Got more than 4 lines on your T-Mobile account? Be prepared for no new iPhone if you go to the Apple Store!
Here'a the letter I just sent to John Legere:
I reserved an iPhone 7 Plus using the Apple Upgrade Program for one my family lines. The reservation process was seamless on Apple.com.
When I arrived at the Apple Store the sales associate took my phone number and last 4 of my social to find our account. She then told me that the T-Mobile system would not allow her to upgrade the line because we had too many lines. We have 11 lines in our family plan (completely legit plan). She said she believes this happens for any plan with more than 4 lines on a plan, which sounds like an awfully low number.
This is where the frustration began. There was no initial workaround offered. She said she couldn't call for a manual activation. Worse, I understand how the SIM technology works. You can just swap the SIM with the old phone, and yet her system was forcing her to upgrade the line via T-Mobile, which was clearly deficient even though I have a perfectly valid plan.
At this point, she said "T-Mobile's systems are frustratingly bad" and that "I could open a line on another carrier". I'm not saying this to get the associate in trouble, she can only do what she can do with her tools. At this point, the associate basically sent us home where she suggested we order the phone from T-Mobile. I then escalated to the store manager.
In the end, a helpful associate was able to sell us the iPhone "without activation" at full retail price. He was extremely apologetic about the poor experience with T-Mobile.
I'll commend the staff at the Apple Store. In the end they did the right thing and I left as a satisfied Apple customer.
Here'a the letter I just sent to John Legere:
I reserved an iPhone 7 Plus using the Apple Upgrade Program for one my family lines. The reservation process was seamless on Apple.com.
When I arrived at the Apple Store the sales associate took my phone number and last 4 of my social to find our account. She then told me that the T-Mobile system would not allow her to upgrade the line because we had too many lines. We have 11 lines in our family plan (completely legit plan). She said she believes this happens for any plan with more than 4 lines on a plan, which sounds like an awfully low number.
This is where the frustration began. There was no initial workaround offered. She said she couldn't call for a manual activation. Worse, I understand how the SIM technology works. You can just swap the SIM with the old phone, and yet her system was forcing her to upgrade the line via T-Mobile, which was clearly deficient even though I have a perfectly valid plan.
At this point, she said "T-Mobile's systems are frustratingly bad" and that "I could open a line on another carrier". I'm not saying this to get the associate in trouble, she can only do what she can do with her tools. At this point, the associate basically sent us home where she suggested we order the phone from T-Mobile. I then escalated to the store manager.
In the end, a helpful associate was able to sell us the iPhone "without activation" at full retail price. He was extremely apologetic about the poor experience with T-Mobile.
I'll commend the staff at the Apple Store. In the end they did the right thing and I left as a satisfied Apple customer.
