Ronny can’t buy a new iPhone for the next 18 months, even though he’s willing to fork over $499 for an unsubsidized model. Ronny swapped his original 8 GB iPhone for a 16 GB version within his first month of service, but recently lost the phone. Now, both Apple and AT&T are telling him that he’s a jailbreaker and he can’t have a new phone for 18 months—unless he’s willing to get a new phone number.
phones
![This Bag Of Clancy’s Ripple Potato Chips Needs More Nokia Phones](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/custom_1235852077308_chipwoman.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
This Bag Of Clancy’s Ripple Potato Chips Needs More Nokia Phones
A Nokia phone found its way into a bag of Clancy’s Ripple Potato Chips, where it surprised Wisconsin nosher Emma Schweiger. The phone, which didn’t work, was slathered with “greasy potato-chip film” and looked like it once lived on a belt clip. The chip’s distributor, Aldi, pulled all other Clancy’s chips with the same batch and expiration date and, by way of apology, offered Schweiger a free bag of chips. She isn’t biting…
![Verizon Wireless Sues "Velveteen Rabbit" Telemarketers](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/022609-003-rabbitintrouble494.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Verizon Wireless Sues "Velveteen Rabbit" Telemarketers
Hooray for Verizon Wireless! Wait, what? The cellular carrier has just filed a lawsuit against Feature Films For Families for illegally telemarketing. Specifically, they’re accusing the company of using an auto-dialer to cold call hundreds of thousands of Verizon Wireless customers earlier this month, which is illegal according to NJ state laws (where the suit was filed) and the Federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act.
![This 'Velveteen Rabbit' Teaches You The Triumph Of Love. Also Of Telemarketing.](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/021809-002-vr1-494_01.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
This 'Velveteen Rabbit' Teaches You The Triumph Of Love. Also Of Telemarketing.
Oh no, someone’s gone and made a terrible looking half-animated, half-live action, religious-on-the-down-low version of this beloved children’s book. That’s bad enough, but then they decided to direct-market it to households by cold calling strangers and offering them a “producer’s guarantee” that if they don’t like it, they can purchase other movies from FamilyTV.com for $4 each. Update: Here’s how the company producing the film is sneaking past the Do Not Call rules.
![AT&T Sells You A Service They Don't Offer, Denies It, Bills You Anyway](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/020909-004-ghostlyatt158.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
AT&T Sells You A Service They Don't Offer, Denies It, Bills You Anyway
This is like one of those ghost stories where the hero joins up with a fellow traveler, and then at the end of his journey discovers that his travel companion never existed. Oooooo! Only it’s about AT&T, so instead of being spooky it’s just annoying. Especially the part at the end where he receives a bill.
![Check Your AT&T Bill For Fraudulent Charges](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/020209-003-telephone158.jpg?w=158&h=158&crop=1)
Check Your AT&T Bill For Fraudulent Charges
Ralph discovered a mysterious $18 charge on his most recent AT&T bill. A little research turned up OSP Communications, which is apparently a front for a fraudulent biller that has repeatedly hit AT&T customers with a cramming fraud. Read Ralph’s email below, and be sure to check your own phone bill for charges like this each month.
![This iPhone Comes With A Blackberry User's Email Address, And A Mystery](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/012709-002-iphone158.jpg?w=158&h=158&crop=1)
This iPhone Comes With A Blackberry User's Email Address, And A Mystery
No, we didn’t accidentally republish yesterday’s post. This is another story of a “new” iPhone with someone else’s email address, and this time there appears to be no simple explanation for it—the address on the phone belonged to a man who lived on the other side of the country and used a Blackberry.
![This 'New' iPhone Comes With Russian Email Address](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/012609-004-iphoneemail2-494.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
This 'New' iPhone Comes With Russian Email Address
It’s bad enough that Victor and his friends were scammed by this AT&T store in Brooklyn, but AT&T has basically told him that they can’t help fix the problem, even though he’s now in another town. Update: Eugene Pikulin says this could have happened innocently when the phone was activated in-store.
![Reach AT&T Landline Executive Customer Service](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/attbuild.jpg?w=158&h=117&crop=1)
Reach AT&T Landline Executive Customer Service
Here’s 2 numbers to reach escalate an AT&T residential problem that regular customer service can’t or won’t fix: 404-362-0021, 866-232-9733. (Photo: genetic.drift)
![Vonage Says "If You Hang Up We'll Cancel Your Account"](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/010909-004-donthangup158.jpg?w=158&h=158&crop=1)
Vonage Says "If You Hang Up We'll Cancel Your Account"
We don’t know what the hell happened with this customer service situation, but somehow the CSR for Vonage decided that when Sarah abruptly hung up on him, she agreed by default to a service cancellation and $92 cancellation fee. That sounds like the kind of angry-CSR “mistake” that can be fixed with a second call—but according to the next CSR Sarah spoke to, that’s just Vonage policy. What?
![Customer Bills Phone Company For Time Wasted, Gets Paid](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/raysoflight.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Customer Bills Phone Company For Time Wasted, Gets Paid
It’s the dream of every angry customer — sending a bill to the company that wasted your time. Well, it’s finally happened.
![AT&T Improves 3G Coverage At The Cost Of EDGE Service](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/attstardestroyer1.jpg?w=158&h=74&crop=1)
AT&T Improves 3G Coverage At The Cost Of EDGE Service
AT&T is encouraging its customers to upgrade to the faster 3G network—by downgrading their older EDGE service.
![Vonage Says Merry Christmas By Raising Rates On Cheapest Plan](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/122608-003-scrooge158.jpg?w=158&h=158&crop=1)
Vonage Says Merry Christmas By Raising Rates On Cheapest Plan
William got an email from Vonage yesterday telling him they’re raising his bill starting in February.
![Verizon Wireless Going Contract-Free Next Week?](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/091708-005-verizoncontractless158.jpg?w=158&h=158&crop=1)
Verizon Wireless Going Contract-Free Next Week?
If the website Boy Genius Report is correct, next week Verizon Wireless will start offering contract-free, month-to-month service. Pretty much everyone will be eligible for it, but of course you’ll have to pay full price for a phone or bring your own, there’ll be an activation fee that can’t be waived, and if you take advantage of any special offers that require a contract, you’ll have to switch over to a contract agreement. It’s supposed to start on September 21st.
![Congress Asks Wireless Carriers To Justify Text Message Rate Increases](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/091008-002-20centtxtmsg158.jpg?w=158&h=158&crop=1)
Congress Asks Wireless Carriers To Justify Text Message Rate Increases
The similar price increases, coming at similar times, Kohl said, “is hardly consistent with the vigorous price competition we hope to see in a competitive marketplace.”