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2 seconds from canceling tmobile..

Ill give the short version... preordered on the 15th. told i'd get today. rep NEVER told me i needed to sign some email for verification. Email was sent to some god awful old address i dont even use. all that was offered was a $10 credit. Ive been w/ tmobile since like 02' and thats the best they can do??. call back and he can give a free month but only if i extend for 2 yrs....no thanks. So now i have to go to the store tomorrow and wait another day to get the phone. Oh ya btw i dropped my current phone in the toilet and it doesnt work so i have no phone @ the moment. im so livid I cant even see straight...... seriously considering another carrier just off of principle alone..

Call and talk to customer retention... They'll do much better.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA App

both offers WERE from retention...i thought they could do much better as well.

Wait, what email? I received no email. Did you get tracking info?

Retention's not doing deals like they used to. I got a G2 from them for $249 with 16 months left on my contract. For the G2X they (mutiple agents) told me if I wanted to go to VZW, maybe I should. My average bill per month for the past 12 months is $350ish because of international roaming. Once the AT&T deal closes I'm going to take their advice and move back to VZW. By then, VZW will have LTE well implemented and a dual-core Android worldphone. With high-value post paid customer gone, T-Mobile can focus all thier attention on $29 per month prepaid customers which, based on CSR attitude, is what they'd prefer.

They did the 249 for me on 2 g2x. I was at the sprint store.
I would of had a deposit on sprint. So it evened out.
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ikarma said:
Wait, what email? I received no email. Did you get tracking info?
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it was an email with a "electronic signature" link that needed to be clicked to confirm the phone. i mean I confirmed my full social, secret code, billing AND shipping address. I dont see why this was even needed. I received no tracking info because it was never shipped.

BarryH_GEG said:
Retention's not doing deals like they used to....... cont'd
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it seems like your right. I mean lets be serious. they KNOW i want the phone. hell I already bought accesorries for it so ya I am going to get it. its just how they went about the whole thing was so wrong i could not believe i was speaking with tmobile. The last guy who offered the free month w/ 2yr extension @ one point said " what do you want us to do?" and not in a helpful way. Like a "we dont care if you cancel;good riddance" kind of way. im still in shock over the whole thing. But its like im trapped. either shake this off and get the phone or go with another carrier, get charged an ETF for breaking contract then getting a higher bill with AT&T, sprint ,etc.

I had a $400 flexpay available which I took... There was on ONLINE form which required me to type in my name.
The only email I got was that my payment went through and it shipped.
Mine said it was supposed to be here Monday so I sold my N1 online. I called last night because it hadn't arrived nor had UPS showed it was even shipped. The lady on the phone told me that online orders were "pre-orders" and the phone wasn't even supposed to ship until Wednesday. I had her and her manager go to the website and tell me where, anywhere, did it say a preorder. I also said people were getting them already and they "assured" me that no one was getting them yet.
I actually had the supervisor cancel the order because I said I'd rather pick it up Wednesday rather then have it ship Wednesday. 20 minutes after I got off the phone, UPS showed it was picked up and scheduled for next day delivery. So I don't even know if they cancelled it or just got it shipped.
Just cancel it and pick one up at the store tomorrow. At this point it isn't even worth fighting with them to get it shipped. I ordered mine Friday with standard shipping and I just got mine a few minutes ago.

Customer retention did me right on today. To make a long story short I have had problems with my Vibrant since day one back in July. From the GPS to the freezing and reboots. T-Mobile has sent me 5 Vibrants since August and when I called on today I asked to speak with a manager. I told them I would like to cancel my account because I spent $500 on a phone and they have done nothing to fix it for me. I told them I tried every GPS fix known to man but none of them worked to my standards. I play golf and use Skydroid so I need the GPS to be pretty damn accurate. It worked fine on my N1 and MyTouch 3g. She then said "I can give you a $200 credit if you upgrade your device." I told her if she looked at my account I haven't been under contract with them for 3 years and have purchased my last 4 devices off contract so what makes you think I want to sign a 2 year contract now with this AT&T merger looming around. She asked me how they could keep me as a customer and I asked her what the value of my used Vibrant was. She told me $354. I then said, "the only way I will remain a T-Mobile customer is if they buy my Vibrant back for $354 and I purchase a G2x off contact for the difference". She put me on hold for 5 minutes and came back and said they would be willing to do that and would ship my G2x tomorrow and after I receive it I have 7 days to return my Vibrant. She even asked me if I would like to pay for the G2x right now or just add the cost to my bill. I chose to pay it now and should have a G2x in my hand by Friday for less than what people are paying to upgrade. Big deal, my Vibrant is gone but I got two cores of goodness for a little over $150 off contract.

Ask for a rep to come bring you a phone immediately. That's how you only paid $100 for the phone with no contract right?
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App

jrwingate6 said:
Customer retention did me right on today. To make a long story short I have had problems with my Vibrant since day one back in July. From the GPS to the freezing and reboots. T-Mobile has sent me 5 Vibrants since August and when I called on today I asked to speak with a manager. I told them I would like to cancel my account because I spent $500 on a phone and they have done nothing to fix it for me. I told them I tried every GPS fix known to man but none of them worked to my standards. I play golf and use Skydroid so I need the GPS to be pretty damn accurate. It worked fine on my MyTouch 3g. She then said "I can give you a $200 credit if you upgrade your device." I told her if she looked at my account I haven't been under contract with them for 3 years and have purchased my last 4 devices off contract so what makes you think I want to sign a 2 year contract now with this AT&T merger looming around. She asked me how they could keep me as a customer and I asked her what the value of my used Vibrant was. She told me $354. I then said, "the only way I will remain a T-Mobile customer is if they buy my Vibrant back for $354 and I purchase a G2x off contact for the difference". She put me on hold for 5 minutes and came back and said they would be willing to do that and would ship my G2x tomorrow and after I receive it I have 7 days to return my Vibrant. She even asked me if I would like to pay for the G2x right now or just add the cost to my bill. I chose to pay it now and should have a G2x in my hand by Friday for less than what people are paying to upgrade. Big deal, my Vibrant is gone but I got two cores of goodness for a little over $150 off contract.
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Awesome. This is what retention is meant for. You had a real serious legitimate issue and were considering cancelling. The people that are saying retention isn't doing what they used to are likely people that threaten to cancel whenever they want to get something. T-Mobile sees your history and how often you talk to retention or get deals from them. Eventually they will just call your bluff.

uploder said:
it was an email with a "electronic signature" link that needed to be clicked to confirm the phone. i mean I confirmed my full social, secret code, billing AND shipping address. I dont see why this was even needed. I received no tracking info because it was never shipped.
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Blame your state. That's why this is in place. What other carrier lets you split your phone up in payments? I'll go with.... none. It was their fault for not checking the email addy but come on it is only one more day.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA Premium App

BarryH_GEG said:
Retention's not doing deals like they used to. I got a G2 from them for $249 with 16 months left on my contract. For the G2X they (mutiple agents) told me if I wanted to go to VZW, maybe I should. My average bill per month for the past 12 months is $350ish because of international roaming. Once the AT&T deal closes I'm going to take their advice and move back to VZW. By then, VZW will have LTE well implemented and a dual-core Android worldphone. With high-value post paid customer gone, T-Mobile can focus all thier attention on $29 per month prepaid customers which, based on CSR attitude, is what they'd prefer.
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That's the full discounted price of the phone, so sounds like a good deal they gave you, but they should never had told u to go back to VZW, they should have went thru the bill and lowered it and also gave you an unlock code for your current phone so when you roam internationally you can just grab a pre-paid sim from where ever you are for way cheaper prices.

jimbo831 said:
Awesome. This is what retention is meant for. You had a real serious legitimate issue and were considering cancelling. The people that are saying retention isn't doing what they used to are likely people that threaten to cancel whenever they want to get something. T-Mobile sees your history and how often you talk to retention or get deals from them. Eventually they will just call your bluff.
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i completely agree however im not one of those people who call and complain for every little issue. truth is ive NEVER had an issue with tmobile until this happened. 1st time ever threatening to cancel and 1st time speaking w/ retention.

sk337sk337 said:
but come on it is only one more day.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA Premium App
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the only reason its an issue is because i have no phone @ the moment. (see 1st post) so in the rare case that there was an emergency and I needed a phone id be screwed.If i did still have a phone i'd be annoyed but would have just took it for what it is. A retarded mixup on their part. Which is what im doing

uploder said:
i completely agree however im not one of those people who call and complain for every little issue. truth is ive NEVER had an issue with tmobile until this happened. 1st time ever threatening to cancel and 1st time speaking w/ retention.
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I definitely wasn't calling you out specifically, more just a general statement, or if anyone specifically it was Barry that said they aren't doing what they used to.
Regarding your situation, if they offered you a free month, that is usually the most retention will give as far as financial credits, and it will always require a 2 year contract from my experience (in customer care, not as a customer threatening to cancel).

You really want to go to some crap company over a couple days, when you are the one who ruined your other phone?? And if you are buying this, I am sure you can afford to spend $20 for a prepaid at walmart to give you the basic functionality that is essential. Geesh

uploder said:
it was an email with a "electronic signature" link that needed to be clicked to confirm the phone. i mean I confirmed my full social, secret code, billing AND shipping address. I dont see why this was even needed. I received no tracking info because it was never shipped.
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I was still in contract with 10 months to go for a full upgrade. When I called, I asked about the upgrade. When the CSR told me I didn't qualify for the upgrade I immediately asked how much it would be just to cancel the service. She said "$200" and my reply to her was "Thats it? I may as well just do that then." She right away offered me a full upgrade.
I too had to go along with the electronic signature but my CSR was nice enough to ask me what email to send it to and let me know when it was coming. I feel for you, man. It's a shame that most companies are straying away from quality customer service, especially with consumers that have been long term with the company. I guarantee if you were a new customer, they would have bent over backwards for you.

uploder said:
the only reason its an issue is because i have no phone @ the moment. (see 1st post) so in the rare case that there was an emergency and I needed a phone id be screwed.If i did still have a phone i'd be annoyed but would have just took it for what it is. A retarded mixup on their part. Which is what im doing
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How have you been with tmo that long and don't have a phone laying around? I have at least 3 that I could dig up and throw a sim in.
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App

T-Mobile Account Specialist to the Rescue!

Three months after signing up with T-Mobile, I was already considering dropping their service and going back to Sprint or switching to Virgin Mobile. Why? Here goes...
I signed up for service online, paid the $100 deposit, got the 500 Minute Value Talk plan w/the 2GB Data Plan. I then chose my free G2x and successfully submitted my order. Waited several days to check the status of my order online and saw that my order had been shipped. In order to verify the status, I then called Customer Care and then...the headaches began.
According to everyone I spoke with the phone had not been sent, but they were making sure the phone would be delivered. I must have spoken to several agents until one of them, eventually said the plan was not eligible for a Free Phone. "But I successfully completed the order!"
I eventually bought an HTC MyTouch 4G from another T-Mobile customer who had the phone for a little over a month and had bought a different model. I rooted my phone and never had any extreme problems, other than download speed up until recently, when the Camera and Camcorder crapped out on me. Restored back to stock and tried other ROMS. I also followed suggestions posted in many threads addressing the issue with the cameras, flashing different "Camera" apps, and nothing.
Having gone through many hours of trying to fix my phone, I called HTC to gather as much info on my particular device. They stated the year warranty would expire in April of this year and they would gladly fix the phone for me for free, but I would incur a charge if they found I had voided the warranty. They emailed me an RA form, but I decided to speak to someone at T-Mobile, and based on the info I provided them, they promised a replacement device, but requested my phone's software version. I told them I would call back from another device the following day since I had some "errands" and stuff to do.
I then restored my phone to stock, restored S-On, ran the updates on my device and then called T-Mobile, but then they rejected my request after the replacement was promised by a Supervisor in Tech Support. All they needed to do was verify the IMEI and presto, but I was not able to get my way, so I just left it alone. A week later, I had some voice issues in which I wasn't able to make or receive calls even after removing the battery from the phone, until I was able to get a Customer Care agent who seemed to be outside the Continental U.S. This nice fellow interrupted me while I was explaining my situation to him and said he was going to transfer me to an Account Specialist based on the information he'd seen in the notes. After I asked why, he stated they valued me as a new T-Mobile customer. I was like, "Whatever".
Upon doing a warm-transfer, a young lady by the name of Ashley, indicated she was going to talk to a supervisor and I asked if there was something wrong with my account, but she refused to give me any info. After coming back on the line, she stated her sup had authorized a replacement ticket which was being emailed to me while we spoke, in which they would replace my MyTouch 4G at no cost to me. Imagine that! She apologized on behalf of the company for the misinformation I was given at time and the poor customer service. Three months of crappy overall service and I got a new phone! My download speeds on the bad device were less than 2000kbps. Now, they're at a high 6000kbps.
That girl and the small group of dedicated T-Mobile employees who go beyond their call of duty, deserve an applause. My contract and plan stayed the same. There are good folks at T-Mobile...you just have to keep trying.

Man. What a pain. If you had raised a fuss initially, you could have gotten your G2X. A contract is a contract and you signed up for a free G2X, which their system sold you. I'm pretty sure they were legally bound to give you one. Did you have a receipt?
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA App

estallings15 said:
Man. What a pain. If you had raised a fuss initially, you could have gotten your G2X. A contract is a contract and you signed up for a free G2X, which their system sold you. I'm pretty sure they were legally bound to give you one. Did you have a receipt?
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA App
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Not only did I have a printed one, but snapshots and HTML code from the actual page. Believe me, I wanted to raise hell at first, but I thought it would be a waste of time. While with Sprint, I like others, had access to the Sprint Executive Customer Service Hotline number thanks to The Consumerist, but with T-Mobile I just felt I was out in the cold from Day 1.
The phone replacement doesn't change my perception of their overall Customer Care and Retention Department. One of the last persons I spoke to before talking to the gentleman and Ashley, was a rep from their Spanish-speaking Retention Department. I asked for at least one minimal incentive for me to stay with T-Mobile and her answer was this: "I cannot provide you with even the slightest discount because you are a new customer." Yeah...but one who's paying for a service.
I wish I had stayed with Sprint. I worked for them through ACS in their Tech Support Department. When the store reps wouldn't deliver, we'd jump in and prevent even an escalation to retention. I guess that's what keeps me ticked off at them. I hate not getting the service I strive to always provide my customers with.
I'll stay with them til after my contract is over

I have never experienced bad customer service through my 3 years with T-Mobile, but then again, I never really needed it throughout the time. I got a replacement phone on Monday, and the lady I talked to for it was very kind and polite.

steven-026 said:
I have never experienced bad customer service through my 3 years with T-Mobile, but then again, I never really needed it throughout the time. I got a replacement phone on Monday, and the lady I talked to for it was very kind and polite.
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Wow...I guess because you've been with them for a while. Glad they were able to help you and be nice about it to.

My wife and I couldn't pass up TMos 2 for $99 /mo plan but it took 7 different reps to get that sorted out cuz no one had heard of it ... even though it was all over the radio and on their homepage! - Gotta say they were quite ready to help even if they didn't seem to know what they were doing.

Homerbsharp said:
My wife and I couldn't pass up TMos 2 for $99 /mo plan but it took 7 different reps to get that sorted out cuz no one had heard of it ... even though it was all over the radio and on their homepage! - Gotta say they were quite ready to help even if they didn't seem to know what they were doing.
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Had same prob till I found someone who told me I had to pay $200 per line migration fee. Been with tmo for 6 years but if I pay$200 a line its going to be to cancel... when I started they were great even gave me free month when messed up bill but recently when renewed had to call 10 times to get texting cuz every bill was 800 and they said they fixed but still have to call every month
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[Q] My rant towards T-Mobile! Any suggestions?

Well, this is my 6th G2X from T-Mobile. I kept sending it back under warranty and receiving a refurbished phone that ended up giving me the same problems (I'm assuming if it SEEMS fine they just brand it refurbished and send it back out to save $$$). Of course, it's giving me all sorts of problems again but it's no longer under the t-mobile warranty (90 days for a refurbished phone is kind of ****ing stupid). It's less than a year old so it SHOULD be covered by LG.. The only problem is the IMEI of the phone says it's older than a year (because someone else had it before me) so they won't fix it unless I provide some PHYSICAL proof of purchase that has the date received and IMEI on it.
Here's the part that is driving me insane:
I call T-mobile and they say "Sure! Here's an order ID, just give that to LG and it will work. Don't worry". Even after questioning them multiple times they sounded very confident. I called LG and nope, nothing they can do with that so I call T-Mobile again and she tells me "just give them your IMEI, when they look it up it will have all that information". Again, she reassured me even after I asked over and over if she was sure so I called LG and they told me there's no such information and even though I argued and argued they wouldn't budge. So.. I call T-Mobile AGAIN and they tell me they will send out a receipt with all the information I need and they're so so sorry. I wait a week and nothing so I call back again and they don't even have a memo of what the CS said he would do and then told me there's no way they can help me. He then told me they would give me an early upgrade which was complete bull**** because the "upgrade" they offered was already available for me online. It's not a true upgrade, more like a 20% discount off a full price phone.
I'm at my wits end. I got this phone because of the hype and all that and now I have a phone that is technically under warranty but there's not a damn thing I can do about it. I've heard stories of people e-mailing the executives and getting stuff handled that way.. Would that be an option for me?

Keep badgering tmo about this, try and talk to a higher rank person each time.
Don't let them take advantage of you.
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda app-developers app

Xura08 said:
Well, this is my 6th G2X from T-Mobile. I kept sending it back under warranty and receiving a refurbished phone that ended up giving me the same problems (I'm assuming if it SEEMS fine they just brand it refurbished and send it back out to save $$$). Of course, it's giving me all sorts of problems again but it's no longer under the t-mobile warranty (90 days for a refurbished phone is kind of ****ing stupid). It's less than a year old so it SHOULD be covered by LG.. The only problem is the IMEI of the phone says it's older than a year (because someone else had it before me) so they won't fix it unless I provide some PHYSICAL proof of purchase that has the date received and IMEI on it.
Here's the part that is driving me insane:
I call T-mobile and they say "Sure! Here's an order ID, just give that to LG and it will work. Don't worry". Even after questioning them multiple times they sounded very confident. I called LG and nope, nothing they can do with that so I call T-Mobile again and she tells me "just give them your IMEI, when they look it up it will have all that information". Again, she reassured me even after I asked over and over if she was sure so I called LG and they told me there's no such information and even though I argued and argued they wouldn't budge. So.. I call T-Mobile AGAIN and they tell me they will send out a receipt with all the information I need and they're so so sorry. I wait a week and nothing so I call back again and they don't even have a memo of what the CS said he would do and then told me there's no way they can help me. He then told me they would give me an early upgrade which was complete bull**** because the "upgrade" they offered was already available for me online. It's not a true upgrade, more like a 20% discount off a full price phone.
I'm at my wits end. I got this phone because of the hype and all that and now I have a phone that is technically under warranty but there's not a damn thing I can do about it. I've heard stories of people e-mailing the executives and getting stuff handled that way.. Would that be an option for me?
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ask for customer loyalty dept.
been with tmo 10 years, they do what i ask when i say ill cancel and they can stand in line with their hand out like all the other bill collectors cause they ain't getting **** else from me.
They always work something out with me.
Sent from my glorified LG pet rock™

justjackyl said:
ask for customer loyalty dept.
been with tmo 10 years, they do what i ask when i say ill cancel and they can stand in line with their hand out like all the other bill collectors cause they ain't getting **** else from me.
They always work something out with me.
Sent from my glorified LG pet rock™
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The people I talked to were actually part of that department. I always say "retention" when the automated voice asks what I want and it sends me there. I guess I'll just keep calling them and maybe even ask to speak to a supervisor. Do you guys have any idea what I should ask for specifically? I've heard of some people getting entirely free phones because of crazy situations but I don't want to flat out ask for one

Xura08 said:
The people I talked to were actually part of that department. I always say "retention" when the automated voice asks what I want and it sends me there. I guess I'll just keep calling them and maybe even ask to speak to a supervisor. Do you guys have any idea what I should ask for specifically? I've heard of some people getting entirely free phones because of crazy situations but I don't want to flat out ask for one
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I've dealt with T-Mobile retention more than I care to discuss, normally they'll find some way to reel me back in.
Has your relationship with T-Mobile lasted longer than 2 years? (Have you renewed a contract previously)
I ask because most (all?) cell providers in the US will not direct you to an actual Retention Rep until your account has aged beyond 1 contract term, instead you are re-directed to the escalation unit of the sales dept and they generally don't do anything useful.
Under the assumption that you have had your contract longer than 2 years, it sometimes helps to have inside information on how the retention process works in order to "sway" the rep into getting what you need. I've worked in a contact center for 2 major carriers and what's important is a rep's "Stats". For the retention dept the biggest ones are retention rate and 7 day repeat calls. Retention rate for T-Mobile is now different because of their new rate plan/phone structure and is likely irrelevant. However 7 day repeat calls are generally the basis for any rep to be judged on.
Speak to the rep in the most pleasant manner you can, and put the responsibility on them to help you find a resolution to your problem. Literally ask for their help, and ask realistic solutions to your issue. These are normally BS script replies, but it's all a game anyway. Next tell them what you want, and be firm (but still nice) about it. Let them know you have every intention of calling and speaking with as many people as required in order to resolve this concern, as you believe T-Mobile as your "service" provider should be responsible for your satisfaction. Be clear that you are not asking for the latest and greatest super phone, but it does need to function in the manner in which you were informed it would. This is a frustrating issue and you've wasted enough time trying to get some sort of result, and will continue searching for a resolution over the next couple of days if required. ** Retention Reps get a bonus based on the fact that their customer's wont be calling back and random surveys that are sent out **
While I wouldn't recommend leveraging the surveys as a negotiation point or even the fact that you know about their metrics, simply let them know your intention. Mention the fact you've already called several times already, and are becoming frustrated.
Asking for a manager in this situation often leads no where, management does not have stats (their bonus is based on their reps) and does not have their calls recorded or monitored by quality. It's much more difficult for a rep to say "no" then it will be for their manager.
If none of that works, you might just be SOL. I really hate to say it, but they aren't obligated to do anything about it (which is more BS in your case). Just do what you can, be nice, and hope for the best. I know when I was on the phones, if someone asked be for something with an attitude they didn't get anything in return for it.

Biohazard0289 said:
I've dealt with T-Mobile retention more than I care to discuss, normally they'll find some way to reel me back in.
Has your relationship with T-Mobile lasted longer than 2 years? (Have you renewed a contract previously)
I ask because most (all?) cell providers in the US will not direct you to an actual Retention Rep until your account has aged beyond 1 contract term, instead you are re-directed to the escalation unit of the sales dept and they generally don't do anything useful.
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I've been a customer since 07'. It was originally a flexpay account and then about 1 3/4 years ago I upgraded to the regular contract.
I'm not sure how far I should try and push them because I've heard stories from a friend who had problems and they sent her a new smartphone (When the Galaxy SII was big). I just got off the phone with the retention guy and he gave me this offer: upgrade to the new "value plan" that's not a contract and he would waive the $50 fee (I am eligible on 4/5, and it would be free then) however I would have to pay ~$250 for a Samsung Galaxy SII. Does that sound fair? Or should I hold out for a better offer, because when I told him I would just call back again later to resolve this and I appreciated his help he said "Well, hold on, how about I waive the fee and try and get you with a new phone today?"?

Xura08 said:
I've been a customer since 07'. It was originally a flexpay account and then about 1 3/4 years ago I upgraded to the regular contract.
I'm not sure how far I should try and push them because I've heard stories from a friend who had problems and they sent her a new smartphone (When the Galaxy SII was big). I just got off the phone with the retention guy and he gave me this offer: upgrade to the new "value plan" that's not a contract and he would waive the $50 fee (I am eligible on 4/5, and it would be free then) however I would have to pay ~$250 for a Samsung Galaxy SII. Does that sound fair? Or should I hold out for a better offer, because when I told him I would just call back again later to resolve this and I appreciated his help he said "Well, hold on, how about I waive the fee and try and get you with a new phone today?"?
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Keep track of names, dates, times called, use that information to ding previous agent, than next agent knows you'll do same to them
It may take a couple cycles of this but you'll find someone that after enough callbacks, will offer you a good deal.
Everyone's experience is different, also, when you get Akmhad the Indian on the line and he says his name is Dave, politely state that you cannot understand their accent and requested a native english speaker or to be transferred to another agent cause you can't understand, and hopefully that will dump you back in queue and get you into an American call center, this is how I've done it, and I find the girls with a.southern usa accent are the easy ones to work on to get what you want.
Sent from my glorified LG pet rock™

justjackyl said:
I find the girls with a.southern usa accent are the easy ones to work on to get what you want.
Sent from my glorified LG pet rock™
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This is true on so many levels

TwitchyEye said:
This is true on so many levels
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Ohhh man. lmao
I'm gonna regret saying that in such a "general" way. lmfao
Sent from my glorified LG pet rock™

Do not buy used phones: you are powerless!

So I know this type of discussion isn't really related to developing but since this forum was basically THE Android forum for me, I would like to get the word out here. I don't want another victim like me to happen; I hope this will help any future phone buyers from falling into the trap I did. This is going to be a long story but I hope I can clear up all this confusion about used phones, so strap in!
I bought an iPhone 4S last year from a guy on Craigslist; he offered to meet at an AT&T store to verify the clean IMEI and this action alone made me go against my gut instincts, which were telling me this guy looked kind of sketch. He was a white male in his late thirties, pot belly and dressed really sloppily; also had a slight hunch. But you can't judge a book by it's cover right? His story was that this was his wife's iPhone and that he sold his own a few days ago because he wanted a Samsung Galaxy S3; the phone had one more year on-contract and came with the original box so I knew it wasn't stolen. I gave him my $400 after inspecting the phone and left. Fast-forward to this week...
The phone was given to my dad to use on AT&T a month ago; I used the phone on T-Mobile for almost a year and nothing unusual came up. Just two weeks ago, my dad started getting messages saying "This device has been blocked from network use. Please call your service provider..." Not making much of it or even feeling any panic because I was that naive, I thought to myself "no way the previous owner would call in a year later to blacklist his phone. Who would even do that?" I called AT&T and after an hour, the representative was getting annoyed and said "I'll open up a case; wait three days." Three days pass and I had no word from them; I called in again and after another hour l found out my case was closed and got transferred to the supervisor. To sum up what he said: the phone was fine on T-Mobile until it was registered in the AT&T system, the owner can block a phone years down the line because the "30 days since it's loss" translates to "30 days since it's last been used by ANYONE," and that even if I have proof I bought the phone, only the original owner can remove it from the blacklist. So wireless carrier's have this huge hole in their policy that creates victims for people who buy phones secondhand and they honestly don't give a crap because it earns them money. I asked "so there is NOTHING to protect people like me? You can't even tell the police who this guy is?" He brushed me off and told me to call the police and open up a case, even if the police do get involved though, he said their company will stay quiet.
So I ended the call, speechless and dumbfounded. Lost, confused, and frustrated, I went to the police station in my city, but it turns out I lived outside the city limits so I had to call a dispatcher in another county; after the short conversation, the dispatcher told me to wait for an officer to call. The straightforward police officer, being much more friendly and understanding than the people at AT&T told me "since the phone wasn't actually stolen, it's a civil issue; the only thing you can do is try to find this guy and take it to court. We don't get involved in these kinds of matter. I know it's tough to accept but the wireless companies just want profit and this policy that creates victims like you gets them what they want. This happens all the time and us police officers can't do anything about it. I'm sorry for your loss and I really wish I could help but this is the truth; you're left to your own devices now. Whenever you buy a phone secondhand YOU TAKE A HUGE RISK!" I'm hung-up the the phone in a better mood than I was because someone actually had sympathy for what had happened to me. Left here with just an e-mail address, I knew there was no hope of finding this guy; this person that was a criminal in a moral sense, and yet was not in a legal sense. What this guy did, the police officer said it's COMPLETELY LEGAL!
So the best I could do was go on Craigslist again and find someone who wanted a phone with a bad IMEI for parts or use overseas; I guess luck and karma were on my side and this guy quickly responded, wanting to buy the phone for $200. It turns out he worked for a company that fixes phones and ships them overseas to sell. I knew this guy, who was in his late twenties and rotund, was trained in buying phones; he brought a toothbrush, SIM card remover, and various other tools to inspect the device. I was uneasy during and after the deal; left scarred and paranoid from the previous Craigslist experience. To show how paranoid I was, I even went to a bank teller, asking him to check if the money he gave me was fake. After this ordeal, I realized that spending that extra $300 to buy a brand new phone is worth it; all this stress, mental exhaustion, and time is worth saving by putting down that extra money.
But the problem wasn't over; I bought a T-Mobile HTC One on Swappa for myself when I gave my iPhone 4S to my dad, although from a trusted seller, I knew I could not risk it anymore. Even though I know this guy's name, address, PayPal account, and had proof of purchase, I was still powerless; the wireless and insurance companies don't care about the facts. The merit of facts flies out the window and all they do is put their fingers in their ears and scream "OUR POLICY!" But I remembered during the escapade with the AT&T supervisor, he said I could have transferred the ownership of the phone. To get my facts straight, I went to T-Mobile with all the evidence I had saying I bought this phone from Swappa; I didn't bother with the bottom-feeders and went straight to the manager. Guess what he said? "We can't tap into the system and transfer ownership of a phone since it's tied to a contract. The best we can do it make a note on YOUR account that you bought this phone; this won't prevent it from being blacklisted but it will help if you decide to escalate the issue to Asurion (the insurance company)." Now I thought to myself, "would Asurion even give a damn?" The answer: NO; no they would not. They would most likely try to push the responsibility to someone else and dismiss this huge hole that creates helpless victims because their business runs on customers "losing" their phones or getting it "stolen," and then paying them to replace it.
After all this time wasted trying to get to the bottom of things, I'm left with the cold hard truth: you WILL get burned if you buy a used phone and there is NOTHING you can do about it! NOTHING! The best you can do is to take matters into your own hands and sue; the companies don't care and the police can't help! Save yourself from what has happened to me; just spend that extra $300 to buy a new phone. It's worth every penny for that extra security because this world is full of people who will take advantage of you! I can already feel my idealism fading...

yorkies88888 said:
I bought an iPhone 4S last year from a guy on Craigslist.
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I'm sorry this happened, but you purchased the phone off of craiglist!! You should of known better a simple google search would of told you about the dangers.

That was a long read but well worth it sorry that happened to you man, But i think recommending people not buy a second hand phone is somewhat extreme not everyone is a crook and are out to get you.
Anyway glad you were able to recoup half of the money back.

I often meet with someone on the way to sell me a second-hand mobile phone, I did not bother these people.

I bought my HTC one s from a local pawn shop. It was a fido phone which I unlocked and use on Telus network. So basically as long as you buy a phone which was not on the carrier you are going to use it on, then you are completely safe right?
Could you not have still switched that iPhone back to T-Mobile?
Sent from my HTC One S using xda app-developers app

350Rocket said:
I bought my HTC one s from a local pawn shop. It was a fido phone which I unlocked and use on Telus network. So basically as long as you buy a phone which was not on the carrier you are going to use it on, then you are completely safe right?
Could you not have still switched that iPhone back to T-Mobile?
Sent from my HTC One S using xda app-developers app
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Well the problem is that carriers in the U.S. are starting to share the same blacklist; AT&T, T-Mobile, and the other smaller wireless companies under them share the same list. Once you get blacklisted on one carrier, you're blacklisted by most now.

Thanks for the info.. glad you told.the story. I know this now heh.. sorry for what happened
Sent from my SPH-L720 using xda app-developers app

Thanks for the story.

I think it is pretty safe to buy second hand unlocked phone...
Sent via Tapatalk 2

yorkies88888 said:
Well the problem is that carriers in the U.S. are starting to share the same blacklist; AT&T, T-Mobile, and the other smaller wireless companies under them share the same list. Once you get blacklisted on one carrier, you're blacklisted by most now.
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This applies to me as well. Without getting into too much detail: Purchased a late model android phone from Craigslist, an unlocked AT&T branded device and I use T Mobile. Fast forward until 2 weeks ago the phone would no longer make calls and gave me a specific error code which I forget now. Turns out that code meant "stolen or lost device" and it would no longer work on any US cellular networks.
Someone who isn't me was unsuccessful in changing the number that shall remain nameless in order to get the phone working again.... that is all

yorkies88888 said:
Well the problem is that carriers in the U.S. are starting to share the same blacklist; AT&T, T-Mobile, and the other smaller wireless companies under them share the same list. Once you get blacklisted on one carrier, you're blacklisted by most now.
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Click to collapse
Now i am living in europe, so this doesnt really bother me, yet i am still curious: what if you buy a htc one (for example) that someone had with contract, and root it? Would it still be in a blacklist? And for the iphones: does a jailbreak do the trick to get the phone going again?
Also, sorry for your experiences :/
Greets Vauvenal7
Sent from my HTC MyTouch_4G_slide

Vauvenal7 said:
Now i am living in europe, so this doesnt really bother me, yet i am still curious: what if you buy a htc one (for example) that someone had with contract, and root it? Would it still be in a blacklist? And for the iphones: does a jailbreak do the trick to get the phone going again?
Also, sorry for your experiences :/
Greets Vauvenal7
Sent from my HTC MyTouch_4G_slide
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Nope. Software modifications won't do anything as your IMEI has been blacklisted. The only way around that is a new motherboard.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

@ yorkie8888
*Interesting read, Sorry to hear what happened, everyone else, I'm from London UK and was wondering if anyone else had experienced anything similar to yorkie here in the UK?
Sent from my Revolutionary Htc One X

Anyone know if this affects Canada the same? For example using an unlocked fido/rogers phone on Telus. Do they share a blacklist too?
Sent from my HTC One S using xda app-developers app

This I feel has to be said:
Your spent $400 on a USED iPhone?
Buying used phones entails some downsides, like not getting to claim warranty, and this blacklisting thing is really sad, but, meh, that's why we buy them cheap.
Also, I feel the lesson here is, take precautions when buying second-hand, for instance, leave the phone unused for 31+ days. Buy a bat and work out. Take incriminating photos of the seller, etc.
Anyway isn't it possible -although illegal, I know- to change your IMEI?
Seems to be "common" losing/changing it when flashing ROMs.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Thanks for the info
Sent from my HTC Explorer A310e using xda app-developers app

Thanks for sharing this info.

So what is the point of someone blacklisting a phone a year later? Do they get a insurance claim or something.
I have bought used sprint phones for years, but now that I am using a phone (tmobile) with a sim card/imei it seems that you are more likely to get screwed.
Does swappa and PayPal not protect against this issue? And if not what the hell is swappa charging the customer $10/transaction for?

I am almost positive I got this same error a couple of years ago on a phone purchased directly from AT&T. It was a bad SIM card. I wasn't able to make calls or anything. They replaced the SIM and it worked. So for those who buy a used phone and get that error, check your SIM card first.

I've been buying and selling used phones for the last 2 years and never had an issue. I've don't buy off craigslist though, I stick to swappa or ebay where you have some protection via paypal. Yes you always run the risk of someone reporting the device lost/stolen after the sale, but that's why you only buy from reputable/rated sellers and skip on anything that looks too good to be true.
I'm sorry to hear you got screwed on your iphone, but I wouldn't consider your experience the norm. As for the warranty/insurance issue on your other phone, that's just how it is, do your research. The warranty only applies to the original buyer of the device (when bought through an authorized retailer). Same with insurance, you can only add it in a certain time frame when you've bought the phone from an authorized retailer.
However, some carries do have an "open enrollment" where you can add insurance to your device regardless of when/where you bought it. Verizon actually has it going on right now through Dec 2.

T-Mobile BOGO is a scam

T-Mobile has constantly lied to me about my BOGO reimbursement. I called them over 30 times over the past few months. The first person told me they would call me the following Wednesday and did not. I called them back the Thursday after and they representative told me that the records show that they called me back and explained to me why I couldn't get my reimbursement already which was a complete lie. So that person told me they would call back in a few days. They didn't. I called back and they told me the same ****. I called back and demanded a supervisor, then that person got on the phone and I demanded to talk to their supervisor. Then I told him I was recording the call, he acknowledged that and said OK. I then explained everything and he researched and apologized for the trouble and that he can see that there was an error on T-Mobile's part. He then put me on hold and came back and apologized again and told me that he will make sure I am reimbursed for the full amount of the phone. A week later still nothing on my account and then they turn my lines off (I'm not giving them any more money when they owe me 800 bucks). I call them back and tell them again and they tell me the call is recorded and I tell them the same. They tell me to stop recording or they will hang up. So I have to demand to talk to a supervisor and argue with him about recording the call and he finally looks into the situation. So they credited my account the 100 bucks left on the EIP and thought that was enough.
T-Mobile is the most shady company I have ever dealt with. Lucky I have a family member who is a lawyer I guess.

I've been with them for 13 years with 6 to 8 lines and haven't had any issues. Sorry to hear your troubles
Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Sorry man I been with them for some years as well and anytime I've had an issue they fixed it. I did not receive my prepaid card and called t-mobile so they paid it off while I was on the phone. But man your situation sucks.

I would try twitter. I reached out to them after my claim was denied and they ended up sending me double what I was supposed to get. That's some first rate service right there.

Try twitter. They respond within minutes.

try emailing john legere

Could you explain what you did wrong to not get reimbursed? If you follow the guidelines set forth on the BOGO offer I'm sure you would have gotten reimbursed by now.
I took advantage of the offer and even though the reimbursement card took a long time to be mailed, I did get it.
Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

T-Mobile is really good about listening to their customers. I got the BOGO, VR Headset too. The Oculus credit didn't show right away so they credited my acct $100 for the trouble. Then the J7 promo came out and my plan was too good to be eligible. Nope. I called and they gave me a credit for the price of the phone and sent it to me anyways. Best mobile phone company period.

KillaHurtz said:
T-Mobile is really good about listening to their customers. I got the BOGO, VR Headset too. The Oculus credit didn't show right away so they credited my acct $100 for the trouble. Then the J7 promo came out and my plan was too good to be eligible. Nope. I called and they gave me a credit for the price of the phone and sent it to me anyways. Best mobile phone company period.
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It all depends on the rep you get on the phone. Just remember they are people too, chat them up, ask them how they are doing today. Talk about the weather, tell them how much you love t-mobile. You almost need to let them know that they can make or break your day. Let them hear disappointment in your voice but remain non-hostile. People will go above and beyond to help others when they feel like their actions will make a difference.
Sent from my SM-G935T using XDA Premium HD app

Do a chargeback fuk tmobile

I did nothing wrong. I've had multiple supervisors tell me they found where T-Mobile screwed up. I ordered 2 phones, a black one for me and a silver one for my gf. The silver one was on backorder. The first T-Mobile rep that actually researched this told me the mistake was that the phones needed to be ordered at the same time and the system put them as being ordered on different days because of the backorder.
I have had many T-Mobile reps straight lie to me. Lied about calling me 3 times, made up fake notes of what was said in the conversation and the reps who have told me this refused to confirm the call by looking up my call record saying "I don't know what good that will do, I will help you from here". It will do a lot of damn good. Find out they lied and fire them. Am I wrong for thinking that behavior is unacceptable?

Send an email to [email protected].
I had the run around about getting reimbursed for an iPhone 6S that I returned back because the store rep ordered the wrong phone for me. I wanted an iPhone 6S Plus but the store clerk put in an order for an iPhone 6S instead. I returned the 6S and re-ordered the 6S Plus but ever got reimbursed for the 6S because they couldn't find it in their warehouse even though the tracking number said it was delivered to them. I emailed them at [email protected] and the rep contacted me and just refunded me on the spot.

Just go on Twitter to John legere and spam him.
I was declined the bogo, as soon as I found out, I went on Twitter. They gave me the full 700+ as credit on my account. Turns out I was the first to actually get something for the bogo as the cards hadn't gone out yet.

So after my lawyer finally got in contact with them they finally gave me my money. They tried to tell my lawyer that the phone conversation we recorded with them promising us money was illegal which since they tell you the call is being recorded that means all parties are aware and concern to recording.
I love T-Mobiles service but this was ridiculous.
Thanks for the advice.