So I've asked a metric buttload of what some here may have thought were just DA nOOb questions about activation with Metro.
Why all the questions? To try like hell to avoid EXACTLY the dorked up craphole I'm IN NOW.
I started with the activate at 11 AM this morning by going with the *228 option. We didn't get far. As soon as I read them the sim card # we hit BZZZT! TILT! FAIL! I was told the number Metro had for the sim card did not match what I gave them. They said I HAD to return the phone to Best Buy and get another phone/sim card. THIS MEANS RETURN THE PHONE THAT I'VE SPENT THE LAST 2 DAYS GETTING SET UP EXACTLY LIKE I WANTED.
So I called up BB and we got on a 3 way call with Metro. We spend AN HOUR on two separate 3 way calls with Metro. The phone then makes calls but only shows EV for data, not 3 or 4G. Finally after this hour, the Metro person says it is a METRO issue they've known about for a day or so with just phones bought from Best Buy. (I think part of the problem is that Best Buy DOESN'T wand in the sim card # to the base transaction as the sim card is sealed up inside the packaging and the number isn't otherwise available on their phone packaging.) Best Buy reads Metro a 2nd sim # out of another Motion package and Metro clears this as Okie Dokie. I STILL however have to go into BB and trade phones as just trading the sim cards won't work according to Metro. So into BB I go.
(During this convo, the BB girl says she happens to be looking at another Metro phone there that's showing 4G so coverage isn't an issue.)
They give me another phone and get it all set up. (Yeah, right... ) When Metro goes to set my $55 plan up, they want to charge me $3 to do a debit card transaction over the phone. What the hell is up with that!!?? Screw it, if $3 gets me going, at this point, FINE. #2 BZZZT!, TILT!, FAIL!, the phone will just like before make a call but shows only EV for data. The BB girls starts to say, "Oh we're inside, blah, blah, excuse, excuse" and I tell her, "The girl I was talking to on the phone here before said SHE had a 4G showing and I'm NOT leaving here til it shows 4G on my phone." I suggest that she go outside and see if it switches over to 4G there. She does and of course, No Joy. When she puts the phone down I notice a download progress bar showing and ask her what that was. She says the software update. ACKKKK!! Yes, that would be the SW update I WASN'T GOING TO DO on this phone after reading up on it here and I tell her to KILL the DL. She does, but not quick enough. I check the phone version and it's showing D version . Then Metro tells them to hard reset the phone, that doesn't work and it's still on the new D version with no 4G. Then BB tells me they HAVE TO do the update to get it to work. (Damn dumb as***!) I tell them no you don't but you CAN process a refund for the phone.
So, here I sit. After 4 HOURS playing around with this mess and a trip back to BB, my wallet is now $58 lighter and I don't even have the all set up on my end ready to go phone I had this morning anymore.
I will end up making the 70 MILE roundtrip tomorrow to the Corporate store in Gainesville to start all over again.
I am waiting on a callback now from the girl who was so helpful with questions when I called in the past to be sure they have a Motion in stock. I don't know what the hell I'll do if THEY are out of Motions. At least I can prove that I AM on the $55 plan NOW if this drags on for a couple more days and the $55 plan end happens.
Metro, if there appeared to be ONE OTHER VIABLE CHOICE to me besides trying more with you clowns or staying with my $85 a month Verizon, I'd do that. But I've researched it and there really isn't.
METRO COULD YOU PEOPLE PLEASE TRY AND GET YOUR DAMN ACT TOGETHER?! There is no way on God's green earth this should be this tough to accomplish.
More on this as it progresses, or not.
Bruce in Ocala, FL
Why all the questions? To try like hell to avoid EXACTLY the dorked up craphole I'm IN NOW.
I started with the activate at 11 AM this morning by going with the *228 option. We didn't get far. As soon as I read them the sim card # we hit BZZZT! TILT! FAIL! I was told the number Metro had for the sim card did not match what I gave them. They said I HAD to return the phone to Best Buy and get another phone/sim card. THIS MEANS RETURN THE PHONE THAT I'VE SPENT THE LAST 2 DAYS GETTING SET UP EXACTLY LIKE I WANTED.
So I called up BB and we got on a 3 way call with Metro. We spend AN HOUR on two separate 3 way calls with Metro. The phone then makes calls but only shows EV for data, not 3 or 4G. Finally after this hour, the Metro person says it is a METRO issue they've known about for a day or so with just phones bought from Best Buy. (I think part of the problem is that Best Buy DOESN'T wand in the sim card # to the base transaction as the sim card is sealed up inside the packaging and the number isn't otherwise available on their phone packaging.) Best Buy reads Metro a 2nd sim # out of another Motion package and Metro clears this as Okie Dokie. I STILL however have to go into BB and trade phones as just trading the sim cards won't work according to Metro. So into BB I go.
(During this convo, the BB girl says she happens to be looking at another Metro phone there that's showing 4G so coverage isn't an issue.)They give me another phone and get it all set up. (Yeah, right...
) When Metro goes to set my $55 plan up, they want to charge me $3 to do a debit card transaction over the phone. What the hell is up with that!!?? Screw it, if $3 gets me going, at this point, FINE. #2 BZZZT!, TILT!, FAIL!, the phone will just like before make a call but shows only EV for data. The BB girls starts to say, "Oh we're inside, blah, blah, excuse, excuse" and I tell her, "The girl I was talking to on the phone here before said SHE had a 4G showing and I'm NOT leaving here til it shows 4G on my phone." I suggest that she go outside and see if it switches over to 4G there. She does and of course, No Joy. When she puts the phone down I notice a download progress bar showing and ask her what that was. She says the software update. ACKKKK!! Yes, that would be the SW update I WASN'T GOING TO DO on this phone after reading up on it here and I tell her to KILL the DL. She does, but not quick enough. I check the phone version and it's showing D version . Then Metro tells them to hard reset the phone, that doesn't work and it's still on the new D version with no 4G. Then BB tells me they HAVE TO do the update to get it to work. (Damn dumb as***!) I tell them no you don't but you CAN process a refund for the phone. So, here I sit. After 4 HOURS playing around with this mess and a trip back to BB, my wallet is now $58 lighter and I don't even have the all set up on my end ready to go phone I had this morning anymore.
I will end up making the 70 MILE roundtrip tomorrow to the Corporate store in Gainesville to start all over again.
I am waiting on a callback now from the girl who was so helpful with questions when I called in the past to be sure they have a Motion in stock. I don't know what the hell I'll do if THEY are out of Motions. At least I can prove that I AM on the $55 plan NOW if this drags on for a couple more days and the $55 plan end happens.Metro, if there appeared to be ONE OTHER VIABLE CHOICE to me besides trying more with you clowns or staying with my $85 a month Verizon, I'd do that. But I've researched it and there really isn't.
METRO COULD YOU PEOPLE PLEASE TRY AND GET YOUR DAMN ACT TOGETHER?! There is no way on God's green earth this should be this tough to accomplish.
More on this as it progresses, or not.
Bruce in Ocala, FL
Sooo, Ms. Manager wouldn't bite on giving me any free schwag for my inconvenience and misery yesterday. Oh well, if that's the worst part of the experience I'm not complaining. While I was there a guy was buying a new S3. Lucky dawg. 
