No word on why AirTEL cut off MT customers
Posted: Feb 21, 2009 05:48 PM MST
Updated: Feb 22, 2009 02:45 PM MST
Reporting from KRTV in Great Falls
We have learned some more details about the sudden shutdown of AirTEL cell phone service in Montana.
Customers lost service Saturday afternoon without explanation, some just one day after purchasing pre-paid phone minutes.
Former AirTEL District Manager Trisha Foss told us that she's been receiving harassing phone calls from angry customers, but said that she's as surprised and upset as they are about the shut down.
Foss issued a statement to Montana's News Station: "I am angry for the way that AirTEL chose to cease operations. I was informed late Friday to lock the doors and all employees, including myself, no longer had jobs. I feel very badly for all of our loyal customers that lost cell phone services. I have never had any ownership in AirTEL, and had nothing to do with the decision to close business. It is unfair for customers to blame me or other AirTEL employees for what has happened. I lost cell phone service as well, but I also lost my job."
We attempted to contact AirTEL's home office in Minneapolis, but our calls have gone unanswered.
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(from February 21, 2009)
A Montana cell phone provider is permanently hanging up on its customers, leaving them without service.
We received a call from an Air Tel customer Doug Guse from his home phone on Saturday. His phone stopped working, so he went to Air Tel's store at Southgate Mall where he says he found the doors locked.
"The computers are gone the phones are all gone and there was no prior notice of anything" said Guse. "And there was a whole bunch of people who were out front wondering what was going on. Yeah there were people out there spitting on the window and hitting the doors and all frustrated and not knowing what to do."
At about 1:30 Saturday afternoon, Air Tel phones, pre-paid and regular cell phones all went dead and a recorded message on the 800 customer care number says the company no longer serves Montana, and advises customers that there are other providers in the area.
But that is little consolation for former AirTel users like Jimmie Danielsin Great Falls, "I chose these guys because they work best for me...they had prepaid no contract. I could pay two weeks at a time I had to...if I didn't have enough for the whole month, I could do the two week thing. So, they worked out great for me...until now. I'm really disappointed".
What makes this situation even more difficult is many of AirTel's customers were people on fixed incomes, or low-income families, and people who do not have credit cards, which is why the pre-paid phones worked for them.
We tried to call the Missoula store, but were not able to get any answers. However, we did receive a call back from the former manager at the Air Tel store in Butte.
She told us their store also closed on Saturday and the employees were laid off. So we called the Air Tel Customer service line to try to find out more, but all we got was a recording.
"We regret to inform you that Air Tel has ceased business in Montana. There are many other good cellular providers in the state that will fit your needs. We regret any inconvenience. You may leave a message after the tone."
We also spoke with the manager of an independent agent in Montana who provides Air Tel products as well as other telecommunication providers and were told that they are not able to take payments or do activations for Air Tel customers on the computer.
We're still gathering information on this developing story and hope to have more information on the 10:00 News on Montana's News Station.
