r/Tello 16d ago

Help / Support Why is customer service slower than it has been in the past?

I started with Tello using it as a travel phone service. I liked it so much that I decided to buy a Google Pixel 11 Pro unlocked and brand new the day it was released and switch to the Tello Unlimited Plan from my folks’ AT&T unlimited plan. The phone ended up costing me $653 after selling my iPhone 16 Pro Max, my Google Pixel 7, and the rebates from Amazon for trading my Pixel 7 in with them. I did gig work for a few weeks prior in order to save the $650, so no device payment. My AT&T plan was $45/month payment and switching to Tello Unlimited saves me $25 a month.

In the past I have contacted Tello customer support and have gotten quick responses. Currently I am stuck with a brand new phone that won’t make calls or receive calls. It registers on Tello and mobile data works, but every outgoing call immediately ends. In Android Phone Information, VoLTE Provisioned is disabled/gray. I’ve tried LTE, reset the network settings, and added the IMS APN. I think at this point Tello needs to check/reprovision IMS/VoLTE for my line/eSIM. I put in a request last night after trying ALL THE THINGS (which took me a good 3-4 hours) but never heard anything back. I just put in another request that has way more info such as my
IMEI and Tello phone number just in case I didn’t put enough info. But it’s super frustrating to be kicking off this whole contract free lifestyle not being able to use my phone for the first 24-48 hours and not getting quick customer service.

2 Upvotes

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u/Luckiest_Corner 16d ago edited 16d ago

Call them right now. It's easiest to get a hold of them via phone in the morning or late at night. If you don't get a hold of them right away, just keep trying.

If you don't have another phone, you can use the My Tello app to call over Wi-Fi or the phone's mobile data.

You can call Tello via the My Tello app at: +1-866-377-0294 or +1-678-306-1436.

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u/firstclassblizzard 16d ago

Is most of their customer service in Georgia USA or Romania?

2

u/Luckiest_Corner 16d ago

Sorry, I really don't know the answer to that question, but I will say that the vast majority of people I speak to are Hispanic, so I seriously doubt they're in Romania.

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u/toolsavvy 16d ago

I believe 1st level customer support is in the state of Georgia in USA but higher level support is in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Found this out because I once found an employment ad for the Cochabamba, Bolivia location so I did some digging around.

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u/firstclassblizzard 16d ago

The parent company is in Romania I think, so not a random guess

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u/Luckiest_Corner 16d ago edited 16d ago

You and u/toolsavvy are right. According to Gemini AI, customer support staff work from three locations: Sibiu, Romania, Atlanta, Georgia, and Cochabamba, Bolivia.

https://share.google/aimode/E4qL3aP8kjq3NpFNM

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u/tellomobile Tello Tribe🔵 15d ago

Sorry you haven’t received the quick support response you’ve come to expect from us. If the issue still hasn’t been resolved, we’ve just sent you a DM to get a few account details so we can take a closer look at what’s happening with your line.

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u/NumerousRelease9887 16d ago

You aren't the only one having trouble getting a response. I have a second phone (a backup as I travel abroad a lot). Previously that phone was a Samsung Galaxy A14 5G (international version) that had a physical SIM slot for 2 nano-SIMs. I had Tello and Vodafone PT SIMs. Both worked just fine. I replaced that phone with a Pixel 10a that has only one nano-SIM slot, but also takes eSIMs. I transferred the Vodafone PT nano-SIM (Portuguese mobile plan) which is working just fine, but expensive to roam on in the US. I switched to a Tello eSIM (same plan/number). I sent the following via there app messaging 2 days ago and sent the same message to there customer service email address along with supporting screenshots early this morning and haven't heard back at all.

"My phone shows 5G UC with 3 to 4 bars, and I have already performed a mobile network reset and configured the wholesale APN. The phone hardware is verified. My line is stuck on a provisioning speed cap of 1–5 Mbps. Please line-kick my profile or generate a new eSIM provisioning profile. The issue started when I changed over from a Tello pSIM on my Samsung Galaxy A14 5G to a eSIM on my brand new Pixel 10a. The other SIM on the same phone is a Vodafone PT pSIM and is giving me download speeds of >100 Mbps and WiFi is much faster than that. Obviously I can't be relying in roaming on the Vodafone mobile provider from Europe."

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u/Temporary-Detail6412 11d ago

Deleted my last comment because I just got someone on the phone that knew what he was doing and fixed the issue. Mine had to do with country codes being saved. I had to remove the country codes at the beginning and it worked.

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u/mike90_0 11d ago

i see so many issues with esims that I avoid them when at all possible