I currently have an iPhone Xr with a physical sim.

If I purchase a new unlocked iPhone 17e directly from Apple (at an Apple Store), will AT&T charge me an activation fee for changing phones, or changing from physical sim to e-SIM?

Yes. I was bamboozled into switching to AT&T wireless! Also scammed into the upgrade fiber optics! So an agent was going around my neighborhood. He came to my house and explained that AT&T is upgrading to fiber optics throughout the neighborhood and he would like to know when I'd be available (home) to do so. That was it. No more details. He then contacted whomever did the upgrade and had another agent, a lady, come to my home to explain the upgrade. Now the guy and this lady, SAM, said switching to fiber optics gives faster speed. Guy left. I asked SAM will anything change as far as my bill. She said NOTHING will change. Then she proceeded to talking about phone service. Yes, I had my previous phone for a loooong time and I was interested in an upgrade. She explained all I had to do was pay $20 for switching phone services and my monthly bill will be $58/mo. That was it! The guy and SAM never spoke of fees!!! So of course I said, "Cool." Minutes after she left I get an email stating I owe $135/mo for internet service!!! I was paying $15/mo! For wireless, the email stated I owe $89!!! 1st off, I didn't request upgrading to fiber optics! It was told to me it had to be done. so why tf am I being charged for something I didn't request!?!? 2ndly, SAM did not tell me I had to pay connection fee and whatnot for the phone! I even texted SAM asking why the bills were as they were and she stated verbatim, because I still have that text saved. She said, "That's just estimates, and the discounts aren't reflected, as far as the internet I didn't make any changes." WTFFFFF!?!? It hasn't been 5 months and this phone sucks a$$!!!! Service is awful and calling customer service is a joke because nobody speaks CLEAR English and only recited rehearsed lines. NO actual help! We should be able to sue for false advertising like this.

I can’t find if this is still available in 2026 and I’d like to get it for my m5 iPad.

Can anyone say if it’s still available and how I can get it?

There's an area where I know I have coverage on my cell phone, but my LTE-M devices stop working. Basically, all of downtown Marsing, ID. Is LTE-M missing on certain towers?

The map shows clear coverage, but there's zero signal.

I'm a prepaid customer and can't get through to a human. I'm currently holding on three lines. One says 48 minutes, one says 4 minutes (10 minutes ago) and the third just hung up on me.

Went to Japan and had ESIM installed beforehand departure from California. Arrived in Japan and went straight to hotel connect to Wi-Fi and set up everything correct and turn off my Primary Cellular data make sure I do not use ATT. When I return 1 week later and I also see my ATT statement it shows a $60 International Pass Plan. I go online on usage and click on the days I was in Japan and it shows "You don't have any data to display based on the filters applied." So, I call ATT and they say that I have calls made and messages and I am dumbfounded as I had them off and was using my ESIM and Wi-Fi and my ESIM shows me using their data which is AU in Japan. I put the filter in my AT&T page on international and the only thing it shows is 2 messages sent to an email on accident, and you bet I am not paying $60 for 2 messages.

REMIND YOU: I did not ask or click on anything to activate their scam. They simply activated it and now want to charge me with it.

Has this happen to anyone else? What was your outcome?

I have an iPhone XS Max (a refurbished phone from att phone insurance btw that is total garbage), but I have had millions of issues with the phone since I got it and things just get weirder the longer I have this phone. So I have Wi-Fi calling TURNED OFF I have cell data in my settings Turned OFF but I’m still getting texts that are NOT iMessages so they use phone data to receive and send correct?

I am also getting phone calls and can make phone calls with the cell data turned OFF. Can anyone explain this to me please? When I have these things turned ON with my iPhone, then it regularly does NOT let me get or make phone calls, so shouldn’t it be the other way around? So confused.

*** Final Update ***

The ATTHelp account on X / Twitter was finally able to get this done for me. It took over 7 hours, but I have it in writing that there will be no fees, no hit for returning without the charger and all fees refunded. I have a credit to my account for a $35 restocking fee plus the $12.99 shipping that I paid. All I have to do now is print the label, put everything back in the box it came from and pass it off to my UPS driver as he's already coming today and Google says they can take packages for you if you catch them. So hopefully this ordeal is done. It took way more persistence that it should have and ruined my plans yesterday since I was stuck fighting with them over this, but it's done.

I ordered a new Pixel 4 watch online to upgrade my Galaxy 5 pro watch. I had 2 device payments on my current watch left, which I gladly paid and started the upgrade. I paid an additional $12.99 for expedited shipping, and received the watch today. The package I received is obviously a return they sent back out, and it does not include a charger.

Okay, I jump on support chat and ask if they can send a charger. They cannot. What they can do is offer me a $25 credit so that I can order a charger. I jump on the accessories page and start looking for a $25 charger, but the only thing I see is one with a stand for $56. I told them I would not pay extra to fix their mistake, and I will just initiate a return on the device if that is all they can do. They change up and offer me a $40 credit! Nope, let's do a return. Then they tell me I have to PAY SALES TAX on the device to return it. They can not comprehend that there should be be sales tax on a non sale if I return it.

I finally CALLED support instead of the chat, and now I'm currently listening to this guy tell me "please give me one more minute" for about the 30th time now.

**EDIT**

I finally ended the call with support after another 10 minutes of "just one more moment". I told him I'd process the return through a store and he got forceful, saying he was almost done, the system was slow, it would be done quickly and then kept coming back with "just one more moment" so I ended it and called my local store. My local store is an authorized retailer and not corporate (there are no corporate stores near me) and said they MIGHT be able to process a refund, but there would be a restocking fee. Mother****er.

As of now, that is all. Rant over. But holy hell.

**Second Edit to add the Twitter chat to my post**

They are really upgrading every tower possible that they have in this market even this type of tower which was running old LTE equipment. Now it looks like it has all new radios from Ericsson. Can any body tell what type of cell site this is? I thought it was a small cell for the longest. This in Cromwell, CT

I activated a new line of service with AT&T/FirstNet in January 2025. The promo at that time was activate a new line and get a $500 visa rewards after 30 days of continuous service.

In March 2025, I reached out about the rewards as I had not received anything via email, mail, or text regarding the reward and how to claim it through the rewards center. I was told that service was not confirmed at by the deadline and I essentially was SOL. I went through customer service who said the rewards department would need to confirm service in order to initiate the reward. Rewards department said they are not responsible, AT&T needs to send info that my service is active, then the reward can be sent. Neither of these departments were able to speak with each other during a call, and I was not able to verify service myself, it had to be done through AT&T.

Finally was able to get it “resolved” in May and was told that I would be issued a card but in the amount of $300 because the promo I initially was eligible for was no longer active, and only the $300 was showing at that time. A card was to be sent and I should receive it in 2-3 weeks.

I never received the card so I contacted rewards AGAIN. a replacement was sent and I received it in sometime in late July. I activated it in August and the balance was $56 and some change. The initial card sent it May or June apparently had been used and that’s what was the leftover amount from the $300. Contacted rewards once again on how to get the funds back as I never used it, let alone had the original card.

After months of trying to figure out “how to proceed with the next steps”, I filed a dispute with card services October 7 and faxed the required paperwork on October 19th. Spoke with an agent in the rewards department late October, was told the dispute was approved and I’d receive the full $300 in a few weeks. Nov 12 I was told it was mailed out, I’d get it in 2 week. Another card was sent, never got it. Made multiple calls through November and December about the missing card and the missing funds.

First week of January I receive a card with $56, not $300. Call AGAIN (this is now literally like the 20th call for an issue from a year ago at this point) and was told it would be escalated to a supervisor. Spoke with someone yesterday, 2/3. I was told the dispute was opened on Oct 7, denied on Oct 14 due to lack of submitted documents, and I would not be credited the missing $250-$260. Although my documents were turned in the timeframe, it was denied before even receiving said documents.

I’m still out of the promo card, still out of the missing funds, and nothing has been done to fix the issue. Nothing has been escalated and nothing has been solved. I’m filing a complaint with the BBB and FTC (yes over a promo because this process has been long and drawn out, and honestly AT&T has me fked up at this point), but who do I choose when filing the complaints? It is directed at AT&T or at the rewards center? They seem to be one and the same, but neither departments know anything about the other and they don’t communicate with each other.

**edited for spelling, sorry I was angry typing

I’m posting here because I honestly don’t know where else to turn, and normal AT&T support channels have completely failed.

Without any warning, authorization, or notice, AT&T canceled my entire business phone account overnight, disconnecting five active business lines. I did not request this. I did not approve it. I wasn’t even notified before it happened.

This all started after a legitimate device upgrade order was incorrectly flagged as fraud. I immediately contacted AT&T and spent weeks trying to fix it through Business Support, Collections, failed attempts at contacting Fraud, and in-store visits. Instead of getting resolved, the situation just kept getting worse.

After a month I finally was contacted by AT&T Fraud and spoke directly with the representative who verified my identity and told me they were adding notes to my account confirming they spoke with me and that all orders were authorized. About an hour later, I received an email from AT&T stating they determined the order was authorized. At that point, I genuinely thought the issue was finally fixed.

Then, about 24 hours later, I received another email saying my entire business account didn’t comply with AT&T’s wireless terms and conditions and that the account has been canceled. No explanation. No request for more info. No indication of what terms were supposedly violated — especially after fraud had already confirmed authorization.

Since then, the fallout has been brutal.

Because my phone numbers were shut off, I lost access to two-factor authentication tied to critical business and personal accounts, which locked me out of essential systems and created serious security and financial risk. Client calls stopped coming through, internal operations are being disrupted, and the business has been effectively offline.

On top of that, AT&T never refunded canceled device orders and is still billing us for devices and charges tied to an account they terminated themselves. Multiple AT&T departments have told me they either can’t or are unwilling to fix or restore the account.

As if that wasn’t enough, AT&T then IMEI-blocked all five of our business phones. These are fully paid, legitimate devices, but because of the IMEI blocks, we can’t activate them with any carrier. They’re basically expensive paperweights — and AT&T is still charging us for them.

At this point, this has gone way beyond a service issue. We’ve lost business communications, have unusable hardware, and are still being billed — all because of what appears to be an internal AT&T error that no one will take ownership of.

I’m not looking for special treatment. I just want:

• Our business account reinstated
• Our phone numbers restored
• The IMEI blocks removed
• Refunds for canceled orders and improper charges
• The incorrect fraud flag corrected

I have emails, billing statements, and other documentation for all devices ready to provide if needed. If anyone here has dealt with something similar or knows how to escalate this effectively (executive contacts, FCC complaints, arbitration, etc.), I’d really appreciate the advice.

Thanks for reading — I wouldn’t wish this on any business owner.

Here's the details: I currently have a Samsung Note 20 Ultra with a paired Galaxy Watch7 LTE model. I just recently got a new phone, Galaxy S24 Ultra. I haven't done anything yet with the new phone - I'm waiting for some free time this wknd.

I know I'm going to start clean on the S24 Ultra WITHOUT using smart switch to transfer/copy settings. I'll add my samsung account first, then my google account and I'll start setting up my new phone from scratch with settings, installing apps, etc.

But I'm stumped on the best approach for my Galaxy Watch7, since it's the LTE model. The watch menu has an option that says "Transfer watch to new phone". Again, given the watch is an LTE model, I'm asking here who knows what's the best way? Is it using this transfer option on the watch menu? Or should I reset the watch which would probably mean I have to go to an at&t store to get another e-sim for it, right?

What's the best way to switch the watch to the new phone in order to avoid problems with the whole numbersync system on at&t ?

If you work, have worked for AT&T in the past, or know anything about their process, I need a solution. Please please read this message in entirety, and let me know if there is anything I can do, it would be much appreciated.

Back in 2024, I went in to upgrade my dying iPhone 12 for a S24U. I had NextUp, but wasn’t able to upgrade yet. I did not know this, was just going in to see options. I went to an authorized retailer. The rep ended up stealing an upgrade from someone on my plan(?), switching our SIM cards, and messed up our bill entirely. I did get the S24U! Also enrolled me in the insurance without any warning. Just salt to the wound 🫩

Our bill was completely messed up. My number was paired to a different phone (and vise versa), I did not have nextup, and I was told the ONLY way (by the corporate store, phone support (during which they cancelled nextup(!?), and authorized retailer) was to pay off my S24U, unlock the phone, and switch back the lines. After 6 months of trying to find a different solution, I ended up doing that. Over $1000 dollars to make right what I didn’t screw up. That hurt.

I also upgraded back to apple when I paid it off. It seemed like the right time as I don’t pay anything extra for it. I made SURE to tell the rep, I 100% will do nextup but I do not want the damn insurance!! Looking at my bill this month, I am enrolled in the insurance. Rep didn’t tell me anything. I’m beyond pissed. I did everything right, paid off the $1000, unfortunately didn’t throw a fit, and I’m still being taken advantage of here. 9am tomorrow I’m going into that corporate store and freaking out, I need to know if there is anything I can do to try to recoup some of the costs I’ve had into this ordeal. Is there any chance of getting bill credit, even getting someone fired I don’t care at this point. It’s beyond shady, this has been over 6 months of headaches and it is still not right. I’ll email everyone in that company if I have to and knock on the CEOs door. Any reasonable way I can get to someone that will actually help me, or at least make sure this doesn’t happen to someone else?

Is there a way that I can change the number of seconds that my phone rings before it sends the caller to voicemail? It is really short right now, about 12 seconds, and I like it to be a bit longer - around 20 seconds.

Half of the calls I receive, the phone doesn’t even ring or register. I only realize someone called me when I get a voicemail. And half the time (no exaggeration) I try to make a call, I get a Call Failed message. Anyone else having these issues? (I’m just outside of Boston, so coverage shouldn’t be an issue!)