I have it they will not contact you back bc they can not find one give them a week call them back and request one imidiately
I try it four times and none of them can find me a contract. Cingular did attempt to send me a brand new contract and ask me to sign it. U.S. Cellular it took them almost a months trying to locate one before giving up Sprint and T-Mobile 1 week and they give in.
tips: - ask to speak to floor manager or anyone that are higher to resolve your problem - they always try to make it very logical that your contract usually last a years if you start in october your contract will end in october. Ignore it and ask for a copy of your contract. - call back and complain that you need the contract immediately bc you want to read all the terms and condition again.
File FCC complain http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints.html FCC link
Another tip To help you cancel your acct along with the TOS is to use the CTIA Consumer Code. http://www.cingular.com/learn/articles-resources/consumer-code.jsp
7. Provide customers the right to terminate service for changes to contract terms. Carriers will not modify the material terms of their subscribers' contracts in a manner that is materially adverse to subscribers without providing a reasonable advance notice of a proposed modification and allowing subscribers a time period of not less than 14 days to cancel their contracts with no early termination fee. CTIA Consumer Code
And NO, TXT Messaging is NOT a feature, read on: Messaging, Downloads & MEdia Net: Text /Instant Messaging and MEdia Net are automatically included at no monthly charge. Just pay as you use. You may remove these services at any time by contacting customer service. There is a charge per message sent or received, whether read or unread, solicited or unsolicited. If you cancel the Text /Instant Messaging service, you will not be able to send and receive messages, but Cingular does not guarantee all incoming messages will be blocked. MEdia Net usage is billed in full-kilobyte increments, and actual transport usage is rounded up to the next full kilobyte at the end of each session. Your account balance must be at least $5 to use Media Net, Instant Messaging, and Multimedia Messaging Services or to download ringtones, games and graphics. MEdia Net usage is required to download ringtones, games and graphics and to send and receive multimedia messages. In some cases our network will resend data packets to ensure complete delivery. You will be billed for these resent packets. Certain advanced features are not available. All screen images are simulated. See the MEdia brochure or cingular.com/media/terms for details. Your use of text/instant messaging, multimedia messaging, MEdia Net, and downloads acknowledges your agreement to these terms.
------------ Indus's rant deleted by Foghorn19 - this is not the place for rants. use the regular posting space. -------------
NOTE: In case the "Text Messaging Fee Method" doesn't work, or is past its 30-days, here's ANOTHER possible loop-hole someone has found (dated 1/11/07):
How could it be a YMMV if it's clearly listed in the contract, seems like you would have a great arguement, I don't know, maybe I'm missing something but seems like anyone could cancel if they pulled this stunt.
Just got off the phone - no go. Rep stated that the termination lingo in the agreement ONLY covers your package plan. Text is a "feature" and is excluded from the termination clause. I argued for awhile, but got nowhere. Would appreciate any input.
isjka said:How could it be a YMMV if it's clearly listed in the contract, seems like you would have a great arguement, I don't know, maybe I'm missing something but seems like anyone could cancel if they pulled this stunt.
iso if i get them to terminate my contract. can i go month to month? I want to be able to keep my number and/or switch to a different carrier. help please. thanks.
Cancelled yesterday. Will be selling my 8125 and donating my wife's razr. Spoke with a rep after seeing the notice and called. First person argued with me, 2nd one approved it. I have had to call them every single month to fix my bill since I got on a new contract (they kept adding services), so this is a huge win for me.
When I spoke with the 2nd rep I stated essentially:
'I often go over on my text plan, and this increase is a change in the TOS. My contract lists the TOS as a $.10 fee for additional text messages. You have changed the values of the contract and therefore I am no longer bound by it. Please cancel my service.'
It may help also that I NEVER pay my bill on time, because it is NEVER right. I wait for them to call me with a 'courtesy call' before shutting off service so I can tell them that I'm happy to pay when they get my bill right.
I'm a former ATT customer and have the following features on my account: $59.99 1st line with 1163 (probably 900 mins + extra mins for corporate acct) anytime mins, 7pm night offpeak $9.99 2nd line =$70 - 25% (corporate discount) + various tax = ~$70
Currently, there's no Cingular plan that even remotely match the features of my account. I'm still sticking to my ATT account no matter what.
$70 -25% (corporate disc) + tax = ~$70; 2 lines 700 mins, 9pm offpeak, rollover, national roaming same as what I pay currently, w/ nearly half of the mins
$90 -25% (corporate disc) + tax = ~$90; 2 lines 1400 mins, 9pm offpeak, rollover, national roaming $20 more of what I pay currently, for 200 more mins
I'm a former ATT customer and have the following features on my account: $59.99 1st line with 1163 (probably 900 mins + extra mins for corporate acct) anytime mins, 7pm night offpeak $9.99 2nd line =$70 - 25% (corporate discount) + various tax = ~$70
Currently, there's no Cingular plan that even remotely match the features of my account. I'm still sticking to my ATT account no matter what.
$70 -25% (corporate disc) + tax = ~$70; 2 lines 700 mins, 9pm offpeak, rollover, national roaming same as what I pay currently, w/ nearly half of the mins
$90 -25% (corporate disc) + tax = ~$90; 2 lines 1400 mins, 9pm offpeak, rollover, national roaming $20 more of what I pay currently, for 200 more mins
True, but there is a sprint plan that slaughters your contract
I'm a former ATT customer and have the following features on my account: $59.99 1st line with 1163 (probably 900 mins + extra mins for corporate acct) anytime mins, 7pm night offpeak $9.99 2nd line =$70 - 25% (corporate discount) + various tax = ~$70
Currently, there's no Cingular plan that even remotely match the features of my account. I'm still sticking to my ATT account no matter what.
$70 -25% (corporate disc) + tax = ~$70; 2 lines 700 mins, 9pm offpeak, rollover, national roaming same as what I pay currently, w/ nearly half of the mins
$90 -25% (corporate disc) + tax = ~$90; 2 lines 1400 mins, 9pm offpeak, rollover, national roaming $20 more of what I pay currently, for 200 more mins
FYI Cingular will add 200 bonus minuts to every migrated ATT plan
Disclaimer: By providing links to other sites, FatWallet.com does not guarantee, approve or endorse the information or products available at these sites, nor does a link indicate any association with or endorsement by the linked site to FatWallet.com.
I'm still sticking to my ATT account no matter what. 
