Ding-A-Lings

There may be more corrupt people than those managing the cellphone business but they would have to be in the Bush Administration. The fone folks spend huge sums on advertising, signing up sheep in droves using full page newspaper ads and an incessant babble on television and radio.

These companies are rated below Congress and used car dealers for their service, which is nil, for their deceptive advertising and for their outright fraudulent behavior. They sign people up to lengthy contracts and slap them with obscene penalties when they try to get out of them, even for legitimate reasons, like they moved and they couldn’t get decent reception.

This is one of those businesses that is based on hooking people to a habit. That’s why they give away phones or dramatically discount phones that provide special features for which they can then ding customers at premium rates month after month. Kinda like the way the folks who make printers and copiers do it; they’ll give you the machine for a song and then soak you on the ink cartridges.

I’ve been with AT&T Wireless for six years. I called them the other day and told them I needed a new phone. Mine functions, but the battery doesn’t hold a charge as long as it should and I was thinking how pleased I’d be and how I’d certainly renew with them if they were nice to me. Not even nice, but simply customer-sensible. I mean, if they’re virtually tossing these fancy new phones at every new subscriber, why not give one to someone who had shown them loyalty and was ready to renew with them?

They weren’t interested. The woman I spoke with agreed that it wasn’t right, but there was nothing that she could do about it. They have their scripts. But I have choices and I can’t stand stupidity. And I won’t give my money to a company that doesn’t have the simple sense to treat customers properly. Adios, AT&T, you ain’t my Ma Bell no more.

And that’s SetonnoteS...I’m Tony Seton.

 

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