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Nextel

 
Sheriff
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I hate these things. People walking around stores talking loudly on cell phones annoys me. People walking around stores talking loudly on Nextels annoys me even more.

True Story. I'm sitting in the MVA (Motor Vehicle Administration) waiting to have my license upgraded, and since it's the MVA, it's quite a wait. Sitting next to me is this redneck. Naturally he's there to get a CDL. Despite the fact that a redneck buddy of his is there with him, he's bored and decides he wants to share his personal life with everyone within earshot. He does this with his Nextel phone. I hate to be one to stereotype, but this guy wasn't making it easy. Before long everyone knew that among other things, he was trying to convince the mother of his child to marry him. She's convinced he only wants to do it so he doesn't have to pay any more child support, but he claims it's really because "I looove you". Before finishing that conversation, not wanting to break the stereotype, he asks if she got the tickets for some country concert they were going to see as well as tickets to "Texas Motor Speedway", which I believe is some kind of monster-truck type event.

So I've always made clear to all who would listen my disdain for these things. The thing is, it now looks like I'm about to go and get myself one to replace my current cell phone. AT&T Wireless (which I had) was bouth out by Cingular, and neither one gives me reception in my house. Verizon supposedly makes you pay for everything and disables features that would let you do things like load ringtones into your phone from your computer, plus they don't have an J2ME phones. That seems to leave me with Nextel, which does work in my house better than the Cingular, not to mention that I know lots of people who have the service.

The thing is though I just feel so dirty about making the switch. Anyone here have Nextel who has some positive comments about the service? The phone I'm going to get will be the i860. Does anyone happen to have that one?
 
Wanderer
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I'm a little confused. Do you have a problem with cell phones in general, or Nextel in particular? Is your current cell phone somehow less associated with misuse by rednecks?
 
Jason Menard
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Originally posted by Jim Yingst:
I'm a little confused. Do you have a problem with cell phones in general, or Nextel in particular? Is your current cell phone somehow less associated with misuse by rednecks?



Cell phones in general, but Nextel in particular. Nextel users, due to the nature of that whole walkie-talkie thing where you can always end up hearing both sides of the conversation, seem to be even more obtrusive in public. And yes, my current cell phone does seem to be somehow less associated with misuse by rednecks. Maybe it's because there isn't a NASCAR version of my phone, unlike the Nextel.
 
blacksmith
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I'm curious too. I've always assumed all cell phone users were like that, but I have to admit I've never checked the brands.

It's the ones who are weaving all over the place on roads because they are holding a phone to their ear that bug me the most.
 
Ranch Hand
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My $.02 -

Why not give Verizon a chance. I have had nothing but good luck with them - good coverage areas, incredible customer service. We download ringtones & other stuff ("Get-It-Now"). It seems like everytime I contact them to change a part of our service (add a phone, take text messaging off the kids' phones, etc...) we end up changing to a less expensive plan, with more minutes.

I swear - I don't work for them - I've just had really good experience with them.

 
Bartender
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I agree with Verizon. I've had it now for about 3 years and no complaints. True, "Get-it-now" does cost, but that's only if you want to take advantage of those features. My phone comes with a perfectly fine set of ring tones (although I wouldn't mind having one that just goes "ring ring."), and I certainly don't really see the point of having a cell phone be anything fancier than a phone. My digital camers takes better pictures, my GameBoy plays better games, my TI-86 is a better calculator, (for that matter, my Clie plays better games and is a better calculator) my Computer is better at sending e-mail and browsing the web (not to mention I don't get cramps in my hand from typing on a computer keyboard, where trying to enter text into a phone is obnoxious.)

Why not just get a phone that's a phone?
 
Jason Menard
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My problem with Verizon is their business practices. I have strong issues with a company that goes out of its way to disable features that are available on a phone in order to nickel-and-dime its customers to death.

Verizon Wireless Users Sue Over Disabled Bluetooth Features

So they crippled Bluetooth in that phone, but there was still a way to move data between the phone and your computer via a TransFlash card. So what did Verizon do? They turned around and crippled that too in a firmware upgrade.

Here's an interesting article on Verizon's practices and an excerpt of an interview with a fairly hostile sounding Verizon rep.

http://www.nuclearelephant.com/papers/v710.html
 
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I don�t know about you guys ,but I only use my phone for phone calls so the amazing features that I want in a phone are battery life. I upgraded a my existing very small phone to a newer modal with slightly better battery life however then I look at the battery itself it was tiny. If they made that battery twice the size it would twice the battery life.

Instead customers seem only concerned with ringtones games and whether the phone support EJB.
 
Ranch Hand
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How about T-mobile?
 
author
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Jason,

So did you get your meat counter number and see it was 230 and they were on 98!

Last time I was there I had to wait the three hours. I was upset when I was in PA and had to wait 20 minutes at the DMV, moving to MD shocked me!

lol

Eric
 
Jason Menard
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Originally posted by Eric Pascarello:
Last time I was there I had to wait the three hours. I was upset when I was in PA and had to wait 20 minutes at the DMV, moving to MD shocked me!



Yeah, it certainly is a mess. Don't know if it made a deifference, but I went to the one in Glen Burnie. The whole thing took me about two hours. I was going for a non-commercial class B learner's permit. Wait 40 minmutes, then meet with woman for about 10 minutes to do preliminary paperwork stuff to enable me to take the test. Taking the test only took about 10 minutes total, then the rest of the time was spent waiting to go see someone else to actually give me the permit. Ugh! I guess I should feel lucky that it only took two hours for a ten minute test.
 
Jason Menard
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Bit the bullet and got the Nextel. I got a really good discount on the phone, but only at the cost of a two year contract instead of the one year which I was hoping for. In fact, they make it very expensive for you to get only a one year contract with them, which is a problem I didn't have with AT&T. Well, if nothing else, at least I now get reception in my house.
 
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