Great device but disappointed with Dell service

[wolfman-fu]

Well I had ordered a DVP from amazon and as usual amazon ships on time and quickly. Well from there things just went south.

I get the DVP in today while I was at work and since my wife knows I love to open my toys she left it sitting on my desk for me. Now this is the one listed as being "unlocked" well it is not unlocked, it is t-mobile unlocked. Now sure what that means, other than it is not really unlocked. Then the Dell support guy tells me that I cannot get support since the service code is registered with another company and that I would have to contact that company to get them to call Dell to get it moved to my name.

Then I would have to contact t-mobile to get the device unlocked and not just t-mobile unlocked.

Well with the very short time I had with the device I am really disappointed that I was not able to use this device it really is a great looking device and felt good in my hand.

Though if anyone has any ideas on how to get this unlocked let me know soon as I will be returning this to amazon in a day or two.

 

[wolfman-fu]

Well I called amazon and talked with them about this and they will send me the shipping labels so I can send this unit back and they will give me a full refund.

 

[neftv]

I am expecting my Venue pro to come today. I order mine from Newegg over the weekend. I hope I don't have the same results in the outcome.

 

[kingp]

yeah, I had the same problem after ordering from Amazon. Mine was supposed to be unlocked as well, but it's locked to T-Mobile. Dell was no help, and gave me the same line about the device being registered to a different name...blah blah blah. I asked what that meant and the lady never really told me. She just hem-hawed around until I became frustrated enough to hang up on her.

Either way, I'm on T-Mobile prepaid with this phone, and can't get T-Mobile to unlock it until I've been using their prepaid service for more than 60 days.

This is really frustrating. I own the device. I should be able to unlock it anytime I wish.

 

[neftv]

yeah, I had the same problem after ordering from Amazon. Mine was supposed to be unlocked as well, but it's locked to T-Mobile. Dell was no help, and gave me the same line about the device being registered to a different name...blah blah blah. I asked what that meant and the lady never really told me. She just hem-hawed around until I became frustrated enough to hang up on her.

Either way, I'm on T-Mobile prepaid with this phone, and can't get T-Mobile to unlock it until I've been using their prepaid service for more than 60 days.

This is really frustrating. I own the device. I should be able to unlock it anytime I wish.

I have my Venue pro now. I see that it must be unlocked for GSM but not for UMTS. Even after the band change the phone just wants to be on E on AT&T via StraightTalk.
What does it cost to get an unlock code if you went to one of those unlock code website? Cheaper than a month of TMobile?

 

[wolfman-fu]

Well this afternoon before I left for work I called Dell back and it appears the phone I bought even though the box says it is unlocked is not one that has a factory unlock on it. I then said ok, but since I paid full retail price is there a way I can get this unlocked. He said he would have to do a conference call with a rep from t-mobile to get their ok to unlock the phone.

Since I am the type of person that does not like something to get the best of me, I am looking for ways to get this phone unlocked. I will update this when I do get it unlocked and how I got it unlocked.

 

[wolfman-fu]

Well I did get it unlocked, but I had to go on enay and pay $16.99 the down side is this phone even though the box says it operates on the same bands that at&t uses I can only connect to Edge. So looks like I will be willing to sell this on ebay.

 

[neftv]

Well I did get it unlocked, but I had to go on enay and pay $16.99 the down side is this phone even though the box says it operates on the same bands that at&t uses I can only connect to Edge. So looks like I will be willing to sell this on ebay.

You going to give on this phone? There absolutely no way to change the bands for AT&T to make it 3G?

 

[wolfman-fu]

Well if the information was correct on the box this phone should have been unlocked and with the bands that t-mobile and at&t uses but it was not unlocked and after I did get it unlocked it only went to "3" for a second and then stayed on "E" no matter what I did and I checked with several people in my office that have at&t 3g smart phones and they were getting 3-5 bars on 3g.

So I think the rest of the info on the box is not correct and that this was ment to be a t-mobile locked phone. That is only Dell's fault that they were passing off locked devices as unlocked devices.

I spoke with amazon today and they are willing to do a full refund on the phone and they will pay for shipping, so I will just sent it back to them for a refund.

 

[wolfman-fu]

I did find some information on the dell support forums the listing I saw on amazon did not list this info so I was pretty much flying blind, but the fact that it was supposed to be unlock and it wasn't is enough for me to get a refund. Now the box does clearly indicate the bands for the t-mobile 3g.

Requirements to connect to the 3G networks

"TMOBILE" UMTS - 2100/1700/900

"ATT" UMTS - 2100/1900/850

UMTS = 3G

 

[neftv]

I did find some information on the dell support forums the listing I saw on amazon did not list this info so I was pretty much flying blind, but the fact that it was supposed to be unlock and it wasn't is enough for me to get a refund. Now the box does clearly indicate the bands for the t-mobile 3g.

Requirements to connect to the 3G networks

"TMOBILE" UMTS - 2100/1700/900

"ATT" UMTS - 2100/1900/850

UMTS = 3G

It funny how they selling them as GSM unlocked like that is a big thing. I have to decide for myself if I going to keep mine and change out my StraightTalk AT&T compatiable sim to a TMobile compatiable sim. Its a nice phone and it just seems like when they make these phone the seem to always match what the world uses with T-Mobile its like the AT&T frequencies are the odd ball ones. Should I shouldn't I is my question.

 

[wolfman-fu]

yeah I love the phone but I am stuck in a contract with at&t and I wont be out until 03/28/2013 so it would cost too much right now to get out of it.

Well the good news is that since the buyout of t-mobile did not go through they are going to use that $4b to start a roll out of their own LTE network.

 

[neftv]

I got my phone from Newegg for $219. Apparently I was the last one. I noticed in the description that mine has no warrenty but they contracted some company to give a 90 warrenty. I did get the extra year for $19.. So I wonder if I made on ok or not with this. The date on the box of my phone is 8/23/2011.