When I moved to a rural area because of my job, my cell phone company at the time (T-Mobile) allowed me to opt out of my contract because I did not get service in my area. I promptly signed up for Alltel and was disappointed (to say the least) in their service. Rude representatives more often than not, multiple billing errors with lines being added that I never added, upgrades to packages I never asked for, and double/triple billing on single purchases. However, I stuck with them and patiently worked out each and every billing discrepancy.
Then the recession hit and I lost my job. I was forced to move in with my parents but decided I needed my own line as they traveled quite a bit, and I was searching heavily for work. Only one problem. Alltel doesn't have service in my area. I desperately need a reliable means of contact for employment, so I decided to switch to an alternate provider. Thought for sure it would be no problem. Wrong. Alltel insisted that despite their inability to provide me with their service, I should still pay for it. They claim that they only provide a guarantee of service in the location I purchased my phone and give no such guarantees in any other area. I even asked if they could switch me over to Verizon, which has excellent service in my area, but the answer was no. While my new address is within the area affected by the merger, my old address was not. Too bad, too sad, basically. One associate I spoke with was actually quite sympathetic but told me that there was nothing he could do. So my two choices are now to pay 200 dollars from my shrinking savings or purchase the lowest plan they have available for the remaining months... Which would put me in over the 200 with tax and additional fees... All for something I can't even use.
Alltel might be within the letter of the law in the strictest sense, but this is a ripoff, therefore, deserving to be aired out on this site.
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