Bad service since AT&T / Cingular merger?

You are not alone. I noticed an immediate decline in reception, signal strength, etc. I spoke several times with tech support. We updated phones, sim cards, etc. I finally gave up, opened an account with another service and just put the Cingular phone down. I finally reached the end of my contract and canceled it this week. It wasn't worth paying for.

I started using Cingular in 1999 and had traveled back and forth from Savannah,Ga to Chicago,Ill and in between. Never once did I experience a problem. In airports I would see people trying to move around to get better reception,others couldn't get a signal and I would let a few use my cell phone to contact family to let them know their flights were delayed. reception was so clear,no dropped calls what so ever. In 2004 that changed,but I didnt act on it, I kept thinking it was the person or persons I had been talking to who was having the problem. I added another phone to my service for a family member and signed the new contract. She rarely used it, just wanted her to have it in case of emergencies.

Over time (going into 2006)I noticed the service was getting worse and I could no longer say it was some one else. I called to speak to my service provider and was told I needed an upgrade. I did have the same phone from 1999 ( I was not aware of the Cingular/At&t thing at the time and had just gotten rid of AT&T home phone service) I went in for my upgrade and was distracted by some kids as I explained I wanted the same plan set up for my new phone and of course I had to sign a new contract never looked at the letterhead of the contract. Cingular was all around me in the store, I saw nothing of AT&T. Had I seen anything I would not have signed that contract, because when I found out a week or later as I was calling my service provider with the same complaints who said the New AT&T and I responded with

"WHAT?" I knew right then why I was having these problems. He told me I needed an upgrade and I told him, this was my upgrade, then I was told I have to turn my phone off to get updates. I always turn it off, but why would it need an update this soon? "Well give it some time and see how it does." Same old AT&T, all excuse's and lies no action. It was more than just a logo change to this merger. I would like Cingular back without AT&T Any time a company cannot give you good home phone service, they certainly cannot give you cell phone service. I also had their internet service,what a nightmare that was. They tried to say it was my computer, not them. Well I still have that same computer.As soon as my contract ends I will have every one of my contacts referred back to my home phone which has nothing to do with AT&T. I am also looking into other cell network companies, so far sprint and verizon are in the lead.

Last edited by Kimba on Thu Aug 16, 2007 11:06 pm, edited 1 time in total

We've had a great signal with Cingular for years. Now we have nothing except constant dropped calls. The bars on my phone go up and down like a roller coaster. I've spent approximately 8 hours on the phone with Customer Service Reps over the last two weeks who have tried to explain away the problem as a phone issue, which it is not. All three numbers on this account, all being used at my home, all different types of phones, have the same problem - constant dropped calls. When anyone who has AT&T service comes to my home, or this area, they too have the same problem. Most times we are only able to hold a signal for about 30 seconds - if we're lucky. Vitually unusable.

I live in Foster, RI and all the Cingular/AT&T customers in this area are having the same problem - no service. Unfortunately, I was told the problem was fixed, which it wasn't. I was also told that there isn't a problem, and that I have excellent service in my area. All this while I'm calling from a land-line, and their tech is trying to call my cell phone, but can't contact me because I have NO signal. When they finally get through and begin speaking - dropped call. However, they still insist there is no problem in the area. They've sent "software updates" to our phones (my phone is only 2 weeks old). They put in a repair order, sent me an email stating the problem was fixed. Then they refused to put in another repair order when I called to explain that the problem still exists.

I have cancelled my account after trying to rectify the situation and get assistance since 7/23. We've switched to T-Mobile. Unfortunately, AT&T is telling me I am obligated to pay an early cancellation fee for the one remaining line with a contract in the amount of $175. Something has happened that has caused customers in this area to have no service and I am expected to pay them an early cancellation fee for service that is no longer availableto me. I'm tired of being pushed off from one customer service rep to another, without any resolution to our issues.

I am very disappointed with this whole difficult and trying experience.

I know exactly where you're coming from. They were going to charge me 120.00 to end my contract. Instead I chose to leave an extended message on my phone,explaining who my service provider is and the many problems I have faced with their service since it became AT&T. My phone was used mainly for business. This way I was informing them what to expect from AT&T if they ever considered switching and at the same time referring them to my home phone business ext (no way connected to AT&T ) and a pre-paid cell phone which is giving me excellent service. No dropped calls,no garbled short conversations and I always have a signal.
AT&T are good at lying and making excuses but the service (Lack 0f )speaks for itself. It's an awful thing that we have to be held to a one way contract. We have to pay them for a service THEY (AT&T) are NOT providing. This has to change. With their home phone service, I had them for years and paid for the line backer insurance. When I did need to take advantage of it, the order was placed for someone to come in and replace the bad lines. No one ever showed up and they sweared there was no such order. I placed it again and got more of the same with the added bonus of them telling me where to go look outside and to open up a box. I told them this is what they were getting paid to do and years of my paying the insurance says they had to replace the lines. I am still trying to get my money back because the lines were never replaced by AT&T.

I wonder how many people are unhappy with the service from when it went from TDMA to GSM. That's what it sounds like some of the people here are experiencing with the 2004 references.

(I hate the rollercoaster bar readings. I don't get it. If I move an inch I get 2 more bars, and then they roll back down to 1 bar.)

i noticed something like that to with my sync i had when my phone still said cingular my signal would be 100% now that it says AT&T i get roughly 75 to 80% signal and i lived in the same area for the past 4 years.

it probably has something to do with the alpha tag when they changed i dunno.

I see a lot of people don't seem to get it. SBC owned half of Cingular, Bellsouth owned half of Cingular, SBC changed name to more recognizable AT&T, then bought Bellsouth. With that they owned ALL of Cingular, so changed name to AT&T. Same signal style, same phones, same everything, new name. If you are having issues where you didn't used to, call them . . . daily. Squeaky wheel gets the grease. Eventually it will get better, or it won't and you switch. Just remember, that towers get older and may at some point be in need of repair. As long as it doesn't work, keep calling.

I'm sure when the logo switched they went out of their way to fire all the helpful CSR's and replaced them with cops who'd been fired for police brutality. I'm all sure they did that with all of their outsourced call centers. It totally makes sense, since the people that are in charge of the new AT&T are the exact same people who were in charge of the old AT&T so many years ago.

So far, only sprint fires their customers when they call customer service too much, but maybe ATT will follow suit.

Bad service since AT&T / Cingular merger?

Similar Topics

New AT&T Cell Phones

Carriers Talk

Manufacturers Talk

Mobiledia Community