Update on Cell Phone Companies
Read more articles on Let Me Share With You.February 7, 2007
Posted by Karen Amato Schwartz
February 7, 2007
Posted by Karen Amato Schwartz
354 Views
OK, a couple of days ago I wrote a piece here on the Compendium about my cell phone dilemma and the frustration of dealing with cellular companies. I feel you deserved closure.
Well, yesterday I spent several interesting hours on Ebay, only to end up overwhelmed. It seems that hundreds of people, plus brokers, are selling some kind of phone. The question became, auction or “buy now”? And, even with positive ratings of sellers, I was a bit hesitant. I only considered vendors who had a return policy, but to return one just meant waiting that much longer for another to arrive. Furthermore, the costs of the model I wished to replace (just because I already have the battery, charger and whatnot) was still more than I wanted to invest with just 6 weeks to go on this contract.
So, I did something I was told couldn’t be done-and became connected to the world once more-by sticking my Sims card in a brand new “pay as you go” phone. Voila!
I’m fine with not investing money in technology that I do not need. (Sure, the camera phone was nice, but the only two photos I took were the ones I used for my home screen, and you can forget my ever using text, internet or music.) I have everything I need-and more-in this simple little device, which I can always give to another family member for occasional backup. Plus, if it’s damaged, it won’t be as disheartening as seeing an expensive phone ruined, like my recent experience was.
Why don’t the vendors themselves sell refurbished phones at their outlets? Years ago, I bought one and it worked just fine-and probably still does. I only quit using it 10 months ago when I started this current contract. Just like those old black rotary phones, I bet the early technology is a lot sturdier than today’s sophisticated stuff. What’s even odder is that I was told by my vendor that their refurbished phones are only available on line, and just as a condition of a new contract! This is why Ebay has flourished; retailers are not meeting the public’s needs.
Folks who find themselves in the situation I was in see that our only alternative is to go a little “outside the norm”. I would have rather purchased the same (refurbished) model I had, from my carrier, but they choose to sell only new phones in order to acquire contracts. But, if you’re still under contract, you’re stuck. Just looking at the thousands of phones on ebay, I bet at least half have owners who would have preferred to walk into their carrier’s store to unload a phone they no longer want for money or trade-up. It would work out perfectly for customer service, but probably not make fiscal sense. Hence, it’s not done. The real point is that, had I been able to get the desired, refurbished model from my carrier right now, it would have guaranteed my staying with them past my contract expiration; now, what is keeping me there other than their plan, which is the same as everyone else’s?
As usual, I’ll keep you posted, because, when you think about it, we’re all in this together…
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