Cell phone, man I'm STEAMED!

[bassnleo]

All I can say is "what a racket" these cellular companies have going. First off, I'm required to have a cellular phone or pager for work purposes, I have a cell phone. The phone was "free" when I signed up through an account rep that manages the accounts for where I work.

Whelp, last week while steelhead fishing I had my phone in the bottom of my vest just above waist level. I had breathable chest waders on and went in to a little deeper water to recover a Drennan float for a friend that he got hung in a tree laying in the water.

I heard my phone making wierd noises, "uh ooh". Yep, it got a LITTLE wet, no dripping water or anything, just a little moisture on the screen when I opened it up. The phone totally quit working. I let it dry for a day or so, I could send and recieve calls but the screen remained blank.

I call the account rep, he tells me that he find me a refurbished phone so I can make it through the end of my contract (May 07) then I will be eligible for a new phone. I get the phone 2 days later and a bill for almost $100. GOOD GRIEF, I didn't pay a cent for the original phone. The account rep tells me that it's the best he could do and it is better than paying "retail" for a new phone.

What a racket! They can give phones away for nothing when you renew or sign up for a new plan but when you need a replacement we get smoked!

Just wanted to vent and say what a crock!

Anyone else go through this?

Oh ya, the "insurance" for a phone. If I had it it would have still cost me nearly as much according to the rep to have the phone repaired and I would have been without a phone for a longer period of time!

[flechero]

I'd send the refurbed unit and the bill back to the rep and tell him "thanks anyway!"

You can buy phones that are new for that price retail... and have them activated to your number.

[fishbear]

I work in the Wireless business on the wholesale end, and you need to make a stink about that.... your rep is making his commission to be sure.....  Call around to different stores, and see what they say.  If you complain enough they will do whatever it takes to make you happy.  Especially if you do it in person in thier store in front of other customers or prospective customers...  They do not want to lose the potential business, especially if you start dropping the names of thier competitors, as possible replacements.

[Glenn]

Bassnleo, you are correct. When a cell phone gets wet, even "damp", it's toast. Doesn't matter what manufacturer or carrier it is. You can't have a tire "a little bit flat", no matter what make or brand. Getting cell phones wet is the same thing.

As far as replacement goes, there's no obligation for the carrier to give you something free, that you just broke, when they weren't at fault. Ya, it would be nice, but they would go out a business pretty quickly that way. You see, with the low rates, cheap, and free phones, a carrier just breaks even on you on the 11th month. They sell the phones below cost when you sign up. They actually lose money to have you as a customer for a year. Hence the 2-year contracts. If they kept giving away phones, they would go bankrupt.

That "$30" phone you can buy? It actually retails around $150-200. They eat the cost, but eventually make it back over time. Otherwise nobody would buy service if all the phones cost hundreds of dollars. So if you break it and have to replace it, there's no room for additional discounts. That refurbished phone is actually the cost of the phone without discounts. If you renew your contract, you're then eligible for another discounted phone because they know eventually they'll make it back.

This also explains the high early termination fees.

It's not fun, I know, but you wouldn't have any cell phones, or cell service, otherwise.

As far as "raising a stink" - I'd be very careful about that strategy.  If you have "less than stellar" credit, or have filed claims previously, then they're much more likely to hand you over to their competitor.  In fact, they're happy to send their problem customers to their competitors. That is, of course, after you pay the early termination fees.

[fishbear]

Glenn,

I humbly disagree.  I deal with these companies every day.  They do not like "bad press"  It takes 20 happy customers to undue the damage done by one unhappy customer.   I am not saying go in yelling and screaming.  However, I would make sure my rep knows that if that is the best he can do for me, as soon as my contract is up, I will be looking for another carrier.   We were able to pick up a very large corporate account for that very reason.  The rep would not budge... so the company left the carrier when the contract was up,, and we got their business...  Now that rep is in another line of work.  That contract cost him about 10,000.00 a month in business between phones, accessories, etc......

[Glenn]

You're comparing apples to oranges - corporate accounts to personal accounts.  Totally different channels.

[Pond Hopper]

Give the phone time and continue to dry it out.  My phone I currently use was in my pocket last August when a boat I was on sank.  It took a little time but it works fine to this day, LG makes a tough phone.  

[edbassmaster]

Glenn is 100% right. I have worked for Cingular for 8 years and although it seems unfair...it is true. Now on the other hand if you know someone who can help you out thats great. If someone comes in my store in the same situation you were in I send them to WalMart or Rite Aid to buy a phone right off the shelf...rite aid has our $70 Motorola for $20 right off the shelf. You just pop your sim card in it. If you have Cingular give that strap his phone back and call me, I will take care of you. And NO I dont work on commission, I manage a retail corporate owned store. By the way, your rep didnt make commission on that sale I can almost guarantee you. Like I said if you have Cingular call me, I will get you a phone and ship it to you, no strings attached. I would just rather help a fellow fisherman that half the schmucktarts that come in my store. Ed 215-300-4300 cell

[bassnleo]

I'm really not the type to raise a ruckus, I get enough attention in my profession and don't need do draw any more attention to myself.

It's just frustrating that my employer has a large account with this carrier and $90 was the "best" the rep could do. According to him, the replacement phone retails for $150 and if I wanted a new phone I had to pay retail.

My contract is up in May 07, A change may be in order. Guess I'll decide at that point.

edbassmaster, appreciate the offer but I'm not with Cingular. I also didn't have a sim card so I lost about 50 stored numbers. The phone book still works in my old phone, I just can't see it. I'm taking both phones to a retail store tomorrow to see if they can transfer my numbers.

One other problem, my new phone is not a camera phone as my old one is. I also lost several pics that I really liked including pics of my daughter right after she was born back in April :-/

[KU_Bassmaster.]

I also didn't have a sim card so I lost about 50 stored numbers. The phone book still works in my old phone, I just can't see it. I'm taking both phones to a retail store tomorrow to see if they can transfer my numbers.

Prepare to be steamed again ........ I went for an unexpected swim earlier this year and my cell phone was in my pocket.  Mine was much like yours, it would turn on and everything worked except the screen was black.  Luckily my dad had a spare phone I could use for the remaining months of my contract.  I went to the store to get the numbers swapped and see if I could swap my phone book.  Nope, it was against store policy to touch any phone with water damage.  Why I don't know, but there must be something to it.  The only reason they gave me was it was against "store policy".

[edbassmaster]

No prob...they should def be able to transfer the #s.

[edbassmaster]

Also, when you take pics...email them to yourself...its easy and even if you dont have a plan it only runs about 25 cents each one

[Fisher of Men]

Leo,

Try putting the phone in a frost-free freezer for about 48 hours.  It's worked for a couple of friends of mine.  It's worth a try.  For one buddy (who's been in the drink 2X) it worked the first time, but not the second.  Otherwise, it looks like your under "the man's" thumb, like the rest of us at some point in time.  Good luck with it.

-Fisher

[huskertko]

Glenn hit the nail on the head with regards to how and why you can get a "free" phone with a new contract, and as far as just letting dry out and hope it works.  Well that would probably work IF the phone was shut off when it got wet, just like a tech friend told me, the best way to clean a keyboard is to put it in the dishwasher.  You just have to let it completely dry out before using.  If the phone is on when it gets wet, there is already electricity flowing through the circuits so they will short out and once that happens, you're SOL, however if the phone is turned off, then there is not current flowing through the circuits, so letting the thoroughly dry before turning it on may work for a while, until the corrosion kicks in.

Your best bet is to go onto Craigs list and see if anyone has any used phones in your area that will work on your network until your contract can be renewed.

[buckthefisherman]

i was at a party one time got pushed into the pool. of course cell was in pocket let it dry out for like a week w/o turning it on or messing with.  a week l8ter turned the phone on like nothing had hapened

[Redlinerobert]

As far as I'm concerned, all cell phones and cell phone services suck.  It's just a matter of finding one that sucks less.  

[edbassmaster]

hey redliner, I work for Cingular and you offended me...you forgot to mention all the people who drive and talk...they suck too ya know!!

[Redlinerobert]

edbassmaster,

I meant no offense to anyone with my post. I've used all the major providers and from my experience, have had issues with all of them, including Cingular.

By the way Ed,

Is that one of those bluetooth thing-a-ma-jiggers on your ear in your avatar??

[Chris at Tech]

This thread reminds me of a funny story.

I was having trouble getting a signal with my Sprint phone...while standing in a Sprint store!!!  I originally went in because I rarely got a signal at home.  And I was NOT in the boondocks.  

I called the customer service rep from the phone in the store (because apparently the people in the store are only good at selling stuff and cannot handle the monumental task of service cancellation) and the rep tells me that I need to purchase a new phone to get the better signal.  And since I'm not a new customer, I need to pay full price.  And even then if I do all that and I don't get the improved signal, then I'm just out of luck.  And just to be clear, I cancelled

That's just one of the several wonderful experiences I had with Sprint.

[edbassmaster]

Yes that is bluetooth...I dont talk on my phone without it while driving...by the way I was being facecious, you didnt offend me. I agree they all pretty much suck.

[bassnleo]

At least one positive in my ordeal. I went to a factory store to have my phonebook transferred, customer secrvice rep took my phone and came back out 10 min later, said all went well, then brought up my account to print a bill, the fee is $10

She looks at her computer for a minute, tells me that I'm a merits (have no clue what it even is)customer and says that the phonebook transfer is free for merits customers. I don't even know if I'm saying it right, merits? I didn't stick around to ask, I said thanks and bolted. Numbers transferred successfully so I didn't loose any.