| Author |
Message |
expat101
Posts: 3 |
 
Mon Apr 12, 2004 6:59 am |
The following tale is offered as a recent experience with trying to acquire a working international 'phone from T-Mobile.
We live in Amsterdam, and two weeks back, on a visit home to the US, I purchased a prepaid phone for my partner to have for emergency use. I gave a T-Mobile agent (at a promotion cart in a major GA mall), 3 specific requirements:
1 - prepaid
2 - international capability
3 - simple phone, no camera or other widgets.
The agent said no problem, produced a Samsung R225, went on-line to check its international operation, said it was a tri-band phone, and the deal was struck - $50, with a $30 airtime credit. Stipulation was to call the T-Mobile Customer Service centre to activate the phone for European use.
Prior to leaving for Europe, duly called the CSC and they said an unlock code would be issued within 24 hrs. Unfortunately, I left the US before this code could be rcvd.......
This is where the story, becomes a saga ...............
In Europe, I contact the T-Mobile CSC via e-mail, to ask for the unlock code.
The response was exactly the opposite of the phone call to the CSC - cannot issue such a code for a prepaid phone - no service offered outside the USA.
After considerable e-mail correspondance, and unfortunately having to make it clear that I would report the sale as fraudulent representation of their service offerings, they did issue the unlock code - but, it will not work, as the phone cannot access T-Mobile Europe - as the unlock code isn't entered - Catch 22 (searching for a network all the time).
T-Mobile will not offer a refund, for a returned phone (they say it must be sent back to the agent who sold it - at a cart in a mall !!), nor will they refer the situation to a European T-Mobile agent, to assist in unlocking the phone - and in the Netherlands, all the T-Mobile 'stores' are agents, and have no way to activate the phone.
Result - a phone that does not work, and T-Mobile have washed their hands of the issue. Completely dismissive of any customer service responsibility.
End of saga ...................................................
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pcwalker2
Posts: 28
Phone Model:
v205
Service Provider:
t-mobile |
Tue Apr 13, 2004 4:23 pm |
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I think it can be summed up best in that you got screwed by an unscrupulous or unintelligent dealer. I work in a kiosk in FL and see people come in with the strangest ideas that they got from other dealers. First off it isn't a tri-band phone, it is a dual band. Secondly I would try to contact the dealer. Should be easy enough to look up in a mall directory. If they won't give you your money back. you should just try to sell hte phone online. They usually go for about 40-60 dollars on Ebay. Other than that, you could sue, but that is more hassle than it is worse. Good Luck PCW2
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Infinite
Posts: 7
Phone Model:
nokia 3650
Service Provider:
T-Mobile |
Sun Apr 25, 2004 3:23 am |
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Good point the r225 is a dual band phone which has 1900/900 so you would need to be in a location which has 900 frequency overseas. Secondly, you mentioned you purchased a prepaid phone in which prepaid acounts are set up to only roam on T-Mobile USA's network thus you were not provisioned to roam internationally unless you you have a post-paid account. An option is to keep your phone and purchase a prepaid sim from a carrier where you are currently located.
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expat101
Posts: 3 |
Mon Apr 26, 2004 5:55 am |
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I believe the 'cautionary' aspect of my experience, that I was posting to warn others, was the attitude of the T-Mobile Customer Service Centre - they were extremely dismissive of their 'service responsibility', both with respect to their agent - who knowlingly or not, sold a phone/service which T-Mobile did not wish to deliver (technically they can), and after the sale, they were not prepared to assist in activating the phone on their European network. Having taken the phone to 2-3 local phone stores in the Netherlands, and found a general opinion that they don't like dealing with T-Mobile, and recommend Orange, Vodaphone, KPN telecom - any service provider other than T-Mobile, I'm left with no choice but to see if one of the stores, can break the SIM loc, so the phone can be used on a 'reliable' service provider's network - this is what a store is trying to do now - but requires a special cable that is on order. (But, again as the phone is not tri-band, the choice is limited to the 1900/900 service providers.)
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Azmodan
Posts: 13
Phone Model:
Samsung E715
Service Provider:
T-mobile |
Thu May 13, 2004 7:37 am |
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T-mobile's customer service representatives dont have the means to provide you with an unlock code for your phone. They have a special department that you cannot call that gives unlock codes out - the permissions is done by a form that will simply be rejected if you dont meet simple qualifications. This isnt about t-mobile being unwilling to resolve your issue, it is about t-mobile being unable to resolve your issue. T-mobile sells phones that you can use with t-mobile service - not phones that you can unlock and use with anyones service. Hence the title "service provider". If you want phone you that comes unlocked and ready to use with any prepaid service provider, I suggest you do a little research beforehand, find a phone that is cheap, tri-band compatabile, and unlocked and purchase it from ebay or the manufacturer themselves.
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expat101
Posts: 3 |
Thu May 13, 2004 8:30 am |
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I'm sorry 'Azmodan', u have either not read the e-mail chain, or have completely misunderstood what I have been saying about T-Mobile - I'm not going to repeat it, simply re-read it - then u can pass comment.
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Azmodan
Posts: 13
Phone Model:
Samsung E715
Service Provider:
T-mobile |
Wed May 19, 2004 5:31 pm |
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By the way prepaid and postpaid customer care is completely seperate. Your "dismissive customer service attitude" is not because they dont want to - its because they cant - so dont blame customer care reps for your lack of foresight.
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