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sadus posted:I'm switching carriers even if I do get grandfathered into unlimited data, that could be taken away at any point and regardless it would be like condoning rape to stick around and support such a sleazy company. Reminds me of when my home town got its first draconian cable modem provider and you could go over your monthly quota in just a few hours. So you are going to Sprint then? Because AT&T already does this and they bought Tmobile. Have fun with lovely coverage. Anyone try the Mifi 4510L yet? I was hoping to replace the 3g ones we use for work and holy poo poo does the 4g one suck. I couldn't get it to work on an XP laptop and then if for some reason it switched from 4g to 3g it couldn't handle the handoff and the laptops would disconnect. My dumbass didn't test it and gave it to an employee to use in the field right away. I imagine the Samsung one isn't any better 
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Jun 24, 2011 22:42
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I've read the OP and have gone back a few pages and haven't seen much discussion on new phones. Basically, I have a phone upgrade available and want to get in on the unlimited data. I'm still using a dumbphone now (SCH-U740 - before it was the Alias) but I'd like to get an Android phone. Which ones are good and fairly cheap, or which ones do I avoid? Is there someplace I should be checking that would tell me all this? Also, my mother wants a smartphone as well. I'd like to get her the most stable and robust one I can find. Thanks in advance.
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Jun 24, 2011 22:49
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bbcisdabomb posted:I've read the OP and have gone back a few pages and haven't seen much discussion on new phones. Basically, if you want 4g here are your choices: HTC Thunderbolt: Solid build, simultaneous 3g/4g data and voice, Sense. Terrible battery life. Samsung Charge: Best battery life. Great screen. Questionable update frequency from Samsung. Feels like a cheap toy. LG Revolution: Pretty decent phone. Relatively funky interface. Decent battery, decent all around choice. If it were me I'd probably go Thunderbolt, despite the fact that battery life is measured in hours. I also like the fact that it's an HTC product and you can not only do simultaneous voice/data on 4g, but it's the only phone now that can do it on 3g as well. The Charge would be choice #2, primarily based on the awesome SAMOLED screen and decent battery. It's a Samsung, however, and it just may be on 2.2.1 for the next many months (i.e. they are notoriously slow with updates). Also, the interface looks like it was designed for a 5-yr old. If you decide on this one, go to Costco. They have it on sale for $179 (instead of $299 at Verizon). The Revolution seems to get pretty decent reviews...almost all are luke warm and say that it's generally a good phone. No real excitement. Just gets the job done. It's cheap too ($99 at Amazon Wireless w/new contract).
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Jun 24, 2011 23:16
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Basically: Buy a thunderbolt if you want 4G and you don't mind kinda bad battery life. Buy the incredible 2 or Droid X2 depending on what you like better if you don't care/can't use 4g. If you want a hardware keyboard, buy any of those phones on July 5th and then exchange it for the Droid 3 (3g only) on July 14th when it comes out. Since you are coming from a dumbphone, you will find the battery life of any smartphone shockingly bad. Just resign yourself that you have to charge it at least once every day. bull3964 fucked around with this message at 23:19 on Jun 24, 2011 |
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Jun 24, 2011 23:16
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sadus posted:I'm switching carriers even if I do get grandfathered into unlimited data, that could be taken away at any point and regardless it would be like condoning rape to stick around and support such a sleazy company. Reminds me of when my home town got its first draconian cable modem provider and you could go over your monthly quota in just a few hours. ATT has already gotten rid of unlimited and uses the same tiers, and is only $5/mo less expensive. Tmobile has already gotten rid of unlimited and uses the same tiers, is $5 less than att, and they throttle instead of charge you more. In my opinion throttling is the better of the 2. Only sprint has unlimited, and they do it by offering basically no choice at all, and having a $10 a month "good phone tax." If you really want to encourage unlimited, hang onto it until you're forced off and leave then. Or go to sprint. bbcisdabomb posted:I've read the OP and have gone back a few pages and haven't seen much discussion on new phones. Get the incredible 2. Its $99 at amazon wireless. Or $150 in the stores. Don't bother with anything that cheaper and new, if it's cheaper, its much worse, and if its the same price, it's just worse. If you really must go cheaper, get a LG Vortex. At amazon it's 1 cent, but honestly, spend the $99. The cost of the phone is a fraction of what you're spending over the life of the contract, but its also the thing that you'll have the most contact with and the biggest difference between being happy and not. All this assumes you have a waiting upgrade. Are you in a 4G area? Do you like big screens? Too bad. They're all much more expensive even at amazon, unless its a brand new plan. Aurium fucked around with this message at 23:24 on Jun 24, 2011 |
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Jun 24, 2011 23:17
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Just want to point out the Incredible 2 is actually $0.01 with a 2-yr contract, so even more good news! Thanks everyone for your help, wife got a Thunderbolt that should be here next week. My Treo (  ) should be coming next week and we'll migrate to a family plan and get our corp. discount. I'll report back in here in case anything interesting happens.
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Jun 24, 2011 23:27
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Hed posted:Just want to point out the Incredible 2 is actually $0.01 with a 2-yr contract, so even more good news! Incredible 2 one cent on amazon? Only with a brand new contract. With an upgrade it's still $99.
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Jun 24, 2011 23:37
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Can someone link me to the article on Verizon discontinuing discounts on data add ons?
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Jun 24, 2011 23:43
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Mighty Horse posted:You can still get it. Just order the 450 minute plan and look under features for the $10 txt plan. Oh, it just doesn't seem to be an option for any of the 4G phones when you use Amazon Wireless. That sucks. Cart Mountain fucked around with this message at 00:28 on Jun 25, 2011 |
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Jun 25, 2011 00:14
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I currently have a dumbphone that isn't eligible for an upgrade until May 2012. I'm considering trying to get a smartphone before 7/7 to get on the unlimited plan, but what are the chances that Verizon would let me upgrade even though it's really early? I thought I read somewhere that they'll usually let you upgrade and start a new 2-year contract from a dumbphone since you'll be giving them gobs of money every month, but now I can't find where I read that. How much sweet-talking at the Verizon store would I have to do to get an upgrade this early?
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Jun 25, 2011 03:58
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I've heard the surest way to be offered an early upgrade is to call up CS and ask these simple words, "What is my current ETF?"
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Jun 25, 2011 04:02
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ObsidianBeast posted:I currently have a dumbphone that isn't eligible for an upgrade until May 2012. I'm considering trying to get a smartphone before 7/7 to get on the unlimited plan, but what are the chances that Verizon would let me upgrade even though it's really early? I thought I read somewhere that they'll usually let you upgrade and start a new 2-year contract from a dumbphone since you'll be giving them gobs of money every month, but now I can't find where I read that. "gobs of money" They don't care about your monthly bill and I seriously doubt they would let this happen. It's in their best interest to make you upgrade to a tiered plan next May.
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Jun 25, 2011 04:07
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Anyone have any issues with 4G not receiving any data but showing a strong signal? My Revolution is having serious issues from time to time with not being able to use data at all, while showing 3-4 bars of 4G signal, while outside even. Last night it was for about 4 hours.
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Jun 25, 2011 04:26
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The New Every Two thing they got rid of is basically just an extra $50 if you wait til the two years, right? My family plan's main phone is eligible for an upgrade now, or if I wait til November there is an extra "loyalty" discount - I assume just $50?
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Jun 25, 2011 04:32
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hotsauce posted:"gobs of money" It's in corporate's best interest to make you wait. It's in the sales rep's best interest to get you a sale anyway they can for the commission now. A sales rep will never tell you to wait so you can have a higher bill. Anyway last year Verizon advertised allowing people to upgrade to smartphones early. That special has long expired, but you might be able to talk someone into letting you do that. Bull3964's ETF idea is great too. For the record, depending on just how much unlimited data is worth to you, it may well be worth buying a new plan, canceling your old, and eating the ETF. For a dumbphone contract ending in may 2012 I estimate your ETF to be $110. If, for example, you bought a thunderbolt off amazon with a new plan, it would be $129 there. That, plus the 110 etf is 239 which is still cheaper than if you bought a thunderbolt at Verizon on a normal upgrade(sans any current offers) An incredible 2 being 1 cent at amazon with a new plan, doing the same thing would also be around $50 cheaper than doing a normal upgrade to an incredible 2. Of course, this is a huge amount of hassle, porting numbers and the like. And with paying around a month of double cell bill will wipe out any savings. And if you're on a family plan, you can't easily move numbers or your new amazon plan around, which means that if you did do that you'll eat the amazon ETF as well, which would be another $250. So this scheme is only practical if you're on your own cell plan. Not to mention, you're currently on a dumbphone, it would seem that a smartphone isn't a huge priority for you. Aurium fucked around with this message at 05:20 on Jun 25, 2011 |
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Jun 25, 2011 05:18
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Went to a Verizon store to check out the phones, 99% sure I'm going to go with the Thunderbolt. I know what plan I want too so I pretty much just have to start ordering. Is there any reason I shouldn't just do it all online? Do brick-and-mortars ever offer worthwhile specials or promos? Should I just try calling around? This is the first time I've bought my own phone so I gotta play the brand-new-customer card right damnit.
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Jun 25, 2011 05:20
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HondaCivet posted:Went to a Verizon store to check out the phones, 99% sure I'm going to go with the Thunderbolt. I know what plan I want too so I pretty much just have to start ordering. Is there any reason I shouldn't just do it all online? Do brick-and-mortars ever offer worthwhile specials or promos? Should I just try calling around? This is the first time I've bought my own phone so I gotta play the brand-new-customer card right damnit. Brand new customer? Honestly, unless you have reason to fear for your job in the next 6 months, buy on amazon. The best special that I have seen for a thunderbolt from Verizon is $150. That was a limited time offer, and extended to only specific customers. If you can find them there are relatively consistent specials from Verizon for a thunderbolt for $200. If you can't find one, you'll pay $250. Or, if you buy on amazon with a new plan, its $129, and the only extra hitch is you have to pay for 6 months. The price difference alone covers 4 months. (of data) Other resellers sometime offer similar pricing. Costco, for example, offers a Droid Charge for 179, which is the same price amazon offers for that phone. But they're harder to find, and less consistent in how often they occur. EDIT: Oh, and coming from a dumbphone, enjoy your new masochistic battery relationship. Aurium fucked around with this message at 05:44 on Jun 25, 2011 |
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Jun 25, 2011 05:32
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Accidentally posted this in the Sprint thread. Can someone quote me the official Verizon thing saying that tiered data will be in effect the 7th? Or can a Verizon rep on here confirm it? The only thing I had read about it was that it was rumored. I'm not trying to start a war here or anything, but could this just be a stunt pulled by Verizon who then instates reasonable tiered data? I just want to see what official has been said or is known about it.
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Jun 25, 2011 06:02
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Also check letstalk.com, that is Wal-Mart. They have Thunderbolt for the same price as Amazon.
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Jun 25, 2011 06:02
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Bob A Feet posted:Accidentally posted this in the Sprint thread. I don't work for Verizon but I can confirm that it's a real thing, and the date is correct. It hasn't been officially announced yet so no one that works there can officially confirm it.
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Jun 25, 2011 06:07
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I went by the Verizon store tonight, and the girl I was talking to told me that it was coming, and on the 7th.
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Jun 25, 2011 06:21
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Aurium posted:Brand new customer? Honestly, unless you have reason to fear for your job in the next 6 months, buy on amazon. I was thinking of getting a certified pre-owned Tbolt. Costs a bit more than the Amazon deal and it's used instead of new but no scary extra ETF. Plus I can just deal with Verizon directly which I'm sure is simpler. I guess I was just wondering if dealing with salespeople tends to net any sort of benefits, or if the process goes faster at the very least. It sounds like they'd have to special-order a CPO phone anyway so probably not. Why yes I am very excited to charge phone all day e'ryday. 
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Jun 25, 2011 06:26
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removed idiotic drunk post. PSA: have drinks, step away from the keyboard.
hotsauce fucked around with this message at 18:15 on Jun 25, 2011 |
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Jun 25, 2011 06:38
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Duckman and Bob A Feet, info you're looking for is in this article and in the scans found in the "Source Android Central" link at the bottom of the article.
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Jun 25, 2011 07:57
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hotsauce posted:If you are even marginally on the fence about getting unlimited 4g data on Verizon, your ONLY chance is to do it prior to 7711. After that, you are hosed. Period. No, it isn't. You just need to be on unlimited data, 3G or 4G. In the same leaked memo said they will not consider there to be difference between the two when grandfathering. Will this ultimately be true? Who knows? There's nothing that will force them to grandfather unlimited 4G plans either, we just have to take them at their leaked word and see what happens. Don't drunk post, especially when it's to tell people the wrong information and scare them.
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Jun 25, 2011 13:59
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WeaselWeaz posted:No, it isn't. You just need to be on unlimited data, 3G or 4G. In the same leaked memo said they will not consider there to be difference between the two when grandfathering. Will this ultimately be true? Who knows? There's nothing that will force them to grandfather unlimited 4G plans either, we just have to take them at their leaked word and see what happens. Morning after guilt and stuff... My post wasn't incorrect. I should have tossed in 3G along with 4G. My point was to answer the question about the 7/7 date and if it was really the end of unlimited data. It is and that's not FUD. Didn't mean to suggest it only applied to 4G or anything like that. All data.
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Jun 25, 2011 17:07
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quote:FTW
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Jun 25, 2011 17:33
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So if I bought with Amazon or Wirefly or something and wanted to add or remove options later (like a messaging package), do I do that through the site or can I do it through Verizon? Amazon doesn't have the messaging packages I want. I emailed them and they said Verizon didn't let them have it for whatever reason but that it would be fine to just add it later through Verizon. Great, but is Verizon going to tell me to gently caress off back to Amazon if I ask them to add it to my plan themselves? Edit: After asking around you can just add ala carte stuff to your account online without dealing with a rep so I guess it should be fine? HondaCivet fucked around with this message at 19:44 on Jun 25, 2011 |
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Jun 25, 2011 19:03
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HondaCivet posted:Edit: After asking around you can just add ala carte stuff to your account online without dealing with a rep so I guess it should be fine?
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Jun 25, 2011 21:47
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Is there anyway to check online (like at verizonwireless.com) my monthly data usage history? I can only seem to see the current month's activity.
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Jun 26, 2011 00:57
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Aatrek posted:Is there anyway to check online (like at verizonwireless.com) my monthly data usage history? I can only seem to see the current month's activity. My Bill -> Charge Details, it'll be down near the bottom.
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Jun 26, 2011 01:04
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I can't click on 'My Bill,' just 'Pay Bill.' Do I have to be the primary line to view those details?
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Jun 26, 2011 01:08
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Well I just checked and I only used like 250 megs in the last 28 days. How the heck? I tether nearly daily, surf a lot, I've downloaded ROMs straight from ROM Manager-- I'm baffled.
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Jun 26, 2011 01:15
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Aatrek posted:I can't click on 'My Bill,' just 'Pay Bill.' Sounds like your registered as an Account Member. You need to be registered as the Account Owner (which is most likely the primary line) to view these details.
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Jun 26, 2011 02:11
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Bob A Feet posted:Well I just checked and I only used like 250 megs in the last 28 days. How the heck? I tether nearly daily, surf a lot, I've downloaded ROMs straight from ROM Manager-- I'm baffled. A dumb question, I'm sure: any chance you're going into wifi and not noticing?
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Jun 26, 2011 05:49
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So, thank you thread. I upgraded my wife to a certified refurbished white iPhone for for $149 (getting in on the grandfathered unlimited data plan for her) and added the Friends and Family for free just by asking. 
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Jun 26, 2011 05:53
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kensei posted:So, thank you thread. I upgraded my wife to a certified refurbished white iPhone for for $149 (getting in on the grandfathered unlimited data plan for her) and added the Friends and Family for free just by asking. Hmm. Just checked on vzw.com. For new customers, a white refurb 16gig iPhone 4 is $149 (for wife) and a refurb Thunderbolt (me) is $169. Tempting. Tempting indeed...
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Jun 26, 2011 06:53
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Refurbished? Do you guys mean the certified pre-owned phones? They're better than refurbished actually, they're customer returns from people who switched phones within that initial 14-day trial period. By "better" I guess I mean that they were never broken and they've only been very lightly used so they generally come in like-new shape. I wonder if they come with all the original accessories though, I'd ask about that before I pulled the trigger on one. Getting a CPO Thunderbolt and not getting the 32 gig SD card with it would suck rear end.
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Jun 26, 2011 17:18
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HondaCivet posted:I wonder if they come with all the original accessories though, I'd ask about that before I pulled the trigger on one. Fear not, they do.
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Jun 26, 2011 17:53
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Any chance we will be seeing the Droid Bionic released on Verizon before July 7th?
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Jun 26, 2011 23:08
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