Worst Customer service ever

[Boowho]

Just spent 12HOURS on straight talk support. My old Verizon compatible phone crapped out and I bought a replacement that is ATT only.

Put an ATT sim (from ST) in the phone and they farted around all day trying to make it work. Apparently until you get to THIRD level support they are nothing but chair warmers. They finally got me working, but not b4 changing my cell number (Which I've had for 12 Years) too a new number.

I'm currently now fighting with them to get it changed back. Because it seems they are just as "lost" doing this as they were with the original issue.

If anyone has a number that goes directly into 3RD level support, or the name / email of someone WAY up high within the company.

I'm getting VERY fed up with them saying "thank your for patiently waiting" when any average person would say "waiting patiently". If I've heard that phrase once , I've heard it 1000 times, and EVERY damn rep I've talked to uses that incorrect phrase..

I truly believe that I'd get better support from a chimpanzee that these brain dead people.

 

[The_Chief]

"Your call is very important to us... just not important enough for us to answer it"

Welcome to 21st Century zero work ethic

 

[puppykickr]

The same happened to me, but after 12 hours I gave up and told them to cancel everything and that I was going to use the device only on wi-fi.

And this was with a Straight Talk device, even.

Purchased that very day.

They changed my number, after my old carrier pulled a 404 on them and would not release the number.

In fact, I say 404, because Straight Talk was not rven able to contact my old carrier, nor was I (which I had tried to do for weeks).

The only real solution is to use unlocked phones, and pre-pay service- which carriers hate because with that combo you can at any time just go to someone else.

I am wondering how the device works at all, because Straight Talk uses Verizon towers, and you said that this is an AT&T device.

Why would you get an AT&T only device, and then try to use some other provider?

 

[svim]

Is there a reason as to why you must use only Straight Talk?
There's obviously a problem this Straight Talk service center can't solve, so instead of continuing to aggravate yourself it's time to move on to either a different Straight Talk center or switch to a different carrier. It's just a phone service, and once you allow something like this to rule over your own mental health it's time to just move on.

 

[Hadron]

Is there a reason as to why you must use only Straight Talk?
There's obviously a problem this Straight Talk service center can't solve, so instead of continuing to aggravate yourself it's time to move on to either a different Straight Talk center or switch to a different carrier. It's just a phone service, and once you allow something like this to rule over your own mental health it's time to just move on.

The problem I see is that these fools managed to change the OP's phone number, which they want to keep. So if they transfer to a different provider before they get their old number back will there be any way of keeping their number?

(I presume you can take your number with you when you transfer in the US? We can over here, even though our numbers contain codes that are allocated to different mobile operators, whereas yours are pseudo-geographical and have no visible connection to the service provider).

 

[kate]

They finally got me working, but not b4 changing my cell number

You didn't say if you went through the process of porting your number to the new SIM. If you didn't then the new phone would have a new number. If you didn't cancel service on your old phone you might still be able to port it.

I bought a replacement that is ATT only. Put an ATT sim (from ST) in the phone and they farted around all day trying to make it work.

Was it a prepaid phone from a company other then Straight Talk? If so it was probably locked to that carrier.

I am wondering how the device works at all, because Straight Talk uses Verizon towers, and you said that this is an AT&T device.

They were just bought by Verizon, but as of now they still offer SIM cards for Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile:
https://www.straighttalk.com/devices/phone-sim-cards

I presume you can take your number with you when you transfer in the US?

Yep, and 99% of the time it is quick and easy.

 

[puppykickr]

Ok, thanks!
I did not know about that purchase.

I may start looking more favorably at Straight Talk than before, as AT&T has been a great provider for me- even supplying multiple devices free of charge as technology has changed over the years.

 

[puppykickr]

The reason that the number was changed, according to them when I tried to get service, is that it is a temporary number to get the device working until all the work to change the number has actually happened.

Basically, this new number is to get the device up and running, havevit working, and then they will port your old number to the SIM and you will have your old number again.

Porting a number can be strange for the customer, because the customer does not own that number- the carrier does.

So the new carrier has to make arrangements with the old carrier to take possession of that number.

You still never own your number, the carrier you use owns the number.

 

[Boowho]

I finally did find someone at ST that knew exactly what needed to be done to get my original number back.

And did it!!

I've emailed ST giving this person high praise (he gave me his name and employee number) and totally RIPPED all the rest of the heavy accented idiots that wasted almost 7 hours of my time. SLUGS, all of 'em.

 

[Clint w]

ST was sold to Verizon and are in the process of turning off all other users on ST except Verizon users > If you are an ATT or any other tower user, you will start having phone problems. They sent us (two users) emails and voice mails as well as texts that our phones were going to be shut off because they were not 4g phones (they are) .We brought out older phone and put the sim cards in and guess what ? They work just fine . They (ST) still hit one of the phones so far repeating the same thing . I called a number and got their recording saying there was a problem with the phone and were checking it. It is back on . I am paid up till April 18 and 17 respectively . It is back on now . Verizon will never be our provider or ST. I hope this helps someone . BTW I was not able nor was ATT store to port our old numbers to the new phones from ATT . ST locked the numbers down and did not us port them.

 

[KeiaT]

Reading alot of these threads clear up a few things. I have a galaxy note9 and I was becoming convinced I needed a new phone because, my phones mobile data connection went on the fritz. I was changing the networks, from 3G, to 4G/LTE and back just to make calls. Often times I'd be able to make a call but couldn't text or vice versa. Then my mobile data would work, but text and calling didn't.

I got an email as well about my sim card being out of date and not having a 4G phone. I bought a new sim card, still had problems. Then I read my phone would stop receiving updates this summer. Needless to say I was frustrated. So I decided to do a 90 day trial with Mint. If I had the same issues with my network then it was my phone if not then it was ST.

I just, like today, got it transferred over after a week of dealing with ST. I'll save yall some trouble hopefully. This is how I kept my number.

Your ST account number is your current ST sim card number. I couldn't find an account number online or in app. They told me my account number was my IMEI number which caused 4 days of incorrect requests.

Text NTP to 611611 to get your transfer pin. You will not find it in your account like they say, you can't set it like they say. Each time you text, you'll get a new pin so don't text until you're ready for one. It times out.

They will not tell you your zip code over the phone, even if you verify your account. They can however check as many guesses as you've got. Had a zip code I hadn't recided in for over a decade, which turned out to be correct. DO NOT let them hang up without guessing the right zip code.

Lastly, when you call press 2 (or whatever the menu at the time you call) for transfer my number. Enter your new Sims card number. If its a different carrier it won't recognize it. When it asks if you want to enter another one, say no.
This will get you to the transfer department. Ask to be transferred to the Port department, they are the ones to help with this.

This was all info frustratingly gathered over 8 days. No offense to other carriers, but I'm never going back. I'm enjoying Mint alot, and I'm no longer having network issues. Plus the customer care team are great and has let me know that ST and Verizon are notorious for trying to keep numbers, they cause the most problems with transfers.

Hope this helps.