Ok. I have been around the ring in the crappiest circus on earth (known as ATT ), and they're driving me nuts. Thought maybe some of the brilliant minds here might know a way to help me out!
Story:
My wife has a blackberry with a grandfathered unlimited plan. I called ATT Customer Service before I bought my Captivate asking if I could have her plan for my phone and give her the $15, 200 MB plan. Expecting no, I was surprised when the guy on the other end said sure no problem! I asked him literally a good ten times in as many different ways as possible to ensure that he knew what I was asking. No big deal apparently. Captivate was purchased and all of the sudden the plan can't be switched anymore and it doesnt matter what the first guy told me; it physically cant be done (or so I was told)! Called today (furious, after yet another data plan overage despite wifi usage) and was given the same run around, but this time I started getting angry. This guy tells me that it couldn't be done, can't be done, physically impossible! Then he goes on to tell me that if the first guy had made a note on my account they could do it, but since he didn't, they can't. So it's not physically impossible anymore?? Immediately after I mentioned the words "Sprint", "Verizon", and "leaving" he said, "Let me get my supervisor for you" (because before it was impossible to get the supervisor despite my asking ). Supervisor gets on the phone and says it is physically impossible to switch the plan even if it's on the same account. Can't do it; no way! Doesn't matter what any of the lowly CS reps said! I asked her if she cared at all about keeping me as a customer and her answer was "Unfortunately, I can't solve the problem you have today" (basically, no).
This is a joke and despite countless calls to Customer Service (if it can be called that....), I have gotten no where.
Any advice on how I can get out of this mess? I'm super tempted to just leave ATT.
Sorry for the long post/rant
It depends on the plan. I moved my iPhone unlimited plan over, but it was a smartphone plan so it was still the $30 month type plan.
The blackberry plans originally were not really anticipating web browsing as early BB were just sort of WAP browsers. If it was one of these "unlimited" plans that was really just for email, then they may not let you switch.
Try walking into a store and talking to a manager. Find out why iPhone unlimited plans are moved over (even though the plan has a different name and is only for iPhone) and still stay unlimited, but the BB is not.
How much were you paying for your BB unlimited plan?
My wife has the Bold 9000 and has had the plan for about a year and a half now. We are paying 30 dollars for that plan.
I actually have gone in store. Not sure if I spoke to a manager or not, but the guy I asked said no at first, but then wasn't sure so he asked another guy. The other guy just sorta rolled his eyes and said no. ha
Think I should just go and ask for the manager immediately?
I think the problem is you're trying to move a data plan from one phone number to another. I've never known them to do that, only the line that was originally grandfathered in keeps it. Idiot customer service reps don't know what they're talking about half the time anyways.
Ya. I told the supervisor she really needed to train her underlings as three of them told me it was possible. She didn't care. I'm so fed up with ATT.
Thats messed up. Generally when one of my co workers said something regarding a product and I say something different I have to follow and give them that item. Of course we have to check a few thing s out. And if we can't we can replace or give something to make it right
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
I know. What's really irking me right now is that the supervisor didn't even offer to do ANYTHING to amend the situation. I realize my one plan doesn't decide the success of their company, but I really would just like a little customer service.
I hear that EVO calling my name in the distance lol
Aren't most customer calls recorded? If so, can they pull your call and find out that the first guy really did tell you that? Even though they're saying they can't transfer the plan, they can at least acknowledge his error and at least clarify that you're not lying to them and just trying to pull one over on them. Maybe if there's proof that there was an error on their part, they can work something out with you.
That's not a bad idea. I may try that, although I have a feeling that they do not store recorded calls under personal profiles and have no way of tracing certain calls back to certain users.
Maybe I'm wrong. No harm in trying.
cpk86 said:
That's not a bad idea. I may try that, although I have a feeling that they do not store recorded calls under personal profiles and have no way of tracing certain calls back to certain users.
Maybe I'm wrong. No harm in trying.
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I used to work for a financial company and they recorded all of the incoming service calls. They were linked to specific accounts so that they can be pulled in case errors were made. Obviously I probably can't compare a financial company to a telecommunications service line but you're right, no harm in trying.
my understanding is this
if you have the unlimited plan on your line ... and change between smart phones you still keep it ...
but if you have other lines that do not have the unlimited (smart phone) plan ... there is no way for it to be added to those lines ... even if you want it just moved over from one line to another ...
its like an old flag ... and that flag does not exists on the accounts any more but if you still have the flag you get to keep it ...
Ya. I sorta realized that trying to get them to actually change it was a losing battle. It was just the fact that no one seemed to care at all what I was told, even when I was transferred to the supervisor and her "underling" had just got through telling me it was possible. Whatever. I guess I'll be getting the 2 gig plan. Better than going over THREE times in one month....
cpk86 said:
Better than going over THREE times in one month....
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Wow, you must be doing some serious stuff with your phone. I use mine just as much as my laptop, and I don't go over. I have the 200mb plan and I haven't even come close to going over
That's actually one reason I was getting so angry. I'm on wifi about 90% of the time. While I am on it a lot, most (almost all) of the data I'm using is coming over wifi networks, so I shouldn't be going over. They said that that was a device issue so there was nothing they could do and I would have to take it in store for a possible exchange.
Related
I lost my tilt a couple of days ago only to find it today after already calling it in to replace it under my warranty. My problem now is I already paid the 50 dollars to replace it. Should I send it back or give it to my brother who is begging for it. Can the company see that he will be using my "lost" phone even if he has his own sim card. Thanks for any advice.
link00thehero said:
Can the company see that he will be using my "lost" phone even if he has his own sim card. Thanks for any advice.
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Yes.
Don't know where you're living, but in E.U they can block IMEI in the whole system. You also may involve in insurance fraud, too.
To my opinion, you should call the company to check if they want you to do, and don't forget to ask back the deduction fee if they tell you to send it back.
My phone's service was turned off and will be reactivated once the new phone arrives with my new sim card. But what my brother wants to do is put his sim card in my old phone so he can use it that way. but that seems pretty shady to me. I don't want to get in trouble with my phone company. Should i let him do it and just use the phone they send me or just return it? I already paid for the new one, so is it wrong?
if they have blocked the IMEI number (most do when a phone is reported stolen / lost) then your brother will not be able to use it.
also if they catch your brother using it you (and your brother) can be done for a few reasons:
Insurance Fraud
Using stolen goods (knowing they are stolen)
etc
so to be honest id just phone them and see if you return the phone if they can reverse the charge. alot less hassle than paying fines etc in the near future
You probably won't get away with it..
But if you could - by all means, screw the insurance company as hard as you possibly can.
Not that I advocate this behavior at all, but I have been in a similar situation and had no problem using a previously thought lost device with a different sim on what used to be Cingular.
Under what warranty did you replace it?
You agreed to ship the phone back to them if you did find it. There's instructions that come in the box. But whether or not you do it is up to you.
Two options -
A. Ring up the company and see which they want back, OR
B. Don't.
If you go with A. you might get your money back, but I doubt it. I also doubt they will let you keep both.
If you go with B. you will be comitting fraud and if caught you will be in legal trouble and I will have no sympathy for you. If your brother wants a tilt, he can go buy his own, do NOT give him the spare or you will be putting a LOT of trust in him. Do NOT use it as a phone or otherwise allow it to be used as a phone - it will get traced which will lead to legal problems.
Realistically, you should go with A. - it's the right thing to do, it's less risky and the handset should effectively be useless to you anyway.
I love how you title this as a moral issue, but your only question is if the company can find out about it. Doesn't sound like you have any moral concerns but rather "will I get caught" concerns.
ship it to me. it'lld surly be lost for ever!
Call them. There is such a thing as Karma, if you don't call them you very well might really lose it and they won't give one back.
Regarding moral issue - this is EASY PEASEY - trade places - you are them and they are you - should THEY return it to you? You reported it stolen/lost - they replaced it you no longer own the other one - you must send it back.
Another analogy - you call your insurance company and say you have filed a police report that your car was stolen and then find it in your garage - can you cash the check and get another car and drive two of them? Nope - you are going to get caught filing a false report to the police and do some serious jail time.
The IMEI number is unique to the phone - you are going to get caught if you play fast and loose - don't pretend that it is a moral issue when you only want to know if you can get caught.
I guess you could go to howardforums and sell it as Mike Jones?
I guess it really depends on who your service carrier is.
If its ATT/Cingular, I wouldn't return it. I'm almost 100% sure that they can track what phone you're using but not the IMEI number of that phone. The reason I say this is because I have a habit of switching or getting new phones every few months. I purchased the Tilt used from a HoFo member. I recently had problems with it and had to RMA it. They asked me for me IMEI number and I had a feeling it was past the year mark but they said that it looks like you've only had the phone since Sept so it would be covered under warranty. The thing is I got the phone from the HoFo member in Sept, but he said he had been using it for a few months prior to that.
But I could be wrong. You could always call ATT/Cingular and just be blunt about it and ask them if they can track your lost phone via IMEI because you have an idea of who might have it.
ChumleyEX said:
I guess you could go to howardforums and sell it as Mike Jones?
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+1. I really shouldn't have found this so funny, but I did.
ChumleyEX said:
I guess you could go to howardforums and sell it as Mike Jones?
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Yep, or send it to Jakeypoo then call the FBI with a confirmed 'handling stolen goods'
For all our European counterparts. In the E.U. it is very much illegal to use a "stolen" or "lost" phone. They also block IMEIs and CAN track them. For the life of me, all I've been able to find about whether the cell phones companies track or block IMEIs or phones is that we don't do it here the US. At&t and at&t's insurance companies have told me is "sorry, we can't track or block the phone from being used again." To me, the reason is obvious. If the phone is stolen, at&t gets a new customer and you have to buy a new phone.
You make your own decision and you make it at your own risk but search away and maybe you'll find the answer you're really looking for.
I doubt you'll spend the rest of your life in prison..... Hell maybe.... If you really feel bad about ripping off a mutli-billion dollar corporation that is already ripping you off. Huh.... Tough choice....
Ring the carrier, tell them to cancel warranty replacement as you have found the original and to refund you the $50 and reactivate the existing phone with either the old or new sim card. I believe under your statuatory rights (at least in the UK anyway) they would have to oblidge as you have the right to cancel a service (in this case the warranty replacement) within a reasonable amount of time.
Try it and save yourself $50 maybe....
This is no moral dilema at all. Just ask yourself "What Would Jesus Do?"
There's your answer.
Do the right thing. Call them and ask what you should do. That way there is no more guilt or fear.
Is this phone and company worth switching over too ? Do to Sprints changing my plan without my approval,I have the opportunity to switch to another carrier.Out of the other big 3 Verizon,T-mobile & AT&T is the only one that is willing to put their offer in writting to me. The other reason I am even looking at this phone and company is because both of my sons want the IPhone and my wife only wants a phone offered by them as well..
So..please fellow XDA members tell me staright up..should I stay with Sprint and my Hero for 1-1/2 years more..or start fresh with this phone and AT&T..
Mac
50 views and not even 1 response..?
Is there no one on-line that has this phone wanting to step up and answer the question ?
I really would like to know the feelings of the folks here,since those that have this phone also have AT&T's service..
Mac
Not an easy one to answer really. I would say if you are completely turned of by what Sprint did to you then changing wouldn't be a bad thing. Going with AT&T will get you points with your family. And who couldn't use more points with their family, right?
That being said, you have by now undoubtedly heared about the GPS problems facing the Galaxy S phones. Some have found their phone is better with different versions, some claim all the updates and changes have made their GPS unuseable. If you are in need of a phone that has good GPS then I would say you can find better. Personally, the GPS issue isn't a deal breaker for me. I am also one of the lucky ones that find it works fine for how I use it.
The phone itself is amazing. Being on XDA also helps as there are many helpful and informative people. Also, the Captivate has been out long enough that the mods are becomming better and better every day, that is if you are into modding your phone. Heck, stock it still is a good phone.
So it all boils down to what you really want to do. I think that is why you haven't had anyone jump on giving you an answer. Good luck my friend!
There is no "right carrier". The advantage of AT&T (now) is coverage and GSM. AT&T has better coverage then T-Mobile, but about equal to VZW. GSM allows you take your phone to Europe - VZW CDMA does not;
But the future brings change - VZW has a slew of World phones coming out (they have GSM as well as CDMA) - VZW has LTE coming out - which is supposed to be a global standard - so travel issue may be a thing of the past.
AT&T has the iPhone today, but rumor says a CDMA iPhone on VZW for the holidays. But rumors are rumors.
I don't know what you are looking for in writing - all the carriers plans are on their web site. T-Mo does have the best customer service, and VZW has some great android phones. If you don't travel much, and T-Mo has good coverage where you live, they seem to have the best prices and some of the best phones.
AT&T is fine too - not trying to steer you away. I moved to AT&T for an iPhone years ago - and I travel to EU; so VZW wasn't cutting it.
Anyway If the family wants AT&T and the price for phones and service fits, then make the move. But you are stuck for 2 years.
Sounds like it's 3-1 in your house. I'd go ahead and make the switch if thats what your family wants. I don't think you'll be worse off with one carrier over the other, at the end of the day they will all screw you. Captivate is a great phone if you can deal with the sometimes difficult to deal with GPS.
I agree. Go with what makes your family happy overall. The Captivate is a fine device, and I've been much more pleased with it than I was with my iPhone. Talk it over with your family, putting them first won't do you wrong.
My first phone was from Virgin Mobile and was prepaid. I know they leased out network access from Sprint. It was awful. I never had good coverage, and then they started charging more for everything. I left them.
I've been with AT&T now since 6th grade. They've never screwed us over, they've always been helpful, and whenever we've had problems, like my sister signing up for those joke things they advertise on tv putting huge data charges on our bill, they cleared it up right away and even gave us a credit on the account.
Of course you're going to hear horror stories of bad customer service from everyone, but really it's not all that common. I've always thought AT&T had great phones, and they've all last me a long time.
My favorite phones have always been Samsung ones as all but one of my phones has been from them. My first was a Sony Ericsson S710a and it lasted me until one day I was sliding it open, and it slipped out of my hand and into a wall and the LCD shattered. After that I had a Samsung a727, then the SGH-i607 Blackjack, then the SGH-a877 Impression, and now the Captivate.
You will be happier with AT&T then with Sprint. But ultimately, you pay the bill and you decide where your money goes. I'll just add that I don't usually praise any company for no reason.
I love this phone with ji6 gps works completely fine for me it does what its supposed to every time lately gets me there no issues. Im very happy with att besides they make you pay for tethering, but theres ways around that with this phone, hehe ;-)
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Thanks Guys..
I hate spending a-lot more money so soon on moving my service (since may 2010)..but I really don't know how I could stay with them.
As to any cell company posting their policy on line..well..that can and does change (with Sprint almost daily)..and actually having a written signed contract is something the other companies won't do,AT&T will.That does a lot for me..and for my wife peace of mind.My boys have wanted the I phones for sometime..I don't want one..which is why I am asking about the Captivate. BTW...Sprint elected to change my verbal contract given to me at the time of signing..and I fought it the best I could without turning my Lawyers loose..and I most likely would have won,but the cost to do so would have been prohibitive without a written contract,or so what they told me when I spoke to them about it..
So..the phone has a GPS problem..and that isn't a deal breaker for me,but I do want to see it fixed and soon.Having a 2.2 rom is what I am running on my hero now along with one of the best looking themes going right now IMHO..http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=797077 and so hopefully we can get this ported over here at some point..even if I have to learn how to do it myself
FWIW..I looked closely at this phone and also the Ios4 and hands down this one blows it out of the water on anything video..I stopped by T-Mobile and watched the HD Avatar movie on their version when I was looking at what they offered...It was just awesome..simply jaw dropping..
I am looking forward to the 2.2 upgrade and what comes after with it..So..I will be on here more and more reading what I can..
Thanks Again
Mac
Mac, just a heads up. The leaked 2.2 rom we have actually fixed the GPS. There's no real problem anymore. Obviously it will become more refined when the final release comes out but it definitely works now.
Sent from my Captivate
stuffy is a difficult company but I can't feral with poor service so I disk with them. get used to advanced features like tethering being blocked and such. but you can fix that by looking in the dev section. att isn't all bad though mostly because they are stupid, I told them verizon had a 15% vetrans discount (they do) and asked att if they had something similar. well they didn't but the customer service rep put me on an active duty discount because she didn't know better. it needs to be approved at a higher level with pics of my id and a valid military email according to there website, well I put the papers in anyway and had 15% off my bill the next month. so they obviously don't look at it.
verizons version of bloatware is full blown add ware. if you plug an incredible into a windows pc it hijacks explorer and goes to a v cast music site. on the fascinate they replaced the google services with microsoft services.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using Tapatalk
I think it's refreshing to see all the honest answers, not a ton of chest pounding "our phone is the best" posts. Most people on XDA by nature are into tweaking so the out-of-the-box limitations aren't a showstopper.
For me, I really need a world-capable phone. My family also is on ATT so that helped as well. I think all the carriers are converging on offering similar product. ATT has less HTC stuff but has the IPhone. ATT is currently behind on Android, but the Captivate is certainly helping to address that. I like the phone and have recommended it friends. Go for it.
miztaken1312 said:
Mac, just a heads up. The leaked 2.2 rom we have actually fixed the GPS. There's no real problem anymore. Obviously it will become more refined when the final release comes out but it definitely works now.
Sent from my Captivate
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Cool..that is good news..
Thanks
Mac
I will give my two bits. My experience has been good with att. Cs has never been bad, but at times there were moments that did not go smoothly. Always quick to address concerns of mine and they love giving credits out to keep me happy. I have been one of the lucky that never had major problems out of the box with the captivate. But coming from a storm running on atti think my standard were lower. Gps on froyo still doesn't work perfectly but has had improvement with locking and tracking. Dev support is actually really good so that is a big plus. My wife loves her captivate and she is not a techie at all. Hope my input helps.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
flashman2002 said:
I will give my two bits. My experience has been good with att. Cs has never been bad, but at times there were moments that did not go smoothly. Always quick to address concerns of mine and they love giving credits out to keep me happy. I have been one of the lucky that never had major problems out of the box with the captivate. But coming from a storm running on atti think my standard were lower. Gps on froyo still doesn't work perfectly but has had improvement with locking and tracking. Dev support is actually really good so that is a big plus. My wife loves her captivate and she is not a techie at all. Hope my input helps.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
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It does,and greatly appreciated..
I understand the gps issue,and I am wondering if the delayed release of FroYo on this phone is partly because of it. Rooting and adding on customs roms has been working great for me on my Hero..and that phone is finnally acting the way it should have all along. Removing AT&T's bloatware will be my first priority after 2.2 is released..
I am curious about one thing..I know you can't load 3rd party apps unless rooted and a custom rom..but can you direct push them with the sd out of the phone and in a reader from a pc ? If we are working out of windows and a terminal..we should be able to insert any .apk or what we want.. anywhere we want..can't we ?
Thanks Again Guys
Mac
mobius911 said:
I think it's refreshing to see all the honest answers, not a ton of chest pounding "our phone is the best" posts. Most people on XDA by nature are into tweaking so the out-of-the-box limitations aren't a showstopper.
For me, I really need a world-capable phone. My family also is on ATT so that helped as well. I think all the carriers are converging on offering similar product. ATT has less HTC stuff but has the IPhone. ATT is currently behind on Android, but the Captivate is certainly helping to address that. I like the phone and have recommended it friends. Go for it.
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Same here..I know folks have their favorites and also know there will always be folks that have problems..but it is refreshing to see a honest straight forward discussion with out any of the fan fair these types of threads always seem to degenerate into.
Mac
Mac11700 said:
I am curious about one thing..I know you can't load 3rd party apps unless rooted and a custom rom..but can you direct push them with the sd out of the phone and in a reader from a pc ? If we are working out of windows and a terminal..we should be able to insert any .apk or what we want.. anywhere we want..can't we ?
Thanks Again Guys
Mac
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You can push them using ADB or even easier, if you google something called the "Android Central Sideload Wonder Machine" or just sideload wonder machine, someone created an app to so that you don't even have to use the command prompt or hack the phone. No need for a custom rom, and I don't believe rooting is needed.
Here, I'll link you to it.
SIDELOAD WONDER MACHINE
I made the switch you are thinking of about 1.5 years ago and I have no regrets. One thing to keep in mind is the data cap ATT now has on their new subscribers. I signed up when unlimited was an offering, and honestly I don't know that I would have been comfortable using 1 smartphone, let alone 3-4 of them with limited data usage. ATT also had better coverage where I lived last year but would say Sprint is on par within the city limits now. The Evo is a really nice phone (Several people I know have them and are pleased) but I won't go back to Sprint after all the horrible customer service I had with them for 8 years. My local ATT business rep does an incredible job and is a big reason that I just renewed with them(they let me keep unlimited data). Ultimately, if I was in your shoes, I would probably do what made my family/wife happy as long as it isn't going to cause financial heartache when you exceed the data limit. I think they charge in blocks of 200mb for overage but you should definitely look into how much data your family has/will be using. My .02
Edited to add: Depending on what kind of user you are (business/personal) you might want to leave that cog. 2.2 alone until it works. I loaded it last weekend, went out to a job, and was unable to d-load an important pdf that was in my e-mail. Fortunately I had a laptop but in the past I would have been able to count on my phone for a quick blueprint reference. Sounds like it may be a fun thing to play with as long as you don't REALLY need everything on your phone to work. Also, the GPS was horrid on cog. 2.2. Needless to say I flashed it back to the original software when I got home. My GPS works just fine after the JH7 OTA update was installed. Worked yesterday on a 2 hour drive where I only had phone coverage for 20-30 miles. I haven't "tweaked" the GPS settings, just whatever they changed with JH7 is working.
itsjustaphone said:
I made the switch you are thinking of about 1.5 years ago and I have no regrets. One thing to keep in mind is the data cap ATT now has on their new subscribers. I signed up when unlimited was an offering, and honestly I don't know that I would have been comfortable using 1 smartphone, let alone 3-4 of them with limited data usage. ATT also had better coverage where I lived last year but would say Sprint is on par within the city limits now. The Evo is a really nice phone (Several people I know have them and are pleased) but I won't go back to Sprint after all the horrible customer service I had with them for 8 years. My local ATT business rep does an incredible job and is a big reason that I just renewed with them(they let me keep unlimited data). Ultimately, if I was in your shoes, I would probably do what made my family/wife happy as long as it isn't going to cause financial heartache when you exceed the data limit. I think they charge in blocks of 200mb for overage but you should definitely look into how much data your family has/will be using. My .02
Edited to add: Depending on what kind of user you are (business/personal) you might want to leave that cog. 2.2 alone until it works. I loaded it last weekend, went out to a job, and was unable to d-load an important pdf that was in my e-mail. Fortunately I had a laptop but in the past I would have been able to count on my phone for a quick blueprint reference. Sounds like it may be a fun thing to play with as long as you don't REALLY need everything on your phone to work. Also, the GPS was horrid on cog. 2.2. Needless to say I flashed it back to the original software when I got home. My GPS works just fine after the JH7 OTA update was installed. Worked yesterday on a 2 hour drive where I only had phone coverage for 20-30 miles. I haven't "tweaked" the GPS settings, just whatever they changed with JH7 is working.
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Dam good advise..Thanks
They charge in 1 gig allotments for overages now..not 200 mb. I too was worried about doing just this..and this is per line..not per plan. I went back through all of my bills and no-one has even come close to 1gig..let alone 2 gigs..but I understand that can change too.
The main thing for me and my family is getting a phone that is going to work..every time. I've run into some issues with mine on my job where I needed it and something crashed it. Also it's so tiresome for me to hear all the complaints and moaning when something crashes or FC's on their phones..I can deal with it happening on mine cause I am used to tinkering with it..but I have to say I am very tempted some by the I 4's simplicity...it would be nice just to not have to worry about updating mine almost daily,and just use the durn thing. I just don't know if I could deal with it or not as a day to day phone. I am at a loss in that regards..I know you can jailbreak them and do similar things we do with our Androids..but..I don't know enough about that to even consider doing it right now. I most likely would just so I could download apps and movies on it to watch from my pc..I got a week to figure this all out..and you all here are helping a-lot..
Thanks
Mac
I honestly liked the iphone4, and had one for a week. It was fun and all, but it had the same problem as my 3G, the ability to make and MAINTAIN a phone call. Obviously that isn't much of an issue for younger kids since you can still text with spotty coverage(my 13 yo uses about 60 min. a month and 1,000,000,000,000 text messages) I don't know if the iphone is somehow on a different signal than the other phones, but I have been very pleased with the PHONE CALL ability of the captivate. My wife loves the iphone (though she keeps eyeballing the captivate now) and like you, I do not enjoy fixing problems, so I have tried my best to keep her interest in my phone at a minimum. I can honestly say I do not miss the iphone for anything. I also enjoy the *cough cough* wireless tethering of my captivate(free app) that iphone never did get right(and when it did work, there was the whole loss of signal issue). The iphone is good at running apps and texting, outstanding even. I just really need to make phone calls and MAINTAIN a call when I make it. But like I said in my previous post, if your use is personal, iphone might work. If you make important calls, it fails.
Hey guys, this is kind of a response to Nexus 4 confirmed working on prepaid AT&T tablet dataconnect plan, but it also is kind of a guide in- and of- itself. I'm not trying to steal a thread or anything, please go to that thread and read the original post, it's very helpful. The responses are helpful too. If making a whole new thread is in bad taste I apologize, if a mod wants to close/delete this thread that's ok. Credit goes to ctowne for making that thread and finding out/testing that the N4 works on the Dataconnect plan.
I decided to take the plunge and do this. I haven't completed it yet, but I'm in the process. I kind of wanted to make a step-by-step guide or walkthrough for what I personally did to get this working for anyone considering this. Basically exactly what was needed to go from AT&T's GoPhone prepaid service to using the Dataconnect tablet plan and VoIP. Well, what I did anyway. I will update when I get over obstacles and whatnot, also, when I do/don't get it fully working.
Back-story: About 2 months ago, I bought my Nexus 4. I was previously on Verizon and had to switch carriers, getting a new number. I decided to go with AT&T's GoPhone service for $50/mo for 1gb of data and like 250 minutes. Then I found that thread and was interested, but debated whether to go through the process of porting my new number to Google Voice, spending the $20, waiting for it to take effect, potentially being without a phone for a few days, etc. or to get an entirely new number and tell everyone I know that I got a new number (again!).
Two days ago, I decided to go with the porting the number to Google Voice. My situation is actually unique in this. When I was on Verizon, I was actually on a plan with my family. I am almost 24 years old and decided it's about time I start paying for my own cell-phone bill. That, coupled with the fact that I needed to switch in order to use the awesome Nexus 4. Due to a mix-up in "upgrading" devices, we found out that my line was locked in for close to two more years. Basically my younger sister took "my" upgrade, locking my line in (that's how they get you, and why I will never sign a contract with a cell-phone company). After calling Customer Service, we figured out that we can "suspend" my line, free of charge for 6 months, we just have to call in to do it again after 3 months (standard increment of time they "suspend" lines). 6 months is the magical number we needed because then a different line is cleared of a contract, and with some fiddling, we can basically drop that other line, switch the number to my old line, thereby dropping my line more-or-less.
The CSR for Verizon we talked to said they don't just suspend lines for no reason. Apparently it's mainly used for stuff like troops being deployed overseas, they will suspend their line to kind of cut them some slack. The CSR said they were willing to do that because my parents have been loyal Verizon customers since like 2004 or so. Point is, I don't think it would hurt if someone tried to call in and get a nice CSR to suspend their line for 3 months. Worst they will do is say no. Just a possible option for anyone locked in a contract.
Anyway, my old line wasn't suspended yet, so I decided to port my old number. The guides are all correct.
1. First, request the port in Google Voice. You will need your Verizon, or whatever carrier you have, account credentials, so have those handy (I have never ported a number before, I didn't know that).
2. Right after that, go to Verizon's site and request a new phone number for that line. That actually didn't work for me, so I had to call in. It was a 10 minute call with a machine to do so, but was also free. The process will take exactly 24 hours. Seriously. I don't know why it's exactly 24 hours, but it is.
Once I got the email that it was done the next day, I called my other phone and it worked. I can't vouch for SMS, I didn't think to try and I'm at work right now with just my Nexus. I can try it later today.
That's where I am right now. I plan on going to my local AT&T store without a tablet (obviously) and try to get a SIM card activated on Dataconnect, and try it in my Nexus 4. Back when I first activated my phone, I took it into the store and warned them that the IMEI on the back might not work, and they said that's ok, they have phones that they steal IMEI's off of all of the time. Sure enough, they tried to snipe one off a phone in a drawer, which I saw was full of phones, but it didn't work. After that, they tried the IMEI on my Nexus and it worked. So there's another point; the Nexus 4 IMEI works on their GoPhone prepaid plan. What I'm getting at is, I might be able to just walk in, say I have my Nexus 7 at home, and maybe the person I talk to will just grab an IMEI off of a tablet there.
I will try that today and then try it in my Nexus 4. Then I'll buy GrooveIP and try calling in/out from my N4. If all goes well, I'll post back with a cheerful confirmation. If it fails, I will still post back and try to figure out what went wrong. I sure hope it works, I would love to pay only $30/mo for service and get way more data than I have now.
*EDIT*
Went to the store today and got a different CSR. She didn't want to offer me an IMEI like I had hoped. If I would have gotten the other CSR that activated my phone, I bet I could have gotten one. Asked if I just brought the IMEI, could they activate a SIM for me and she said yes. Fair enough. If anyone has an IMEI that I could use, please PM it to me. That'll really help me out. Otherwise, I might try and generate my own.
*EDIT*
Went back the same day and got the nice CSR that set up my phone. Didn't really understand what I meant/was doing, but tried to help me nonetheless. After a half-hour of trying and calling AT&T corporate help lines and stuff, and getting transferred around, she basically said that I could just keep the SIM card, since it looked like I knew what I was doing and would figure it out. Turns out, everything worked. Calculated my own IMEI and went to the Dataconnect website and typed in the IMEI and ICCID of the SIM. Everything worked once I applied the correct APN. Initial setup of GrooveIP took a bit though. Gotta mess with the settings. Anyway: it worked! Very excited.
I've had to call customer service alot for my wifes G3 lately and every person I talked to was really, really nice. I talked to about 5 different people and all of them were extremely sypathic and understanding. They actually gave me a wifi calling router (verdict still out) as well as making everything right. I actually started to feel bad for complaining. Any one else had that experience or thought that? I might just be paranoid, either way at least one of their services good
Bubba Fett said:
I've had to call customer service alot for my wifes G3 lately and every person I talked to was really, really nice. I talked to about 5 different people and all of them were extremely sypathic and understanding. They actually gave me a wifi calling router (verdict still out) as well as making everything right. I actually started to feel bad for complaining. Any one else had that experience or thought that? I might just be paranoid, either way at least one of their services good
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I've had pretty good luck myself for the most part.
Had a massive problem with a stuck Jump plan due to a return issue and they eventually just paid the remainder (200ish) out.
I would say I have had excellent experiences 90% of the time when dealing with Tmobile. Everyone has been nice, but sometimes you get that super dumb person that adds 10 services to your account you never asked for when you simply just want to close an unused line on your account. This is something that happens with all companies though. Dumb people need work too.
I've worked in a Customer Support Center (not TMo in particular) and can relate that those people are heavily trained to take all the **** customers thow at them and big companies invest a lot of money in personelle, in order to achieve that politeness overload you are talking about. As they call it, the Customer Support is the frontline of contact with customers and must be perfect. If you want the money, you got to convince people NICELY to give you theirs.
I've had great interactions every time with TMO customer service, but, hey, we are all human beings, and sometimes you are going to get someone who woke up on the wrong side of the bed, or someone who didn't pay attention at all the training seminars..
Its easy to hang up and just call back if you get someone who you can't work with..
Maybe I'm just to used to Verizon and ATT. They wouldn't do anything for you cause they didn't have to. I guess being locked in a contract kinda changes where the power lies. I guess its been a while since I talked to someone nice. Right About the time I moved to Philly I think.
I have a very good experience with Tmo CS. I'm with them since Omnipoint. Last time tried to cancel one of my lines they gave me an offer I couldn't resist. "Keep number with unlimited voice and text, no data and we charge you less than you would pay if you cancel that number". So basically I have free emergency phone. Gotta love it.
Sent from my SM-N910T using XDA Free mobile app
Does anyone else here work in the technical support or any cellular related fields whether it's retail or customer service? Some people are really freaking ignorant of the technology or absolutely stubborn when it comes to how phones and service works. I am tired of people demanding a new phone when every little thing happens. Does a car dealership replace your current car with a new one when it's under warranty? No they fix the problem with the car. It's not my fault you moved and you don't have coverage at your new house. When you got your phone we gave you a grace period to try it out and determine if coverage is good enough where you live. Moving doesn't give you a new grace period. You're not under contact anymore so if you want to leave us...pay off your device and go. I'll even help you unlock it once you've paid it off. Backups, backups...holy sh*t freaking backup your data people. When an application wreaks havoc or you got ad bots or whether something software related fails you might as well be prepared to hard reset your phone. No, you're not getting a warranty replacement without doing that step first. You're gonna have to transfer your data either way so back your sh*t up. It's not my responsibility to ensure your pictures and contacts don't get lost. Take some responsibility for your data and educate yourself on how to save it. Warranty is not an upgrade path either. Don't ask for a different color or model. That one year by the manufacturer is for the exact model. We (the carrier) are nice enough to take care of the warranty on behalf of the manufacturer. You think Samsung or Asus will send you an upgraded or different device? Take it up with them. Don't whine and cry because you can't scam warranty and insurance for an upgrade. You want a new phone then pay off the one you have or buy it at full price.
Anyways just had to vent. Working in technical support is actually a lot of fun and I really enjoy educating and teaching customers how to use their devices and explore the world a smartphone has to offer. However the amount of rampant stupidity and unreal requests are absolutely absurd.
Tell me about it. Every. Single. Bloody. Day.
I truly, truly believe there should be a driving license for using a smartphone. The amount of people who have no idea how the device, the one that they entrust their entire lives to, actually works is damn near astronomical.
"My WiFi doesn't work. What did you do to it?!?! *insert expletives filled capslock rant about fraud and scammers*" To a provider that doesn't supply landlines, only mobile. About 80% of the people apparently don't know the difference between WiFi and Mobile Data.
Had this gem last week: Someone opened the charger flap on the S5, and the thing broke off. He bend down to pick it off the floor, and dropped the phone instead. Screen cracked, phone dead. Now that customer is demanding that the provider covers the repair costs of the dropped phone. He claims it wasn't his fault that the phone dropped, it was the fault of that broken off flap, and so it should fall under warranty.
"How do I view the photo I just took?" Why are you even using a smartphone?
This also happens about three times a day:
"My phone doesn't work." No other information, just that.
"Sir, which brand and model is your phone?"
"It's an iPhone."
"Which one?"
"An S4."
"Uh, sir, an iPhone 4S or a Samsung Galaxy S4?"
"Aren't they all the same?"
And then there's these people:
"I have a bill here for 300 quid of additional, out-of-package costs. I was calling a friend and forgot to end the call. You should've ended it for me. I'm not paying that."
Oh, and the amount of people referring to 4G as G4.... -.-
On the other side of that coin, I hate talking to the CS reps of ANY technology company.
"I need you to reprovision my data because your system thinks I have an iPhone and it's messing with my data"
"Sir, may I ask have you restarted your phone?"
and I have to go thru like 12 different times telling him to please do what I asked in the first place.
Or I walk into a T-Mobile store and the rep is telling me I can't use a verizon phone on the network, because it's verizon.
"But the phone comes unlocked, just give me a SIM card"
"Verizon is CDMA blah blah"
And I get to argue with the guy for an hour about how things actually work.
Or even worse when I try to get a warranty replacement device. No I don't want to restart my phone or factory reset it, or put in my Google Account login information again, or try a new SIM card, or anything like that.
The device is broken, I know about phones, just replace it and let's get on with it!
So trust me it's very frustrating for us consumers too...
Yep, definitely frustrating for consumers.
I have a phone that runs on unknown network bands, can I test a sim (i would pay the $2 if required)?
Nope, you are already on the best network.
But yours has different frequency bands
*Blank stare* Umm your already on the best network for reception
*Walk out knowing I could do the job better*
Sent from my fake galaxy note 4, now revived from the dead, again!
You do realize that the shop assistants are hired for their sales skills, not their knowledge of the product, I hope? All they receive is Sales training, not product information nor technical training.
Most of them couldn't tell an iPhone apart from a Samsung if their lives depended on it. Going to those monkeys with a tech question is like asking a 5 year old about String Theory. It's pointless.
You might as well walk into IKEA's storage section with a question about network frequencies. You're statistically more likely to find people with tech knowledge there than behind the counter in a provider shop. :laugh:
ShadowLea said:
You do realize that the shop assistants are hired for their service skills, not their knowledge of the product, I hope? All they receive is Sales training, not product information nor technical training.
Most of them couldn't tell an iPhone apart from a Samsung if their lives depended on it. Going to those monkeys with a tech question is like asking a 5 year old about String Theory. It's pointless.
You might as well walk into IKEA's storage section with a question about network frequencies. You're statistically more likely to find people with tech knowledge there than behind the counter in a provider shop. :laugh:
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This is the B&M guys, the "service technicians" on the phone, the "specialists" on the phone, the guys in chats etc.
I have never had someone who knew enough about networks, bands, actual device specs etc, talk to me from any portion of any phone company.
And I've been on every phone network...
orangekid said:
This is the B&M guys, the "service technicians" on the phone, the "specialists" on the phone, the guys in chats etc.
I have never had someone who knew enough about networks, bands, actual device specs etc, talk to me from any portion of any phone company.
And I've been on every phone network...
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From what I know in the EU, you never actually get to speak to the Tech guys when you call in. It's still only a Customer Contact employee. They contact the Tech department on an internal line, but the tech lads never speak to customers. Don't know if the US system is different (probably not).
Oh I've met my fair share of the technologically handicapped in the shops, too. One shining example is the idiot who told me, in 2013, that I shouldn't use Android because it was still a Beta version, and thus I would be at risk of viruses. :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:
ShadowLea said:
Oh I've met my fair share of the technologically handicapped in the shops, too. One shining example is the idiot who told me, in 2013, that I shouldn't use Android because it was still a Beta version, and thus I would be at risk of viruses. :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:
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Unfortuneately they hate Windows Phone to, which is a shame because aside from apps, it is the second best operating system (beats IOS by a mile)