OT: ATT cellphone

[sledog]

Wife finally decided on a smartphone (had ATT servoce with old 3G clamshell), so went to ATT who had a great promo; pay only $1/mon for 30 months for smartphone hardware, BUT needed to add another line / phone number at $20 /month extra (even though not using the lne). Couldn't keep old number. After a lot of chat between 800- sales / legacy (for long term account holders / tech support, the advice was to take the extra line, transfer the new phone to old number, and then cancell new line. Sounded so good we did both phones, placed the new phone with old number.

So called ATT to cancell the extra line, but was told that the promo was good only for the new number. Wife has 100s of contacts from business so needs old number. So my choices are: 1)eep as is and pay extra $20 for an unused line, 2) use buyers remorse and return phone within 14 days and get ld phone / line / number, 3) keep new phone and keep old number but pay $300 for the new hardware.

Seems I was screwed with conserted bad advice. Any thoughts?

 

[B1GEast]

You can save 15 percent or more by switching to GIECO

 

[B1GEast]

Wife finally decided on a smartphone (had ATT servoce with old 3G clamshell), so went to ATT who had a great promo; pay only $1/mon for 30 months for smartphone hardware, BUT needed to add another line / phone number at $20 /month extra (even though not using the lne). Couldn't keep old number. After a lot of chat between 800- sales / legacy (for long term account holders / tech support, the advice was to take the extra line, transfer the new phone to old number, and then cancell new line. Sounded so good we did both phones, placed the new phone with old number.

So called ATT to cancell the extra line, but was told that the promo was good only for the new number. Wife has 100s of contacts from business so needs old number. So my choices are: 1)eep as is and pay extra $20 for an unused line, 2) use buyers remorse and return phone within 14 days and get ld phone / line / number, 3) keep new phone and keep old number but pay $300 for the new hardware.

Seems I was screwed with conserted bad advice. Any thoughts?

Why don't you switch carriers and keep your old number. You might be able to get a decent smart phone at Walmart. They have low cost data plans and low cost phones as well. Porting you old number should not be a big deal

 

[uconndoit]

Why don't you switch carriers and keep your old number. You might be able to get a decent smart phone at Walmart. They have low cost data plans and low cost phones as well. Porting you old number should not be a big deal

Or even better - call ATT and tell them you're going to change carriers if they don't hook you up right quick.

Get angry and mean it - they're wasting your valuable time on their bs.

They'll fold like a cheap tent.

 

[uconnphil2016]

Cell phone companies suck. Verizon basically makes you rent the phones now. I pay like 30 per month over two years for my phone, whereas it used to be like one payment of 150 up front. End up paying exponentially more

 

[boog204]

I despise At@t. They absolutely screwed me a couple of years ago on a switching promo and forwarded all issues to a recorded customer service # and we were screwed. Another time a customer service agent got angry with me and connected me with a 1900 number.

 

[Fishy]

First, go to an ATT store and plead your case there. It likely will not work, but live people are more helpful than telephone people, especially at ATT.

Second, if the wife really cannot figure out how to get her new number to people, pay the $20 for the extra line.

Do you have a cellphone? If not, you do now.

 

[Walker11]

On the phone topic - does anyone have experience with Project Fi? I have a phone which I can use the service on and am wanting to switch from Verizon, largely out of spite, now that I have finished paying off my Galaxy that I broke a year ago. I am somewhat worried about coverage as I have always had ATT or Verizon and from my understanding, Project Fi uses T Mobile and Sprint, which I have no experience with.

 

[MattMang23]

Seems I was screwed with conserted bad advice. Any thoughts?

Yes. Ask @william shea, he is the cell phone expert. Then buy two and go for a long run.

 

[JMick]

Cell phone companies suck. Verizon basically makes you rent the phones now. I pay like 30 per month over two years for my phone, whereas it used to be like one payment of 150 up front. End up paying exponentially more

You can get around it. You just need a good sales person in the store. I paid cash upfront for 95% of the cost and they added the additional $1 or whatever it was to my recurring monthly bill. It keeps all the discounts as long as the small balance stays through the 2 year period

 

[LIuconn]

Project FI
FTW

 

[Hankster]

Cell phone companies suck. Verizon basically makes you rent the phones now. I pay like 30 per month over two years for my phone, whereas it used to be like one payment of 150 up front. End up paying exponentially more

Actually you are buying the phone.Sucks for sure. Mine ends in December. I have 2 phones. Me and wifey. Come December,that is it. I will keep it until it rots. I don't download games, take millions of photos. Just like it for text and email. They check my data usage. we barely use 2 gigs per phone. HOWEVER, it seems I wnet over. Now like I said, no games or photos. Figured it out. There were numerous updates which they say, uses huge data. Like you said, phone companies suck.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Honestly this may be the type of thing you have to just bite the bullet on unfortunately.

 

[NJHusky]

Project FI
FTW

My IT manager has it and loves it...especially useful if you travel outside the US, as the rates are global...no supplemental charges when you are outside the us

The phone works on wifi in addition to picking between different cell carriers when wifi is not avail

 

[imno1]

On the phone topic - does anyone have experience with Project Fi? I have a phone which I can use the service on and am wanting to switch from Verizon, largely out of spite, now that I have finished paying off my Galaxy that I broke a year ago. I am somewhat worried about coverage as I have always had ATT or Verizon and from my understanding, Project Fi uses T Mobile and Sprint, which I have no experience with.

I had switched to Sprint from Verizon a few years ago when my keypad stopped working and I wasn't due for an upgrade yet. Verizon wasn't very accommodating so I went to Sprint who cut my bill in half for unlimited , gave me a gift card to buy out my contract with Verizon, and transferred my number. I haven't notices much difference in the service.

 

[Hoophound]

Since you sound like late adopters of smartphones, I’d highly recommend you keep the new phones and use them. They are incredibly easy to use once you get the hang of it. They really add to quality of life. As far as your wife goes, if she needs all those contacts, she probably has lots of email, documents and other stuff she can see, forward and reply to on the smart phone. While we talk about all the time we waste looking at our phones, our productivity is also through the roof when using these devices to their potential.

Need to send a fax? Phone. Need to find a hotel room? Phone. Need directions? Phone. Email? Phone? Quality camera for surprisingly high quality photos? Phone. I suggest you use them and learn about them. They truly improve quality of life and increase productivity. $20 is nothing if the smart phone can save you even one trip to the office, bank or store per month, let alone all the other great stuff it does. I’d pay far more for my phone than I do if I had to.

 

[Fishy]

I'm going to spend a few moments considering a just penalty for resurrecting a month-old thread about a cell phone.

 

[Hoophound]

Ouch. Sorry, not sure what happened, but I thought that was new.

 

[August_West]

Project FI
FTW

Lol what kind of phone you have?

It’s a cool concept and I wouldn’t put it past google to be able to successfully shake up the cellular business. But in no way is this close to mature yet