Cell phone blues (a rant & a question)

[hemispheredancer]

If he broke it, why doesn't he pay to replace it. Maybe if it was his money being spent he would learn to take care of things??

 

[MICKEY88]

odds are if the phone was broken thru negligence the insurance wouldn't have covered it..

I've bought several phones on ebay, as long as you check a sellers feedback and get a phone for your provider you should be OK...

an unlocked phone will supposedly work on any system

 

[golfgal]

I have CellularOne and we get free phones with each new contract. I am due for a new phone in February (I checked a couple weeks ago). I think someone in your office is trying to get you to buy a new, expensive phone. When we got DS his phone he was told that if he broke or lost the phone, he would have to pay to have it replaced. The phone he has now would cost $50 to replace. You do have to pay for a new phone even if you didn't "buy" it if it is still under contract. I would get him a cheep phone if he can't take care of it. If he wants a more expensive phone, he can pay for it. I certainly wouldn't pay for the insurance for him if you get the one you have fixed, he can do that.

 

[wnissen]

Buying cell-phone insurance almost never makes any sense. Think about it: you will pay $5 a month for two years, which comes out to $120. Since you can almost always find a used phone on eBay or the classifieds for less than $100, you're paying more than it would have cost to replace the phone anyway.

I am very bad with phones (lost two in the last 3 years) but the last time I was able to buy a used phone with headset and two chargers for $70 total. The price for the phone and those accessories new would have been over $200. I can basically lose a phone every year and still be ahead of the game.

Walt

 

[mickeyfan2]

What cell phone did you buy for DS? $189 is way too much. If he broke the first one he should have gotten the cheapest phone your carrier had and he should have paid for it.

 

[mickeyfan2]

I just looked on e-bay and saw several phones for cellular one! What does that mean, and what do you do with them? Do you take them to cellular one for them to put a code in? What does it mean when it says it's an "unlocked" phone?

I don't see his particular phone, but I see some really nice ones on there.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Most phone have SIM cards and the user ID is on it. When the SIM card is moved to a new phone the ID moves too.

 

[EthansMom]

It sounds like you're getting a real sales pitch from your local Cellular One salesperson, who makes a good commission off the expensive phones. I would call Cellular One directly (1-800-300-7066) and ask them about cheaper options for replacement phones. I would be willing to bet that they have a cell phone for around $40 or $50, which should be fine if your DS beats the thing to all heck and gone. No matter how your DS whines and begs, he does not need a phone that takes photos or downloads videos.

Also, don't beat yourself up for not getting the insurance -- it's a big rip-off. First of all, you get charged around $4/mo. per phone for the insurance and then you would have to pay a $50 deductible and the phone that they would replace the old phone with would be a refurbished (used) phone and so would be worth about $50. If you had purchased the cell phone insurance, you would be out the $4/mo. plus $50. If you just purchase a new, cheap phone, you'll be out only $50.

Also, a protective carrying case for the phone would be a good thing to buy. IMO, if DS isn't paying for the new phone, maybe it should be his Christmas gift.

 

[Annie68]

What cell phone did you buy for DS? $189 is way too much. If he broke the first one he should have gotten the cheapest phone your carrier had and he should have paid for it.

I'm not the OP but we just got the standard free phones with our contract. When my DD lost her phone, the cheapest replacement phone Verizon offered was $180! I called the 1-800 # and went into the local store, nothing cheaper. The sales girl at the local store is the one who told me to look on ebay! Verizon said they only offered the free phones at contract renewal.

 

[Nana Annie]

Another great place to get phones is Costco. They have a lifetime guarantee on all phones. I did have to check with customer service because I didn't quite believe the phone sales people at Costco. Costco Customer Service said certainly - no matter why you want to return it (even if you just want a new one), as long as you have the box, the receipt and the accessories, bring it back for a full refund. And don't feel guilty because Costco said they get reimbursed by the phone manufacturer.

So, you make an initial investment for the first phone and then tuck the box away with the receipt, the manual, etc and you can bring it back anytime for a full refund and then just use that money for a new phone. And the nice thing is you don't have to sign any contracts - you are just changing the phone. At least that is the way it works for our provider.

Last year, I had a phone that was broken. Not due to hard use or anything. I also had insurance on it. However, when I brought it in, the service rep found a microscopic nick on the phone - completely unrelated to the problem, and told me that the phone had been abused and the insurance was voided.

So, I headed off to Costco to get a replacement phone because I wasn't going to sign another contract. I just returned it after a year of use for a full refund and got an upgraded phone for just $10.00 more,.