Looking out my window...

How To Activate A Cell Phone - NOT!

 
Old and New Cell Phones.
Photo by Sharon.

Time to activate a new cell phone. We have a Family Plan. So, in addition to myself and the Chief having cell phones, we also have under the Family Plan phones for my daughter and two of my grandchildren.

Now, with five phones, you'd think I'd have this "activation" thing down pat. Not so. We have a two year contract so once a phone is activated it is basically "done" for two years. Then, of course, the service can make many changes in procedure during those two years. And does.

This time my daughter was up for a new phone. I read the "activate new phone" instructions and was set to go. The written instructions said to start off by turning the charged phone on and then dial *228. And then, follow prompts. Easy. Turned it on. The screen said to press **** something other than the *228. Okay. The prompts came on: enter 1 if you are an american citizen or 2 if you are an illegal alien  (boy, that was new!)

Anyway, after entering several different bits of information the robot lady started to ask me if I wanted to also sign on to blah, blah, blah. I hate this. Credit cards do the same thing. After you call the 1-800 number they transfer you to someone who wants to sell you insurance, an extended warranty, or something else. I pressed 2 'cause I definitely did not want to purchase anything else. And, then it happened. I was transferred to a real human.

Hi, I'm Jane Doe, what can I do for you today?

Nothing, really, I'm just activating my new cell phone.

Please tell me what happened.

Well, I.................blah, blah.

Okay, are you on the new phone now?

Yes.

Okay, please give me another phone number to call you and keep the new phone on.

Okay. Ring, Ring. Hi.

Hi, okay I'm going to lead you through the steps.

Okay.

Press, enter, press, enter....blah, blah.

Uh oh, it's starting to transfer me again.

Okay, end the call. And, let's start over.

Ok.

She repeated the steps. And, then she got to the one about the warranty.

I said: I don't want that.

You have to have that to get a new phone. It's the extension of your two year plan.

Uh, oh. Of course I have to renew the contract. I thought they were trying to sell me something extra. I guess it would be good of me to pay attention and not be so cynical... You know you're dealing with a Senior Citizen who has a cell phone up to each ear. Funny to see.

She laughed. It's okay, I'm almost there myself. So, you're all set. Is there anything else I can help you with?

No, not with the phone, but there are sure a lot of others things you could help with.

Both of us laughing. (Well, it seemed funny to me at the time.)

Thank you and good-bye.

Keeping Up With The Phones'es

 
New Phone Good For Texting... Photo By Sharon

Our cell phone plan lasts for two years and at the end of the two years we can get a new discounted phone when we renew the contract.  Our phones were ready for upgrades and I've been looking at what's available for several months. Anticipation, ain't it grand.

Every few weeks, after browsing, I'd change my mind. Our old flip phones had served us well, but in two years a lot can happen in the world of technology. Just the act of texting has taken over the country.  Never did I think it would take me over too.

After all, I hated the idea of texting. Only because of all the stupid abbreviations people use that make reading a text, even in english, difficult to translate. Keep in mind that the Chief and I are grandparents. Our minds are supposed to be set. Happily they're not.

The change in thinking began during the softball season. Our granddaughter is really good at softball, soccer and any other sport she takes an interest in. When I could go to a game, I would. But sometimes, due to pain or extreme heat I stayed home. That's when her mother started texting me with scores and commentary.

One day she showed me how to do it. Not difficult, but very slow for me. And it gave me a greater insight to all the abbreviations. The keyboard on my phone was like a telephone keyboard. The letters are in groups requiring multiple pushes to get the desired letter. Aggravated at the slowness I started abbreviating words like pls, ty, luv, 4, 2, and others.

My phone browsing started to favor slide out keyboards. While the new android phone is worth drooling over, I already have an ipod touch that doesn't cost me $29.99 extra a month. And I really didn't want to pay an additional $9.99 for some "smart" phone either.

So, now I have my new phone. Of course I keep trying to flip it open when it rings. I expect that habit to disappear shortly.

Activating new phones is always fun. I did mine without too much trouble. But, when trying to activate the Chief's it was another matter. You're supposed to be able to do everything via the phone programming.

"How can I help you?"

"Hi, I'm trying to activate a new phone. I activated one already with no problem. But this phone won't go through."

"I'm going to have to look something up. Can you call me back in a little while?"

"What number should I use?"

"The same number you just used."

"I didn't call you. I was transferred to you."

"You didn't call?"

"No, I was transferred. You can call me on my land line......"

"Okay, I'll call  back soon."

Over one hour later.

"How can I help you?"

"Hi, I'm trying to activate a new phone. I activated one already with no problem. But this phone won't go through."

"I see you called earlier."

"Yes, she said she would call me back, but she didn't"

"We're having problems with our phones."

"Me, too."

"Accepting Invitation Cardinal Comes To Visit - Shies From Paparazzi" And "I Don't Have A Supervisor!"

 
Cardinal Returns To Patio  Bad Photo by Sharon

 

 
Goldfinch In Sunshine  Photo By Sharon

I apologize for the cardinal picture above. I was so excited to see him in our patio. I took several pictures which looked good and clear on the viewing screen, but afterward saw that the camera setting had been changed. And that little boo-boo spoiled all the photos. This was the best of the worst and I did with it what I could. Result? Ugh.

The Goldfinch, on the other hand, willingly posed and provided me with, now, one of my favorite photos.

I Have No Supervisor!

A few years ago, in an effort to economize, I switched our cell phone service to Fonecrap (not real name to protect self from being sued). It was cheap and worked somewhat.

The program was based on prepaid service. Poor service, but service non-the-less. And then, it came time to also order a new phone. So on-line I ordered a new one plus about 2,000 minutes worth of usage. If I remember correctly, you could use those minutes however you wanted, but once they were gone, you had to order more.

The phone arrived. And, as most of you will know, I had to set it up, or as they called it "initialize" it for service. And, I had some difficulty with that small task I hadn't anticipated. The next day I tried the phone and it indicated that I had zero minutes. What? No minutes? Why just yesterday I had some 2,000 minutes and I hadn't called anyone yet.

There was nothing else for me to do but call customer service to fix it.

I called and the woman who answered said: "THanK YOU for cAlliNG PHonecrAP. HOw May i HELp yOU TODay?"

An aside: Okay, I'm not much good at vocally immitating accents, much less when using the printed word. So I'm typing what would sound rather melodic (or sing-song, take your pick).

My response: Hi, yes. I received my new phone and 2000 minutes yesterday and today it says I don't have ANY minutes.

"OnE mOMenT plEaSE...whILe LOok uP yOur aCcOunT."
Pause.
"yeS I sEe. yOU CUrREntly sHOw zERo MinUtES."

"I just purchased and received yesterday 2,000 minutes!"

"YEs i SEe tHAt. aND NOw yOU hAVe zERo mINUtes."

"I understand that it shows zero minutes, but it should show 2,000 minutes. I just got them yesterday. How could I have used them all up?"

"I SEe zERo mINuteS." 

This back and forth continued. Until I couldn't take it anymore, damn it to hell and whose job did you take anyway Miss India lady reading from a damn it to hell script!!!!!!!!!!!!! And then....

"I want to speak with your supervisor."

"I sEE yOU hAVe zERo mINUtes.l"

"I WANT to SPEAK with your supervisor!"

"I DON't haVe a sUPerVIsoR."

"WHAT? EVERYONE HAS A FU**kING SUPERVISOR AND I WANT TO SPEAK WITH YOURS!!!"

"ONe MOmeNT plEaSE."
Pause.

"HelLO. How may I HelP yOU?"

"Hello, I just...............rest of my story."

"CerTAInLy. I CAn heLP yoU With thAt. ONe moMEnt pLEasE........Okay, doES It sHOw aNY mINUteS nOW?"

"Yes, it shows I have 2,000 minutes. Thank you."

"PLeaSe cALl uS If yOU HaVE aNY MoRE DIFficultIEs."

At the time we were recently living where we are now and apparently it is known for poor cell phone reception. Once, sitting in a town restaurant I tried to call the Chief. I couldn't get him. He was looking at me through the restaurant window and couldn't get my signal, nor me, his.

 When we used our 2,000 minutes I switched to Verizon. Expensive? Yep. Do we get each other's calls? Yep.

'nough said.

 

Quote of the day:

"Now that I'm retired I don't have a supervisor. Except for God. And he's about to be out sourced."...S L Wheeler