Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/26/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Issue: Tello service reports my phone using massive amounts of data in one instance when my phone is not using data.Service Plan: I pay $8+tax/month for the 1GB data plan.Date in Question: 9/25/2022.The most recent instance of this issue occurring is the third time it's occurred this year with my Tello service. Tello's website reports my service using 877.13MB of data on 9/25 before I woke up in the morning. My phone clearly shows a total of 279MB of data used for the past month including 9/25. Tello is unwilling to confirm this discrepancy and correct the problem by working with a local tech support company that can actually put hands on my phone. This simple step would allow confirmation of the where the discrepancy is originating. During the last instance of this issue, Tello asked me to take my phone to Best Buy and have them check. I did and the individual that looked at my phone said my phone is reporting correctly. Data was restored after this interaction with Tello. Now Tello is unwilling to return the disappearing data (877MB) or find a logical path forward. Tello simply states their system says the data was used and I can pay for more or wait until renewal. This I don't understand. If I was Tello and a reputable business, I would want to get to the bottom of the issue by working with someone local to confirm the issue is not coming from the phone but rather Tello's service/reporting.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/28/2022

  
  
  To the attention of: 
  *************************
  
  
  September 28, 2022
  
  Dear customer,
  We're sorry for the inconvenience. Our sole purpose is to provide affordable, quality services to our customers. Based on our investigation, we can see that you contacted us about this issue several times. As a courtesy, our Customer Support agents added Data back to your account three times (900 MBs, 600 MBs and 95 MBs). They also provided some recommendations to make sure the phone doesn't use mobile data in the background.
  On September 25th we can see you reached our Customer Supprt again with the same issue. Therefore,  an investigation with our Technical Support was opened and we got the confirmation that the Data usage displayed in your online account is correct. As displayed on your ************ usage" section from your device, data usage measured by your phone "may be different from your service provider's measurements." Tethering, hotspot, **************** services, MMS, and other applications are not monitored by the device, therefore the value can be different.

  
  We apologize once again for the inconvenience created, and of course, if you need help with anything else dont hesitate to contact us.
  Kind regards,
  *********************************
  Communication Manager

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/28/2022

   
  Complaint: 18128482
  
  I am rejecting this response because: Yes, minor data usage differences can occur between the device and the service provider. However, the amounts in question are enormous: (900+ MBs, 600+ MBs, and 800+ MBs). The 95 MBs credited that you mentioned was the difference between Tello's website that I can see and Tello's ***************** value from the latest incident date on 9/25. So there's a 95 MB difference in Tello's internal system that's also unexplained. 

  Today (9/28) I took my phone to UBreakiFix in Brookfield. They ran a full diagnostic and found no issues with the device and no evidence that the phone would be consuming significantly more data than the phone is tracking. They explained that the phone has an internal data usage warning system that was set to alert at 200 MB remaining out of 1GB, and background data would not bypass this tracking system, certainly not by such a high amount of data (200 MB). If Tello is stating that ******* devices randomly consume mass amounts of background data in short time periods, please clarify with supporting documentation.

  Furthermore, the phone does track data usage from MMS and OS services. Would you like screenshots of those apps? The phone has never been used for tethering or as a hotspot, but my work cell phone does track hotspot data usage. 

  Perhaps the main issue is being lost in translation, so let me state it again. One moment data is available and Tello records my phone consuming normal amounts of data, and the next moment the remaining data on the plan for that period is gone with no recorded data usage on the device. I have taken the device to two independent business to verify the device is working properly. I realize Tello has no way to verify this, so again I suggest that Tello contract with someone local to inspect my device for confirmation. Doesn't Tello want to figure out why their system is reporting incorrect data usage? 

  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/29/2022

  To the attention of: 
  *************************
  
  
  September 29, 2022
  
  Dear customer,
  We're sorry for the inconvenience. We double checked with our Technical Support and unfortunately, we still can not explain why there is such a big difference between the data usage displayed in your phone and the one in our data base. 
  Based on the conversation you had with our Customer Support team we kindly ask you accept our resolution (we added 900 MB back to your data balance), plus we decided to reset the line to preventb this from happening in the future. Since the issue does not happen all the time, we kindly ask you to monitor the problem and let us know you find any other discrepancies.
  Thank you for your understanding,
  Tello.com

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/30/2022

   
  Complaint: 18128482
  
  I am rejecting this response because: The issue has just occurred again on 9/29 and 9/30. 

  I had a good call with the manager from Tello that explained the reset would occur. Perhaps another call is in order. Did the reset already occur? If so, when exactly?

  I had my mobile data completely turned off from 9/29 to the time I'm writing this response on 9/30 at 8:30am CST. Yet somehow Tello's website reports that all my mobile data has yet again been consumed. This is impossible on my end with the mobile data turned off. I am completely shocked by what is happening here. My phone reports mobile data usage for the time period of 9/23-10/22 to date at ***** MB.

  I would also like additional visibility on the exact times Tello is registering this enormous data usage on my line when the mobile data is turned off. The website does not list times, only dates. Can you please tell me the corresponding times for the most recent dates in question (9/30, 9/29, 9/25)?
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/19/2022

  Hello *****! As you know, we have investigated the issue that you
  reported and have been in touch with you directly, with any updates we
  had from the technical department.

  We will further check the issue based
  on your latest updates and get back to you, directly, with the results.
  For any other questions, we are available 24/7!

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/24/2022

   
  Complaint: 18128482
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  The emails directly to me outside of the BBB have not shed light onto the issue. Rather Tello is continuing to try to indicate my device as the problem. I've had the device inspected with no abnormal apps/usage shown. I've also suggested that Tello contract with the local UBreakiFix location to confirm this for themselves because Tello has not actually examined my device.

  Additionally, I am still waiting on the location of the local DNS that my data typically routes through. I do not use VPNs, so any location such as ******** needs to be viewed as an outside entity stealing the data. Can Tello email me an autogenerated report on my weekly data usage showing times and DNS location moving forward?

  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/26/2022

  Hello *****!

  We already investigated this several times and also provided the requested times for the Data usage on the mentioned dates. However, we will not be able to provide you with weekly reports that show the times and DNS locations, nor can we check your device physically. You can always check the Data usage in your online account and we can assist you with any queries in regard to the Tello service. 
  As previously recommended, please perform a factory reset on your device. The Factory Reset on the device will be useful in order to exclude any suspicion regarding malicious software installed on the device.
  As regards the request for the location of the local DNS that data typically routes through, we will not be able to give you the exact DNS/** because the ** is different every single time you connect to the Internet.
  Each website and application has multiple **s for different locations. For example, the ********* ** that you mention doesn't mean that the Data Plan was used from ********. It is not possible for somebody else to be using your mobile data connection.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/23/2022

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I had a phone line I don't know what happened all of a sudden I get an email that I lost my phone number. I really need my number back.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/26/2022

  
  To the attention of: 
  *************************
  
  
  September 26, 2022
  
  Dear customer,
  We're sorry for the inconvenience. Our sole purpose is to provide affordable, quality services to our customers. Unfortunately, taking into consideration our operation monthly costs for keeping and managing phone numbers, we needed to enforce our terms of service that were added on our website more than 2 years ago. 
  Please note that in our terms of service, in the ************* Agreement section we clearly state: "Tello reserves the right to expire numbers that no longer have an active plan. Customers will receive a notification via SMS or email 7 days prior to the expiry. Your specific phone number will be reallocated to another Customer and will not be available after expiry." - https://tello.com/terms#paragraph_national_bundles. 
  We apologize for the inconvenience once again but you were notified by email 7 days prior to the number expiry. Moreover, our Customer Suport team checked our logs and we could see that your phone number was automatically expired because your plan did not renew. We tried to charge you, but the payment did not go through.
  Based on this complaint, we are now requesting to recover your number. If we manage to recover it, well contact you via email.
  Thank you for your understanding!
  
  Kind regards,
  *********************************
  Communication Manager
  Tello LLC
  4780 *******************
  Suite A 236
  ******* ** *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/27/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have opened a Tello account (a reseller of ***************** this past spring and at first things seemed to go well. Then I started noticing that text messages to my family (multiple recipients) were never sent. I called Tello and was told that my phone needed to be turned off and back on. I did this and one such message will be sent; after that the system goes back to not sending messages any more.More recently, my family has contacting me to let me know that their calls are going directly to voice mail, even though the phone is not in use. I started dialing my own mobile phone number from my wireline phone and found that the mobile phone was completely useless. Calls to Tello have resulted in them resetting "the network settings for the phone" and calls can then be received for a few minutes after which all incoming calls will again be sent to voice mail.I have tried multiple times to contact Tello technical support and I receive no contact back. Requests to speak with managers were at first sent to individuals claiming to be manager, but who could do nothing to help. More recently requests to be forwarded to manager are either ignored or refused with the claim that there are no managers available (though they advertise the company is open 24/7).

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/01/2022

  Dear *****,
  
  We are sorry for the issues you are experiencing, but we can see that
  our supervisors did speak with you and more than once. The last time you
  spoke with us we asked you for some information to escalate the issue
  further and we have escalated the issue further. We are currently
  working on the problem and once we have a solution we will let you know.
  Also, we refunded a month of service due to this problems.
  
  Once we can solve the problem, we will provide another compensation for
  the issues, but please note that you have been refunded for a month
  already, and whenever you requested to speak with us we have done so. We
  understand the frustration of having service issues, but we are working
  to solve them.

  Tello.com
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/01/2022

  Tello has made no progress in resolving the issue with blocking incoming calls to my mobile phones.  I have had to reach out to Tello directly on multiple occasions and received no response.  I have left my wireline phone number to be contacted back and instead their supervisors call my mobile phone number and leave voice mails claiming that I am not answering when they call.

  Yesterday I called again and insisted that I speak with a supervisor.  The first two agents I spoke with refused to transfer the call and hung up.  The third agent connected me with a supervisor who tried to assure me that their technical support team was working the issue and tried to blame the issue on the local cell tower.  When I told him that was a odd as I was speaking to him on my mobile phone and the cell tower had no trouble placing the call, he became evasive and repeated the claim that technical support was working the issue.

  I told him that Tello has had months since this issue was first reported and I was tired of just hearing that someone was looking into the issue yet nothing ever gets resolved.  I asked to speak directly with the technical support department and was refused.  At that point the supervisor continued with obvious evasions, tried to ask the same questions I've already answered for months, and when I complained he threatened to terminate my account.  I did not authorize the termination of service and told him I expected to hear back on progress being made to resolve the issue.

  This morning I received the following email.  I believe Tello is no engaging in meaningful attempts at resolving their technical issues (based on the months of no incoming service) and simply charges for services not provided.  If customers complain, they simply disconnect the service.  I would warn anyone considering doing business with Tello to select another carrier as they are unwilling or unable to provide basic service based on my opinion and experience.

  Case number ******** Tello - Refund Offered 
  From ****************************************** on 2022-08-31 13:33
  Details Plain text
  
  
  Dear *****,
  
  Thank you for choosing Tello.
  
  Order number ******** placed on 08/28/2022 05:40:19 was canceled and your card was refunded with $11.55.
  
  The transaction could take between 3 and 5 working days depending on your bank.
  
  Don't forget to drop us a line if you need further assistance.
  For any other inquiries, check out our *********** at:
  https://www.tello.com/help_center.
  
  Sincerely,
  Your Tello Support Team

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/07/2022

  Dear customer,

  We apologize once again for the inconvenience.

  Based on our records, you were given a refund for 2 months of service and the option to port out, which you did. Your phone number was transferred from Tello on 09/03.

  Unfortunately, there is nothing more we can do at this step. We appreciate your understanding.

  Tello

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/07/2022

   
  Complaint: 17785466
  
  I am rejecting this response because I have not received any refund from Tello.  Tello did not "give me the option to port out" my phone number, they terminated my account rather that actually work on resolving the issue.  They consistently refused any offer of help and refused, on multiple occasions, to transfer my calls to supervisors so the issue could be escalated and receive appropriate attention.

  I have been without incoming call service for four months.  Tello has made no efforts to resolve the issues I reported.  Their latest excuse is that there is a problem with the local cellular tower, but when I pointed out that the issue persisted as I drove to other areas of *******, *******, or when I took trips out of state and had the same problems, and that if they reset the network settings, there was a short period of time when I could receive incoming calls, Tello agents would claim they didn't know why that would work.

  When I complained that my text service also had problems and I could not text messages to multiple family members, Tello completely ignored this report.

  Tello is, in my opinion, a dishonest business that seeks to take customer's money without providing the contracted services.  If customers complain, they are simply shuffled from agent to agent and fed a set script of lies as a delaying tactic.  If the customer continues to press for a solution, Tello threatens loss of service, and in my case terminates service if the customer actually contacts any outside agency for help in resolving their service failures.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/16/2022

  Dear customer,

  We are sorry you feel this way. We double checked and we have given a refund for 2 months of service. Please check again your bank statement.

  Moreover, since your phone number was transferred from Tello on 09/03 there is nothing more we can do at this step. We appreciate your understanding.

  
  Tello

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/16/2022

  At no time in the many months I was a Tello customer was any attempt made to contact me by their technical support team.  In every instance, I had to repeatedly contact Tello and received horrible service as a result.  Tello is a reseller of **************** and since I've transferred to a new Carrier, my phone has continued to connect to ******** when I dial 611, not my new carrier.  The incoming calls are still being directed to voicemail instead of the mobile phone.

  I have tried calling ******** multiple times to have them release my account to the new carrier.  ******** has refused to speak with me and refused to escalate my issue to higher authorities within the company or to their technical support team for resolution.  At every turn Tello/******** have 

  It appears that Tello/T-mobile are obstructing the transfer of my account to the new carrier and have no interest in resolving this issue properly.  At this point, I do not believe Tello/******** have any intention of releasing my accounts to another carrier and my only hope of getting mobile service restored is to change my phone number and establish a completely new account with my present carrier.  This would be a significant issue as it would destroy my communications with banks, utilities, investment firms, and other business and personal relationships established over the last twenty years.  The only other alternative is to re-establish a ******** account, something I will never do.

  Tello/******** need to review their records and configuration to determine why my account was not properly ported to the new carrier and what can be done to correct the issue.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/20/2022

  Dear ***************,

  Our logs clearly show that several agents from our Customer Support team tried to assist you, but they could not move forward due to your insults, and unreasonable requests such as "Speak to Tello's CEO, Speak to *******'s CEO". 
  Technically speaking, at this point your number was successfully ported out, flawlessly. You are no longer Tello's customer.
  Hence, there is no possible action we can take to solve your requests. Whatever carrier profiles, APN settings, or any other technical aspect of device activation, billing, or services - needs to be attended by your new phone provider.
  
  We apologize once again for the inconvenience, but there is no reason to carry on the dispute since you are no longer Tello's customer.

  **********************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/20/2022

   
  Complaint: 17785466
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  

  Complaint ID: ******** I would like to have a final entry made on this complaint. Tello is a reseller of ***************** When I dial 611 to connect to the service provider, I am connected to ********* not my current provider. Contrary to the assertion by Tello, the port out of my phone number was not done flawlessly. Their entire service seems to be based on poor service and disingenuous responses. I am now left with a phone number that can't receive incoming calls and neither ******** nor Tello is willing to assist in finding a resolution. I am entirely dissatisfied with the response from Tello.

  Sent from *********************** (*************)

  
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/12/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  ORDER NUMBER ********. told me to open paypal account so they can refund me 2 transactions. still have not received payment. this has been going on for 1 month.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/16/2022

  To the attention of: 
  *************************
  August 16, 2022

  
  Dear ***************,
  Wed like to sincerely thank you for your patience and apologize for the issues youve encountered when using our Tello services. 
  Based on our records we can see that you purchased a phone from our site Tello.com and even though the warranty of the device expired and our Customer Support informed you about this, you decided to send the phone back to us. Moreover, when returning the device you did not follow the instructions made available to you and sent the phone to a wrong address (to our office, not to our warehouse), a decision which delayed the return and refund process. Also, when returning the device you did not include any of the accessories it came with.
  Please note that by returing the phone without the accessories and returning it to a wrongful address, you did not follow the terms and conditions you agreed to regarding the device's warranty and use of service. Nevertheless, our Customer Support agents decide to offer you a partial refund which was processed on August 13, 2022.
  We kindly ask you to accept our resolution and help us finalize this complaint. We apologize once again for the inconvenience created, and of course, if you need help with anything else dont hesitate to contact us.

  
  Kind regards,
  *********************************
  Communication Manager

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/25/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Today July 25, Tello LLC decided to interrupt my unlimited service plan because I have gone over the limit, even though it says that the plan is unlimited, their sport which is terrible and probably automated told me that my limit is 8gb, so they are lying that their service is unlimited. They said that after 8gb, it becomes 2G, which is a lie because I got in a car accident today and I wasnt even able to call police or call for help.While Im working on filing a lawsuit against Tello LLC, I wanted to report Tello as a scam and as a irresponsible company. They manipulate their customers with falls claims.Tello needs to keep the promise to their customers and stop lying to the customers!

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/28/2022

  
  To the attention of: 
  Turkesi Ermal 
  July 28, 2022

   

  
  Dear Mr *****,
  Wed like to sincerely thank you for your patience and apologize for the issues youve encountered when using our Tello services. 
  We checked your complaint and we can see that you are subscribed to our Unlimited plan that comes with 25 GB of data. Once you ran out of the 25GB of high speed data, you get Unlimited 2G data. This is how the information is explained on our website: ************** plan offers 25GB 4G LTE/5G. Unlimited 2G data on all plans after you've used your 4G LTE/5G balance. This aspect is mentioned in various places on our website: My Account - Dashboard, Build Your Own Plan page, ************ etc.

  
  Just as it happens with any other data selection (you previously had the 8GB plan), once the balance is used up, the speed is slowed down. As far as it concerns calls, even if no data is available, calls should still work. Please let us know if you continue to experience issues, so we can further investigate.

  
  Also, just like you were informed by email we decided to refund you 1 month of service, as courtesy.
  We apologize once again for the inconvenience created, and of course, if you need help with anything else dont hesitate to contact us.
  Kind regards,

  
  *********************************
  Communication Manager

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/28/2022

   

  Hello Mihaela,

  Thank you very much for your response, I understand that there is limit to your unlimited data, why would you call something unlimited when there is a limit? Don't you think that is a false advertisement? Why can't it be called 25GB plan like the other plans, don't the other plans offer the same option that once you reach the 10GB let say you still get unlimited 2G?  I don't think I would have filed this complaint if things worked well, your 2G internet is no internet, I was not able to make any calls at all when I got in an accident, I will record a video of how bad the unlimited internet is once you rich the limit so you can see that the 2G fallback is also a false advertisement.

  Although a month refund is appreciated, the fact that our phones are so important these days especially on a emergency situation having a working phone is way more important, I don't want to give the impression that I am doing this to gain a free month, I would appriciate it a lot more if the 2G internet was useful so I don't get stuck in situations like I was few days ago, also as you mentioned that you have refunded one month as courtesy, I did not see that mentioned anywhere on the email nor did I receive any credit back for this, so I consider this to also be a false statement.

  Regards,

  *****

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/04/2022

  To the attention of: 
  Turkesi Ermal 

  August 4, 2022
  Dear Mr *****,

  Wed like to sincerely thank you for your patience.
  The **************** wording is industry-wide used, but we do understand your point of view and we promise to pass it to the relevant department & it will be taken into account for future changes. 

  Our Customer Support team just refunded your last order, so you should get the refund in the upcoming days. I apologize for the misunderstanding. We were actually waiting for your answer to refund the order, so I apologize I previously confirmed the refund was made when in fact it wasnt. 
  We apologize once again for the inconvenience created, and of course, if you need help with anything else dont hesitate to contact us.

  
  Kind regards,
  *********************************
  Communication Manager