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JT's phone talk...come in!

JohnnyT

JohnnyT

New Member
THIS IS ON POINT!! LET'S KEEP IT CLEAN!!

Ok, so I can upgrade to a new phone come September. I'm currently with Verizon (basic phone plan w/ texting). No qualms with service, but their prices are a bit on the high side.

I am debating on whether to stay with them, or switch carriers. At this point, AT&T would be my only other option. After looking at their phones, the new BB Curve (8900) really peaked my interest as I loved my old 8310.

I also saw with AT&T that you don't need a data plan with that phone. It's tough for me to foresee the potential need for it within 2 years, so this would help fill that void and I can add it in whenever. The 8900 also has GPS capability, which definitely peaks my interest for traveling purposes (and the geek factor as I've never had one).

Yes, I did look at the iPhone, but you need a data plan, and I honestly don't feel like shelling out $100+/mo. for a phone that I mainly use to call and text. I'm at my desk from 8-5 everyday, I don't need e-mail or web browsing outside of those times. The reason I'm looking at the 8900 is that I can fall back and add those features if need be (say I switch jobs or desire those features down the line).

Like I said, no issues with Verizon, but I'm paying about $65 now, and with the plan I built with the 8900 I'd pay about $70, with unlimited texting and GPS (I don't have unlimited texting now). So, to me it kinda makes sense to switch.

Anyone have any new phone info. coming out around my switch time? Seems like the back to school theme pushes out new phones around that time.

Any help would be great.

Thanks.
 
Workdawg

Workdawg

NARWHAL
Obviously I'd say iPhone > *, but whatever. For what it's worth, I was only paying like $70-80/month for my iPhone with minimum minutes (+ rollover) and unlimited data. I don't text, so no plan for that. Apparently there are apps that let you text for free, but I've never tried any of them.

Other options:

Apparently the blackberry tour, whatever that is, is coming to verizon July 12... maybe look that up.

Also, does the GPS on the blackberry not require a dataplan for map lookup or anything? That's kinda strange.
 
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DrWebster

Guest
Fuck AT&T up the ass. You don't want to know what I've had to deal with at work regarding their epic fail of a customer service department.

The BlackBerry 8900 is a really nice phone; I've had mine for about 3 weeks and it's a major improvement over my old 8100. I'm on T-Mobile and get great service from them. The BIS add-on is $5 cheaper per month than AT&T, as well. The GPS on the 8900 is great, but for it to actually be useful you'll need a data plan (the maps download on-the-fly; there are no stored maps on the phone).

Keep in mind that most carriers require you to have a data plan if you buy a BlackBerry (or other smartphone for that matter). That's because smartphones cost more, so they need to you have a data plan so they can recoup their cost of the subsidy (how they can charge you only $150 for a $500 phone under contract).
 
JohnnyT

JohnnyT

New Member
From what I'm reading the 8900 does not require a data plan to use the GPS. It's separated on the plan-building page and I can add the GPS without it adding the data plan.

I've never used AT&T. My uncle works for them and isn't too fond of the company, but seems like most are satisfied with their service. Honestly, all carriers suck in their own right.

Dan - I need texting, simply because people text me. I'd rather talk and get the convo over in 2 min rather than 48. I'll check the BB Tour out, never heard of it.
 
Workdawg

Workdawg

NARWHAL
I get texts once in a while too... Jenny informed me that I got like 12 last month for $2.40, lol. Normally when someone texts me, I just call them to deal with whatever they need.
 
Z

Z-licious

Guest
:roll: 70-80/month for the Jesus phone.

Our family plan has like, 5 lines, 2 of them have data, about 1500 mins/month, 500 texts, and we're paying less than $100/month IIRC. I know it's less than $150.

Sprint is the carrier. We just kept bitching until they gave us free data plans and some texts.
 
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Picklz

Picklz

SUDO Make me a SAMCH
My .02

You may want to verify that the GPS functionality will do you any good without a data plan, I could see them enabling it then it not being of any use because as others have mentioned all the maps and such are downloaded on the fly. I don't really see the desire to have a blackberry w/o data plan,beyond email they did just about everything else worse than most other phones (In my experience) but if you can get one without and think you might want one in the next 1-2years then I guess it wouldn't be an all bad option.

I switched from VZW to AT&T when I got my iphone. I haven't had any major complaints with either carrier as far as customer service. I had more problems with getting my bill straight when I was with Verizon than I have had with AT&T but it wasnt horrible and was always fixed. It's been my experience that VZW has slightly better coverage/call quality than AT&T around here, but AT&T has better global coverage.

I hate how VZW locks everything down and attempts to up-charge you for anything and everything, that + the iphone (in my situation) were reason enough to leave.
 
Picklz

Picklz

SUDO Make me a SAMCH
E-licious said:
:roll: 70-80/month for the Jesus phone.

Our family plan has like, 5 lines, 2 of them have data, about 1500 mins/month, 500 texts, and we're paying less than $100/month IIRC. I know it's less than $150.

Sprint is the carrier. We just kept bitching until they gave us free data plans and some texts.
Click to expand...
Im not sure what value this offers to the conversation....maybe you can point out what is relevant for me?
 
Picklz

Picklz

SUDO Make me a SAMCH
~$83 w/ tax, that's 450 minutes (with rollover), something like 2000 night/weekend, 200 or 250 texts (I forget), and unlimited data.
 
Workdawg

Workdawg

NARWHAL
Do you have any reason to upgrade? If you don't NEED a new phone, it might be worthwhile to just keep your phone until you break it or something that you actually want comes out or until you need a new phone for work or something like that.

I certainly didn't NEED an iPhone, but it's come in handy more times than I can count.

If your just upgrading because you might need something in the future, it seems like a waste to do it now.
 
Workdawg

Workdawg

NARWHAL
I find it a giant pile of BS that income texts get charged to the recipient, but that's not really good discussion for this thread.

Anywho, 200 texts is only like $5... I'd still call back if they text me, or demand they pay for it if they want to text ya.
 
1Kris06

1Kris06

MAD LIGHTS YO
Workdawg said:
Do you have any reason to upgrade? If you don't NEED a new phone, it might be worthwhile to just keep your phone until you break it or something that you actually want comes out or until you need a new phone for work or something like that.

I certainly didn't NEED an iPhone, but it's come in handy more times than I can count.

If your just upgrading because you might need something in the future, it seems like a waste to do it now.
Click to expand...
+1

i was stupid and payed around $250 to get the LG voyager one year into my contract instead of waiting for my next upgrade when i could've gotten it for $150 or so if i had waited for my upgrade. now i'm going to hang on to this phone until a) something REALLY cool comes out or b) i end up breaking it.

unless your phone is a POS, the only thing you're doing with upgrades is spending a small amount of money on a phone. also, when i bought my voyager used, i had to upgrade my plan since the previous plan i had, had some changes made to it.
 
AJ

AJ

110 HP of FURY!
I've been with Verizon for 10 years now it seems, and they have always had service where others didn't. To me the only reason to change is if I wanted a specific phone, in my case I got a sweet phone with my last renewal (the Voyager) and don't use it for shit outside texting and calling. And my texting is limited. My next phone will be back to the basics, with Verizon.
 
D

DrWebster

Guest
I forgot to mention that the $25 for the BB data plan on T-Mobile includes 400 texts.

I agree with other here though, that a BlackBerry (or any other smartphone) without a data plan doesn't make a whole lot of sense. A lot of smartphones have built-in WiFi, and I can tell you that you can get data on the 8900 through WiFi without a data plan, but WiFi isn't ubiquitous enough to rely on it exclusively for data when you're out and about.
 
JohnnyT

JohnnyT

New Member
I'm just not sure what my needs will be down the line. I've gone through so many phones that I don't want to upgrade shortly down the line from something that does nothing to something that does it all, pending I may actually NEED the features.

I don't have anything wrong with my current phone, but the outer display is crapping out on me (which is how I found out I was due for an upgrade in the first place). Plus I like new stuff...
 
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WhiteSpy9

Guest
I think first you need to define what you are looking for.

What I am reading is you want a new phone, but you only want it to do what your current phone does. (voice+text). In that case, you should just stick with your current device or if you really do want to upgrade, look at something similar.

Check out www.amazon.com for the cheapness on new lines of service.

If you do decide that you want a data plan and higher end device. If your budget is <$100 I would go with the G1 on T-Mobile w/ unlimited data plan for an extra $24.99. I think it is $79.00 now. If your budget is more than that I would highly consider the iphone3Gs or t-mobile "my touch".
 
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