C Spire Wireless Reviews

Internet/Data specifics: I still use 3G, but--the way I understand it is--.5 Mbps DL and UL both are slow even for that technology. If internet speed is important to you, make sure you ask when you sign up about what you can expect in a 3G connection compared with a 4G one. Then, choose a 4G or 4GLTE phone, if internet speed is important and be set up for it. Basically, if you need it for video (whether that be for work or otherwise) or modern gaming, then you need a REAL 4G internet connection (not one that is advertised to be but throttled down greatly). And they may lie to get your business. Perhaps, you should take a recorder with you; now, that's an idea. 2 out of 5 stars.

Policies: Our phones are under unlimited data plans. As with most, tethering (using your phone's internet for PC) requires a plan and I'm not sure they have one. I've looked online to see their pricing for tethering, but have yet to find one. If they don't have one, this will be a problem for me. Without a plan, they charge $10 or $20 for 1GB of tethering. I can't remember which. In order to update the modern PC operating system and its program files (AN INVALUABLE INTERNET SERVICE), it may require far more data than that. Then, you may need it for video use as a work-at-home opportunity, talking to relatives, and/or have kids into videos/gaming, etc.

Thanks be to God that you don't need tethering to download or save files, there are Apps and browsers that do this (may require unlimited data). Still, as you can see, tethering for the necessary things can quickly add up to 10 or more GBs (if you reside in a rural setting and have trouble getting an ISP worthy of note)! Which could add up to $200 or more to your phone bill--if there is no plan! I reside in very rural MS and have run out of options for PC internet except for scam copies like AT&T, Dishnet, DirecTV, HughesNet, Exede, unpopular scam companies, etc. Almost all have scathing reviews across the board!

Tethering has become the only option for me that I can see. And C SPIRE might not have a plan. And we're under contract! If tethering is or could be important to you in the near future, make sure they have a tethering plan that meets your needs at a price that you can afford. I rate C SPIRE'S POLICIES a 2.5 out of 5 stars, because (at least) they do have unlimited plans at a pretty fair price.

Verdict: Better for phone calls (5 rating) than Internet and not too bad with internet (2.5 rating average), either. We've never had to call CS; it's very user-friendly and "sturdy"! I would recommend C SPIRE--if you need both phone and internet (or want it very badly) after asking the above internet questions that you are satisfied.

So, my wife returns to CSpire where the rep agrees that we do have insurance and he will help handle the warranty claim. Well Great, not quite! The phone is replaced and now two months later I receive a email stating that the damage was not covered under warranty and they will be my account $79.00 for the repair. HMMM??? The money isn't so important. I will pay the charge. However look at CSPIRE. I feel as though you have damaged our trust, yours as a company, and mine as a consumer. I will be dropping all non-required charges such as insurance and apple care. Programs just don't work to the consumer’s advantage. Also did I fail to mention my contract is about to expire, and I will be researching your replacement. Thank you.

Self-support is fine but they need to flexible and make sure their website is adequate for self-support. I have too many issues with C Spire to bore people with the details here. My point is that they used to be good but now they aren't. I need better coverage for travelling and have tolerated C Spire's limitations because of loyalty to a local homegrown company but now that their business goals are changing, it's time for me to change services and at least get better coverage when travelling.

I explained to rep I was 7 hours away from my son on a work trip and I needed his phone replaced... Well no go and she said it's real easy to do online - NO, the problems go on... I had to wait until I arrived home to a real computer and do claim. I had the phone being sent to my sons girlfriends work address. Well guess what - they messed that up too!! Now the phone is at my old address that is an hour from me and an hour from my son. So I will have to drive because nobody contacted me about the address with ups and the delivery. I could go on and on and on. I would drop them over this and the fact they scammed all of us who should have been grandfathered into unlimited data etc. They have the best signal service where I work so I am stuck. Long time disappointed customer!!! Let someone else come along with better service and I'm done.

So, what was the outcome. It was not time for my upgrade and I was forced to upgrade my phone and they moved me from my two year contract that I had been on for 10 years due to no fault of my own and I still had to spend out of pocket another $200.00 plus. Being a single mother I must say $200.00 is not easy to come by so imagine $400.00 yes that is what you all have gotten from me. Not to say that the employees do not care but I must say not even the owner or VP. It seems to me is that C Spire is ripping people off and forcing them to be in contracts and purchase phones. It surprises me that a big company such as C Spire does not have onsite technicians for problems with phones that they send out instead they say just buy a new one.

That is their way of problem resolution after customers pay insurance every month and then on top of that paid $199.00 for insurance deductible for a phone that did not work 2 months. I was not able to use my phone for over 3 days, which was a loss of 3 days of business and money and to go into the store and have to spend more money was unacceptable. The store manager was willing to do all he could to rectify the situation, however, the Esecuritel people were not helpful at all and did not care. Which is another problem because I have been paying for this insurance for 10 years and to see that it is not good makes me wonder why does C Spire still contract with them when they are obviously causing more problems with their customers than assisting them.

I called Customer Service to ask a few questions because I'm comparing providers to try to cut costs even though I have been a loyal C-Spire customer since its "birth" as Cellular South. When I would ask a question or try to make a statement, the customer representative would literally talk over me. When I stopped talking she stopped talking. When I didn't say anything she would ask if I was still there. I asked her why should I talk if she was going to continuously interrupt and talk over me. I asked the representative where she was located and she stated, "Houston." I'm thinking, "Ok, that state is still in the South so I can't use that as an excuse for her being being rude."

Back to my point... There have been very few times outside of the actual C-Spire store located in my town that I have had good customer service over the phone with a C-Spire representative. C-Spire representatives need more training with their verbal skills, not just scripted information, knowledge of products and services (which includes fees and taxes), and above all how to treat a customer no matter how aggravating that customer may be.

Before ordering I called the customer service and not trusting C Spire I wanted to know that if I did not like the phone I ordered could I return it and I was told, "Yes you have 14 days". I received the phone. Did not like it. Did not use it at all and am now told that no returns on prepay phones! Are you serious??? They lied to me? Well come to find out I can return it all right as long as I trade it for a different phone, no getting my money back!!

I called customer service back and was told at first that I could return it under 14 days but then later they told me no that I could not. Have they gotten so low that they have to use trickery now? On top of that I really did not need to buy a phone because once I pay my fee my phone is mine to keep and I can use it on a prepay no contract $40 a month plan unless they are lying again. Do not trust anything they tell you and read the fine print. Whatever it costs I am getting away from this company and oh I almost forgot to mention that they let someone purchase over $3000.00 worth of equipment and add it to my plan? Notify me no! My phone quit working and I went in to find out whoever did this. Had my phone cut off and they let them. They credited my account back but since then my bill went up and they will or cannot tell me why! So avoid C Spire if possible!!

I now have to buy streaming time every few weeks with my same Unlimited Plan. When I was at the store with other issues, they would take the charges off but now, I can't afford to go up there and spend 2 hours to correct the problem so my monthly 90ish bill is now 120ish. Manager at the store, worthless and unfocused. PITIFUL but nice. Actually, all of the employees that I've dealt with were pleasant. That does not make a good company, sadly. Follow through (Kelvin/manager) could help. After 3 hours on my last visit, he was going to call me with a result on Monday. Never heard from him. That's when I mentally, monetarily and physically could not take the crud from them any longer. Now that my phone has suddenly turned black screen, it looks like I will shut my business down again and spend more time at C SPIRE this holiday week... To no avail, again I am certain.

Get a pen. Write it down: NO C SPIRE. I paid a shut load for the phone, joined into a contract (again), know every employee by name, spent more time at C Spire than my own business, no results, no phone working, paying 15/20 more even though I have unlimited everything plan for over 7 years. STAY AWAY FROM C SPIRE AND SAMSUNG GALAXY 6. Yes, screaming it. I could add images off all my appointment cards with C Spire and my bills, BUT I would need a phone to do that.

While going thru the settings, I notice the mobile carrier is Cspire. I call, speak to customer service. She tells me the phone has delinquent charges therefore, Cspire cannot release its hold and I hear her utter "stolen." I speak to her supervisor at my request, his name is Solomon. He tells me he cannot release the phone because of a 2 year contract and delinquent funds. I inform him, "that is not my son's problem because he purchased this in good faith. You know who has the contract, you should be going after them."

Solomon insinuates my son may have stolen the phone. I asked for his last name and Solomon said he doesn't have one and he told me to look it up at Cspire.com, I couldn't find the address. I told him "We live in Wisconsin, how in the hell would my disabled son travel to Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana or wherever you are located to steal a phone? I want to mail the phone to you." Mr. Solomon began to laugh and told me to mail the phone to eBay. I told him he was an insensitive SOB, laughing at my disabled son. I told him I had him on speaker phone and my husband heard him making fun of my son because he purchased a phone on eBay that is no good. I was so angry.

Then Solomon tried to change the story. I told him I thought someone at Cspire would be compassionate because my son does not understand why this phone does not work and he spends all his money trying to get this phone to work. He told me he was laughing at eBay. I told Solomon I was going to go and put this on social media, his indifference to the handicaps and how he laughed at them. I told Solomon, my entire conversation has been about my son trying to get this phone to work then I gave the phone to my husband who informed Solomon he has said enough and this conversation is going nowhere. My son purchased this phone from eBay 1.5 years ago approximately.

We clearly were not the only ones taken aback by her ridiculous behavior. There were other customers that she was helping, and the looks on their faces were not much different than ours. She seemed to offer terrible and unprofessional service all around. When the new salesrep (helping us for the day) called her back over to ask a question, she snapped at him and rudely and loudly asked him why he'd called her over. Now, I am not going to try make my family sound perfect. We were trying to fix an incorrect change to our plan (the mistake committed by supervisor **). We were a little bothered, but calm and cooperative. I am shocked and disgusted by the behavior of this supervisor, and I think something needs to be done of it.

My FIRST QUESTION was "can I have service with you if I live in Birmingham." "ABSOLUTELY yes," was the answer. I even asked again to be sure... No problem... I then spent a good while discussing my needs and felt that all my question had been answered to my satisfaction. Called back the next day to check on a few other questions. Once again, I felt like I had found just what I needed. I called back again on Saturday to "get the ball rolling" and become a Cspire customer. The rep and I worked to get a game plan for me to be able to port over my number, purchase a phone and have a seamless move over to your company without any loss of service.

At that time, I was ask to provide my SSN. Having been a credit fraud victim, I would have never given it to anyone unless I planned to do business with them. I figured with a 820 Beta I might be able to get a phone. I now have a new "hit" that will last a year... Thanks SOOOOO much for that! Anyway, I was told that the number could not be ported on Saturday so I was going to be called back on Monday at approximately 8AM to finish the process. I never got the callback, go figure... Anyway, at about 1 PM I called YOU back and was put on hold for so long that I had time to memorize the words to the song "Respect" that played over and over again until I gave up and disconnected the call.

At about 2 PM I called again and was told that I could not have service because I was out of your service area!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for wasting a week of my time! Why not educated your reps to know the facts up front before you have customers, who REALLY DID DESIRE to be a customer, waste their time and efforts. It cost me hours to find that you guys are no better that any of the rest of the phone companies out there. So, thanks for nothing. PS... how about working to remove that unnecessary credit hit.

I called CSpire to inquire and was told that is the phone number for my IPad. I am being charged an activation fee and a monthly data usage charge, neither of which I was told about at the time I received the IPad. A manager at CSpire told me on the phone that I signed for this. I told him that yes I signed, but she never told me about a monthly charge and led me to believe the IPad data was part of my cell phone data usage. He said I could not return the IPad because it has been over 30 days. I told him that had I been aware of these charges I would never have taken the IPad in the first place, and I could have returned it to the store had I known, but I am just not received the bill. He explained the bill was generated the 25th of February. I just received it yesterday.

I have been a long time customer of CSpire. I am angry that I was misled and now I am unable to return the IPad to the store just because it is a few days past the 30 days, only because I am just now receiving the bill and aware of these charges. I am not under a contract with them and seriously considering changing my service to AT&T.

Also, there is no one of knowing how you speak with so therefore there is no true accountability for the company to take action among these representatives doing bad business. Above all these representatives talked over me and would not let me explain the situation since there weren't any notes and they forwarded me about three times and I felt like a broken record because when I was forwarded the people transferring me never gave details about what my call was about. All in all I spent over an hour of my time so that now I am awaiting a phone call from C Spire Corporate and we shall see if they have any notes on my account after I was told they will have for anyone who services my account when I call them for help... What is wrong? Why can't people take pride in their job and be grateful that they have a job and treat customers with respect and care... especially when we are the ones that is their lifeline as paying customers? OK... now I am done.

For the next few weeks, I was calling post offices, FedEx, etc., trying to locate the phone. Today, on 12-15-12, I called again. Now they are saying that the charges are because the port was damaged on the phone. The warranty was filed online, and when asked if there was any damage to the phone, it was checked "no" because there was not any damage to the phone. Once again, they are changing their story. If they're saying the port was damaged, they had to have received the phone. How can the port have been damaged when the C Spire employee transferred the data from the old phone to the new one?

I'm tired of being lied to. They have not returned my money. I had a claim filed today so they can look into the matter. This is not satisfactory. They are making up lies as they go along, and customers have to pay for their crap. The person who helped me today said that they can always say that the phone was not returned in the time frame allowed or come with something else. This is no way to run a business, and I'm sure there are more customers out there with the same circumstances.

This phone is horrible. It drops call all the time and calls voicemail while I'm on phone. I have called every day to complain but I was told there's nothing they could do. I can't upgrade and get a Desire phone, which is what I paid for. I truly think they are just trying to stick customers with these cheap phones. I need help. This phone is no good to me.

I then called Cell South to file a complaint. Derrick told me that he will contact the escalation team and someone from the management would call me within 24-48 hours. He also promised to send me a battery. A week later, I received no contact from the management regarding the complaint. I never received the battery too. I called back and asked for supervisor. The supervisor, Webster, gave me his personal cellphone number and promised to send a battery. Another week passes and still no battery. I called again and spoke with supervisor Brandon ** who promised that he would email me with the tracking number and send a battery. Now, five days have passed and, again, I have not received a battery.

I called them back today (August 23, 2011) and I finally spoke with Glendora in customer care unit after I chose "cancel your phone service" on the option selections. I told her that I wanted to file a complaint and cancel all three phones. She said that the problem with the battery issue was that the company could not find a battery since the Motorola RAZR phones are no longer sold and are discontinued. I was told that a manager at the Southaven store would be called first thing on Wednesday morning and will be ordered to give me a new phone which is comparable to the phone I currently have. I hope that this includes a working battery.

Their solution was for me to pay for the most expensive mifi plan, the 5g package, even after I asked if I could sign up for the 1gb package (the cheapest). After emailing and talking to several people that admitted they had falsely advertised the product, in the end, they gave me a $25 credit. I guess that is to keep them from legal action on my side so they could always say they compensated me.

I signed up for the 1,400 plan, added the Free Add On offer to all lines along with the Free Voice mail which was advertised the same way as an Add On with selection and had no issues. Until months later, when CellSouth suddenly started charging for the free service. I complained but they only told me I could pay the monthly charge or change plans, they refused to honor the offer. I gave up, changed to the 700 minute plan, signed up again for the Free Add On offer for All lines, the main line plus the Add-A-Lines and in 1 1/2 years. I've had the Free service with no issues even through account upgrades, etc.

If it was a "site error", I am sure someone would have noticed it during that time. My account was fine until July 2010. On 07-16, I purchased a new phone at full price (no contract extension) for one of our share lines in the Hattiesburg, MS Hwy 98 Store location where they transferred the number from the old phone to the new phone with no account changes and I had no issues with anything. However, on 07-23, my husband purchased a new phone for the main line in Columbia, MS and also asked to just to switch the number to the new phone with no account changes and no contract extension but the store rep messed up the process so the Columbia store Manager changed my account.

This was done without calling me for authorization even though the account is only listed in my name, not my husband's. The Manager then switched the plan without being asked to do so from the main Family Share connected with our other lines to a Text and Talk plan.We called in on 07-24/25 to be told the account would be corrected back exactly as before - no extra charges. It went back to the 700 Minute Share plan but I was billed again for the Free Add On of Mobile Web, Text and Picture Messaging for one line even though I had not had to pay it before. So, it was not reset back the way it was as promised. After no email reply - when I could get an email sent to CellSouth around site errors and undeliverable email responses - I called again. Representative Brittany told me this was a known issue with the promotional offer that was made on the plan types I had signed up for but CellSouth had since realized the system was charging for the promo plan in error and could reset the account back to the free promo offer.

Per Brittany, I could possibly even have my plan reset to the original 1,400 Minute Family Share plan with the Free Add-On offer as CellSouth was aware that it was a system error charging me when I had the promo offer originally that should not have been charged. I clarified clearly for the recorded call what she was telling me. Once again, my account was not corrected so I contacted CellSouth many more times to be told I had to pay for that Free Service and nothing would be corrected or reimbursed. So, the site had false advertising, allowed me twice, months apart, to set up a free service. I'm now being told was not free and I have been getting conflicting answers from representatives.

I have tried filing a BBB Complaint but Cellular South still refused to admit their part in this or correct my account citing only a "Site Error" that allowed me to sign up for something I should have been able to sign up for - twice, several months apart. This was in spite of my knowing that someone else has the same service I had previously and they signed up through a CellSouth representative, not through the website as I had done. I have asked for Cellular South to provide me with a printed copy of the verbiage on the website at the time I signed up for this service to prove that the verbiage was not the same verbiage that is currently used on the site for this offer but they will only quote what is currently showing on the site. I have asked for my account to be reset by being "dated back" to the service applied prior to the Store representative accessing my account without authorization and starting this entire issue as was offered so I can continue keeping the service at the promotional free offer. Instead, the only offer I have received to date is to credit 3 months of the $39 monthly fee. I am now being charged for the free service and be stuck paying for it from here on out or Cellular South will release me from my 4 contracts and leave us stuck with nothing. I have only asked for the same service I was receiving prior to this issue at the same price prior to this issue with no monthly fee. I am not asking for additional compensation, just what was originally offered to me!

So, I went online to submit a warranty claim. When I got to the part about being charged a fee if no problem is found, I trusted this company and had no worries. So, I submitted a claim. I received the new phone and had to call them because this phone had a damaged clip where the battery cover goes. I was told they don't ship out phones with damage and it had to have happened when I got the phone. So, I was stuck with it. Two weeks later, this phone got to where it wouldn't cut on at all. So, since I can't get it cut on, I submit another warranty claim.

So, September 8, 2010, I receive a letter from cellular south that I'm going to be charged $75 dollars (although I also have insurance) because nothing was found with the first phone. I call cellular south, go through two managers and a supervisor and I'm told basically, tough luck. Since I trusted them and checked the agree box when I submitted my warranty, I am liable and they won't remove it. So, when I send this next phone off, I'm going to be charged for the battery cover latch that was broken when I got it. This is the most unbusinesslike and unethical business I've ever seen. I'm not working, I have one kid in college, two more at home, and it’s all we can do to pay the bills. But now I have to pay a company $150.00 dollars in all because they don't know how to take care of their customers. I'm going to go back to AT&T as soon as I can because one thing about them is they have great customer service. But, unfortunately, it will be in two years when my contract is up with this ridiculous excuse for a cell phone company.

I immediately placed my old battery in the third phone because my old phone had been malfunctioning for weeks. The third phone worked for less than 24 hours. Because of my work schedule, I took the phone in to the local office about a week later. I was told that the phone was liquid damaged because there was a pink strip on the back of the phone.

I assured the sales rep. that the phone was in the exact same condition that I received it in from their company a week earlier and that the phone had in no way come into contact with any liquid while in my possession. I was told that there was nothing they could do, the warranty would not be honored because of the pink strip which indicated liquid damage. I explained to the sales rep. that the replacement phone was sent to me in a defective condition and as such I should not be held accountable for their company's mishap.

After speaking to a manager and supervisor, I was told they would not give me a concession of any kind and I would simply have to purchase a new phone. Cellular South refused to honor their warranty agreement and further refused to acknowledge that it was their fault for sending me a defective replacement phone. The rep. did state that there was no way for them to determine if the phone incurred damage before I receive it or after, nevertheless, it was too bad for me because there was nothing they could do.

This is warranty fraud. This company does not act in good faith in dealing with its customers and only seeks to advance the monetary interests of there establishment. Needless to say, I switched carriers and have reported them to the the Better Business Bureau. I will continue to seek rectification of this matter simply because I feel strongly that it is unacceptable for "big business" to take advantage of defenseless consumers. Cellular South informed me that if I chose to switch carriers I would be charged a hefty fee for early termination. Switching carriers and having to purchase a new phone was extremely costly; not to mention the significant about of time taken from work to try and address this issue.

Now the answer I keep getting from the company is we can't fix the problem. They sure can charge me for the service I'm not getting though. I've been assured they're working on my problem, but if you search 403 forbidden cellular south on Google, you`ll find that people have had this problem since 2008 at least. I'm so sick of paying for a service that I'm not getting. We use our phone for internet, phone, everything. Now I'm having to drive to the library and use their internet or my moms house. 6 months worth of driving. I`m still paying for the internet service on my phone because we have a year left on our contract.

Finally, talked with Jennifer ** in email and was told that they didn't offer insurance in Florida until March and they added it effective 5/2009. She suggested I pay $75 for another phone to continue service, meanwhile I have no phone working for 2 weeks while paying over $100 per month. I still have no service and received a canned letter from her that her managers concluded they could give me no concession on a new phone so I went on line and paid the $192 I owed and looked at getting a new phone. I am 6 months from a new contract and in order to get a new phone it looks like it will cost me at minimum 100 dollars for the phone plus a start a new contract fee of $140 or several hundred dollars for a phone.

This is the same phone they are giving away free to new customers. I told her that it makes me a feel a bit like the new commercial where one child does without the ice cream cone while a new child gets a big one because she is newer than the other. What's up with that? This company does not appreciate long term customers as I have been with them for years. I have all the possible monthly services and don't even use them, just like to know that I have them. This company is unethical in that they fail to provide good customer service and have no understanding allowing me to continue paying a bill with no phone. I still don't have an answer from her about what I can do. I suppose if I am fortunate enough for her to offer me the refurbished junk phone at $75 again, I'll have to take it or pay outrageous fees and perhaps be stuck with their service again for another 2 yrs. It's just not right that they think they have such a monopoly. How can they continue business treating old reliable customers in that fashion? Do they get enough new business or do they just not care?

I've perhaps been without a phone for at least $200 worth of service time which they offer no recourse. I'm still without a phone without spending another fortune and my family can't reach me at all which is why I originally got the phone. I want to do whatever I can to keep phone companies from having that kind of leverage on people. The United States should not be a place where you can get ripped off so readily. I would rather pay an attorney than continue to pay them.

I returned to the store and explained that I did not trust the quality of the phone and that I would rather have something else. As the clerk was explaining what was going on to another person (possibly a manager), I heard her say," It's another one of those bad Nokia phones." Instead of the giving me another Nokia phone, they gave me a Motorola flip phone, which was supposed to be a better phone. However, it had fewer features than the Nokia phone I had purchased. They had also charged me a fee of $16.00 to "upgrade". On May 1, 2010, I upgraded my service to a data plan so my wife could get one of the new 3G phones.

When I couldn't activate the web feature on the Motorola phone, I returned to the Cellular South office for some assistance. It was at this time when I discovered that I had been "upgraded" with not only a cheaper phone, but also a "refurbished" phone. This phone had software problems and could not access the web. It was eventually replaced with a working phone but only after I contacted the company on their website and had to miss work for a complete day in order to be at home to sign for it when it was delivered by UPS. This day of work cost me nearly $600.00. When I contacted the company about all the problems, I got nowhere.

I received my normal monthly statement from Cellular South online for the period of February 5 through March 4 in the amount of $387. The normal monthly statement on average is $89 a month. I went to our local office and told my story to two different people and then asked to speak to the manager. He looked at my account and said that the charge was because my account had either four or five months left on it. It was a contract and there was nothing he could do.

As I stated to him, common sense is that nobody in their right mind would change carriers and pay that kind of money. Before this incident, we had been totally happy with Cellular South. And why would we leave them and go with a company we knew very little about? Bottom line to me is this--I believe that they purposely do this to people!

Changing carriers is not an easy, nor cheap endeavor. There has to be a way that when one carrier is dropping another carrier, that they (new carrier) are told that this customer is still under contract. If this one simple step could be taken, this would not have happened to us and it would not happen to other people in the future. This does not take a rocket scientist to figure out--just common sense and wanting to protect your customers.

The money is an issue because of the tough economic times. But more than the money is the principle. One step could be included when one carrier is dropping another carrier and that would be to inform the customer that their contract is still being enforced. I feel that I have been misinformed and taken advantage of. Thank you.