Why won't they answer the phone???
Written: Jul 23 '01
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Pros: Good equipment, fair prices, lots of offices.
Cons: Horrible customer service, major recurring billing problems, poor digital coverage outside AZ.
The Bottom Line: Try another provider. Voicestream is very cheap if you don't need a dual mode phone.
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| jlangseth-liu's Full Review: Alltel Mobile Phone Service in Phoenix |
I have had nothing but trouble with this cellular phone service. After previously having service through Cellular One, then Voicestream, then Verizon (yes, I've tried them all), I took over my brother in law's contract through Alltel. This was in October of 2000. After multiple attempts by him and me to change the contract name and address to my own, we were finally successful in February. It took several phone calls and one visit to the East Mesa store, plus filling out a new credit application TWICE to change the billing to my name. As soon as that was done, they started billing me at a higher rate, not at his contract rate as they should have (as I was simply taking over his existing plan). Throughout the summer, after they changed to a new billing system (as I was told), they are billing me per minute on top of my service contract which allows 200 minutes free. I visited the East Mesa store in person about 3 weeks ago and paid my bill then, at which time the agent told me that she would take care of the billing problem. But today I got a disconnect notice for an outstanding balance equivalent to the amount that was supposed to be forgiven due to their billing system error. When I try to call their 800# for customer service, I am put on interminable hold, or as happened today, I was told to hang up and call a Phoenix office directly because the call center's computer system did not go back more than 30 days!!! Then the Phoenix office told me my hold time would be more than 15 minutes. Please, I have better things to do with my time, like vent about it on epinions!
Similar thing happened to a friend - her useage was higher, but due to the same glitch related to their software change, she didn't get a bill for a month, then like me was charged 35 cents a minute (instead of 'free minutes' we were both supposed to have). Her phone was shut off when she reached $150 without knowing it. She spent an hour on the phone with them 2 weeks ago trying to resolve the problem. She also had had problems with their billing before this.
On top of their problems with customer service and billing, I have found their coverage outside AZ to be poor to nonexistent. No digital coverage in Los Angeles or Portland and SW Oregon. Very high roaming charges. Poor analog quality. I need a plan that has coverage outside the state.
In addition, I am having problems with my phone - not sure if it is equipment or the provider, but the phone sometimes doesn't ring, the caller goes straight to VM, and I don't get an indicator bell or display on my phone for as much as 45 minutes later.
If the service was better, I'd say it was a square deal for what I pay. But after having tried all the other deals in town, I say this one is rotten. And I can't wait til 12/6 when my contract is up!
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 29.99 per mo
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Epinions.com ID:
jlangseth-liu
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Reviews written: 11
Trusted by: 1 member
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