How Do I Register a complaint about terrible service getting SIM card to operate?

Hello Jacob,

I wasted almost 2 full days trying to get my SIM card on a new phone operating, much of it in multiple chat sessions and on hold waiting for support by telephone that never came. I can provide considerable detail. I would like to bring it to the attention of AT&T customer service management. Should I post it all here, or is there another more direct route?

Hello @bcs441,

When you say that you were unable to get your SIM card operating, what do you mean exactly?

Are you trying to Activate your SIM card online?

Did your cell phone suddenly stop working?

If so, what specific issues are you experiencing with your wireless service?

You can absolutely provide as many details as you'd like right here.

Please let us know what's been going on exactly, and we'll be more than happy to take a closer look.

Sean, AT&T Community Specialist

Sean, here is that additional detail.

I received horrendous “service” over the last week at the hands of AT&T’s technical service people and systems. I’ll note at the outset that we have 4 cell phones, 3 landlines, and our TV service with AT&T.

I bought a new Samsung A10e from Amazon because as a person at high risk from Covid, didn’t want to go into the local AT&T store on the advice of the shop personnel, who said I couldn’t do everything needed curbside. The device arrived yesterday with an AT&T SIM card. Set up went smoothly until I got the message that the SIM needed to be “provisioned.”

That set me on an arduous journey that has lasted 2 days, had me on 4 different chats, 3 of which required that I enter and reenter the ICCID and IMEI numbers, and all of those chats ended up with me having to talk to an “expert”. Two of those calls were placed to me, one of which almost immediately dropped. On the other, a supervisor connected me to someone who turned out to be in Collections and who then transferred me to someone else, and that call dropped. On each of those calls where I had to hold, I endured very long wait times.

On the last call, after 2 hours and 44 minutes I was notified that the call could not be completed and it abruptly terminated, even though the last person I spoke to told me in his most sincere voice that he would stay on the line to be sure that I got to someone who could fix the problem.

In each case when I spoke with someone, they said they didn’t have the authority or skills to do the last thing needed but assured me that they got me to someone who could.

One of the chats also ended up with an “expert” who was not even an AT&T employee but rather another user offering advice through the AT&T website.

On the 2nd long chat, the AT&T tech service person wrote these two comments (from the emailed transcript):

Chestor : I will make a commitment from my end, I will be updating the ICCID on the network myself.

Chestor : Just to recap, you contacted us as the new SIM was getting errors in updating, I have raised a ticket for the SIM and it will be refreshed in 6 hours and it will be updated on the network, you will then be able to use the services on the new device, I also will be calling you at 8:30 CDT to confirm the same . Is there anything else I can help you with?

The promised call never came and the phone is still not working.

All told, I spent over 6 hours on the phone and in chats.

I finally resolved the problem by going to the local AT&T store, where the person who told me I couldn’t get everything done curbside was had to swap out the SIM card because it wasn’t on her inventory record and got the device operating.

I am posting here because I repeatedly asked a supervisor on the chat function for an email address

I need to amend my post of above by noting that the cell phone model was a Samsung S10e, not A10e as originally written.

Hello @bcs441,

Thank you for providing us with those additional details.

We're glad to hear that your cell phone is now operating properly.

However, we definitely want to apologize for this negative experience that you had while trying to get this issue with your SIM card resolved.

Unfortunately, there is no available AT&T email address for customer support if that's what you were referring to.

Please let us know if you have any additional questions or concerns.

Sean, AT&T Community Specialist

Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately, their opening comment is not at all encouraging:

"The bottom line: most customers will have better results by contacting their provider to resolve issues. Complaints to the FCC and FTC about ISP actions that don’t violate any regulations will be dismissed. Providers are private companies and are rarely required to service specific areas. "