Will AT&T ever stop sending SIM cards with upgrades?
I don't understand why there's always the need to get/activate a new SIM card. (when upgrading online or over the phone) I've had like 4 SIM cards since I started my service. At first they got me with the whole 3G apps thing... but what's in this one that I didn't have in my other one I got in Jan 07? I've asked around to those I know who are on Tmobile, and they don't get new SIM cards when they upgrade. I actually remember seeing the Tmobile rep taking the SIM card out of the box and keeping it a few weeks back when I went with a friend to upgrade her phone.
I wonder how this affects AT&T money wise.
P.S This is in no way a rant, just an observation...
I wonder how this affects AT&T money wise.
P.S This is in no way a rant, just an observation...
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Business-wise I think one of the reasons they do this is when customer service does upgrades, the customer's are supposed to call into a contract acceptance IVR to accept their new agreement. Doing this activates the new sim and updates the system with the new IMEI. If customer's didn't get new sim cards, they would just move the sim to the new phone, and ATT would not be able to easily "steer" them to the IVR to accept T&C's.
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I believe you are correct in your assessment. It has more to do with AT&T business than any upgrade in service to the customer. I have a three year old Cingular branded sim card in a unlocked Nokia N95-3 and everthing in the phone works just fine.
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tkboxer said:
I believe you are correct in your assessment. It has more to do with AT&T business than any upgrade in service to the customer. I have a three year old Cingular branded sim card in a unlocked Nokia N95-3 and everthing in the phone works just fine.
Same here. Same card since the release of the T637 now in my N82
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AT&T wants everyone on the USIM (3G sim card) because some overseas networks are not set up to recognize an older SIM (2G sim) on their 3G networks.
AT&T allows both the SIM and USIM to be compatable with GSM and UMTS/HSDPA networks, but around the globe it is not always the case.
This is the information I have come to understood, if anyone else has any other info it would be really appreciated as this is usually always a topic of hot debate.
AT&T allows both the SIM and USIM to be compatable with GSM and UMTS/HSDPA networks, but around the globe it is not always the case.
This is the information I have come to understood, if anyone else has any other info it would be really appreciated as this is usually always a topic of hot debate.
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I know for a fact that Cingular had no control whatsoever over who called or who didn't call to accept the contract through the IVR. (I don't know about AT&T, I worked for Cingular) and I saw hundreds of accounts with pending parked info (T&C's) because the customer ignored or simply refused to call and kept using the old SIM.
I think they should just stop sending SIM cards to people who already have one.
I think they should just stop sending SIM cards to people who already have one.
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I had to call in to make sure they didn't suspend my SIM cause it had all of my contacts on it. The fact that they waste the money on a SIM is stupid. I have a big question though, what happens if you never accepted your terms cause you never put the new SIM in? Are you in contract? By the way, I use POSI and POSII and they both require a IVR with all upgrades even with an existing SIM.
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The cost to make a batch of "SIM included" phones and a separate batch "SIM not included" phones, and then keeping them sorted would likely exceed the cost of making the SIMs.
It's certainly cheaper to have an excess SIM when upgrading than to have no SIM when doing a new line or replacing an old/damaged/lost SIM.
It's certainly cheaper to have an excess SIM when upgrading than to have no SIM when doing a new line or replacing an old/damaged/lost SIM.
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It can't be that hard when tmobile does it! Cell phones don't come with the SIM in them. The guys at the warehouse put them in them right before shipment. It would actually be as simple as to having the ordering system not to automatically add it to all orders, only to new activations or replacements...
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Yep, phones don't come with a SIM. When we (the stores) order them we order a specific quantity of phones and the SIM cards are separate. SIM cards ship in packages of 10 completely on their own.
On the IVR issue, I love seeing customers who did an upgrade online and never activated it. The system will always show them as inelligible for an upgrade after that until they finally call in.
On the IVR issue, I love seeing customers who did an upgrade online and never activated it. The system will always show them as inelligible for an upgrade after that until they finally call in.
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The reason why AT&T sends sims cards when u upgrade or whatever is A) they cost like a 0.01(if you return your sim card with an exchange att will throw it away)B) its better to just send you new ones so if you do have troubles with your old one and you didn't realize it you have a new sim card, so it saves you from calling into att and having to get a new one sent to you. So in atts eyes the sim card is nothing...that is why they give them out like candy!
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