Why T-Mobile Sucks

I bought my 83-year old mother a T-Mobile to Go phone via the 1-800 number. The reason I bought this particular service is because she only needs very few minutes a month and it is basically "pay as you go" and I did not want a two-year contract. I was told I could easily refill her minutes via the web or by phone. It had 30 minutes free which were valid for 90 days. If the phone runs out of minutes it becomes deactivated. Then you have to pay to have it "re-activated."

When her minutes were up (after 60 days) I tried to buy new minutes. I first went to my mother's home and called the number for refills on my mother's phone. A recording came on which said "we cannot place an order now due to technical difficulties." My mother tried repeatedly with the same response over a two week period.

I then went to the website. I made an account for my mother and clicked on "Buy More Minutes." I went through the whole process: I entered name, address, phone and credit card numbers, and got an "Order Completed" screen with an order number. Then I press the Continue button and on the very next last screen I am informed that there are technical difficulties and to check back later. It did not even say if my orders went through (they did not). I tried 3 different credit cards - still no luck. Over a period of two weeks, six different times I went to the T-Mobile website to buy refill minutes with the same response.

Then I tried to call T-Mobile Tech Support. A recording always comes on that says something like "due to high call volume there will be an extended wait period to speak with a representative; for answers to your questions please try our website at T-Mobile.com" I wait on hold 15 minutes and give up. This happened three times.

Then I tried to email "Customer Service" via their web support page. I emailed a complaint three times before I got a response -- after three days. The response they sent me was a computer-generated cookie cutter reply saying I should call the T-Mobile To Go Account Management/Refill Center at 1-877-778-2106 and buy minutes. They did not address the many problems I had attempting to buy minutes via the web and via the actual phone at all. I then called the Mobile To Go Account Management/Refill Center at 1-877-778-2106. It says Press 2 for To Buy T-Mobile to Go refill minutes. Then a voice comes on that says "We cannot complete your order now due to technical difficulties, please try again later." No matter what combination of prompts I tried, I could not get a human on the phone.

So I called Sales. A woman got on fairly quickly (they want your money first) saying she was very sorry, but there was nothing she can do except sell me a new phone or plan. She recommended I should call the T-Mobile To Go Account Management/Refill Center at 1-877-778-2106 and buy minutes. I told her that was impossible. She then said that my only option is that I should bring the phone to a T-Mobile store to buy minutes. I explained that the phone was with my 83-year-old mother and that I do not have access to the phone and when I bought it I was told it was very easy to buy new refill minutes for her via the web or by phone. She said that a T-Mobile store was my only choice at this point - and had no explanation for the consistent failures of the web, the phone itself and the 1-800 numbers.

How can a company like this stay in business? They are unbelievably lame. They are blatant liars who are so inept I can barely fathom it. I am sorry I ever decided to buy a T-Mobile to Go phone - no matter what a good deal it sounds like. They are cheating people by making them pay a reactivation fee - because it is almost impossible to buy refill minutes. I will report back when I get to the store.