[inkwirer]

Greetings,

I’ve been a bb user since my Nextel 7250, coming from a palm environment and being an outlook user, the blackberry switch has proved to be my best technical life improvement decision better than my prior discovery of brushing twice daily that not only proved to be a physically sound thing to do but has also improved my chances of getting a second chance social encounter from time to time. xxx61514;

Today I’m a not so proud owner of an 8700c and a very dismayed Cingular customer/indirect dealer; reason being:

1.) Proprietary internet messaging soft wares do not work very well (if not at all) with Cingular. Upon bringing this up with customer care for Blackberry for Cingular, they gave given me numerous trouble tickets but to no avail.
2.) Though I love the EDGE capability, MMS sending is still unavailable but is still being advertised by Cingular as a feature the 8700c can accommodate in the RIM or Blackberry website. Please do not believe these Atlanta hill-billies if they say “they will work on it.” I am also an indirect dealer with Cingular and they rarely keep their promise of fixing minor technical glitches should it prove to be a not so major economic venture.
3.) ONE VERY IMPORTANT pet peeve I have with Cingular is that everytime I call in to customer service and have them lookup my account, I find myself placing a second call to have them release my account from the e-mail service being blocked. It seems that every time I call in and someone on the other line looks up my web client account, the service gets blocked.
4.) And lastly, the allotment of Cingular storage space on its web client is only 25 MB and one has to pay an additional 5 dollars a month for an extra 75 MB more. Sadly these people charge because “they can”, and I think that’s the whole SBC-ATT mission statement.

Well I think half my post has been tackled already in the forums, thanks for reading my rantings anyway and please reply about any comments you may have or any answers you can give me regarding the account lock up.

[barjohn]

1. I'm not sure what you are talking about. If it is Yahoo related it is coming too. Otherwise I'm not sure what you mean.
2. My understanding from speaking with Cingular executives is that MMS is coming for the BlackBerry. It is still in testing and I don't think they have upgraded all their BlackBerry servers yet. We will probably get it when the release the new BIS.
3. I have placed several calls and never had this happen.
4. No experience with number 4.

[jnelson2000]

#3 has been resolved as of last weekend. It was an issue with their billing system. Any acct changes were deactivating the PIN in RIMS conduit.

Not all customers were affected. It was on one of many billing systems with Cingular.

[MegaBit]

I guess I don't see anything be aware of--

Proprietary software is proprietary, not open source or inter-operable.

Don't see much advantage in the BlackBerry world for MMS. Sure its fun with camera phones and the like but on a BB?

Same as previous poster, enough calls to know I don't have account lockups. Maybe you are asking them to perform specific things on your account provisioning and that's causing the problem?

Unless the BIS email is your sole email account, then having it collect emails from (up to) 10 other accounts does not cause a storage space issue. Every plan I've ever known has a base storage amount and you pay for extra- nothing unusual with that.

[cookes713]

Sadly these people charge because “they can”, and I think that’s the whole SBC-ATT mission statement.

yeah, that is a pretty normal practice in the business world. Most companies have a real bad habit of trying to make money...damn those people

your account, it was a system click that changes were causing this and it was corrected.

ditto on the mms, not really what a BB is for...side note, where do you see it being advertised by cingular that it can do MMS? nothing that I have seen anywhere states that at all

[rcbjr]

Yeah, servers and storage cost money, the more space used the more equipment needed. Some people don't understand that principle. Sure Yahoo and gmail give the user masive amounts of free space, but they pay for it with advertising. RIM/Cingular doesn't.

Sorry for the rant, but, TANSTAAFL.

Rcbjr

[BES admin]

I have been with Cingular since before it was cingular, back to the Cellular One days.

Like any other customer service, Cingular has had it's ups and downs. I love them one quarter I hate them the next. They always seem to make things right to keep me happy. I guess you just have to know how to play the "customer service game."

I would like to know what other cellular company doesn't have it's own set of issues. Every service has its pluses and minuses, none of these companies are perfect.

As the ol' saying goes: "You can't please all of the people all of the time just some of them."

BTW, I am happy with Cingular TODAY.

[nb_mitch]

Originally Posted by BES admin

I guess you just have to know how to play the "customer service game

It's a game? Now you tell me, I sure have had my share of practice at it.

Today I am happy with them, because I haven't had to call them....yet Hopefully, that will stay that way and some month in the near future, I will actually see a credit for the BBs I returned.

So am I suppose to say "Game On" now?

[ceebz]

Cingular's cust. service really is horrible right now.

It reminds me of Sprint PCS' cust. service back in the late 90's.

[drhicking]

Just to make sure I've got this straight, right now you can't use text messaging on the 8700c? or just receive MMS messages?

[barjohn]

You can text message just fine, it is MMS that is not yet available. This can't be a huge deal on a device that doesn't have a camera.

[drhicking]

Originally Posted by barjohn

You can text message just fine, it is MMS that is not yet available. This can't be a huge deal on a device that doesn't have a camera.

Not for me personally, but for all the other people i know who don't have a blackberry - it's a factor

[BES admin]

Originally Posted by nb_mitch

So am I suppose to say "Game On" now?

LMAO... If it makes you feel better. :o

I am in a unique position, so I call it a "game." Let me explain:

I have personal service with Cingular for my wife and I. As part of my job, I recomend what Cellular service provider users should call to get a Blackberry device. I have a very nice sales rep, dedicated to making a healthy commission.

I had a "problem" with overage charges in excess of $300 on my personal service. The usual customer service channels were COMPLETELY unwilling to do any sort of refund or credit. Not unusual, they want their company to make money.

First day back to work after a long weekend, I call my cingular sales person, explain my situation in brief and remind him of what I do as part of my job (recomend cellular vendors) at work. After less tha FIVE minutes on the phone, 1 day later, I have a full refund, 500 additional rollover minutes, and my sales rep asking if there is anything else he can do to help.

I BCC my Cingular rep on any and all recomendations I provide for our users so even if they do not sign on with Cingular it is clear that I am recomending them as part of my duties.

Now, before anyone jumps all over me for conflict of interest and fairness, our company already has a policy in place that states that Cingular is our "Preferred Vendor" for cellular service. We are supposed to detail the benefits (deals) of using Cingular, because they are our preferred vendor, however, users are free to choose any cellular vendor and I am always clear to state that fact in any correspondence.

[inkwirer]

Your asinine post - Yeah, servers and storage cost money, the more space used the more equipment needed. Some people don't understand that principle. Sure Yahoo and gmail give the user masive amounts of free space, but they pay for it with advertising. RIM/Cingular doesn't.

Sorry for the rant, but, TANSTAAFL.

Rcbjr

My reply - Well i own a small telecommunications reselling company. I charge very minimally for support and accessories. You can rant all you want but i'm now a treo 700w user (can't say i like it or not yet). And by the way about MMS, i like to send picture attchments from time to time. But that's just me. Thanks again guys for bearing with my post.

[nickp]

Unlock your 8700, and switch to T-Mobile. $19.95/mo for unlimited BB and data, MMS works and customer service is better than Cingular.

And please let's not start with bashing. I am simply stating a fact based on my own experience. I was a Cingular customer, switched to T-Mo for various reasons, and never looked back. I travel 4-5 days/week, all over the country, and have not had coverage issues.

All I am saying is that if one provider is not treating you the right way, you do have options.