Verizon didn't think the xoom activation all the way through

[anon(49433)]

So my cell phone service is with AT$T (not a mistype). I wanted a xoom. But I didn't want to port my existing number to Verizon, I just wanted to activate the xoom on a new account. So I went online to sign up so I could pay/access my account online. Guess what? They send you your password via TEXT MESSAGE. Guess what the xoom doesn't do? TEXT MESSAGES. Who's great idea was this? I'm currently on hold with a Verizon wireless guy who says he's seen this before. He's going to go get a phone, activate it on my plan, send the text message, get the password, give it to me, then take the phone back off my plan. And according to him, all this is for "security purposes". Seriously? Security? Not very secure if he's adding and removing phones to my plan at will. Or that Verizon didn't think their activation process through to something that CAN accept text messages. *sigh*
</rant> :-\

 

[zach_alt]

It sounds like you're mad, and yet the Verizon CS rep is making sure this works for you. So, in short, calm down sparky.

 

[anon(49433)]

I'm not mad, I'm slightly amused that something this technologically advanced has such an antiquated and insecure way of sending passwords.

 

[barkomatic]

Apple and AT&T set the bar for how data plans on tablets should be handled -- but Verizon execs haven't gotten the message yet. Treating tablets as phones is ridiculous and prone to problems like this.

Why doesn't Verizon doesn't have the same prepaid data setup on the Xoom as it allows on the iPad? Who knows, but it a barrier to any Android tablet running in their network until they change.

I'm sorry for your trouble OP. Hopefully, you won't end up with a mess on your hands.

 

[palconi]

I am new to Verizon as well, just for my Xoom. Set up the contract via Costco but when I wanted to access my online account with Verizon it "sent me a text" with a temp password. I called and they just mailed me a password via snail mail. Not the best process, but eventually it worked.

 

[erzhik]

I would never allow any rep to add a phone to my plan and remove it later just for activation. I would rather go to store to do it.

 

[DeusInnomen]

I'm not surprised to hear this. I remember, back about 8 years ago when I worked for Sprint in their Data Support division, you really had a hard time telling the difference between a data card (for a laptop) and a phone in the system. They're treated exactly the same.

About '07, I bought a Sony laptop with an integrated Sprint 3G WAN device. Calling it up to have it activated was an embarrassing comedy, because they assumed I had a phone. Every single question they asked started with "is your phone turned on?" "Uh, it's not a phone." "Okay, what does the screen say?" "......" I noticed the device was logging in at that point, so I got off the phone as fast as I could at that point.

So, to hear that another company is still treating a data device like it's a cell phone this day and age... it's not actually surprising to me, I'm afraid. It's depressing, but I'm not surprised.

 

[Suntan]

I'm not surprised to hear this. I remember, back about 8 years ago when I worked for Sprint in their Data Support division, you really had a hard time telling the difference between a data card (for a laptop) and a phone in the system. They're treated exactly the same.

Reminds me of the naked DSL we have.

The few times we have had to call them about our service the first thing the phone company asks for is our phone number?

-Suntan

 

[2CupsWithString]

I went through the same thing and had to get my PIN sent in the regular mail. It only took a few days but the comedy/irony had a high entertainment value to myself.

on the phone w/vzw:

"So I just bought the most advanced device you sell, running the latest software and you're going to send me my password to login to my account through the postal service?"

...

"yes"

I was cracking up on the phone but the guy on the other end didn't appreciate the situation. Oh well.

 

[anon(11078)]

I pretty much had the same experience, although I went into the Verizon store and talked to the folks there. They absolutely insisted that the Xoom could receive text messages. They even went so far as to suggest that I install handcent so that I could receive them. I finally gave up at the store and called tech support at Verizon. I essentially had to wait for the password in the mail. What was funny to me was the Verizon store staff insisting that it had to be able to accept text messages because it had a phone number. Despite all of my effort to convince them it just didn't register.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

 

[2CupsWithString]

I wonder if the thing actually does get text messages. I mean, the radio itself.

 

[dwboston]

I wonder if the thing actually does get text messages. I mean, the radio itself.

I did have 2 "pay per use" text messages showing on my account. I had to call VZW to have texting blocked on the Xoom and the $0.40 credited back to my account. The rep initially insisted the Xoom could send/receive texts "somehow" but after checking around he said he couldn't. He was very nice about the whole thing, but it's comical that VZW knows so little about the device they are selling. The lack of true "pay as you go" data on the Xoom is ridiculous - they must have really thought people were going to jump at 2-year contracts.

 

[DrWu]

The problem is SMS is relayed over the voice channel, not the data channel. The modem in the Xoom doesn't have a voice channel, its data only. Even a software fix won't help this. The do have an opportunity to correct this when they come out with the 4G upgrade but I doubt they will.

To fix this, Verizon needs to recognize when you have a tablet activated and let you get your password via email instead of sms. I went through this same thing, waited for the snail mail password, and it still didn't work. I finaly gave up and canceled the data and now use it only through wifi. If I need wifi and I'm out, I connect to the AP on my Captivate. I will probably reactivate data when the 4g upgrade comes out and see how it goes.

 

[terrain]

I suspect lte will solve this problem when they start using it for more than data.

 

[slwerner]

I pretty much had the same experience, although I went into the Verizon store and talked to the folks there. They absolutely insisted that the Xoom could receive text messages. They even went so far as to suggest that I install handcent so that I could receive them. I finally gave up at the store and called tech support at Verizon. I essentially had to wait for the password in the mail. What was funny to me was the Verizon store staff insisting that it had to be able to accept text messages because it had a phone number. Despite all of my effort to convince them it just didn't register.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

I had quite the opposite experience. I got my Xoom from my local Verizon store on Feb 27, and the sales/tech person I felt with seemed to be already fully up to speed on the Xoom. It took only a couple of min to set up the Xoom on my account. I was downloading apps while he was doing his paperwork on the sale.

Perhaps he was the exception as Verizon staff go?

 

[Suntan]

Perhaps he was the exception as Verizon staff go?

Ehh? You?ll get all sorts at any phone store.

My experience, (just dealing with the dedicated stores, not the goons at BB or the mall kiosk) has been that Verizon salespeople are helpful and above-average for knowledge of the products they offer. At least that holds true for the three or so stores around this area.

I personally have never had a case that they flat out didn?t understand the product they were talking about. Although I have no delusions that they do have those types in their employment.

I also think that going to the store on day 1 (or even week 1) release of something will vastly increase your chances of getting someone that doesn?t know the ins-and-outs of the product. Look at it this way, the average day-1 gadget shopper has already poured over the specs and speculation of a gadget on sites like this for weeks. The salesman has probably gotten a 20 minute rundown on ?yet another new product.?

-Suntan

 

[anon(49433)]

Perhaps he was the exception as Verizon staff go?

My problem wasn't getting it activated, I could download the apps just fine, I just couldn't log in to verizon wireless' website and create my account there linked to my device, because that's the password I needed. They DID offer to send it to me in the mail, but I relented to let them change phones, then change back. Speaking of, I need to log in and see if they charged a txt message to my account from that activation.

 

[Suntan]

Speaking of, I need to log in and see if they charged a txt message to my account from that activation.

VZW derived txts are allways free.

-Suntan

 

[REHolt218]

I had the same problem, except when they sent me the password via snail mail, it didn't work. Of course each time I had to convence tech support that they could not simply send me the password via text message. After the fourth time I asked the tech service person "At what point do you considered another approach?" As was the case the other three time she simply responded, "I understand you frustration sir, I will be glad to send you another password in the mail". I tried to explain to them that other people had been offered the opportunity to activate a phone to receive text message, but was told that was not an option.
When I received the fifth password, and it did not work, The tech service ladyacted like was not a problem, went into her computer system and made some adjustments and then walked me through setting up the account on line. She could not understand why the other four could not do the same thing.

 

[sjenkins1009]

I had the same problem, except when they sent me the password via snail mail, it didn't work. Of course each time I had to convence tech support that they could not simply send me the password via text message. After the fourth time I asked the tech service person "At what point do you considered another approach?" As was the case the other three time she simply responded, "I understand you frustration sir, I will be glad to send you another password in the mail". I tried to explain to them that other people had been offered the opportunity to activate a phone to receive text message, but was told that was not an option.
When I received the fifth password, and it did not work, The tech service ladyacted like was not a problem, went into her computer system and made some adjustments and then walked me through setting up the account on line. She could not understand why the other four could not do the same thing.

Unfortunately this seems to be getting to be more the norm with verizon stores, and were their service not the best in my area, and ATT, Tmo's and Sprints sucky, i probally still would not be a customer. It reminds me of when i was a kid, I use to ask my dad for one thing, he said no, and then i would go ask my mom. 40% of the time, i got a yes out of the other adult, and was clear till they found out, then my trouble started.

However with verizon, you pretty much have to go from rep to rep and store to store when you don't get the answer you want because their reps are so ill informed. My company is still using crackberries because we spend so much on the enterprise server and licensing, when i was migrating users from a cell phone to a bb, 2 stores told me they couldn't transfer the contacts because our policy didn't allow it. The third store, went in, transfered contacts, and was out in 15 minutes... the difference? The other two stores were either too lazy, or just didn't know you had to turn off wireless sync to move the contacts in a BB.... just another example of Excellent customer service from VZW....