Complain about a product or service

Cricket Cellular

Daniel of Phoenix, AZ March 14, 2009

I've had Cricket cellular service for probably ten years now. I way paying 35/month for unlimited local calls, 500 min./month long distance, voice mail, call-forwarding, caller ID & call waiting. I've had to purchase several phones thru the years and the antenna finally broke on the current one I had so, I went to the store to get it replaced only to find out they had no parts for it. I ended up buying a new phone (which was in the low-mid 200 dollar range)....since it had an Internet browser on it, I upgraded to the 50/month plan which has unlimited long distance (500 was enough for me already though), unlimited 411 & the Internet.

I've probably had this phone for about a year now and the Internet service that I'm now paying basically 15/month more for, 9 out of 10 times while, will time out and give me a message telling me that I need to contact customer service for Internet access (as though it's not included with my plan). I've called, I gone to the store and I've e-mailed them and I've yet to make an progress at all in fixing the problem. When I call them back, they act as though I've never called them before about it. I can't get my old plan back now, it's no longer available but, I can get the same plan I had for 40/month now + 15 fee for changing the plan.

I don't see why I should have to pay any more for the same old plan I originally had for many years....if anything, they should owe me money for the extra 15/month I've been paying for Internet service that's rarely, if ever available.

Doreen of 5155 Interboro Ave, PA March 7, 2009

In Nov. of 08 I signed up for Cricket Wireless Broadband service. I paid 159.00 for the modem (with a 50 mail-in rebate) and over 19 for prorated services since my billing cycle would be up on Dec. 18th. I was told my service would cost 35.00/month for unlimited broadband service. A bit pricey but we wanted a wireless device. Crickets ads on TV and their OWN web site states that it is an UNLIMITED broadband service as did the man who sold me the modem, and 35 was still 5 less than we were paying for cable internet. The moden was easy to install and at first the service was great. Not as fast as cable, but fast enough.

Now, we use the internet mainly for surfing, games, dowloading, the typical things MOST people do on their internet. About a week after we installed it, the internet started to slow down considerably, to the point of being as slow as dial up. We couldn't download and if you wanted to watch a video on YouTube the average time to load one is about 45 minutes.

We went to the Cricker retailer and complained. They said they had no idea why this would be happening and asked if I had called tech support. I told them I had, but for 3 days straight I got the we are experiencing higher than normal call volume, please call back...CLICK. So they gave me another number to call. When we called that 800 #, it was another branch of their tech support and to my joy, it was someone from Ohio (typicaly I would reach someone who spoke very little English and who couldn't understand me either). After some checking around, she told me that the reason it was so slow was beacuse we had hit our download limit of 5gbs. She explained that pretty much anything we do like playing games, watching streaming video, downloading songs, downloading pictures from e-mail and even Microsoft updates count toward our 5 gbs, and once that happens, the broadband is shut off and that you're basically on a dial-up line.

I explained to her that we told it was unlimited and she told me she knew that is what they were telling people and she didn't know how they were getting away with false advertising. We are like most families in what we use the internet for and with that useage, the limit is reached within days...so you have a few days of broadband and the rest of the month is dial-up. Now, mind you, you STILL have access...you can still download and surf but a Microsoft update can take DAYS to download (almost 2 days in our case).

We were also informed that when you exceed your limit, anything beyond that (even if it's not on broadband) counts toward your next months limit. So, at this point, it'll be years before we have broadband again! She was nice enough to reset our limit, and for a few days, we have speed again. I honestly have to say, that after other bad experinces with Crickets customer service, this women was actually very nice, spoke clear English and was very helpful.

Now, we are stuck with a new wirelss modem that put us out 159 (the 50 rebate has YET to appear) and really crappy internet service that is pretty much useless, might as well have a dial-up line, which I can get for 10 a month! When we went to the retailer to complain, they claim to not ever know this is how their internet service works.

Loraina of Beaver Falls, NY March 5, 2009

I have been trying to cancel my service with them for the past two weeks. The customer service number has a message that due to high call volume and to try back later or use the internet. I tried to cancel online but that option is not available either they simply refer you back to customer service. I finally found a way to email them which I have done 4 times and received one email back informing me that I cannot cancel via email and have to call customer service.

In the very first email to them I clearly informed them that I have not been able to get through to custmer service due to their High call volume messsage. They also referred me to the nearest cricket office and the the second email to them I copied and pasted the result directly from their website which states that there is NO cricket office within 25 miles from my zip. I am now in arrears with this account due to their lack of service. In the 3rd email I clearly told them again that I am unable to reach customer service, gave them 2 contact numbers and to date have had no response. What next?

I now owe for the next month service which i could not cancel because Ihey do not answer their phones.

Kenneth of Salem, OR March 4, 2009

I purchased a cell phone and cell modem from Cricket. I paid for everything on 2/27/09. They shipped the phone. I received and activated it on 3/2/09. I contend my billing period should start from 3/2/09. They say it begins on 2/27/09 and wont budge. I even talked to a supervisor.

I am beging billed for about 6 days that i did not even have their service. In todays world every little penny counts.

Judith of St. Peters, MO February 10, 2009

I have Cricket for 6 months, and I have traveled out of my coverage area to the state of Florida and had to switch my phone to roaming. On 2/6/09 I contacted Cricket to buy 120 more roaming minutes for 15.00. I immediately started to use my phone and by 2/8/09, I was not able to dial or receive incoming calls. I tried for several days to get through through to their 1-800 customer service number. I wasn't able to get through to them until Tuesday until 2/10/09. Their system doesn't allow you to hold for a representative, it just tells you that all representatives are busy and sends you back into the automated loop.

I did calculate all calls to the very second and realized that I should still have 48 minutes of roaming time left. When I called and luck up and got a representative on 2/10/09, I spoke with Martin who advised that according to his system all minutes were used. I asked if we could go call by call and calculate the minutes. Each call he read was 1:00 minute or 2:00 minutes, never any minutes and seconds which sent up a red flag because I knew that none of my calls were exact minutes long especially since I had read the call durations on each call. When I asked him about that he advised that they round calls up to the whole minute. I told him that this was stealing and that they don't pro rate the amount that the customers pay and that I would be filing a complaint with the FCC and I requested a supervisor.

After waiting on hold all of 15 minutes I finally was able to speak with the supervisor by the name of Dan from the Phillipines. Dan was really rude and I asked for their corporate address and Dan refused and wanted to provide me with an e-mail address. Dan advised that her 120 minutes would not go into effect until March 1st when her new billing cycle will come out. Whose to say that she will still be here visiting me in Florida at that time and even need the minutes then? I did get upset and Dan disconnected the call. I feel that this is highway robbery. I will take this to a consumer attorney and see if these people can't be shut down!!!!!!

My mother is a very ill woman and needs to have her phone available to her. She has high blood pressure and this has caused her blood pressure to escalate even more and her to become very nervous.

Rondena of Visalia, CA February 7, 2009

My February Cell phone bill amount was 76.71, however, this amouont was rounded up to 77.00. This is a monthly occurance. Is this a legal practice?

I'm paying more than the expected monthly bill.

Ofelia of El Paso, TX February 5, 2009

My cell phone was suspended on 02/03/09 when I had made a payment for more than my minimum payment in 01/07/09. The representative that helped me in January told me that I made a double payment and the payment that I made for 157 would cover for January and February bill. Not even true. I went ahead and spoke to Mel who was ver rude and she would roll her eyes at me. The only words that would come out of her mouth was You pay your bill late. My response to her was I know I do but I also pay the late fee.

After not getting anywhere with her, she spoke to her Manager, Cesar I spoke to Cesar who was even worse than Mel. He would not go into detail with the bill and now I had to make an appointment with him tomorrow 2/5/09 to talk about my bill. How about that? I have to make an appointment. I am not going to be able to go to work because I got very ill due to the stress of not having anyone help me. I have high blood pressure. I will be going to the appoinment to see if anything will be resolved. Wish me well!

Jordyn of Denver, CO February 4, 2009

I am never able to get a hold of anyone in customer service. When I finally do they tell me they have to transfer me to another department. This department is someplace outsourced to India. I can never understand the people and they usually end up hanging up on me. I have asked to speak to supervisors and they can never offer a solution. In this particular case I purchased a phone from a private party and attempted to have it connected to my current service. Something Cricket allows.

However, neither I or the other party could get through for 2 days. He was unable to disconnect his phone so that I could in turn connect it. When I questioned the woman who could not help me if I could speak to a supervisor she pretended that she could no longer hear me and hung up. This is the absolute worst customer service I have ever had in my life.

Bruce of Madera, CA January 29, 2009

I had an experience with Cricket that was one of the worst customer service experiences I have ever had. I have never contacted Consumer affairs but this experience caused me to take action. On 1-27-09 my cell phone finally quit working. I could not hear my voice mail messages, I could only listen to my speaker phone and most buttons would not work. There was no physical damage other than normal use. I have paid extra insurance on my phones monthly since I got my service in 2004 and have had to change my phone twice through normal wear and tear. I had upward of 300 phone numbers on my phone.

I asked if my phone numbers would be transferred to my new phone and was given an emphatic yes. On top of that the manager Noreen said I should get their service that captures all my phone data and will transfer it to their system so that I will not have to worry about losing numbers. I paid for the service for just 2. No other option to make sure my phone numbers were saved was offered. I found there is a data transfer item on the web specifically for my phone that is able to do so though. They had none in stock. Nor did they offer that option. They had me pay for the service of transfer and pay for the refurbished phone 85 (they do not provide new phones) I paid for the service.

Then the attendant tried to transfer the data to the new phone. During the process the manager went to lunch. The process took a long time. During the process I asked for a manager. None was available the attendant said. I specifically asked if all my numbers would transfer and they assured me they would. My contacts are very important and numerous. it was very important that the management knew the answer to this simple request and all exceptions they had experienced. The transfer was completed according to the attendant and i was given the new phone. I drove out the parking lot only to discover that many numbers were gone so I rushed back in and asked for a re-do or for them to correct the problem.

They only offered me a pen and paper to wright down the numbers. I stood at the desk for 3 1/2 hours after getting the new phone writing down my 286 numbers by hand and the names they go with so I could transfer them manually to my phone. I lost hours at work, and many more hours having to re-input the numbers in my phone. I still have not had the time to sit and accomplish this task. During the process there were times upward of 7 minutes where no one was at the front desk to ask a question. There was no manager up to an hour during the most crucial time of my situation.

I spent over 4 hours there with the worst customer service I have experienced. Afterward the manager complained to me that I shouldnt have raised my voice. I raised my voice because the attendant said I couldnt write down my numbers because she couldnt let the phone out of her presence. I told her to stand there while I got my personal inforamtion out of the phone. Also the manager said I banged on the desk top with my hand. There was no one at the front desk and there was no bell for service and no one within ear shot so I said hello and no answer.

I then patted the counter to get their attention (I had to go to the restroom, I have diabetes) I commented to the manager that if they had a bell or some presence up front I would not have needed to get their attention. The only phone option offered to me was for me to purchase another more expensive phone and the manager said she could not guarantee that the phone numbers would transfer to that phone. I was totally at risk and I was totally inconvenienced. I asked for at least a 45 credit. She couldnt guarantee it but would request it. I would really like to be compensated for a new and improved phone and a month of free service for the many hours of inconvenience and cost it took me to manually retreive and input my phone information.

Althea of Charlotte, NC January 17, 2009

okay i paid my bill 01-09-2009 in the amount of 37 dollars which was the bridge payment amount for two lines. on 01-10-2009 they turned my phone off and charged me 15 dollars. when i called customer service dept. they only said sorry, but they could not give me a credit because of them turning my phone off. also last month they were supposed to give me a 42 dollar credit which i never gotten.Now they saying my bill is around 95 dollars when it the remaining amount should only be about 38 dollars that including the 42 dollar credit I never got and the 15 dollars they charging me for cutting my bill off less than 24 hrs after it was paid

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