I disagree with an earlier post about the poor customer service with T-
Mobile but will agree that most Independent Agent locations I have
shopped have no knowledge of what they are selling, have no knowledge
of technology, coverage, et cetera.  But I do all my shopping online
or by phone.  I have been in the industry since 1991 and was with
Southwester Bell Mobile Systems/Cingular/AT&T until a few years ago
when I switched to T-Mobile because of issues with Cingular's poor
customer service and after 11 years was tired of dealing with
them.

I was very unhappy with T-Mobile's lack of data and how behind they
were with their technology, but stayed because I have never dealt with
a company before that tries so hard to be nice to people.  Everyone I
talk to, no matter what the issue, knows what I'm talking about
regarding technology, coverage, et cetera.  I am amazed at the
difference between them and Cingular when it comes to trying to please
the customer.  Obviously there are some people that will never be
pleased, or may start off with the wrong attitude, but even when I
called a few times and was angry, they remained very profesional.

The agent locations on the other hand leave T-Mobile with a bad name,
atleast those here in Central Missouri.  I had one tell me that quad
band phones are more powerful because they have more bands.  Another
told me that T-mobile had more coverage because their phones had the
900/1800 MHz band, then argued with me when I told him those were only
in use in Europe.  I had another tell me that even though they didn't
have coverage in a certain town, that I would have no problem roaming,
when I knew that there is no other GSM carrier there.  T-Mobile needs
to do a better job of training their Agent Locations and setting up a
system to assure that not just anyone can sell their service.