Wednesday, September 07, 2022
Rather Than Buy A Phone From My AT&T Carrier, I Bought An Unlocked Phone And Transferred Everything Myself
Buying a new cellphone is very much like buying a new car.
Car dealerships always try to upsell you to get higher commissions. And the second you're approved for the loan and sign the deal; get in the car and drive off the lot, it immediately depreciates and becomes a relic. And it doesn't matter what brand of car (or cellphone) you purchase, or what price you pay. Therefore, my personal preference is to purchase a less expensive cellphone, instead of spending $600-$1,000. I mean, come on, it's a phone, not a kidney or a lung.
Cellphones, like cars, are purposely programed to last for a limited time so that you have to repurchase a new one. And their life span seems to be getting shorter and shorter with each cellphone I purchase. Take for instance, the battery in my previous phone, which lasted less than a year before it started quickly dying only a few hours after I charged it. And I'm someone who streams a lot of music through my cellphone; therefore, I need a long-lasting battery.
So, yes, it was time to shop for a new phone. Which was a task I dreaded more than having shingles and poison ivy at once.
But by the conclusion of this post, you'll discover that my story has a happy and satisfying ending.
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My cellphone carrier is AT&T and I have a prepaid plan ($30.00 for unlimited calls and texting, and 5GB of data). And if I go over the data, I don't get charged, it just gets a bit slower. I can live with that. Now, to be honest, I don't have any complaints about the cellular service, as far as being stable and reliable. No matter where I am, I always get strong cellular service on my phone. In that respect, AT&T rocks.
However...
...what I do have a major complaint about (and conveyed this to an AT&T supervisor on the phone last week), is that their in-store customer service is horrendous. And I knew that my call with the supervisor was being recorded, so I really let my opinions fly. Whenever I go into one of their retail stores, I am either treated like I'm invisible, or feel as though I am walking into a car dealership and all the salespeople are sizing me up to get a sense of how much money I'm willing to spend on a phone before they actually approach and ask if I need any assistance. We have several AT&T stores here in Center City, Philadelphia, and they are all the same. When you finally get someone to help you (because they are always on their own cellphones, texting or gaming), they will slothfully walk up to you and say in a robotic voice, "What brings you in today?"
And the second I told them that I am a prepaid customer who is looking for a prepaid phone, they completely lost interest in helping me. In all the stores I visited, every salesperson informed me that AT&T no longer sells prepaid phones to prepaid customers. I even had a young lady at one of the stores tell me that they no longer offer prepaid phones because they don't make much money from them. They would rather you purchase one of their high end phones and make monthly payments. And if I wanted a prepaid phone, I'd have to go to Best Buy, Walmart, or Target and purchase an unlocked phone. When I asked her if I purchased an unlocked phone, could they transfer the SIM card and data for me from my old phone to my new one, she said, "Yes", but I could tell she was trying to dissuade me from bringing the phone to them, but rather do it myself.
I walked out of there feeling as if my eight years of being a loyal, AT&T prepaid customer meant nothing to them. I was not only hurt, but pissed. That's when I decided to contact the company directly and tell them what I thought.
And of course, the supervisor expressed how sorry AT&T was for having had such a negative experience in their retail stores and apologized to me. But again, I was told that I couldn't update my prepaid phone online or in one of their stores. They only offered prepaid phones for first-time customers.
Now, does that make any sense to you? Because all first-time customers who purchase a prepaid phone will eventually need a new phone, but won't be able to get one from AT&T because they will no longer be a first-time customer. DUH!
So, do you know what I did?
I said, "To hell with this! I'm going online and researching where I can purchase an unlocked phone and teach myself how to transfer the SIM card and data from my old phone to my new phone."
And that's exactly what I did.
After doing some shopping around, I also found the perfect unlocked phone at Target (which was on sale for $179.99), that had a long-lasting battery, and lots of space.
So I bought it, and then went home and transferred my old phone to my new phone, and it worked like a charm. I was proud of myself for doing it on my own and not needing a fucking non-helpful salesperson to do it for me. And that's what I plan on doing in the future.
By the way, after a full charge, I can get TWO days of battery life from this phone.
Here are a few photographs of my new Moto G Power 2022...
*Note: I found these links very helpful, perhaps you will too.
-How to Properly Charge a Phone Battery
-How to Transfer Data (and SIM card) from Android to Android (2022)
-Current Unlocked Cellphones (Android and iPhone) at Target
Ron, you rock!!!! I am totally impressed not only telling A T&T what you feel and giving them the one two punch, but most impressive is the fact you transferred everything from your old phone to the new one !!! If that would be me, I would have had to go down the street and bribe the 3 year old to do the work for me...with candy!!
ReplyDeletehttp://hootin--anni blogspot.com
Even though my Dad was an employee of AT&T for 40 years, I had to quit them probably 20 years ago because the customer service was just awful. I had both landline and internet through them and we would constantly be without one or the other. It was probably the absolute worst company I’ve ever dealt with in my life! I can’t imagine what you went through in their retail locations!
ReplyDeleteI’m right there with you on how painful it is to do this kind of thing. We had Sprint for our cell phones for over 20 years and although their customer service was nothing to brag about, I was happy with our plans and price. We also seemed to be able to get free phones every few years. Then T Mobile bought them and they kept sending me notices with different deadline dates about having to buy new phones because our old ones wouldn’t work on their network. Well, I had an iPhone that was only 2 years old and they were not offering ANY iPhones for free or at a price below $600. I procrastinated forever, but finally switched to Verizon and we all got free iPhones that work on their network, so I’m happy right now. Ask me in a few years….LOL!
Your phone looks nice and takes very good photos!!! The case is so important and it’s nice to shop around on Amazon for them and read reviews. I’m glad that headache is out of the way and that you were able to transfer everything yourself. Go Ron! XOXO
"I mean, come on, it's a phone, not a kidney or a lung." LOL! That was such a brilliant. And TRUE!
ReplyDeleteI've been with Verizon and also AT&T at different times and they both suck in different ways. These companies are always so nice and accommodating when you first sign on to lure you in. But after a year or so, they raise their prices of their prices and treat you like crap.
BRAVO, Ron! I'm so impressed that you did it on your own and found the perfect phone, and on sale too! The camera quality looks outstanding. The macro of your blue jeans is amazing!
Enjoy your new phone. And F U AT&T. LOL! xo
Morning, Anni!
ReplyDeleteI get so determined when it comes to stuff like this that I will ANYTHING in my power to figure it out on my own. I've been like that my whole life. And it's funny because once I did the research on how to transfer one phone to the other, it was actually very easy to install the SIM card and import the data (contacts, photos, apps, etc.).
Thanks a bunch for stopping by, my friend. Have a great rest of your week. I enjoyed reading your post today!
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WOW, your Dad was an employee of AT&T?!? So you have firsthand experience in what their customer service is like - it's horrendous, isn't it? Personally, I've never had an issue with their actual cellular service, but their retail location service is another story. The salespeople are completely helpless, unless you tell them you're looking to purchase a new iPhone for $1,000. Then, they give you all the attention you need.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it something how all these carriers change their tunes after you become a customer?
" I procrastinated forever, but finally switched to Verizon and we all got free iPhones that work on their network, so I’m happy right now. Ask me in a few years….LOL!"
That's AWESOME! I have Verizon for my internet service and home phone. I've been with them for over 20 years. I was contemplating switching over to one of their prepaid plans; however, their pricing is much higher than AT&T. They don't give you any kind of deal until you're with them for the first nine months. And it's only then, do they reduce your monthly plan. They start you off at $90.00 per month. And then after nine months, they reduce it to $35.00.
Thanks! I LOVE my new phone! And I was impressed by the photo quality. But even more so, the battery. I couldn't believe I went TWO days without having to charge my phone. And even then, I still had more than 30% of the battery left.
Yes, I agree....the case is soooooo important for protection. The ones they sell in the retail stores are way too expensive. Amazon is the way to go.
Have a fabulous rest of your week, my friend. I always think of you whenever I have these customer service issues because you and I seem to have them A LOT. LOL!
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You're right, Candice they all suck in different ways. I have Verizon for my internet and landline home phone. I can't get FIOS in my building because Comcast has a contract with my building, so I still have DSL service with Verizon, which is why I still have a landline phone. LOL!
ReplyDelete"These companies are always so nice and accommodating when you first sign on to lure you in. But after a year or so, they raise their prices of their prices and treat you like crap."
Yes! Yes! Yes! And they are ALL that way. Yet, I hear COMCAST is the worst.
Thank you. I was very impressed with the camera in this new phone. I sometimes use my phone to take photos, so it's nice to know that I can get decent pictures. I know, isn't the macro of my blue jeans WILD? I can't believe how closeup it is.
Always great seeing you, Candice. Have a spectacular rest of your week!
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Yes, he worked for their various subsidiaries (Ameritech, Ohio Bell, Western Electric) as a telephone installer and then moved up into low level management and engineering jobs. He worked in so many locations for so many years, he knew everybody! We would be on vacation in a different state and he’d run into someone he knew. I sure miss him!
ReplyDeleteOh Ron, you are so right about cellphones being purposely programed to last for a limited time! I have an iPhone and they have gotten so bad about that. iPhones used to last FOREVER! Not anymore. And they are so damn expensive. I'm seriously thinking of going Android the next time I need a phone because a friend of mine used to be a huge fan of iPhones, but switched over to Droid because they are much less expensive.
ReplyDeleteI'm with T-Mobile. I've been with them for about fives years and haven't had any negative issues (so far) LOL! But I used to be with AT&T and only switched because T-Mobile was offering a FREE phone to switch.
I love the color of your new phone. And the picture quality is very, very good. What is that building? It looks like a historical building. It's beautiful.
And good for you for mouthing off at AT&T and giving them a piece of your mind. You're monthly prepaid plan is a very good deal. I pay a lot more than that each month. But also, I have unlimited everything.
Don't you love getting a new phone and messing around with the new settings? Congrats on transferring everything on your own!
Oh, that's soooooooooooooo great to hear! And yes...I remember the Western Electric Company!! Here in PA we had The Bell Telephone Company. My grandmother used to call it "Bell Tell" for short. LOL!
ReplyDelete"I sure miss him!"
(((((((( YOU )))))))
I know, I feel that same way about my mother. I sure miss her.
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"I have an iPhone and they have gotten so bad about that. iPhones used to last FOREVER! Not anymore. And they are so damn expensive."
ReplyDeleteI know, Daniel, and that's why I would never buy one. We use iPhones and iPads at work, so I'm familiar with them. But I've never had the desire to own one personally. I have a friend who's husband is a computer geek and even he said that he much prefers Android over iPhone.
I've heard that about T-Mobile, they offer a lot of great deals on phones when you switch to them. There is a T-Mobile store a few blocks from me. I should stop by and see what they offer.
Thank you. I am so freaking impressed with the camera in this new phone. My other phone had a good camera, but I think this one is better. That building is Independence Hall, so you're right, it is a historical building. There is a park there, so I like to hang out sometimes on my days off.
I'm frugal (cheap), so the prepaid plan I have is perfect for me. And even though I get only 5GB of data each month, it lasts because I usually pick up the Wifi wherever I'm at, so that I don't have to use my own data.
Yes, I love that part of getting new phone. Trying out all the new things. So much FUN!
Thanks so much for stopping by, sir. Hope you're having a fabulous week!
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Bravo Ron!! I'm sick of getting ripped off at every turn with phones! The picture quality is excellent as well!
ReplyDeleteGOOD for you, Ron! Some of these people in service industries fail to understand the noble nature of "service." It's basically seeking to find out what the customer needs, and then doing whatever it takes to fulfill that, right? While we all make judgment calls on everyone we meet, we can ill afford to let prejudice overshadow our treatment of them. Trying to gauge how much phone they can get you to buy? Abominable!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the links, too. The one about your phone battery -- and how to charge it correctly -- is one I especially need. I never realized I wasn't supposed to let the thing charge to 100 percent every time! Nor did I know about the battery memory effect -- such excellent advice.
This is a most helpful post, Ron -- thank you for doing the research to put it out here. Now go and enjoy the rest of your week! xx
Hellooooooooooooo there, Laurel!
ReplyDeleteGreat to see you, my friend! Me too, I am sick not only of getting ripped off with phones, but also being treated like crap by customer service. Unless you're willing to pay a small fortune for a phone, they want nothing to do with you.
Thanks so much for stopping by, Hope all is well with you and that you had a great Labor Day weekend!
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OMG, Debbie is this ever true...
ReplyDelete"Some of these people in service industries fail to understand the noble nature of "service." It's basically seeking to find out what the customer needs, and then doing whatever it takes to fulfill that, right?"
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And although it's basic and common sense, they seem to have no people skills and what the word "service" means.
"Trying to gauge how much phone they can get you to buy? Abominable!!"
Exactly! I know these salespeople are on commission and/or have daily goals to make; however, it's no excuse for making a judgement call on who looks like they would spend the money for a $1,000. phone.
"The one about your phone battery -- and how to charge it correctly -- is one I especially need. I never realized I wasn't supposed to let the thing charge to 100 percent every time! Nor did I know about the battery memory effect -- such excellent advice."
OMG, me too, I never knew that either. Isn't that an excellent article on how to charge a battery correctly? I learned a lot from it. Glad you did too.
Much thanks for stopping by, dear friend. Have a great rest of your week! We finally got some relief from the heat and humidity. The temperature today is gorgeous! You can almost feel Autumn rolling in!
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Thanks, Ron! And had a feeling it had something to do with the history of America. I probably saw it in a book when I was in school during History Class. If I'm not mistaken, Philadelphia was the capital for 9 years, right? Anyway, it's a really beautiful building.
ReplyDeleteYup...you are absolutely correct. VERY good, Daniel. You must have gotten an A+ in History! It was the capital from 1790 to 1800.
ReplyDeleteRon, they are ALL this way! They're all crooks. But the worst, and I mean the worst is COMCAST. Oh my god, I was with them for years and years, and every year they raised my monthly fee. Finally, when I moved to a different area, I switched to Verizon because my apartment building was wired for Fios. But, Verizon does the same thing every year, just not as bad as COMCAST. When I started with COMCAST, I think I was paying only $25.00 a month. Then, two years later they raised it to almost $90.00!!
ReplyDeleteMy cellphone carrier used to be AT&T, and I agree, they have excellent cellular service. But their customer service is crapola!
I applaud you for saying to hell with them and doing everything on your own. There is no way I could have done that. I love the color of your new phone. And the photo quality is really, really excellent. They make cellphone cameras so well this days.
Have fun with your new phone toy, Ron! And kudos to you! xo
P.S. I noticed House of Gucci on your sidebar. I saw it and LOVED it. Was Lady Gaga incredible? Her Italian accent blew me away!
ReplyDeleteYes, Denise, I hear that from sooooooooooooooooo many people how Comcast is the absolute worst for increasing their prices!!!
ReplyDelete"When I started with COMCAST, I think I was paying only $25.00 a month. Then, two years later they raised it to almost $90.00!!"
That's exactly what a guy who I work with said. He said it's such a ripoff. It seems that all these companies are competing with each other by getting people to switch to them, but then two years later they UP the prices sky high!
I have Verizon at home for my internet and landline phone. If you can believe this, I still have DSL because my building is contracted with Comcast cable, so I can't even get Verizon Fios. And I refuse to switch to Comcast because of all the horror stories I hear. And trust me, Verizon is a ripoff too because I pay almost $90.00 for internet service because now that I have a cellphone, I don't even use my landline phone anymore. So that's 90 bucks for just internet!!!
I do think AT&T has excellent cellular service, regardless of how much I can't stand their customer service and how they treat prepaid customers.
I was so pissed, that I did it on my own. I and truthfully, it was not hard to do at all. It was very easy.
Thanks so much for stopping by, girl. Hope you're having a great week!
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"Was Lady Gaga incredible? Her Italian accent blew me away!"
ReplyDeleteShe was AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-MAZING! And her Italian accent was incredible I watched a talk show where she explained how she learned the accent and what she did to keep it consistent. She's such a talented lady, isn't she?
"You know, all these cellular companies offer you benefits to sign up with them, but after a year or two, they raise your monthly bill. And have you ever noticed the added fees they tack on to the monthly fee? It's insane! I pay almost $20.00 per month on FEES."
ReplyDeleteElaine, YES to all of that! That's what Verizon did with my home internet/phone account. They gave me a reduction last year, but then this year they JACKED the price. I pay almost $90.00 for internet and a landline phone (which I DON'T use because I have a cellphone.) And the fees are freaking ridiculous! I pay almost half of my monthly bill just in fees.
I know people go NUTS for iPhones, but you will never see me get one because I'm cheap too. And it's not that they last any longer than an Android. You still have to upgrade all the time because of all the updates that BLOAT the software.
Thanks, I really like the camera on this phone. I'm surprised by the quality of the images.
I know what you mean, it's confusing getting a new phone. But I was at a point where I had to get one because the battery with going. Plus, the touch screen started acting all weird on me.
Thanks so much for stopping by, neighbor! Have a faaaaaaabulous week! Me too, enjoying this cooler weather. But I want it to get even cooler. HA!
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Ron, I'm TOTALLY impressed with your tenacity in doing the research and figuring where to get an unlocked phone AND transferring your contacts, photos, and apps. As much as I enjoy technology, I don't know if I would do it on my own with my own phone. Both my girlfriend and I have iPhones and are with T-Mobile. We have a great plan for the two of us, which we are so grateful for because the price of cellular service is getting out of hand. And they are all competing with each other by offering FREE phones if your transfer. But like you said, after a year or so, they UP the price by a lot.
ReplyDeleteNice looking phone, dude! I like the color and the brushed finish. And the picture quality is really awesome! I'll tell you, cellphone cameras have gotten do good over the years that you can even tell the photos are from a phone.
Enjoy your new phone, Ron. You rock!
Hiya Matt!
ReplyDeleteWhen I get to the frustrating point of where I was when I tried getting a new phone from AT&T, I can be VERY tenacious in doing things on my own. I've done it with other things as well. And honestly, I'm glad I did it on my own because now I don't have to rely on anyone when I purchase my next phone. And it really wasn't hard at all. If I can do it, anyone can.
I know many couples who share cellphone plans and they love it because it's such a good economical deal.
"And they are all competing with each other by offering FREE phones if your transfer. But like you said, after a year or so, they UP the price by a lot."
OMG...YES!!!!! I even read a sign on a train I was on that was aggressively advertising to switch from Verizon to AT&T. It's to the point where these companies are slamming each other to get my customers. GEESH!
I agree, the quality of phone cameras are getting better with each passing year. It's tempting for me to ONLY take photos with my phone, but I don't want to lose the practice using my camera, so I still use it.
Thanks so much for stopping by, Matt! Have a most excellent week!
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Woot! Woot! Ron! Congrats on not only for your new phone, but for doing it all on your own. I think these companies enjoy thinking that we are at their mercy because they know how much cellphones are so apart of our lives. We pretty much need them for everything. I've got a prepaid plan too. I'm with Verizon. But unlike AT&T, they do sell phones to their prepaid customers. However, like all the carriers, they start you off at one price, but then increase it A LOT after your "grace period."
ReplyDeleteReally nice photo quality!
Thank you, Clair! I am sooooooooooooo happy with my new phone (and new phone case)! It took me a bit to acclimate myself with the newness of it, but I've gotten the hang of it. And I am BEYOND happy with the battery life. I can go TWO days without charging. And that's impressive because I stream a lot of music throughout my days.
ReplyDeleteYes, Verizon does sell phones to their prepaid customers because I checked them out a few weeks ago when I got so freaking frustrated with AT&T. What I like about Verizon is that you can use ANY of their phones for a prepaid account.
"However, like all the carriers, they start you off at one price, but then increase it A LOT after your "grace period."
Yup...they sure do!
Thanks for stopping by today, my friend. Hope you're enjoying a fantabulous week so far!
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