Got my Pearl for free thru Radioshack. Then I got hooked, joined this site, and decieded I wanted a bigger screen and full qwerty so I bought my Curve used from ebay. Which is where my new Bold is coming from now!
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Ok, not really, but that's what it feels like they do to me when I fork over the lump each time I buy a phone. If I want a new phone, I can't resist, I just go get it. Upgrades are like a little Xmas gift periodically. I always flip my old phones, so getting the occasional upgrade is a welcome break from the $200-400 hurtpiece from the typical new phone purchase.
I have three carriers. Now before you think I'm crazy, my wife has one, I have one for business, and my son has one. Why no family plan? We're too independent I guess. There is a difference on how I do business with each.
1. AT&T - always on line. They have the best deals. Funny thing about AT&T is if you buy on line a store won't help you with your phone. When the w580i died, they said, "you bought in online, get it serviced online." Online wasn't much help either.
2. US Cellular - the tinker toy of cellular companies are impossible to deal with online, so I deal at the store. They used to be good about letting you get a phone and just going with a new 2-year deal, but lately, they don't do that at all. They have the most rinky dink web site anyway.
3. Verizon - on line. Good deals and that's how I got my recent Pearl by just asking for an upgrade (I had been with them a year). Told them my occupation and what I needed and they gave me the Pearl for a total of $29 and no increase in my contract time. Verizon is a PITA on most things, but their customer service online or on the phone is superior to either of the other carriers.
Most of the local stores are franchises and won't go that extra mile for you. If you happen to live near a corporate store, it's better. I prefer to deal online where the bottom line is not so important. One of the many reasons why USCC is going to be history in February.
I threatend to cancel service so the retention dept offered me a curve for $45 with a siiiick (Retention Dept. approved) rate plan. Thats why i,m never leaving sprint
If there are multiple models that I'm interested in, I'll go into the store, try them out then buy there. Even if I have my mind set on a phone, I'll go into the store, work with a working model and make a decision there. It worked out great last time... I went into an AT&T store, bent on getting an iPhone. Saw the Bold, played with it (subsequently knocked my socks off) and bought it right there. Good decision? I think SO!
