California Bill Would Give Consumers 30 Days to Cancel Cell Phone Contracts

[ComicalMoodyDan]

California Bill Would Give Consumers 30 Days to Cancel Cell Phone Contracts

A bill that would give California consumers the right to cancel cell phone service contracts without penalty passed the state Senate on Monday. Under the bill, introduced by Sen. Debra Bowen (D-Redondo Beach), consumers would pay for airtime used prior to canceling the service, and for any wear and tear to the cell phone, but would not have to pay a cancellation fee. Wireless companies say the cancellation fees help them recover the cost of the free or discounted phones that sometimes come with calling plans. Some of the companies already allow customers to cancel contracts without penalty within two weeks of signing up for service. Customers usually know within four or five days whether they will be satisfied with the service, a CTIA spokesman said. The legislation now goes to the state Assembly for consideration.

[ILUVSOCAL]

I'll support it! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] Perhaps some of the carriers and groups opposing this should check out Edge Wireless's philisophy towards customers, " YOU are the reason we are here. We value you highly, and wish to serve as your wireless provider for the long term."

[vzwemp]

I haven't heard anything about this bill at all. Where did you hear about this? I'm guessing it was created to protect the customer who got the service and later cancelled because the novelty wore off and they now realize that they can't afford it or the coverage area isn't what they expected outside of their neighborhood. If it is true, then I would definitely oppose it. Most companies already have a 15 day trial period (att has 30) and people should be happy they have that. If you enter any other contract (that I know of) there is no trial period. The real problem is that people enter a cell phone contract too lightly. They're blinded by the flashing lights and the thought of looking like their fav artists on MTV. All too often I've noticed that when I'm trying to explain the contract terms, they're busy playing with their new phone! Then they just say ok and sign away. A shady sales rep could take advantage of that by adding features they don't want. The solution won't be through legislation, but through consumer responsiblity.

[ILUVSOCAL]

Uh huh, with a signature like "Can you hear me now? THEN GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR A$$! " I bet you care a whole lot about the consumer, NOT! In fact, that's about as low class, disrespctful a thing that I've ever heard. Mods, maybe that sig isn't really appropriate for these foums.

[ZaphodB]

Originally posted by: vzwemp I haven't heard anything about this bill at all. Where did you hear about this? I'm guessing it was created to protect the customer who got the service and later cancelled because the novelty wore off and they now realize that they can't afford it or the coverage area isn't what they expected outside of their neighborhood. If it is true, then I would definitely oppose it. Most companies already have a 15 day trial period (att has 30) and people should be happy they have that. If you enter any other contract (that I know of) there is no trial period. The real problem is that people enter a cell phone contract too lightly. They're blinded by the flashing lights and the thought of looking like their fav artists on MTV. All too often I've noticed that when I'm trying to explain the contract terms, they're busy playing with their new phone! Then they just say ok and sign away. A shady sales rep could take advantage of that by adding features they don't want. The solution won't be through legislation, but through consumer responsiblity.

I can think of plenty of contracts that have trial periods. My contract with my employer is essentially an infinitely long trial period... it's called an "at-will" contract. When I contract with someone to fix my car, I get a warranty period that allows me to bring the car back and have the work redone within a certain amount of time. You get a thirty-day trial period (by law) for DSL. You get a thirty-day trial period for satellite service. Why not cell service?

If the consumer can't afford the cell phone, that's one thing... but the coverage area not being what they expected outside of their neighbourhood is EXACTLY why this is being discussed. That's a perfectly valid reason to return a phone... and if, say, I buy a Verizon phone because I am going to use it at my home and then my cabin in Big Bear, and I can't get to Big Bear until three weeks later, and the phone doesn't work where I live in Big Bear, I would currently be stuck.

The other thing is that I know people who have tried their phone in a bunch of places, making sure it works... and they go back and the provider won't take the phone back because they used more than 30 minutes on the phone. In 14 days, I typically make between 1000 and 1500 minutes' worth of calls. Now, in this case (and this was Cingular) they screamed and ranted and Cingular finally took back the phone.

You want people to pay attention when you're explaining the terms? Put the phone on the table behind you and tell them "it needs to download, let's go over the contract."

[AnthroMatt]

You want people to pay attention when you're explaining the terms? Put the phone on the table behind you and tell them "it needs to download, let's go over the contract."

Well now that's a lot of extra work!! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] And as I have discovered in recent days, it is VERY important to not only read your contract, but to learn it and hold onto it and all receipts for reference purposes, this way if your provider tries to scare you with lies and threats of attorneys you can reference the contract that is directly in front of you and call their bluff. Companies aren't stupid, they know most people just throw that customer agreement/terms of service in the garbage after giving it a quick glance...if you don't do that they can't take advantage of you.

[vzwemp]

Cell phone contracts are not "at will contracts." That's why they have early termination fees. As for DSL having 30 days by law, I don't agree with that either. I believe that it is up to the company to provide what it believes will be the best customer service. If their competition offers something better, then consumers will go there. Competition for customers is always benificial. If every company is on the same level because of legislation, then the competition is gone. As for repair work being done to your car, there is no gov't mandated term for warranty that I know of. There is a 1yr mfg warranty on all the phones and VZW does offer an extended warranty beyond that and we do try our best to honor it. Coverage area is always going to be a gray area for most consumers. I too go to Big Bear and Mammoth, but mostly during the winter. Before I started working for VZW, I was with Pac Bell then switched to AT&T when my contract was up. I couldn't make it up to the mountains within the return period, but I did what most people should do, I asked other people with that service. I used all the resources available to me including Consumer Reports and called a dealer up there to see how coverage was. Minute usage doesn't matter with the corporate stores. Some of the authorized agents have limitations because they have their own inventory and don't have the buying power of VZW to cover the costs of getting a bunch of used phones back. Some of them resell the phones.

As for my signiture line, uh, I guess SoCal missed the irony. It was never meant as an insult, directed to disrespect or even warrant a response from anybody.

I couldn't agree with AnthroMatt any more. In addition to keeping your contracts, you should also keep track of names, location and extentions should you ever need to talk to customer service so you know who to blame/thank for anything said or done.

[ZaphodB]

Originally posted by: vzwemp Cell phone contracts are not "at will contracts." That's why they have early termination fees.

Read carefully, young grasshopper. Nowhere did I say a cell phone contract was an at-will contract. You said that, and I quote, "If you enter any other contract (that I know of) there is no trial period." I was providing examples of contracts with trial periods.

Your model of competition is admirable but slow. The market does not adjust quickly enough to allow a true free-market economy. In the case of DSL, there are few providers, and they have (or had, in most cases) universally under-handed tricks. They did not, for example, start the bill when the DSL was installed, but from the day when it was first SUPPOSED to be installed. (There are many of these horror stories.) This is why legislation was enacted.

If you don't like the bill before the Assembly, call your local Assemblymember's office and complain.

If every company is on the same level because of legislation, then the competition is gone.

Au contraire. Your statement is true only if every aspect of the business is regulated and legislated. Having a 30-day trial period required by law does not mean that all companies will offer the same plan, the same benefits, etc.

As for repair work being done to your car, there is no gov't mandated term for warranty that I know of.

You need to get in touch with the Bureau of Automotive Repair, then.

and called a dealer up there to see how coverage was.

"Hi, Sprint? I'm considering getting a Sprint wireless phone. I go to your area a lot. How's the coverage? Great, wonderful, couldn't be better? Really, and you're not just lying to me so I'll get a Sprint phone? Wow!"

Minute usage doesn't matter with the corporate stores.

...for VZW. It matters for Cingular.

[Danthrin44]

as a vzw employee.. It wouldnt hurt VZW as much to add another 15 days to the return policy. Since some of our indirect sales representatives already have a 30 day policy and it takes us up to 30 days to process the return, we shouldnt be affected that much.

Ofcourse, the higher ups dont want to lose days, it makes good business sense to try to save whatever money that you can.


It is true though, most people realize if they like the service within the first 4-10 days.. In most situations, after 10 days are returned because of financial reasons (ie didnt like how their first bill looked, the thought of a committment is starting to hit them).

I'm not going to get into a senseless debate about your 'conspiracies' of what Cell phone companies are doing. They are businesses, they are trying to make as much money as they can. They are not an non-profit organization.

[ILUVSOCAL]

Nope they're not a non profit, but without happy customers, there is no profit [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[Clia]

As i know, US has the best return policy (allowance) in the world. We are lucky that we live here.

As to cell phone and wireless services, i do support a reasonable trial period, may be a week or 2 for testing the coverage, the phone's performance, etc.

Several dealers (resellers) for Verizon and ATT promised me a 3 day cancellation. Is this true? I have not found any official info on a web site yet. Pls advice.