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View Full Version : May be offline for a while... Bberry Users Beware


yotetrapper
03-09-2010, 04:48 AM
We currently are using Blackberry phones through US Cellular to tether to the internet. About 6 months ago, my husbands handset broke, the little trackball thing in it, and he took it to the store. They were quick and oh so helpful in hustling the phone off to be fixed for him, assuring him it would be free unless they discovered it was caused from misuse, dropping, water, etc., which he knew it was not. They gave him a new phone, and he sent his broke one in, and that was the end of it for about 5 months. During that time, my trackball on my phone broke 4 times. Three times, the in-housse guy at the cell phone store fixed it for me free of charge, and finally he told me I coould order a replacement on ebay, which I did, for $5. The replacement has stopped working also 4-5 times since, but after watching the repair guy I've now learned how to disassemble it, clean it, and replace it myself.

so, anyways.... last week, we received our phone bill which was for $200 MORE than normal. No explanation as to WHY, so of course I called, and was informed it was for the phone my husband had sent in. After a circus of calling 3-4 different people with hold times of an hour here and there, I was connected to a woman, who informed me Blackberry found that my husband was at fault for the phone quitting. I asked how that was, and she told me that the trackball was a very fragile part, and your hands must be meticulously clean before touching your phone. I said, "what??" You mean to tell me I need to sterilize my hands every time my phone rings? She didnt know what to say. I informed her my trackball on my phone quit 7-8 times, and that it seemed to me to be a design flaw. To which her reply was "well mine's never quit". I also informed her the parts were available on ebay for $5 so why were we being charged $290 for it? She acted as though I was being unreasonable.

So, needless to say my husband is ticked. I've argued with the woman on the phone, and he's argued with the people in the store, and online. I managed to get them to remove half the charge, but my husband is stubborn and says he wont pay any of it.

On his next days off, he plans to go turn our phones in, which will leave us with no phone, or internet.

Cable is not available here. Wildblue said they're not accepting any new customers in our area. My husband read some bad reviews of hughesnet, so vetoed that one. Any suggestions on internet service for those of us out in the sticks other than Blackberry?

backlash
03-09-2010, 06:36 AM
We have Blackberries at work.
I'm on my 4th one in the last 2 years.
None for the trackball just other problems like it locking up, not receiving calls, not calling out.
You know small things like that. :)
The trackball stops working about every 3 months and I just use compressed air to blow the lint out of it.
I can't help with internet but if the phone company keeps giving you the run around call your state attorney general and file a complaint.
They can get the phone companies to see the error of their ways.
T-Mobile gave me a hard time when we moved but after just one call to the AG T-Mobile was very sorry and they of course would take care of the problem.
Good luck
I'm off to fight with AT&T over a refused $50 rebate.

momma_to_seven_chi
03-09-2010, 06:56 AM
so, anyways.... last week, we received our phone bill which was for $200 MORE than normal. No explanation as to WHY, so of course I called, and was informed it was for the phone my husband had sent in. After a circus of calling 3-4 different people with hold times of an hour here and there,

Have you looked into Verizon? They are very easy to deal with in our experiences. My husband's business has US Cellular, and he hates it. The difference in politeness, ease of service, and cost is staggering. If you have the service available in your area, I would suggest you look into V. We started with that for our personal phones many years back simply because they didn't want a deposit while US Cellular did. And we don't regret it. He used US C. for the business because one of the customers had the store and provided a deal. But it is not as good as the other provider. And V. does have computer hookup available. One of our sons used it for years with a blue tooth to access the internet on his computer at his house before he had internet DSL hooked up.

yotetrapper
03-09-2010, 08:19 AM
Verizon coverage in this house is very sketchy. It'll work in one room, not in another. Go to the nearest town to here, and it doesn't work at all. Also, here, Verizon for the same plan we had is $30 a month more. We did consider Verizon, but to my knowledge, the only phone you can use to tether to the internet is the Blackberry. Maybe an Iphone???

Thanks for the suggestion about the Attorney General....I think I'll give that a try!

12vman
03-09-2010, 02:38 PM
If you have cell service, consider an air card on a laptop computer. That's how I operate here.

momma_to_seven_chi
03-10-2010, 02:59 AM
I wanted to add a link for you here. I know two of our sons used their computers on the web just by having old razor phones with a bluetooth hooked up. It was cheaper for them to use OLD phones just put on a prepaid card for the data transfer. You don't have to have a new blackberry to get internet. They both used Verizon, but I would assume any prepaid provider would work? They used this in their own homes for years before either one of them had computer DSL. Here's a link that might might tell you how it is done.

http://www.google.com/search?client=opera&rls=en&q=bluetooth+computer+internet&sourceid=opera&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

yotetrapper
03-10-2010, 04:39 AM
Aha! Thanks for that! I did not know that a real definite option! Thanks so much!

nhlivefreeordie
03-10-2010, 05:19 AM
I used to have Nextel/Sprint and HATED it, as soon as my contract was up I got AT&T and an Iphone, I love the Iphone, no issues, and so much better than a Crackberry. It was so much better, that Lynn dumped her Verizon and went the same way, she has had no issues either. Iphones are fantastic.