So there's new rumors about this keyboardless droid that's GSM bound. I hope this goes to Tmobile. I wanted to ask for a phone for xmas but Tmobile literally has nothing to offer. I'm not confident they'll upgrade current android phones to 2.0. If I weren't such a google whore I'd look to blackberries...
I have no doubt that 2.0 will be coming to at least the MyTouch 3G before the end of the holiday season. I haven't heard anything official, but I don't know why they wouldn't.
As far as the rumored Droid device, yeah I saw some pictures floating around the internet recently.
So I'm not sure if I whored it up ITT yet, but I've got myself an HTC Vogue running Android, with an all-you-can-eat EVDO plan.
And god damn are they going to regret letting that last part slip. Peak DL speeds I've hit were 2Mbps down, 700kbps up. With 3/4 bars.
I must hear about this "all-you-can-eat" EVDO plan..
Exactly as it says on the tin, though I imagine they'll be upset if I start using it to download torrents or something. Also no tethering allowed but I can't imagine anything I'd need to do while mobile on a PC vs on the phone itself. :P
1. Move to Canada
2. Get an HTC Touch on Bell
3. Add the Unlimited Internet feature for $10
4. Horribly violate their network
PeregrineFalcon on
Looking for a DX:HR OnLive code for my kid brother.
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
The fact that I'm able to get data at all, let alone unlimited, for $10, on a smartphone in Canada is the more astonishing part. Typically we pay through the nose for that (500MB for $25, with progressively more horrific rates as the gigs rise) but Bell still has the Vogue (CDMA Touch) tiered with the non-smartphones, since it has no hardware keyboard.
Which is fine with me, Android has a bitchin' soft-keyboard. And a program just got put out to flash any Android image to the NAND rather than running it off the SD card, so I'll probably be giving that a shot soon.
Should've bought one of these things years ago.
PeregrineFalcon on
Looking for a DX:HR OnLive code for my kid brother.
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
Hmm... That unlimited internet feature almost always refers to their proprietary 'mobile browser' which has access to like a handicapped version of the internet, that's why it's unlimited. If you are using a full working browser (that doesn't read as their browser), it may count as 'data' and not 'internet' in which case you'd be charged up the ass. I hope I'm wrong, but I know even if your phone doesn't have the Bell (or Fido or Rogers) browser on it, the (generally ill-informed) service people are still more than willing to sign you up for it.
All I'm saying is, check your account to make sure you're not getting screwed by the small print.
I need to double check once it all goes through, but the person I just talked to on the phone insisted their unlimited web/ e-mail plan is unlimited data. My bill is going to be able $100/ mo for my incoming smart phone and one regular phone. Going through Alltel/ Verizon.
The_SpaniardIt's never lupinesIrvine, CaliforniaRegistered Userregular
edited December 2009
So is it true that you can't buy a smart phone without a data plan much less even activate one through Verizon without tacking it on?
I want a new phone because my current one can't last through a 5 minute call, and they told me they wouldn't even be allowed to complete a transaction on the low end cheepo model of the Droid without tacking on the 30 dollar a month data plan that I'm also not allowed to tether. I told them that I had an old Omnia in a box that was given to me as a gift a year ago, and asked if I could just activate that, and they said that it was mandatory to have a data plan to activate it.
So is it true that you can't buy a smart phone without a data plan much less even activate one through Verizon without tacking it on?
I want a new phone because my current one can't last through a 5 minute call, and they told me they wouldn't even be allowed to complete a transaction on the low end cheepo model of the Droid without tacking on the 30 dollar a month data plan that I'm also not allowed to tether. I told them that I had an old Omnia in a box that was given to me as a gift a year ago, and asked if I could just activate that, and they said that it was mandatory to have a data plan to activate it.
Yes, from what I've been told by a friend who manages three Verizon kiosks. Basically, since most smartphones can't restrict their data usage (that I'm aware of) they won't let you have one without a data plan. Been that way for over a year now, as I wanted to get one last year without one and got the same story.
So a general question about these $30 a month data plans. I have the Dare right now and spend $15 a month on a data plan. I'm considering the droid or one of it's upcoming deals, but what is the difference between the $30 and $15? Does it go faster? What's the deal?
So a general question about these $30 a month data plans. I have the Dare right now and spend $15 a month on a data plan. I'm considering the droid or one of it's upcoming deals, but what is the difference between the $30 and $15? Does it go faster? What's the deal?
Uh.. the phone doesn't suck a dick. That's the difference.
Oh you want a phone that doesn't blow dudes? $15 extra a month.
JAEF on
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The_SpaniardIt's never lupinesIrvine, CaliforniaRegistered Userregular
edited December 2009
So Walmart has this thing called straight talk where for 30 bucks a month you get a phone with 1000 min, 1000 texts, 30 megs of data, and no contracts. Should I go with that? Though the questions along with that are, can I transfer my cell number and phonebook to it, does it have free nights and weekends, and.. fuck I forgot my last question... =P
So is it true that you can't buy a smart phone without a data plan much less even activate one through Verizon without tacking it on?
I want a new phone because my current one can't last through a 5 minute call, and they told me they wouldn't even be allowed to complete a transaction on the low end cheepo model of the Droid without tacking on the 30 dollar a month data plan that I'm also not allowed to tether. I told them that I had an old Omnia in a box that was given to me as a gift a year ago, and asked if I could just activate that, and they said that it was mandatory to have a data plan to activate it.
Yes, from what I've been told by a friend who manages three Verizon kiosks. Basically, since most smartphones can't restrict their data usage (that I'm aware of) they won't let you have one without a data plan. Been that way for over a year now, as I wanted to get one last year without one and got the same story.
I think it was March or April of '08 when that happened.
Another slightly less relevant reason is because more people are defaulting on their contracts due to the shitty economy, so most providers are either tacking on mandatory data plans on smartphones or looking into tacking mandatory data plans on smartphones because they don't want to lose money when someone defaults on a contract after having the carrier subsidize their ridiculously expensive handset price.
So a general question about these $30 a month data plans. I have the Dare right now and spend $15 a month on a data plan. I'm considering the droid or one of it's upcoming deals, but what is the difference between the $30 and $15? Does it go faster? What's the deal?
Uh.. the phone doesn't suck a dick. That's the difference.
Oh you want a phone that doesn't blow dudes? $15 extra a month.
and $2-300 up front.
Mai-Kero on
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BarcardiAll the WizardsUnder A Rock: AfganistanRegistered Userregular
edited December 2009
im posting this on here because i got the phone through this thread:
my year old phone keeps dropping calls and the interface is broken. its t-moblie, motorola rokr. fuck this im switching to verizon and never buying a motorola again. phones should last for more than a year of light use, very light use.
So is it true that you can't buy a smart phone without a data plan much less even activate one through Verizon without tacking it on?
I want a new phone because my current one can't last through a 5 minute call, and they told me they wouldn't even be allowed to complete a transaction on the low end cheepo model of the Droid without tacking on the 30 dollar a month data plan that I'm also not allowed to tether. I told them that I had an old Omnia in a box that was given to me as a gift a year ago, and asked if I could just activate that, and they said that it was mandatory to have a data plan to activate it.
Yes, from what I've been told by a friend who manages three Verizon kiosks. Basically, since most smartphones can't restrict their data usage (that I'm aware of) they won't let you have one without a data plan. Been that way for over a year now, as I wanted to get one last year without one and got the same story.
I think it was March or April of '08 when that happened.
Another slightly less relevant reason is because more people are defaulting on their contracts due to the shitty economy, so most providers are either tacking on mandatory data plans on smartphones or looking into tacking mandatory data plans on smartphones because they don't want to lose money when someone defaults on a contract after having the carrier subsidize their ridiculously expensive handset price.
Im 99% sure it was July or August. I bought my smartphone in June and they told me that while I didnt need to get a data plan, I would not be able to access picture messages unless I did. As I saw no need for me to have a data plan on my phone (Palm Treo 755p) I went without it. And then I started getting really bogus charges for data usage (apparently getting normal text messages also uses data on my phone and their network cant distinguish) so I got the data plan. If I had a better phone Id probably love it, but the OS on my phone is fucking ancient and I hate it. I want a new phone so bad.
Already on a verizon family plan and way overdue for an upgrade.
I'm looking into buying a Droid, but in all honesty I won't be using any of the serious capabilities for months at a time due to travel. How flexible is the 30$/month data plan? As in, what can I do without the data plan, and to what degree can I start/stop using it? obviously want to avoid paying for something I won't use.
Already on a verizon family plan and way overdue for an upgrade.
I'm looking into buying a Droid, but in all honesty I won't be using any of the serious capabilities for months at a time due to travel. How flexible is the 30$/month data plan? As in, what can I do without the data plan, and to what degree can I start/stop using it? obviously want to avoid paying for something I won't use.
Try not to crosspost holmes. See other thread for response.
Already on a verizon family plan and way overdue for an upgrade.
I'm looking into buying a Droid, but in all honesty I won't be using any of the serious capabilities for months at a time due to travel. How flexible is the 30$/month data plan? As in, what can I do without the data plan, and to what degree can I start/stop using it? obviously want to avoid paying for something I won't use.
Try not to crosspost holmes. See other thread for response.
Aye, I realized the cell phone thread would've been better a few seconds after posting and was probably editing the Android post while you were replying.
im posting this on here because i got the phone through this thread:
my year old phone keeps dropping calls and the interface is broken. its t-moblie, motorola rokr. fuck this im switching to verizon and never buying a motorola again. phones should last for more than a year of light use, very light use.
Sometimes you get a lemon, unfortunately. I'm not sure paying $10-$20 more on Verizon is the answer, you could probably get a good deal just by calling customer service and complaining.
Will any Tmobile employee allow me to use my phone upgrade for my wife's number? Any one know?
shadowane on
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The_SpaniardIt's never lupinesIrvine, CaliforniaRegistered Userregular
edited December 2009
As I've described several times my phone is on it's last legs and that's why I was asking questions about smart phones and such. Though before all that I tried to get it replaced under the 5 dollar a month replacement plan I'd been paying for for the last 2 years. Apparently they changed the terms of that plan, so now if I want to replace my pretty much dead phone I have to pay a 50 dollar deductible on top of 2+ years of paying 5 dollars a month. I refused to do it because it was a fucking outrage that they wanted almost 200 dollars in total for a phone that was only worth 50. Now that I think about it, if I called up support and complained might they wave the deductible? Because it is total bullshit that I've been paying 5 dollars a month for over 2 years and have more than payed double what the phone is worth on the plan but they still want me to pay 50 bucks on top of that which is pretty much what the phone is worth anyway. I mean I could throw the phone in the trash and just get a new one at this rate.
Spaniard, a $50 deductible for a dumbphone is pretty standard for Asurion insurance plans (it's usually $90 for PDAs and "advanced devices"), has been for as long as I remember. This stops people from just dropping their phone every six months so they can get a new one.
Assuming your phone is insured through Asurion, they are a completely different company from your cellular provider. If you call support they won't be able to do anything for you other than transfer you to the insurance company, who will probably tell you tough rocks, pay the deductible or gtfo.
I'm not defending it, just explaining it. That $50 would be much better spent as a partial payment on a new device. You could call support and explain your situation and see what they could do in terms of an early upgrade, depending on how long you've been with your current provider, how well you've kept up on your payments, and how close you are to your current upgrade date.
Will any Tmobile employee allow me to use my phone upgrade for my wife's number? Any one know?
I'm not as familiar with GSM phones, so I may be talking out of my ass, but what is to stop you from just getting the upgrade yourself, giving the phone to your wife, and having her drop her SIM into it?
SmokeStacks on
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The_SpaniardIt's never lupinesIrvine, CaliforniaRegistered Userregular
Spaniard, a $50 deductible for a dumbphone is pretty standard for Asurion insurance plans (it's usually $90 for PDAs and "advanced devices"), has been for as long as I remember. This stops people from just dropping their phone every six months so they can get a new one.
Assuming your phone is insured through Asurion, they are a completely different company from your cellular provider. If you call support they won't be able to do anything for you other than transfer you to the insurance company, who will probably tell you tough rocks, pay the deductible or gtfo.
I'm not defending it, just explaining it. That $50 would be much better spent as a partial payment on a new device. You could call support and explain your situation and see what they could do in terms of an early upgrade, depending on how long you've been with your current provider, how well you've kept up on your payments, and how close you are to your current upgrade date.
Will any Tmobile employee allow me to use my phone upgrade for my wife's number? Any one know?
I'm not as familiar with GSM phones, so I may be talking out of my ass, but what is to stop you from just getting the upgrade yourself, giving the phone to your wife, and having her drop her SIM into it?
They never used to charge the deductible. I had a glitch in my phone a a couple months after I got it and they just replaced it straight up.
I'm well over my upgrade date, I could upgrade if I wanted, but I don't want to get roped into a new contract just yet.
If you had a glitch in your phone, that would make it a hardware defect, which would be covered by a warranty. Warranty is different from insurance.
If you're shaky about getting into a contract, but your current phone is toast, I'd recommend just dropping a few bucks on a used phone on craigslist and waiting it out for two or three months to see if there are any new developments in terms of devices.
Craigslist has used Palm and Blackberry devices in the $70-$100, EMDs for $50-$70, and dumbphones for peanuts in my area. But if you were going to spend that much on a used phone, you might as well just pay the $50 deductible and get a new replacement for your current phone while you decide on whether or not you want to upgrade.
Will any Tmobile employee allow me to use my phone upgrade for my wife's number? Any one know?
I'm not as familiar with GSM phones, so I may be talking out of my ass, but what is to stop you from just getting the upgrade yourself, giving the phone to your wife, and having her drop her SIM into it?
According to the employee, if I get the phone the data plan is active for my line and number. So if we put her sim card into it, she'd need a data plan too. On top of that, swapping SIMs voids the warranty on the phone. I'm trying to make sure this is all true really.
Spaniard, a $50 deductible for a dumbphone is pretty standard for Asurion insurance plans (it's usually $90 for PDAs and "advanced devices"), has been for as long as I remember. This stops people from just dropping their phone every six months so they can get a new one.
Assuming your phone is insured through Asurion, they are a completely different company from your cellular provider. If you call support they won't be able to do anything for you other than transfer you to the insurance company, who will probably tell you tough rocks, pay the deductible or gtfo.
I'm not defending it, just explaining it. That $50 would be much better spent as a partial payment on a new device. You could call support and explain your situation and see what they could do in terms of an early upgrade, depending on how long you've been with your current provider, how well you've kept up on your payments, and how close you are to your current upgrade date.
Will any Tmobile employee allow me to use my phone upgrade for my wife's number? Any one know?
I'm not as familiar with GSM phones, so I may be talking out of my ass, but what is to stop you from just getting the upgrade yourself, giving the phone to your wife, and having her drop her SIM into it?
That is kind of messed up. I have never sprung for insurance, but last time my dumbphone died I could replace it for the same model for $50. This was through verizon, no insurance, no new contract, just $50 and new phone.
If I was paying monthly for insurance and still had a deductible, that seems like bullshit right there.
Spaniard, a $50 deductible for a dumbphone is pretty standard for Asurion insurance plans (it's usually $90 for PDAs and "advanced devices"), has been for as long as I remember. This stops people from just dropping their phone every six months so they can get a new one.
Assuming your phone is insured through Asurion, they are a completely different company from your cellular provider. If you call support they won't be able to do anything for you other than transfer you to the insurance company, who will probably tell you tough rocks, pay the deductible or gtfo.
I'm not defending it, just explaining it. That $50 would be much better spent as a partial payment on a new device. You could call support and explain your situation and see what they could do in terms of an early upgrade, depending on how long you've been with your current provider, how well you've kept up on your payments, and how close you are to your current upgrade date.
Will any Tmobile employee allow me to use my phone upgrade for my wife's number? Any one know?
I'm not as familiar with GSM phones, so I may be talking out of my ass, but what is to stop you from just getting the upgrade yourself, giving the phone to your wife, and having her drop her SIM into it?
That is kind of messed up. I have never sprung for insurance, but last time my dumbphone died I could replace it for the same model for $50. This was through verizon, no insurance, no new contract, just $50 and new phone.
If I was paying monthly for insurance and still had a deductible, that seems like bullshit right there.
This is why I never buy insurance. The only time I would consider it would be if I paid hundreds for a phone that would cost hundreds more to replace, so the deductible wouldn't seem too bad compared to the cost of a phone.
I got my current Env2 for free on Black Friday last year, if something happens to it, I have 2 phones I can use as a backup until I'm eligible for an upgrade again. But if I spent maybe $200 on the Droid, which would cost me $600 to replace, then yeah, I'd probably spring for insurance since I don't have 2 more smartphones lying around I can use as backups. But let's say I upgrade from the Droid to another smartphone in the future, I probably wouldn't get insurance on the new one as I could use the Droid as a backup until I was eligible for an upgrade again.
Car insurance carries a deductible. Home owners/renters insurance carries a deductible. Medical insurance carries a deductible AND a visit/drug co-pay. And when these things do not have a deductible it is because your monthly premium is higher. This is the way insurance works. And in the case of an older phone you are most likely NOT getting the same phone back, you are going to get a nicer, more modern phone that you would likely pay more than 50$ to obtain even with an upgrade discount. Call Asurion and check the model you would be getting.
I have insurance. My husband had his phone for 8 months and the hinge snapped. Between monthly premiums and the deductible I payed 90$ to replace his 300$ phone. Yes, if you are careful with your phone getting an upgrade my be cheaper than using the insurance, I will agree with you on that. But the insurance is there for people who may not have 300$ up front if their phone breaks, or is stolen, or lost.
Sorry for the semi rant, it's a reflex.
And as for using an upgrade on one line, and switching the phone to another. ATT and Verizon allow it. Hell, they encourage it. With ATT, swapping your SIM doesn't void your warranty, they track the SN for that purpose, not the SIM activation. I do not, however, have any experience with T-Mobile. I am not sure how they could enforce that. I mean, you can order the phone online and just put the SIM you want in it when you get the phone to your door. You should be able to cancel a data plan on one line and put it on another online.
The only exception I could see is if they are offering an early upgrade or special pricing to take you from a dumb phone to a smart phone. I could see them requiring the data plan staying on the upgradable line for x time for that situation. But really, Verizon doesn't even HAVE a SIM and all I have to do is go online and switch ESN's between whatever number I want. I can add and remove data plans with any number I want. I can even switch my entire plan without ever talking to a human.
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If I bought the phone without the upgrade it would be $400. With the upgrade it would be $150. The big issue I can see is that according to the rep the data plan is attached to the number not the phone and the data plan is required to qualify for the upgrade to the myTouch. Since I'd be upgrading my line, I'd be stuck with phone.
From what else I could tell, canceling the data plan costs a decent chunk of money so that wouldn't work either. I think I just need to talk to someone else and get a second opinion before I go ahead and just buy the phone at full cost.
If I bought the phone without the upgrade it would be $400. With the upgrade it would be $150. The big issue I can see is that according to the rep the data plan is attached to the number not the phone and the data plan is required to qualify for the upgrade to the myTouch. Since I'd be upgrading my line, I'd be stuck with phone.
From what else I could tell, canceling the data plan costs a decent chunk of money so that wouldn't work either. I think I just need to talk to someone else and get a second opinion before I go ahead and just buy the phone at full cost.
Does your wife's line have a data plan already? Or would you just be porting the plan to your wife's account?
They probably wouldn't mind you using your upgrade to get the phone and the plan, so long as one number on the account has the data plan added to it.
If I bought the phone without the upgrade it would be $400. With the upgrade it would be $150. The big issue I can see is that according to the rep the data plan is attached to the number not the phone and the data plan is required to qualify for the upgrade to the myTouch. Since I'd be upgrading my line, I'd be stuck with phone.
From what else I could tell, canceling the data plan costs a decent chunk of money so that wouldn't work either. I think I just need to talk to someone else and get a second opinion before I go ahead and just buy the phone at full cost.
If I'm understanding it, that makes a little more sense. My husbands line isn't eligible for upgrade, but, since he has a dumb phone Verizon is offering an upgrade for his line to a Droid. I wouldn't be able to snatch that phone easily because his line would have to have the data plan as it's a special offer and his line would need to have the data plan on it. It sounds like you are in the same boat with an early upgrade type of offer for a smart phone. I'd say you may have been told correctly then, as it's not just a normal upgrade deal.
Elin on
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My line is actually up for a normal upgrade, not a special one. However, it seems that it doesn't matter how you are upgrading to a smart phone at Tmobile, they force you to attach a data plan to the number the phone is for. So I can't use my normal upgrade to get my wife a new phone even though it makes no difference to them. It sucks.
But thanks, I guess it isn't that weird. I still may try calling customer service since it's a sizable amount of money, but I doubt I'll get anywhere.
edit: My wife does not have a data plan. She has some terrible dumbphone.
My line is actually up for a normal upgrade, not a special one. However, it seems that it doesn't matter how you are upgrading to a smart phone at Tmobile, they force you to attach a data plan to the number the phone is for. So I can't use my normal upgrade to get my wife a new phone even though it makes no difference to them. It sucks.
But thanks, I guess it isn't that weird. I still may try calling customer service since it's a sizable amount of money, but I doubt I'll get anywhere.
edit: My wife does not have a data plan. She has some terrible dumbphone.
Emphasize that your account would continue to honor the contract and maintain the data service. It shouldn't matter which number has the data service so long as the data service you sign up for is maintained for the contract length.
I think if you found a nice enough person, they would do this for you. I know Verizon would do it (I've stood next to my father-in-law as he did it with one of the lines on their family plan).
Car insurance carries a deductible. Home owners/renters insurance carries a deductible. Medical insurance carries a deductible AND a visit/drug co-pay. And when these things do not have a deductible it is because your monthly premium is higher. This is the way insurance works. And in the case of an older phone you are most likely NOT getting the same phone back, you are going to get a nicer, more modern phone that you would likely pay more than 50$ to obtain even with an upgrade discount. Call Asurion and check the model you would be getting.
I have insurance. My husband had his phone for 8 months and the hinge snapped. Between monthly premiums and the deductible I payed 90$ to replace his 300$ phone. Yes, if you are careful with your phone getting an upgrade my be cheaper than using the insurance, I will agree with you on that. But the insurance is there for people who may not have 300$ up front if their phone breaks, or is stolen, or lost.
Sorry for the semi rant, it's a reflex.
And as for using an upgrade on one line, and switching the phone to another. ATT and Verizon allow it. Hell, they encourage it. With ATT, swapping your SIM doesn't void your warranty, they track the SN for that purpose, not the SIM activation. I do not, however, have any experience with T-Mobile. I am not sure how they could enforce that. I mean, you can order the phone online and just put the SIM you want in it when you get the phone to your door. You should be able to cancel a data plan on one line and put it on another online.
The only exception I could see is if they are offering an early upgrade or special pricing to take you from a dumb phone to a smart phone. I could see them requiring the data plan staying on the upgradable line for x time for that situation. But really, Verizon doesn't even HAVE a SIM and all I have to do is go online and switch ESN's between whatever number I want. I can add and remove data plans with any number I want. I can even switch my entire plan without ever talking to a human.
I went to the Verizon kiosk and asked to replace the phone under the insurance I was paying and they mentioned there would be a 50 dollar deductible. I said, "That's outrageous, the phone is worth 50 and I've been paying the insurance for 2 years. I might as well just toss this and get a new phone." At that point they didn't correct me and say, no no you will be getting a better new phone. So that leads me to believe they would just be giving me another of the same, which if true is really quite a bit different than the examples you gave. In none of your examples are you expected to pay the FULL price of the item in question in the deductible on top of all the payments you have been making. It's fucking stupid and pointless, you might as well NOT pay the insurance and if whatever breaks you just buy a new one and save hundreds of dollars.. I mean my GOD could you imagine if they marketed it that way?
Salesman: So with the insurance if anything happens to your phone you can get it replaced for a nominal fee.
Customer: How does that work?
Salesman: Well you give us insurance money every month, and if it breaks then you give us the full price of the phone you paid to begin with on top of that and continue giving us insurance money every month!
Customer: :?
Salesman: Hey where you going?
If you have the asurion insurance, don't you have to take it up with Asurion? I always thought Verizon was apart from the insurance after they sell it to you.
Asurion does indeed cover all major US carriers, among others, and insurance claims are handled through them. If they are out of stock of your current phone or a refurbished replacement they sent you has failed then they may send you a different model phone. This is never a guarantee and no instore rep would (or should) ever tell you that you'll be getting a new phone because they have no way to tell.
Span Wolf what you fail to understand is that your phone does not cost $50. It is subsidized when you sign that service contract, the full retail cost (should it be damaged or lost mid-contract, in which case your only option would be to activate an old phone or buy one again) would be anywhere from $180-500 because you would not be eligible to renew your contract yet for a similar discount on a phone. Since you went through the life of your contract without making a claim is it cheaper to just upgrade? Probably. That's the risk you take when you add insurance, that you might be paying for coverage you don't need. How do you think they make a profit?
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And god damn are they going to regret letting that last part slip. Peak DL speeds I've hit were 2Mbps down, 700kbps up. With 3/4 bars.
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
I have no doubt that 2.0 will be coming to at least the MyTouch 3G before the end of the holiday season. I haven't heard anything official, but I don't know why they wouldn't.
As far as the rumored Droid device, yeah I saw some pictures floating around the internet recently.
So it's probably not too far away.
I must hear about this "all-you-can-eat" EVDO plan..
Exactly as it says on the tin, though I imagine they'll be upset if I start using it to download torrents or something. Also no tethering allowed but I can't imagine anything I'd need to do while mobile on a PC vs on the phone itself. :P
1. Move to Canada
2. Get an HTC Touch on Bell
3. Add the Unlimited Internet feature for $10
4. Horribly violate their network
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
Which is fine with me, Android has a bitchin' soft-keyboard. And a program just got put out to flash any Android image to the NAND rather than running it off the SD card, so I'll probably be giving that a shot soon.
Should've bought one of these things years ago.
Can trade TF2 items or whatever else you're interested in. PM me.
All I'm saying is, check your account to make sure you're not getting screwed by the small print.
I want a new phone because my current one can't last through a 5 minute call, and they told me they wouldn't even be allowed to complete a transaction on the low end cheepo model of the Droid without tacking on the 30 dollar a month data plan that I'm also not allowed to tether. I told them that I had an old Omnia in a box that was given to me as a gift a year ago, and asked if I could just activate that, and they said that it was mandatory to have a data plan to activate it.
Yes, from what I've been told by a friend who manages three Verizon kiosks. Basically, since most smartphones can't restrict their data usage (that I'm aware of) they won't let you have one without a data plan. Been that way for over a year now, as I wanted to get one last year without one and got the same story.
Oh you want a phone that doesn't blow dudes? $15 extra a month.
I think it was March or April of '08 when that happened.
Another slightly less relevant reason is because more people are defaulting on their contracts due to the shitty economy, so most providers are either tacking on mandatory data plans on smartphones or looking into tacking mandatory data plans on smartphones because they don't want to lose money when someone defaults on a contract after having the carrier subsidize their ridiculously expensive handset price.
and $2-300 up front.
my year old phone keeps dropping calls and the interface is broken. its t-moblie, motorola rokr. fuck this im switching to verizon and never buying a motorola again. phones should last for more than a year of light use, very light use.
Im 99% sure it was July or August. I bought my smartphone in June and they told me that while I didnt need to get a data plan, I would not be able to access picture messages unless I did. As I saw no need for me to have a data plan on my phone (Palm Treo 755p) I went without it. And then I started getting really bogus charges for data usage (apparently getting normal text messages also uses data on my phone and their network cant distinguish) so I got the data plan. If I had a better phone Id probably love it, but the OS on my phone is fucking ancient and I hate it. I want a new phone so bad.
Already on a verizon family plan and way overdue for an upgrade.
I'm looking into buying a Droid, but in all honesty I won't be using any of the serious capabilities for months at a time due to travel. How flexible is the 30$/month data plan? As in, what can I do without the data plan, and to what degree can I start/stop using it? obviously want to avoid paying for something I won't use.
3DS: 0447-9966-6178
Aye, I realized the cell phone thread would've been better a few seconds after posting and was probably editing the Android post while you were replying.
unfortunate, that.
3DS: 0447-9966-6178
Sometimes you get a lemon, unfortunately. I'm not sure paying $10-$20 more on Verizon is the answer, you could probably get a good deal just by calling customer service and complaining.
Assuming your phone is insured through Asurion, they are a completely different company from your cellular provider. If you call support they won't be able to do anything for you other than transfer you to the insurance company, who will probably tell you tough rocks, pay the deductible or gtfo.
I'm not defending it, just explaining it. That $50 would be much better spent as a partial payment on a new device. You could call support and explain your situation and see what they could do in terms of an early upgrade, depending on how long you've been with your current provider, how well you've kept up on your payments, and how close you are to your current upgrade date.
I'm not as familiar with GSM phones, so I may be talking out of my ass, but what is to stop you from just getting the upgrade yourself, giving the phone to your wife, and having her drop her SIM into it?
I'm well over my upgrade date, I could upgrade if I wanted, but I don't want to get roped into a new contract just yet.
If you're shaky about getting into a contract, but your current phone is toast, I'd recommend just dropping a few bucks on a used phone on craigslist and waiting it out for two or three months to see if there are any new developments in terms of devices.
Craigslist has used Palm and Blackberry devices in the $70-$100, EMDs for $50-$70, and dumbphones for peanuts in my area. But if you were going to spend that much on a used phone, you might as well just pay the $50 deductible and get a new replacement for your current phone while you decide on whether or not you want to upgrade.
That is kind of messed up. I have never sprung for insurance, but last time my dumbphone died I could replace it for the same model for $50. This was through verizon, no insurance, no new contract, just $50 and new phone.
If I was paying monthly for insurance and still had a deductible, that seems like bullshit right there.
This is why I never buy insurance. The only time I would consider it would be if I paid hundreds for a phone that would cost hundreds more to replace, so the deductible wouldn't seem too bad compared to the cost of a phone.
I got my current Env2 for free on Black Friday last year, if something happens to it, I have 2 phones I can use as a backup until I'm eligible for an upgrade again. But if I spent maybe $200 on the Droid, which would cost me $600 to replace, then yeah, I'd probably spring for insurance since I don't have 2 more smartphones lying around I can use as backups. But let's say I upgrade from the Droid to another smartphone in the future, I probably wouldn't get insurance on the new one as I could use the Droid as a backup until I was eligible for an upgrade again.
I have insurance. My husband had his phone for 8 months and the hinge snapped. Between monthly premiums and the deductible I payed 90$ to replace his 300$ phone. Yes, if you are careful with your phone getting an upgrade my be cheaper than using the insurance, I will agree with you on that. But the insurance is there for people who may not have 300$ up front if their phone breaks, or is stolen, or lost.
Sorry for the semi rant, it's a reflex.
And as for using an upgrade on one line, and switching the phone to another. ATT and Verizon allow it. Hell, they encourage it. With ATT, swapping your SIM doesn't void your warranty, they track the SN for that purpose, not the SIM activation. I do not, however, have any experience with T-Mobile. I am not sure how they could enforce that. I mean, you can order the phone online and just put the SIM you want in it when you get the phone to your door. You should be able to cancel a data plan on one line and put it on another online.
The only exception I could see is if they are offering an early upgrade or special pricing to take you from a dumb phone to a smart phone. I could see them requiring the data plan staying on the upgradable line for x time for that situation. But really, Verizon doesn't even HAVE a SIM and all I have to do is go online and switch ESN's between whatever number I want. I can add and remove data plans with any number I want. I can even switch my entire plan without ever talking to a human.
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From what else I could tell, canceling the data plan costs a decent chunk of money so that wouldn't work either. I think I just need to talk to someone else and get a second opinion before I go ahead and just buy the phone at full cost.
Does your wife's line have a data plan already? Or would you just be porting the plan to your wife's account?
They probably wouldn't mind you using your upgrade to get the phone and the plan, so long as one number on the account has the data plan added to it.
If I'm understanding it, that makes a little more sense. My husbands line isn't eligible for upgrade, but, since he has a dumb phone Verizon is offering an upgrade for his line to a Droid. I wouldn't be able to snatch that phone easily because his line would have to have the data plan as it's a special offer and his line would need to have the data plan on it. It sounds like you are in the same boat with an early upgrade type of offer for a smart phone. I'd say you may have been told correctly then, as it's not just a normal upgrade deal.
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But thanks, I guess it isn't that weird. I still may try calling customer service since it's a sizable amount of money, but I doubt I'll get anywhere.
edit: My wife does not have a data plan. She has some terrible dumbphone.
Emphasize that your account would continue to honor the contract and maintain the data service. It shouldn't matter which number has the data service so long as the data service you sign up for is maintained for the contract length.
I think if you found a nice enough person, they would do this for you. I know Verizon would do it (I've stood next to my father-in-law as he did it with one of the lines on their family plan).
I went to the Verizon kiosk and asked to replace the phone under the insurance I was paying and they mentioned there would be a 50 dollar deductible. I said, "That's outrageous, the phone is worth 50 and I've been paying the insurance for 2 years. I might as well just toss this and get a new phone." At that point they didn't correct me and say, no no you will be getting a better new phone. So that leads me to believe they would just be giving me another of the same, which if true is really quite a bit different than the examples you gave. In none of your examples are you expected to pay the FULL price of the item in question in the deductible on top of all the payments you have been making. It's fucking stupid and pointless, you might as well NOT pay the insurance and if whatever breaks you just buy a new one and save hundreds of dollars.. I mean my GOD could you imagine if they marketed it that way?
Salesman: So with the insurance if anything happens to your phone you can get it replaced for a nominal fee.
Customer: How does that work?
Salesman: Well you give us insurance money every month, and if it breaks then you give us the full price of the phone you paid to begin with on top of that and continue giving us insurance money every month!
Customer: :?
Salesman: Hey where you going?
Span Wolf what you fail to understand is that your phone does not cost $50. It is subsidized when you sign that service contract, the full retail cost (should it be damaged or lost mid-contract, in which case your only option would be to activate an old phone or buy one again) would be anywhere from $180-500 because you would not be eligible to renew your contract yet for a similar discount on a phone. Since you went through the life of your contract without making a claim is it cheaper to just upgrade? Probably. That's the risk you take when you add insurance, that you might be paying for coverage you don't need. How do you think they make a profit?
Your rage over this is profoundly confusing.