Cingular duped and overcharged AT&T customers ported over following their merger, contends a lawsuit filed last Thursday.

The cellphone company assured federal regulators that the merger would be seamless, and it should’ve been, only requiring swapping out SIM cards. Instead, the lawsuit alleges Cingular tore apart the AT&T network, forced AT&T customers to switch equipment and pay upgrade costs. Those who wished to escape were slapped with a $175 early termination fee.

“Cingular promised AT&T customers it would ‘raise the bar’; instead, it lowered service quality, forced AT&T customers to move to Cingular, and then raised prices,” said Harvey Rosenfield, a lawyer for the nonprofit Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.

For its part, Cingular has refuted the suit’s claims in their entirety and is considering a countersuit.

Perhaps now everyone will begin to see the wisdom of using VoTc? (Voice Over Tin Can).

Previously:
• AT&T No Longer Exists
• AT&T Puts Cingular Out Of Its Misery
• Cingular CSR Speaks: “Having worked there I would never do business with them.”
• More AT&T Wireless Customers Boned by Cingular

UPDATE: The firms representing consumers are SKWW&C and CPS&M .

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