Cell phone service

[Superfraggle]

Originally Posted by FireFly

Busy circuits happen with every company. Try using your cell at half time during a football game. Likely won't work cause everyone else is trying the same thing. No coverage at the Stampede? Might be the other 30,000 people also on their cell phones. And RedVan you're right. If you pay us $30/month and drop your phone in a puddle 1.5 years into a three year contract, that's too bad. If you pay us $300/month and do the same thing, we'll get you a new phone. Doesn't take rocket science to figure out why. Has to do with profit margins.

The problem wasn't with them refusing to give me a phone...it was with them saying they'd give me a phone and then not sending it.

If they follow your example, all it takes is 10 of the little guys getting ****ed off at poor service to equal the big guy. I'd be willing to bet there are more than 10 times the number of little guys than big guys nowadays...everyone seems to have a cell now. It's bad business no matter how you slice it. If a lack of resources dictates having to prioritize one over the other, then sure the big guy is the way to go. But when dealing with the little guys doesn't hamper your dealings with the big guys, all those little $30/month bills ad up pretty quick.

[jamesteterenko]

I just switched to a Virgin Mobile phone. I don't use it often, so price was the major factor. Given my level of usage, it will probably cost me about $10 per month. That includes voice mail, caller ID and some features I won't use (call waiting, call forwrding, etc.)

Virgin uses the Bell network. I can't speak too much for service, since I have only made a handful of calls in the week that I have had the phone.

If you do go with Virgin, make sure you get a referral from someone. You'll get a $10 credit if you get a referral, and so will the person doing the referral.

James.

[Kaon]

Originally Posted by FireFly

I have a few questions for you as we get this all the time...

First, how often do you turn your phone off and back on again? You should do it at least once a day in order to reconnect to the network. Sometimes you end up 'stuck' on a tower and when you go to make a call, you're too far away from that tower for it to go through.

Second, I'm going to suggest you dial from the cell phone, *22803 and then send. It'll put you into an automated system that will ask you to press 1 for english or 2 for french, and then 1 to program or 2 for a roaming list upgrade. You need to press 2. Wait until the lady tells you whether or not it was successful and then hang up. Either the system will turn your phone off, or you should do it yourself. See if that helps at all. You may not have the most recent tower info in your phone, and that's all it needs.

If that doesn't help, there may be an upgrade that needs to be done at a dealer, or your phone may just suck. However, if you've dropped more than 1% of your phonecalls over the course of a year, we'll credit you back for those yearly.

Any other questions, feel free to ask and I hope that helps!

Thanks for the advice Firefly. I almost never turn my phone off, so maybe that is part of the problem. Unless I run the battery into the ground it doesn't get turned off. I did update the roam, and will try to power it down once a day to see if that makes a difference.

My contract does end in about 6 months, so I think that entitles me to a new phone, so assuming it is the phone, and not Telus itself I might take the new phone and sign a new contract.

[STAMPEDRED]

Hey Firefly...

are you working for telus or rogers??

I'm with rogers and I hate their guts... for over 5 years now (man, im a sucker!)

I just got a new phone through rogers again, the treo650... and a month later saw an add from telus for the same phone, 3 years and for $99. I paid a smoking $350 for the same contract from rogers... so if your from rogers, do they compete with the market or do I just keeping taking it up the *ouch, stop it!* place???

[STAMPEDRED]

ahhh, I'll bet your with Telus!

You know even satelite phones are ridiculously overpriced and the plans are through the roof. I was seriously contemplating getting a sat phone. You would think it would be practically free as everyone and everything uses teh satelites... but no!

I am planning to switch to Bell actually in a couple of years. I have chosen to stay and wait until they make it so phone numbers can switch to carrier to carrier like they do in the UK!

[Dirty Mr. Clean]

Ever since Rogers picked up Fido their reception in Calgary has been awesome.

[Bertuzzied]

Starting in June you can switch cell phone companies and keep the same phone numbers! thank god. Getting my ass out of telus ASAP! Expensive and all their phones are butt ugly. I have the best cellphone number though. hehe

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Kobatuzzied

I have the best cellphone number though. hehe

867-5309?

(And now you will have that song running through your head for the rest of the day. You're welcome. )

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by Kobatuzzied

Starting in June you can switch cell phone companies and keep the same phone numbers! thank god. Getting my ass out of telus ASAP! Expensive and all their phones are butt ugly. I have the best cellphone number though. hehe

Should be March actually.

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by Kaon

Thanks for the advice Firefly. I almost never turn my phone off, so maybe that is part of the problem. Unless I run the battery into the ground it doesn't get turned off. I did update the roam, and will try to power it down once a day to see if that makes a difference.

My contract does end in about 6 months, so I think that entitles me to a new phone, so assuming it is the phone, and not Telus itself I might take the new phone and sign a new contract.

It shouldn't be Telus as we have the best network in Canada, but if your contract is up in 6 months, you can likely renew already depending on the length of your current contract. All that said the best discounts happen at Christmas! (Which is just around the corner in case you weren't paying attention. )