Author Topic: Need a Better Cell Phone Plan (Read 11586 times)

MaDMaN · « **Reply #20 on:** January 08, 2008, 02:01:15 AM »

Wouldn't that mean you could register the ESN with any service carrier? I'm not sure though. just 49.99% =)

flip · « **Reply #21 on:** January 08, 2008, 08:18:19 AM »

the issue with the military happened to about 300 soldiers in the Georgia area. We all were using this little company for the cheap price and the mobile to mobile feature. When we came back from a tour in kuwait/iraq a new company had bought them out and wanted all of to sign over to them. They made all these calls to the people who were going to have to find a new cell phone service explaining how all we had to do was renew our contracts and that everything was going to stay the same. A lot of us did and when our first bills came in most people had $500 and up charges. This was due to the fact we use our cell phone constantly to get things done and the new company failed to tell us they did not give us mobile to mobile. Upon complaining they decided to half our bills which for some was still in excess of $250 (a lot of money for young soldiers). When a lot of us started complaining they decided to put us on a new plan that they were waiting to release which had mobile to mobile. (so they had it all along) After that a new bill came out charging us more outrageous fees in excess of another $200. This was due to the fact that most of the people we were calling might be with the same company but since they were not signed up on the new plan it didn't count towards mobile to mobile for us. I lost it and started screaming at the manager to just cancel my contract she replied "are you sure thats $350 to cancel?" I told her it was a small amount to pay considering I was just $%$ out of a few pay checks over the last two months because of them. She walked away and came back handing me a bill for $850. $350 per phone (my wife's and mine) and $150 to pay the last months bills incurred on a 39.99 plan. This company has since grown to enormous proportions since everyone just has to have a cell phone. That is how verison acquired the money to become one of the largest cpp.

m7feettall · « **Reply #22 on:** January 08, 2008, 08:29:14 AM »

Quote from: jitspoe on January 08, 2008, 01:52:39 AM

What if you have an unlocked phone?

You are on a CDMA network, but most will not activate from another for now. That theoretically is changing soon after Sprint was sued if I recall.

KnacK · « **Reply #23 on:** January 08, 2008, 08:31:53 AM »

Sprint is supposed to be an open network now.

m7feettall · « **Reply #24 on:** January 08, 2008, 08:34:15 AM »

Quote from: y00tz on January 08, 2008, 01:08:33 AM

No it's $22 if you use minutes everyday... If he doesn't use airtime, he doesn't pay.

True, that would depend on his usage distribution.

Quote

Also, his plan may be $30, but his bill sure wasn't. If he used the normal 200 like AT&T alotted, then we would pay at most $42, assuming he made calls everyday before 9pm, and that none of those people were on Alltel, or in his 10 friends he selects to call for free.

But if he used net10 he would pay 20 bucks total if he used 200 anytime minutes.

Now agreed, he misses out on other features. But he has not yet stated whether those are important to him. And I seem to remember him using a truly archaic phone, unless he switched it.

Quote

Cons to Alltel include, no sim cards, phones limited to crap like Razor V3+s, Blackberry's, Samsungs and Strobes. Bluetooth is locked only to be used with headset (on all of my previous phones)

Yeah, I doubt that would bother jits too much, but he would have to weigh in on on it. CDMA does have a slower pipeline on new technology overall, so we agree there.

Quote

edit: Alltel has pay as you go as well, but it's .15/minute

I think you mean ATT?

m7feettall · « **Reply #25 on:** January 08, 2008, 08:35:05 AM »

Quote from: KnacK on January 08, 2008, 08:31:53 AM

Sprint is supposed to be an open network now.

Yes, but I think the reference would be to Altell, Verizon, etc. since he is already on Sprint.

Verizon is not open quite yet. And I am not sure about Altell's plans.

And even then you have to meet their "technical standards."

If Jits' phone is the old one he used to have it may not even be 911 compliant. And if that is the case they won't let him re-activate it anywhere.

m7feettall · « **Reply #26 on:** January 08, 2008, 08:38:39 AM »

Quote from: flip on January 08, 2008, 08:18:19 AM

She walked away and came back handing me a bill for $850.

Ouch!

m7feettall · « **Reply #27 on:** January 08, 2008, 08:43:46 AM »

Fortunately customer service has improved since then. They were just rated at the top by consumer reports, and one of their strong points was customer service.

I actually had them cancel a charge that I mistakenly ran up by leaving on a data connection with a kyocera 6035. They just heard the story and credited the account.

They recently got rid of contract extensions with plan changes. And their ETF now is pro-rated (albeit about 5 bucks a month off the now $175 fee).

Some of this came through law suits, and some through competition.

Of course they still lockdown their bluetooth, charge incredible amounts for BREW ringtones, games, videos, etc. And their data is pretty expensive. But their service is also rated the best.

I can see how that kind of an experience would definitely put you off their service. By the way, were you working with a direct dealer or a re-seller? (Not even sure how they worked back then).

Just for your entertainment I should look up that video where the Verizon CS guy didn't know the difference between one cent and one tenth of a cent.

KiLo · « **Reply #28 on:** January 08, 2008, 08:48:29 AM »

Um let's not quadruple post m7

kthx

m7feettall · « **Reply #29 on:** January 08, 2008, 08:54:59 AM »

Quote from: jitspoe on January 08, 2008, 01:52:39 AM

What if you have an unlocked phone?

You still using this Jits?

http://www.phonescoop.com/phones/phone.php?p=49

It was used by all major CDMA carriers, so that would not be a problem. But doesn't look like it was GPS/911 enabled. So they would not activate it.

m7feettall · « **Reply #30 on:** January 08, 2008, 08:55:52 AM »

Quote from: KiLo on January 08, 2008, 08:48:29 AM

Um let's not quadruple post m7

kthx

Maybe I missed that in the rules. Is it there? I like to address individual points in individual posts, especially when quoting, so that folks can find the reply to their statement. I do so frequently on a number of boards, and most boards do not have any problem with it. I realize some here have a problem with it. But some here have a problem with everything.

I can't seem to find the rules for this board, but the agreement on creation of a new account says nothing about double posting.

KnacK · « **Reply #31 on:** January 08, 2008, 10:18:30 AM »

My crackberry 8830 on Sprint runs about $140 a month, but that is essentually unlimited everything. My EV-DO data card through Sprint runs $59.00 per month unlimited as well.

On Verizon, I pay about the same for 4 phones, 3000 minutes a month, with web browsing.

m7feettall · « **Reply #32 on:** January 08, 2008, 10:49:00 AM »

Quote from: KnacK on January 08, 2008, 10:18:30 AM

My crackberry 8830 on Sprint runs about $140 a month, but that is essentually unlimited everything. My EV-DO data card through Sprint runs $59.00 per month unlimited as well.

On Verizon, I pay about the same for 4 phones, 3000 minutes a month, with web browsing.

If I were getting the data card Sprint would be a good option. But anything else, or anything involving customer service--forget it.

jitspoe · « **Reply #33 on:** January 08, 2008, 07:52:33 PM »

Actually, my sister gave me her old palm Treo 680 smartphone. I still haven't gotten it activated. Don't know that I need any fancy stuff, though, unless I start to travel a lot with a new job. I mostly just use a phone for talking, and not very often, either.

m7feettall · « **Reply #34 on:** January 09, 2008, 06:01:23 PM »

Quote from: jitspoe on January 08, 2008, 07:52:33 PM

Actually, my sister gave me her old palm Treo 680 smartphone. I still haven't gotten it activated. Don't know that I need any fancy stuff, though, unless I start to travel a lot with a new job. I mostly just use a phone for talking, and not very often, either.

680 is GSM. You would need to leave Sprint to use it. ATT, T-Mobile, etc. would work.

This may be old info to you, but just letting you know.

http://www.palm.com/us/products/resources/comparison-smartphone.html

jitspoe · « **Reply #35 on:** January 09, 2008, 07:41:17 PM »

Heh, found that out just before you replied - went to the sprint store and he was like, "We only do PCS phones. You'd have to switch services to use this, but you're eligble for an upgraded phone."
"I'd have to start a new contract for that, though, right?"
"Yeah"
"What about just a new plan. Would that require a new contract, too?"
"Good question, let me check. Yes."

So, basically, sprint is forcing me to leave. I don't want to sign a new contract if I'm going to need to switch networks to use this phone. Guess I'll look into T-Mobile or something. Hopefully they can transfer my number over.

KnacK · « **Reply #36 on:** January 09, 2008, 08:09:13 PM »

you should have no problem moving your number sicne you are out of contract.

jitspoe · « **Reply #37 on:** January 10, 2008, 11:36:58 PM »

Well, tmobile seems to have a nice plan if you switch - $40/mo for 1000 minutes (though normally that only gets you 300 - wonder how long the 1000 minute thing lasts). Unfortunately, t-mobile seems to be more of a georgia thing. There's no direct service in the carolinas. All roaming (though hopefully that's free) and no physical stores. I guess I'd have to do that online? Or how does that work?

m7feettall · « **Reply #38 on:** January 11, 2008, 01:16:34 AM »

Please check out a decent one rate pre-pay option like net10 first. If would give you total control without a contract.

jitspoe · « **Reply #39 on:** January 11, 2008, 01:20:58 AM »

Don't you have to get a new phone number for those? That's not really an option since I've got my resume circulating all over with my current number and I've had recruiters calling nearly every day.