Wireless Companies Enter Rights Agreement NEW YORK_ Some of the nation's biggest wireless companies have just become more accountable to consumers. Verizon Wireless, Cingular Wireless LLC and the mobile unit of Sprint Corp. entered into an agreement with the attorneys general of 32 states that will require the companies to provide coverage maps to consumers and give new customers two weeks to terminate service without penalty. The carriers also agreed to be more transparent in their advertising. The agreements end consumer protection investigations that focused on allegations of misleading advertising and a lack of clarity on such issues as where service is available, said Peter C. Harvey, the attorney general for New Jersey. The states in the settlement are Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. In addition to meeting the new requirements, the carriers will also pay the states a total of $5 million for consumer education. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...n_bi_ge/wireless_consumer_rights&sid=95573418
They did'nt say about other carriers. Their maps should be like a county scale and not showing some northeast region which is difficult to decipher and just leads to guesses.
The devil in the details of the agreement will be the accuracy (resolution) required of the coverage maps. I would guess the other majors will agree for competitive reasons. TM will allow you to look at their high-resolution maps in their stores, you just have to ask. I looked at some a few weeks ago for my vacation destination.
Really? That's nice! I remember when I was a USCC customer down in Florida and they actually had the detailed map posted along a wall in the tech service waiting area.
It would be nice if all the store reps knew this. I asked in a T-Mo store and they said they don't have any maps in the computer that I can see. However, I went to an AT&T store and they let me see it with no problem.
I asked specifically for maps in their computers. I even mentioned that they are detailed and that you can zoom in.
I think they are called ICM - Interactive Coverage Maps. They are similar to what you posted in another thread. Three levels of coverage depicted.
Acording to today's Washington Post, you will also be able to retun the phone within three days and get all of your money back (I guess this means including activation fee)
USCC "lost" a similiar action by the Attorney General of Iowa two years ago. "DES MOINES. United States Cellular Corporation has agreed to a limit of $150 on "break fees" charged to customers who cancel their cell phone contracts, and to reduce break fees in proportion to the time customers have remaining in contracts. U.S. Cellular also will pay $400,000 to the State to be used for reimbursing consumers for actions the Attorney General believes violated Iowa's consumer protection or consumer credit laws, and for other consumer protection efforts." This makes the Iowa Attorney General two for two on these things. :browani:
You should still explain to the customer though that while this is a general representation of coverage, there are many variables that can affect coverage, ESPECIALLY Mother Nature, who doesn't give a care you just put up a site and signed up 40 new customers in that area.
The local news channel interviewed our store manager on Friday about this... supposively her brief interview (10 seconds) ended up on CNN!
My mom said that the ruling gives current customers 2 weeks to get out of their contract too. Is this true? I have Cingular if that helps (I REALLY want to get rid of them!). Thanks Megan
The 2 weeks thing is no big deal, as every carrier already allows at least two weeks from activation to get out of your contract without a penalty. This new "agreement" does not mean you can get out of your contract half way through.
