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Cell phones: I need a new phone, please help...
I need a new phone, please help...
by lazarus kairabeb - 7/13/08 7:11 AMMy husband and I need new cell phones. Our priorities are best reception and durability. I would like a camera, he could care less. We don't text because we are too chea...I mean frugal to pay more than the outrageous price we already pay them monthly.
"They" are US Cellular, we live in central Maine and have extremely limited options for cell service. We are not currently on a contract and would prefer not to go back on one. I called the local store yesterday and spoke with someone who was just short of rude. He had no idea how to sell a phone to a grown-up person who doesn't need an MP3 player or to download and can recall when phones lasted forever (okay, they had a cord and were very very large). I resent that a phone is now disposable but I guess I will get over it. I would spend more money to get a better (see priorities above) phone but it seems that the price of the phones go up with the add-ons, not because there are a superior product.
We both have Motorola V265 phones that we purchased with our previous contract, not quite three years ago. Both of our phones refuse to hold a charge, we tried new batteries and that didn't work. To complicate matters we have recently disconnected our landline service and reception in our home seems to have worsened. I'm truly hoping that's something to do with the phones. We've had all sorts of dropped calls recently and I'm going crazy!
The brands the US Cellular guy mentioned for sale in the store were Motorola, Samsung, LG and Kyocera. He personally doesn't like the Kyocera phones. He did not believe that there was any improved reception between brands but people have told him Motorola is better.
I would prefer to NOT buy a phone through the company and get one on eBay. If I do that, do I need to bring my phone to them to activate it or can I do it myself?
Thanks for your help.
I don't live in the U.S. but...
by x.killeddestiny.x - 7/13/08 10:49 AM In reply to: I need a new phone, please help... by lazarus kairabebIf your activating on a plan (which by the sounds of it you are) Yes you will almost defenitly need to bring in the phone. That said you can still buy it off eBay just make sure it works with the cell company you have chosen. As for the phone I find Samsung and Motorola do a good job usualy but Samsung will give you alot more options as it seems the only moto's you can find are razr's krazrs and if your lucky some spin-off's of either. Just poke around the reviews on CNET for the phones your looking at and look for call quality to be mentioned under good or anything involving it's calling quality and it's reception.
CNET
by cant_get_enough_tech - 7/13/08 7:49 PM In reply to: I need a new phone, please help... by lazarus kairabebCNET cell phone finder: http://reviews.cnet.com/4247-6454_7-5.html?tag=dir.dt
First of all
by PudgyOne - 7/13/08 10:25 PM In reply to: I need a new phone, please help... by lazarus kairabebif your phone has bluetooth, turn it off when you're not using it. It's like having a radio transmitter turned on. It will drain your battery in a day. I have mine turned off, unless I use it, rarely, and charge my phone every 5 days.
You don't want a contract. Try ATT Go Phones(Walmart is a place to look), Virgin Mobile and Boost. I thing Virgin Mobile uses the Sprint network and I think Boost does also.
The phone does make a difference. My wife had a tiny flip phone, Samsung, and I had a larger one. Phones sitting side by side, mine had a signal, hers didn't That was when we had Virgin Mobile.
We now are on a contract with ATT. Have no problems with signals.
Tough decisions, something to think about.
Rick
new phone help
by lazarus kairabeb - 7/14/08 3:03 PM In reply to: I need a new phone, please help... by lazarus kairabebThank you for the responses. I'll be checking out the reviews on CNET.
The phones aren't bluetooth. Both Virgin Mobile and ATT Go are available exactly where we live but if we wander away from home--and I travel quite a bit for work--there's no coverage. I'm guessing Boost is probably the same. It's really frustrating.
I seem to get good coverage
by PudgyOne - 7/14/08 3:08 PM In reply to: new phone help by lazarus kairabeband I have ATT
http://www.wireless.att.com/coverageviewer/
The only other choice is Verizon Wireless, can you hear e know?
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/CoverageLocatorController
They have a pay as you go plan, unsure how it works.
Rick
Thanks PudgyOne
by lazarus kairabeb - 7/15/08 3:12 PM In reply to: I seem to get good coverage by PudgyOneVerizon's coverage area seems to have improved considerably since I last checked maybe six months ago. You're happy with AT&T, are you in Maine?
No, I'm in
by PudgyOne - 7/15/08 3:15 PM In reply to: Thanks PudgyOne by lazarus kairabebLancaster, Pa. I do some traveling but not a lot, you know, vacation time.
I can only give you what I researched. Remember, Verizon locks their phones from music and ringtones. You have to purchase anything from them.
Rick
About verizon's locking
by tech_junky48 - 7/22/08 9:01 AM In reply to: No, I'm in by PudgyOneThe menu system lockin is annoying, but I think most of Verizon's new music phones (chocolate 3, etc..) support Rhapsody, which is a subscription service ($15/mo gets you unlimited music all wrapped in DRM...Joy) so that's an option. Most carriers have a "try before you buy" scheme so you can test phones, reception, etc. for 30 days before you are locked into your contract. I know Verizon and AT&T both do this, so try it and see who does better.
Good point...
by lazarus kairabeb - 7/25/08 5:45 AM In reply to: About verizon's locking by tech_junky48...about 30 day trial. I could care less about music but I would like to have more ringtone access.
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