[T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S 4] Nate2:
I hope your T-Mobile purchase experience was better than mine:

Ordered online through an organizational discount link (T-Mobile AdvantageDirect? )

Order placed on 9/20. It is 9/27 and I don't have my Samsung Galaxy S4 M919 yet.

I even got an email with my new phone number from T-Mobile.

Shipment Tracking number provided, but UPS claims they have no record of receiving a package from T-Mobile for that tracking number. T-Mobile claims they mailed it out on 9/24 with that tracking number.

Many calls to T-Mobile customer service to try to track down my new phone.

Saga continues...

Update 9/30/2013:

T-Mobile customer support contacted their offline support to try to locate the package, since 9/27, and still no word yet. After speaking to T-Mobile Customer Service and getting an OK from them, I went down to the local T-Mobile store (was crowded), showed them the existing paperwork and got a new Galaxy S4 with a new number in about 15 minutes, under the same organizational discount.

Canceled the online order.

Update 10/3/2013:

T-Mobile still can't locate the package, and it appears to be their policy not to process a refund ($159) until they locate the package they lost! I've called my credit card company to dispute that charge.

Update 10/4/2013:

Now they think I am trying to cancel the phone I bought at the local T-Mobile store (they got the phone number of my current S4 phone in this e-mail from them):

Update 10/18/2013:

Still no sign of my refund yet. Credit Card company is investigating. T-Mo says they have escalated the issue, and that I should be receiving my refund soon. I suspect someone is picking off certain online orders before shipping, and selling them under the table or on the black market. There's no way a phone that has been activated and assigned a phone number can go missing like this.

Update 10/23/2013:

Still no refund yet. I called T-Mobile Customer Service and they said they'll escalate the issue (again). They don't make it easy to get a refund, even when the mistake was clearly theirs.

Update 10/25/2013:

I received a paper bill for cellular service ($121) for that lost phone! I called T-Mobile and after they transferred me thru 3 different support reps ("Buyers Remorse" Dept? ), they said they'll cancel that account/service and make a note not to refer that account to their Collections Dept for non-payment.

I received a credit of $159 (from my credit card company, Chase) for that lost phone back to my credit card. If T-Mobile doesn't respond to Chase within 45 days, that credit is mine to keep. Good Credit Card company Chase will show T-Mobile not to mess with customers.

Update 11/20/2013:

I received another bill for $121, this one warning me about possible Collections action if I don't pay. :( I guess the previous T-Mobile support rep didn't properly close out the account and billing. Another call (20 mins) to T-Mobile to sort out the issue. See letter I received (separate message in this thread).

Update 12/23/2013:

I received a bill for $3.30 from T-Mobile :(

I did call them again in late November, and they verified there was a zero balance on the account. Now this new amount looks the taxes on the amount they zeroed out. Looks like they just won't quit billing me. T-Mobile must have the most messed up billing/accounting department of all the major Carriers.