horrible cingular support
I just went through three support calls to try an get my mobile internet working on the new unlocked SE 520. The first two where relatively benign but unsuccessful. No service. The i get to a level two support person and she starts the conversation by saying that Cingular's internet data will never work on a non-Cingular phone. i say i have had three phones. Then she says she can't guarantee it and that i should buy a Cingular phone. The says that the wireless internet is down so it might actually be working but they can't help me now.
I ask her why she feels the need to lecture me about phones, I called for support of a phone that they carry. She says she is explaining nit lecturing and then tells me i should never buy unlocked phones. I...
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I ask her why she feels the need to lecture me about phones, I called for support of a phone that they carry. She says she is explaining nit lecturing and then tells me i should never buy unlocked phones. I...
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Well if you read the forums here. This is the biggest problem with buying an unlocked device. We cannot nessarly support the product. This is something that is going to happen with any carrier.
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Not neccisarily true, BlueHFX,
Because you see I am using an unlocked Nokia 6200 phone on T-Mobile and I was able to get T-Mobile's browser and MMS settings!
Ccaliban2u, join T-Mobile today. You can use an unlocked phone on their network, and they don't mind one bit!
Because you see I am using an unlocked Nokia 6200 phone on T-Mobile and I was able to get T-Mobile's browser and MMS settings!
Ccaliban2u, join T-Mobile today. You can use an unlocked phone on their network, and they don't mind one bit!
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lefteyeiu2006 said:
Not neccisarily true, BlueHFX,
Because you see I am using an unlocked Nokia 6200 phone on T-Mobile and I was able to get T-Mobile's browser and MMS settings!
Ccaliban2u, join T-Mobile today. You can use an unlocked phone on their network, and they don't mind one bit!
I did not say always i said in most cases. But with cingular with an unsupported device you are pretty much out of luck for help. even with correct settings since it is a unsupported device you are out of luck for the most part.
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i DO read the forums and it seems pretty obvious that her attitude aside, it is about profit and phones rather than customers and service.
i have never had a problem with an unlocked phone before and her unwillingness to even discuss data settings etc. made it pretty clear that Cingular is more interested in short-term gain than long-term customers.
also i have noted in the forums that i am not alone in seeing this behavior with Cingular. it was not always the case but...
i have never had a problem with an unlocked phone before and her unwillingness to even discuss data settings etc. made it pretty clear that Cingular is more interested in short-term gain than long-term customers.
also i have noted in the forums that i am not alone in seeing this behavior with Cingular. it was not always the case but...
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But, they should respect yourself better. Why are you putting up with this from your carrier? You pay them a lot of money for your service and they should be nice and helpful to you! T-Mobile has always been good to me and I think you deserve a carrier who is going to be nice and helpful to you since you are supporting their business.
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I don't think I would have transfered you to tech, because you said the magic words 'unlocked phone'. Right or wrong, Cingular doesn't support unlocked phones, so if something goes wrong you are on your own. I am glad that you have had good luck in the past, but that is exactly what it was luck. Your luck has run out with this phone -- at least temporarily. Check the web, talk to people, you might find a solution, but Cingular employees are not required to spend time on unlocked phones, so don't count on support.
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greyrat said:
I don't think I would have transfered you to tech, because you said the magic words 'unlocked phone'. Right or wrong, Cingular doesn't support unlocked phones, so if something goes wrong you are on your own. I am glad that you have had good luck in the past, but that is exactly what it was luck. Your luck has run out with this phone -- at least temporarily. Check the web, talk to people, you might find a solution, but Cingular employees are not required to spend time on unlocked phones, so don't count on support.
Wow. That's way different than T-Mobile. If you have an unlocked phone CC (sometimes Tech if the CSR is unaware of how to do it) will send settings to your phone for data. If the...
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greyrat said:
I don't think I would have transfered you to tech, because you said the magic words 'unlocked phone'. Right or wrong, Cingular doesn't support unlocked phones, so if something goes wrong you are on your own. I am glad that you have had good luck in the past, but that is exactly what it was luck. Your luck has run out with this phone -- at least temporarily. Check the web, talk to people, you might find a solution, but Cingular employees are not required to spend time on unlocked phones, so don't count on support.
Cingular cannot afford to exclude any user of their service from support. That has to be one of the myriad of reasons why they are getting less and less new customers each quarter. ...
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caliban2u said:
i DO read the forums and it seems pretty obvious that her attitude aside, it is about profit and phones rather than customers and service.blockquote>
I work in a cingular call center and i know for FACT that we people in call centers don't give a flyin kick in the nose what type of phone you buy because we aren't paid on commission of the phones JUST the MRC(the rate paln)
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well, i just switched to t-mobile. it was easy and the phone is already working so....profit motive or not the tier 2 tech support didn't deliver what t-mobile could with a new SIM card so...Cingular loses my $200/month and t-mobile gains it because C couldn't be bothered....
and yeah, the phone is great.
and yeah, the phone is great.
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actually I have the browser settings for the z500a because the z520 hasn't been released yet for cingular, but I guess the settings won't do you much good now! I am surprised that they didn't send an over air activation to your phone or manually program the browswer settings, but if you chose to change your mind here is the link for converging the browswer settings on your unlocked device, although its for the z500a not hte z520...hope you have better luck with T-Mobile 😁
https://onlinecare.cingular.com/device-support/devic ... »
https://onlinecare.cingular.com/device-support/devic ... »
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yeah don't blame you at all, its just the closest model we have device settings for
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This customer should have called Sony Ericsson and get the settings from them. Since it is a phone that Cingular does not support.
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sony ericsson has an online configurator for their phones also. to me it sounds like the person just wanted to blame cingular for not making his phone work instead of making his at the moment not supported phone work himself. well I guess in the end he did by switching service, but I serously doubt he had a $200 a month plan anyway and is probably a former employee with a bone to pick.
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What you're really after is a bunch of settings like DNS servers, gateway IP addresses and such, correct?
So, here's what I would do:
1. Go to the nearest Cingular store.
2. Buy the cheapest GPRS-capable phone they have, with contract that is cancelable for free within 14 days (30 days in CA I believe).
3. Activate it.
4. Without incurring any charges, call customer support.
5. Ask them about how to enable GPRS on this - approved - phone.
6. Use the settings on the original phone, the one you actually want to use.
7. Return the cheap phone to the store, cancel the new service contract.
So, here's what I would do:
1. Go to the nearest Cingular store.
2. Buy the cheapest GPRS-capable phone they have, with contract that is cancelable for free within 14 days (30 days in CA I believe).
3. Activate it.
4. Without incurring any charges, call customer support.
5. Ask them about how to enable GPRS on this - approved - phone.
6. Use the settings on the original phone, the one you actually want to use.
7. Return the cheap phone to the store, cancel the new service contract.
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It isn't unlocked that is not supported, it is the phone that Cingular doesn't carry that is not supported.
The Z520 is not carried by Cingular. The Z520a will be carried in the future but is not now. hence no one has been trained on the item and some tech support guy would be completely guessing (and wasting his time doing so) to try and get it to work.
The ignorance is astounding.
The Z520 is not carried by Cingular. The Z520a will be carried in the future but is not now. hence no one has been trained on the item and some tech support guy would be completely guessing (and wasting his time doing so) to try and get it to work.
The ignorance is astounding.
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hence no one has been trained on the item and some tech support guy would be completely guessing (and wasting his time doing so) to try and get it to work.
Funny that, my (DSL) ISP didn't ask me what model computer I'm using before giving me DNS/gateway/address settings. Why should my GPRS ISP be any different?
If the operator doesn't carry the phone model I'm using, of course I don't expect them to walk me through that particular phone's settings. I do expect them, however, to be able to give me generic DNS, gateway address etc. settings.
My experience with Cingular and a P910a was that they refused/didn't know how to give such generic settings. They were only able to follow canned per-model scripts....
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Did they refuse or not know how? One statement accuses them of dreadful service while the other acknowledges that standard customer care is not trained to give out info in a manner other than one that explains the process.
I have never spoken with a tier II rep who did NOT know those settings. They are trained to not just give them out because most customers don't understand how to use them (even those who think they may still screw it up, see it all the time). Those customers, in turn, create more issues.
Oh, and your ISP didn't ask what computer you have, but they did ask your operating system.
Try to have a comparison that is a bit more valid.
I have never spoken with a tier II rep who did NOT know those settings. They are trained to not just give them out because most customers don't understand how to use them (even those who think they may still screw it up, see it all the time). Those customers, in turn, create more issues.
Oh, and your ISP didn't ask what computer you have, but they did ask your operating system.
Try to have a comparison that is a bit more valid.
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Seems valid to me.
With basic settings I can configure pretty much any pc and any OS.
Same holds true for phones.
The verbiage in the menus for network settings rarely varies enough to notice and I seriously doubt that an incorrect setting is going to cause any network issues. If this were the case - all the morons out that that change setting without a clue would have already brought the network to it's knees.
I don't think any "training" is required to give out connection settings.
Before VZW stopped letting reps activate "unsupported" phones, I helped people set up lots of phone I've never seen or heard of - they worked fine and the cst's understood this was on a best effort basis.
I guess it's easier to provide support ...
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With basic settings I can configure pretty much any pc and any OS.
Same holds true for phones.
The verbiage in the menus for network settings rarely varies enough to notice and I seriously doubt that an incorrect setting is going to cause any network issues. If this were the case - all the morons out that that change setting without a clue would have already brought the network to it's knees.
I don't think any "training" is required to give out connection settings.
Before VZW stopped letting reps activate "unsupported" phones, I helped people set up lots of phone I've never seen or heard of - they worked fine and the cst's understood this was on a best effort basis.
I guess it's easier to provide support ...
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The same doesn't hold true for phones. The user interface varies greatly from phone to phone. It also varies on phones made for a specific carrier vs. one made for the general market.
No one ever said it would hurt the network, I said MOST customers who try and "do it yourself" with these advanced settings end up taking more time away from reps to solve their lack of ability.
I am sure there are people out these smart enough to do it themselves, but not as many can do it that try.
No one ever said it would hurt the network, I said MOST customers who try and "do it yourself" with these advanced settings end up taking more time away from reps to solve their lack of ability.
I am sure there are people out these smart enough to do it themselves, but not as many can do it that try.
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You are the ignorant one trust me. You can get your settings for Cingular from SE not from Cingular. If it is a phone we do not carry Customer care will not have the settings 4 u. On SE's website they will send u the settings for GPRS and for MMS and even for email client. So why would u call Cingular about a phone they do not sell? You are on of those ignorant customer who thinks they know my job and u know little to nothing about anything relating to cell phone companies.
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simplymarcus said:
You are the ignorant one trust me. You can get your settings for Cingular from SE not from Cingular. If it is a phone we do not carry Customer care will not have the settings 4 u. On SE's website they will send u the settings for GPRS and for MMS and even for email client. So why would u call Cingular about a phone they do not sell? You are on of those ignorant customer who thinks they know my job and u know little to nothing about anything relating to cell phone companies.
It can be done if Cing had the motivation. If another carrier did it for him, why couldn't Cing?
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you are asking an agent to troubleshoot a product that was not designed or intended for Cingular service. You expect an agent to know what protocols to use, which settings the device will accept, and how to manually or automatically configure a device we do not support, endorse, or carry. There are literally thousands of GSM products for sale all over the world, we cannot and will not, be able to expertly troubleshoot all of them. That has NOTHING to do with profitibility, it is a logistical impossibility. The rep was not lecturing you, the rep was merely trying to find a way to let you know that you were being unreasonable. And sure, you can go to tMobile, or Verizon, because everyone knows that they have magic phones and their customer ser...
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Why do reps have to assume that an unsupported phone won't work?
Do they think it's designed for some new carrier that will be using some still to be invented protocols?
Good grief!
A simple "Gee - we don't know what the menus look like on your phone - but here are the settings - good luck" would be fine for most people.
Do they think it's designed for some new carrier that will be using some still to be invented protocols?
Good grief!
A simple "Gee - we don't know what the menus look like on your phone - but here are the settings - good luck" would be fine for most people.
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You need to educate yourself on the circumstances regarding your request.
The Z520a is not yet available in the US and Cingular has not trained it's reps on the functions of the phone.
Try to reserve your judgement before making claims of horrible service.
The Z520a is not yet available in the US and Cingular has not trained it's reps on the functions of the phone.
Try to reserve your judgement before making claims of horrible service.
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texaswireless said:
You need to educate yourself on the circumstances regarding your request.
The Z520a is not yet available in the US and Cingular has not trained it's reps on the functions of the phone.
Try to reserve your judgement before making claims of horrible service.
I just find it amusing that he's already said he's gone to T-Mobile and gotten the data working. 😉
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What's amusing about that?
That he talked to someone who worked with him instead of giving a scripted "NO"...
That he talked to someone who worked with him instead of giving a scripted "NO"...
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I know this doesn't really help you now that you've switched carriers...but I also purchased the SE Z520i and I also have Cingular as my carrier. I was able to go to the Sony Ericsson website and had the settings sent to my phone. I've had the phone for a couple of weeks and I've had no problems with using the internet or messaging services.
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The moral of the story is.....
If you're not smart enough, just buy a Cingular phone.
If you're not smart enough, just buy a Cingular phone.
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ok i am going to mazke this very clear... so if you do not knoe "exactly" how wireless service whichs listen up
a phone is locked to network to make features work... now if you have an unlocked phone.. a feature may or may not work.... you could be sitting there and boom it will nto work and will than work again
why is this.... no ones knows... if you have an unlocked phone... you cannot get mad if something doesnt work and no one can help you.. casue chances are its becasure its unlocked...
a phone is locked to network to make features work... now if you have an unlocked phone.. a feature may or may not work.... you could be sitting there and boom it will nto work and will than work again
why is this.... no ones knows... if you have an unlocked phone... you cannot get mad if something doesnt work and no one can help you.. casue chances are its becasure its unlocked...
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probably easier to find the settings online or use cingulars online configuration tool select z500 and send the settings to your phone directly. I used that to configure my s710 just fine.
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bra (dude)! take it to a cingy store on one of the days they are just sittin around talking about nothing and ask them to programm it for you. thats what i did when i got my unlocked nokia 3300 music phone from this a-rab at the dollar store in the hood. they asked me where i got it from and frowned cuz i didn't get i from cingy but after an hour or so of the playin with it i was ready to go.
p.s. make sure its a store and not a kiosk, or at-least a kiosk with knowledgeable reps so that you can get the hook up!!! 🙂
p.s. make sure its a store and not a kiosk, or at-least a kiosk with knowledgeable reps so that you can get the hook up!!! 🙂
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