Cell phone service isn't perfect, and to be honest, with some companies, it can be downright terrible. Complaining about your cell phone service however, doesn't always get you the results you're hoping for.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mandates that any person who feels wronged by their cell phone company should be able to complain and have their case looked at. If your cell phone company isn't helping, you can submit your complaint directly to the FCC's Consumer and Government Affairs Bureau. It's actually a simple process. You just go online, fill out a few forms, and voilá! Your complaint is filed.
Unfortunately for you however, that complaint you filed won't always end in you getting any compensation. FCC complaints are usually fairly effective, but maybe you do not yet want to file a full government complaint. See our guide to filing complaints if you are ready!
Another strategy is to talk directly to your cell phone carrier - yet at the customer service department, your complaint can just as easily fall on deaf ears.
So what does a savvy consumer do? Go directly to the top.
A surprisingly effective way of complaining about your cell phone service, is to write a letter to the CEO of your cell phone company. It's easier than it sounds.
You can search online for the office of the CEO or the "office of executive service." The addresses aren't usually that difficult to find (in fact, we've included a few of them at the bottom of this article.) Then, you'll just need to draft a short and polite letter that details your problem and asks for help with a speedy resolution.
Not sure where to start? You can use this sample letter to a CEO to get you going:
Dear _________,
I am writing to you as a loyal ___[Insert Cell Phone Company Name]___ customer, looking for assistance with my ________[insert product or plan]________.
I have been a customer since ____[insert year]_____, and I've always been happy with my service. However, on ______[insert date]_____ I signed up for a new ___[plan]___ ____[over the phone, at X store, online,etc]_____, and have been experiencing products. I have attached the receipt of the purchase here.
[detail the problem you are experiencing, here]
I understand that you're busy and your time, just like mine, is extremely valuable. I would love to get this issue resolved as soon as possible, and I greatly appreciate your help in this matter.
I hope this reaches you and I do not have to proceed with a FCC complaint, as I have been a happy customer up until this point. I look forward to your reply.
Thank you in advance,
_____[insert your full name, phone number, and account number]__________
Here's some CEO contact information for some of the bigger cell phone carriers (updated as of February 26, 2019)
CEO Contact Information:
Writing a letter to Sprint CEO
Sprint President and CEO: Marcelo Claure
Email: marcelo.claure@sprint.com
Sprint Senior Vice President, Sales Channel Strategy & Operations: Tracy Nolan
Email: Tracy.Nolan@sprint.com
Sprint Vice President Customer Service: Elise Manzo
Email: Elise.p.Manzo@sprint.com
Writing a letter to Verizon CEO
Verizon Headquarters 140 W. St. New York, NY 10007
Executive Contacts
Primary Contact
John G. Stratton
Executive Vice President and President of Operations
140 West Street
New York, NY 10007
john.stratton@verizon.com
Secondary Contact
Kenneth Dixon
Senior Vice President & Group President - Consumer Sales & Service
140 West Street
New York, NY 10007
Kenneth.Dixon@verizon.com
Chief Executive
Hans Vestberg
140 West Street
New York, NY 10007
Hans.Vestberg@verizon.com
Writing a letter to AT&T CEO
Executive Contacts
Primary Contact
Jody Garcia
Premium (Customer) Care – TV & Internet
208 S. Akard Street
Dallas, TX 75202
jg192d@att.com
Randy Shackelford, Premium (Customer) Care – Mobility, RS4669@att.com
Chief Executive
John Donovan
CEO – AT&T Communications
208 S. Akard Street
Dallas, TX 75202
jd777a@att.com
Writing a letter to T-mobile CEO
Primary Contact
David Carey
Executive Vice President of Corporate Services
12920 SE 38th Street
Bellevue, WA 98006
Secondary Contact
Callie Field
Senior Vice President of Customer Service
12920 SE 38th Street
Bellevue, WA 98006
Callie.field@t-mobile.com
Contact Callie via Twitter: Callie Field (@CallieField) | Twitter
- 'Michael' Sievert
Chief Operations Officer
12920 SE 38th Street
Bellevue, WA 98006
Mike.Sievert@t-mobile.com
Contact Mike via Twitter: https://twitter.com/SievertMike
Chief Executive
John J. Legere
President and CEO
12920 SE 38th Street
Bellevue, WA 98006
425-378-4000
John.Legere@T-Mobile.com