I just broke up a relationship that I’ve been in for fifteen years. Yeah, I finally droppedAT&T as a cellular provider. The catalyst for the change was the battery in my iPhone4, putchased in 2013, giving up the ghost. For a couple of months, it was a glorified wall phone cum diminutive desktop computer. I’d unplug it and it would expire by the time I hit the sidewalk in front of the house.
As far as changing carriers, well, AT&T lobbied against net neutrality, so leaving was easy once I got over my inertia. Sadly, all of the telecoms suck equally. Verizon, my new carrier, also lobbied against net neutrality. The deciding factor in my decision was receiving a19% comment any discount on the data bill, a not insignificant sum. I replaced the phone with a diminutive iPhoneSE, which fits in my palm and easily slips into a pocket. I don’t need a big screened monstrosity, nor do they need cutting edge technology.
The transaction took over an hour. To determine my identity, the Fraud Unit asked me a bunch of questions, including one I couldn’t answer, about a supposed old telephone number. Afterwards, I realized that ot was a phone line that I used for dialup internet service back in the 20th century. Nice move, fraud unit!
To prove my bona fides, the customer service rep had to send a copy of my driver’s license and car registration to the fraud unit. It took him about six or seven scanning attempts for him to get a facsimile of my ID photo that was satisfactory for the fraud unit. Christ, I don’t think the Secret Service vets applicants so thoroughly.
Well, at any rate, I have a new phone, almost indistinguishable from the old phone. I’m still in thrall to big telecom, but I changed behemoths. I also recognize that this phone, like the old one, was made by wave slaves cooped up all n factory dorms, but I will protest that I kept the old phone for over four years, until it ceased to function, and I plan on keeping this one for the foreseeable future. It’s hard to be virtuous in this debased age, it I’m trying to mitigate the harm I do.
Check out PagePlus pre-paid plans. They actually use the Verizon network, except:
ReplyDelete1. You pay at the beginning of the month instead of the end ("pre-paid" get it?).
2. They're a whole LOT less than Verizon (so why would you pay Verizon's retail price for the exact same goddamn thing?).
Agreed. No reason to use the big four carriers anymore. You're paying what, fifty, sixty bucks?
ReplyDeleteI use Project Fi - 20 bucks flat, unlimited.
My housemate uses Comcast - free cell phone services if you have internet.
There's a LOT of better deals - stay the hell away from BOTH AT&T and Verizon...
And while you're at it, you might look into a service called Cricket. I' not sure how many gigs I have — two I think, or maybe it's four ,but I never use it up — and it's costing me $35 a month, taxes included.
ReplyDeleteThe New York Crank
Those are some good prepaid alternatives. Thanks for the heads up.
ReplyDelete