Activated 4GEE WIFI MINI in error

[EstelleG]

I have got a new 4GEE WIFI MINI 20G ready for use for my dad early next year. I have got it out this evening to get it set up and charged for him and seem to have activated it in error. The "Activate" but was pressed so I could check the next step for him to register it or so I could tell him what to do to confirm the activation next year. I have not registered it yet as per the instructions that say do this before you activate it. Pressing the "Activate" button took me straight to a page that shows a countdown of 90 days to use my data. I did not mean to activate it tonight and having not registered it yet, I thought it would take me to a register screen first or at least a confirmation page to make sure I actually wanted to activate it now. How do I deactivate it so it's ready for my dad to get the 3 months of data I've bought for him next year when he needs it? I can't see anything that allows me to undo the activation. Any ideas so this isn't an expensive wasted gift?

[Jon_K]

Hi @EstelleG.

Welcome to the community.

You could try giving our Customer Care team a call to see if they're able to help you with this.

They will have access to your account and be able to see the data usage.

Jon

[EstelleG]

Hi @Jon_K ,

I did call them yesterday (the support line was closed on Thursday evening when I tried, following the activation error) and the lady who dealt with me said she can't deactivate it. She can see I've not used any data, but she doesn't have access to change the dates or deactivate it. Unfortunately for me, she's not IT and only provides a support/advice service so can't change data values, but ultimately, there's a set of values held in a database, and should EE want to rectify the problem, someone could change the data value representing it being active, to being inactive and clearing the start date values. I'm surprised there's not a support person interface to do this. I'm thoroughly disappointed in EE as it looks like we've lost this 20GB that has no need to be used yet. There is a solution, should EE have wanted to perform the necessary value changes.

I did ask the lady to report the user interface issue as it's common (and good) protocol to have a confirmation dialogue box (or some sort of verification process) to give the end user the choice to not continue, if it was pressed in error, as it was in my case. At a minimum, they could at least have some warning text to make clear what pressing the button does and there's no way back once pressed. A check box to confirm they've read it that would then enable the "activate" button once checked is a fairly simple software solution and standard practice for things like this that invokes an irreversible action.

What a waste of £90!!! Thoroughly dissatisfied customer 😞

[Katie_B]

Hello @EstelleG. 

I am sorry to hear this can't be changed. 

Did you speak with our customer service team or technical care team?

Was any further advice provided?

Katie 🙂

[EstelleG]

Hi @Katie_B 

I followed the menu number options to speak to your team who deal with 4GEE devices. 

She said she can't do anything, but that she has put a note against the SIM number that it has been activated in error and when it does first need to be used next year, that we contact your support team again and ask if you can add some data onto the SIM given it was activated in error and lost the 20GB. She said it will be down to the discretion of the individual support operator, and not a guarantee that EE will actually do this. So I wasn't filled with faith that I will actually get this 20GB back. 

I still stand by the fact the browser interface to activate the data is very poorly designed that it does not provide a two-step verification process to invoke a supposedly irreversible action. It's certainly a way for EE to make money from innocent customers like me! It is so easy to press the "activate" button in error when doing it on a mobile phone. The "activate" button spans across the whole page, so trying to scroll up, press another app to move away from that browser page or just reposition your hand holding your phone, risks pressing the "activate" button in error. Very poor GUI design. Make the button smaller, and place a second confirmation step before it is committed. As a software/technical company, this is standard design protocol that EE should follow. I can only assume it was done on purpose as it would not pass QA in an IT company that puts their customer user experience first.