Confused about buying a new phone

[Another Reader]

We are also shopping for new landline phones. We have Comcast VOIP service here, which means we don't use the old Pac Bell house wires. The three handset Panasonic phones we use now are about 15 years old. The display is gone on one of them. I was about to spring for the fancy 5 handset Panasonic with the blue tooth connection and caller ID announcement, but checking them out at the store revealed the buttons do not work well. Looking at the other Panasonic phones and sets by other manufacturers, the squishy, no detectable contact button problem is apparently common to all.

The only phone that had buttons that were well separated and actually made contact was an AT&T set, EL 52303. The handsets are labeled as having larger buttons and larger displays. Came home to think about what features are really necessary and shop for prices. We just ordered this set from Frys for a few pennies under $50. Hope they last another 15 years...

 

[Ian S]

We are also shopping for new landline phones. We have Comcast VOIP service here, which means we don't use the old Pac Bell house wires. The three handset Panasonic phones we use now are about 15 years old. The display is gone on one of them. I was about to spring for the fancy 5 handset Panasonic with the blue tooth connection and caller ID announcement, but checking them out at the store revealed the buttons do not work well. Looking at the other Panasonic phones and sets by other manufacturers, the squishy, no detectable contact button problem is apparently common to all.

The only phone that had buttons that were well separated and actually made contact was an AT&T set, EL 52303. The handsets are labeled as having larger buttons and larger displays. Came home to think about what features are really necessary and shop for prices. We just ordered this set from Frys for a few pennies under $50. Hope they last another 15 years...

Interesting about the new Panasonics. I do like the talking caller ID on my older ones. I just wish my system had more blocked call capacity and one click to block calls. Especially at this time of year!

 

[Options]

Where do you that that for $12 flat?

Republic Wireless. I do not want to get into any sort of debate regarding cell services over WIFI as my service has been flawless and YMMV. I am beyond happy with RW as well as my Moto G. I should also add that I specifically use the cell like a corded phone in that I almost never take it with me when I leave the house. I consider talking on the phone a waste of time for the most part; if I want to talk with someone, I'd rather see them in person.

Not following you - when I'm on hold for a long time, it's because I have no better option. I can take the cordless handset around with me with speaker on as well. I don't see any disadvantage here to a cordless handset, and you didn't address any of the advantages that I mentioned.

For me, a cell is smaller and easier to move around with than a handset.


Like I said, for us, an answering machine provides options that VM does not. Again, it's not once size fits all.

Yes, and I don't want those options in exchange for the space, cost, and movement limitations an answering machine entails. What I used to [-]dislike [/-]hate most about an answering machine was I had to stay in the same room listening to needlessly long-winded messages (e.g., all that just to confirm my doctor's appointment tomorrow??).

-ERD50

I agree it's all a matter of preference and everyone should do what they are most comfortable. Another takeaway occurred to me that with all the conflicting messages regarding every aspect of investing, it's best to decide upon one that one is most comfortable with, all the while remaining flexible and responsive to changing circumstances.

 

[lucky penny]

I notice that some systems have "talking ID." Does the system announce the number or name? How does it do that while the phone is ringing? That sounds like a feature I don't want. Can that feature be disabled?

 

[Hermit]

It's what one uses when cell phones don't work reliably, as is the case here.

Land line here is very unreliable. But, then again, there is no cell service here at all!

It seems that in a lot of places, land line is really voice over IP, so in that context, you are open to many more (and cheaper) options than your local land line carrier.

 

[Sunset]

I'm still interested in $12/mo cell service. This would be a big upgrade for me.

currently I use $100 for 1,000 minutes, but it accumulates in 2 years so the 3rd year I only need to spend $10 to roll it for another year.
So $210 for 3 years. (you can tell I don't really like chatting on the phone).

I use wifi for wifi type things, at home and around town in restaurants, etc as needed.

 

[ERD50]

Originally Posted by ERD50 View Post
Where do you that that for $12 flat?

Republic Wireless. I do not want to get into any sort of debate regarding cell services over WIFI as my service has been flawless and YMMV. I am beyond happy with RW as well as my Moto G. I should also add that I specifically use the cell like a corded phone in that I almost never take it with me when I leave the house. I consider talking on the phone a waste of time for the most part; if I want to talk with someone, I'd rather see them in person.

I'm still interested in $12/mo cell service. This would be a big upgrade for me.

currently I use $100 for 1,000 minutes, but it accumulates in 2 years so the 3rd year I only need to spend $10 to roll it for another year.
So $210 for 3 years. (you can tell I don't really like chatting on the phone).

I use wifi for wifi type things, at home and around town in restaurants, etc as needed.

The Republic Wireless plan is not $12, it's $15 (plus fees) now. And it really isn't "unlimited talk, text and data" as Options described. The data is wi-fi data - that's nothing extra, if you have wi-fi you can access it with any wi-fi capable phone anyhow, you don't need anything from any carrier for that.

And since we do occasionally use data while we are out, we need a data plan for our phones, so that RW plan at $15 just doesn't cut it for us. Though for $20, you get 1GB of data, that's pretty good (but it's not $12 and it's not 'unlimited data'), but it does not support our phones (GSM). I could not find on their site what the costs are to add a line, we need two cell phone plans. I recently signed DW up for Ting, and I'm finally going to get a smartphone, and I can add it to her account for just $6/month (share other billing, my added activity probably won't push us past the next billing threshold most months).

I don't have any problem with wi-fi calling, our 'landline' is VOIP, so I'm using the internet for those calls already (adapter is wired internet, but no real difference, since the base is wireless).

-ERD50

 

[Options]

The Republic Wireless plan is not $12, it's $15 (plus fees) now. And it really isn't "unlimited talk, text and data" as Options described. The data is wi-fi data - that's nothing extra, if you have wi-fi you can access it with any wi-fi capable phone anyhow, you don't need anything from any carrier for that...
-ERD50

This not at all correct on a number of counts (there are no "fees" and it is in fact unlimited talk, text, and data). Republic Wireless would beg to differ with your assertions:

https://republicwireless.com/cell-phone-plans/?gclid=CPDyxNWW488CFU-eGwod3AwDZA

Straightforward, affordable cell phone plans with no hidden fees or surprises.

WIFI CALLING

Are Republic phones just "WiFi" phones? What if there's no WiFi available?

Absolutely not. Republic Wireless phones work on both WiFi and cellular, depending on the plan you choose. Republic Wireless offers smartphones like any other in all the important ways. When you don’t have access to WiFi, everything still works great over the nationwide cellular network. The difference between Republic’s smartphones and the ones you’d buy through another carrier is that our phones are optimized to use the WiFi all around you. For example, when you’re on WiFi, just dial, and your call is connected through the Internet – fast, clear, and low cost. With our patented Adaptive Coverage™ technology, your phone will seamlessly switch calls between WiFi and cell voice depending on availability without dropping your call. When you’re connected to a WiFi signal that isn’t as strong, we’ll bond both cell and WiFi together for maximum voice quality. Learn more about Adaptive Coverage.

Emphasis mine

My phone uses WiFi at flawlessly at home, cell when I'm out, and the handover from WiFi to cell (when initiating a call at home and going out, for example) is seamless--you don't even know it happened.

Just like investing (or anything to do with personal finance, for that matter), you have to be willing to take the time to figure this stuff out before making assumptions. As to cost, I am grandfathered in so still at a flat $12 (and some change)/month. Still, $15/month for unlimited talk, text, and data is a good deal IMO.

 

[lucky penny]

Someone mentioned "talking caller ID" - can you explain what that is? One of the systems I'm looking at has this. Does it identify the name or number? How does it talk while the phone is ringing?

 

[aja8888]

Someone mentioned "talking caller ID" - can you explain what that is? One of the systems I'm looking at has this. Does it identify the name or number? How does it talk while the phone is ringing?

Here's some reading for you:

https://www.google.com/search?q=tal...ID&aqs=chrome..69i57&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

[ERD50]

This not at all correct on a number of counts (there are no "fees" and it is in fact unlimited talk, text, and data). ... Still, $15/month for unlimited talk, text, and data is a good deal IMO.

By 'fees', I meant any extras over the base published rates, taxes, 911 fee, etc.

https://republicwireless.com/faqs/

We apply taxes and surcharges to your Republic Wireless service based on rates determined by federal, state, and local laws.

I only mentioned it as you said something like '$12 and some change'. No big deal.

I still disagree that it is 'unlimited data' in the sense that most people think of (and the sense that is important to most people - cell data when away from wifi). The data is just wifi data - as I said, you don't need to pay a carrier to get that. Heck, we used our old grandfathered T-Mobile 'Gold Plan' SIMS in a smartphone, and we can access unlimited wifi data with those - for just $10 a year.

It doesn't look like you get any cellular data from Republic Wireless for that price, especially unlimited cell data. Just look at their site:

$15/mo - UNLIMITED - Talk, Text & WiFi Data

$20/mo - UNLIMITED - Talk, Text & WiFi Data & 1GB cell data

You obviously don't get unlimited cell data @$15 when they charge $20 for limited data. Your claim that you get unlimited talk, text and data for $12 (or $15) is misleading, and not really helpful to people who are looking for a cheap cell phone provider and data (cell data).

A question I could not quite figure from their web site - can you send/receive MMS and group texts while away from wifi if you didn't upgrade to a data plan from them? These texts actually get sent over the data link, and I know they would not work with any of our smartphones unless we had a data plan, only regular texts would go through.

-ERD50

 

[EastWest Gal]

Someone mentioned "talking caller ID" - can you explain what that is? One of the systems I'm looking at has this. Does it identify the name or number? How does it talk while the phone is ringing?

We have this now. The phone rings twice, then the talking caller ID is announced, then the announcement is repeated. Very helpful, as it saves us from dropping what we're doing to check for a robocall.

Also, DH is so bad about his cell phone that he has the house phone set to ring when his cell phone does. Very handy if the cell phone is being charged in the bedroom and he's in the basement. It's a different ring tone. The phone system we have is a Panasonic with five handsets and bases. We use OOMA, which has blacklisted numbers so we're are getting fewer robocalls.

 

[Another Reader]

Had an unsettling experience after getting the new phone. Tested it by calling the cell phone. Turns out, Comcast changed the name on my land line number at some point to someone with the same last name but a different first name (and gender). Comcast's response was oh, the number belonged to this person before you got it. Really? Been here 27 years and nothing has changed.

It's supposed to be changed back, but the correct name is not showing up yet. Sounds like some kind of insidious fraud to me. The name is very similar to a deceased family member's name, and we have received more than a few pieces of mail with that name on it recently. I'm monitoring all of the financial accounts for things like changes in beneficiaries, but nothing has shown up.

Anyone familiar with any fraud schemes that start by changing someone's phone number registration?

 

[Options]

By 'fees', I meant any extras over the base published rates, taxes, 911 fee, etc.

https://republicwireless.com/faqs/



I only mentioned it as you said something like '$12 and some change'. No big deal.

The $12 "and some change" simply means I was too lazy to look up the exact amount. It's around $12.30, and there are no fees beyond this. The rate on their website of $15, for exampe, is a flat rate and includes everything. There are no gimmicks.

I still disagree that it is 'unlimited data' in the sense that most people think of (and the sense that is important to most people - cell data when away from wifi). The data is just wifi data - as I said, you don't need to pay a carrier to get that. Heck, we used our old grandfathered T-Mobile 'Gold Plan' SIMS in a smartphone, and we can access unlimited wifi data with those - for just $10 a year.

Again, you are incorrect. I have unlimited data whenever I am connected to WiFi. If I wanted to access data anywhere (which I don't currently), I could simply move to the $20/mo plan and get 1GB data. I can even switch between my current plan and any one of the higher plans 2x a month if I want, which was helpful when visiting relatives last Xmas and I wanted cell data during that time. After the visit, I simply swiched back to my current plan.

We offer super affordable phone plans good for anyone’s price range and lifestyle. For instance, $20 will get you 1GB of data along with unlimited talk and text, which we’ve calculated will enable you to do the following:

Download 2,323 photos
Watch 2,342 minutes of cat videos
Read 30,234 emails during your “power lunch”
Make 2,343 posts on Facebook
Listen to 4,453 minutes of Spotify, house party!
Drive 5,00 miles with Google Maps
Surf 45,324 pages on Google Chrome
Talk until you run out of words
Text until your thumbs fall off

When deciding on the best plan for you, consider your WiFi access and cell data needs.

It doesn't look like you get any cellular data from Republic Wireless for that price, especially unlimited cell data. Just look at their site:

$15/mo - UNLIMITED - Talk, Text & WiFi Data

$20/mo - UNLIMITED - Talk, Text & WiFi Data & 1GB cell data

You obviously don't get unlimited cell data @$15 when they charge $20 for limited data. Your claim that you get unlimited talk, text and data for $12 (or $15) is misleading, and not really helpful to people who are looking for a cheap cell phone provider and data (cell data).

Once again, you are incorrect. With all due respect, you do not know what you are talking about. I DO have unlimited talk, text, and data over my WiFi, and use RW to engage in unlimited talk, text, and data all the time. I speak from actual experience. I have unlimited cell anywhere and have used it and use it, although as I posted before the cell will seamlessly transfer in and out of WiFi when you are near and away from any. I don't pay attention to it because it works so well, and the phone is there whenever I need it. The only thing I don't have under my plan is data away from WiFi, which I don't use enough to justify paying $20 for. If I did want cell data anywhere, the option is there to just pay $20/month and be done with it.

A question I could not quite figure from their web site - can you send/receive MMS and group texts while away from wifi if you didn't upgrade to a data plan from them? These texts actually get sent over the data link, and I know they would not work with any of our smartphones unless we had a data plan, only regular texts would go through.

The texts work anytime, anywhere, without respect to WiFi access on my $12 plan (I don't do group texts. Ever. So I wouldn't know about that). At home, everything works over my existing AT&T high-speed internet, which I have to pay for anyway for the laptop (although I did get At&T down to just $32month!).

-ERD50

I hope this helps. I know the conecpt can be confusing sometimes and take some getting used to. I am not trying to "push" RW. In fact, I considered other plans such as Ting before selecting RW. There were two posts on RW on the MMM which convinced me to choose them finally. I am very happy with RW and it was one of the best things I did getting away from AT&T for landline service.

 

[ERD50]

I hope this helps. I know the conecpt can be confusing sometimes and take some getting used to. I am not trying to "push" RW. In fact, I considered other plans such as Ting before selecting RW. There were two posts on RW on the MMM which convinced me to choose them finally. I am very happy with RW and it was one of the best things I did getting away from AT&T for landline service.

Well, your embedded quote replies make it a little hard to respond, as those get lost in a quoted reply, but let me try...

The $12 "and some change" simply means I was too lazy to look up the exact amount. It's around $12.30, and there are no fees beyond this. The rate on their website of $15, for example, is a flat rate and includes everything. There are no gimmicks.

I didn't say there were any 'gimmicks', but it likely isn't a 'flat' $15, it's $15 and some change (unless I see a bill, I wouldn't know, but probably some taxes, maybe 911 fee, just like the RW website says?), and it certainly isn't the $12+ that you are grandfathered into - which is really all that matters for people considering switching providers. Small point, but you seem so insistent on saying I'm wrong about this, I thought I'd get that out there.

Again, you are incorrect. I have unlimited data whenever I am connected to WiFi. If I wanted to access data anywhere (which I don't currently), I could simply move to the $20/mo plan and get 1GB data...

Once again, you are incorrect. With all due respect, you do not know what you are talking about. I DO have unlimited talk, text, and data over my WiFi, and use RW to engage in unlimited talk, text, and data all the time. ...

I've explained the difference between wi-fi data and cell data numerous times. I absolutely do know what I'm talking about. "Unlimited wi-fi data" is not an RW feature - everyone with a wi-fi capable device has 'unlimited data whenever I am connected to WiFi', you don't need to be signed up with any carrier. And $20+ isn't $15+ and it certainly isn't $12+. And $20+ still doesn't get you unlimited cell data.

The only thing I don't have under my plan is data away from WiFi, which I don't use enough to justify paying $20 for. If I did want cell data anywhere, the option is there to just pay $20/month and be done with it.

That's what I'm talking about! And that's fine for you if you rarely use data. But as I said, it is misleading to other people in this thread, as the accepted use of the term "unlimited talk, text, and data" means cellular data. That's what most people want, and understand that term to mean. And if they could get that for $12+, or $15+ (or even $20-$25) that would be useful information.

A question I could not quite figure from their web site - can you send/receive MMS and group texts while away from wifi if you didn't upgrade to a data plan from them? These texts actually get sent over the data link, and I know they would not work with any of our smartphones unless we had a data plan, only regular texts would go through

.

The texts work anytime, anywhere, without respect to WiFi access on my $12 plan (I don't do group texts. Ever. So I wouldn't know about that).

Thanks, I wasn't asking about 'texts', I was asking about MMS and group texts. Based on your response, and my knowledge/experience of how MMS (picture, multi-media) and group texts work - I'll take that as a 'NO, you can't send/receive MMS or group texts w/o a data plan'. You see, these sorts of details are important to some of us. DW does send and receive picture and group texts occasionally, and these can come in at any time (and they may not even come over wi-fi, unless you and the other party are using the same specific app for that - good luck getting everyone on the same app). So you can't really plan to turn data on/off in a case like that.

Also, do you know anything about my other question, the cost to add a line? I really couldn't find a straight answer on the RW site. They say you can, but then just take you to the account page. I'm guessing there is no break, just a common account? In that regard, TING should work out well for us, I can add a device for $6/month, and probably only rarely will the combined talk/text/data take us into the next billing tier (typically just a few $ per tier).

Sorry if it seems like we are getting into the weeds on this, but your opening posts implied anyone not doing what you do were really missing out on a great deal. But you are really misrepresenting that 'unlimited data' thing, and it really matters to many people. It's just not apples-apples at all.

I'm glad it is working for you at that price (my Gold Plan has been working well for me for years at <$1/month - but that's not apples-apples either). But people were interested in it, because "unlimited talk, text and data for $12+/month" sounded too good to be true. And it is.

-ERD50

 

[ERD50]

Concise version:

The $15+ Republic Wireless plan is unlimited talk & text, period.

Just drop 'data' from the discussion entirely, it's just confusing things.

-ERD50