Alcatel Flip Phone - Model 4044C - For Handicapped Person (T-Mobile, 3G)

[charlie_99]

For many years, I've been helping a handicapped relative. He receives free cell service
from Assurance Wireless. They provide free low quality (absolute junk) phones. I always
buy a reliable flip phone for him, because he does not want a smartphone.

In a few weeks Assurance Wireless is switching to the T-Mobile Network. I purchased
an unlocked Alcatel phone with a T-Mobile SIM card for my relative. He was very happy.

He called Assurance Wireless to activate the phone. The customer service person barely
spoke english, but he was able to follow the activation procedure. When the activation
procedure failed, the customer service person said he could not activate this phone.

I'm very confused. Previous phones that I purchased for my relative were activated
immediately. There were no problems.

Assurance Wireless offered to send him another junk phone. He said, "no thank you."
This Alcatel phone has a brand new T-Mobile SIM card. I'm hoping that customer
service person is not correct. Is there a procedure that will activate this phone?

[KCZ]

It may not work until Assurance is fully integrated with T-Mobile.

[charlie_99]

Assurance Wireless is slowly switching from Sprint 3G to T-Mobile 4G. If they switched to
T-Mobile abruptly, thousands of customers would have no cell service. They are terminating
Sprint 3G January 1, 2022.

My relative is receiving dozens of text messages and letters about the switch to T-Mobile and
how he must have a T-Mobile compatible phone.

This Alcatel model is the fourth cell phone I've purchased for my relative. The other three
activated smoothly and he never had to call Assurance Wireless. If I remember correctly,
he just entered his number, pressed the OK button, and the phone was activated.