Consumerist
phone sex
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smartphones
Chart Compares Total Cost Of Ownership For Popular Smartphones
You may think that buying an iPhone with AT&T service is an expensive commitment, and you'd be right. But as this chart from BillShrink shows, your total cost of ownership (TCO) for any of the latest smartphones is going to exceed 2 grand over a 24-month period. In fact, the highly-praised new Motorola Droid on Verizon works out to exactly the same TCO as the latest iPhone. More » -
accidental exclusivity
No Palm Pre For Verizon Wireless?
If you've been holding out on a phone upgrade or carrier switch until the Palm Pre comes to Verizon, you may need to give up the dream. The carrier has "reportedly ditched plans to offer the Palm Pre early next year," says PC World. Apparently poor sales of the device at Sprint, combined with Verizon's interest in upcoming Blackberry devices, killed any enthusiasm the carrier once had. Update: The no-Pre rumor may be false, according to these two analysts.
"Verizon Scraps Palm Pre Plans, Report Says" [PC World]
(Photo: idovermani) -
hello?
Live In An AT&T Dead Zone? There's A Fix, But It'll Cost You
It's no secret that AT&T's cell network sucks (and, yes, that is the scientific term for the state of the company's infrastructure). Fortunately, AT&T has come up with a solution to dead zones and overtaxed circuits: The AT&T 3G MicroCell, a router-like device that will let you experience the magic of using your mobile phone in your very own home! Of course, magic doesn't come free — or cheap. AT&T is testing the MicroCell now, and is charging subscribers $150 for the box, plus $20 a month for the magic of, you know, using your own freaking phone in your own damn home. More » -
net neutrality
FCC Proposes New, Awesome, Net Neutrality Rules
The FCC today proposed new rules to protect and preserve "net neutrality," the idea that ISPs must treat all users the same and not prejudice against different types of customers. In a speech, Chairman Julius Genachowski supported adopting the "Four Freedoms" first articulated by the FCC in 2004 (PDF) not just as principles but as formal rules, and adding two more: "non-discrimination" and "transparency." The big networks are, naturally, incensed. More » -
Anytime, anyplace, anywhere, anyway
Sprint Opens Mobile-to-Mobile To All Providers
If you're a Sprint customer using the company's Everything Data Plan, you can now call any mobile phone on any network without using up any of your plan minutes. Good news? If you're on the carrier's $70 a month plan, which has 450 included minutes along with unlimited data service, it could be — if you don't roam into areas where there's no Sprint coverage (where the meter will start running) and if you have a lot of regular contacts on other cell networks. More » -
psyche
Sprint Yanks $100 Credit Offer On Palm Pre, Says Oops
Earlier today, Sprint made news by effectively cutting the price of a Palm Pre to $99 for new Sprint customers, after a $100 credit. Now Sprint is saying it was a publishing error and not a valid offer. More » -
identity theft
Sprint, AT&T Won't Tell Identity Theft Victim Where Thief Resides
Fearing his identity would be stolen, Mike put out a fraud alert on his credit report to insure he'd be contacted whenever new credit applications went out under his name. The move paid off because someone snagged his social security number and tried to open accounts with AT&T and Sprint. More » -
take back the beep
Help Friends Conserve Cell Minutes By Changing Your Voicemail Greeting
David Pogue's continuing crusade against useless voicemail instructions knocked loose an excellent suggestion for anyone willing to re-record their voicemail greeting. Too often the standard voicemail greeting is: "Hi, you've reached so-and-so. Leave a message, and I'll get back to you." Why not make it more useful, something like: "Hi, you've reached so-and-so. Please press star (or whichever command applies to your carrier) to leave a message." More » -
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how to
Skip Annoyingly Long Voicemail Instructions For Every Cellphone Company
Here's the secret codes for skipping long-ass cellphone voicemail intros that cellphone companies don't want you to know about: Just remember "one star pound."
More »
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virgin mobile
Sprint Nextel Purchases $483 Million In Virgin Mobile Prepaid Minutes
Sprint Nextel announced this morning that they will purchase Virgin Mobile USA. The company, which specializes in prepaid mobile phone service, started as a joint venture between Sprint and Virgin, and Sprint owns 13% of their stock. Virgin Mobile USA phones already use the Sprint network. More » -
antitrust
Verizon Limits Handset Exclusivity To 6 Months
Verizon announced it will limit handset exclusivity deals to 6 months, a bow to pleas by small wireless carriers, and in advance of possible Department of Justice action on its inquiries on the one-carrier deals for the iPhone, Pre and LG Voyager. In its announcement, Verizon noted 24 rural carriers had asked it to limit these anti-competitive deals. Yes, apparently there are that many small carriers still left.
Verizon Says It Will Limit New Handset Deals [Reuters] (Photo)
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crime solving
Man Uses New Tracking Feature To Hunt For Stolen iPhone
On Saturday, Kevin lost his iPhone in a bar in Chicago, and by lost we mean someone grabbed it within seconds of him leaving the bar, but no one had seen a thing when he ran back in to ask about it. Since he had the Find My iPhone service activated on it, and his friend had a Sprint 3G dongle on his laptop, they decided to see whether they could track it down. AT&T and Sprint: working together to fight crime! More » -
nicknames
Sprint Employee Changes Customer's Name To "Pain In The A$$"?
Update: Some of our readers who are Sprint customers say they don't think the screenshots are legit. We asked Sprint for an opinion, and they responded, "We had noticed the post on sprintusers.com earlier today and are tracking down the answer. I'll get back to you asap." We'll post further updates when they arrive. More » -
iphone
Think The iPhone 3G S Costs Too Much? Don't Buy It
Apple fans around the country are foaming at the mouths over the jacked-up pricing AT&T has announced for the upgraded iPhone. AT&T apparently can't afford to subsidize the phones for existing customers, because if you currently have an iPhone and more than 6 months left on your contract, you'll have to pay $417-$517 for the newer model (that includes an $18 "upgrade" fee). More »
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tips
AT&T Wireless Customer? Turn Off Phone Purchasing Power To Prevent Unauthorized Charges
If you're managing cellphones for a family or your parents, or let's say hypothetically you have a boyfriend who says he reads Consumerist but really he doesn't or else he would have known better, you'll probably run into stupid subscription and content fees from time to time. You know how people are when it comes to fake "free" offers. More » -
fake bills
Sprint Customer Receives Fake-Looking Phone Bill
Update: Lloyd, a Sprint "Customer Experience" Manager, wrote in to let us know that the bill below is indeed legitimate: More » -
executive customer service
Reach Executive Customer Service For Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T
Say you got a problem with your cellphone company and you want it solved, pronto. You've already called regular customer service and they're either unable or unwilling to help you, or you're just sick of waiting on hold. You've got things to do! That's where executive customer service comes in handy. Just about every big company has a pack of these people who can basically walk on water within the company and get any problem solved. The key is reaching them. Naturally, you won't find them in an overseas call center at the end of the 1-800 number. Rather, they're attached to the corporate headquarters executive offices. Don't worry, we did the hard part for you. Here's up-to-date phone numbers for the executive customer service departments for Sprint, Verizon, T-mobile, and AT&T: More »
