Complaint Review: Nextel Communications - Reston Virginia

My complaints are:

1. My clients do not always get forwarded to the appropriate Mailbox or other forwarded number.

2. Nextel Trouble Tickets have never fixed the system issues which are my complaints. (Voicemail and forwarding have nothing to do with the handset, they merely are matters of redirecting the call to the proper land based system)

3. My Nextel phone interferes with numerous electronic devices unlike any other cellphone I've had. My monitor. My car stereo. Pretty much any amplified audio device. My phone rings in my car, my stereo blares a short buzz at seemingly full volume. I have another phone which I would forward my nextel to if only it would reliably forward, only to avoid this nuciance.

3. Nextel "Retention Dept." lied to me saying that they would put me on a reduced rate plan while keeping the contract period.

4. Nextel customer care has CONSTANTLY given me the run around and hang upon.

5. Nextel is holding me to a contract which it has violated by not providing reliable voicemail and forwarding unlike other carriers which I also have or had.

My Story:

For starters, I subscribed to Nextel because my other cellphone didn't work at my house. I had someone come out and see what phone worked at my house and Nextel did. It didn't take me long before I called them to complain that their service was not working properly. On Oct. 7 2002 I got my service turned on.

Within the 1st month I called to cancel because the voicemail wasn't working well and because of erratic signal in other areas (where I previously had service). The 1st time I was 'transferred to another dept' and actually hung up on. The 2nd time I called not long after, I spoke with someone who convinced me to give them another chance. My mistake!

In Dec. I called again to complain that when my clients couldn't get to my handset, often the voicemail didn't work either. They made Trouble Tickets. In Jan. I called with the same complaint and they couldn't explain why the problems still existed. I didn't pay the bill again until March when I was being attacked by a collections agency.

However instead of paying them I paid nextel AFTER they agreed to change my contract to a reduced rate plan while holding to my original contract cessation date. I didn't notice any more problems until June. Today I called Nextel to again report the same problems (My clients are getting 'We're sorry, the Nextel subscriber you are trying to reach is currently unavailiable. Please try your call again later.')

When I spoke to the 1st representative, I was hung up upon, as seems to be nextel policy. They ask for a "Callback number" as if they'll call you back after they hang up on you. Forget about it.

So the 2nd time I called I got the person in Customer Service to stay on the line with me for the entire conversation between me and the person from Retention as her dept. was called. I can see why they call it that because they retained me in my contract. After 1 hour of talking back and fourth I was informed that despite other Retention Reps promises that I was at a reduced plan rate for the same contract period, that they had actually extended my contract to next March which would meant for another year from the date when I got it reduced.

She could not find record of an authorization to keep the contract period the same. So she told me that either I pay the $200 to get out of the contract, Endure the reduced rate plan until Mar., or return to the previous rate plan for $20 more a month.

What am I doing?

Being frustrated at this point. Filling out this form. Filling out a form at the BBB.

Looking into contacting the FCC. Unfortunately I gave all my clients my nextel phone number. Looking forward to the changing companies, but fearing nextel's scandalous retaliatory practices once I do.

William

Annapolis, Maryland
U.S.A.

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