Samsung W531 ESN Number Problem!!

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shabba121

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#14380 1-Jul-2007 00:35

I signed up for the recent offer from Telecom where by signing up to a new Flexi Mytime plan, you get a free Samsung w531. The phone is great piece of kit, don't get me wrong. Just that I've had the phone since Monday and have been unable to use it because I want to transfer my old prepaid number (which has now been converted to the Flexi MyTime plan) from my old Nokia to my new phone. Rang up on the day of delivery and they said it'd take 2-4 hrs, which didn't happen. Rang up later that day and they said it'd be done by the next day, didnt happen. Rang up the next day, they said it was delayed for some reason that they couldnt push through and I had to wait, nothing happened. Rang up the day after that and was told to take my phone in to a Telecom shop, which I got annoyed about because I worked for Phoesn4U in the UK for 3 years, and you DON'T need to see the phone at all for number transfers!! Then I was finally told that because Telecom had such an uptake of the promotion, that the phones sent out haven't had their ESN numbers (CDMA version of an IMEI number) assigned, so they can't transfer my number!! What a bunch of idiots!! Why have they sent me the phone if I'm still using my old phone!! APPALING SERVICE FOR A NEW CUSTOMER TO EXPERIENCE!! I am yet to have the number transfered btw. Still waiting.

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#76428 1-Jul-2007 00:44

I'm not sure I am following you here, but is 123/126 asking you for the ESN number?

If so it is common for them not to understand the difference between a dec and hex ESN (they equate to the same thing, through a mathematical formula).

nzbnw

shabba121

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#76429 1-Jul-2007 00:49

What I mean is: when they were asking me over the phone for the phones ESN so they can transfer my phone number from my old handset to this new one, the new one didn't even have an ESN number! No stickers or barcodes that had an 11-digit number were anywhere to be found. So they told me that all of the Samsung's sent out during the offer hadn't had their ESN numbers assigned yet via the network, so that had to go through their systems before they could transfer my number.

nzbnw

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#76430 1-Jul-2007 01:01

shabba121: No stickers or barcodes that had an 11-digit number were anywhere to be found.

There is no 11 digit dec ESN on this phone, it is printed as an 8 digit hex ESN, as I've said above this equates to the same thing. You will either need to explain this to 123, or a dealer will already know what this means.

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#76431 1-Jul-2007 01:09

If you use this online tool, you can input your 8 character (alpha numeric) HEX ESN and it will tell you the Dec (11 digit numerical) ESN.

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#76432 1-Jul-2007 01:29

ESN numbers will usually be found under the battery, alternatively on the W531 by memory you should be able to access them by going to settings -> Phone info and selecting the correct option. As discussed above, it is a fairly straight forward process converting ESN's from HEX to decimal and back (a certain tool can do it with a touch of a button), however it may have caught someone out.

In my experience (as a customer moving his number from prepaid to postpaid flexi mytime), those service orders with ESN swaps (switching to the new phone) post fairly quickly, unless there is something wrong. When you call them, make sure you get the service order numbers although if you don't, they are also associated with your number. When you call up next time, you'll be able to find out whether they've posted or they've had some issues.

If the service orders have posted fine and the number is pointing to that ESN, you may need to NAM your handset to ensure it has the right settings.

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riahon

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#76438 1-Jul-2007 06:37

The OP is right. There were a bunch that were sent out and the esn number was not in their network. My brother had the same problem. This however was fixed a couple of days ago so either yours is either an exception or the number is wrong or the phone not programmed incorrectly. I had to ring 123 - the number you are looking for starts with 168xxxxx, tell them this and then they said they would email back office support and get it connected. A few hours later it was working.

nzbnw

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#76460 1-Jul-2007 12:02

riahon: The OP is right. There were a bunch that were sent out and the esn number was not in their network.

Perhaps but the OP said that the 11 digit decimal ESN was to be found, this is normal on some Samsung Phones, as I've said this is printed as a HEX ESN (exactly have you have mentioned below 168XXXXX).

riahon: the number you are looking for starts with 168xxxxx, tell them this and then they said they would email back office support and get it connected. A few hours later it was working.

It will not always start with 168, 167 is also common. I still believe that it's not a case of not being able to be connected to the internet, but 123/126 failing to understand what a HEX ESN is. They should not need to email away, but issue the correct Service Order, and over type the existing dec ESN.

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shabba121

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#76478 1-Jul-2007 14:40

Hey guys, I found the 186xxxxx number on the back of the phone above the IMEI number. So I put this in to that ESN converter and came up with an 11-digit DEC ESN. So I rang Telecom to tell them to get their act sorted and to give them the ESN number, but their technical guys aren't back until Monday. So I'll have to wait yet another day to try and get my phone working.

shabba121

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#76683 2-Jul-2007 23:22

To give you guys an update: I gave them the ESN number this morning and the guy on the phone said it was correct and made me input some numbers in to the SVC menu that popped up on the Samsung. He then said it'd be done in 2 hrs. NOTHING STILL! So I rang again this evening and she said that it's on a high priority transfer and i'll get a call tomorrow. I know Telecom's customer service is bad, but this is getting ridiculous!

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#76684 3-Jul-2007 00:36

shabba121: I know Telecom's customer service is bad, but this is getting ridiculous!

If you have no luck by thursday, PM me and I'll try and have a look into it for you.

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shabba121

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#76715 3-Jul-2007 12:39

Its finally gone through!! I rang up for about the 100th time and the woman said she would cancel my process and then start another.....that surprise, surprise went through within 20 mins. Useless Telecom. Thanks for your help though guys.

munchkin

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#76889 4-Jul-2007 12:57

Hang on. The woman from Telecom helped you...and you're still calling them useless?

I understand there were delays, but the blame can go in either direction.

shabba121

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#76898 4-Jul-2007 13:56

They're stil useless because all they needed to do was cancel my current transfer order and start a new one, which took 30mins to do. Instead of dragging it out passing me from one person to another and saying wait x amount of time, wait x amount of time etc.

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#76930 4-Jul-2007 18:00

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nzbnw

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#76945 4-Jul-2007 20:08

shabba121: They're stil useless because all they needed to do was cancel my current transfer order and start a new one, which took 30mins to do. Instead of dragging it out passing me from one person to another and saying wait x amount of time, wait x amount of time etc.

Some how I don’t think you know all the facts. Provisioning systems can be very complex, and this may not have been an option available to the CSR at that point in time.

As for saying Telecom is useless, I regret you feel that way, many people here have tried to help you, Telecom Employees included.

nzbnw

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