Decisions, Decisions... Cell Phone Angst

[Ed]

Hey, y'all...

Our present cell phone contract is going to expire soon, and we're planning on switching from our present company to Verizon, mainly due to coverage problems with our present carrier in areas that we frequent. I'm not too keen about being followed around by the creepy guy with the geek glasses and grey windbreaker and his posse, but I digress....

One of my major concerns is the type of phone I should look for. Cost is not a major concern, although free would be nice.

I'm very rough on cell phones (ruined my last one by running over it with a fork lift - - don't ask; it wasn't pretty) and I work in a very noisy environment (think :plane: engines). Therefore, I need a VERY rugged phone that can take a lot of abuse and with a LOUD ringer.

I don't need (nor want) camera capability, QWERTY keyboard, MP3 player, and it doesn't have to be capable of fixing my morning :coffee: for me, although that would be a plus. :D

I guess I'm just one of those dinosaurs that uses a cell phone for one purpose - - making and receiving phone calls. Although I've got unlimited texting on my present plan, I haven't used it at all in about five years. :shrug:

Okay, Intercotees... there's your challenge. What are your recommendations?

[kakn7294]

I have Verizon - newly converted last April. I have been much happier with their service than with AT&T / Cingular - my previous carrier for about 11 yrs. In my last year of service with them, I had more dropped calls than I had in the previous 10 yrs, even with my initial dinosaur of a phone. It wasn't related to my phone either - everyone I know who has / had AT&T said the same thing. I have better coverage here in my area too.

My phone is an LG VX8350 - it's a smallish flip phone - standard keypad, various settings for ringtone volume including loud, it does have an MP3 built in but you don't have to use it - I'm the only one in the family who has it set up and only because I'm the only one who didn't have an MP3 at the time we got our phones. It also has a basic camera but you'd be hard-pressed to find a phone that doesn't these days. Thus far, it seems pretty sturdy - I carry mine around constantly and have dropped more than a few times although I do have to say that it's never been run over by a forklift! The biggest advantage for me was that this phone was free (free is good!) although I usually see it advertised for about $20.

[Piglet822]

I'm not too keen about being followed around by the creepy guy with the geek glasses and grey windbreaker and his posse, but I digress....




Just wear your red shorts, Ed. That should scare them away :eek:

[Ed]

Just wear your red shorts, Ed. That should scare them away :eek:

Can't. :nono: They're already packed for the upcoming cruise. Not too worried about the peacocks several hundred miles out in the ocean. ;) :D

We return you now to your regularly scheduled thread.

[Itchy]

Well I have been with Verizon and its previous owners since the bag phone. Not to give away my age or anything.

I had the LG8350 and liked it for the most part but the down side I had was that the buttons on the front of the phone kept getting hit and I would activate the video capture portion of the camera or would snap a photo. I had some great photos and video of the inside of my car.

I too have a hard time hearing and need a phone I can hear. I shopped at the Verizon store with the assistance of the sales person and have always found something that will work.

If you are a new customer you should be able to get either a phone for free or at little cost.

I currently have the LG Voyager which has the touch screen, Qwerty key board, camera, Navgator, TV, and it doesnt make my coffee.

I love the navigator part of the phone it works great.

As for phones I for the most part owned LG phones and found them to be better than Motorola and others.

Again just go into their store and you will find that they are most helpful.

NO I do not work for them.( he he )

:mickey:

[offwego]

My husband is fairly rough on phones (no fork lifts but a washing machine and a lake or two and countless dropsies)

Samsung models seem to suit him, for both the regular size buttons (unlike myself who in his words can make the teeny tiny what the heck are those even for buttons work).

It's really about going and looking, asking about warranty issues and almost all will have a ring sample to work with.

[darth daddy]

If you are really rough with your phones, I know that Verizon offers a phone that is shock and water resistant made to military specifications. My Newphew has it and it is almost indestructable. I believe it is called the GZ One.

[SteveL]

For those times when you need a really loud ringtone, you can't beat the sound of the Disney Magic's horns playing "When you Wish Upon A Star". I use it when I''m out on our flightline and it's enough to wake the dead.

[conorsmom2000]

If you are really rough with your phones, I know that Verizon offers a phone that is shock and water resistant made to military specifications. My Newphew has it and it is almost indestructable. I believe it is called the GZ One.

AT&T also has two phones that are similar to that now - the Samsung Rugby and the Motorola Tundra. Mike works in construction and is not only very rough on phones, but is waiting for the day it falls out of his pocket when on a ladder! So, he has been looking at both and thinks he is going to go with the Rugby. :mickey:

[tinksmom02]

My phone is an LG VX8350 - it's a smallish flip phone - standard keypad, various settings for ringtone volume including loud, it does have an MP3 built in but you don't have to use it

I have the same phone, and I'm reasonably happy with it. I don't know how to use the MP3player and I rarely use the camera, but I've been pretty satisfied with it and the service (I'm a former Nextel subscriber :ill:)

I wish I had the need for one of those awesome QWERTY flip phones, but I don't...

As for ruggedness, my husband's phone is a Nextel Motorola, I think the 530? Service is horrible but he's dropped it 30+ feet with no damage. Maybe Motorola makes something similar for other providers?

[murphy1]

Y'all will laugh at me, I have a Trac Phone!! I just use them for emergencies and people can call or email me anyway and the phone/card work out to $5 a month. (FYI I am a very outgoing person, but I need my quiet time).

[Ed]

Not too worried about the peacocks several hundred miles out in the ocean. ;) :D

We return you now to your regularly scheduled thread.

Jeanne, you ain't gonna believe this, but on Grand Cayman, at the Turtle Farm, we spotted..... a peacock. :eek:


AT&T also has two phones that are similar to that now - the Samsung Rugby and the Motorola Tundra.

Sounds like either one is right up my alley. :thumbsup:


For those times when you need a really loud ringtone, you can't beat the sound of the Disney Magic's horns playing "When you Wish Upon A Star". I use it when I''m out on our flightline and it's enough to wake the dead.

Steve, you must have read my mind. I just downloaded that exact ringtone yesterday, but for some reason it won't work on my present piece-of-junk phone. :( Mid-March can't get here soon enough!

[jrkcr]

Well, just my 2 cents worth...

I've got a very pretty pink cell that has the touch screen. It has the camera, and e mail, I can get online, and texting where you tilt the phone sideways and it becomes a keyboard-all very fancy!
I do NOT like it. Don't tell my DH!! :secret:

I can barely use it. I don't have to ever worry about talking and driving tho, cause I can't answer the phone half the time-even when I am sitting at home looking at the phone!!
I can't get the phone to unlock without really pushing the unlock button over and over.
I can't call people on the first try-usually have to try two or three times to touch the right name/number.
I have been online once, and what a hassle.

So I do NOT recommend a touch screen.
I'm sure other people love this type of phone, but I don't.

[JanetMegan]

Ah a topic near and dear to my heart as we provide our guys with phones and they need to be durable and cheap!

Ok here's funny for you-we all use Nokia 6010's this is an older phone with VERY good sound, best I have ever heard. I actually buy them in packs of 10 (usually about $5 each) on ebay. Just look for the ones that are compatible with your provider (search Verizon Nokia 6010). Mine has possibly been dropped over 100 times? I use a plastic type clip (also from ebay about $2 each plus shipping) to clip it to my belt, pocket or purse. These phones usually last my guys about a year, have good battery life, no fancy keys, no alphabet, etc. It's a very durable older phone. We have even had one dropped into a concrete pour, fished out, washed off and it still worked fine.

You won't be the coolest cat on the block but this phone will hold up to being dropped over and over and over and you can actually hear people talking on the other end ;)

[beksy]

I just have one word of advice--insurance! My dad doesn't work construction or anything like that (he is in investment properties) but he is hard on his phone. About once a week we have to call it so he can go out in the yard with a flashlight to find where he dropped it. He's even got one of those carriers that hooks to his belt but he still manages to lose it (it rode on the edge of his truckbed for about 25 miles one summer :shake:). A couple of weeks ago he managed to tear it in two with just wires holding it together--I think he stepped on it--and is too cheap to get a new one until the contract is up and he can get it for free. Its an embarassment--unfortunately the phone still works so he still uses it with two hands, one holding the top half to his ear and the other holding the bottom half close to the top! :rolleyes: I'm going to try to convince him to go with one of those rugged phones.

[pixiesmimi]

DD has had At&T and Cingular on her business cell and it drops calls all the time, even right in the middle of a large city like Montgomery or next to a cell tower. The best phone service we have had is Alltel. Yes, I know you all have heard that Verizon has bought out Alltel, but that isn't true in all areas. We still have Alltel. I didn't know what we were going to do when Verizon took over because I have heard horror stories about their service. Our Motorola Razr and also Blackberry Pearl have withstood a lot of abuse and keep on ticking. I don't like the small buttons on the Pearl because I have a hard time dialing or typing on it but the Razr was really good. I only upgraded to the Pearl to get better/more services but DH kept his Razr and likes it because it doesn't have all the bells and whistles that he wouldn't know how to use anyway. The best he can do is download ringtones and it took a long time for him to figure that out. :D He has the ship horn ring tone on his so he can hear it on the flight line and you are right, a lot of people jump out of their skins when it rings. :)

[SteveL]

One time I forgot to change back from the Disney Magic's horns and had the volume cranked all the way up.
Someone called me and that was all you could hear over the entire floor.
From a distance, someone in another office shouted out "Bon Voyage!"

[BrerGnat]

I have a fairly new Motorola Razr phone that I am very pleased with.

It is extremely sturdy, and it is an EXCELLENT phone, which was my main concern. It also does some other stuff, but I mainly use it as a phone.

I did a lot of research in choosing this phone, and it has lived up to my expectations thus far. I've had it since September of last year and have no complaints.

[MstngDrvnDsnyLvr]

As others have said....a visit to the Verizon store is a good idea. Having visited one with in the past few months....I do know that they have a "rugged" type cell phone. It is shock resistant, drop resistant, and water resistant.
We are currently with Alltel. And they too have a "rugged" phone. All you have to do is go into the local store and ask about their virtually indestructable phones. And get the insurance.