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jepherey's profile

New Member

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34 Messages

Tuesday, February 22nd, 2022 11:44 PM

3G Wireless Home Phone Upgrade Emergency

On 2/14/2022 AT&T notified me for the very first time that my WF721 wireless home phone will be deactivated by the 3G sunset on 2/22/2022. I have obsessively called AT&T's 3G upgrade hotline at (800) 880-8581 every day since this emergency was revealed to me. No one at that number is able to order a replacement device and obtain confirmation.

I have also tried acceptfreephone.att.com but that page will not load using AT&T internet(!) I tried from a different location with Spectrum internet and the page loaded, but will not accept my AT&T wireless home phone number to begin the order.

My AT&T online account displays an "Upgrade Now" button on my Wireless Home Phone page. Clicking the button generates an error instructing me to call customer service at (800) 331-0500. No one at that number is able to perform the upgrade.

As I write this at 5:30pm, the celestial sunset currently underway provides a stark reminder of today's 3G sunset which threatens to permanently end my phone service any moment now.

Is there anyone at any level of the AT&T corporation who is able to facilitate this upgrade and rescue a decades-long customer from forced annihilation?

Accepted Solution

Expert

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18.6K Messages

2 years ago

Has anyone obtained a WHP replacement from AT&T after 12/7/2021 yes. 

This topic I assume they got one as they never came back.

Here's another needed help setting it up 

Yet another

There's more you'd just have to search the forums. I'd quit messing with them and find another provider. Know anyone with a Verizon cell phone? If you do have them come over and see what kind of signal you're getting. Or there's the other alternatives listed in other post. If you want one last stab at it you can escalate to a customer care executive by filling out the form. 

Accepted Solution

Expert

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18.6K Messages

2 years ago

Well, the post disappeared. What @jepherey stated was that by contacting the office of the president they were able to get a replacement which they took to an AT&T store who activated it for them and they now have working service with the new unit.

Still had the email, this is what @jepherey originally posted:

@spoom2 Thank you for all your guidance. I am pleased to announce that my two-week-long daily struggle has reached a glorious conclusion.

AT&T's Office of the President overnighted me an IFWA-40 after sourcing a few hidden leftovers near Indianapolis. My local AT&T store activated it today and I am now fully transitioned from 3G to 4G Wireless Home Phone service.

If you are at risk of irreversibly losing your Wireless Home Phone service because AT&T's 2021 comprehensive 3G upgrade missed your account, Office of the President is your savior. No one else at AT&T can resolve.

(edited)

Official Solution

ACE - Expert

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22.7K Messages

2 years ago

The announcement of AT&T shutting down their 3G network has been public knowledge for a very long time now. Even the date of Feb. 22nd has been around for quite some time.

AT&T did send out notices quite sometime ago to folks that had phones that were incompatible after the 3G shutdown so maybe your notifications were lost or overlooked.

That being said, this is a public, customer to customer forum only. It is not AT&T Support but ATTHelp does pop in from time to time. So unless someone else has a link that you can try, or ATTHelp stops by, you'll just have to be patient and keep trying to get thru.

Expert

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18.6K Messages

2 years ago

The replacement is an IFWA-40 wireless home phone and internet, you don't have to get the internet. Whoever you're calling may only be dealing in cell phones. Make sure they know what a WHP is. 

New Member

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34 Messages

2 years ago

Thanks for the feedback.

Several AT&T reps have already verified that zero notifications of the planned shutdown were provided to me prior to 2/14/2022. They were neither lost nor overlooked, only uncommunicated. AT&T has offered an abundance of apologies but no replacement order has been entered.

Also, many of the reps I have contacted were able to quickly recognize my WHP when they access my account. They simply cannot order it. Nor can they find a department that can.

Today, on the day of the scheduled shutdown, I received my second notice of the shutdown delivered by USPS and dated 2/17/2022. It repeats the emailed notice verbatim, with no valid path forward.

My phone service remains active as of this writing, mere minutes away from the end of 2/22/2022.

Expert

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18.6K Messages

2 years ago

See this topic where @ATTHelp states the units are available and even provides a link to the unit. There's also this link where you can order them online. They may not know how to get you a free replacement, but they are available. You can even get them on Amazon.  

New Member

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34 Messages

2 years ago

Thank you for your efforts to guide me through this intractable quagmire.

One of the provided links leads to AT&T's IFWA40 product page, displaying "isn't available" with no option to order.

The other link leads to the page to order AT&T's WHP service plan with a device, complete with an Add to Cart button that stubbornly refuses to add anything to a cart.

Amazon is selling only a pre-owned IFWA40 with reliability issues, no warranty beyond its 90-day return policy, and priced higher than my WF721 when I bought it new from the AT&T store four years ago. Unfortunately an IFWA40 cannot be ordered through the AT&T store either.

I know you are sincerely trying to help, and your assistance is greatly appreciated. Your optimism suggests you would find it unfathomable that a company rooted in the literal invention of instantaneous interactive telecommunications would present so many alternate methods for its customers to resolve an emergency imposed upon them by said company, when every available option yields frustration and insurmountable defeat.

Fortunately my WHP is still operational on 2/23/2022, so my pursuit of ongoing service continues until AT&T's 3G apocalypse catches up to me.

Expert

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18.6K Messages

2 years ago

All I know is they've sent out many replacements, don't know why you didn't get one unless they ran out. I use a Verizon LVP2 which was an upgrade from the T2000 which was also going to be unusable when 3g goes away. I've only had the new unit for about a month, good sound quality. You can also get a straight talk at Walmart than you could have service right away, don't know about porting your number you may have to search the WEB for that. Consumer Cellular also has the WHP. So you have a few options left unless you just want the AT&T unit and no other. 

Expert

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18.6K Messages

2 years ago

Just going to add I don't know why they aren't advertised more as a landline replacement. The only problem with any of them is you need a good strong cell signal for them to be a reliable replacement. Had been using the T2000 over 2years with zero issues, other than the time, which they've correct on their LVP2. 

Community Support

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225.6K Messages

2 years ago

Hey there jepherey, we want to help!

 

Lets meet in a Direct Message to discuss upgrading the wireless home phone equipment. Please check your Direct Message Inbox, which is the chat icon next to the bell icon in the upper right corner of the Forums page.

 

We hope to hear from you!

 

Carlton, AT&T Community Specialist

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