Let me start with the beginning. 3 months ago I was one of thousands more-or-less satisfied (then) Voice Stream customer with a cheap and lousy monthly plan and almost no problems. Then I learned about so-called Family Plan whereas you pay $70 for 800 minutes for 2 lines and $10 for every additional line. So, I decided that plan was what I really needed. Then the nightmare began.
Here is what happened. I had a $20,60-min plan with VS (at the time I was not on the contract anymore). My father-in-law had a $30 plan with VS (on a contract). My own mom had a prepaid one from AT&T as did my wife and my brother-in-law. So, somewhere in July I placed a call to T Mobile and asked them if that was possible to upgrade my and my father-in-law's plans to one 5-lines Family Plan.
Sure, they said (I spoke with 3 different reps, and all of them gave me the same info). The only thing that has to be done - since your father-in-law is on contract with us - he will need to sign a Change of Responsibility form, which can be handled by our sales office (820 3rd Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11232).
So, armed with this knowledge, I called my local TM sales office (718-788-6700) and as soon as a sales rep. Mr. Val Mullings (917-915-1119) there learned I was a business owner, he convinced me to go for a business plan instead. He offered same terms plus promised to wave activation fee if I open a business account. So, he took my credit card information and faxed me a Change of Responsibility form which I promptly had my father-in-law to sign.
My phones and documentations arrived very fast. Then, I made 2 unpleasant discoveries: the bill showed no sign of waving activation fees, and instead of getting my and my father-in-law's existing telephone numbers (which was our original agreement) I now was getting 5 totally new ones!
So, I'm calling the guy and he's very apologetic. There is some problem with the central office, he says. I'll take care of this right away, he says. Just pop out the chip from your old phone, put it in your new one and tell your father-in-law do the same. And don't worry we'll credit you back to the day one!
Just to make a long story short: my new account was open on July 19th. Now, 3 months later, my and my father-in-law's accounts have still not been merged and they keep billing us for 3 SEPARATE ACCOUNTS!!! After lying to me about crediting to the day one on at least 15 different occasions, the sales rep finally said that there was nothing he could do and I should speak with his manager.
His manager Mr. Ray Ayella (917-815-6666) who I made an appointment with, never SHOWED UP first time I came to the office. Then he did meet with me and promised to call the next day. Guess what: that was 3 weeks ago. Not only did he never call me back, he also never picked up my calls (screening?), and never returned any of my 12 messages. He did pick up once when I called from a different phone, and then hung up immediately as soon as he heard my voice.
Needless to say, my experience with TM has been a nightmare. I am now stuck with 7 phone lines instead of 5 I initially requested! Since I opened my business account, our combined bills (my father-in-law's and mine) has come to $370 and they demand us to pay up before they even consider merging our accounts. They refuse to give any explanations as to why it hasn't been done before.
They keep referring me to the same sales office that ripped me off in the first place, or giving me the same useless fax number in New Mexico. Makes me bang my head against the wall! I have never expected such humiliation and disregard for customers and their needs from a huge nationwide US corporation. EVER!
For the sake of fairness, I have to say that unlike other posters, I have never experienced rudeness from TM CSRs. I have spoken to over than 20 customer service representatives and 8 supervisors. Some were more competent than others, but all people I've spoken with were unfailingly polite (then again, I don't have a habit of lashing out on people even if their employer is ripping me off). Most of them (aside of 2 characters from the sales office) appeared to be sincerely sympathetic to my ordeal and seamed to be trying to help.
It's just, I don't believe there was and IS anything they can do. I believe the TM structure and policies are designed in such a way that customer has no recourse whatsoever, no matter what! It's not that their staff is stupid or undertrained — it is trained exactly the way the TM management want them to be.
Now comes a request. I am going to fight them, and I'd like to ask for assistance from TM current and ex-employees in regard to what I can do to make them pay attention (that is with understanding that I am a law-abiding sitizen, OK)? TM employees: no matter where your loyalty stands, the way your company treats people is wrong and you know it! Note how secretive they are about giving any information that could disturb them. You can never talk with the same supervisor twice. Their complaint department is a P.O. Box and a fax number! They will do anything in order not to let a customer to have a meaningful 2-way conversation with anyone who's able to make a decision.
Perhaps you, T Mobile employees, could do something to make them start thinking about changing their ways. Please see if you could help me with the following:
1) Are there any Federal or State regulations they must follow that I don't know about? I understand they must be registered in at least 2 states: WA and NM. I would apreciate any advice or inside information on how to make them stop ignoring me.
2) I have prepared complaints to FCC, FTC, and Attorneys General (New York and Washington, so far) but haven't mailed them yet. To the best of your knowledge, have those complaints ever been effective in the past to bring resolution to a billing dispute?
4) From what I understand, TM is a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom. Would Deutsche Telekom take interest in how TM rips people off?
5) Does anyone know the WORKING mailing address of the chairman John Stanton?
6) Finally, if all fails, any information that I could use to fight them in court will help.
For the flamers and trolls out there: do not bother. I know where I stand and your flames will be wasted on me. Those who would like to help, please post a response to this report by clicking on the rebuttal button at the bottom of the page.
Thanks for listenning.
Andy
brooklyn, Oklahoma
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