Ask HN: Apple unable to send an SMS with 2FA code. Options?
3 days ago I have installed High Sierra on my MacBook Pro and enabled 2 factors authentication for my Apple ID. As I don't have any other Apple device, I requested that the security code would be sent to my Swiss mobile number.
All went well. Immediately after, I had to reinstall High Sierra because I made a mistake in naming the home folder (which would break my backup and renaming a home folder doesn't basically work on OSX) and my nightmare started. Basically, Apple ID is no longer sending the security code to my Swiss mobile number, therefore I'm logged out of iCloud: can't access my docs, can't install any paid app on my 2.500 Euro computer.
Contacted Apple in the US and all they could tell me was to wait 24 hours because maybe "it will work tomorrow". 24 hours later the problem persisted, called Apple in Ireland and they told me that they would "escalate to an engineer" and that would take 3 more days.
This is completely unacceptable from a 800 Billions US$ capitalization company. They are unable to send a SMS (a technology that has been around since 1992) or even to call me. They can't disable TFA from their end. All they can do is to tell me to wait for an unknown amount of time.
What are my options at this point? I can download the applications that I need for work from any pirate web site, but this is so crazy that I thought that maybe some Apple engineer who stumbled on HN may take mercy on my case.
Thanks!