Original post from 2011...
I need to get a new cell phone, but it's impossible! I really do hate cell phones, and what they have become. I hate even more the crazy amount of money providers charge for the service. Though I admit, I don't think I'd be willing to give mine up. This makes it even more frustrating. I want it, but I hate it. I really wanna vent and let off some steam (if you can bare my long post) but I'll take advice if any one has any.
So to start, I'm on a shared family plan with T-Mobile right now. I have one of 5 lines, and the bill split 5 ways is about $35/month. Not a bad price considering I have unlimited text messages and more than enough minutes (not that I use much of the minutes anyway). I will some times talk on the phone. Most calls last only minutes, rare occasions that I'll talk for 10-30 minutes to a friend. I mostly text. When I had the ability to send pics, it was great. But I mostly just text.
I bought a Motorolla Razr years ago. The camera no longer works on it after a bad drop. Some time after, I got two almost brand new phones for free. A Palm Treo 600 and some kind of typical Blackberry with no camera. Obviously, these were upgrades to the Razr. Both phones have full keyboards, and since I mostly just text they were definitely a better choice than the Razr. I used the Treo for a while. The Treo had a camera but for some reason I could not send pics, I could only receive them, and they look HORRIBLE on the screen. Then I used the Blackberry for a while. The Blackberry didn't have a camera, but since I couldn't send pics on the Treo or Razr I wasn't missing anything. The Blackberry was thinner than the Treo, and had a more comfortable keyboard.
So that's my history. Long story short, the Blackberry started shutting off. Only way to get it back on was to pull the battery. It started doing this often - every time I pulled the phone out to check the time. I had to switch back to the Treo. The Treo now has a list of problems. It'll freeze, the battery doesn't last as long as it once did, some times I get no service when I should or it'll drop, the wireless mode will shut off and I wont be able to turn it back on (can't make calls) and just all around weird things happen from time to time. Also, there's damage to the screen now. The Razr still works, except for the camera, but the battery doesn't last at all any more. So to say the least, I really need to get a new phone.
I'm due for an upgrade from T-Mobile, which will put me in a 2-year contract with them. I guess this is worth doing. I don't wanna pay for a phone, and the bill isn't too bad. But they make it IMPOSSIBLE to upgrade to a phone that's worth getting. Pretty much EVERY phone these days is a stupid internet smart phone, which you really have to get a data plan with or end up paying out the ass for an accidental data transmission. The cells that aren't internet phones are absolute shit. They're barely worth getting at all, and definitely not worth getting locked in for 2 years for. All the phones with a full keyboard (which I would want since I mostly just text) are internet phones, and almost all of them are crazy expensive, even as an upgrade price, and I'm just not willing to spend a lot of money on a stupid cell phone.
So, I started liking the Motorolla Defy. It's not too expensive (a little smaller and not as fast as other internet phones) but it's water proof, the screen is scratch resistant, it's can be dropped in sand and work just fine. I watched video demonstrate this, and that's the kind of phone I want. Touch screen only, but the idea of Swype (or whatever it's called) and a touch screen keyboard kinda grew on me. It's an Android phone by the way. I don't wanna pay for a data plan, but the phone also has WiFi. So I was thinking, block data transmissions and just use WiFi. I really can live with that, I really don't want to be going on the internet every second anyway.
So I call up T-Mobile just now to ask some questions. Contrary to what others have told me, apparently they DO require you to have a data plan to upgrade to that phone. Though, I could buy it on my own and not have a data plan. Yes, they can block data transmissions if you want (so I don't have to pay $2/MB for an accidental use). But now get this, THEY WILL CHARGE YOU $2/MB FOR WiFi USE AS WELL! How does that make sense? If I'm using WiFi on the phone to access the internet in my house, the internet that I pay for, T-Mobile will charge me for it. T-Mobile will charge ME for using MY internet that I pay for! How ridiculously absurd! I've never heard of anything so stupid. I asked the guy on the phone why this is, and he said because it still goes through the SIM card. I told him I still fail to understand why T-Mobile would charge me for using my own internet... THAT I PAY FOR! That's like Mobil gas station charging me for driving when I filled up at a Sunoco gas station!
So then, OK, even though I don't want to pay for a data plan let's just think about it for a second. I like to try and keep an open mind. How much would a data plan cost? They have two plans: $15/month for 200MB or $30 for unlimited. So basically, there's only one option there, and it's $30/month. It's only $15 more for unlimited, and 200MB isn't exactly a lot considering if you go over it's $2/MB. What a bunch of crooks!
When I asked the guy if a data plan was required to purchase the phone, and if data transmissions could be blocked, he asked why I would even be interested in getting THAT phone. Well, because they make it impossible so you end up spending more money even if you don't want to! All the phones that aren't internet phones are complete shit and really aren't worth getting. I might as well just get a new battery for my Razr and stay out of a contract. Not to mention, I really just don't want a data plan. I have no need to have internet access where ever I go, it's just not something I need. WiFi access would be enough for me. I have it at home and at friends/family, and I have Optimum Online hot spots for free. But apparently, with out a data plan, I have to pay T-Mobile $2/month to use something I already pay for! Of course, WiFi is included in the unlimited data plan. So again, they force you to get it! Crooks!
So it's kind of a vicious circle I've been in, there's no good option for me. I can keep the Treo which has massive problems, get a battery for the Razr with a busted camera (which would be a massive downgrade from the Treo and Blackberry), or get a new but shitty phone for free as an upgrade and get locked in a 2-year contract (this phone would also be a massive downgrade from the Treo and Blackberry). Then there's the internet phones, which are something like 70-85% of the phones they carry. I could get a decent phone and either have to buy a data plan or not use any of the phone's features which kinda makes it a waste of money.
I know people love their phones and data plans, I'm sure there's many people here on Racketboy. But I feel like I'm in Idiocracy. I'm not saying people are dumb, I'm just saying I feel like all I want is a nice phone with some nice features but NO data plan but people look at me like that's the weirdest idea ever. I don't want Brawndo, I just want water, and NOT toilet water! How do I know, because I can talk to plants and they told me they want water.
And to top it all off, I went from having horrible service at work to getting normal-great service. It use to be, I'd get no service inside, and there was only 2 or 3 locations I could get a few bars in. Now I get bars all over the place. But of course, when I finally get good service, my phone is a big piece of shit (problems described above).
So in case I didn't make it clear what it is I want in this big pile of ranting rage: I want to get a Motorolla Defy, a bad ass Android phone that I can dunk in a glass of milk. I don't want a data plan, and I want to block all data transmissions (so I don't have to pay $2/MB). I want to be able to use WiFi for free. That's really it. If not the Defy, then some other similar phone.
Any one else have any similar frustration with getting a new cell phone? Or is it just me?
So to start, I'm on a shared family plan with T-Mobile right now. I have one of 5 lines, and the bill split 5 ways is about $35/month. Not a bad price considering I have unlimited text messages and more than enough minutes (not that I use much of the minutes anyway). I will some times talk on the phone. Most calls last only minutes, rare occasions that I'll talk for 10-30 minutes to a friend. I mostly text. When I had the ability to send pics, it was great. But I mostly just text.
I bought a Motorolla Razr years ago. The camera no longer works on it after a bad drop. Some time after, I got two almost brand new phones for free. A Palm Treo 600 and some kind of typical Blackberry with no camera. Obviously, these were upgrades to the Razr. Both phones have full keyboards, and since I mostly just text they were definitely a better choice than the Razr. I used the Treo for a while. The Treo had a camera but for some reason I could not send pics, I could only receive them, and they look HORRIBLE on the screen. Then I used the Blackberry for a while. The Blackberry didn't have a camera, but since I couldn't send pics on the Treo or Razr I wasn't missing anything. The Blackberry was thinner than the Treo, and had a more comfortable keyboard.
So that's my history. Long story short, the Blackberry started shutting off. Only way to get it back on was to pull the battery. It started doing this often - every time I pulled the phone out to check the time. I had to switch back to the Treo. The Treo now has a list of problems. It'll freeze, the battery doesn't last as long as it once did, some times I get no service when I should or it'll drop, the wireless mode will shut off and I wont be able to turn it back on (can't make calls) and just all around weird things happen from time to time. Also, there's damage to the screen now. The Razr still works, except for the camera, but the battery doesn't last at all any more. So to say the least, I really need to get a new phone.
I'm due for an upgrade from T-Mobile, which will put me in a 2-year contract with them. I guess this is worth doing. I don't wanna pay for a phone, and the bill isn't too bad. But they make it IMPOSSIBLE to upgrade to a phone that's worth getting. Pretty much EVERY phone these days is a stupid internet smart phone, which you really have to get a data plan with or end up paying out the ass for an accidental data transmission. The cells that aren't internet phones are absolute shit. They're barely worth getting at all, and definitely not worth getting locked in for 2 years for. All the phones with a full keyboard (which I would want since I mostly just text) are internet phones, and almost all of them are crazy expensive, even as an upgrade price, and I'm just not willing to spend a lot of money on a stupid cell phone.
So, I started liking the Motorolla Defy. It's not too expensive (a little smaller and not as fast as other internet phones) but it's water proof, the screen is scratch resistant, it's can be dropped in sand and work just fine. I watched video demonstrate this, and that's the kind of phone I want. Touch screen only, but the idea of Swype (or whatever it's called) and a touch screen keyboard kinda grew on me. It's an Android phone by the way. I don't wanna pay for a data plan, but the phone also has WiFi. So I was thinking, block data transmissions and just use WiFi. I really can live with that, I really don't want to be going on the internet every second anyway.
So I call up T-Mobile just now to ask some questions. Contrary to what others have told me, apparently they DO require you to have a data plan to upgrade to that phone. Though, I could buy it on my own and not have a data plan. Yes, they can block data transmissions if you want (so I don't have to pay $2/MB for an accidental use). But now get this, THEY WILL CHARGE YOU $2/MB FOR WiFi USE AS WELL! How does that make sense? If I'm using WiFi on the phone to access the internet in my house, the internet that I pay for, T-Mobile will charge me for it. T-Mobile will charge ME for using MY internet that I pay for! How ridiculously absurd! I've never heard of anything so stupid. I asked the guy on the phone why this is, and he said because it still goes through the SIM card. I told him I still fail to understand why T-Mobile would charge me for using my own internet... THAT I PAY FOR! That's like Mobil gas station charging me for driving when I filled up at a Sunoco gas station!
So then, OK, even though I don't want to pay for a data plan let's just think about it for a second. I like to try and keep an open mind. How much would a data plan cost? They have two plans: $15/month for 200MB or $30 for unlimited. So basically, there's only one option there, and it's $30/month. It's only $15 more for unlimited, and 200MB isn't exactly a lot considering if you go over it's $2/MB. What a bunch of crooks!
When I asked the guy if a data plan was required to purchase the phone, and if data transmissions could be blocked, he asked why I would even be interested in getting THAT phone. Well, because they make it impossible so you end up spending more money even if you don't want to! All the phones that aren't internet phones are complete shit and really aren't worth getting. I might as well just get a new battery for my Razr and stay out of a contract. Not to mention, I really just don't want a data plan. I have no need to have internet access where ever I go, it's just not something I need. WiFi access would be enough for me. I have it at home and at friends/family, and I have Optimum Online hot spots for free. But apparently, with out a data plan, I have to pay T-Mobile $2/month to use something I already pay for! Of course, WiFi is included in the unlimited data plan. So again, they force you to get it! Crooks!
So it's kind of a vicious circle I've been in, there's no good option for me. I can keep the Treo which has massive problems, get a battery for the Razr with a busted camera (which would be a massive downgrade from the Treo and Blackberry), or get a new but shitty phone for free as an upgrade and get locked in a 2-year contract (this phone would also be a massive downgrade from the Treo and Blackberry). Then there's the internet phones, which are something like 70-85% of the phones they carry. I could get a decent phone and either have to buy a data plan or not use any of the phone's features which kinda makes it a waste of money.
I know people love their phones and data plans, I'm sure there's many people here on Racketboy. But I feel like I'm in Idiocracy. I'm not saying people are dumb, I'm just saying I feel like all I want is a nice phone with some nice features but NO data plan but people look at me like that's the weirdest idea ever. I don't want Brawndo, I just want water, and NOT toilet water! How do I know, because I can talk to plants and they told me they want water.
And to top it all off, I went from having horrible service at work to getting normal-great service. It use to be, I'd get no service inside, and there was only 2 or 3 locations I could get a few bars in. Now I get bars all over the place. But of course, when I finally get good service, my phone is a big piece of shit (problems described above).
So in case I didn't make it clear what it is I want in this big pile of ranting rage: I want to get a Motorolla Defy, a bad ass Android phone that I can dunk in a glass of milk. I don't want a data plan, and I want to block all data transmissions (so I don't have to pay $2/MB). I want to be able to use WiFi for free. That's really it. If not the Defy, then some other similar phone.
Any one else have any similar frustration with getting a new cell phone? Or is it just me?
