I've been without phone service for a week after porting to Visible.

[bradburns]

My wife and I decided to give Visible a try after many years with AT&T. I've had my phone number since 2006, and I planned to keep it. If there is a support rep reading this, it starts with "(808) XXX-XXXX".

I'm hoping someone at Visible sees this. I am not a normal user, I am a full stack developer. I know how the cell network works, I use to work with the gentleman who wrote the software to port numbers between cell phone carriers. I believe Visible has a major problem.

January 1, my wife and I went to the website and clicked "Bring my phone", then "Get started" by checked my IMEI on the Visible website. I have an iPhone 12 with AT&T, and the website said it was compatible for eSIM access. So I selected eSIM to get going faster. I put my IMEI in, and Visible allowed me to pay for their current plan. I think it then told me to download the Visible app, and follow what it says. At first my phone wouldn't accept the new plan with Visible, so sent a chat to support who suggested I remove my current SIM card. I removed my old AT&T sim, and the Visible service started working with a temporary number of "(423) XXX-XXXX", with eSIM, while my old number "(808) XXX-XXXX" was ported over from AT&T. I made calls with the temporary number and sent text messages.

January 2
The next day, I still had the temporary number so I went back to chat with support just to check on how the number porting was doing. Support said it wasn't transferred yet because the port-out security code was incorrect yesterday, so I gave them a new one from AT&T, and they said, "it worked". I thought it was strange that they didn't notify me that the previous security code to port the number was incorrect, but I was anxious to get my phone "on" and get my text messages that people had been sending my old 808 number.

That's when things started getting weird. When support finished entering the new port-out security code, my temporary number immediately stopped working, but LTE internet continued to work. I no longer had any bars on my phone, just an LTE symbol, and I could not call or text through SMS using the temporary number. I contacted the support chat again and the new support person said that they didn't see that I have ever activated my eSIM. I explained that when I go to "Settings > Cellular" I can see Visible eSIM listed with my IMEI, so it was installed correctly. So they advised that I uninstall the eSIM. So, I uninstalled the eSIM and they advised me to reinstall the eSIM with the Visible app. But, this time when I went through the exact same process again by checking my IMEI with the app, it would tell me that my "IMEI is not available". Visible had ported my number, canceled my former provider, and I could not use my phone. I spent many hours talking to support trying to reach a Tier 2 support with no luck.

January 3
The following day after another half-hour of diagnosis with chat support, I requested either a Tier 2 support call and the Visible chat support would mysteriously disconnect. Every time I waited in the half-hour queue for a support rep, I would kindly explain the situation and they would either transfer me to someone, and the person would say "you got disconnected from your previous support rep" or, I assume, they closed the chat on me if they couldn't figure out what was going on. It seems they are quite overwhelmed. 

One support rep would say "you set your phone up incorrectly", and another would say, "your phone is not supported". So, I would politely ask them, "How is that I made phone calls on your network, using the temporary number you gave me if i set it up incorrectly or my phone is not supported?" I have an iPhone 12, remember... a fairly common device. Once they even said, "There must be a problem with Visible" and then closed the chat. Finally one rep offered to send me a physical SIM, and I approved it.

January 5
The day I was suppose to get my physical SIM, it did not arrive. So I contacted support chat again. I asked the rep if my account had been sent a physical SIM, and they said "no". So, I requested a physical SIM again.

It's January 6 today, it's been 6 days since I had access to cell phone that works. Every time I request escalation from the Visible chat network, they close the chat. 

I believe Visible has a major porting problem and I'm willing to help, but the bigger problem is that there is no way to reach a Tier 2 support group in Visible. 

At the very least... I want my phone working again. Can someone please help me?

[Anonymous]

If it helps try contacting support through Facebook messenger. At least then you don't have to wait in line on chat and they really can't disconnect you but I guess they can ignore you though. Usually there first response on there is about the same time frame as chat, but subsequent response times are slow at 5 to 10 minutes though. Another option is Twitter but after the last time I would not suggest going that route, when I tried last I waited 10 days and still had no response. Besides Visible needing an improvement to there system the biggest improvement needed is customer service.

Good luck.

I did read about a solution to an eSIM problem about activation so maybe a search might help. I am thinking it was 4 to 6 weeks ago.

[bradburns]

thanks for your response. So the eSIM issue, is a known issue? I asked the support reps if it was, and got cryptic responses. 

[Anonymous]

I have seen a few post about issues with the eSIM on iPhones. Some had no problems and other have nothing but problems. If they haven't sent out a pSIM I would ask for another one. It shouldn't take but 2 days at the most to get it.

I almost hate customer service since they are really lacking the knowledge to even help anyone. The only issue they have fixed for me was back in late July 2021 shortly after I joined Visible my caller ID showed cellular user or something on those line, I spent about 20 minutes waiting on chat and they put in a ticket and it was fixed within a day. In the last 2 months I have answered at least 2 threads about that issue that customer service didn't know how to change it. I have went around with them a couple times in the last 3 months about my phone I bought in 2021 from them is not compatible with the new plans because it supposedly doesn't have the right technology yet they sell those cheap blade phones that run 3-5 year OS system that supposedly are compatible. 

I will do a quick search for the post with the solution from one person. If you don't see me post back within 10 minutes I didn't find it.

[bradburns]

thanks mate. I reached out to Verizon's chat support, which looks much like Visible. The rep I got ahold of was actually very sympathetic.. unlike Visible. He told me to email customersupport at verizon.com with feedback about Visible. I asked him if this will result in Verizon telling me to contact Visible, he said "no, this will certainly work."

Cheers for hope. Email sent.

[Anonymous]

I'm surprised Verizon was able to help, even though they own the company it is operated separately. It is hard to believe Verizon set up such a poor customer service base for this segment of their business. The reason we save so much money is no brick and mortar stores but they could have at least done a better job on support.

I did find a couple fixes and being in a hurry I posted them in the wrong thread being it was late. Here are two I found.

https://community.visible.com/t5/Need-help/eSIM-FIXED-Please-read-if-you-re-having-issues/m-p/32148

https://community.visible.com/t5/Need-help/Oops-new-eSIM-order-won-t-work-on-this-device-iPhone-14-P...

Hopefully your email works.

[bradburns]

well, they havent responded yet... the Verizon rep just was very sure they would. Who knows. Time will tell

[bradburns]

Second pSIM sent, second day it's suppose to arrive. Mailman came and went. No pSIM. Day 7 without a cell phone.

[Anonymous]

I believe they are sent normally through FedEx next day air and not USPS. If ordered late Thursday or yesterday you won't see it until Monday. If it doesn't arrive Monday, guess what? You get to chat with customer service again, yeah! 

[bradburns]

Asked support for the FedEx "next day" tracking number because it wasn't Visible in the app.

They found it! It was sent last Thursday.

Today is Monday and it arrived... except Visible required a signature. So, since no one lives at my house while I am at work, I requested FedEx keep it at their Store. FedEx said, Visible requested to block all attempts at a redirection... Visible did this, according to FedEx. So I messaged support again and they said they are going to send it to Tier 2 support again.

This has almost become comical. We're going in to Day 10 without service since Visible is holding my phone number hostage after the port. I know of at least two contractors that are trying to get a hold of me. I wonder how many text messages I have? How long will they que? Who knows.

[Anonymous]

I'm surprised FedEx can't hold it at there store. Did they leave a notice saying they will attempt again or was it a one time deal and it was returned to Visible. Makes it tough if no one is home. Hope you get it straightened out.

Text messages I believe are stored indefinitely. I know my read ones I just checked and they go back well over a year so I would assume unread ones would be no different.

[bradburns]

oh! that's the best part! I called FedEx and they said, since we can't redirect it to our store, just sign the slip that said "sorry we missed you". Seems easy!
Except, they didn't leave a slip. I looked at the gate, on the back door, front door, garage, side door... mailbox. even searched the ground by the road. nothing. You can't make this stuff up.

[Anonymous]

I wasn't sure if FedEx did that, I think UPS does and I know the USPS does because I have signed for one for the post office that way so they would deliver. Id there a way to schedule FedEx to drop at a different time? Sometimes that can be done where they can get you on the way back on their route but that might be asking too much of them.

[bradburns]

Today ends the 10 day saga of being without a cell phone, but it wasn't without challenges. I was a click away from ordering Verizon, in fact, I may have if not for one thing.

Today was day 2 of FedEx trying to deliver the physical sim card to my address with no one at home during work hours, with a Visible required signature, and no way to redirect it (due to Visible requiring this of FedEx), or pre-sign for it.
However, I decided I had enough and people were starting to email me asking if I was okay because my phone has been off for so long due to Visible porting it over but not being able to activate it. After contacting support one more time, and re-telling the story again (although there is plenty of notes in the case number i provide) I told them I just want out, and I need to port-out to another cellular provider.
I went to Verizon's website and began the sign-up process, even finished a credit check, and the website asked me, "would you like to use eSIM?" Wouldn't that be interesting.. Oh Gee.. why not. So i put in my IMEI2 again, and you know what? It worked.
I told the T1 Visible tech (I learned they call them T1 and T2 for the different tiers of support), and he was astonished that my IMEI worked on Verizon. I said, "of course it works, because like Ive been sayhing, Visible's IMEI server is broken!" This time I think I actually got my point across (more on this in a moment).
The tech said they will give me a full refund for this month, now that I have a port out number.
Back to Verizon's website. As I finish up the last bit of the sign-up process, Verizon says it's time for me to port my old number to them... all I would need is to put my number in and give Verizon my port-out code from Visible. I did, and it said "We're sorry, this number is not transferable".
Back to Visible support. The new T1 rep said, "Oh, you have to be activated on our service before your can port out your number." Catch 22. I can't activate my phone, and I can't port out my phone. This is wonderful. I was not happy, and I kindly told the T1 tech that this is not acceptable. 
***
As I usually have long conversations with the reps at Visible, I got to know quite a few names in both T1 and T2. I wont mention them here, but I learned things like they are in Denver Colorado, but not in the main building. However, I've noticed that around 3pm or so, the amount of wait time dramatically increases, and the adjectives sometimes disappear. When I ask where they live they respond "We not allowed tell you." When I started speaking mandarin, they knew what I was saying. 🙂 I want to give a special shout-out to my mandarin speaking friend, "Kevin", who encouraged me to re-try the eSIM process that I had tried OVER, and OVER, and OVER, and OVER again. "One last time." He was amazed, just as much as I was, when it worked.
Turns out, about 30mins before hand, the T1 tech that I had told "Your IMEI checker is broken!" actually followed up with someone that knew how to fix it.

They worked on whatever database connection needed to be made, and suddenly eSIM worked for my IMEI and the phone, after 10 days, was activated!

I hope I never have this problem again.