ComplaintsforAppalachian Wireless

• Initial Complaint

  08/04/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We have always had good service with appalachain wireless. When the switch to 5G accured, we were left with no service where we used to receive full bars. When calling customer service, we are dismissed and told there is nothing to be done to fix the service issues. I use my phone for work and can no longer do that.

  

  Business response

  08/11/2023

  I have received the complaint but the phone number provided in the complaint is missing a digit.  In order to further research this account I will need the complete phone number associated with the account.

  Please respond to the complaint with that information and I will update the ticket.

  Thanks

• Initial Complaint

  07/12/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My family and I currently have cell phone service with Appalachian Wireless and have for many years. In January of 2023 they shut down their 3G service and it was replaced with 5G service. Since the change over we no longer get service in areas we use to and as of lately can’t get service anywhere at all hardly. We were asked to bring our devices to have the SIM cards changed and we did that helped for a month or so now we are back to no service. I was told we needed to upgrade our devices my phone is a little more than an year old and I am still under contract for 2 more years. We pay Appalachian Wireless $164 a month to have to use WiFi though our internet provider to make phone calls. My family and I are not the only ones having this issue every one in our area is and some of which have newer devices than ours. In today’s economy it’s hard to go out and buy new phones when the changes were forced up on us by our provider. This has been a on going issue since January I have been polite and respectful with hopes the service would get better but it does not. I have asked if there are plans for new towers and was told yes but none would be beneficial to me. I asked about discounts do to no service I was told no discounts would be given. But enough is enough when you can’t use the service. I am afraid to spend the extra money to get new/newer devices because they can’t promise I won’t have the same issue. I see no point in signing 2 more contracts that I can’t get out of for new devices that will not work either. I have exhausted all my resources to try to resolve this issue but things just aren’t getting any better just worse.

  

  Business response

  07/17/2023

  Please see attached.

  Customer response

  07/17/2023

  
  ********** 20309652
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I up hold the end of my bargain by paying my bill monthly. I do understand the shutdown that took place and why but that’s not the question. Are they planning on replacing the towers they shut down for the 5G to improve service? Why should I have to pay $168 a month for cell service to turn around and use my internet I pay $120 a month for? The WiFi calling may help at home but it doesn’t help our service at work, at the store, or on the road. My husband uses his phone for work as he owns his company. I do understand the upgrading of the devices but why should I upgrade our devices when the only places we can get service is at home or with Wi-Fi? I wouldn’t mind the upgrade if I was assured I would have service. Why would I want to go deeper in debt sign new contracts or buy new phones when I can’t use the ones I have anywhere else other than where I can connect to WiFi? I can’t even use my IPhone 13 away from Wi-Fi without dropping calls and it’s up to date with all the current software. Why should I have to pay them more on a contract for them to give less service?

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *****

  

  Business response

  07/25/2023

  Please see attachment.

• Initial Complaint

  07/07/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Appalachian Wireless was changing to 5G and my husband needed a new phone as his would not be working come first of this year. So he took my phone and I got a new Samsung S22. Appalachian Wireless failed to tell us that the new Samsung S22 would not work until the first of January 2023. When questioned about this they said someone was supposed to tell you. No one did. This is July 2023 and the Samsung phones still do not work. Cannot get calls at home or text messages. They have not resolved this and I need to be able to use my phone for calls and texting. Most of the time there is a no service sign on my phone. I am totally disgusted with Appalachian Wireless. I had supported them for years and told people how good they were but now regret that totally. They should have to replace these phones at no cost if they are not going to work!

  

  Business response

  07/17/2023

  We have spoken with this customer and this has been resolved.

• Initial Complaint

  07/05/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We signed a three year contract in December with Appalachian Wireless and had great service at the time. Our service now is horrible. The company wants us to depend on Wi-Fi calling instead of using towers. They state it’s due to 3g being turned off but other cell phone carriers doesn’t seem to be having that issue. I just feel that if we have to pay for a full service we should be getting full service. It makes it worse when you are into a contract and they will charge you to get out of it.

  

  Business response

  07/06/2023

  Please see attached

• Initial Complaint

  07/05/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  For the past several months I have been paying over $400 a month for a phone service that I can not use. My phone stays in SOS mode all the time and I never have service. I have been forced to switch over to WiFi calling in order to call out on my phone. Ever since Appalachian wireless took their 3G and switched to 5G these issues have been going on. I have talked to the company several times regarding the issue and we could never get to a resolution. I do believe that Appalachian wireless should have to reduce a lot of customers bills because we as customers has had issues since the day they made their switch.

  

  Business response

  07/06/2023

  Please see attached.

• Initial Complaint

  05/31/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Ongoing cellphone contract and since January 2023 ( when 3G service ended) they no longer provide the same service. they have offered no reasonable solutions for my significant serve reduction and no fee reduction, etc in monthly contract fee. I have contacted them twice and was told there’s “nothing they could do” I have tried all their suggested fixes for this situation but none have resolved or improved my service. I continue to pay my usual contract fee and often overage due to their lack of coverage. They get my monthly fee and overage fee.. they have no incentive to correct my (and many others) disruption of service.

  

  Business response

  06/05/2023

  Please see attached

  Customer response

  06/07/2023

   
  Complaint: ********  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  I have done the wi fi calling and it has been ineffective in this situation.  When using wifi calling, our voices are unable to be understood due to excessive break up or sounding like poor audio automated voices.   I was told to utilize airplane mode on my phone so the towers would not be used during calls in an attempt to improve cell service. All places do not have wifi and I am unable to make or complete calls that in the past I could always do. I was also told to be sure all updates on my device is current and to turn my phone off an on to allow updates.  This has also been ineffective..   I can not make or complete calls on route 460 to south US 23 which is necessary due to my employment. The Ivel office, when contacted in May 2023, informed me that AW was looking at installing new towers over the next 1-2 years and in the meantime, there are no plans to help me or current customers during this time.   When I asked to speak to a manager about this situation, I was advised that I could speak to someone else but was they would tell me the exact same information and I was discouraged at the lack of concern and felt as if I had wasted my time as well as my money. I have been an AW customer for many years and until now have been satisfied with my service.  Now, I pay close to $300 each month for cell service through your company for less than half the service I have been accustomed to having. When I inquired about some type of compensation for the lack of service now provided, I was told there no plans to compensate the customers due to the diminished coverage.   My job requires me to have coverage at home and on the road and I have no foreseeable solution with this per your staff.  I would like to be compensated or released from my contract so I can seek another carrier that can accommodate my needs. 
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *******

  

  Business response

  07/11/2023

  We have discussed this with *** *** **** ******* and this can now be closed.  

  Thanks

• Initial Complaint

  05/31/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have recently signed a two year contract with this company and they were to do updates to 5G. I along with many customers have experience low to no service daily. I have contact the company in regards to the issues and they had stated they would have someone come check the issue approx 2 weeks ago and as of now nothing has been done. When I did call the lady informed me that some towers had been turned off permanently and I explained that our service was declining instead of improving. I ask if they would term my contract without prejudice and she said they would not offer that to me. I just don’t feel like they should hold me accountable for paying their bills when I am not receiving the service in which I pay for greatly. I have attached calls that have been dropped while in conversation.

  

  Business response

  06/08/2023

  A Technician from our Technical Team followed up with this customer address this complaint.  

• Initial Complaint

  05/15/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In June 2022 I purchased a 5G Samsung phone and service from Appalachian Wireless. This was an upgrade because they sent me a letter stating that my old phone would no longer receive service because they were upgrading to 5G service and my old phone was a 3G phone My account numbe is 00143337228. When I signed the new contract I got phone service in my house, car, and outside. Now I cannot make or receive phone calls, nor can I text unless I drive to their store and use the phone in the parking lot. This is not what I signed up for. They said the reason for this is their Samsung phones aren't equipped for WiFi calling. I asked about switching to a phone that will do WiFi calling since I no longer get service. They said I would have to buy out this contract, buy a new phone and sign a new contract. I feel they have not honored the terms of the contract by not providing the service I was getting at the time I signed the contract. I have never failed to honor my agreement, I have paid my bill every month and paid it on time. I am paying for services that I am not receiving. I should not have to pay to cancel this contract since Appalachian Wireless is the one who is not living up to the terms of the contract. I am cancelling my service tomorrow. I will have to pay to get out of this contract. I feel, since this is not my fault, they should reimburse me for the cancellation fee. Before this I was a loyal customer for many years and received service at my house. Something they have done has changed the ability of my 5G phone to receive signal in my house. I shouldn't have to pay for services I don't receive and I shouldn't have to pay to cancel a contract that they are not honoring.

  

  Business response

  05/24/2023

  Please see attached

• Initial Complaint

  04/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Appalachian Wireless has been doing some updates in West Liberty, KY. I purchased a new phone on my account in November 2022 and immediately had trouble with signal from the cell towers. The other phones on my account continued to work great. After several months, now all the phones in my house show “SOS” more times than not. I can’t make calls - even though their rep says I should. I’ve brought the issue to their attention and they pretty much just say there’s not going to be any foreseeable changes. I’m paying for a service that just isn’t available.

  

  Business response

  05/02/2023

  Please see attached.

   

  Customer response

  05/05/2023

   
  Complaint* ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I already have WiFi calling turned on as well my emergency address has been listed.  I also maintain all the updates that come to my phone.  So, from direct messages to me, the issue of me not having service remains.  So, it seems logical to me that I (and anyone else with the same issue) should get a portion of the bill taken off.  I receive cell signal part of the time and the other part I don’t.  So, I think reducing my bill in half would be reasonable.  I still have a few to pay for the newest phone purchased on my account, so I don’t want that portion of the bill adjusted, but a reduction in the service fees/costs seems appropriate. 
  

  Another option would be to give me, at no cost from me, unlimited data since I am having to use data more due to the issues of not having signal.  
  
  Sincerely,
  ******* *******

  

  Business response

  05/09/2023

  Please see attached!
  

• Initial Complaint

  04/21/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Attempted to call 911 for medical help on March 28, 2023, 11:59 a.m. They were not able to hear me tell them my location so they tracked me down some how through the computer.

  

  Business response

  05/23/2023

  Please see attached.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩