OT-Cell phone

[RABikes2]

I am so clueless... :confused:
My cell phone is breaking; sometimes it works, most times it doesn't. I don't want to buy a new cell because:
1) I refuse to pay hundreds of dollars for a new cell
and
2) to get a better priced new cell phone, you have to sign a new 1 or 2 year contract.

I absolutely REFUSE :no: :no: to extend my contract with Verizon. They are horrible on customer service and actually HORRIBLE is an understatement. I've been a customer with them since 2000 and at the end of this contract, I seriously doubt I'd take another one (with them.)

I was told I could get a used cell on e-bay, however, I have never used e-bay. The phone has to be a Verizon phone to be compatible. According to "Bradley" in customer service, it has to say E911 or GPS (? :confused: ?) to be just that. I'm clueless when I look at all the photos of used Verizon cells since my cell is as old as the hills. As long as it is compatible, I can go online and activate it at no charge and no upgrades (new contracts). Help! :help: The prices I see online are great, but how do you know what cell to buy and how do I go about it?
Thank you in advance.
RA

[Ligero]

"Bradley" is right you do need a phone that is made to work with Verizon. There are 2 types of cell technologies out there, GSM and CDMA. Verizon uses cdma but so does Sprint. The only bad thing is you can't buy a Sprint phone and have it work with Verizon. When you search on Ebay look for pones that state that they are cdma and Verizon compatible if it says other networks don't take the risk that it will work.

[manet]

ebay.

[toaster]

I second the eBay route. You should be able to find a refurbished one for cheap. Make sure it's for the Verizon network.

[RABikes2]

Thanks Ligero, that information is good to know. Yes, I want to do E-bay, but never done it. In fact, today was probably the second time I've ever looked at the site.
C.l.u.e.l.e.s.s. RA

[catulle]

.

[Mud]

I don't talk on the cell very much. It is great not having a contract and it seems to work everywhere. depending on the phone it could use Verizon or Cingular networks.

[RABikes2]

.
:p That's me, alright. The cell won't charge with the charger in my home, but only with the charger in my Jeep and ONLY if I hold the cord in the cell a certain angle. :crap: Oh, and then it works...sometimes. :crap:
RA

[Ligero]

Here is a few links to show how great Verizon customer service is. the you tube link is long but is incredible that they could be that stupid.
http://verizonmath.blogspot.com/
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Gp0HyxQv97Q

[Erik.Lazdins]

I don't recall anyone having problems with the "bag-phones" They shoulda kept that one around!
:) :) :)

[RABikes2]

Here is a few links to show how great Verizon customer service is. the you tube link is long but is incredible that they could be that stupid.
http://verizonmath.blogspot.com/
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Gp0HyxQv97Q
Thanks Ligero, it looks like I'm not the only one having a nightmare of a time with Verizon. I'm self-employed, if I EVER had an employee treat a customer the way I've been treated by Verizon, they'd BE FIRED IMMEDIATELY! That company is the worst I've dealt with, nobody wants to help unless it is their specific job and in the written dialogue they recite. I've been in a tangled explosive nightmare with them since August. IF you are able to persuade a rep to connect you to a supervisor (I actually had one call where the rep and I were screaming at each other because I was told "no" I couldn't :argue: ), the supervisor's pass off your complaints to somebody under them and then won't take calls when the incompetent under them doesn't do their job either. I've lost sleep from being so upset because I couldn't get anybody competent to assist me. Every month when the bill comes, I get a knot in my stomach. At first, it turned out (after many, many calls) that I had TWO account numbers, but was told, "Sorry, not my job, can't help you. You'll have to call back." Their customer service commercials make me want to puke; incompetent idiots.

Hmmm...I think this irks me, eh. :crap:

[CarbonCycles]

Verizon is one of the "better" companies out there...you want a nightmare try using Sprint for a while. Sprint has been working diligently to change their image esp when they ranked consistently at the worst C/S company in polls...at least Verizon reps speak english as their first language!

I'm not defending Verizon (even though they are my current provider) either. Actually, this weekend I will probably migrate over to Cingular (rumored to change names back to ATT?) due to Cingulars wider selection in business phones.

So basically, yea it sucks...but it could be MUCH WORSE! Good luck.

[dave thompson]

RA: What sort of features do you need in a cell? Doesn't Verizon sell something like a 'basic phone' without a lot of the follderoll that you can buy for relatively cheap?

If you can't get what you want, I have a Verizon LG UX6000 phone that I no longer use, yours for the postage. you would have to have it activated and buy a charger for.


Let me know if this is something you can use.

[RABikes2]

Dave, looking for a used one. From what I understand, any new cell phone will cost more than I want to spend that is unless I take a new (upgraded) contract with them. If I take a new contract :no: , then the phone is either free or at a much discounted amount. I'll be happy to buy Dave; I'll pm. Thank you!
RA

[Bud_E]

I have one of the basic Verizon models ( lg vx3200 ). It was having trouble holding a charge, was difficult to recharge, etc. I just went on the internet and ordered a new after-market battery ( I think for $22 ) and now my phone works fine. Just saying.

[gt6267a]

[QUOTE=CarbonCycles] Sprint has been working diligently to change their image esp when they ranked consistently at the worst C/S company in polls...at least Verizon reps speak english as their first language!QUOTE]

I have had sprint since 1998. It has been fine.

No doubt things have changed that were nice. Some examples:
1) Back in the day, I could walk into a sprint store, find a charger or headset ... and have it charged to my account. No cash, no card, no hassle. This wonderful convenience has been cut off.
2) In 1999, my plan had maybe 750 minutes. Something happened in the family and instead of my normal 500 min a month I hit something like 3000. That bill was huge! I went into a sprint store and talked to the manager. She was totally cool and wiped out the overage. Now, the manager in a sprint store couldn’t get a rabbit turd off your account let alone a dollar.

No doubt things are not what they were, but I have never had a legit problem that was not handled. And, while it was a while ago, they definitely built up a little good will with me when they wiped out my 2250 minute family mess. I am not saying sprint is the best, but they don’t seem so bad as to warrant singling them out either.

[BoulderGeek]

I have alternated between Sprint and Verizon. I recently ended the LONG 2-year Sprint plan, and went back to Verizon.

My issue with Sprint was that they demand a (possibly illegal) new 2-year commitment every time you want to change your plan. So, if you want to drop to a cheaper plan, you have to get a new contract and 2-year obligation. They will never get another penny from me (after four years of service).

Hear my message!

Do not sign up with Verizon directly. You have to do a 2-year agreement, as you probably already know.

Go to Amazon.com and get the phone you want through them.

I got the LG8300 (same as the new LG Chocolate, in a clamshell design). Verizon wanted $99 and a 2-year commitment.

Through Amazon, I got it pre-activated, only a ONE year contract, and free after $50 rebate.

Verizon can't match what Amazon does. Mention it to their sales people on teh phone and you can hear them grit their teeth and admit that Amazon undercuts them on their own contracts.

I'm never doing a 2-year again.

Best of luck.

BTW, I love the 8300. Very hackable. I ftp mp3s and pix into it via Bluetooth, works as a bluetooth modem, etc.

[deechee]

ufortunately I don't know much about whats running in the states (I'm in Canada) and can only imagine the quagmire you're in. The easiest would be yes, to find a phone on ebay from a fellow verizon user.

How old is your phone? Most carriers (service providers) discourage using old phones (mostly for their own benefit - revenue from text messaging + data etc. (ring tones are apparenty popular) but also because of regulations that are constantly changing (cells have to support 911 tracking by some date - I forget when) etc.) If your phone is more than 2 years old, a few nudges should get you a new free or deeply subsidised phone with limited or no contract ties.

Last but not least, if you hated the service -why not change providers? I've gone through a myriad of services (mostly due to work - I work in telecom) and the lower frequency gsm network is my favourite for clarity and building penetration. cdma sucks. tdma was ok and is still strong in rural areas. gsm 2.75G 850Mhz is infinitely better in my area (over the 1900Mhz) ... I'm surprised you can't get a contract-free phone with most of these places... Speaking of phones themselves, yes, you might not need a camera or internet etc. but the better ones have much better chipsets =ie. better computers. The mot Razrs that everyone loves are cheap, slow *** phones...