Cell phone voice mail hell

You need to pay your cell phone bill so you can keep on talking. The crappy service almost goes without saying, giving that you are on an unlimited plan from Boomerang, which is the cheap side of Alltel®.

First, you call the phone number on the bill. They're closed, but all you want to do is give them a credit card number. They urge you to go to the alltel web site.

Being a bit of a web geek, you do. But, it turns out they only load new customers in once a month. This bizarre delay is not explained.

On the same web site you see a DIFFERENT 800 number, this one an actual "800" 800 number, not a 866 number. It says, "Just call 1-800-xxx-xxxx and follow the prompts to pay your bill automatically." Wouldn't you assume that means you can punch your credit card number in and pay your bill?

You call, but it sounds like the other number, complete with those annoying chimes. Sure enough, they are closed too.

Next day. You call during normal business hours. The automatic system takes your payment via credit card, complete with confirmation number. You never talk to an actual person.

What's up with that? An automatic system they turn off at night?

Posted by Chad Lundgren on Monday, March 31, 2003 (Link)

Comments

Posted by Roslee Orndorff Friday, April 4, 2003 at 08:50 PM

Well....I don't seem to have problems with VoiceStream (now T-Mobile). The only times I've had service problems is when I am really late with my payment. I am frequently helped by a live person on the other end of the line. Hopefully you will begin getting better service sometime soon.

Posted by Wayne Lundgren Saturday, April 26, 2003 at 04:00 AM

That reminds of a online Library catalog that was open from 9AM to 9PM. Searching would not work after 9PM. Turns out the page that told you the hours you could search was on the same server the catalog was on.