This is kind of a Rant

How many of you have cell phones?

the other night, Friday after working all day at the race track.. the wife and I headed into our local XXXXXX store 6:30 ish PM... I needed to pay our bill and also my 3.5 yr old $20.00 cell phone was losing charge (needing a new battery) Plus the wife not more then a month ago lowered our minutes (staying in the same America's Choice Family plan) the customer service lady at that time made comment that our two phones contract had expired and that the other phone's contract was up next month.. OK Great!! she explained that with us staying in the same plan that there would not be an extended contract on our policy Also Great!!! or was it? a week later we receive in the mail another 1 yr contract agreement because we changed (lowered) our minutes usage? so these were a few questions I needed to hear from someone face to face? Not a chance in hell... these people who maintain these local outlets don't know Jack **** about what can and cannot be done.. and for the new battery for my old phone.. Sorry we don't have this style any longer nor the parts for these so I would just have to upgrade? WTF? If I upgrade my phone by no fault of mine I would have to take on another extended contract agreement (free of charge of course) Unless I was to drop their service within that time frame and then be paying $175.00 for breach of service agreement?? OK so for my initial 2 yrs service agreement with a free upgrade phone added onto this agreement.. I wanted my new phone (because of there lack of service for existing phone?) Sure but we will have to extend your contract with us? NO I had the free phone upgrade in my original purchase and I never used that upgrade until today?

When I questioned this along with why they added another 1 yr contract to each phone (3) and the fact that they came out with a different program and did not pass down that savings to the consumer ($9.95 a month for added line which included friends talk free minutes) and we were paying $20.00 a month for the extra 2 lines plus $10.00 a month for the friends package.. they had to call out to the main CS place??

First Complaint: I get this clown on the phone and I started with my battery for my phone and that they do not carry these any longer and that I had an original contract for a free upgrade on a phone and that doing so would extend another 1 yr contract agreement? But I fullfilled the original contract without receiving my offered free phone throughout that deal? Sorry it's either/or... I opted for the Or on this one ;0)

Second complaint: I told him about my wife lowering our minutes and at that time we were still and have been in the same America's Choice calling plan, our contract agreement on all 3 phones had been fulfilled and the women my wife spoke with acknoledged this and the fact that this would not extend our agreement contract.. only to receive in the mail a week later a 1 yr extension on all 3 phone services?? Well he says I see that and that woman was wrong for telling her this? I said ok then explain why nothing had changed accept lower minutes, and You people are the one's who did away with our original sign-up package of the friends talk free, and you also lowered the cost on the added additional phone lines without passing that savings down to us? he said well we did away with the friends connection (added $10.00 a month) a yr ago ($10.00 X 12 months =$120.00 savings to consumer?) and we just added the $9.95 per extra line (reduced from $20.00 a month) last October 2004, (here it is May 05, 7 months X $10.05 = $70.35 savings to consumer) his comment on this was well you were already locked into the one contract and we don't notify our costomers to the specials we have going all the time.. so your SOL... on the phone extended contract option he had to discuss this with his supervisor and see what they can do... I'm on hold 15 minutes this first time... he comes back and says well on April 2004 you added an extra line? Yep (daughters cell phone) and you purchased a phone with this it was an added 1 yr service agreement with us.. OK I'll buy that, so then that agreement expired on April 20 2005 correct? Yes Sir that would be correct.. OK No Contract then to date? Yes your correct agreement has been fulfilled...

he then says on this number 725-0867 you took advantage of the free upgrade on this phone? Yes we did, well that also added a 1 yr contract with that purchase, I said OK I'll buy that, and this agreement contract was done on the same day we added the line in April 2004? Yes that is correct.. I said well then that agreement is completed also then as of April 20, 2005? Yes Sir, you are correct... and I then said on the 299-0071 number the agreement had been completed a year or so back? Yes Sir, you are correct.. I said then why are you people still trying to add agreements or extensions to our service when we haven't added or changed anything? and you did not offer us a savings on our plans at which we as consumers should have been entitled to? and to top it all off... I had made a $125.00 deposit when I initially purchased this contract some 3.5 yrs ago.. this deposit was to be refunded 1 yr after service agreement? Yes Sir.. I said I have never received my deposit in these 3.5 yrs and you guy's can mail me that check out by Wed. next week.. along with the interest you've collected on it for the 2.5 yrs overage you kept it.. He put me on hold again to talk with his supervisor.. another 15-20 minutes? he comes back on and says this is what they can do.. they would only add a 1 yr contract to the last phone purchased because of us changing our plan with them.. I said I tell you what, I'm tired of being put on hold and then you coming back on after talking with your supervisor only to try and blow smoke up my ass... you put your supervisor on the phone and we don't have to play anymore of these runaround games OK? he put me on hold again..10 minutes? then he comes back with another offer... I said look my contract agreements on all 3 phones are complete.. I asked to speak with your supervisor twice now... I am still awaiting.. he asked me what I wanted to do??? DUH put your super on the phone is what I want and I am ending our service with your company!!!!!!!! another 10 minutes at least.. this time it's pushing 9 PM and the store had been closed since 8 PM... These local store folks were laughing at this transaction taking place... the Supervisor gets on the phone and at first was not going to budge and told me if I break the agreement on the one phone for the contract then we would have to pay $175.00 fine.. I said OK Ivan, I want two lines shut off NOW... this last line I want the lowest possible minutes plan you have... Well what are you going to do with this phone? I said I'm going to shove it in a drawer and pay this minimum until the contract expires, but I want you to cut my check for my deposit you people were to only hold for 1 yr and I want interest you collected on this agreement/deposit for the 2.5 yrs you held it THAT BELONGS TO ME the Consumer ;0)

I am also going to write my local attorney generals office and ask them the question as to why when verizon wireless changes these plans on their services they do not notify the consumer under these plans of the savings that can be passed down to them and I explained the above to him about the $20.00 a month X two extra lines when it is now $9.95... plus the doing away with friends talk free/but yet they were still adding this charge on us for well over a yr??

he puts me on hold... then comes back and says OK.. we're going to waive all contract charges and we'll give you these savings on your agreement with US with no more added contracts to your agreements.. I said and what about my outdated phone where you don't carry parts for any longer? well if you get a replacement phone then that would add another service contract with us.. I said No it shouldn't because I had a two yr contract originally with a 1 phone upgrade in that agreement? Yes.. I said well you don't have the battery's for this phone and now I need another one.. this should fall under the original agreement and free phone option after 1 yr service? leaving the contract fulfilled for the two yrs original agreement? no we cannot do this.. I said OK then Shut them all off... and send me my deposit with Interest.. well you just paid your bill so your going to have a $52.00 credit.. I said send me that also...

Well Sir you can stay with this on at least one phone to finish this out... I looked at the Mrs. and she said TELL THEM TO SHUT IT OFF.. I said Well Ivan I'm sorry but we are not going to deal with this next month.. so shut them all off and send us our Money's we're going else wheres...

Sir can I ask you why you are leaving us? I LMAO!!! and said sure.. We're dissatisfied with your services... he shut them all off then and there!!!

2.5 hrs on the phone...

we left that store, and now are hooked up with what I hope will be a better buisness??

Hog

Yikes!!!!!

usahog

what a patient man you are. 2 1/2 hours. hell i couldn't handle reading about all your conflicts with the phone sales people.

i bought a prepaid card for my phone for $100.00 last november. it had 650 minutes or 1 year if i don't use up the minutes.

when ever i use the phone it tells me "you have x number of minutes left."

i tried to call blood earlier, and it said i have 598 minutes left and it's june.

i guess i don't use the phone much.

I had a question a couple of months back. Tank and I have been considering new phones, so I went to our current carrier. If we got new phones thru them, we would qualify for the rebate they had going. I pay for them now, and in 14-16 weeks, I would get a refund.

What iritated me was that if I were a NEW customer, the rebate would be instant, no long wait. So, in effect, they are punishing me for being a customer.

We will be looking at new services somewhere else shortly.

Shesh....

Good luck with your new plan.

Debbie

I still don't understand this mobile phone system that you all are using in the USA. I mean that honestly, I'm not being sarcastic. Everytime I talk to my brother, he's talking about cards and minutes and etc etc.

I paid $250 for my new cell phone. It does everything but light my cigars. It has two video cameras, two digital cameras, speakerphone, video speaker phone (for teleconferencing), and all sorts of internet capability. Of course SMS and email too. It works in every country in the free world (and not free world).

I pay $30 per month for my service, and then about 1 cent per minute for unlimited calls to any phone in the country where it is registered.

For long distance (out of country) I buy phone cards from China that give me 1500 minutes for $30. Yes, that's right, I can call international at any time and talk for 25 hours for 2 cents per minute.

If my phone breaks, I can get a new one and use the same number.

Cell phones overseas here are no different from regular house phones it seems in the states.

Oh, I forgot, when I travel overseas, yes, my phone does work, but I pay roaming charges, and my calls per minute go up to like 50 cents or something. In this case I buy a local phone card and use it.

Anyway, I'm not sure what the system is you folks are using, but I'll check into it. It seems a little behind the times.

Hog, no matter which service you go to they'll F you in the drive through...

They all suck. I wouldn't HAVE a cell phone if my wife hadn't bought me one. She pays the bill, that's why I keep it.

Strange, verizon customer service has been terrific for me. After my 2 year agreement was up, I called them to cancel. I wanted to switch to Sprint because their phones are so much cooler. When I told the lady this, she asked if I had heard of the newest XXXXX phone. Yes I have, but it's way too expensive. She tells me that she will call my local branch and have the phone waiting for me, free of charge. All I had to do was sign another 2 year agreement. Worked for me.

cexshun

i use verizon also and over the last 6 years, no problem.

Hog, not that this is any comfort, but I have found new batteries for older cell phones on Ebay for $.01 plus shipping, usually around $5. I just bought 4 batteries for my cordless phones system for $.99.

Anyway, Verizon loves to take your money and, trying to get it back is almost impossible. I dropped their serice on one phone we had because I have a company cell phone. I didn't want to carry 2 cell phones.

I even told the customer service that I would pay the $175 for cancellation and believe it or not, they could not find any evidence that I was still under contract, so I was never charged the fee. I got lucky.

But, there was a time we overpaid, by $150. I wanted a refund, and all customer service said they could do was credit me, and it would come off future bills.

I argued immemsely, threatened to drop service, all that crap and finally they relented, and issued me a credit card credit...3 MONTHS LATER. It would have been smarter to take the f#@&ing bill credit.

We still have one phone, and the company phone. My wife does not use it much, certainly not eough to justify the $47.00 a month, but in case she has car trouble, or needs something, I want her to be able to call someone. It's happened, and that's why we pay for that.

Have a good one

Rick you need to get out and travel more... the Verizon Plan Guarantee's Nationwide service with no Roaming... there are a couple places here in my hometown the phone will not get reception, if we went down south to visit the wifes family once we left Interstate 57 at Marion, we didn't have reception for the weekend, and if we went down to see my kids in the little town they lived in 33 miles SW of home we didn't have reception, this was something else I brought up to the supervisor during our talks...

Adroomi, You are correct about the differences in services outside the USA... the guy's American's in Kuwait working had cell phones they could call anywhere in the world (especially back to the states) for so much a month plan... although their AOL Internet service was $130.00 a month unlimited I don't think their cell phone service was that high?

And then I hear in Canada the Direct TV and Dish TV airwaves are free... but the market here in America charges you a monthly fee for usage...

Hog

usahog

can you hear me now.

can you hear me now.

when i was growing up in new york, thre was a guy that walked the streets in a sort of bathrobe. he had a big walking stick and long hair and a long beard.

he would carry out a conversation with himself loud enough for people to hear. he usually made refrences to god. i coud have helped him had i know about foil hats back then.

he was harmless and was one of the new york characters like the "blind man who could make change for a five, and the short guy who sat on his legs covered with a blanket that rode around on a little cart asking for money. at night the story went, he would enter a parking garage and drive home to his house on the island (long island) in a late model caddy.

now i see people without walking sticks or robes, in grocery stores, in elevators or just walking, doing the same thing except they are talking about "did you see what she was wearing at the party" or "do we need milk."

the more things change, the more they stay the same.

LMAO.. YEP even without the added/extended warrantee's

I can hear you Rick!!!

this service we picked up now.. we got one free phone and purchased what we were told are the best on the market?? LG phones? for $60.00 ea. with a two year contract... nationwide plan and anyone on the same network we can talk to for free minutes.. the same minute plan was $20.00 bucks cheaper we don't have to pay for the extra lines (you can add up to 4 free) we saved $60.00 what they were charging us a month... and we spent the extra on the 7pm to 7am calling plan also...

So far I haven't had a problem not getting reception anywheres.. but I can damn sure betchya this is a main priority!

Hog

I look forward to speaking with you, Rick. It's always a treat.

Just need time to recover because of the holidays and the boys' "transition".

Youse guys has no idea how much fun it is to speak with Rick--NEVER a dull moment! Oh and I promise not to pretend to be an irate Pete Hamill next time. LOL!!

(Sorry to threadjack)

The cellular phone business is a lot like the used car business! Or the guy who is smiling and trying to sell you a new car.....miserable low tactics and long time to get something done! I have stuck with AT&T now Cingular just for self defense, why go thru the problems of changing, etc...just buy the phone, do not accept their great deals!

Charlie

I have had extraordinary success with Verizon. The key is to stay away from the franchised Verizon stores. Always deal with Verizon directly on service issues; not the stores. I have three phones/family plan. I purchased the plan through Radio Shack. I have camera phones with all the toys; and they were free with the plan.

The cell phone companies are under no obligation to inform you when plans change. You have to be diligent and get the upgrades. They do want to retain you as a customer, and the upgrades cost them absolutely nothing. It's always a good idea to let your contract lapse, live without a cell for a day or two, then negotiate for the best deal.

Adroomi, what make and model is your phone? I'm looking for a phone with those capabilities.

Boofa,

I use a Samsung E800C. I bought a few of them for the gang here. I put a description of it on another thread, but I copied it here for you:

Samsung E800C Mobile Handphone

NOT Sim-Card Locked!!, will work with any Telecommunication

Smooth Curves, Refined Design

A stunning technological masterpiece, the SGH-E800C is designed to impress with its fluid curves and supreme functionality. Built with SAMSUNG's innovative Intenna technology, it is engineered for maximum comfort with a refined design that fits snugly in your palm or pocket. It also comes with a unique soft touch slide-up mechanism - all you need is a gentle push to glide the keypad open.

Features:

VGA camera

With the powerful integrated 300K pixel VGA camera, you can shoot high resolution images of 640 x 480 pixels with amazing clarity whenever inspiration strikes. To inject more fun, you can enhance your photos with a variety of funky frames and photo effects.

4 x Digital Zoom

Flash (Manual / Automatic)

Multishot & Nightmode

Special Photo Effects

Photo Frames

Digital Brightness

Speakerphone Function with Voice Clarity

No more worries about background distractions. Relish crisp sound and enhanced clarity with SGH-E800C's noise reduction capability. Involving a synergy of voice optimisation features, this advanced voice clarity function automatically adjusts the volume for crystal clear sound above ambient noises.

Free your hands without compromising on voice quality. The integrated speaker phone incorporates state-of-the-art echo cancellation technology, with the noise reduction and voice clarity functions, for clearer communication.

65,536 colour TFT Screen

Delight your senses with the brilliant 65,536 colour display! The SGH-E800C features a large 1.72" TFT screen which delivers high resolution colour and remarkably crisp images for your visual enjoyment.

Photo Caller ID

Liven up your mobile communications by putting a face to your conversations. With the Photo Caller ID feature, you'll instantly recognise who's calling at a glance.

64-Chord Polyphonic Ringtones

The 64-chord polyphonic ringtones deliver richer music and fuller sound for melodies that are a pure joy to the senses!

Photo Messaging via MMS

Express yourself with Multimedia Messaging (MMS). Spice up your text messages with graphics, voice/sound or animated images of up to 100KB* for a fun-filled mobile experience.

Java™

Gear up for more action with Java™ games. Download up to 3MB of games or entertain yourself with in-built Java™ games such as Bubble Smile and SnowBall Fight for loads of fun-filled entertainment.

IrDA (Infra-red Connectivity)

GPRS Class 10

21MB for camera, MMS, images & sound

Personal Organiser

Calendar, to-do list, alarm, calculator, world time, metric conversion, timer and stopwatch

Phonebook

Store up to 1,000 phonebook entries

A lightweight, stylish companion for sound communication

Another innovation from SAMSUNG, the "Sound Mate" is the answer to your hands-free communications needs.

At a feather light 7g, this portable accessory is your perfect companion on the move for incredibly clear conference calls and in-motion car connections.

To convert your mobile into a powerful speakerphone, simply disconnect the Sound Mate from its hanging base and plug it into the jack on a compatible SAMSUNG Mobile Phone. So user-friendly and dependable, it's truly a partner you can rely on!

Specifications

Network: Dual Band (900/1800Mhz)

Display: 65,536-Colour TFT 128 x 160 pixels

Battery: Battery (Li-Ion) , 800mA

Talk Time: Up to 3 hrs

Standby Time: Up to 140 hrs

Dimensions: 87 x 44 x 23.5 mm

Weight: 86 g