Nextel and mistakes made

We have had cellular service with Nextel for the last two years. We paid close to $100 for two phones and couldn't even get service where my mom and dad lived, a whopping 15 minutes from our home. We finally decided that we needed a change.

We checked out a lot of other companies and decided on Cingular. They had more coverage where we needed it, roll over minutes and my family would be able to call us for free, mobile to mobile, anytime. I went ahead and called them about three weeks before the end of our contract with Nextel. Cingular asked if I wanted to transfer our old numbers over to them and I said yeah. This was where it all went wrong.

It's not like I deal with cellular contracts all the time and I really screwed up. See, I thought that if I paid through the end of my contract it shouldn't matter the exact date that I switched. My DH called Nextel on the day we signed up with Cingular and the person he talked to made it sound like that would be okay. Just pay the last bill on your account and everything is fine. Problem is... everything is NOT fine.

Today I get a bill in the mail for $444.57. We are being charged late fees for both phones because we transferred the numbers before the right date. I am literally sick to my stomach. We are not in a good place financially as it is and this is more than I can even take. I don't know what to do.

The part that really makes me angry? Nextel calls and says if we come back they will wave the early termination fee. Why would we want to come back after that? It seems like such a dirty tactic. I have a much better deal with Cingular, 3 phones on their family plan with tons of minutes and long distance for less than I was paying Nextel for mediocre service. I guess you live and learn and then never use nextel.

Thanks for letting me vent. I know I would be better served by praying over this but I'm just not there yet. I'm too angry and hurt and filled with anxiety. I know, that's exactly the reason to pray. Thanks again.