will never understand cell phones or cell phone companies

[Pats]

SHOPPING FOR PLAN
So I bought my grandson's iPhone - excited that I'd be able to facetime with my grandkids. I spent all day Wednesday shopping different pre-paid plans (I hate the contracts). Why do they all say you can bring your own phone but the only way you can really bring your own phone is if it came from them? I understand now that I guess the phones are set up differently somehow, but why say bring your own phone - that's deceiving. One place I talked to wouldn't even check the phone and just kept saying it won't work. I asked them to check it and she just kept saying it won't work. I finally asked if there was someone else I could talk to and she said, yes, but it won't work and never put another person on. Anyhow, I'd get on a site and someone would come on chat and start talking to me, which is annoying when you're 'just looking'. But quickly I figured out only one carrier would work with this phone - but I was okay with it, I've had that carrier before and liked it a lot better than what I'm using now - which is half the cost but I hate it.

TRYING TO BUY/SET UP SERVICE ON MY PHONE
Yesterday I decided I would activate the phone with that service. I wanted to keep my current phone number so the site said I had to call. I called and the lady was handling it and said if I got cut off that I just turn the phone off and turn it back on and it will be activated. I said, "Wait! I didn't purchase a plan yet." She said I already had a plan and we argued for about 10 minutes because I knew I had not purchased a plan so I told her to forget it and I would go to the carriers store. So I did (and you know how much I didn't want to do that, but this lady was not understanding what I was telling her). What I wanted was too complicated - had my grandson's phone who had been with this company but bought a new phone so I wanted new service on this phone but would like to keep my phone # which I am currently using from a different carrier. Oh - before going to the place, I decided to try again and just let them give me a different phone number and I got all the way through it - to the activation part, but, although it was saying activated, I couldn't make calls or anything - that's when I went to the store. The guy spend an hour on the phone with the service desk and they figure out that the wrong sims card was in my phone and told me I wasn't supposed to change the sims card. I said I didn't even know it had one - so my grandson must have just switched the sims card to his new phone. Couldn't fix it - I'd either have to let them send me a new one which would take a couple weeks, or I could just go home and order one and have it in a day or 2 - so I did that only to find out that in order to purchase a sims card I had to buy a new plan. Noooooo!!

SERVICE PLAN I PURCHASED WENT TO MY GRANDSON'S PHONE INSTEAD OF MINE
I wait for my grandson to get home, which his phone is no longer working. I said, I didn't think it would be. The Sims card activated his phone. So we switched the sims card back to the right phones. His phone is working with MY new plan and phone number. So the sims card activated his phone but it wouldn't work until he put the original sims card back in that phone? And now I have to get a new sims card and a new plan - which I'm gonna wait until I'm over dealing with all this. So I told my grandson I just bought him a 3- day plan so he can put Freon in my car. I was at the end of my patience yesterday - but I did hold my outter composure. My inner composure is still shaken, though
. (outter masking sunglasses - inner aaargh)

 

[Pats]

I should have named this two days of terror. lol

 

[Progster]

Yep, I really dislike having to deal with these service providers with their automated robot call centres or their deliberately over-complex systems of deals and packets, designed to confuse you into buying separate packages for separate services so as to create the illusion of getting a really good deal without your realising exactly how much you are actually spending. Or they devise all sorts of ways to make sure you are committed to staying with them and don't 'jump ship' such as contract phones that will only work on their network. They are operating at the limit of what they can get away with and this business model they have developed really sucks IMO. I like things to be simple, straightforward and uncomplicated.

The other day I had to call my service provider. I had some very specific questions to ask that relate to my work. She kept interrupting me and would not let me finish my question. She thought she knew what I was going to say before I even said it and wouldn't let me speak and talked over the top of me. I started to get extremely frustrated with her and couldn't bear to talk to her by the end of it, so she put put me through to another person who actually listened and was able to answer my questions. It's because of experiences like this that I'm so reluctant to use these call centres.

 

[Judge]

Ugh. The communications industry as a whole.

Instead of a simple contractual agreement, it's more like a scene out of Faust, where one must make a pact with the devil.

Though IMO this scenario does put a small number of carriers in a prominent light. Those who may or may not offer competitive rates, but may offer the loosest, least-binding terms. I still do not even own a cell phone. However if I ever do, I will go with such a carrier rather than sell my soul to one of the big name, mainstream cellphone service providers.

 

[Misery]

I didnt understand a word of that. All that cell-phone stuff may as well be someone just going "BLOOP" over and over.

Hate the damn things. The only reason I even have one is because my father insists, and he handles all of the nonsensical bits. Most of the time the thing just rots in the car.

I usually refer to it as "the magical talking map that also doubles as a flashlight" since that's the only two things I use it for.

I dont understand why everyone is so obsessed with these.

 

[Pats]

I didnt understand a word of that. All that cell-phone stuff may as well be someone just going "BLOOP" over and over.

Hate the damn things. The only reason I even have one is because my father insists, and he handles all of the nonsensical bits. Most of the time the thing just rots in the car.

I usually refer to it as "the magical talking map that also doubles as a flashlight" since that's the only two things I use it for.

I dont understand why everyone is so obsessed with these.

LOL I like your attitude toward them. Although I do like having the phone so I can keep in contact with my kids. It's how I find out when they need me to babysit. lol

 

[Judge]

I lived most of my life without a cellphone, Alexa or an SUV as for that matter.

Just because big business implies that everyone needs one doesn't constitute inelastic demand. But then in retrospect, I've never been one to rush out and buy the latest innovation no matter how great it may have been perceived or marketed.

 

[Pats]

I lived most of my life without a cellphone or an SUV as for that matter.

Just because big business implies that everyone needs one doesn't constitute real inelastic demand.

What gets me is this: I grew up when all households had 1 phone (if they had a phone - there were times I did not). I did know 1 person that had a second phone but they were charged extra for it - same line, just one upstairs and one downstairs. But there were many times I did not have a phone because we couldn't afford to get a phone. So, no, a phone is NOT a necessity. But I see now that they hand out free cell phone so people who receive government assistance as if it IS a basic need. It's a luxury, not a basic need and right. (But then you don't see pay phones anymore either. I used to use them a lot.)

 

[clg114]

My wife and I have cell phones and no landline at home. She uses hers for many different things. She has a tablet and a watch that communicates with the phone. I have a cheap phone. I need it to make calls, take calls and save messages. The worst part of this is dealing with the service provider. They make it way more complicated than it needs to be.

 

[tlc]

I just do Tracfone. No hassle. $20 every 3 months to keep it going, and I never use up all the minutes and texts. Most of the time it just sits, or I use it as a camera or a storage device to take home things I downloaded at work. My phone has the ability to get on WIFI, but I almost never use it, like maybe once or twice a year in a restaurant I've used it to look up gas prices or craigslist. Nothing I couldn't live without. I don't need a phone with a data plan, I don't have much signal at my house anyway.

 

[Judge]

I just do Tracfone. No hassle. $20 every 3 months to keep it going, and I never use up all the minutes and texts. Most of the time it just sits, or I use it as a camera or a storage device to take home things I downloaded at work. My phone has the ability to get on WIFI, but I almost never use it, like maybe once or twice a year in a restaurant I've used it to look up gas prices or craigslist. Nothing I couldn't live without. I don't need a phone with a data plan, I don't have much signal at my house anyway.

Tracfone is definitely one of those few carriers I would consider.

No contractual hassles and quite reasonable. My brother swears by them, instead of swearing at them.

 

[Pats]

I just do Tracfone. No hassle. $20 every 3 months to keep it going, and I never use up all the minutes and texts. Most of the time it just sits, or I use it as a camera or a storage device to take home things I downloaded at work. My phone has the ability to get on WIFI, but I almost never use it, like maybe once or twice a year in a restaurant I've used it to look up gas prices or craigslist. Nothing I couldn't live without. I don't need a phone with a data plan, I don't have much signal at my house anyway.

I feel the same way - but then it's frustrating when everyone around you is looking at their phones and you have nothing interesting on your phone to look at. lol (done that many times and looked through photos on my phone pretending it was something interesting. lol)

 

[Pats]

Tracfone is definitely one of those few carriers I would consider.

No contractual hassles and quite reasonable. My brother swears by them, instead of swearing at them.

I won't do contracts anymore. Only prepaid month to month basis.

 

[tlc]

I feel the same way - but then it's frustrating when everyone around you is looking at their phones and you have nothing interesting on your phone to look at. lol (done that many times and looked through photos on my phone pretending it was something interesting. lol)

I've done that. But more often when I take out my phone, I get comments on how it can still be running (my old one I had for 10 years) or how big it is (my new one which is a giant flip phone).

 

[Judge]

Well, I figure that any flip phone is trendy right up to the 23rd century- courtesy of Star Trek TOS.

 

[H-Kath]

I'm convinced it's a scam to get you in the door because they think they'll be able to convince you to buy whatever they want once they get you to a salesperson. I've watched them lie their way into a supposed $20 monthly fee working out to $50 - $75 once they add in all the fine print.

 

[Judge]

I'm convinced it's a scam to get you in the door because they think they'll be able to convince you to buy whatever they want once they get you to a salesperson. I've watched them lie their way into a supposed $20 monthly fee working out to $50 - $75 once they add in all the fine print.

Deregulation was allegedly supposed to make them all competitive. But it would appear more often than not that they simply became more predatory with such terms and conditions.

The only services I'd consider are those who don't use such tactics to solicit their customers. I'm inclined to suspect that there aren't many of them, but that they're out there.

One thing for sure, when I enter into a business agreement of any kind, I don't want to be treated like a heroin addict.

 

[Isadoorian]

Yeah, Unlocked phones should be a thing everywhere. That's one thing I like about mine. Also, I'm with Koodo on a monthly plan (have been with them for over 2 years now) and they've been very good.

 

[Fino]

Without phones that can text, I'd have to email all my friends or somethin' or they'd never really know what I think about anything beyond a few words!

But what you went through was a nightmare!
An actual nightmare!
It sounds like some I've had!
Holy QUACK!

 

[Autistamatic]

It's really easy to get a phone unlocked here - regular price is about £10 - any phone and any carrier. You can even do it yourself if you're techy enough and find the right websites.

Is that not a common service in the US?