I was on a 2-year contract for around a year, with Cingular. Then I got a military suspension from them, and have been on that for over two years now; in the meantime, Cingular was absorbed into AT&T. I'll be in the states soon. What, to your best guess, will my contract status be? (If this is not enough information to determine, what does it depend on?)
I know they want more than anything to get me re-contracted for another two years, and are in a habit of presenting it as not an option to be without a contract and therefore simple questions are going to be confused. In fact I don't want to re-contract as I am used to prepaid service overseas and looking at my situation on return, I am faced with very serious cash flow problems, in light of which $50/mo minimum is not acceptable (even though Cingular would love it).
I can't afford from here to sit around on the customer service line waiting to be served, so I had a friend stateside call them to scope out the situation. She did not get a straight answer - just heard that I could call to get back on service and that I would need to choose from the AT&T plans since obviously they are not doing the Cingular plans any more.
Any input?
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MurphyLaw Posts: 58
Phone Model: Apple iPhone 3G
Service Provider: AT&T
Fri Sep 11, 2009 2:42 pm
warshington,
If youi have been away for atleast 2 years and were on Military suspension, your number most likely got recycled already to another customer.
Now if you have your old phone from before you could get a new number and sign no contract, unless you want a brand new phone.
If AT&T wants you to pick a new plan it's most likely because you had an older Cingular Wireless plan which is no longer availiable you would have to choose a new plan from AT&T.
warshington Posts: 2
Fri Sep 11, 2009 7:14 pm
It turns out that I can log in to the account online (not that there is any use, it just says my number and 'military suspension') so I am thinking the number may not have been recycled just yet.
I actually don't need the number or a new phone, but it would help my planning (and negotiation with them) to know whether I will be somehow obligated to get on one of their plans and start paying them as soon as I get back. Of course they always want the business, but I would go with some pay-as-you-go thing now to avoid the contract business (which can be impossible if you are unemployed as I may be, and you can't afford to fork out a minimum of about $50/mo). I am asking here since I figure I can get a straight answer on it here. This is why I was glad to hear your straightforward answer.
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