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Review by TLettuce See Profile

  • Location: Goldendale, Klickitat, WA, USA
  • Cost: $70 per month (month by month)
Sign up was somewhat reasonable and unlimited bandwidth is unheard of these days.
Coverage map is inaccurate. Customer service is unorganized, unprofessional.
Make sure you are truly covered before signing up, or get ready to be frustrated.
Pre Sales Information:
Install process:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:

I initially called and chatted with millenicom's customer service several times before I made any decisions. I looked to see if I was covered and it said I was, although sprint's coverage map showed me just on the edge of their data coverage. I wanted a wireless router so the only option I had where I live was with a mifi device, and the only plan that supports a mifi device is their BYOD (bring your own device) plan (69.99 /mo.).

One of their reps on the phone said that if their site shows me being covered then I am 'GUARANTEED' internet service at my house. Although I talked to someone in a chat and they said if my cell coverage isn't spectacular (I get 4 bars roaming at home) I should be wary.

So fine, I ordered a sprint/novatel wireless mifi 4082 device. When it got in I called millenicom to set it up, as with most other times I have called I got a couple people I couldn't understand or simply cut out (cheap headsets I assume... I called a friend right after, asked him if he could understand me clearly and he said yes every time no problems, so it's not me cutting out) So I set up a BYOD plan. that took about an hour (simply because the guy was so hard to understand) . This was done by about 1130am.

So I couldn't activate my device at home, called millenicom about it, they were very nice, thorough, and understanding so far. We discovered my signal was a 1xsomethingsomething, and I needed an evdo signal to activate my device. The closest one I could find was out in a wheat field 25 miles from my house (no joke, wonder if anybody could see me out there with my laptop?) So I activated it got about 700kb/s right off the bat.

I was very excited, so I went home and got 60kb/s max if I wasn't totally disconnected and most of the time it was about 15-30kb/s which is essentially dial up but less reliable. I tried it until this morning to see if my speeds changed, they didn't.

I called millenicom to cancel my service because they told me if I contacted them within 24 hours of sign up I could cancel with a full refund. (had to call twice, the first person I got I couldn't understand) The guy told me I had to cancel online, I told him I have no internet, and he said that I have to be getting a minimum of 400kb/s and gave me a ton of attitude. I wasn't going to argue with him about it though, I took care of all my animals at home and rushed to town to cancel before the 24 hours.

Came into work to use the internet, was unable to log in with the log-in info that was gone over extensively on the phone when I signed up. So I had to open another chat to ask to get logged in to open a cancellation ticket, because they couldn't help cancel either.

When I finally got logged in I was so worried that I have lost my money by this point that I was extremely frustrated. In my ticket I mentioned some key issues I had and that a lawyer would be contacted if I don't get a refund. An hour later they told me I will still be eligible for a full refund. I will update on here if I don't get it for some reason.

So in the end 24 hours of confusion and frustration is all I've gotten out of millenicom.



member for 11.6 years, 4 visits, last login: 11.6 years ago
updated 11.6 years ago

nogaps
join:2011-01-08
Greenbush, MI

nogaps

Member

Coverage can be a tricky thing

I understand that you didn't have a good initial experience, but just be aware that the right type of external antenna can often make a big difference to signal levels.

NeoAnimeHave
@myvzw.com

NeoAnimeHave

Anon

somestime ETA doesn't always matter

Sounds like you were just to far from a tower.. an ETA might help boost your signal better, but for me I'm only 3 or 4 miles from one.. I was still getting low speeds because of an over crowding issue on the tower, which this company will not do much about..

Good luck!!
TLettuce
join:2012-08-10
Goldendale, WA

TLettuce

Member

Too much of a risk.

My biggest issues were that I was misled initially, and that I wasn't allowed to cancel my service on the phone even though I signed up for the service on the phone.

I had looked into external antennas but I'm not even sure there is a spot on the device to connect one. Even then I would have been out of the 24 hour refund period had I ordered one. And who knows if it would have gotten me enough of a signal anyways... potential waste of money.

I'm with us cellular now anyways, and without an external antenna I get acceptable speeds.