On 9/16/2023 1:55 PM, badgolferman wrote:

<snip>

> Things to consider:
> - how long must you stay on att?

You don't have to stay at all, but you'd have to pay off the phones if
you leave prior to 36 months.

> - how long will the phones be locked?

That's part of the new "no-contract contract" that you're stuck with on
AT&T and T-Mobile. You can't get the phones unlocked when you're getting
a monthly bill credit that offsets the monthly payment on the phone.

It's a little different on Verizon since they unlock all phones after
sixty days, paid off or not. So if you're traveling internationally you
can use a prepaid SIM, either physical or electronic. But you're still
obligated to pay off the phone no matter what. I suspect that they would
remotely lock any phone where the subscriber stopped making monthly
payments.

> - what happens if you leave after one year?

You have to pay the balance of whatever is owed on each phone. This
applies to all the carriers, including Verizon.

--
“If you are not an expert on a subject, then your opinions about it
really do matter less than the opinions of experts. It's not
indoctrination nor elitism. It's just that you don't know as much as
they do about the subject.”—Tin Foil Awards

In article <ue4vue$3v7tm$1@dont-email.me>, AJL <noemail@none.com> wrote:

> >the last time i went there to get an issue resolved, they flat out lied
> >to me, causing a week's delay in getting something resolved. they also
> >kept trying to upsell me on various services i did not want, nor was
> >the reason for the visit.
>
> One incident does not make a pattern.

oh, i've had many, many more.

one time they claimed my check bounced, except that i paid with a
credit card without issue. no check was involved. one of the best
'excuses' was that they always post payments as a check, regardless of
how it's paid, which makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, but even if
that were true, that doesn't explain how they determined it supposedly
bounced. after *weeks* of trying to resolve it, i just gave up.

another problem is when calling, the automated assistant asks for a
phone number of account number to route the call. i dutifully tap that
in, then after a lengthy hold, an agent comes on the line asking 'whats
your phone number?'. uh, i just tapped it in. apparently, the automated
assistant doesn't pass that info along (it happens *every* time), and
trying to get an agent without going through that step actually takes
longer.

On 9/16/2023 1:54 PM, nospam wrote:
> In article <ue4vue$3v7tm$1@dont-email.me>, AJL <noemail@none.com>
> wrote:
>
>>> the last time i went there to get an issue resolved, they flat
>>> out lied to me, causing a week's delay in getting something
>>> resolved. they also kept trying to upsell me on various services
>>> i did not want, nor was the reason for the visit.
>>
>> One incident does not make a pattern.
>
> oh, i've had many, many more.
>
> one time they claimed my check bounced, except that i paid with a
> credit card without issue. no check was involved. one of the best
> 'excuses' was that they always post payments as a check, regardless
> of how it's paid, which makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, but
> even if that were true, that doesn't explain how they determined it
> supposedly bounced. after *weeks* of trying to resolve it, i just
> gave up.
>
> another problem is when calling, the automated assistant asks for a
> phone number of account number to route the call. i dutifully tap
> that in, then after a lengthy hold, an agent comes on the line
> asking 'whats your phone number?'. uh, i just tapped it in.
> apparently, the automated assistant doesn't pass that info along (it
> happens *every* time), and trying to get an agent without going
> through that step actually takes longer.

I can see why you're pissed off. I suppose I would be too. Fortunately
(knocks on wood) I've not ever needed to call VZW in recent decades.

Years ago I had a phone hassle with Cox my ISP/cable provider. They also
have a store nearby and since then any problems or changes I need I just
go there. So far so good...

On 9/16/2023 5:08 PM, AJL wrote:

>snip>

> Years ago I had a phone hassle with Cox my ISP/cable provider. They also
> have a store nearby and since then any problems or changes I need I just
> go there. So far so good...

With Comcast/Xfinity, going to a store is sometimes your only option
since it's so difficult to ever reach a live person.

--
“If you are not an expert on a subject, then your opinions about it
really do matter less than the opinions of experts. It's not
indoctrination nor elitism. It's just that you don't know as much as
they do about the subject.”—Tin Foil Awards

In article <ue5klt$2pdq$1@dont-email.me>, sms
<scharf.steven@geemail.com> wrote:

>
> With Comcast/Xfinity, going to a store is sometimes your only option
> since it's so difficult to ever reach a live person.

it's not that difficult. they offer a callback option, which is usually
very quick, without the need to wait on hold.

the problem is the person who calls is clueless and knows nothing more
than how to read a script.

On 9/16/2023 6:27 PM, sms wrote:
> On 9/16/2023 5:08 PM, AJL wrote:

>> Years ago I had a phone hassle with Cox my ISP/cable provider. They
>> also have a store nearby and since then any problems or changes I
>> need I just go there. So far so good...

> With Comcast/Xfinity, going to a store is sometimes your only option
> since it's so difficult to ever reach a live person.

I didn't have a problem reaching a live person with Cox. My problem was
that the live person couldn't solve my billing problem. Dunno why the
live person at the store could but he did. So store it is next time.
Perhaps it'll be to return my stuff when I change ISPs...

CenturyLink is installing fiber in my area and word is it'll be 10 bucks
cheaper than Cox when active.

However the installation has been painful. They busted my water line
causing me 5 hours without water. They left my yard rocks in the street.
They left their lunch garbage on my property. They bent my mailbox. And
they left their truck blocking my driveway when they left to work a
block away. Many of the neighbors had the same hassles. I kinda pity the
CenturyLink sales guy when he tries to sell us on the new service. I
mean who else you gonna take out your frustrations on...

But should I change for only 10 bucks a month??? I just checked and
fast.com says my cable is giving me 290Mbps so for my use I doubt I'll
see all that much difference with fiber...