Shoulda kept your old phone. I did.
Posted on 03/11/2013 6:23:26 PM PDT by Fester Chugabrew
It had been nearly two decades since I owned a cell phone when I decided recently to purchase an ATT cell phone, using their GoPhone program. The idea was/is to have a device to reach others via speech from a semi-remote location in case of emergency, and do so with minimum hassle or expense. I'm sure there are millions who seek the same.Now that I have the phone and have successfully disabled any texting and web applications (not without first being dinged for any and all fumbling with the buttons), I receive bogus phone calls from god-knows-who spammeisters, with each disconnected call costing $0.10. My cell number has not been published to anyone other than my wife, and she probably forgot the number anyway.
This leads me to wonder whether it would not be in the interest of a company like ATT to employ folks to make these bogus calls. I’m on the hook for this dough, and no one else. Sure, I can call ATT, bitch about it and let them make an adjustment to my account, which I’m sure they will gladly do. But how many other people just let this stuff go at $0.10 a pop? Why should I go through this hassle to keep my dimes?
There was a school district from a neighboring state (OH) whose text notification system is on steroids. It was like getting a phone call for every snowflake that threatened to hit the ground (Okay, I hyperbolize) until I emailed their IT guy and those calls stopped pretty much the same day, but why should I have to go through that just to own a phone?
As of now, I am of a mind to toss the whole notion once the 3-month bath of minutes expires, but if someone out there has better experiences for pure and simple mobile voice without all this bogus BS, I’d like to hear about it. It is my firm opinion that, by law, cell phone billing for voice calls ought only be attached to the outbound party.
That's interesting. Did you give them the number?
I think you might be engaging in Tomfoolery here.
Up in your neck of the woods, is it time for more beer
I would suggest upgrading your plan to include unlimited texting and data. You should be able to do this for less than $200 a month. Then you won’t have to worry about getting whacked with all these piddling charges.
Splended suggestions abound from the Hoof,
Who knows to keep pennies way under the roof.
Tell me dear fellow not tender of foot,
Can one stretch the refill beyond one month root?
Sounds like you got a phone number that had been previously used, getting a new one might help, as may getting on the FTC do not call list.
About Tracfone: In my case, they’d bought a new set of numbers from ATT, and I got an unused one. I get very few bogus calls. When you buy time from them, there’s an expiration date, so you have to keep adding minutes to avoid losing the ones you have. However... at the time I bought the phone, they had something called the Lifeline Value Plan. With that plan, you pay a small monthly charge and your minutes never expire. I got the phone five years ago, bought 20 bucks worth of minutes, then went on the plan. I pay $5.11 a month for my cell phone. Since I make very few calls, I still have some of my original batch of minutes left. It’s been a good deal for me. You pay for both outgoing and incoming voice calls, but can avoid paying for text messages by not opening them.
Shoulda kept your old phone. I did.
I gave them my number by way of complaint,
But not before texts therefrom did my phone taint.
Sam Adams, Sam Adams, of Seventy-Six,
You know not the way of the Hamm’s and the Schlitz.
Scrapping the GoPhone for a real cell phone would be fine
who knows? it might even save you a dime
of course it could cost you a lot more than you save
either way you’re screwed when callers misbehave
I keep getting pictures sent to my phone from some nice lady who forgot to put her clothes on before she took her own picture. I’ll work with AT&T to get these terrible pic’s stopped just as soon as their customer service number answers my call! I’m only 49,576 inline at this time.
Just checked the Tracfone Lifeline Value Plan I have, and they no longer offer it, probably due to guys like me. Haven’t check what they’re offering to replace it.
Now we know who’s got 867-5309.
Net 10 Wireless for me. You still pay by the minute, but it takes a lot of prank calls to hit your limit...and then only if you answer them. They don’t seem to play the games of Big Phone as I very, very, rarely get spammers and very rarely even get wrong numbers. I once had a Verizon phone and they charged me for each text message (from who knows who). I’m not into that stuff, so I told them to disable it. They said they couldn’t, so I went ahead and disabled them...well, disabled their service, and then moved to Net 10.
The beer in this place with great liberty flows.
What GoPhone bills next only luxury knows.
if you only want it for emergencies, don't turn it on unless there is one and you won't get the unwanted calls... yes?
A dialer defiler pops up in our midst,
Who has midget fingers to twiddle and twist.
“Not I,” said the fat man who pokes and pays bills,
“I signed for a cell phone with too many frills.”
Chode chimes in with with a simple no brainer.
“Turn off the darn thing so it isn’t a drainer.”
I have to admit, of this thought I’d not thunk,
So I’ll turn the thing off now and sit here stone drunk.
Don’t worry. I’m at home.
And I’m not thrunk. I’ve just been thrinking.
well done Sir... well done indeed!!!
There one was a fellow named Fragg
Whose cell phone set-up was a drag.
The promise of Life turned to expired strife,
Due to guys of the likes of Sir Fragg.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.