Here is my original complaint filed with the Better Business Bureau:
I am writing because I am in a dispute with U.S. Cellular. I originally signed an agreement with them on July 28. The package that I signed up for was the 800 anytime minutes with unlimited night and weekend minutes (in the local calling area), unlimited incoming calls (in the local calling area), and an additional line. I was told that I would be given a cellular telephone number in my local calling area. I was given the numbers 618-447-XXXX and 618-447-XXXX. The numbers that I was issued were not local calling area and were charged as toll calls to anyone that called me. One person in particular received additional charges in an approximate excess of $120.00. The company has a 30 day satisfaction guarantee policy. I tried the phones from July 28 until August 12 (within the 30 day trial period). My first billing cycle ended on August 3 and my second ended on September 3. I received my final bill from U.S. Cellular on September 12 (for the entire trial period). The total for this bill was $198.37, with roughly $90.00 in airtime overage charges (225 minutes over). I knew this seemed peculiar, so I added up the minutes myself. I came up with a total of 478 anytime minutes out of a total of 800 anytime minutes. Now I was certain that the overage charges were a mistake. I then called U.S. Cellular to protest the charges. I spoke with Lauren who told me that my minutes had been prorated and that instead of having 800 minutes (which I was certain that I had and hadn't been told otherwise upon canceling the agreement), I only had 216 minutes. This forced my account to go over by 200 minutes. I explained to Lauren that I hadn't been notified that my minutes would be prorated and that they unfairly put my account into a position of overage. She only reconfirmed the policy and apologized for it. She offered no further assistance. Being a customer with U.S. Cellular has been nothing more than a game of deception, and I feel that they should credit my account for the incorrect overages and reimburse those who called me from their landline phones, thinking they were making a local call (due to their deception).
U.S. Cellular may seem like a reputable company, but don't be fooled. I have been with other companies to understand what a prorate is: they allow you to use the full advantages of the service (meaning all of the minutes) for the amount of time that you use it. U.S. Cellular, on the other hand, feels that it was justified for them to charge me the amount required for the number of days I used the service, but offer me less minutes. This forced my account into a state of overage. I feel that this is U.S. Cellular's way to recoup money from people who cancel within the 30 day trial period. Since they can't charge for an early termination fee, they charge outrageously high overages when you end you service in the middle of a billing cycle.
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