The Philadelphia Inquirer Consumer Watch column.

Byline: Jeff Gelles

Dec. 5--Joan Saidel was never really happy with AT&T Wireless, even after its merger last year with Cingular. She was so fed up with service and billing problems that she agreed to swallow a $175 early-cancellation fee. The answer to her Cingular frustration? Verizon Wireless.

Mauree Miller, too, was fed up with her wireless carrier. She's happy she switched -- from Verizon to Cingular.

If something seems wrong with this picture, it may not be what you think.

Answering customers' complaints, wireless carriers typically fall back on the argument that everyone's experience is different, because we all have different calling patterns and because any …