SBC / Cingular / SBC Communications
SBC / Cingular / SBC Dish Network ripoff, misinform, cut service for their mistake (s)

Recently I added SBC Dish TV to save a few dollars on cable because it is so expensive. I brought my account current because you are not allowed to have new services while in any defecit. At such time a child of mine went over our monthly limit and we incurred $6.74 past our monthly limit. I brought this to the attention of the representative at SBC and I was told that it was not a problem since my account is current. A week later all three cell phones (family plan) were cut off, citing that we went over the monthly limit. I identified that the account was current and that the last representative stated that I was safe.

Evidently, the policy is that the moment you go past this monthly limit that the current cell phone amount becomes IMMEDIATELY DUE AND PAYABLE.

I had paid an astronomical 300 (DSL Cable Cell Phones) and was assured that the $206.74 was a part of that amount. After being transferred between SBC and Cingular repectively each side insisted that the problem was due to the other department within the SAME company. I am now being told that although my bill is current, that I still need to pay the $206.74 (read the $6.74 over in addition to a $200 limit deposit up front). When confronted on the issue of "plausible deniability" between different departments due to self imposed relational databases based on company policies, all the reps simply become very quiet. The silence appearing to affirm that they too see the situation as ridiculous. I try to get the situation solved after work (I am an educator) and Cingular says that SBC credit and collections is closed and there is nothing that I can do about it. The next day I get in touch with credit and collections and they tell me that they won't cut my family plan back on until I pay the $206 which isn't due until September 16th, but since we went over $6.74 it is due now and we won't do anything about this until this additional money is paid. We won't even discuss the fact that they said "written" correspondence is more effective than phone calls or how rude, a few reps were or how there are these amazing inconsistencies in their information.

So if there are any consumer tips, class action suits etc please let me know. I want to be fair and equitable but this is just a small dose of the kind of drama SBC has given me and I am ready to do more to hold them accountable. Any suggestions?

Company: SBC / Cingular / SBC Communications
Country: USA
State: Texas
City: San Antonio
Phone: 8003102355

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