He hit dead zone with cell company

I can see now why people say that customer service is gone the way of the dinosaur and that the big businesses don't really care if they keep you as a customer or not. I am presently having problems with a certain phone company regarding my cell phone. I won't mention what phone company it is, but their initials are "A," "T", & "T."

I want to tell my story to others in case there are others who are experiencing the same problem. For the past month my cell phone just started to be unable to connect some calls depending if I'm in Vernon Hills or Libertyville or wherever despite this phone company telling me that Lake County has an excellent system of cell phone connections.

I brought my phone to this phone company's local store twice and had my SIM card changed twice, but still calls are not connecting. It's gotten to where I can't even dial into my voice mail to check on messages that are left because people calling my phone, surprise, can't get through.

Finally after getting nowhere with the store associates, I decided to email this phone company's customer service where as they advised me that I have to call their customer service. Well, I sure knew I wouldn't be calling from my cell phone. The customer service department explained to me that the warranty on the phone is only for one year and of course I've had this particular phone for 14 months.

Then I tell them that I am willing to buy a new phone from them which I knew meant getting a rebate on the regular price and extending my contract another two years, but they explained to me that I wasn't eligible for that offer until January. I would have to say that in phone terms I am now in a "dead zone" as far as the company being able or willing to help me with a new phone.

They in certain terms told me I was stuck with this problem phone. So as I continue to pay for a worthless phone until my two-year contract ends next May, they told me that I can either get a second line for an extra $10 a month (again while having a useless phone to pay for monthly) or buy a new phone off of ebay or some other Web site.

I really wish that this nonsense of having two-year contracts with cell phones would end. That policy was great when cell phones first started and they weren't sure how the public would respond to them, but everyone has a cell phone now for convenience and for emergencies. Land line phones never had contracts, Why should cell phones? If cell phone companies are going to continue with two-year contracts, then they can at least have the phone warranty last for the two years that you're stuck with them.

Or they can let customers buy a new phone with the new contract at any time; they're still making their money on the phone. Maybe then I would consider signing up again next spring for another two-year contract, but right now it ain't looking too good. Then at that time the only thing I can say to my current phone company about my lack of satisfaction is "Can you hear me now?"

Shawn Killackey

Mundelein