Post #174,464
9/15/04 3:06:03 PM
8/21/07 6:40:56 AM
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Damn the Cell Phone Companies
My last cell phone when I lived in SF was ATT. They suffered from coverage/call drop issues the entire time and denied all complaints. In the end they tried to claim I didn't complete my contract even though I did. They continue to insist I owe money.
I just got a Verizon phone. So far its same shit different company. Coverage is so-so. But what really ticks me off is the way you're supposed to guesstimate your minutes ahead of time and pick a plan. They all do this and yet they don't help you make intelligent choices. I picked 400 minutes as they said I could change the plan at any time. My recollection of Sprint (which had the worst call drop issues of all providers) was that plan changes could be applied retroactively if it looked like you were regularly going over your allotment. I assumed this was possible with all carriers.
But Verizon doesn't allow this. I went over my allotment by 100% *and* while this was happening I was being covered by a "partner" network which means that none of the usual phone features for reaching customer service or checking used minutes were available. Result - first month with Verizon I get a $400 phone bill.
Are there companies with sane billing practices? As far as I can see the cell phone industry is no better than the mob. No wonder I've avoided them for the last 2 years. I'll pitch this one asap too.
That was lovely cheese.
--Wallace, The Wrong Trousers
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Post #174,469
9/15/04 3:19:01 PM
9/15/04 3:19:39 PM
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Re: Damn the Cell Phone Companies
Call me demented, but I consider wandering about with your mouth flapping and a bar of talking soap fastened to your ear to be extremely rude, and so I cannot generate even a few ergs of sympathy for those who knowingly deal with the criminals who make and market these distasteful, uncivilized toys.
I've noticed that a woman, no matter how attractive, who wanders by with talking-soap-ear syndrome instantly hits my "off" button. I honestly cannot imagine what is all the fascination with public blathering. I may start loudly farting in public and holding a Norelco razor to my codpiece as a protest.
-drl
Edited by deSitter
Sept. 15, 2004, 03:19:39 PM EDT
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Post #174,473
9/15/04 3:24:44 PM
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ICLRPD (new thread)
Created as new thread #174472 titled [link|/forums/render/content/show?contentid=174472|ICLRPD]
Powered by the Hammer of the Gods
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Post #174,476
9/15/04 3:25:56 PM
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ICyaLRPD (new thread)
Created as new thread #174475 titled [link|/forums/render/content/show?contentid=174475|ICyaLRPD]
--
Steve
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Post #174,482
9/15/04 3:38:19 PM
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Try prepaid?
Imric's Tips for Living
- Paranoia Is a Survival Trait
- Pessimists are never disappointed - but sometimes, if they are very lucky, they can be pleasantly surprised...
- Even though everyone is out to get you, it doesn't matter unless you let them win.
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Nothing is as simple as it seems in the beginning,
As hopeless as it seems in the middle,
Or as finished as it seems in the end.
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Post #174,491
9/15/04 4:19:14 PM
8/21/07 6:41:34 AM
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Looked at it
Rates they charge are about the same as the "unplanned" minutes charges of the "contract" companies.
I want "pay as you go cellular". Sane per minute rates, no crystal ball required.
That was lovely cheese.
--Wallace, The Wrong Trousers
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Post #174,513
9/15/04 6:37:34 PM
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Sprint has something almost like that...
Your bill is in a band that moves up and down every month depending on your usage. Not as cheap as estimating correctly, but not as bad as paying huge overcharges if you mis-estimate.
I don't know how well it works in practice.
But since you don't like Sprint, I guess that's out.
Maybe Virgin or some other relative newcomer has a plan that would fit better?
Until then, you might want to hit *2 (or whatever magic key sequence they have that tells you how many minutes you've used) frequently. :-(
Luck!
Cheers,
Scott.
(A Sprint customer with an ancient 300 minutes/$30 a month plan that he only rarely exceeds.)
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Post #174,516
9/15/04 7:01:32 PM
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Give a look into these guys
[link|http://www.virginmobileusa.com/|http://www.virginmobileusa.com/]
Buy the phone at Target, Best Buy, etc. Prices start at $59.95. Phone case, earpiece, car power adapter, etc. come separately and can be purchased at the web site or in stores. (Service is by Sprint, so Sprint stores carry some accessories.) The cost for service is: 25 cents/minute for the first 10 minutes every day, then 10 cents/minute thereafter. On days that you don't use it, you pay nothing. No taxes, no service charges, no miscellaneous fees. Just buy a "Power Up" card, or use a major credit card, to recharge your balance when it drops below $5.00
Today through Saturday you can buy a $20 "Power Up" card at Target for $15 + tax.
lincoln
"Windows XP has so many holes in its security that any reasonable user will conclude it was designed by the same German officer who created the prison compound in "Hogan's Heroes." - Andy Ihnatko, Chicago Sun-Times
[link|mailto:bconnors@ev1.net|contact me]
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Post #174,515
9/15/04 7:00:29 PM
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The Sprint plan.
I've read somewhere that Sprint no longer applies plan changes retroactively but prorates charges to the date of the plan change. So, you'd be screwed by Sprint as well.
Alex
"If you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use the words." -- Philip K. Dick, US science fiction writer
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Post #175,100
9/19/04 10:37:13 PM
9/19/04 10:40:28 PM
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Agreed
I have a Sprint phone at work. Periodically, in areas where I KNOW there is coverage, the phone tells me there is no digital coverage and puts me into analog roam (where I pay a 7x higher rate)!
I'm beginning to believe that cell phone companies are actually introducing "errors" into their phone systems to up the customer's bill knowing that most customers will just accept the analog roam and continue to make the call.
Am I whacked out on that?
We have Verizon at home, and I'm not really happy with it, either. I've heard that Cingular is best in Dallas/Ft. Worth, but their rates are an additional $5 a month over Verizon and Sprint.
At work, we've had issues in the past with Sprint delivering text messages and voice mail DAYS after it was originally sent. That's not very good, when you're expected to answer a page and call back in 30 minutes, or they go to your backup.
Glen Austin
Edited by gdaustin
Sept. 19, 2004, 10:40:28 PM EDT
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Post #175,101
9/19/04 10:53:41 PM
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Signal strength can be a function of the phone.
My Sanyo flip phone gives much better reception than my old Qualcomm thingy. I'm not making excuses for them (there are local areas with no signal and it seems that Sprint has no interest in remedying that problem), just noting that there are other possible explanations.
Cheers,
Scott.
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Post #175,129
9/20/04 9:35:09 AM
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Ahem, this is not deliberate action by the cell companies
they are not introducing errors out of malice or financial reasons,
nuff said.
thanx,
bill
These miserable swine, having nothing but illusions to live on, marshmallows for the soul in place of good meat, will now stoop to any disgusting level to prevent even those miserable morsels from vanishing into thin air. The country is being destroyed by these stupid, vicious right-wing fanatics, the spiritual brothers of the brownshirts and redstars, collectivists and authoritarians all, who would not know freedom if it bit them on the ass, who spend all their time trying to stamp, bludgeon, and eviscerate the very idea of the individual's right to his own private world. DRL
questions, help? [link|mailto:pappas@catholic.org|email pappas at catholic.org]
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Post #175,525
9/21/04 7:33:11 PM
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In this area: you da Boss
Now why'cha get off ass and Fix the Sucker?
hmmmm?
:-\ufffd
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