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Forum Discussion
Solved
Impossible to use premium features: Smart Parental Controls App Error on Activation ("SPC-ACT-FAIL")
I just purchased the premium plan for the "Smart Parental Control" app. I’m trying to use this on a newish iPhone and when I go to "Unlock Premium" I am taken to a SPC Activation screen to set up. Th...
Hello NETGEAR Community!
We just released a patch this morning that should resolve this issue. I was also impacted by this error and can confirm, once I attempted to enable Smart Parental Controls (SPC) again and followed the pompts it worked as expected.
If you haven't done so already, please log into your Orbi app and tap the Smart Parental Controls tile to enable this feature.
If anyone is still having an issue with activation please let me know and we can continue to debug this issue further.
I appreciate everyone for your effort and patience in getting this issue resolved.
Best Regards,
Christine T.
OP here.
An update. I have finally given up on trying to get any resolution on activating this app. I was really looking forward to using it. But customer service promised to call back, which they have not. I was also told this issue would be prioritized for resolution. It has not.
I've been paying for this app since September 11th but just now cancelled and got a refund. If others want to do the same, the number is 866-202-8242.
Also, as an aside, Amazon allows you to trade-in your Netgear router for a discount on one of their eero mesh systems. Because the parental smart app is unuseable on Netgear, I did just that.
Thanks for sharing. I will be swapping mine out as well. I messaged and called Netgear. No help, no callbacks, no email response. So frustrating. I have waited for PC, tried and given them every opportunity. One would think they want to make money and sell usefull products that work. I for one have lost confidence and if I can avoid it will not be buying their products again. :(
Actually engaged someone in support and they advised me to factory reset and reinstall the firmware. And of course it still doesn't work. I suspect this is vaporware. Even better, they closed my ticket immediately after telling me I needed to update it. Netgear is completely down the tubes at this point. BBB complaint is next.
Update: I emailed my model number/serial number, as requested by moderator, a week ago. No response, no soultion, nada! They did manage to charge me the annual fee despite the fact that the "Vaporware" is still not working.
I love how when you search "SPC-ACT-FAIL" on google, this is the first thread that comes up but it shows as "Solved: Smart Parental Controls App Error on Activation "S..."
Sure, solved...