Originally posted by: onlyCOpunk
I really got screwed with this Cingular ATT deal. I signed up for ATT a couple months before they merged in hopes of getting more benefits with the merge. Unfortunately now I want to change my plan, but in order to do that I must switch to Cingular. This wouldn't be so bad except I bought a Motorola V600 when I signed up. Now if I want to swithc plans I also have to buy a new phone which really stinks, and they wont reveal the unlock code of my phone to me those nazis, let alone help me period until I switch over.
So now I'm wondering if Cingular will price match because I will print out that webpage and take it in and demand they give me that phone for free. Oh and BTW, if you are with ATT and choose to switch to CIngular they will give you the discounts on phones they give to new members, so is my understanding. I would just try and unlock my phone, but this shouldn't be my responsibility. Cingular should handle this itself.
Even though your post does not directly relate to the original topic, I think your points should be addressed to clear things up for ppl who would otherwise ignore a good deal on a phone based on your bad experience. This is not meant as a flame, I only intend to make an explanation to your points.
1. You signed up for ATT a couple months before the
buyout (it definately was not a merger), knowing that it was going to happen, and you went with the company that was being bought? Whoever told you that was a good idea should be shot. While trade regulations do not allow buyout intentions to be announced prior to close, leaks do occur and this was the biggest buyout in american history, so pretty much everyone knew about it. So you made a bad decision there, its ok, you win some you lose some.
2. This is definately not your fault and i will tell you that you are certainly supposed to be able to change your plan, it does make a difference who you talk to though. Remember these are still largely two seperate companies, just ran under the same BOD. You need to make sure you get ahold of a rep in a call center that was ATT pre-buyout. This # is your best bet 1-800-888-7600. (yeah ATTs system you have to talk to the computer, just say customer service)
3. I was under the impression that motorola would have been the one to have that lock code? Also, where would you enter it? I would think that the phone would have to be physically connected to a machine to be reprogrammed, sort of like a firmware upgrade on the non gsm phones.
4. Cingular wont price match, not to another store, a wrong printed price, an e-store, nothing, they are not bestbuy and do not have a price matching policy. 4a. Please dont
demand things, it makes you look childish and the ppl will be more helpful if you treat them as you would like to be treated. Remember, they work there, cingular and att are public traded companies, meaning they are owned and governed by the ppl who own their stock, so if you are gonna point fingers you are gonna need a lot of them.
5. You are correct that you will get the same discounts as any other customer when switching over, it ist always the best scenario for a customer such as yourself to replace their current phone, but it is better than 24,000,000 ppl storming the cingular gates "demanding" to have their phones reprogrammed.
It mostly goes back to that they are not and can not force you to switch, that is why I try to make it very clear in point 2 that you must be able to switch your plan with ATT. If after calling that number you still cannot get your plan changed PM me and I will put you in touch with someone who I know will be able to help. Remember though, you will be offered ATT rate plans, same ones they had pre buyout, not cingular rate plans. But if you had wanted a cingular plan, you would have just signed up for cingular originally right?