I Hate Cell Phone Companies!!!!

[RamsFanSam]

I'm sort of new to cell phones, considering I got my first one back in 2000. Well, I started off with a company that provided a decent priced pre-paid plan. For a few years, the price was right, even if the phones weren't top of the line. Eventually, they raised the rates so much that I figured I was not wanted in their "Circle".

So, I went with another company that has more bars in more places. Everything was fine and dandy even while they were returning to monopoly status. Well, it's been two years, my contract will soon expire, and so I thought this would be a great time to upgrade my phones and plan.

My cell phone needs have changed. A regular phone like Avenger likes is not useful to me. A PDA would be exactly what I need. E-mail, ability to access office documents, as well as wiring diagrams and schematics, a camera to take pics of those motors and such that don't have any ID tags on them...and a phone, too. One device instead of 5 or 6. Perfect.
So, I go online to access my account, and I notice that there's a PDA for free with a 2-year contract. No camera on it, but the price was right. I did some research and found out that the PDA isn't as good as it appeared to be, so I went back to the website to see what else they offered. A refurbished Blackberry Pearl for FREE...PERFECT!!! I log in, check it out, it's just what I need. Well, I wanted to talk to a real person about the contract details, the phone, etc., so I called.
The price of $0 was for new subscribers ONLY, so I asked what kind of deal I could get. Seems like they are out of the refurb Pearls, but it would cost me $49.99, or they could sell me a new one for $99. I asked why I couldn't get the free one, why a new subscriber meant more than a loyal customer, why they wouldn't send the phone to me and bill me later like they did with my last phone.

I could have grown one heck of a great garden with all of the fertilizer they tried to hand me. I went to the official stores, authorized dealers, unauthorized dealers, and the pricing was all similar...or higher.

I went to the other three cell companies that offer service in my area, even though their coverage isn't as good, and some of the places I have to go to for work are not in their area. The plans are cheaper, online services (email, etc.) are cheaper...but not the phones, since I want to keep my same number.

I swear the cell phone companies and cable TV companies subscribe to the same business plan....."Entice new customers with sweet deals, then stick it to 'em!"

[r8rh8rmike]

I swear the cell phone companies and cable TV companies subscribe to the same business plan....."Entice new customers with sweet deals, then stick it to 'em!"

Play along Sam and take advantage of the sweet deals with a DIFFERENT company. You might also want to try a secondary reseller. There's a lot of them on-line and they often give you better deals to get the business.

[ramsanddodgers]

I feel your pain, Sam.

I kno wpeople who run out and upgrade phones on a whim. I haven't that kind of disposable income.

I also visited the storefronts and they could not (would not?) make the same deals I could find online with my service provider. So I upgraded online.

I don't have time for all the "extras" which are standard equipment on most phones and don't want to pay the "extra" to access said extras. I see kids all day e-mailing, texting, accessing the 'net, etc. I wonder if they have even a clue what it is costing mommy and daddy. Just the fact even grade schoolers have cel phones of their own is amazing.

I also agree with the bewiderment of "new customers" being more important than "old customers".

[laram0]

What? Can you hear me now?

[RamsFanSam]

What? Can you hear me now?

It's all about the network. Theirs does not exist here.

I'm still arguing with AT&T to give me a better deal....they are starting to bend a little...very little.

[MauiRam]

I swear the cell phone companies and cable TV companies subscribe to the same business plan....."Entice new customers with sweet deals, then stick it to 'em!"

Sam ... it has always been that way. For example even before cell phones became ubiquitous, if you had trouble with your hardwired phone and reported the trouble, the live person (didn't things used to be wonderful) at the phone company would "schedule" an appointment to send out a serviceman in the not too immediate future. On the other hand, if you moved .. say to a new dwelling, and needed new phone service set up, the phone company couldn't get there fast enough ... Once they've got you, it's on to securing the next new account .. As the big corporations merge and become even bigger, why should they care if you go from one subsidiary to another? They are still gatting your money. What are we to do? Tie a string between two cans ...?? I have a confession to make at this point ..... I derive a certain sadistic pleasure in confusing the robotic voices that one encounters when calling the phone company, or credit card companies, or whomever. I find amusement in mumbling some gibberish that even a live person couldn't understand after which the robot will continue trying to understand me until it has exausted its programmed resources. At this point it accepts defeat and will connect me to a live person. The fact that this live person is actually speaking to me from India with an accent that is as unintelligible to me as I was to the robot, brings us full circle ... my karmic reward you might say ...

[thoey]

Sam ... it has always been that way. For example even before cell phones became ubiquitous, if you had trouble with your hardwired phone and reported the trouble, the live person (didn't things used to be wonderful) at the phone company would "schedule" an appointment to send out a serviceman in the not too immediate future. On the other hand, if you moved .. say to a new dwelling, and needed new phone service set up, the phone company couldn't get there fast enough ... Once they've got you, it's on to securing the next new account .. As the big corporations merge and become even bigger, why should they care if you go from one subsidiary to another? They are still gatting your money. What are we to do? Tie a string between two cans ...?? I have a confession to make at this point ..... I derive a certain sadistic pleasure in confusing the robotic voices that one encounters when calling the phone company, or credit card companies, or whomever. I find amusement in mumbling some gibberish that even a live person couldn't understand after which the robot will continue trying to understand me until it has exausted its programmed resources. At this point it accepts defeat and will connect me to a live person. The fact that this live person is actually speaking to me from India with an accent that is as unintelligible to me as I was to the robot, brings us full circle ... my karmic reward you might say ...

That's funny. And I am one of the people that programs that robot...

[MauiRam]

That's funny. And I am one of the people that programs that robot...

I always wondered who sets up those systems ... As an example, if I initiate a conversation with a voice robot, and I say something like: "Gobbledeegook, gobbledeegook, gobbledeegook and then stop, the robot will say: "I'm sorry, I didn't get that" After which maybe I'll repeat the same thing or just stay silent depending on my whim... either way, after a couple of "I didn't get thats" the robot will then actually suggest what I could say by way of example. I will then offer my own example to the robot of what it could say ... by way of example. (Perhaps it would be better if I exclude my examples) Robots only hear what they want to hear anyway, although some are more persistent than others in attempting to extricate something recognizable from me. One thing to be said for robots though, is they are unfailingly polite regardless of what you say to them. I know this to be true, because I've said alot of stuff to them ... So, if ever a robot responds to one of my examples, I'll know who his handler is ...