Phone Activation

I've been buying the FM/CM series for over 10 years now and I have never seen such a complete mess

I've read the FAQ/Stickys etc and I still do not have an answer for the below problem after a full weekend of trying to sort this out

I do not have the internet on my laptop where I play the game so therefore I have to "activate it" by phone. However since buying the game on release day, I have either not been able to get through to the number or when I do it just rings out (0870 010 8002)

I'm currently sitting here at my desk in work (and I don't work weekends) trying to get a solution to this, but to no avail.

Do I need my laptop with me to register ? Can I only register during business hours ?

Why was their no warning in the shop where I bought the game that I would have to go through all this BS. Because if there was I would not have bought the game. Consumers should be warned that they have to activate the thing by either phone or internet. They should also be warned that if you do not have net access your pretty much screwed.

Theres going to be allot of disappointed kids on Xmas Day

I have the same problem but I am ringing 0808 120 3655 to phone activate,can I ask you why are you ringing the 0870 number,I have tried to ring that number for support but I only get a number unobtainable tone

thats the tech support number I got off the sega website to ring (bear in mind I'm in Ireland, but its a uk number) - If its busy I'll get unobtainable but when it dies go through it rings out - bloody ridiculous - paying money for a game I can't play

Hi Antmurf,

I can sympathise. After a whole weekend of unsuccessful phone calls, I hooked my laptop to a wireless connection and 30 seconds later I was unlocked. It is very poor form that you have to have internet access to get the game started, but I am afraid that in reality it seems like you do.

Best of luck (enter your key code with caps lock on)

I'm really fuming about the whole thing, if I had known I'd have to go through all this I would not have bought the game.

I find it totally irresponsible to sell a game to customers without advising them either in the shop or in the manual that an activation is needed and you're going to have severe problems unless you have the net

Can someone from SI at the very least advise what number people should be ringing in Ireland - Just to ensure I'm not wasting even more of my time:mad:

I think any of the numbers will work for you to activate, but obviously you don't want to call China, for example, because (I assume) you don't speak Chinese and it will cost a bomb.

I activated by phone, and I agree. I can't believe there was no mention of this in the manual, in the box etc. It was never explained properly anywhere. If I hadn't visited these forums before, I would have been very confused.

There is a problem with the number unfortunately and it's being looked at. I'd expect a resolution on that in hours rather than days.

Customer Services will be able to help you if you contact them.

http://help.sega.com/?group=englishuk&t=EnglishUK

Apologies - I know how frustrating this is, but it is temporary rather than a long term issue.

There is a problem with the number unfortunately and it's being looked at. I'd expect a resolution on that in hours rather than days.

Customer Services will be able to help you if you contact them.

They are now saying 184,000 - 5269 of those activations via phone.

Apologies - I know how frustrating this is, but it is temporary rather than a long term issue.

Firstly Matt, Many Thanks for taking the time to reply

I finally got through to the 08081203655 number. When I did so I was asked to put in the 16 digit code that was on my screen - I was'nt given a 16 digit code on my secreen. All I have is the 24 digit code that I was given on the back of the manual ?????????

Am I missing something here ??

EDIT - What is the customer service number/email address ??

I don't believe it - Weeks ago I pre-ordered the game on gameseek, but for some reason I got an email that the order was cancelled (presumably due to high demand). I just decided to buy the game on launch day after that

But apparently my order was not cancelled and the game has just been delivered. So now I have two legitiamte copies of the game, fully paid for and I still cannot play it !!!!!!

Hi there,

I guess you have done this, but:

On the Softanchor screen enter your key code (back of the booklet), with CAPS LOCK on into the boxes. Then press phone activation, it should tell you that this is a long process (too right it is!).

Select UK if that is your region, or the correct one if it isn't, and phone them. You should have a 16 digit number generated by your key code. Follow the instructions from there.

The process is truly awful, but if you have no other choice, stick at it - it's worth it in the end!

You don't know anyone with the internet that you could borrow for 5 minutes?

i had a problem as well whilst waiting for delayed mac patch,

I tried to install it onto a pc thats not connected to the network.

I rang to activate it and the 3rd attempt kept saying you have entered the wrong code and hung up on me.

Sigh

You don't know anyone with the internet that you could borrow for 5 minutes?

Why can you activate it on a different PC then install it somewhere else?

could not agree more with topic poster.

si in my opinion have not catered properly for people with out a internet connection.

this is the most riddiculous process of any game i have ever played.

i took the whole day off work on friday to buy the game, and play it etc.

i knew i would have to activate by phone etc before i bought the game.

anyway spent all day trying to get through to the activation team, to no avail and not to mention the amount of money i must of spent in the process of this, due to the ripping b*****ds even charging for the activation.

i eventuall y got through saturday morning.

yes SATURDAY morning a whole day after taking a day off work and buying the game to play.

the game is spot on dont get me wrong, really like this version, its just becoming riddiculously complicated with this activation and steam process. people who are unfortunate to not have the internet are suffering and this shouldnt be the case.

sigh, take a deep breath, anyway im very happy now that i have it up and running.

cheers

I've finally gotten though and got to the end where it gives me 2 seven digit codes to put in the offkey section

where or what is the offkey section as I cannot see it on my screen ???

Finally the game is activated

Many Thanks to Torres 09, Matt and everyone else for their help. It is very much appreciated.

I'm just going to type out the steps I went through as it may be of help to other people using the phone and can't activate it by the net

1. Insert disk and run the setup (if you have autorun installed it will do so automatically)

2. Once installed, the game will bring you to the "Soft Anchor" registration screen

3. it will prompt you to enter the keycode on the back of your manual. This can be difficult to read if there are many "0" and "O" in the code. Before entering if possible visit the http://keylookup.fm2009.softanchorinsight.com/ site. Here you can enter the code and will print out the full code in a format that is easier to see the difference in the text

4. On the soft anchor screen, there is text space split into 4 sections. Type the code in full with no space in here

5. Underneth there will be the option of "online" or "phone" chose phone and select next

6. Here you will be given a number for your particular country after an "are you sure you want to activate by phone message". Please note I'm in Ireland and the number provided sent me through to a recorded message that was of no use. I used the UK number 0808 120 3655 or if like me your outside the UK 0044 808 120 3655

7. On the same screen you will be given a 16 digit numerical code. Once you ring the number, this is the code you must enter when prompted

8. Enter the 16 digit code, once confirmed you will be given a 7 digit responce code consisting of numbers and letters

9. Enter the responce code when prompted, and you will be given a new 16 digit code. This process will repeat about 4 times (ie. 16 numerical code, responce code, 16 numerical code, responce code, 16 numerical code, responce code, 16 numerical code, responce code,)

10. If after three 16 digit codes and three responce codes the process stops, it means that you probably entered your intial 25 digit key code in incorrectly. When this happened to me, I had entered a "0" as an "O". Should this happen re-enter the code and begin again

11. Once the final responce code is entered correctly, a small box will appear with "Auth Key" at the bottom left of the Soft Anchor page. You will then be prompted with three seven digit codes to complete the authrntification

12. Once the first auth code is entered correctly a second box appears beside it, and then once the second auth code is populated a third box appears.Put in the final code and the aututhenification is complete. A message will appear to confirm this

13. Start the game as normal by double clicking the icon on your desktop or in your C/Program files

This process will take about 10 minutes

Pleasure Antmurf,

Enjoy!

Maybe the last post from Antmurf can become a phone activation sticky?

lucky you, i've been through that process exactly many times and it just relaunches the activation program when i try to run the game. so annoying

Why can you activate it on a different PC then install it somewhere else?

To the best of my knowledge No, because then it would only be activated on that PC and not my laptop which is where I want to play it

same problem as me van macintosh - like a cycle just goes on to soft anchor input your code thing every time you think you have activated it.

Apologies - Customer Service:

http://help.sega.com/?group=englishuk&t=EnglishUK

Will help you out with any of these things.

i'm also awaiting a reply from the ticket i raised at sega online, i've been holding for 15 mins on the SI helpline waiting for Miles to get back to us after he got advice, absolute nightmare. game better be bloody good when i get it working, or should that be if lol

It is worth it, and I was just as p***ed as you are over the weekend. It will work, stay calm as goodness awaits.......

lucky you, i've been through that process exactly many times and it just relaunches the activation program when i try to run the game. so annoying

Did you get the message saying activation was successful ?

The first time I tried all looked well but the auth key box never appeared. I just started from scratch again

Did you get the message saying activation was successful ?

The first time I tried all looked well but the auth key box never appeared. I just started from scratch again

yeah exactly the same problem as me

There's now a sticky at the top of the forum using AntMurf's description which I've checked with one of our tech guys. Thanks for taking the time, fella - looks like you may well be helping a lot more people out!

There's now a sticky at the top of the forum using AntMurf's description which I've checked with one of our tech guys. Thanks for taking the time, fella - looks like you may well be helping a lot more people out!

No problem, I wouldnt have got my own game activated without other peoples help, so its the least I can do

There's now a sticky at the top of the forum using AntMurf's description which I've checked with one of our tech guys. Thanks for taking the time, fella - looks like you may well be helping a lot more people out!

I have done exactly that but it still continuously asks for my code again and again.

i also keep getting the activation box appearing no matter how many times i ring up and get told my game is activated.also being at work during the day i cant call customer services and nobody has replied to my ticket at sega.not sure wot to do now?tried erasing the certificates and reinstalling.tried everything that i think has been mentioned but no luck sadly.does anybody have any ideas??

ive got the same thing as letchar

ive activated my game but when i try and open fm09 it goes back to the activation screen agen saying put in ur code, can someone help!!

i also keep getting the activation box appearing no matter how many times i ring up and get told my game is activated.also being at work during the day i cant call customer services and nobody has replied to my ticket at sega.not sure wot to do now?tried erasing the certificates and reinstalling.tried everything that i think has been mentioned but no luck sadly.does anybody have any ideas??

surely this is an error and not a case of us doing it wrong. cant we research this sega and find a solution?