Oh, friends! A sad, sad event of the most misfortunate kind happened to your dear blogger. While I was away on a cruise (5 days on Carnival's Imagination for only $229--$269 with tips--I'll get into low-cost travel on future blogs) I had the incredibly bad luck to have my cell phone on. Oh, friends, this is not anything that you want to happen to you unless you've got an uncle in the at-sea cellular roaming international call business.
I thought because eons ago I had turned off "roaming" "international roaming" and "texting" on my account that I would be safe. I live right next to Canada and visit there often and didn't want to be hit with outlandish fees (usually $1-3 a minute) if by chance I made a call from there to back home (Detroit). So, my phone wouldn't work in Canada if it was considered "international roaming". Most of the time I could call back home because I must have hit some U.S. tower and everything became one with me and Consumer Cellular.
But, friends, I made the mistake of leaving my phone on during the cruise. In the middle of the Atlantic Ocean I get a call from my friend. Holy Cow, how was that possible? Well, those U.S. cell towers must be blasting almighty powerful signals all across the waters. My cell phone wouldn't work if it were roaming or international roaming because I had those two features turned off from US Cellular Central. So, I returned my friend's call and enjoyed 48 minutes of stimulating conversation (nothing dirty, just stimulating).
Lo and behold three weeks later I open my bill (online as I like to save Consumer Cellular a few cents and save a tree or at least a bush) and my usual $35 bill is $200. Holy #^$#*&!!! This was almost the cost of my five-day cruise.
Now, if you really enjoy talking to call center customer service people, company billing departments and people who claim to work a few positions down from the CEO of Consumer Cellular, then, friends, fighting a bill at Consumer Cellular is for you.
Here are some of the things your blogger found out:
1. Once you are on a cruise ship, buddy, all bets are off.
2. The international roaming that I had turned off, well even though the bill says international roaming charges, it isn't really international roaming if you are on a cruise ship (?) Yes, the bill says that but that really isn't what it is.
3. When Consumer Cellular sent me my Welcome to Consumer Cellular packet two years ago there was info in there about "don't make calls on cruise ships." I neglected to read that.
However, this is what I found on the CC website:
"Our cell phone service is designed to only work within the United States. Once you leave the US, your phone should not work. This includes cruise ship travel. If by chance it does, the rates are completely unregulated and set by the country in which you are traveling . . . Our advice is to leave your cell phone at home."
Huh? I don't know about you, friends, but I'm as confused as Meredith Baxter (Consumer Cellular Spokesperson) in the later Family Ties episodes where they added that new kid, Skippy.
When I spoke of my confusion to Consumer Cellular they agreed it could be confusing, but, everyone should know that if you call from a cruise ship it's going to cost you. A customer service manager even told me it would be akin to going to a restaurant with a party of 12 and not knowing that you would be automatically charged a gratuity. So metaphor aside, I'm the stupid one.
When I asked why a call wasn't put in to me that I was going over my usual usage, I was told that AT&T alerted Consumer Cellular (I guess they are the sea cellular network), but, because I was such a good customer, a call was never made to me. So, because I pay my bills on time I guess I can handle a whopper.
On Laurie Orlov's technology blog dated 5/19/09, John Marick, the CEO, also says that Consumer Cellular customer service will put in a call to you if you go over your standard usage. I ask you Mr. Marick, where was my call?
Finally, friends, after several hours of diligent wrangling, Consumer Cellular agreed to split the charges with me 50-50. I didn't think it was fair, but, I'm one of those folks that doesn't have all day to fight the good fight (I barely have time for this rant). I had to move on and get on with the rest of my unbelievable life (I'm reading the "Power of NOW" and all this fighting is messing with my beingness).
Please, smart shoppers and frugal consumers, learn from my tragic experience.
Just say "NO" to making, accepting, placing, or even having your phone turned on at sea. If you even see a phone at sea just walk in the opposite direction.
You've been warned!
What a hassle. I wonder how they handle customers that aren't their 'good customers'?? You made a strong case and they're sticking to the corporate line instead of listening to you as a person (and a good customer). You must be seasick after all this...
ReplyDeleteHello Recession But Still Dancing, this is John Marick, president of Consumer Cellular. I am very sorry to hear about your experience with us. I hope that we can better serve your needs in the future with outstanding customer service and support. I agree the international roaming charges (including cruise ships) are excessive, which is why we recommend people do not use their phones and simply pass any charges straight through without adding any processing or mark-up. Unfortunately it is still adds up fast – in your case just one call. We are in the process of implementing a usage alert service which will be free to all customers. It will alert them if they are approaching the end of their included minutes in order to suggest a plan change – which customers can do at anytime retroactively for their current billing cycle. As a no-long-term contract cellular service provider, it is our goal to ensure our customers are satisfied. Thanks again for your business and we appreciate your candid feedback. ~John
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mr. Marick, for your comment. While it is too late for me, I am glad to hear that a "usage alert service" is in the works. This makes so much sense as people who join Consumer Cellular are interested in low-cost plans (in my case the $30 monthly/500 minute plan) and would surely be making some mistake if they are racking up a $100 or more phone bill.
ReplyDelete