Prisoners Of Cellular Service Providers

Answer 1

Why are so many cell phone users dissatisfied with the customer service offered by their cellular service providers? And why do major providers who continually rank at the bottom when it comes to customer service fail to mend their ways?

Some free market advocates might say there is not enough real competition amongst cellular service providers, but that contention is highly debatable. In most urban areas of the United States consumers can shop national carriers like Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint/Nextel as well as regional carriers like US Cellular. For those willing to invest the time and effort required to look for them, there are small, local providers as well. So what’s the answer?

Is it possible that with our insatiable demand for the latest and greatest phone features we have given cellular service providers permission to make prisoners of us? If you’ve ever tried to make changes to an existing contract, you’ll know that’s not an overstatement. Want to use your existing phone with a different carrier? Unless you’re tech savvy enough to figure out how to unlock your phone, forget about it. Want an I-phone? It’s AT&T or nothing.

It would appear that no matter how badly our cellular service providers treat us, we come back for more. If you think this is an overly dramatic view of the situation, spend some time on the net searching cellular service buying guides and ratings. You’re going to find plenty of information about coverage, phone features, pricing and plan options, but almost nothing about customer service once you’ve signed yourself off to the provider. In effect, we do this to ourselves by not punishing poor providers by dumping them for somebody else.

This may explain the recent growth of prepaid cellular service plans. They started with bare bones minutes packages, but now include a full range of cellular services, including internet access, texting, and international calling. If you’re angry with your current cellular service provider, don’t get mad; get even when your contract is up and take your business elsewhere. If consumers would just do that in large enough numbers, the providers would get the message.