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  • #2259141

    Live and die by the cell phone

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    by danlm ·

    Most people that I know carry cell phones, and with a lot of IT people I know this may be an additional requirement for their job functions. IE: On call 24/7, during support functions must be able to be contacted, and the list goes on and on.
    Agreed, the cell phone can help you in so many ways in both a personal and professional manner. 24/7 access, all of your phone numbers and address’s always with you, if your phone is advanced enough you have web and application access with them. What happens when the phone is suddenly lost, stolen, broken, or in my case run through a complete cycle of the laundry wash?
    I was lucky, the Sim card still worked. Rest of the phone made a good door stopper though. But, it was an unwanted/unexpected expense for me to replace my phone. I don’t have a house phone, so I basically left immediately to buy a new one. And this is not the first time this happened to me. I ran over my phone once with the car, that um… Well, another door stopper.
    So, how many of you have been through this? Lost the phone, and went oh chit. What do you do? Phones don’t lend themselves to easy backups like you would do with your laptop. In my case, no other phone. I couldn’t even phone home for help. Never mind, I was already home. Chuckle, doing laundry. But, you know what I mean.

    Just wondered how many others have had this problem before, and what do you do if anything to set yourself for easy recovery.

    Dan

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    • #3209273

      Can you hear me now??? Blubb.. blubb…

      by fungus-among-us ·

      In reply to Live and die by the cell phone

      Back in 2001, I got rid of my land line at home since 90% of the calls were some form of phone solicitation. I upgraded my cell phone plan, got a better phone and added “cell phone insurance”. Like you, I ran my phone through the wash. Went out to Verizon, and got a replacement phone (luckily, the same model). Unfortunately, the phone wouldn’t power up after being disassembled and dried (by verizon), and I lost all my contacts… good thing I’m anal and update my contacts on my computer everytime I add a new number or edit numbers on my phone.

      The next time my phone took a swim (it was my fiance’s grand-daughter that thought my phone would make a good bath toy), I went to Verizon and tried to get another replacement. This time however, they told me that I had to file a claim. The claim involved me calling the insurer, and requesting a replacement phone. I asked the service rep at Verizon, how I was supposed to call them, when my phone didn’t work. Apparently, I needed to use a public pay phone as they didn’t want me using their phone for a toll-free number (great customer service eh?). I ended up going over to Alltel, asking them some questions… and ended up buying a new phone/plan for my Fiance. They use the SAME insurance carrier for their cell phone insurance and I specifically asked what the replacement/claim proceedure was BEFORE I got the phone for my fiance. They said, bring your dead phone to us, we’ll replace it right there and then. I asked to see the manager of the store to VERIFY this proceedure, as this is what Verizon USED to do. He assured me that is their current policy. I filed a claim on my Verizon phone… got notice in the mail that the insurance carrier was changing, but the plan would be the same. Called to find out what the status of my phone was, and was told, there was not a claim on file. Luckily for me, the phone dried up and started working again. I dropped the insurance, and plan on dropping my Verizon account as soon as the current contract expires. I will go with Alltel as long as their current insurance and replacement policy remains the same.

      After hearing my story, the Alltel salesman I was dealing with told me about a free service they offer to their customers. They connect your phone to their PC, download all your phone’s settings and contact information onto a floppy (if it fits), or CD, and give you that media to keep in the event you need to reprogram a replacement or new phone. That’s service!!!

      • #3209246

        Thankfully mine has a Sim card

        by danlm ·

        In reply to Can you hear me now??? Blubb.. blubb…

        I use cingular, which uses the Sim card. So I was able to swap the card over. I just talked to someone that just backups/syncs up with his home computer via blue tooth. But what do you do if your on a trip without your computer?
        The people that I wonder about are the ones that drop their phones in the toilet. I’m sorry, my phone is with me almost everywhere. But…. That’s just not one of those places.

        Dan

        • #3209144

          Screw Verizon

          by nicknielsen ·

          In reply to Thankfully mine has a Sim card

          My son drowned his phone in the toilet. He laid it on the vanity while he was showering, then knocked it off into the toilet while he was drying himself…or so he said. Verizon wanted us to do the claim procedure, but the insurance carrier had changed and the claim instructions Verizon provided were for the old carrier. After three months of fighting the process without valid claim procedures, we were told it was too late to file a claim and a new phone would cost $200 (the dead phone was the “penny” phone). Disconnect fee was $175. By this time there were only 3 months remaining on the contract ($60). My son went without, and three months later we went to Cingular.

          I wouldn’t voluntarily use Verizon on a bet. Great coverage, lousy support.

      • #3209216

        The time to question this policy

        by jdclyde ·

        In reply to Can you hear me now??? Blubb.. blubb…

        is very loudly when they have a lot of people looking to buy phones. They will want to just shut you up so you don’t ruin their future commision. They don’t CARE about you, because they won’t make anymore money off of you.

    • #3209224

      I don’t want a cell phone

      by mjd420nova ·

      In reply to Live and die by the cell phone

      I have plenty of wireless phones at home (4) and one old style wired phone that still works when the power goes out. The children each have their own cell phone (4) and I have one emergency phone I take when going on trips or may need to contact someone waiting at the airport, train station, etc and I’d be in transit. Back at the very beginning of the digital age, 1977, I was required to carry a pager. This two pound brick hung on my hip and caused a limp that is with me to this day. I hated it, I felt like I was in a leash and have resisted the new technology to this day. I do not want to be that acccessable to anyone unless it’s my choice. The children have all different providers, one NEXTEL, one CINGULAR, one METROPC and the last a SPRINT. The only consideration I would make is to get everyone on NEXTEL, then I can pester the hell out of everyone with the walky-talky part.

      • #3209051

        lol, my daughter would kill me if I did that

        by danlm ·

        In reply to I don’t want a cell phone

        I hear ya about the 2 pound brick though. I didn’t start carrying a page for work till about 84, so I don’t know if it weighed 2 pounds. I did have a tendency to lean to the side with the page though.
        God, I hated that thing. What a p.o.s.

        Dan

    • #3209217

      Lucky to know people that like to have the new toys

      by jdclyde ·

      In reply to Live and die by the cell phone

      I have some friends that just HAVE to have the new toys as they come out. They get a new phone everytime I turn around. guess who I hit up last week when the buttons on mine started going?

      “Hey, let me swipe one of your old phones dude!”

      Nooooo problem! 😀

      I have gotten very lucky because of this. Not that I use mine for much, and have been lucky enough to NOT be the person in the department with a company Nextel. No early morning or late at night calls for me! 😀 And yes, salary, so it isn’t like she gets more money for being on-call. she just thought it was a prestege thing when they offered phones and so she swiped it up fast. She now understands why I very politely allowed her to have it. B-)

      At least you haven’t lost your while going to the bathroom! I know several that have! ewwwwww!

      Hey, isn’t that what kills ShellBots phone a few months back?

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