Get ready for CTIA, and your questions answered

Q: My Sprint bill has been showing charges for data transmission for the last two months, but I haven't been using any services. I use Mobile Action's Handset Manager and its USB cable to transfer photos or ring tones directly between my phone and PC, so there is no airtime involved. How can Sprint charge me for that?
—Bob

A: You're correct, Bob. Since you're using the Handset Manager, you're not using any airtime, so there's no way Sprint should charge you for this. Beyond an outright billing error by Sprint (yes, carriers make mistakes), there are a couple of explanations for the charges.

It could be that the Web-browser button is accidentally pressed when you're carrying the phone in your pocket or in a bag. Candy bar phones are especially susceptible to this problem, but you can get around it by locking the keys on your handset. It's also possible that someone is using your phone without your knowledge. Do you have any young children in the house? Also, do you send any text or multimedia messages? If so, they can show up as data charges on a bill, in addition to any wireless Web-browsing time. I'd encourage you to call Sprint and ask specifically what the data charges are for. If you didn't use any of those features, then insist that the charges be removed.

Q: I have a Nokia 6102 with Cingular that I bought several months ago. I like it, but I'm not so happy with Cingular's service. I recently moved, and coverage in my new area isn't as strong. If possible, I'm hoping to switch to T-Mobile, as I've heard its coverage is better where I live. Plus, I'd love to get a Motorola Pebl. The trouble is I still have about six months left on my Cingular contract. Is there any way I can switch without having to pay the penalty fee? I know I can always get an unlocked Pebl, but I'd really like to leave Cingular.
—Brenda

A: Before you get too excited about T-Mobile, I'd caution to try the service first. Ask to borrow a friend's T-Mobile phone and try making calls in various places in your house and your neighborhood. If you're happy with the coverage, then I would think about switching.

Unfortunately, carriers usually don't budge when it comes to breaking a contract without a fee. This is especially troublesome in situations such as yours, in which you move to an area without adequate coverage. As I said last month, if Cingular reserves the right in its contract to "terminate this agreement at any time without notice if we cease to provide service in your area," you should certainly have the same prerogative.

If fighting with Cingular doesn't work, there is another option. The Cell Trade USA Web site offers dissatisfied contract holders an opportunity to trade their contract and phone with someone else while keeping your number. So, for example, you could find a T-Mobile customer looking for Cingular service and trade with them. To start the process, you need to go to the company's Web site to fill out a profile. Although it's free to register initially, you'll pay $19.99 if you want to approach anyone for a trade. You will, however, avoid the carrier's contract termination. Cell Trade doesn't make the actual switch (it just provides a forum for doing so), so you'll still need to work with carriers.

While I've never used Cell Trade and I can't guarantee the company's services, I think it's a great idea. Contracts are good for carriers, but they don't give much freedom to customers. After all, carriers are always trying to best each other with cheaper plans, flashier phones, and more services. Customers should have more opportunities to be discriminating shoppers. Surprisingly, the major carriers accept contract trades (they don't gain a customer, but they don't lose one either), but it's not often you have someone sitting around, willing to take over for you.

Q: In August 2004, a friend who works for Sprint signed us up for a shared-minutes plan with three phones. I told her that we wanted to go for only one year with Sprint, and she said she'd take care of it all. We never signed or even saw a contract, yet Sprint representatives are insisting that it was a two-year contract and that no signatures for contracts are needed. Is a verbal agreement all they need? I've asked them to fax me a copy of my contract, but they won't do it. Do you have any suggestions?
—Debbie

A: This person is a friend, you say? From the sound of it, she didn't do you any favors. I don't think I'm off base when I say that cell phone contracts, like any other written contracts, require a signature. Even when you fill out a Sprint contract online, you are given the chance to view the document, print it out, and give what amounts to an online signature. So although she may have been well intentioned, your friend messed up. Two-year contracts with Sprint are the norm, and you should always get a written document as proof of the contract agreement. It sounds like Sprint is trying to push you around on this one, so I would recommend pressing your case as hard as you can. At the end of the day, if you can't get Sprint to work with you, by all means, file a complaint with the FCC.