entering credit card details is mandatory, it is the last step in signing up for a 14days FREE trial (i.e. the trial zune pass). i logged out from my old account (zune&liveID) and came up with 3 ideas and i went thru all of them:
1) open a new Windows Live ID with a subsequent opening of a new Zune account from within the http webinterface (browser-based process). when i hit the "Submit"-button for the "Zune 14-day Trial Pass -$0.00; Credit-card info is required for age verification. Fields marked * are required." page, it responds with "Error. Please try again soon."
2) open a new Windows Live ID with a subsequent opening of a new Zune account from within the GUI webinterface (
zune.exe software-based process). when i hit the "Subscribe"-button, it responds with "THIS CREDIT-CARD INFO ISN'T VALID. PLEASE ENTER THE CORRECT CARD INFO AND TRY AGAIN."
3) i've shut down (closed) my original account (zune&liveID) thinking that by doing so all info i ever entered is erased from the microsoft servers ("reset"). this means my credit card could be used again. so i went thru
1) again, later again thru
2), and also thru
4). no chance. same error messages. cant sign up for another FREE 14days trial (or maybe even any regular subscription?, see
5)), my cc info simply isnt being processed as valid.
4) i've tried to re-create my original account (zune&liveID). LiveID restored (same old email address used), but zune tag was already taken. i am given the option to sign up for trial (exactly as in
1) and or
2)) and when prompted for credit card info, my info (as given) is not accepted. possible reasons for rejection (i guess): 1. it's just today a bad day (
improbable), 2. system recognizes used card (
very probable), 3. system doesnt accept address details which doesnt fit to cc number (
improbable), 4. system recognizes that i am not U.S. citizen (
improbable). Other reasons are conceivable but even less probable.
Since i would never pay 15 bucks for MZMP, i was willing to risk it with
3). Now i've lost all: game over!!
There are still 2 possibilities left to find out more info on the whole situation:
5) i could
try to use my old cc info for signing up for a standard zune pass (14.99$). if i did so, my cc info could be finally accepted (
improbable).
6) i could reformat my hdd (
format.exe ), install everything anew from scratch, and finally use a totally new credit card to sign up for a FREE trial. It is as if some other natural person (non-U.S. citizen) applied for a trial. chances are high that this leads to a new trial (
probable).
7) i wait until i
really need MZMP
and until the service is offered officially in my home country. NAPS already is. Zune downloads, too. But the flatrate (zune pass) isnt yet (
improbable).
[...]
One day, sooner or later, i will try
5), just for the sake of knowing... The point is that MZMP is not essential to my life or happiness
and my recommendation still goes to
eMusic.
EDIT: since
5) was
improbable, i've tried it. i've tried to sign up for regular Zune pass (Zune Pass - 1 Month-$14.99 (plus applicable taxes)) using my good ol' credit card. And? Fail! Tried hard enough. My conclusion is that M$ has changed something in their system so that only U.S. citizen (with a local U.S. ip number) with a credit card issued from a U.S. bank are able to sign up for
any Zune subscription. In other words,
6) is
improbable.
EDIT2: other users (legit for that matter) seem to have similar problems..
ref1:
http://forums.zune.net
ref2:
http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/zune/
ref3:
http://www.zune.net/en-US/support/contactsupport.htm
GAME OVER ZUNE. GAME OVER PLACEBO.