The Verizon Wireless Megathread: Tears for tiers

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Inspect Your Gadgets > The Verizon Wireless Megathread: Tears for tiers

Professorbx: Jan 27, 2005; Wicki Wicki

Bambi posted:

So my screen on my OG Droid cracked about a week ago, but it's been working fine up until just now - the display simply just stopped working altogether. Asurion wants to charge me $99 to replace it for the exact same model, which IMO is completely ludicrous. I'm eligible for an upgrade, but I wanted to wait until Verizon released an LTE phone that I actually liked. Am I basically poo poo out of luck right now, unless I find a cheap used phone to use until I'm ready to upgrade?

That is kind of wacky. Every time I have dealt with them, I basically gave them the "If I am going to pay, I would at least like something that doesn't blow" argument and it has worked 100% of the time. It is how I went from an Ally to a Droid 2.

# ¿ May 20, 2011 18:53

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 08:37

Professorbx: Jan 27, 2005; Wicki Wicki

Mighty Horse posted:

This happens all the time with Asurion. If they don't have any refurbs in stock, they will offer something else from new inventory. A popular phone like the D1 is going to be in stock for a long, long time.

It can work both ways though as asurion tries to screw you. I had a customer with a Palm Pre get sent a Pixi as its "comparable replacement" and once had a Droid replaced with an LG Fathom.

Both times Asurion was called and they got something that was actually comparable.

They tried to give me an Eris when I replaced my Ally, but I bitched and they gave me a Droid 2. When my Droid 2 busted and it was a deductible replacement, I asked if I could at least switch to something different, and they gave me the global. The staff there can do whatever they want, just ask for a manager.

# ¿ May 20, 2011 21:21

Professorbx: Jan 27, 2005; Wicki Wicki

EvilMoFo posted:

they made the best windows mobile phones, they were the standard that every other manufacturer aimed for

I always wished they would make a form factor that didnt suck (ie: vertical physical keyboard) so I could get one, instead I got samsung wm phones that are annoyingly unsupported in the modding community

Indeed. I remember telling my brother once that HTC could do no wrong, and when it came to WinMo, they made some GREAT phones for the day. The Shadow was a great example-it was a cheap candy bar Windows Mobile phone that could run circles around my brother's iPaq. Now though......

# ¿ Jun 3, 2011 23:19

Professorbx: Jan 27, 2005; Wicki Wicki

ObsidianBeast posted:

Perfect, thanks for the explanation.

Totally worth it as well. Asurion sends out phones next day air. I've had 3 phones overheat on me in the last year and a half and one phone stolen at my wedding (I have poo poo luck), and the longest I have been out of a phone is 18 hours.

# ¿ Jun 29, 2011 02:50

Professorbx: Jan 27, 2005; Wicki Wicki

Aurium posted:

The vortex is Verizon's Optimus One. Which is a great budget phone.

The Continuum is a poo poo high end phone (at it's time). The Continuum is a Fascinate with a bit more hardware, yet it's $50 while the fascinate is still $100. There's a reason for that.

Spec wise the vortex is worse, real world it's probably better. I still wouldn't recommend on verizon. The amount you spend on the contract will dwarf what you spend on a phone, but the phone has a much bigger effect on your happiness, but at 70 it's probably the best cheap phone on verizon.

The fascinate itself the next price up, $100, but it's also poo poo, but slightly less poo poo than the Continuum.

Next up, at $150, the incredible 2 is excellent.

Although, if I were you, I'd buy at http://wireless.amazon.com/. The upgrade price there for the Vortex would be would be $.01, one cent. Likewise it would be $70 to upgrade to the incredible 2.

As a disclaimer if you cancel within 6 months amazon will charge you an extra fee on top of Verizon's ETF. That is the only catch though, and I suspect you're planning on paying your bills and keeping your service.

Seconded about the Vortex. The LG Optimus is a stupidly zippy little phone, and is a tank compared phones twice its price. The only issue is that it is outdated before it leaves the store (though isn't that the case with most of the phones we get with Verizon? Compared to the Continuum however, it is a much better user experience, even if it doesn't look or feel as fancy. My wife's is pretty impressive for what it is, and the nice thing is that it is also cheap enough that, if it breaks, you can get a replacement without having to break the bank.

# ¿ Jul 7, 2011 08:00

Professorbx: Jan 27, 2005; Wicki Wicki

Ok, for Verizon employee's, totally confused on this one-

I did an assumption of liability on my line today, and I was told that I would be shifting from being in a contract till March 2013 to July 2012 (assumption of liability contracts are apparently all 1 year contracts), yet my upgrade date would still be December 2012.....5 months after my contract is up. Was the lady wrong? How the hell does this work? Couldn't I just in theory walk in a store, cancel and re-sign up that day if I wanted to get a discounted phone?

# ¿ Jul 11, 2011 09:30

Professorbx: Jan 27, 2005; Wicki Wicki

serewit posted:

Things get weird with AoL's sometimes. Your upgrade date is 4 months prior to the end of your contract, but 1 year term won't give you a discount so they're splitting the difference? I don't know why you wouldn't have kept the remainder of your existing agreement. Did you move your line off an existing line into a new one on your own name?

Sorry if I wasn't clear (was way late at night)- I had a 2 year contract that was only 4 months in-the AOL moved it up from having a total (not counting my early upgrade) of 1 year 8 months left on my contract to only having 1 year on my contract left. So my contract will be ending 8 months earlier than before, and 4 months before my early upgrade would have taken effect. I'm just wondering, how is it that my contract can be up for renewal, yet I wouldn't be eligable for an upgrade for another 5 months, even though I would (if I didn't re-sign) be month to month with them if I didn't sign up till my upgrade date?

# ¿ Jul 11, 2011 18:41

Professorbx: Jan 27, 2005; Wicki Wicki

Kyrosiris posted:

They already did.

Yes and no. I had one, and with the standard battery I could pull a 10am to 8pm no issue. With the extended battery, I could pull a 10am to 3am with no issue.

For stupid battery life in a smart phone for Verizon, if battery life is your primary concern, look at the Blackberry 9650. 36 hours, no issue.

# ¿ Jul 18, 2011 23:15

Professorbx: Jan 27, 2005; Wicki Wicki

Just an FYI-

I just did an assumption of liability last week, and my unlimited data transferred. They had to run it through a different department to get it turned off and then back on again, but as of today I have it again.

Results may vary, but you CAN keep your unlimited data apparently when putting a contract in your own name.

# ¿ Jul 18, 2011 23:22

Professorbx: Jan 27, 2005; Wicki Wicki

Kyrosiris posted:

And that's not enough for some people?

It would be, but I carry a Tmo Blackberry 9700 with me as well for work. I get 4 DAYS out of that without breaking a sweat, and I've pulled a full week a couple times. This includes some talk, text, a flood of hundreds of emails a day (work and the separate Gmail app), document editing and the occasional game. I charge it when I remember to, without having to look down at the battery meter and wonder if I will make it or without having to change any habits. Having the two side by side (or now, my iPhone) makes me realize how low our standards are. My 9700 isn't a "fun" phone, but it is nice knowing that, at any given point, I can trust it to do whatever I need to without thinking about what I will need the battery for the rest of the day.

# ¿ Jul 19, 2011 09:43

Professorbx: Jan 27, 2005; Wicki Wicki

Kyrosiris posted:

Right, but our standards are "low" because the rate at which technology improves is ridiculously faster than the rate at which battery life/technology has improved, and really there's nothing you can do about that.

Stating that a device with a 2.5" screen and a 650MHz CPU gets several days of life is pointless when you're trying to stack it up against something significantly more powerful.

If my device lasts the day for me (roughly 10 AM to midnight), then that's good enough!

It isn't pointless though when you look at use case. With Blackberry OS6, I have a full webkit browser. I have push email. I have Microsoft Office editing. I have a GPS. I have cloud services for files and notes. The only things I'm missing are the music making and CAD software that my iPhone has. If I had to choose, would I choose the iPhone? Yes. That said, acting like the battery life drop is justified is just absurd. poo poo, the reason RIM gets better battery life from its GSM products over its CDMA is that they actually know how to write a proper baseband for GSM (they use Qualcomm baseband software for their CDMA phones, and it does mean a pretty big drop). If companies spent more time on their battery and antenna management instead of just using a battery as a big bandaid, we wouldn't be having this complaint in the first place.

# ¿ Jul 19, 2011 17:18

Professorbx: Jan 27, 2005; Wicki Wicki

chocolateTHUNDER posted:

Just to be sure, a transfer of liability DOES knock you down to the 2GB cap right?

My friend wants to keep his unlimited data but also go under his own plan ( he is under his sisters plan at the moment) he called Verizon and they told him once he gets his new phone that they can do a transfer of liability and set him up under his own plan.

I thought I read in this thread that it would automatically take his unlimited data away though?

It depends. I did a transfer last month-there was a pause while they verified me by checking my water bill. The first person said yes and did it, the second person said that was not the case and put unlimited back on. So, I still have an unlimited plan even after transfer.

# ¿ Aug 15, 2011 03:05

Professorbx: Jan 27, 2005; Wicki Wicki

LaptopGun posted:

That sounds just about dead. I was more worried whether your coworker was looking to upgrade to an iphone. Looking to go from a dumb phone to any non-Apple smartphone can certainly help when it comes to discretion.

If you want to wait, you could go the route my wife and I did. I signed her up to my account but got her a Palm Pixi (only $39 new!) till the iPhone 5 comes out, then I use her upgrade to get the 5 and give her my 4. So, yea, if you are planning on getting a smart phone and can live with something that, while somewhat pokey (and from a dead company!), is a completely competent and useable smart phone with some frankly awesome features (Synergy contacts is kind of the coolest thing ever, the web browser stands up nicely to my iPhone 4 and my old Droid 2 Global, makes a good MP3 player, decent camera), it is frankly a great option.

# ¿ Aug 23, 2011 20:33

Professorbx: Jan 27, 2005; Wicki Wicki

bull3964 posted:

FYI, P3Droid (generally reliable for info) tweeted this today.

Take it as you will.

New princess? Are we talking Bionic or iPhone?

# ¿ Aug 27, 2011 00:14

Professorbx: Jan 27, 2005; Wicki Wicki

CancerStick posted:

Warranty question:

My iPhone's speaker started acting up a month or so ago. I'm going to sell it on ebay and seeing as I have the warranty I might as well use it instead of selling a buggy phone. It wouldn't work for almost a whole day. I'd have to talk to people on speaker. Then it mysteriously starts working again. It hadn't done it for a couple weeks, but it did it yesterday for about 6 hours. Kind of a good thing as I would have forgotten about it and sold a defective phone on ebay without mentioning it.

Do I have to go through Verizon for the warranty or can you also go through Apple? I've had the phone since June if that means anything. Verizon I think goes the Certified Pre-owned route, would Apple give a brand new phone? Or do I have to go through Verizon?

Go through Apple. Verizon is a pain to deal with for iPhone issues, while Apple is a dream. I'll put it this way-when I did an assumption of liability, Verizon told me I no longer had any warranty on my phone, while Apple informed me that they were full of poo poo (I actually had to do a swap myself). As for new/used, Verizon does Certified Pre-Owned, while Apple does a full refurb unit. You cannot tell them apart from a new phone.

# ¿ Sep 16, 2011 19:14

Professorbx: Jan 27, 2005; Wicki Wicki

Mark Larson posted:

So I called Verizon as an anonymous customer and was told that it depends on the rep transferring the contract. Some of them do let you keep the unlimited data, but the official Verizon position is that the customer has to move to a current plan.

However, I did some research and from what I've read, if you do an "assumption of liability" and don't change the device on the account, you do get to keep the current features. The plan has to be changed to a current one but the unlimited data is a feature and can stick.

Now to decide if this is really what I want to do, especially with the iPhone5 and Nexus Prime around the corner. I do see a few people offering Thunderbolts for free with unlimited data with ~20 months left on the contract.

That was what I found. The first person actually shut off my unlimited data when I did my AoL, but the second person (had to call back because I need to verify that I was me.....) actually turned it back on and said sorry. So, I did an AoL and got to keep my unlimited data.

# ¿ Sep 21, 2011 23:10

Professorbx: Jan 27, 2005; Wicki Wicki

SpacedOut posted:

Sorry, didn't mean to sound so confusing. If you have unlimited data you can make any plan changes (family to single, single to family, add or remove lines, two concurrent family plans, etc.) and keep the unlimited data as long as the line stays on that same account.

However, the instant a line moves to a different account (this includes assumptions of liability & "changing names" on an account), whether new or existing, the unlimited data falls off.

So, if you take your line and make a separate single line plan that stays on the same account & the same bill that it's currently on (think of it as riding sidecar) you'll keep the unlimited data (it won't be in your name though). If you actually take your line, pluck it off that account and put it into a new account in your name *bam* 2GB data plan.

It isn't hard and fast. I did an AOL and got kicked to 2gb, but had an issue with identity verification and completed a day later. When I called back I was told I could keep my unlimited and was put back on.

# ¿ Oct 29, 2011 08:43

Professorbx: Jan 27, 2005; Wicki Wicki

chocolateTHUNDER posted:

Anyone know if there is some sort of "Magic number" on the amount of defective phones you exchange before you can convince Verizon to give you a different phone as a replacement? I know it is possible because my girlfriend exchanged 4 different pixi's before she bitched them out and they gave her a blackberry.

I just got my replacement X2 and it still randomly reboots and has the same issues as my first one. Right now I'm contemplating just exchanging the phones constantly until I have enough sway to convince them to send me a Droid 3 instead or something like that.

This phone always picks the worse possible times to poo poo itself and reboot. Im sick and tired of it.

I was able to do it after one time. If you have to do it again, yea, you probably will be good. Otherwise do an executive email carpet bomb, that is how I got my iPhone 4 from my Droid 2 Global.

# ¿ Nov 4, 2011 06:29

Professorbx: Jan 27, 2005; Wicki Wicki

ProjektorBoy posted:

The Consumerist is a gold mine for executive-level contact information.

I followed the Consumerist's advice, but then I just did some digging to find out what the Verizon naming conventions were (hint, it is all emails that are just first name period last name @verizonwireless.com). Look at the Verizon wireless website and do a general carpet bomb of all the customer service execs in your area, along with some of the big whigs.

http://aboutus.verizonwireless.com/leadership/executive/index.html

Btw, I am pointing this out as an extreme case, and also pointing out that they took great care of me. So, don't be a dick and they will treat you right.

# ¿ Nov 4, 2011 18:37

Professorbx: Jan 27, 2005; Wicki Wicki

kalibar posted:

OK, I'll bite. How do you have a $20/month unlimited plan? My unlimited plan tragically costs 30 of the dollars.

Prob same way I got it-there was a loyalty promo sent out last summer to shave $10 off their plan for 2 years.

# ¿ Nov 9, 2011 01:42

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 08:37

Professorbx: Jan 27, 2005; Wicki Wicki

TenaciousTomato posted:

That sounds good, so the return will take back the new 2 year contract i just signed as well?

edit: If I can't get an old phone what device should I exchange my charge with? Something that will be good to resell?

Remember, unless you use an old smart phone you will use your unlimited data when you do the temp swap. Craigslist a Pixi or Droid Eris for $50.

# ¿ Nov 9, 2011 07:22

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