Complaints against cell phone carriers surge The wireless airwaves are increasingly filled with the static of discontent, and it's getting on the nerves not only of cell phone consumers but also of state Attorney General Christine Gregoire. More than 2,200 complaints about wireless companies have been made to the consumer protection division of Gregoire's office in the past 3 1/2 years, division spokesman Chris Jarvis said. "We're going to be meeting with the top companies to talk to them about the complaint load and what they can do to try reduce the numbers of complaints," he said. No meeting date has yet been set. Complaints run from billing issues to dropped phone calls to misunderstandings over the plans consumers have signed up for. Gregoire is also contemplating developing a "report card" for cellular companies that will allow consumers to see how the companies compare. "The most effective consumer protection is information," Jarvis said. Leading the pack in complaints since Jan. 1, 1999, is VoiceStream with 677, followed by Qwest with 563, AT&T Wireless with 348, Sprint with 306, and Verizon with 214. MCI WorldCom was not offering service for all of that time, but has 116 complaints in the past 1 1/2 years.
441 posted on 06/26/2002 8:00:17 AM PDT by ValerieUSA