Another Reason Why I am Staying with T-Mobile

Definitely not a rant, I've found T-Mobile to be consistently easy to deal with.  After hearing horror stories about people with their iDevices on their AT&T accounts, I'm hanging on for as long as it works for me.  I've been an account holder there since 2005 when I came to the store at Broward and Federal in Downtown Fort Lauderdale on vacation just so I could get a phone with a Broward County Area Code.

Long story there, some time I may share it.

Yesterday I forgot to turn the phone on.  Not very bright but hey that's life.  I reached into my pocket as I was going to change into shorts since it's been nice here the last week, and turned it on. 

That was when it happened. 

The Deluge of Texts.

You see if you try to text my phone, it won't work.  I have all messaging turned off.   It's blocked.  Call me instead.  If you're so rushed that you can't say hello then you aren't really devoting the time that is necessary to those around you.  Plus you're reaching into my pocket and taking away some cash.  Stop it, I don't have enough money as it is and if you do go through with it you will have a very irate and bent out of shape Moose looking down at you with all of 6'4" and 223 pounds yelling at you like a Drill Instructor.

I *CAN* Play a D.I. on TV.  Trust me.  It's not a good idea.

I could rant on about texting, I just don't think it's a good idea either.  You do, fine, that's your thing. 

Text me and I'll do rude things to you with a Festivus Pole.  Seeing that today is the day...

Those four texts were spam.  Since I have messages blocked they should not have gotten through.  At all.  Ever.  Something strange was happening.  My phone number is a repetitive series of numbers, very easy to remember, so what happens is that random people have used it as theirs in "nosy" forms.  When I get a wrong number it is usually strange and entertaining.

Like the one time that someone tried to insist that I have a Lexus and that I needed to make payments on it.

No, I have a Jeep, as the readers of this blog know.

Never mind... Time to start calling T-Mo's Customer Care Line.   All ... Day... Long.

Turns out my phone lost its programming for the quick call code of #611.  It went into a black hole and never came out.

*Grumble*  I tried that number all day at random intervals instead of doing the right thing and going online and finding the direct toll free number - 877-746-0909 and talking to them directly.

I just programmed that in my phone.  Makes it easier if I have to call again.   I say "if" since I have had to call T-Mobile exactly 3 times since February 2005. 

3. 

Pretty much trouble free.

So after calling that line all day yesterday, I went onto the my.tmobile.com website and found the number, then said "Dispute Messages" and "Yes" into the phone and spoke with a very helpful person.  

We chatted for about 10 minutes about how I have an old phone, the general service, and other things. She said that there's now a super-duper block for that sort of nasty spam that I got and there are no charges on it and I'm golden.   I also qualify for a $5 discount on my existing plan as well as I'm qualified for a new free phone or discount on another. 

I've always carried "Dumb Phones".  They're much smaller and sturdier.   If I'm on skates and fall, I don't want a fragile little iPhone to have a cracked screen.  The little Nokia that I have isn't much but it's lasted more than 2 years and isn't showing any wear despite being dropped more times than I care to count.  Remember that if you're all dressed up in skate gear, you're desperately limited on what you can carry.  It's hot, you need to carry at least two water bottles, car keys, wallet, power bars and much much more.  An iPhone may be thin but it just would not survive next to all that necessary "crap" for long.  I'm an Elite Inline Skater, but even I fall from time to time.  Small and tough is best.  If I could find a MilSpec phone that is built for heavy duty I'd probably jump on that if I could justify the cost.

I do have a pair of old iPhones.   The environment is interesting, but the hardware is fragile.  So I use it to listen to web radio on the wifi network here, as well as use the messaging client to text to one or two very specific people.  After all, it's now on my terms.   My Terms mean Texting is Not An Always Thing.  It isn't "Mission Critical".  I don't want to be meeting with someone and have a BONG! go off and be compelled to break concentration to answer a "Whatcha Doin" text from someone who isn't there.  

Gawd I'm on that again.  Needless to say, the iPhone stays home.

So for $8 a month minus my $5 discount for a net of $3 I can get web access on the next phone.   Or not.  Don't know.  I really do need small, light and tough more than glowy, fancy and web enabled.

But we will look into all of that next week.   I'll be having a chat with that friendly person on the T-Mobile customer care line about upgrading and so forth after I have a chance to look it all over.

After all, my old school dumb phone is still working and will continue working for a couple more years.

Oh and those texts?  They're repeated below in all their glory.  These are sleazy companies that would do this sort of thing.  After all 9.99 can't be worth what ever service they are providing per month. 

72407 Ur IQ score is waiting! Reply YES to this message to see how smart u r now! $9.99 per month stop 2end

72407 Repeat above

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