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Phone Collector
Three weeks ago I replaced a missing SIM card on one of my Legacy Prepaid accounts. I'm in Germany, and this usually isn't a problem - the new SIM is usually up and running within a few minutes. This time it was an ordeal. I spent several hours talking to three reps.
The new SIM works on Wi-Fi calling, but:
1) International roaming does not work. Attempts to connect to local towers (2G/4G) did not work. According to the third rep I spoke to, the new billing system (by which I assume she meant "Rebellion") does not allow it for Legacy Prepaid. She offered to switch me to some $50-a-month "plan" that includes it but I refused. She told me enabling international roaming was only something a manager could do, and that the manager would not do it.
2) There was an international calling block in place. The second person I spoke was able to remove it.
3) The #999# short code does not work.
I asked whether trying another SIM might fix the problem, but the third rep said this would make no difference. My other Legacy Prepaid accounts roam and work perfectly well wherever I've tried them: Germany, the UK, Poland, Ukraine, Moldova, France, etc.
Any ideas? Is this the beginning of the end for Legacy Prepaid? It's tiresome seeing the US as one of the few places where pay-as-you-go is a rarity, compared to the rest of the world, where it is the most common way to use a telephone.
Phone Collector
There are other MVNOs out there that are pre-paid and offer international calling on the TMobile network. USMobile makes it available as an esim if you use an IPhone. Google Fi and Ultra both use the TMobile network and has access to all the international calling benefits of a TMobile post-paid account.
At some point these Legacy accounts will go away, and it doesn't look as if they offer international calling on any of the TMobile or Metro branded pre-paid accounts.
Phone Expert
the new billing system is fking up everything for legacy prepaid.
Phone Collector
Worked in Canada over Christmas, if you consider Canada "International".
https://www.howardforums.com/showthr...ming-in-Canada
But yeah, the new Rebellion system is messing everything up. Had my Legacy Gold Rewards Paygo zeroed out because of a three month expiration caused by the new system. Gold Rewards status was dropped. Need to call back next week to verify account status and if the trouble ticket was fixed.
Haven't traveled anywhere overseas in the past two years, unfortunately. Probably not traveling this year as well.
Phone Collector
Thanks, Gotadimple, but the problem is, USMobile, Google Fi, and the like are not true pay-as-you-go, because they require a monthly "plan" that costs money just to keep the line active. None of the plan stuff (minutes, SMS, data) works outside the country, if roaming is even available, so it would be wasted money for someone like me.
Even Canada (yes, Slepy, it's international) has PAYG (I have SpeakOut Mobile there, and it doesn't roam at all). But right now I'm unaware of any fallback options should TMO really discontinue Legacy, other than something lame like porting my number to Google Voice. Lycamobile US, for example, says pay-as-you-go is not available to new customers.
Phone Expert
Have you looked into the PayGo from Ultra Mobile? When I get fed up with T-mo and this legacy account mess, and/or pay my balance down, I might just switch there.Originally Posted by Motel75
https://www.ultramobile.com/paygo/
Allegedly, the SIM cards are available at some T-Mobile stores. One can usually find them on eBay also.
I've climbed a cellphone tower
I'm in Canada now and legacy prepaid still roams here.
I've climbed a cellphone tower
Are you on the new Rebellion system? Also, what is your per-minute rate?
I've climbed a cellphone tower
Yes I am. It's 10c/min domestic. Roaming in Canada is $1/min.
Phone Expert
But yeah, the new Rebellion system is messing everything up. Had my Legacy Gold Rewards Paygo zeroed out because of a three month expiration caused by the new system. Gold Rewards status was dropped. Need to call back next week to verify account status and if the trouble ticket was fixed.
holy crap. I suspected this would happen. I have a feeling they will not be able to fix it for you.
I called in multiple times to get my expiration date fixed, and they have not fixed jack.
My expiration date was only 3 months as well, and expires in march, until they can fix this.
The customer service rep was so confident that if March rolls around and my minutes expire, they can override it.
yeah right.....
The only thing that fixed my other account was topping up with $1, and that magically updated the expiration date to 1 year.
Maybe I should just ask them to top up with $1 from their end next time to see if they can fix it from their end.
I've climbed a cellphone tower
I was on a cruise earlier this month and my Legacy prepaid (on Rebellion) roamed on Cellular at Sea (ship) and also in St. Maarten and Antigua. I sent five texts (50c each) and received five texts (10c each).
Phone Expert
did you get your rewards fixed?
I've climbed a cellphone tower
Recently I got a text that I needed to replace my SIM before July 1 to avoid service interruption. So got a new one at T-mobile store and now international roaming no longer works (at least in Canada).
On the other hand, wi-fi calling, which previously didn't work, now works.
I've climbed a cellphone tower
I was on a cruise earlier this month and my Legacy prepaid (on Rebellion) roamed on Cellular at Sea (ship) and also in Denmark, Norway, while sailing past the Shetland Islands (Scotland/UK), Iceland, and Greenland. I received a text (10c) while in Iceland.
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