Rate-Plan Mobility

On its Web site, a company that advises consumers makes several disparaging statements about wireless carriers' customer service. Under the heading, "Wireless service providers don't care about you!" the company known as Airtime Advisors talks about carriers' unwillingness to move subscribers to more suitable rate plans, if necessary.

"If you are on the wrong rate plan, they make more money," Airtime Advisors explained. "They have a financial incentive not to help you too much or to keep you informed."

The Mystery Caller wanted to know if carriers are locking subscribers into rate plans or if they're willing to let subscribers move to less costly plans before their contracts expire.

VoiceStream Total Hold Time: 0 Transfer/IVR Layers: 2 SR: Thank you for calling VoiceStream where you get more money with (name). How can I help you?

WR: My boss is relocating to Bellevue, WA, in the next few months. He anticipates his monthly charges will be over $100. He wants to know if he signs with VoiceStream, could he switch to a less expensive plan at any point?

SR: Yes, he can.

WR: Does that mean that there are no contracts?

SR: There is an annual agreement for 12 months on all of the rate plans. But you can moderate up and down from a plan.

WR: Are there any fees associated with changing that?

SR: No. There are no fees, as long as you're not breaking your contract agreement.

WR: So you're not locked into the plan? You're just agreeing that you'll keep the service for a certain amount of time?

SR: Correct.

Qwest Wireless Total Hold Time: 16 minutes Transfer/IVR Layers: 0 CSR: Thank you for calling Qwest Wireless. This is (name).

WR: My dad is moving to Seattle and anticipates spending more than $100 per month. If he signs a contract, will he be locked into a plan or can he switch to a less expensive plan at any time?

CSR: Actually, the service plans are usually set up under a 1-year agreement. The customer has to meet that 1-year agreement, then he has the option of transferring to a different plan. But for the initial service, it's one year.

WR: But if he finds that he doesn't need the plan that he gets, that he doesn't need that many minutes, can he then switch before the contract is up?

CSR: It depends on the plan. Let me double-check on a few plans and see if there's an option like that. Can you hold?

WR: Sure. On hold for about one minute.

CSR: Thanks for holding. Usually, they can adjust to a different price plan for any minutes that they need. It would take effect by 5 or 6 o'clock the next day.

WR: Are there any extra charges if they switch plans?

CSR: No. I don't see any extra charges to switch the plan. It should be switched for free.

Centennial Wireless Total Hold Time: 1 minute Transfer/IVR Layers: 0 CSR: Thank you for calling Centennial Wireless.

WR: I'm calling on behalf of my brother. He's going to be transferring to Kokomo, IN. Right now he's using more than $100 a month in cellular services with another company. If he signs on with your company, would he be able to switch to a less expensive plan if he needs to before his contract ends?

CSR: Yes. Our customers definitely have the option of moving within our standard rate plans. We have rate plans beginning at $16.95 that include 30 minutes and go as high as 1,000 minutes for about $100 per month. He can fluctuate in any of those. If it's a promotional rate plan that's being advertised, a new 2-year contract may be required at that point. But if he just stays within our standard rate plans, he has the option of moving within any of those rate plans at any time that he wants to without any kind of a penalty fee or charge or anything like that.

WR: Oh.

CSR: Let's say he signs on for 200 included minutes for $35. In two months or so if he decides, "I'm really not using the 200 minutes, and I really don't think that $35 per month is necessary for me to spend on cellular calls," he can go down to 30 minutes for $16.95. That's no problem at all.

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