ON TALES OF WIRELESS WOE

SEARCHING...

Why do US cell phones companies just don't seem to get it?  This is a bit of a rant, so I apologize in advance. 

A couple of weeks ago, I purchased a "quad-band" Blackberry Pearl phone from T-Mobile for the express reason that I needed to use it on trips to Europe and Asia. 

I was assured by the T-mobile operator after the initial activation, that the phone would be programmed to work internationally in "2 to 24 hours".

I of course took them at their word, and forgot about it.

You know where the story leads of course. 

After just arriving in Paris, I anxiously turn on the phone even as the plane taxis to it's gate at Charles De Gaulle airport. 

The phone registers the Orange network, but indicates that it's still "searching" for a network.

Which means of course that the phone has found the network, but the network will not authenticate the phone.

With a bunch of calls to return state-side, I try to call T-Mobile in the US via the 800 number I had stored in my phone.  That of course will not work, since it's toll-free only in the US.

Next, I log onto the internet terminal at the hotel to find a non-800 number, and of course it's nowhere to be found.

Long story short is I gave up looking for a non-toll number after half an hour's scrounging around the web.   On to plan B, which was to be patched into T-Mobile in the US, via a toll call to a friend in the US. 

The operator helpfully looks up my account and explains that the international roaming feature has NOT been activated on my phone.  AND he has NO record of a request to activate it.

Biting my tongue, and taking a deep breath, I ask politely for it be activated ASAP.

He goes away for a few minutes, and upon his return says that he's turned the international roaming on.  I ask how long before my phone can connect, and he replies:

"In 2 to 48 hours, sir".

At least they're fairly consistent.

Four hours later, my phone is still "searching for a network".  I'm almost not holding my breath for them to come through.

And the phone companies don't understand why their customers don't appreciate them.

Comments

[GaryValan]

That would be typical and service will probably get worse as the consolidation in the telecom business lowers competition. Thanks, FCC.