Combined Cingular-AT&T Data Tops the List of Wireless Complaints

Cingular and AT&T Wireless, which merged late last year to form the nation’s largest cell phone company, have the worst combined complaint record for 2004, according to records obtained by Consumers Union from the Federal Communications Commission through the Freedom of Information Act. AT&T Wireless also had the worse complaint record for two years running, the data showed.

The total number of complaints filed about wireless phone service also increased nearly 38 percent from 2003 to 2004, according the FCC’s website. Complaints rose from 21,357 in 2003 to 29,478 in 2004.

"The staggering increase in complaints is further evidence that reform is needed in the wireless phone market so consumers can get a fair shake," said Janee Briesemeister, senior policy analyst for Consumers Union, non-profit publisher of Consumer Reports.

"Since the cell phone industry brought out its 'voluntary consumer code,' consumer complaints have skyrocketed, which shoots down their claim that the marketplace is working and consumer rights’ laws aren’t needed. The numbers don’t lie – there continues to be a problem, and its getting worse, not better."

Of the more than 29,000 complaints filed in 2004, Cingular-AT&T Wireless ranked first among the top eight carriers both on a total complaint basis (combining each company’s complaint record prior to and after the merger), and in complaints adjusted to account for differences in the number of subscribers. The combined complaints for Cingular-AT&T Wireless came in at 289 per million customers. Of the national wireless companies, Verizon had the fewest complaints per million, at 76. Overall, regional carrier US Cellular has the lowest number of complaints per million subscribers, at 39.

For all of the major cell phone companies, consumers complained the most about billing problems. Complaints about transferring their phone numbers, service quality, contracts and marketing were close behind.

Consumer Help Web customer files show the same experience. "AT&T is by far the least responsive of wireless companies, " said Consumer Help Web President Joan Bounacos. "We have referred consumer complaints to regulatory agencies and local consumer attorneys five times in the past year."

Bounacos said the company's records show a complete lack of response rather than a response that was not consumer-friendly. "It's as though a brick wall is put between the company and consumers," she said. "Even letters to executives go unanswered."

To view specific complaint data go to Cell-Phone Complaints: A Sorry Picture for Cingular/AT&T.

posted by Consumer Help Web Editorial Team at 9:50 AM |