[hugh]

Well, I looked around and couldn't find anything that compared for $20 a month.

I called Wind this morning around 8:30am. Told them I wanted the HAITF plan. WHen they asked what organization, I told them MobileSyrup. They pushed back but eventually I got signed up to the plan.

It took 45 minutes to get signed up and the CSR's english was terrible. Not sure if the call centre is in Canada or not.

It could be about 10 days before I get the phone delivered but its done.

Decided against a second plan for my daughter (who currently is with Virgin Mobile) because I'm still not sure this Wind thing is going to happen.

 

[mr.steevo]

What is a good phone on that list?

What did you chose?

 

[Musashii]

It took 45 minutes to get signed up and the CSR's english was terrible. Not sure if the call centre is in Canada or not.

It looks like there call centers are based in Mississauga and Peterborough from reading these two articles from 2009

http://www.windmobile.ca/community/...-announces-peterborough-location-call-centre/
http://www.thestar.com/business/article/727788--wind-mobile-keeping-call-centre-staff-busy

 

[gzink]

Well, I looked around and couldn't find anything that compared for $20 a month.

I called Wind this morning around 8:30am. Told them I wanted the HAITF plan. WHen they asked what organization, I told them MobileSyrup. They pushed back but eventually I got signed up to the plan.

We need a fist pumping icon here (or something)

 

[hugh]

I chose the Samsung phone because it has the slide out keyboard

 

[TorontoColin]

They have a call centre in Mississauga, Peterborough, and one in Egypt that is used for after hours and overflow.

The Samsung is a pretty good feature phone, though reception is below average. Waiting for a second line is a good idea, especially if you're out in the 'burbs, because you never know how strong their signal will be in your neighbourhood.

 

[jshel101]

I chose the Samsung phone because it has the slide out keyboard

I would test out this phone quite a bit, and try to stay under the 30 minutes, so you can return it for a different one if need be. When I was with Wind, I had to return this phone 4 times because of problems with it. Besides the low reception, the main problem I had was the phone would automatically reboot itself periodically. Other than that, I actually liked the phone.

 

[recneps77]

The auto-reboot bug was a pain.
Though I've since upgraded to an N1 and passed the phone on to my father. He hasn't had it do that since, and it's been nearly six months.
I think it was a bug in the connection/tower signal and the phone's interpretation (it would only reboot the second it locked on wind home from the last reboot) that's since been fixed.

Though, if it does happen, remove the battery and a 30s 'rest' should fix it.

 

[hugh]

Thanks guys for the tips. My son tests stuff more thoroughly than me so he will let me know asap.

 

[hugh]

Wow, what a messed up company.

I received the phone today. Went to activate my phone.

Called in and gave them my Sales Order # and told them I wanted to activate the phone with the plan I purchased. Apparently my sales order did not have a plan attached to it and I would have to goto the second level or I could sign up with another plan - yeah right.

So I said put me through to second level. Two minutes on hold and they came back saying second level couldn't help me and that I would have to leave my name and number and they would get back to me.

While I was on hold, I managed to find a Case ID from my original scribbles. Gave the CSR the case ID. He said give me the SIM # and he would activate.

I gave him the SIM #. After several minutes, he said I could not activate the phone because the SIM Card that I had was previously activated with a different phone. - Okay.

So then he says I have to goto a WindMobile store to get a SIM card but not any WindMobile store, it has to be one that has SIM cards in stock. He assures me that I won't have to pay for the new SIM card!!!

He does a search and finds the closest store which is about a ten minute drive from my house. Great, now I have to go out for half an hour to pick up another SIM Card.


People complain about Rogers, Telus and Bell but this is truly mickey mouse.

 

[rsambuca]

Sorry to laugh at your expense Hugh, but that is so bad it really is comical! I signed up with wind back in June and it took just a few minutes. If my initial experience was like yours, I would be with another carrier right now.

 

[tvlurker]

I gave him the SIM #. After several minutes, he said I could not activate the phone because the SIM Card that I had was previously activated with a different phone. - Okay.

That doesn't make sense -- the SIM is your subscriber identity, and is linked to your account or line, not to any specfic phone. (In techy parlance, the IMEI is the serial number of the phone, the IMSI is the serial number of the SIM.)

So while they could (must!) )refuse to register a SIM linked to another account, there should be no linkage between the SIM (IMSI) and an IMEI that should block registration of the SIM.

 

[hugh]

Oh another lovely thing. I never received a confirmation email from the company. The original agent's English was very poor.

On the invoice both my first and last name were spelled incorrectly.

My first name was spelled Uhugh (i told her repeatedly on the phone my name was not "you who" and spelled it out three times. When I was telling my wife the story afterwards, she was rolling on the floor laughing)

 

[hugh]

That doesn't make sense -- the SIM is your subscriber identity, and is linked to your account or line, not to any specfic phone. (In techy parlance, the IMEI is the serial number of the phone, the IMSI is the serial number of the SIM.)

In fairness, he may have said the SIM card was already linked to another account and I misinterpreted. The point was the SIM card number had already been entered into their system and was in use so I needed to get another one.

I'd like to know how the SIM card I received can now be linked to another account. Wouldn't the carrier reject the call if the SIM Card # in their system did not match the one in the phone?

 

[stampeder]

Sounds like they desperately need a comprehensive work flow analysis done and an ITIL-based Customer Service system custom designed on that result. Likely (and sadly all too common in the tech world) they just went with a canned CS solution and are still trying to make their systems conform to it, which is backwards. To me your experience has all the hallmarks of that.

My one and only problem with Wind so far was with bringing my N900 over to their system - I requested the PUK code for the SIM card and they were really too busy with the Vancouver go-live-week business rush so I ended up going back to the store and flagging down the manager, who was able to get it done as he was training the staff in real time with real customers. Again, I repeat the part above...

 

[hugh]

My local Blockbuster has a Wind Kiosk. It's ridiculous that I can't go there for a SIM card. I understand that a Kiosk can't change your plan but they should be able to activate an account or provide a user with a SIM card.

 

[hugh]

My god, this is truly one of the worst customer experiences of my life.

I just spent 40 minutes going to the Store which WindMobile told me to goto to get a SIM Card. Guess what? They don't sell sim cards.

They directed me to another store which I went to. Guess what? They don't sell sim cards.

Came home, called Wind. Explained that I was furious. Guess what, it turns out the second CSR made also made errors. Turns out that store isn't corporate (no kidding!) and, oh yeah, the CSR made a mistake and the card could be activated but I need to talk to the back office.

So now I am on hold (for the last 10 minutes) waiting for "the Back office."

 

[Drainc]

Apparently folks with the dev build have already tried it and it works with most of the carriers in Canada (reported from the iPhone in Canada web site).

Now I don't know if the carriers will actively block it when it is rolled out, but it is a positive sign.

 

[hugh]

Okay so I have now been hold waiting for the back office for 50 minutes! When I get through the guy has no idea what I am talking about.

I give him the SIM Card #.

Guess what, he can't process the order. He has to create a new sales order!

Back on hold.

 

[cooper83]

Is it worth continuing at this point? Just return the phone and get your money back. They don't deserve a single penny from you.