AT&T seems determined to fix Mike’s problem. Only they can’t, apparently, because in the past 9 months he’s gone through 8 iPhones and 14 different SIM cards, and still can’t get a phone that does everything it’s supposed to do. (Like ring when someone calls.) Normally an 8-smartphone customer might sound like someone who’s being too hard to please, and maybe that’s Mike, but let’s face it: this is AT&T and it’s the iPhone, so most of the issues he lists below sounds completely plausible.

Mike writes:

I do not know what it takes for AT&T Wireless to waive their Early Termination Fee. I recently filed a BBB complaint and that did not make any progress. Since June of 2009 I have had 8 iPhones and 14 SIM cards replaced. I have had an issue with every aspect of the phone/service and AT&T still will not waive the ETF. Here is the list of issues I have had with the phone/service.

• Texts not coming through.
• Duplicate texts.
• MMS Texts do not go through (send or receive)
• Dropped calls
• Phone does not ring when someone calls
• Not able to make outgoing calls
• No texts at all
• SIM card failed
• Antenna failed
• Can’t connect to the network for a signal in an area with “the best” coverage
• Will not record voicemails
• Voicemails are recorded but with no volume
• Phone keeps turning itself off
• Home button failed and needed to be replaced

Again all of these issues have resulted in 8 iPhones and 14 SIM cards and some of these issues are still not resolved to date. I also found it funny Randy from the Office of the President of AT&T supposedly called me three times and I only received the last call/message. I can’t even receive calls made from AT&T! What a shocker but yet they won’t waive the ETF.

Now Consumerist readers: How many replacements should a customer have to go through before AT&T lets him out of contract? Three? There’s no upper limit? Do you think it’s possible for a series of iPhones to have this many problems? The network stuff I can believe, but all the hardware stuff sounds pretty extreme. Is Mark some kind of X-Files phenom who can’t be around technology, or is he simply holding the cellular provider to a stricter standard than most of us bother to do (but maybe should)? Does AT&T suck? Discuss.

(But, you know, do it without attacking the OP like a dingo or face the banhammer.)

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