I am on a Verizon family plan and my brother is the account holder so I am without a phone until I can get my brother to authorize a new phone for me. Ironically I finally got rid of my landline a month ago. I had read they were shutting down the end of the year but this was unexpected. Oh well, now I won't have to be embarrassed by my old out of date phone but I am a little worried about all the bells and whistles on a smart phone. My brother said he is going to get me the iphone SE 2022.
| by Anonymous | reply 27 | September 20, 2022 2:14 PM |
Technically, that's not really "ironic."
The SE will be a huge improvement for you.
| by Anonymous | reply 1 | September 19, 2022 3:32 AM |
That's not what Alanis said r1 ;)
| by Anonymous | reply 2 | September 19, 2022 3:33 AM |
What kind of phone do you have, OP? I have a 1st gen SE and it's still working, although Verizon told me the same bullshit about it not working anymore at the end of the year.
The thing is, 5G is barely in my area yet, so I don't know why I would have to get a new phone at all.
| by Anonymous | reply 3 | September 19, 2022 3:38 AM |
The 3G spectrum is being repurposed. All phones that use 3G will stop working very soon. The plan was to shut down those networks by the end of 2019 - so people have gotten about 3 extra years.
4g LTE is still available, and will be for the foreseeable future, as 5g isn't implemented nationwide yet. If your phone is old enough that it only supports 3g, you need a new phone that at least supports 4g, or you will be hosed.
The carriers have made no secret of their plans about this, and those plans required FCC approval.
Wow, OP, that phone is old. It uses CDMA. Verizon stopped activating CDMA phones in 2018.
| by Anonymous | reply 5 | September 19, 2022 4:02 AM |
r3 I had no warning, last Thursday when I tried to dial my phone it gave me the message that my mobile number is either no longer active or is invalid. I can't access voicemails or texts so the bad thing is people are leaving them for me and are probably wondering why I don't answer back.
| by Anonymous | reply 6 | September 19, 2022 4:03 AM |
I'm so sorry, OP -- I just checked my phone, and apparently anything newer than an iPhone 4 will work with 4G, so Verizon lied to me (of course). I hope you had your phone backed up to "the cloud." That should save everything you had on your phone, so they tell me.
Good luck!
| by Anonymous | reply 7 | September 19, 2022 4:13 AM |
I assume your brother gets the bill? Notices would have been on his bill.
Also, it has been mentioned on the news, tech blogs, etc...
I work in telecom, and while some carriers will pull shit like this, usually when going out of business, big carriers like Verizon and AT&T don't make transitions like this without notice.
If you are on your brother's plan and not seeing the bills, then you wouldn't have seen the notices.
| by Anonymous | reply 8 | September 19, 2022 4:13 AM |
I got plenty of notice before my 3G phone was shut down earlier this year, my carrier sent me a brand new 5G Samsung for free as a replacement. Fairly nice model, with many bells and whistles. No cost to me for the upgrade, I've grown to like it.
| by Anonymous | reply 9 | September 19, 2022 4:14 AM |
r8 I asked my brother and he claims he received no warning. I am getting the new phone free and it will cost me $5 a month on his plan so I didn't want to argue with him. We are going to Verizon tomorrow because they are closed on Sunday.
I did realize they were ending them by the end of the year and I actually have been trying for a few months to get my brother to Verizon. He is a wonderful guy but he is like trying to lasso a cloud, he lives by his own schedule. He is married to a very clever lawyer who makes the big bucks and my brothers doesn't have to work but is constantly busy doing his own thing (lucky guy).
| by Anonymous | reply 10 | September 19, 2022 4:18 AM |
Sorry to be a posting piggy, he said it will have unlimited text and talk and unlimited data
| by Anonymous | reply 11 | September 19, 2022 4:20 AM |
r12 no but I'm the youngest brother and a tail ender so I will always be the "kid brother". My brother is married and he has me, his wife, daughter, our mom, his mother-in-law, and father-in-law on the plan too. The problem with Verizon is they will not help you unless you are the account holder which is why I need him to go in with me.
| by Anonymous | reply 13 | September 19, 2022 4:26 AM |
I cannot purchase the phone myself, it has to be done by the account holder. I tried and was rebuffed with extreme prejudice (ha) by a Verizon worker.
| by Anonymous | reply 14 | September 19, 2022 4:29 AM |
Verizon has been sending out notices to account holders. My sister got her first notice at the end of last year. At least two more followed. And if the account holder didn't replace the phone themselves, then Verizon said they'd send them a free flip phone as a replacement. My own carrier (not Verizon) was doing the exact same thing.
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 15 | September 19, 2022 4:35 AM |
Are you 13 then, R12? Because I can’t imagine anyone older than that who’s incapable of doing something as basic as getting a cellphone on their own.
| by Anonymous | reply 16 | September 19, 2022 5:42 AM |
r16 is there something you don't understand about an account holder? They are the only ones authorized to make changes to the account.
| by Anonymous | reply 17 | September 19, 2022 5:45 AM |
Mint mobile baby! $300 for one year and unlimited data.
I dropped Verizon and never looked back. Zero change in service quality.
| by Anonymous | reply 18 | September 19, 2022 5:51 AM |
R18 Mint can be good but not in our area. A coworker had problems with it going in and out.
| by Anonymous | reply 19 | September 19, 2022 5:55 AM |
I love my old Blackberry 3g 7230, which I bought in 2003. I only use my phone to phone and text, I have my computer and camera to do everything else. I love the Blackberry keyboard. But now I can only phone and receive texts; I cannot get phone calls or send texts. My 4g Blackberry Tour can still make and receive calls and texts, as well as take pictures, but the keyboard is too small. I wish there was some way to make the 7230 work!
| by Anonymous | reply 20 | September 19, 2022 7:08 AM |
R17 is there something you don’t understand about my very clear statement about buying a phone all by yourself, like a Big Boy? I don't give a fuck about you yammering about account holders, that had nothing to do with what I said.
Perhaps you should let mommy, your account holder, read my posts to you, so you will understand them.
| by Anonymous | reply 21 | September 19, 2022 2:07 PM |
r21 you sound like an unhappy person. I got my new phone and am enjoying it I hope you can find something to bring some joy to your day.
| by Anonymous | reply 22 | September 20, 2022 6:59 AM |
Verizon customer service is absolute horseshit.
I just wanted to commiserate, OP.
They are absolute sludge at the bottom of the barrel. The worst.
| by Anonymous | reply 23 | September 20, 2022 7:02 AM |
R22 I find immense joy in purchasing things for myself. Like adults do.
| by Anonymous | reply 24 | September 20, 2022 11:46 AM |
I feel you, OP.
Anyone else noticed that 5G radiation warnings?
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 25 | September 20, 2022 12:07 PM |
Well OP, that's what happens when you don't pay your bill for six months. Verizon doesn't fuck around.
| by Anonymous | reply 26 | September 20, 2022 1:03 PM |
My mother had Verizon and she got notice. Maybe they hated you and your family?
| by Anonymous | reply 27 | September 20, 2022 2:14 PM |
