This all started when the step daughter decided to get the wife a smart phone and asked me to chip in. The one the wife has doesn't take pictures nor isn't wi-fi enabled. I specifically said to the step daughter to make sure (since she wanted to order it) the cell phone was unlocked' and had a Windows O/S system. Of course what came was neither.
First off she didn't change the delivery to her new address. That caused a 3 week delay.. long after the wife's birthday.
Yesterday it came and I spent a half hour online today trying to activate and it telling me the numbers I entered were wrong. So I called the overseas (as usual) hotline. After giving up my SS number, charge card information, driver's license and land line (over a 20 minute period) I was told for the type of account (pay-as-you-go) she would have to transfer me.. SHIT!!!
Starting from scratch I was told (after another 20 minutes) the kind of account my SIMM chip contained could no longer be used because the carrier is phasing this out. I would have to purchase a $400 a year account. This is why it wouldn't accept my numbers... MAJOR BULLSHIT !!
Next step... I drove out to the AT&T store where we already have $225 paid ahead of time for her current GoPhone. They were excellent (as usual). Tried various SIMMS which indicated the phone was indeed locked out and I couldn't use it on AT&T.
In other words these jackasses sold my daughter a $300 outdated locked phone. This wasn't from some fly-by-night firm but rather a major retailer (I shall not name). So here's my option. Take this damn thing back to the retailer and suck up the restock fee. Then back out to the AT&T store which has a windows phone (compatible with my wi-fi) for $200 less. In addition I get to keep my $225 already paid on the account and also get to keep the same phone number.
Sometimes I'm made to feel I'm overbearing, but this is what happens when I leave this shit to others. When it comes to these things (leaving in the hands of other people) 9 out of 10 times I end up get screwed If I had done things my way to begin with the wife would have had her gift on time for $200 less without all this aggravation as a bonus.
It simply amazes me how these providers try to screw people over and how many succumb to their deviousness.
So here's what my future plans are. (1) Buy a extra storage chip to store photos on the phone which I can transfer via my router's Wi-fi directly into my 'Windows' supported computers. (Hence no need for a data plan). (2) Use the smart phone for text & phone calls only. (3) Any future apps we use in the phone can run via the home wi-fi or my current provider's wi-fi hotspots. (4) For ever and ever walk into an actual store to buy these damn things and make sure they are what I want and work before I leave. NEVER EVER again will I trust this online bullshit no matter how big a name these retailers have or what they say. (5) Nor trust someone else when it comes to buying stuff. I may not always know what I'm doing, but I'm finding out most people know even less. How many times need I to relearn these same lessons?
Sorry if I sound pissed off, but I truly feel at this point, the only way things turn out well for me is when I do them for myself. In almost all cases I spend more aggravation and time then if I had done them for myself in the first place.
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