Filed under: iPhone
1.1.3 update leaves GoPhone users stranded
Some iPhone users on the GoPhone plan across the country are finding themselves without access to the EDGE network after the 1.1.3 firmware update, and neither AT&T's customer support nor the AT&T forums are offering very many options for affected customers. "You are not subscribed to the EDGE network" is the message facing the affected users. Subsequent calls to AT&T have resulted in a mixed response. They're aware of the problem and generally offering a change of plans as a solution. The options seem to involve restarting your monthly billing or paying by the kilobyte, which is likely not a prospect most previously content GoPhone users are looking forward to.
Update: Despite earlier assumptions by myself and users who first reported the problem it is not the 1.1.3 update that is causing the GoPhone problem, but rather an apparently coincidental server crash. AT&T support is offering a limited quick fix for some users, but is working on a long-term solution.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
calloused said 12:58AM on 2-02-2008
This may help you guys...
andall Stephenson, AT&T CEO
rs2982@att.com (direct)
randall.stephenson@att.com
phone: 210-351-5401 (direct to his secretary)
fax 210-351-3553
alternate phone: 210-821-4105 (headquarters, press 3, ask for Mr. Stephenson's office)
175 E. Houston
San Antonio, TX 78205
OR
MaryMichelle Timbang
AT&T Wireless, HQ - Office of the President
Executive Customer Service
MT6973@att.com
(from consumerist.com)
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Hamid said 12:53AM on 2-03-2008
AT&T is very good a robbing my account. The text msgs that are sent to my go phone account are repeated four times and the same message cost me me 4 times.
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Frid said 1:09AM on 2-03-2008
You are absolutely right, I have a similar problem. A single message is repeated three to four times and of course my account is charged for it.
Ricky said 2:42PM on 1-16-2008
Screw 'em.
Honestly guys, the rules were pretty simple here. Sign a 2 year contract with AT&T and the phone with all it's features is available at such and such price.
Why would anyone choose a month to month plan? It's not like you're gonna use this phone with some other service, cause it's not fully operational with any other service except AT&T, not to mention, it's not like the other services are really all that good, except maybe Verizon which you couldn't use it with anyhow.
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fg said 2:55PM on 1-16-2008
"Ricky said...
Screw 'em." I say Ricky SCREW YOU!
"Why would anyone choose a month to month plan? It's not like you're gonna use this phone with some other service"
I have a GoPhone account, and I pay AT&T for their services every month, it is my choice.
"the rules were pretty simple here. Sign a 2 year contract with AT&T and the phone with all it's features is available at such and such price"
If it was against the rules they would have not offer the plan for iPhone users. As simple as that.
Tinman said 4:16PM on 1-16-2008
"Those were the rules?" What a terribly naive, yet asinine, comment to make. Amazing.
--
Mike
Dan Morgan said 3:03PM on 1-16-2008
I had the same problem, but also before the update came out. Their solution was to pay my bill again and it started working immediately.
And not to refute Ricky's apathy, but some people don't have uber-good credit (or even sometimes vaguely-decent), and therefore either have to cough up an extra several hundred bucks deposit to get their new toy to work, or have to go on a month-to-month plan.
Ryan said 4:04PM on 1-16-2008
I've never quite figured out the 'rules'...
right on the apple page it says -
"Minimum new 2-year wireless service plan and activation fee required to activate iPhone features, including iPod;..."
Yet, iTunes gives you the option when you fail a credit check (as I have heard thats how you get the prepay option).
*shrug*
Either way, if you don't like it - don't give either company *ANY* of your money. You don't *need* an iPhone.
jon said 2:45PM on 1-16-2008
i'm still on 1.1.2 and getting the EDGE error
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Jeff Allen said 2:48PM on 1-16-2008
I had that Edge problem yesterday before adding the 1.1.3 update.
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Joel Bechtolt said 2:59PM on 1-16-2008
My EDGE connectivity with 1.1.3 is fine in Portland, OR.
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regisphelan said 3:05PM on 1-16-2008
Everything was working great for me until this morning. Now I am out $40 just checking my email. Let's hope this gets cleared up soon.
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Levi Figueira said 3:21PM on 1-16-2008
On 1.1.3 and GoPhone and with EDGE in Ames, IA! :)
I've been lucky I guess... :|
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Q said 3:26PM on 1-16-2008
That's interesting. I'm a GoPhone customer ($29 plan and the iPhone package) and I had/have had no problems with my Edge. There was an issue of not getting a AT&T signal after the update, but a simple restart fixed that.
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wdm02 said 3:28PM on 1-16-2008
I updated as soon the update was available yesterday and have had no problems (Atlanta, GA). As far as people stating that go-phone is stupid, what I find stupid is to spend $400 on a phone and then have to go through a credit check to activate the phone. Doesn't me spending $400 on a phone pretty much guarantee that I'm going to pay my bill?
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Mike said 3:54PM on 1-16-2008
I had the same issue before the update. I restored it and still did not work. I went to the apple store and got it swapped and it worked. Went home and restored from my backup and failed edge again. So the fix that I know of, restore the phone without restoring your backup. Start a new config. Worked for me and is still working.
Might be a bug somewhere in the commservices
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C5D said 4:17PM on 1-16-2008
In ATL, had a brief interruption in AT&T service, corrected with a reactivation. No edge problems thus far.
I've had a go–iPhone since day one. Any iPhone owner who criticizes go-phone owners needs to realize that he is exactly like all of those so-called 'experts' at his office, grocery store, bar, etc. who have criticized his wisdom in purchasing the iPhone: an annoying know-it-all.
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Brandon said 6:43PM on 1-16-2008
1.1.3 IS NOT THE PROBLEM! I called AT&T last night and the problem is due to a server crash which wiped out some peoples iPhone Data plans!
Use this number to call AT&T! Straight to a real person!
1 877 419 4500
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Jason said 12:25PM on 1-17-2008
So I called AT&T on Tuesday night about this, they said it was a known billing issue and should be fixed by Wednesday morning (some nightly system refresh cycle). Wednesday morning comes, still no service.
I call AT&T on Wednesday morning, they have me update the firmware (I was on 1.1.2, they had me update to 1.1.3), reset, restore, nothing works. They told me that they're almost done with the issue, and it'll be fixed in a few more hours (this was at 9:00am PDT).
Wake up this morning, still nothing. Call them again, they can't find my case number. After 35 minutes on hold, they finally find my case and say that the issue should be resolved in 72 to 96 hours!?!? "That's 3-4 days!" is my reply. They correct me, 3-4 business days. So I'm without EDGE service until the middle of next week.
This is why I refused to get a 2 year contract with AT&T. This service is pathetic, and they refused to offer any recompense for their failures in service (I was told, "Sir, you're on a prepaid account, so we won't credit you for the loss of service since you're not getting the service.").
So no EDGE service for at least a week (the issue started on Tuesday). Meanwhile, the phone I do have a contract for (Blackberry 8703e from Verizon) is working fine. I'm so glad I brought that along as a backup.
frankiefumbles said 11:58AM on 1-17-2008
EDGE has been out for two days for me in Chicago (since the 16th). I have access EDGE today, 01/17/08. I have received a 20 dollar credit from at&t and was promised reimbursment for any data charges until the issue is fixed, was told 01/23/08. I wish that the 1.1.3 update did not coincide with at&t's server crash so that both parties would not be able to blame eachother leaving us GoPhone users "screwed".
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