T-Mobile says phone service not working

November 3rd, 2009, 5:56 pm · 105 Comments · posted by Tamara Chuang, a.k.a. The Gadgetress

UPDATE: As of 10:25 p.m., T-Mobile says all voice, data services have been restored:

T-Mobile confirms it has fully restored voice and text/picture messaging services for customers affected by intermittent service disruptions on Tuesday. About five percent of our customers across various geographies were affected for much of Tuesday evening, and by late Tuesday PST their service was restored. Our sole focus has been restoring full services for all customers; we are now investigating the root cause of the incident. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience that this has caused our customers.

Sorry about the blog mess. It’s back now. At 7:23 p.m., no new updates from T-Mobile.

UPDATE 6:20 p.m.: T-Mobile offers a status report, saying only 5% of its customers have been affected by the outage.

“We’re making good progress restoring voice and messaging service to affected customers. At this time, approximately 5% of T-Mobile customers are experiencing service disruptions. Issues began at 5:30 p.m. Eastern time. … We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience that this has caused our customers.”

Update 5:59 p.m.: T-Mobile obviously out nationwide with blog comments coming from Minnesota, Dallas and elsewhere. Check out the comments below.

Updated 5:38 p.m.: When asked how will T-Mobile update customers get updates on the service problem, the company couldn’t offer a good reply. But it looks like T-Mobile’s Twitter account will be one place. Last update: Around 4:30 p.m.

Updated 5:29 p.m.: Added reports from other news sites.

—————————-

T-Mobile has just confirmed to me that there is a major outage.

“T-Mobile customers may be experiencing service disruptions impacting voice and data. Our rapid response teams have been mobilized to restore service as quickly as possible. We will provide updates as more information is available,” according to a statement by the company.

Reached by phone, David Henderson, a T-Mobile spokesman, said he could not discuss the outage any further or say whether it extends beyond Orange County. But it sounded like news of the outage was just hitting and he had to leave to get on a conference call to get more details.

When I asked him about this outage Monday after hearing that the service was out in South County, Henderson said no outages had been reported for the Orange County area.

I have heard of a very small number of T-Mobile customers experiencing outages in the past two to three weeks. Typically, their phones cannot find service.

I’m a T-Mobile customer as well and have not had any problems until the past 10 minutes. I’ll report more here as I learn more.

Are you having issues? Please comment below. Thanks!

Update: 5:41 p.m.: AP writes its outage story. Short and few new developments.

Update: 5:29 p.m.: C/Net is also reporting T-Mobile’s outage is widespread. The story says that this was part of a T-Mobile effort to update its SideKick users who have been without service for a whole month (!) The CNet reporter also notes that she’s heard about outages from customers in eastern Tennessee, Honolulu, Long Island, N.Y. and Westchester County, N.Y.

Update 5:16 p.m.: Phone service isn’t completely out. I’m still getting calls and can make calls.

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vanessa says:

November 3, 2009 at 7:29 pm

I live in the inland empire my service has been down since like 2pm. Sucks!!!! i havent had any problems I just hate that the day my bill is due they bombard me with text and phone calls that my bill is due.
” I KNOW,I KNOW” leave me alone.

Heather says:

T-Mobile sucks! I moved literall across the street from where I used to live, and didn’t get service, I was told I am in a low bar coverage area, I’m across the street! ! ! I cut my service with them months ago, I am now with Verizon and am so happy. Haven’t had one problem.

JennHB says:

November 3, 2009 at 7:30 pm

I cant get anything other than SOS signal, I am at CSUF and thought a tmobile tower went down in the diamond bar fire this afternoon, at least I know my phone isnt broken… Hope it is fixed soon.

Jen says:

November 3, 2009 at 7:32 pm

I have been trying to text for the last half hour and it won’t let me…I am very annoyed!!!!! I haven’t tried making a call yet.

grrr says:

no sevice in chicago!! ughh i need to txt!

p.s. I am in Corona, Ca

whatisthiscrap says:

November 3, 2009 at 7:35 pm

T-Mobile didn’t pay their own bills.

GFG (That’s an abbreviation, good….game, use your imagination) T-Mobile hasn’t paid their bill.

Is it any wonder that T-Mobile is having servicing issues, and it effects an array of customers, not just a group utilizing a new update?

No. T-Mobile has been plagued by these types of issues since day one. They also offer some of the most terribly un-reliable CSR’s in the world.

Could their ‘CSR script” be any more ambiguous and indifferent?

I don’t actually utilize T-Mobile (Verizon here); but I called their Customer Service department just to hear what they’d say.

After waiting 32 minutes (heard the, We understand your service may be out, and we are working as efficiently as possible to help with this issue… message) and contacting an agent, then asking for their level 2 supervisor, I was told this;

“We cannot speak on the time, or length of the outage, as the problem has yet to be localized. It is unrealistic to think we could begin to estimate the time of something that is yet to be definite. If you want more information, please mail our headquarters @…..(Worthless information here).”

Basically, the same tactics any big business employs when they handed themselves their asses.

On a side note:

I’m ecstatic that all of those Tweeners, and Wall Street aficionado’s are S.O.L.

What are you going to do NOW?! Oh my god, you might actually, god fear it, use the house phone (insert Beethoven-esque theme here)

whatisthiscrap says:

November 3, 2009 at 7:36 pm

T-Mobile didn’t pay their own bills.

GFG (That’s an abbreviation, good….game, use your imagination) T-Mobile hasn’t paid their bill.

Is it any wonder that T-Mobile is having servicing issues, and it effects an array of customers, not just a group utilizing a new update?

No. T-Mobile has been plagued by these types of issues since day one. They also offer some of the most terribly un-reliable CSR’s in the world.

Could their ‘CSR script” be any more ambiguous and indifferent?

I don’t actually utilize T-Mobile (Verizon here); but I called their Customer Service department just to hear what they’d say.

After waiting 32 minutes (heard the, We understand your service may be out, and we are working as efficiently as possible to help with this issue… message) and contacting an agent, then asking for their level 2 supervisor, I was told this;

“We cannot speak on the time, or length of the outage, as the problem has yet to be localized. It is unrealistic to think we could begin to estimate the time of something that is yet to be definite. If you want more information, please mail our headquarters @…..(Worthless information here).”

Basically, the same tactics any big business employs when they handed themselves their asses.

On a side note:

I’m ecstatic that all of those Tweeners, and Wall Street aficionado’s are S.O.L.

What are you going to do NOW?! Oh my god, you might actually, god fear it, use the house phone (insert Beethoven-esque theme here)

Greg says:

November 3, 2009 at 7:37 pm

This is crazy.. I got no service since 5pm, in PA, Phila.. cant text, cant call, nothing,.. And I still have full bars.. customer service says. “Not SURE WHEN IT WILL WORK”

Lauren says:

Welp. I’m in Texas…
No service here…

I’m SO sickkk of T-mobile, it’s ridiculous how much I never get reception. And now this…

Pathetic.

ivan says:

November 3, 2009 at 7:38 pm

can call some people yet not others, doesnt matter if they are on tmobile or a landline, it seems random. i cannot recieve calls, wont even go to my voicemail.
im in north jersey across the river from new york city

i will be canceling my account with them asap. this has to be a breach of contract on their side

thisisnotanexit says:

HAHAHA! I thought I got my due date for my bill confused and it as turned off. Than I see this!

Kristen says:

November 3, 2009 at 7:40 pm

Im in flagstaff Arizona at school at Northern Arizona University n it is not working!! my bf is in Los Angeles California and he couldnt get a hold of me for a long time! this sux!!

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