Tweet
(Thinking it over, the "this is long and mostly pointless" part really should go at the top.)
I've been looking forward to the new iPhones for many months. (This isn't about platforms, but that the phone I'm after is only now being released is relevant.) As this story begins, I'm also one of those mythical *content* AT&T customers you rarely hear of. Dad and Stepmom are also with AT&T, somewhat less happily because it doesn't work half the time in their house, not even enough that the phone rings so they know to go stand in the driveway. Also because they're paying nearly as much per month for flip phones that charge extra for texts and if you even look at the button that turns on the internet connection as a modern plan for smartphones would be.
In August, Dad saw a good deal from T-Mobile with, among other things, wifi calling, less if we all went in together than we were paying separately. But he wasn't sure about changing, and had to convince Stepmom.
The day before Apple started taking preorders, he still wasn't ready. I went ahead and ordered my new phone (#1) through Apple's site, for AT&T, no contract or payment plan so I could move it later if need be. (Dad would get my current iPhone and Lois a new Android to be chosen later.) Phone #1 would have arrived today.
The next morning, Dad had made up his mind to make the jump. To make things simpler (HA!) I reluctantly cancelled my order. At the TM store, Stepmom picked out her phone, the first one on the new account. The plan was that Dad and I would move over once my new phone came in. The very nice lady at TM placed a new order for my iPhone (#2), on their network this time. So far, so good; it would probably even still arrive at the same time, and ATT wouldn't unlock my old one until the 20th anyway.
When she called to confirm the order had been placed, I noticed the price was wrong. Oops, wrong model. Cancelled #2, ordered #3, but she said that there was only a 90% chance of the cancellation going through and to refuse delivery of #2 if it showed up. (Not sure how I was supposed to know which unopened package of the two to refuse, but fortunately that one was indeed cancelled successfully.)
Over the next few days, we discovered that Stepmom's phone picked up worse than the old ones had; even on the wifi network, it often didn't even ring, and outside was worse. Well, of course that wouldn't do. After considerable talking with people at both stores (and the ATT folks were really nice too), it was back to the old company. Merged the accounts, added Stepmom back on, changed to a Mobile Sharing plan for three phones which was still less than the old total, took her phone back to TM (along with a box of doughnuts) because it couldn't be unlocked, cancelled my phone order #3 and the TM service, picked out Stepmom a phone again, and ordered iPhone #4 from ATT. This one is not scheduled to ship until late October, but there's nothing wrong with my current one and so no rush. Whew.
A couple hours later, TM emailed a shipment confirmation for phone #3, followed by one saying to refuse delivery because they couldn't process the cancellation in time.
Meanwhile, in order to reach the minimum for free shipping on an unrelated order from Amazon, I added a pair of power banks. Figured Dad and Stepmom would find them handy.
This otherwise good idea has made trouble. When the UPS guy came today, we knew not to accept a phone. But he insisted it wasn't a phone, just lithium batteries, and that he was certain because he'd been delivering iPhones all morning and they were in boxes, while this was one of those plastic bags lined with bubble wrap. "Not the phone, but contains batteries" described that OTHER order well... but, of course, on opening the box it was the phone after all. And now the delivery has been accepted, so the easy return route's gone.
To the TM store. No, they can't take it back there, it has to be done through the 800 number. Can they unlock it, so I can cancel my other order? Not unless I have 45 days' service first. (Why they would lock a paid-in-full-up-front phone in the first place, I don't know. Seems pretty unreasonable.)
On calling the number, the first person I get says I can just refuse delivery. "No, I've already signed for it because the UPS driver said it was not a phone." "It doesn't matter whether it's a phone or not, tou can still refuse delivery."
She passed me on to someone else, who said to use the return shipping label in the box. When I told him there wasn't ine, and that in fact it had come in a bag instead of a box, he, too, was comfused. Also, they couldn't find anything under that order number. Eventually, a third person said to tape it back up and send it to the return address from the UPS store. No mention of any papers to include. Before doing this, I checked their site and found that, indeed, a form should be included. So it's in there along with printouts of their emails showing the order and tracking numbers because no way am I paying for a phone I can't keep!
Yes, this is long-winded and largely pointless. It's just frustrating... especially holding that box, knowing it contains exactly what I've been looking forward to but for being tied to the wrong carrier, but that the one I can actually open and use won't be in for almost a month. Also the whole general mess. But hey, at least they didn't all four show up!
I've been looking forward to the new iPhones for many months. (This isn't about platforms, but that the phone I'm after is only now being released is relevant.) As this story begins, I'm also one of those mythical *content* AT&T customers you rarely hear of. Dad and Stepmom are also with AT&T, somewhat less happily because it doesn't work half the time in their house, not even enough that the phone rings so they know to go stand in the driveway. Also because they're paying nearly as much per month for flip phones that charge extra for texts and if you even look at the button that turns on the internet connection as a modern plan for smartphones would be.
In August, Dad saw a good deal from T-Mobile with, among other things, wifi calling, less if we all went in together than we were paying separately. But he wasn't sure about changing, and had to convince Stepmom.
The day before Apple started taking preorders, he still wasn't ready. I went ahead and ordered my new phone (#1) through Apple's site, for AT&T, no contract or payment plan so I could move it later if need be. (Dad would get my current iPhone and Lois a new Android to be chosen later.) Phone #1 would have arrived today.
The next morning, Dad had made up his mind to make the jump. To make things simpler (HA!) I reluctantly cancelled my order. At the TM store, Stepmom picked out her phone, the first one on the new account. The plan was that Dad and I would move over once my new phone came in. The very nice lady at TM placed a new order for my iPhone (#2), on their network this time. So far, so good; it would probably even still arrive at the same time, and ATT wouldn't unlock my old one until the 20th anyway.
When she called to confirm the order had been placed, I noticed the price was wrong. Oops, wrong model. Cancelled #2, ordered #3, but she said that there was only a 90% chance of the cancellation going through and to refuse delivery of #2 if it showed up. (Not sure how I was supposed to know which unopened package of the two to refuse, but fortunately that one was indeed cancelled successfully.)
Over the next few days, we discovered that Stepmom's phone picked up worse than the old ones had; even on the wifi network, it often didn't even ring, and outside was worse. Well, of course that wouldn't do. After considerable talking with people at both stores (and the ATT folks were really nice too), it was back to the old company. Merged the accounts, added Stepmom back on, changed to a Mobile Sharing plan for three phones which was still less than the old total, took her phone back to TM (along with a box of doughnuts) because it couldn't be unlocked, cancelled my phone order #3 and the TM service, picked out Stepmom a phone again, and ordered iPhone #4 from ATT. This one is not scheduled to ship until late October, but there's nothing wrong with my current one and so no rush. Whew.
A couple hours later, TM emailed a shipment confirmation for phone #3, followed by one saying to refuse delivery because they couldn't process the cancellation in time.
Meanwhile, in order to reach the minimum for free shipping on an unrelated order from Amazon, I added a pair of power banks. Figured Dad and Stepmom would find them handy.
This otherwise good idea has made trouble. When the UPS guy came today, we knew not to accept a phone. But he insisted it wasn't a phone, just lithium batteries, and that he was certain because he'd been delivering iPhones all morning and they were in boxes, while this was one of those plastic bags lined with bubble wrap. "Not the phone, but contains batteries" described that OTHER order well... but, of course, on opening the box it was the phone after all. And now the delivery has been accepted, so the easy return route's gone.
To the TM store. No, they can't take it back there, it has to be done through the 800 number. Can they unlock it, so I can cancel my other order? Not unless I have 45 days' service first. (Why they would lock a paid-in-full-up-front phone in the first place, I don't know. Seems pretty unreasonable.)
On calling the number, the first person I get says I can just refuse delivery. "No, I've already signed for it because the UPS driver said it was not a phone." "It doesn't matter whether it's a phone or not, tou can still refuse delivery."
She passed me on to someone else, who said to use the return shipping label in the box. When I told him there wasn't ine, and that in fact it had come in a bag instead of a box, he, too, was comfused. Also, they couldn't find anything under that order number. Eventually, a third person said to tape it back up and send it to the return address from the UPS store. No mention of any papers to include. Before doing this, I checked their site and found that, indeed, a form should be included. So it's in there along with printouts of their emails showing the order and tracking numbers because no way am I paying for a phone I can't keep!Yes, this is long-winded and largely pointless. It's just frustrating... especially holding that box, knowing it contains exactly what I've been looking forward to but for being tied to the wrong carrier, but that the one I can actually open and use won't be in for almost a month. Also the whole general mess. But hey, at least they didn't all four show up!
Comment