I want to like T-Mobile, but I'm in the middle of the US with access to 100+ Mbps Internet but no T-Mobile signal in my house. T-Mobile is pushing itself hard in my area, but they just don't have the coverage.
I emailed the CEO of T-Mobile and he killed my contract
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Re: I emailed the CEO of T-Mobile and he killed my contract
#22The title seemed negative to me (I thought he complained and the CEO said "we're done with you!"). But really, the T-Mobile CEO was helping -- the author wanted out of his contract (well, out of the $200 fee). (EDIT: The original title was "I emailed the CEO of T-Mobile and he killed my contract, no joke")
Yes, this is one of those cases where the HN mod(s) should have made some editorial tweaks to the title.
Re: I emailed the CEO of T-Mobile and he killed my contract
#23Well this is nice of T-Mobile and shows they do somewhat care about customer service. I can chime in and add my experience with the English (American?) division of T-Mobile: they responded to a mention at a social network while I was not even really meaning to ask them a question, I merely mentioned them. The Dutch division is not as great, but oh well.
Still, I'd say it's how it's supposed to be. In the Netherlands it'd be illegal to upgrade contracts like this. You can't start charging more without giving the user an option to quit the contract for free (or continue the old contract for the old price). Also after the contract period (one or two years), consumers have a right to cancel the contract each month, also for free.
Re: I emailed the CEO of T-Mobile and he killed my contract
#24The title seemed negative to me (I thought he complained and the CEO said "we're done with you!"). But really, the T-Mobile CEO was helping -- the author wanted out of his contract (well, out of the $200 fee). (EDIT: The original title was "I emailed the CEO of T-Mobile and he killed my contract, no joke")
I had to think about it for a second. You're meant to read it like "killing something is bad, but contracts are bad, so killing a contract is good."
Although it'd be perfectly valid to use "contract" as a metonym for "service" or "account", people don't tend to; the contract is just the evil thing binding you to pay for your account, and doesn't get mentally associated (by most consumers) with the service itself. So killing a contract is wholly good.
But forcing people to go through a thought-process like this to figure out what is meant is bad "communications-design UX", and the editor could probably have come up with something clearer.
Re: I emailed the CEO of T-Mobile and he killed my contract
#25We live in a world were people feel entitled to bring their little contractual issues all the way up to the CEO of a company with over 30 MM customers. So you either believe a) you're above those other 30 MM and can just do your CEO 1:1s if need be or b) you foolishly believe that the CEO of a major corp has the time and willingness to deal with customer support for 30 Million people. Just wow
People would email Steve Jobs all the time. This isn't a new thing. Before the Internet CEOs would get letters.
Yep. Back in the PCs Limited days I wrote Michael Dell an appreciative letter for some out-of-warranty customer service I'd received. Got a nice acknowledgement letter back from a VP. That little exchange indirectly earned Dell a lot of business from my employer in later years when we dumped HP and were casting about for a new desktop provider.
Re: I emailed the CEO of T-Mobile and he killed my contract
#26We live in a world were people feel entitled to bring their little contractual issues all the way up to the CEO of a company with over 30 MM customers. So you either believe a) you're above those other 30 MM and can just do your CEO 1:1s if need be or b) you foolishly believe that the CEO of a major corp has the time and willingness to deal with customer support for 30 Million people. Just wow
People are just people. CEO is not special.
Re: I emailed the CEO of T-Mobile and he killed my contract
#27I want to like T-Mobile, but I'm in the middle of the US with access to 100+ Mbps Internet but no T-Mobile signal in my house. T-Mobile is pushing itself hard in my area, but they just don't have the coverage.
If you're willing to use a T-Mobile branded phone rather than your own phone, T-Mobile has wifi calling available.
Alternatively, if you can get any signal at all, anywhere in your house, you can get a signal booster; you can either buy one yourself from Cel-Fi, or T-Mobile will give you one with a two-year contract.
Re: I emailed the CEO of T-Mobile and he killed my contract
#28Article/blog post (whatever it is) reads like a PR article, which it probably is.
Re: I emailed the CEO of T-Mobile and he killed my contract
#29Reporter: For $200, I will write a nice article about you. CEO: Deal
That is really what this whole thing is about. Nothing more, nothing less.
Re: I emailed the CEO of T-Mobile and he killed my contract
#30Well this is nice of T-Mobile and shows they do somewhat care about customer service. I can chime in and add my experience with the English (American?) division of T-Mobile: they responded to a mention at a social network while I was not even really meaning to ask them a question, I merely mentioned them. The Dutch division is not as great, but oh well. Still, I'd say it's how it's supposed to be. In the Netherlands…
They didn't start charging more. Telecom companies pull some shady tricks with plans and billing, but increasing the monthly fee without notice part way through your contract is not one of them.
He signed a contract for some period of time, and it wasn't up yet. After it was up, he would have had the option of one of the new plans, or switching providers, just like everyone else does.