|
|
|
|
|
Where's the dialtone?
TRACFONE - A Rant about charging for messages that can't be sent.
I recently purchased a Tracfone LG800 as an upgrade from older phone. Upon (re)activation service switched from AT&T to T-Mobile.
I'm not happy.
AT&T service was excellent. T-Mobile is spotty. Phone service in building is hit or miss. Works near windows not in rest of building. Outdoor service isn’t much better. OK I’m in the mountains and I expect spotty service but it’s almost unusable.
Main complaint… Tracfone charges for messages that aren’t able to be sent. Local T-Mobile service doesn’t support sending photos but Tracfone still deducts from minutes.
I've climbed a cellphone tower
You don't have to live with that. Call Executive Resolutions in Miami and have them send you an ATT sim to replace the T-mobile sim. It is free. The phone will switch over to ATT.Originally Posted by ali_pine
Exec Res number is 305-715-6500. Call Mon - Frii before noon. After that traffic builds and calls roll over to the offshore call centers.
I've climbed a cellphone tower
When you decided to switch phones (probably using the web site, right?) you needed to have known about and actively made a selection that would have gotten you an AT&T SIM in the phone. Follow annepani's advice and you'll get straightened out.
I've climbed a cellphone tower
Definitely get an AT&T SIM.
It's annoying when a message doesn't send, but TF has been that way since the beginning.
The charge is made when you start to send. There's really no way for the phone to know if it will succeed at that point. It's also annoying that it won't automatically retry, for free, later when you have a better signal until it succeeds. (of course that would likely go bad and retry at the wrong time and cause excessive charges due to retries).
Also the phone really has know way of knowing that MMS won't work in a given area.
It's all a function of the TF model, where the minutes are stored in the phone and deductions controlled by the phone (instead of a remote balance based on usage records).
It's part of how they keep costs low, not having to spend money collecting and processing the usage logs.
I've got more phones than fingers
My first cell phone was from T-Mobile. I keep it active because it costs only $10 per year thanks to T-Mo's Gold Rewards. I don't bother taking it to "the lake" because it does not get a signal there and its hit and miss going to a from there while the AT&T Trac shows nearly full bars everywhere. The only T-Mo SIMed Tracs I've ever had was a few pink C139s from the 2fer days. I only activated 1 of those as I recall with the same result as a regular T-Mo 2 Go phone. I'm very careful when buying a new GSM Tracfone to make sure it has a C4 SIM.
However as a company I dislike the way AT&T does business.... or any of the big 4 for that matter. Only the uninformed would sign a contract or pay their ridiculous per minute prepaid prices.
I've climbed a cellphone tower
It's simple enough to get a replacement SIM if needed. While I try to get the correct one when purchasing, if I can't verify it before hand, I take my chances knowing I can get a replacement.
I certainly wouldn't pass up a good deal because it (might) comes with a T-Mobile SIM.
I've got more phones than fingers
I can verify the SIM card in a Tracfone in any situation be-it a clamshell hanging on a hook, in a box or on the website.
I've climbed a cellphone tower
Even if you know it's a T-Mobile SIM, that's no reason to pass up a deal.
You can have an AT&T SIM in 2 days less.
Of course the only time I've had an issue was direct from TF. Like when they replaced an old phone (not CDMA or GSM) and they sent one with a T-Mobile SIM, or when I ordered from their website using my zip code (before I knew how to force the market)
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks