Upgrading my iPhone

[daytime dave]

I happened to be near where I used to live for a medical appointment. I made the most of it, visiting stores I don't go to anymore. One of the ones I wanted to visit was the Verizon store. I had tried to do a phone upgrade online when they offered a great rebate, but the end result was almost a car payment. I wanted to sit across from someone who could explain what everything is. I stopped in, was almost immediately met by a young woman who took me to a desk and made a few suggestions. I decided to go with the soon to be out iPhone 16. She did her magic and my regular payment dropped about 10 dollars a month and my date went from 8 gig to unlimited. She will contact me when the phone arrives at the store. I just give them my old one.
So far, so good. We'll see when the new one arrives. It was easily explained and very easy. So far...........

[BrokenolMarine]

Glad to hear it went well for you. We have had issues with THREE providers over the last four years, but mainly because OUR area is a black hole for cell useage. We finally discovered Straight Talk actually works, somewhat, in our area. Miss T spent three hours on the phone yelling at them yesterday, as we had to replace my old Iphone because it's started to fail. She bought a new phone from Straight Talk, and she was having trouble getting it set up.

She had called them to order the phone directly from Straight talk, and they sent it out. Turns out they shipped the wrong Sim Card with the phone, an A card when it should have been a B card. They said, "No problem at all, we'll send a B Card right out, we just need a credit card number for the new card."

"Ah, What?"

"You know, to pay for the new Sim Card, they aren't free."

"But I paid for a Sim Card, and YOU sent the wrong card."

"But the Correct Card isn't Free and you used the other card already."

"YOU made the mistake."

"But YOU can't use the phone without a new card."

Back and forth, I just told her to pay for the new card or return the phone and I won't have one. I didn't care at this point.

"I'll just return the phone, send me a pick up label."

"It will be $12.95 for UPS pickup, or you can drop off for $7.95."

"I have to pay to return the phone that won't work because YOU messed up?"

"Yes."



"Just pay for the Sim Card."

After over an hour of frustration, she had to pay for the card or tear out all her hair.

[BrokenolMarine]

They are probably shipping the Sim Card by donkey.

[clovishound]

I just buy a prepaid phone that's compatible with my provider from a department store and swap the sim card from my old phone. You can get a phone that makes and receives calls & texts, will connect to the internet, run most any app you need, and even has a 6-12 MP little camera built in for between $50 and $100.

Am I missing something?

[Ernie]

Hate having to deal with corporate mentality.

[BrokenolMarine]

I just buy a prepaid phone that's compatible with my provider from a department store and swap the sim card from my old phone. You can get a phone that makes and receives calls & texts, will connect to the internet, run most any app you need, and even has a 6-12 MP little camera built in for between $50 and $100.

Am I missing something?

Yeah, we tried that. We are in a black hole of phone service due to the rural nature. When we first moved here only US Cellular had a tower covering the area, so I gave up a locked in Verizon LE Contract I had kept for about twenty years. It was SO sweet. I had a phone dumber than I was and all it did was call, text, and take really crappy pictures. But, it had NO signal within a half mile of the new farm house.

LG Slider 2.jpg (598.23 KiB) Viewed 925 times

The best package we could get from US Cellular required Smart(er than me) phones.

I really hated the phones but it was really the best package available and they worked well for about three or four months, and then US cellulars tower died. It was "In Repair" for months.. and they kept giving us a small credit on the bill since we couldn't get service at home, but did in town. "The repairs should be done next month." Turns out they had no intention of repairing the 4G tower and were waiting for the 5G upgrade, which kept getting pushed back. We finally "Broke" our contract without penalty, since they weren't going to be able to uphold their end of the contract and provide service as promised. We went with another provider. GREAT service, even in the house. For two months. But they were piggy backing on another provider's towers and lost their contract. No more service. Broke that contract.

We love where we live. But, like everything else, there are pro's and cons. The cons for where we live?
Crappy cell service.
No High Speed Internet.
Everything, EVERY thing, is at least a half hour drive.

[clovishound]

Sounds like the issues are with your providers rather than your phone.

I just wonder what a $1000+ phone will do that a <$100 phone won't.

[Mags]

...and swap the sim card from my old phone. ...

Didn't work with my last upgrade. It needed eSIM.

[Mags]

...
"I have to pay ...... because YOU messed up?"
....

Maybe file a complaint with the BBB.

[BigAl52]

Cell Phones are a S**t show anymore

[clovishound]

...and swap the sim card from my old phone. ...

Didn't work with my last upgrade. It needed eSIM.

My provider charged me $5 to make a compatible sim for me when I switched from flip to "smart".

[The Happy Kaboomer]

Make your new none can't blow up.

[rickhem]

I've got a iPhone 14 for work, and that doesn't use a SIM card.
My own personal iPhone 6 still uses one though.

When we first took a ride around the property where we live now, I told my GF that she should have her phone out and be checking the cell signal as we did. She has ATT and I have verizon, and coverage is not the same. Both of us have great signals anywhere we are on the property, which is a really nice thing.

But I completely agree that the whole business of cell phones and cell service is right up there with cable TV and insurance.

[daytime dave]

Well, I picked up the new phone today. It was 8 or 9 years since my last one. I was impressed that everything on the old phone was transferred to the new phone. About all I had to do was log into things again. I'm impressed that it recognizes my face to unlock things. I used to have to put my thumb on the scanner, now I just look at the screen, which I am doing anyway. I am also going through my apps to make sure I still want them. A few have already bit the dust.
I used to say it with the old one, and I will be saying it about this one, my phone is definitely smarter than I am. Although for now, I'm a better shot.

[Guide]

I just ordered a new phone, 39.95 no strings attached.

IMG_0080.jpeg (32.24 KiB) Viewed 774 times

[clovishound]

I just ordered a new phone, 39.95 no strings attached.IMG_0080.jpeg

I'll bet that thing has great battery life!

[cooperhawk]

My iPhone started acting weird so I stopped into the Verizon store and found out I was eligible for a new one due to
the length of service we have paid for. The phone was free but of course you have to sign up for three more years
of service.
We've tried other services out here in the country but Verizon has been the only reliable one so far. We both have hot
spots on our phones so we can stream when the internet is down or when we travel.
I remarked to the young fellow waiting on me that I bet lots of phones weren't working in the Carolinas right now and
he corrected me telling me that this new phone will automatically go to satellite signals if the towers fail so if the have
the new phones they still work.
Amazing.

[daytime dave]

Yes, I was looking into my phone and it said that it will go to satellite if possible in emergencies. I guess I could take some comfort in that. I couldn't get a signal on the phone nor the wifi signal extender Verizon sent me when I wanted to order Chinese tonight.
Perhaps I should have declared an emergency and ordered directly from the Mainland in China....................