hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:
> With all the mergers, could someone list today's major cell phone
> companies that provide their own service (not merely piggyback off
> someone else)?
> Comments on telephone service quality and customer service would be
> appreciated. (I do realize there are regional differences and some
> places may do much better than others.)
> I must admit my opinion of ALL cell phone carriers is that their first
> priority is to sell service and issues about providing service come in
> second. I presume their people you meet in their stores are on sales
> commission and not particularly well trained or able (or interested)
> to answer any substantive question. That is, they want to make a sale
> and move on to the next customer, time is lost money to them. I have
> yet to meet a cell phone rep in person who was decent. Over the
> phone, I've dealt with some nice and smart ones and some total idiots.
I work with small businesses doing computer work for them. I've yet to
find anyone who thinks their cell phone service is wonderful. I've yet
to see anyone with service for more than one year without a complaint.
It seems the market is devolving into "which one is the least worst".
This issue has been building for years. 10 years ago bonds were issues,
mergers made, money raised, etc ... thinking the typical consumer would
pay for a $300 phone and $100 to $200 a month in service. It didn't
happen. Phones except for PDA are expected to be free or nearly so, and
$50 a month makes many people wince. So out the window went a lot of
customer service and support.
Not only does service vary by company / region, it also varies by
office. I have a Sprint office near me that I dread visiting.
Reasonable/helpful staff to idiots is about 1 to 9. A 20 minute drive
away the situation seems reversed. It's WORTH the drive. :)
DLR (news23@raleighthings.com)