T-Mobile might suck, TS Fey
Tropical Storm Fey is heading this way. Hey, I just rhymed. So, we have been keeping an eye on the storm all weekend. Early yesterday I was thinking I should at least put up the shutters on the big front window. Dad said he didn’t think we’d need it and I rarely turn down a chance to not do something. By this morning the track had changed yet again so now we are putting up the shutters. But I can’t do it until after work now. And it may be rainning after work now. Oh well, that’s live in the sunshine state. I enjoy a good storm (as long as no one is hurt). There is something about nature kicking up a fuss that I find exhilarating.
I have been looking for a used 2G iPhone for some time now. My plan was to unlock it so I can sign up w/ T-Mobile and talk for free with my children. Yesterday I found one locally on Craigslist.org. I contacted the guy around 8am yesteday and we agreed to meet at the apple store at 1pm. I was excited about jailbreaking and unlocking the phone to use on t-mobile’s network. I picked up the iPhone and then headed to the mall to sign up with T-Mobile. I had already talked to one of the guys at a kiosk (who is a friend of Lauren’s)about my plan. I get there, buy a T-mobile Shadow phone and get my plan.
I get the phone home and try it out. I can’t get a signal! I walk around my house searching for a signal… nothing. I step outside to the street and still nothing. My first troubleshooting step is to pull the battery for a few minutes and then replace it. Still nothing. I had checked the t-mobile website long before to verify I had service in my area. This shouldn’t be happening. Maybe my phone is bad. I called tech support and told them my problem. I had to speak with two different ‘techs’ before I was told to return the phone for a replacement. Crap.
As a last ditch effort I hop in my truck and drive two miles to the grocery store. In the parking lot I fire up my phone and what do you know… I get a signal. I nice signal, too. I’m glad the phone works but a little ticked it won’t work in my house. I swap the SIM card to the iPhone and fire it up. After a few seconds of searching I get a signal indicator that says T-Mobile and three bars. I’m excited to see my jailbreak and unlock worked but now I’m getting even more pissed I didn’t get this signal at home.
After slipping in the store to stock up on soda for the ‘hurricane’ I headed home. Before pulling out of the parking lot I swapped the SIM back to my Shadow and checked the signal again. Nice and strong. I headed home watching the signal meter as I went. From the parking lot with three bars I hit the main road and got full strength. As I neared my subdivision it dropped to three bars. Turning into the subdivision I bounce from three to two bars… not a good sign. By the time I got to my street it was bouncing between one and two bars. In my driveway was one bar. I went in the house and still had one tiny bar hanging on. I swapped the SIM back to the iPhone and was able to get my one bar. At this point I figured I was stuck with one bar at home. As long as I got a signal I would accept it. I put the iPhone in its cradle and downloaded some free apps to play with. After this sync I was unable to get a signal on the phone. I again swapped the SIM to the Shadow and, again, no signal. I never got a signal again until I brought the phones here to work. I in the office the signal bounces from full to two bars for no apparent reason. I think I have to give up on t-mobile and just go with AT&T.
Today is Lauren’s first day of college. I’m sure she is very busy but I will call her tonight to see how it went.