0 bars - pay for ETF?
I've been a T-Mobile customer for over 5 years and I just bought a house where I have no coverage (moving in a week). I might get a pop of 1 bar for a split second when standing in the middle of the street but then back to "searching..." My Fiance (family plan) has the same issue. When I went onto the T-Mobile website, it says that my address is in the "best coverage" area. This is obviously untrue because I don't get coverage unless I am a 5 minute drive down the road in either direction.
I would rather not have to terminate service but this is our only mode of phone communication and I do not want to pay for "at-home" wifi service etc.
Would I be able to terminate my service w/out ETFs for 2 lines?
I would rather not have to terminate service but this is our only mode of phone communication and I do not want to pay for "at-home" wifi service etc.
Would I be able to terminate my service w/out ETFs for 2 lines?
...
contact tmobile, give them your address and request that they check the towers in the area. (perhaps Cell on Wheels COWS)
If they don't see anything, have them check out your phones.
The only way they will let you out without an ETF is if it is demonstrated you do not have coverage where it was previously available. Since you are moving to that location, they might not give it anyway since you had coverage for where you signed the contract. But your first step to find out is getting in touch with customer service and explaining the issue. I doubt you'll get a straight "yes" or "no" answer until the company better knows what is going on with the area/your phone.
I am not a tmobile rep (I work for Verizon) but this seems to be h...
(continues)
If they don't see anything, have them check out your phones.
The only way they will let you out without an ETF is if it is demonstrated you do not have coverage where it was previously available. Since you are moving to that location, they might not give it anyway since you had coverage for where you signed the contract. But your first step to find out is getting in touch with customer service and explaining the issue. I doubt you'll get a straight "yes" or "no" answer until the company better knows what is going on with the area/your phone.
I am not a tmobile rep (I work for Verizon) but this seems to be h...
(continues)
...
Thank you, I will contact them. I will be making the switch to Verizon because I know there is coverage in that area.
...
NoNoNo... The policy is. If you have 0 bars and the maps shows poor coverage and u can provide proof of residency to where u live at NOW they will let out of your contract free. TMO is a fair company. They arent going to make you keep your service if you cant use it there.
...
tmobile is a fair company. they were my first cellphone (Then Voicestream) but he said the area that he is moving to was listed as full coverage, which is why they may want to send in the COWS.
...
i had the same problem. I called c.c. and told them what was up and all i had to was take a bill with my new address to a t-mobile store to confirm my address and they let me out of 2 lines with no etf's. They are wonderful at t-mobile and will always work with you.
...
I contacted T-mobile yesterday and I have to go to the house and contact them with a phone not on the family plan. Which is stupid because I have to get someone to go out with me that does not have T-mobile and deal with this with me. They want to troubleshoot each line to see if the phones are the issue. If they are not the issue, they are going to send out a technician to troubleshoot.
They are doing this because they say that I should be getting 3 bars there.
If the technician cannot find a problem, then I will have to pay the ETFs or discounted fees. I think this is crazy because I have no control over this issue. If they cannot solve the problem and there is no service, then I would released from contract w/out ETFs.
I under...
(continues)
They are doing this because they say that I should be getting 3 bars there.
If the technician cannot find a problem, then I will have to pay the ETFs or discounted fees. I think this is crazy because I have no control over this issue. If they cannot solve the problem and there is no service, then I would released from contract w/out ETFs.
I under...
(continues)
...
The coverage map is usually really accurate. If it says you should have 3 bars and you're getting none, there is usually a problem with a tower nearby (that can 99% of the time be fixed) or its an issue with the phones. I know I have my local tower tech on speed dial here and he goes out to customer's properties all the time to troubleshoot local towers. All kinds of stuff can happen. In my area we have a tower that has both T-Mobile and AT&T equipment on it. A goose flew into one of AT&T's dishes, which sent it flying down and broke some of our equipment. We were having calls crossed with AT&T customers and all kinds of issues. They had to replace a bunch of equipment, took a couple of days, btu then everything good as new.
Give the techs...
(continues)
Give the techs...
(continues)
...
Find some one elce with T-Mobile and have them come to your house. If their phone does not work you will know 100% is its dead area or a potential tower issue.
On the other hand there is a chance that your phone may not be picking up the tower.
How old is your phone and what model is it?
On the other hand there is a chance that your phone may not be picking up the tower.
How old is your phone and what model is it?
...
18 days have passed, and inquiring minds would like to know what happened. Has the tech finished his troubleshooting? Have you been released with or without ETF? Have you decided to go with Verizon?
Asif
Asif
...
sorry for the late response...
so I've been on the phone several times and several service tickets were generated to have technicians try to resolve the issues at the tower and everything else under the sun. Now it gets tricky.
They cannot see any problems with any of the nearby towers and cannot explain why there is poor/no service at the address. There could be a terrain problem but they cannot prove that. So in the end, nothing can be fixed. They can only assume that I "should" be getting fair service.
So then I was then transferred to an account specialist at tmobile and they offered me phones (free and discounted) with wifi capabilities along with a wireless router. This is nice of them but I have a major problem with this. Th...
(continues)
so I've been on the phone several times and several service tickets were generated to have technicians try to resolve the issues at the tower and everything else under the sun. Now it gets tricky.
They cannot see any problems with any of the nearby towers and cannot explain why there is poor/no service at the address. There could be a terrain problem but they cannot prove that. So in the end, nothing can be fixed. They can only assume that I "should" be getting fair service.
So then I was then transferred to an account specialist at tmobile and they offered me phones (free and discounted) with wifi capabilities along with a wireless router. This is nice of them but I have a major problem with this. Th...
(continues)
...
Has a Tmobile Tech been there with his/her own Tmobile phone to see that there is no service at your home address?
I would also repeat your argument that in order to have home service you will need to add high speed Internet at home which you do not have and this will cost in the neighborhood of $40 per month. A monthly fee that you did not have an expectation for when you originally signed up for cellular service with them.
And even if they give you the Wi-Fi router for free to make your home calls, then you will be charged additional $5 per month, I believe. Again this is not a charge you agreed to when you signed up for Tmobile service in the beginning.
Also make a point that in order to have WiFi service when power goes out, t...
(continues)
I would also repeat your argument that in order to have home service you will need to add high speed Internet at home which you do not have and this will cost in the neighborhood of $40 per month. A monthly fee that you did not have an expectation for when you originally signed up for cellular service with them.
And even if they give you the Wi-Fi router for free to make your home calls, then you will be charged additional $5 per month, I believe. Again this is not a charge you agreed to when you signed up for Tmobile service in the beginning.
Also make a point that in order to have WiFi service when power goes out, t...
(continues)
...
Thank you very much for your advice.
I will certainly try to follow your suggestions when I call t-mobile again to state my case.
If there any other suggestions that will help, that would be great. I will definitely keep everyone posted
if there are any t-mobile reps/emplyees out there with advice, I will also be happy to hear those suggestions. Thanks again akidwai
I will certainly try to follow your suggestions when I call t-mobile again to state my case.
If there any other suggestions that will help, that would be great. I will definitely keep everyone posted
if there are any t-mobile reps/emplyees out there with advice, I will also be happy to hear those suggestions. Thanks again akidwai
...
Ok, I see. I've been doing some research, and Verizon seems to work the best in that area if you want to give them a try for 30 days. EVen in Boston Verizon is the best (my grandmother lives in Cambridge). If you have any questions on phones or what not, feel free to ask.
...
Verizon is the best carrier anywhere you go. They literally provide coast-to-coast coverage in every nook and cranny of the country. Why, just log on to verizonwireless.com and see that they are the only carrier to provide complete coverage in all areas of these united states.
...
Eh, not anywhere you go. My parents live near Savannah, and in the little town they live in I get service with T-Mo and my brother on Verizon does not. If you make broad generalizations, that's false advertising... A better way to word it is that in *most* areas Verizon gets better, which that is true. Everywhere/anywhere is not true.
...
He's joking around. Hes a AT&T fan boy. He said that because I said that Verizon pick up the best in your area.
...
Today I spoke with CC and after 40 minutes of polite arguments, they allowed me to terminate my contract minus the ETFs! This goes to show that T-Mobile's customer care would rather be fair to their customer than make an enemy.
I opened a VZW account (enV3-not sure how I feel about it yet) and the service is very good at my new house.
I want to thank everyone who helped me with this issue and I hope other posters can learn from this experience.
I will be soon posting in the Verizon forum on phone scoop. Thanks again.
I opened a VZW account (enV3-not sure how I feel about it yet) and the service is very good at my new house.
I want to thank everyone who helped me with this issue and I hope other posters can learn from this experience.
I will be soon posting in the Verizon forum on phone scoop. Thanks again.
...
The problem with that is I would have to pay for another service in order to use my cellphone at home (which defeats the purpose of owning a cell). Also, my cell is the only means of phone communication I have and want. If the power goes out, HotSpot will be down and eliminates cell usage then back to square one.
...
Another suggestion is to see if you have someone willing to take over your contract for you. Since I'm assuming you want to keep your number, then do this:
Port out your numbers as usual to whatever company you want.
After the port out is complete, contact T-Mobile to reactivate your service. They will give you brand new numbers and waive off the ETF.
Assuming the person who will take over your contract is creditworthy, contact T-Mobile a second time and have them do a change of responsibiliy. The new person would then be responsible for your old account, and you won't pay anything else to T-Mobile.
Hope that helps!!!
Port out your numbers as usual to whatever company you want.
After the port out is complete, contact T-Mobile to reactivate your service. They will give you brand new numbers and waive off the ETF.
Assuming the person who will take over your contract is creditworthy, contact T-Mobile a second time and have them do a change of responsibiliy. The new person would then be responsible for your old account, and you won't pay anything else to T-Mobile.
Hope that helps!!!
...
