Community Forums

dkperez · 03-27-2020, 10:05 PM

Thanks for posting the info from the email I don't have. So, in THEORY, I should be able to move to the new carrier at NO CHARGE...

Followed the instructions: Existing Legacy customers with active subscriptions can upgrade for free online at: Upgrade to Blast

Followed the link, gave it the IMEI number, logged into my account, and got a screen with prices... I'd post a screen snip, but I can't get the jpg off my website. Is there ANY reasonable way to upload images from MY local PC instead of having to shove them up to a website and trying to get them from there?

Unless I'm doing something wrong, it doesn't appear to be no charge...

dkperez · 03-28-2020, 05:42 AM

I just checked my account, and OTR Mobile processed the charge for next month, so that's working fine on their end. And I can SEE the account, so the login has to be working.

I tried AGAIN to get the "no charge" replacement SIM and the Nighthawk unlocked - put in the IMEI, logged in as usual and I STILL get dumped to the page where the 'BLAST' plan is. And the options are "Bring your own device" for $120, "Bring your own Sim" for $110, and "Device unlock" for $30.

So for you who HAVE ordered (and in theory, received) the new TM SIM, HOW did you get it - did you pick one of these options, or am I getting dumped to some other page?

docj · 03-28-2020, 08:20 AM

UPDATE as of 3/28. I received the following message from OTR via Facebook Messenger:

Hey there! We have completed a mass update today to bring devices and SIM Cards online as well as updating Static IP addresses for a lot of our clients. Unfortunately this has knocked customers offline who were experiencing no issues before. Please allow 12-24 hours for this issue to be resolved. Leave your device powered off and power on periodically to check.

As of this morning I still don't have service. I'll keep trying over the weekend.

dkperez · 03-28-2020, 09:16 AM

Still need a way to GET the unlock and SIM card WITHOUT spending hours trying to get someone to chat...

Anybody? Or did all of you that have them in-hand or on order get through to chat?

dkperez · 03-29-2020, 07:34 AM

Finally got a body on the PM of Facebook and got to the right place. Unlock and new Sim MAY be coming - according to the site, "Processing will take from 3 to 7 days". Apparently I'll be contacted. In reality, I suspect the 3-7 days was BEFORE OTR totally composted, so I figure it'll probably take longer...

Visible, on the other hand, took the order, sent an email, and provided a shipping number. According to that, the phone should be here Monday or Tuesday.

Chuck&Pam · 03-31-2020, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkperez

So for you who HAVE ordered (and in theory, received) the new TM SIM, HOW did you get it - did you pick one of these options, or am I getting dumped to some other page?

I’m in the same boat- got my SIM 2 weeks ago and requested unlock that I’m still waiting on. Got back on online chat yesterday and was told that they are getting the unlock codes daily and I’ll get it in an email as soon as they get it. My sim came in the mail 2 or 3 days after I ordered it.

At least my AT&T sim is still working.

dkperez · 04-01-2020, 03:26 AM

Visible actually did a good job getting me the phone. They said it would be here Monday or yesterday, and it showed up Monday. Put in the Sim, turned it on, and had the laptop up on the hotspot. Got 8-10 Mbps pretty consistently, so it's working. Router (I ordered the recommended one) should be here somewhere around the end of the week...

The experience with OTR has made me extremely leery of ALL these companies, so I've been reluctant to replace our Verizon phones (they're GS5s and won't work) with Visible.

I looked at the "reasonably" priced Visible offerings. Since we use cell phones for making phone calls, occasionally sending messages, and very occasionally checking a web site for something. We don't take pictures, watch movies, play games, or live with the things in our hands constantly so I can't see spending $400 - 500 on a phone.

I haven't found much (basically nothing) about which are best for providing a usable data signal when things are weak, though. So far, the Moto 7G and Samsung S8+ seem to be the "best" option, though Visible seems to be running out of more phones and prices appear to be going up.

My OTR Nighthawk is still working at the moment too, but I expect it'll quit any time now...

wjohnson913 · 04-09-2020, 11:44 AM

The story of the unlock code is news to me. After chatting with them they said they would send a “signal over the air” and in two hours the new SIM would work. It didn’t. I’ll re-chat again when I get the courage. Not sure I even understand the signal over the air thing. I get it in the case of Sirius/XM satellite radio but updating a SIM card remotely seems implausible but I’m no expert.
The biggest problem I have with the chat is the don’t answer the question I ask but answer a question I didn’t ask. It appears sometimes they don’t even read the question.

docj · 04-09-2020, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkperez

The experience with OTR has made me extremely leery of ALL these companies, so I've been reluctant to replace our Verizon phones (they're GS5s and won't work) with Visible.

With all due respect I seriously doubt your phones are "5G". They may be phones that have 5 GHz WiFi but that's very different from being a 5G phone, most of which are just entering the marketplace at very high prices.

Joel (AKA docj)

SLOweather · 04-09-2020, 02:27 PM

He might have meant (Samsung) Galaxy 5S phones plural. We just updated our Galaxy S4s a few months ago.

dkperez · 04-10-2020, 07:46 AM

Yes, they are Samsung Galaxy S5s (GS5s), and I can assure you when I checked them at Visible they stated that these phones will not work.

Not a big surprise since they're six years old. Not sure if it's just an opportunity for Visible to push new phones or whether there's some valid technological reason for them to be rejected, but Visible says they won't.

So far Visible has been working through the router. Its nowhere near as fast as the Nighthawk on AT&T, but it works well enough for light use with one tv and a couple laptops...

Fortunately I'm not using the Cloud version of Lightroom or regularly having to download (or upload) gigabyte files, 'cause that wouldn't be pretty.

Would still like to know what people find in the list of phones at Visible as far as what has the best antenna/rang/reception in the reasonably priced phones - again under $250? Is the Samsung Galaxy S8 the best option even though it's old and Samsung appears to only support their devices for a maximum of 4 years?

docj · 04-10-2020, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkperez

So far Visible has been working through the router. Its nowhere near as fast as the Nighthawk on AT&T, but it works well enough for light use with one tv and a couple laptops...

For those, like myself, who are forced to use Visible and other low-cost data connections I would like to point out that there are ways to use somewhat more advanced routers to Load Balance multiple internet connections. By doing this a router can switch from one connection to the other on a moment-by-moment basis to ensure that your data uses the fastest available connection.

Currently, I am using 3 low-cost cellular connections plus my RV park's wifi in order to achieve a reasonably fast connection capable of streaming video. If anyone would like to learn more about this, please feel free to PM me.

Joel (AKA docj)

dkperez · 04-11-2020, 04:41 AM

I may be talking out my rear end, but it seems to me that this virus situation has/will cause changes to society that won’t be going back to the way things were done in the past… Some of the people working at home WON’T be going back to offices, some of the distance learning will be found effective and continue in the future, etc. All of which means a LOT more data consumption, with much more of it being wireless.

For people not living in the middle of urban areas, traditional wired communications isn’t always a practical solution.

Either the wireless data providers are going to have to come up with cost-effective, truly unlimited data plans on their own or there’s going to be a big push to force the government to mandate something, ‘cause this “unlimited all the way to 10GB or 20GB per month when we throttle you to death” isn’t going to be acceptable. And many people aren’t going to be willing to pay outlandish prices to have enough wireless, high-speed data to handle their entertainment and business needs.

Whether current technology is capable of handling the additional traffic and the companies choose not to make it available, or the current infrastructure will need improvement to handle it, it’s going to have to happen.

Or, I could be completely wrong, and 5 years from now we’ll still be having to use the fly-by-night, unreliable, offshoots, third-parties, and step child “departments” of established wireless companies to get enough wireless data our wants…