Tmobile 5s activation

Neubeehunhun · Sep 27, 2013

I'm quiet lost here. I bought my unlocked 5s from apple. It arrived today, but the sim tray key(the needle) is missing(is it supposed to be missing?), though the package was intact.

When I try to make a call, it redirects me to tmobile, after some playing with the machine, I got to a representative, who repeatedly asked for my sim serial number, which I can find at no where, then hanged on me.

What am I supposed to do? Should I buy a tmobile sim kit separately and call them again? I actually have one, but i'm not sure if I really need it since there is already a tmobile sim inside my phone, I guess.

Or should I just go home and open the sim tray to check if there's any sim serial number on the sim, or if there is even one?

Thanks a million, can't wait to start using the phone!

febycv · Sep 28, 2013

You need to activate your T-Mobile nano-sim to use it. Just note down the 20 digit sim number on your T-Mobile sim & call the customer care to activate.

The package will most probably include a Sim Card Tray Eject Pin, but if it was missing you can get it easily from any retail outlet.

Neubeehunhun · Sep 28, 2013

Ugh, hassles calling customer service!

They told me I can't use the pre installed sim for prepaid service, and when I want to transfer my current phone number from straight talk, they asked me to call straight talk for account number and pin that was never given. Another fiddling with pre recorded customer service.

Good thing I already ordered the tmobile sim, hopefully just one more call to tmobile and my phone will be up and running!

And then......another waiting game for jailbreak.

I wonder why are we still using phone calls for customer service, online chat would be so much easier, I wanna move to 22nd century already!

And the ejecting pin, I checked my 4s boxing and found it had a spot to hold the pin, but inside the 5s boxing, there's nothing. Is it universally left out or am I the lucky one, could any body with 5s confirm?

fiat · Sep 28, 2013

Neubeehunhun said:
Ugh, hassles calling customer service!

They told me I can't use the pre installed sim for prepaid service,...

Neubee, Why can't use the pre installed sim for prepaid service? So you have to buy another T-M sim card? How much you pay? any activation fee? I am still waiting to receive my unlocked T-M 5s from Apple (don't know if it'll come with eje pin). I have called T-M sales asking how to use my new T-M iphone. The guy told me I have to buy a sim card for $10 and he will waive the activation fee (he said sometime T-M charge up to $35 for activation). And the guy went on saying do it now and the card will be shipped right away. I could smell the guy was rushing me to buy his sim though I already told him there will be a T-M sim installed in my iphone... So I turned down his offer and called a local T-M store and the girl just said bring the new iphone in and they will activate the sim card in it with no charge. Then I decided to go with local store when I receive my new iphone. I was originally impressed and pleased with T-M's business operation compared to ATT, Spring, Verizon... Now I feel they are all the same on their evil business scheme (well, everybody wants to make money out of your pocket .... )

So let us know how you go with T-M. GL

Neubeehunhun · Sep 28, 2013

It goes like this:

Me: I want to activate my iphone 5s
Re: Which plan would you like?
Me: $30 per month with 100minutes talk and unlimited data
Re: What is your sim number and activation number?
Me: I do not see them in my iphone packaging
Re: Oh, you have to order the $10 starter kit to activate your iphone with a prepaid plan

....

I didn't bother asking what the pre installed sim is good for, probably one of those regular plans with extra minutes I don't need, so I told her I actually do have the starter kit(bought the next day I ordered the phone, just incase), and I'd like to use it and transfer my straight talk number over, then I was asked for the straight talk account number and pin.

This morning, I got the account and pin from straight talk, called tmobile right back, and everything is set, I just need to wait 24 to 48 hours for the process to complete and I'm good to go with the plan.

To sum it up, according to my limited experience, you will have to buy the sim(starter kit), it's $10 something, and then call them to have it activated. Activation fee? Didn't ask since I didn't know if it even existed with prepaid plans or not, or if it is waive-able, so, I don't know, I will see how it goes in one or two days and let you know.

fiat · Sep 28, 2013

Thanks, Neubee. I guess they just want everybody to pay ($10) for their sim card (the one in new phone is free). Anyway when I receive mine I'll go to the store and ask to activate. Another question though: since I never use a cellphone b4, I don't have a number to transfer. I assume when I purchase T-M prepay service plan, they would register a number for me. Does this sound right and same as you got your StraightTalk (or whatever old) number? How much you paid for the number? Could it be free ($0)?

Thanks in advance.

Neubeehunhun · Sep 29, 2013

As far as straight talk goes, I bought the sim for $10 or $15, alone with a refill card for the plan of my choice(required), activated it, and I was good to go. The refill card paid for my first month, then I used credit card for the following months. No activation fee, the number is pre set, though you might be able to select from some numbers if you asked.

I had no personal experience with post paid(contract), I used it for a few year, but my dad took care of everything, until I wanted data for my phone and switched out to straight talk. But there is usually an activation fee for the first time you sign up, and then your monthly payment. And they usually ask you to choose from a few numbers, or you can pay extra for "good" numbers(if they are not already in possession of someone, not entirely sure, though)

Shouldn't be too different for other carriers. Good luck!

fiat · Sep 29, 2013

Thank you, Neubee for sharing your experience and info. I look forward to receiving my new 5s and starting to enjoy my smartphone life. Hope it's a good one.

Neubeehunhun · Sep 30, 2013

I knew tmobile customer service sucks(99% of them, really) from all the phone calls my dad had to make in the past few years. But, it takes some serious talent to get me the complete opposite of what I wanted. They gave me 1500 minutes plan when I asked for the 100 minutes plan, what the ****.

At least this time I got better with the pre recorded messages and tricked it to connect to a representative faster, and she was pretty easy to work with.

Now I just have to wait for my first bill to process and I can finally start using the phone. I hope it doesn't require the payment to be cleared to take effect, enough waiting.

Fiat, if this is your first smart phone, you will probably LOVE it. If you are at least a little tech savvy, you will find yourself tweaking it to just the way you like for a few days, trying out all the cool(useful or not) stuffs you can only dream of on a dumb phone. Enjoy

fiat · Sep 30, 2013

Neubee, Guess me and you got all the bad (and little good) from T-M opposed to what I heard from other people. I was quite disappointed talking to them recently. I'll see what happens when receiving my new iphone. The 5s does will be my first cell/smart phone. I hope I'll enjoy it. Since you already have it and are enjoying it (I assume), congratulations. Yet, I read and heard there are at least two unresolved issues with 5s: 1) the new motion feature with ISO7 in 5s can make users sick ... 2) accelerometer/gyroscope/compass reading inaccurate. Does yours show these problems? Thanks for sharing.

Neubeehunhun · Sep 30, 2013

I might have been spoiled by the customer service of amazon, zara and a few selected big name companies, so I'm not gonna comment on tmobile's, not even on the same level.

Motion sickness? I get dizzy real easily if I'm not the one driving, but not from using ios 7.

Changing landscape or titling in games are just the same as before.

fiat · Oct 5, 2013

Hi, Neubee. Now you must be able to use/enjoy TM's service. How is it going? I am still waiting for my 5s to arrive (hopefully on monday as ups tracking indicates).

Neubeehunhun · Oct 5, 2013

I have been using it since Monday. Straight to the point, signal sucks, and I'm in the area where they label as "excellent" LTE coverage(different parts of brooklyn, manhattan, queens).

I'm considering switching after the initial month, even if it means a more expensive plan with ATnT, at least I get stable signal. Right now most building/house or even stores I walk into, LTE drops completely and signal takes a beat.

Used to get full signal with straight talk(basically ATnT signal) in some basements, some underground subway stations that are closer to the ground. Now, keep searching.

Disappointed. Hope it is better in your area.

fiat · Oct 5, 2013

Oh, sad to hear that. I remember you mostly use T-M LTE signal for data? How does their phone call signal go? Call/receiving sound good? Too many call drops? I plan to use their phone service only (1000 min for $100 for a yr w/o data) and use wifi for all data need. So if their voice signal also bad, I may consider other carrier too. Let me know. Tks