I have been a Cingular customer for about 19 months now. I have the lowest monthly plan that includes rollover minutes. I just upgraded my phone. Although I was not eligible they graciously allowed the upgrade since I also bought a Bluetooth wireless headset. That was done in-person in a company store (I have learned to avoid agency stores like the plague and the Cingular web site makes that distinction in the store selection page.
I also have recently had several phone contacts with customer service and each contact has been pleasant and helpful. After the last contact a survey organization contacted me to question me about my satisfaction with the latest phone contact to customer service.
I have found Cingular's customer service to be far better than when I signed on a year and a half ago.
Perhaps they don't like to deal with pay-as-you-go or prepaid phones.
But, my experience has been good, and I go in thinking they will be lousy.
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Well, here an an interesting anomaly. My experience with Cingular Wireless _on the 'regular service' side_ is also very good. A couple minor items of confusion now and then; (my service is billed and paid for in the Chicago area, but permanently used in the Tulsa market. Some of the reps seem to have a hard time understanding _why_ I am paid for out of Chicago, but with a 'Tulsa Market' [of which s.e. Kansas is part] area 620 number.) Once we deal with that, then they otherwise are very effecient. But it is the _prepaid_ side I have hassles with.Now I would think that a prepaid customer was the best possible customer; no credit problems for the company to worry about; they probably have a few million dollars in effect 'loaned' to them on a revolving basis each day that they do not yet have to account for. As with the bank float time on money orders: Amex and others have your money for a few days to use as they wish until the money order gets presented for payment. I don't know about you, but if one or more persons wanted to loan me a few million dollars -- for a couple days, or even several hours -- I'd be quite happy, and would use that interest-free loan to make a lot more money, even in just a day or so. I would not hassle customers like that; I would encourage more of them. But the greedy money order people want a 'handling fee' for their thing, and the cellular phone companies tack on all kinds of stipulations on their prepaid service also. How many of you get paid in advance for a job you are supposed to do, which your employer may not even ask for. How many of you are in a position to refuse to return such money (under those paid for in advance conditions) in the event your employer changes his mind? To add insult to injury, the cell phone people even route their prepaid customers through some idiot service bureau in an international place. PAT]