The following is an e-mail authored by Richard Kuzma to Cingular Wireless L.L.C. and forwarded to me. Perhaps something can be worked out for this man in view of this unusual situation.
“After serving six weeks in Louisiana with my Military Police unit, I’ve come home to an astounding and unexpected cell-phone bill. (Astounding due to the cost, unexpected because my wife and I thought we were covered with regards to the area I was in). During this time of great need so many of us have done our part, I put my life and school in Michigan on hold so that I could do my duty. As a sergeant in a military police company, I was stationed at one of the largest Red Cross shelters in U.S. history (located in Monroe, La.). My fellow soldiers and I provided safety and security to the evacuees who lost the most during the flooding in New Orleans. …
“I have heard about the generosity Cingular has extended to those in the areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina. This is one way Cingular is doing its part to help. I also have heard of the generosity Cingular has extended to all those in the areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina in order to do their part to help.
“My life and that of my family also has been greatly affected by the hurricane. It is to this cause which I write. The significant charges I have incurred with your company occurred because I was answering the need of others while still attending to the needs of my family in Michigan. To pay the sum in full, I would be handing Cingular my entire six weeks’ pay. Please keep in mind that my family did not receive my usual working salary during my deployment. It is my hope that Cingular will extend their relief efforts to me and my family by relieving us of our …unprecedented bill.
“I have spoken to several individuals in the Cingular customer-service chain, but the situation has not been resolved to my satisfaction. This includes a much-needed credit toward the outstanding fees incurred and answers to a few questions I have about my bill. Perhaps you can clarify for me: From the period Sept. 6 to Oct. 5, I was making all calls from the same 17-acre facility in Louisiana. Why then are some of my calls listed as rate code DFMR but a majority as ROAM? The ROAM calls are those that have inflated my bill unreasonably. My wife and I even made it a point to call at night and on weekends so as to not go over our 600 shared daytime minutes. You can imagine our shock when I returned home … and found a $1,800-plus statement. It wasn’t the homecoming I was hoping for.
“I would like to be a Cingular customer for life, but if an incident like this can’t be resolved to my satisfaction I simply can’t be.”
