Unprofessional Customer Service from Cingular

I don't disagree with you and think you have a valid complaint. The
only thing I have issue with is:

" work in customer service. You NEVER tell someone you're just "not
going to." You politely inform the customer you cannot due to policy,
contract terms, etc."
I worked for Air Touch for a while. In the center customers did not
know, but outside sales and the 800# reps had restrictions on credit
accounts/give aways, but in the centers the CSRs had no restrictions
and had complete authority to give credits and free equipment. We only
had an acting manager and there was no review on anything we gave.
Outside sales and customer service would direct people into the center
because they knew we could (and often would) give credits they could
not give but felt the customer deserved.
Any time someone asked me to waive the fee, if I said, "I cannot do it
because of policy, contract terms etc.", it would be an outright lie,
and shady "sales" tactic, because I could give it if I chose to..
I had one guy that spent $9.99 a month on a plan that wanted the free
digital phone when it first came out. This guy was always nice, but he
was not eligible to get the digital phone because they were dedicated
to customers who spent much more money than him, and based on the
revenue he generated (which was in our database), we honestly would
lose money on him for the next 2+ years, longer than the contract
update. He became very indignant when I would not give him the $400
phone free (that's what AirTouch paid for the phones from Qualcom).
Now I could have lied and said they were junk, or given him the bull
that he had an emergency $9.99 plan and the analog signal was stronger
and the phones worked better in more places...and resold him on his
phone, but the bottom line and the TRUTH was that Air Touch was better
off having him cancel than giving him the phone (the only thing that
would have mullified him) and it was a sound business decision on my
part. The Vice Pres. of AirTouch confirmed I handled it right at a
meeting. He said we were in the business to make money and make good
business decisions, and every customer could not be pleased and many
had unreal expectations.
I don't understand from a customer standpoint, how you could be upset
about the guy telling you the truth and not giving you a lie to make
you feel better.
When you give the customer the bottom line-that what they want is just
not in the best interest of the company, there is nothing wrong with
that unless you are a slimy salesperson and try to "trick" the
customer in being mullified. That customer will realize a day or two
later he is still in the same position and did not get what he wanted,
and will not stay satisified very long before he asks for it again.
After I left Air Touch and I knew exactly what their boundaries were,
it angered me to talk with customer service on something and they
would tell me politely, they could not do something due to policy,
contract terms, etc, and I knew they were being less than honest. I
could accept that they were not going to do it, but not that they
could not for a reason, which was untrue.
How would you feel if this guy said, "I cannot do it because of policy
and you are still under contract"? Especially when you hear about
another customer in a similiar situation that had the fee waived. You
would feel like you were deceived and be writing a letter about the
dishonest rep at AT&T, and be mad because he didn't work with you to
'make it happen'.

Nicholas--it is very disturbing that ATT has been consistently rude to
you. Dont let any telecom apologist tell you that you should accept
rude customer service. This kind of service can only survive if
customers continue to tolerate. I suggest you report this rude
service to the FCC. you can file a complaint here:

http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/cib/fcc475.cfm

I'm confused as to why you want to cancel the contract and have the
ETF waived. Why not just do an Assumption of Liability and have the
phone put in your name. I do it all the time when my users leave my
firm and want to take their cell phone with them.

Lawyer? Over this? It's just not worth it. Psychologically shocked?
Please, cut the drama.

At the center of your complaint is the request of waiving this early
termination fee. The point should be made that the early termination
fee is not associated with you, but with your mother-in-law. This
account is hers, regardless of who is using the phone. It is not
yours to request the account be closed or the ETF be waived. I am
surprised that they would even discuss the account with you, as it is
considered privileged information.

If you have made an agreement with her to pay the account, as to not
harm her credit, you should do so. It is only at the end of the
contract that she, not you, should be allowed to contact ATT regarding
this account and have the account terminated. If your credit is
sufficient, you would then be able to open an account of your own.

Read through the letters posted under wireless phones, Nicholas. How
many of them are asking to have the ETF waived because of some special
cause? The reason you give, although may sound reasonable to you, is
definitely not. Any attorney worth a grain of salt would tell you the
same thing and then charge you for the consultation which would equal
the ETF.