Cell for sale...
So, what's a guy to do? I would seriously like to have some sort of internet access at home. I don't have a land line and don't want to fork out $55.00/mo. for cable. Currently, I am only able to access the internet at work and at Victoria's house via her sweet cable connection. Having occasional access is definitely better than nothing at all. I consider myself lucky to have internet permissions working at a company where few are allowed to have access to the web. However, I do like the thought of being at home and being able to surf the internet at my leisure.
Not having a land line seems to truly haunt me these days, but, I refuse to pay for a service that only proves itself redundant in nature. My trusty cell phone will get me through this technologically screwed-up phase in my life and it will be there to save me money I'm sure!
So, I had this notion to check out the possibilities of attaining internet access through my cell phone. Voila! Here is my salvation - so I thought. Why not use my cell phone as a modem for a standard dial-up service provider? Nokia has cables that transfer data from your cell phone to PC via USB. Excellent! Unfortunately, they're insanely expensive ($49.95), but hey, it's a one time fee if it will only work. I'll have internet access for a mere $9.95/mo. (NetZero) instead of paying upwards of $60.
Excitedly, I checked Nokia's web site to see if my phone was one of the many that have PC transfer functionality. In order to find the model number of my phone I had to turn it off, take off the back and remove the battery. The model number of the phone is listed on the information panel. I've got a Nokia 3590. They could have put those numbers on the outside somewhere, come one! And wouldn't you know it? The model numbers on Nokia's site being compatible with PC transfer danced all around my phone, with numbers including: 3570, 3585, 3585i thru 3589i and as to say "No soup for you!!" skips right over 3590 straight to the Nokia 3600.
What is up with that?
I should be able to purchase an insanely expensive piece of 2 foot cable and be surfing happily along the information super highway!! But, no! I've got to sign another 2 year contract with Cingular Wireless and pay a processing fee of $18.00 (wtf??) just to get a new phone at a DISCOUNTED price of $49.00. Discounted price? When I signed my first 2 year contract I was given a phone for free. After two years of being contractually bound to their company they wish to charge me $18.00 to promise that I'll pay them for another 24 months? All without offering another complimentary phone in the mix?
Whatever!?
What happened to customer retention? Give me a rebate at the very least. Show me that you think I'm a valued customer. Strive to be the best with the customer's you already have. Maybe I'll remain loyal. Perhaps if Cingular's attrition rate starts to rise they'll be forced to turn their "focus o' flattery" to current subscribers.
My television satellite service - DirecTV - provides internet as well under the guise DirecWay. I've checked this option out and am sorry to say that it's just not worth the money. There are a few items specific to internet satellite service that you must buy. Mainly a new dish, one that will not only receive data but transmit it as well to upload things such as emails, pictures, blogging posts, etc. The new equipment packs a hefty punch at $600. Crazy!!
Installers of DirecWay satellites must be certified by the FCC due to the device transmitting data over such great distances. DirecTV dishes simply receive data thus having no compliance issues with the "man".
At $59.00/mo. DirecWay is comparable to Comcast's High Speed Cable Access at $51.99/mo. Comcast does offer a small discount to customers who also subscribe to Comcast cable TV, but I don't, so that counts me out.
Arrgh, it looks like my cheapest option at present would be to just bite the bullet and sign a new contract. Again, this will cost me $18 just to renew my contract. Doing this will save me about $100 off the price of a new phone that has data transfer capabilities. PLUS the cost of the Nokia data cable that will cost me $49.95.
All totaling $118 + Uncle Sam's grubby hand. Yay.
Is it meant for me to have internet access at home? Probably not. If the internet were free, I'd probably be missing the most important piece of the puzzle - a computer.
Not having a land line seems to truly haunt me these days, but, I refuse to pay for a service that only proves itself redundant in nature. My trusty cell phone will get me through this technologically screwed-up phase in my life and it will be there to save me money I'm sure!
So, I had this notion to check out the possibilities of attaining internet access through my cell phone. Voila! Here is my salvation - so I thought. Why not use my cell phone as a modem for a standard dial-up service provider? Nokia has cables that transfer data from your cell phone to PC via USB. Excellent! Unfortunately, they're insanely expensive ($49.95), but hey, it's a one time fee if it will only work. I'll have internet access for a mere $9.95/mo. (NetZero) instead of paying upwards of $60.
Excitedly, I checked Nokia's web site to see if my phone was one of the many that have PC transfer functionality. In order to find the model number of my phone I had to turn it off, take off the back and remove the battery. The model number of the phone is listed on the information panel. I've got a Nokia 3590. They could have put those numbers on the outside somewhere, come one! And wouldn't you know it? The model numbers on Nokia's site being compatible with PC transfer danced all around my phone, with numbers including: 3570, 3585, 3585i thru 3589i and as to say "No soup for you!!" skips right over 3590 straight to the Nokia 3600.
What is up with that?
I should be able to purchase an insanely expensive piece of 2 foot cable and be surfing happily along the information super highway!! But, no! I've got to sign another 2 year contract with Cingular Wireless and pay a processing fee of $18.00 (wtf??) just to get a new phone at a DISCOUNTED price of $49.00. Discounted price? When I signed my first 2 year contract I was given a phone for free. After two years of being contractually bound to their company they wish to charge me $18.00 to promise that I'll pay them for another 24 months? All without offering another complimentary phone in the mix?
Whatever!?
What happened to customer retention? Give me a rebate at the very least. Show me that you think I'm a valued customer. Strive to be the best with the customer's you already have. Maybe I'll remain loyal. Perhaps if Cingular's attrition rate starts to rise they'll be forced to turn their "focus o' flattery" to current subscribers.
My television satellite service - DirecTV - provides internet as well under the guise DirecWay. I've checked this option out and am sorry to say that it's just not worth the money. There are a few items specific to internet satellite service that you must buy. Mainly a new dish, one that will not only receive data but transmit it as well to upload things such as emails, pictures, blogging posts, etc. The new equipment packs a hefty punch at $600. Crazy!!
Installers of DirecWay satellites must be certified by the FCC due to the device transmitting data over such great distances. DirecTV dishes simply receive data thus having no compliance issues with the "man".
At $59.00/mo. DirecWay is comparable to Comcast's High Speed Cable Access at $51.99/mo. Comcast does offer a small discount to customers who also subscribe to Comcast cable TV, but I don't, so that counts me out.
Arrgh, it looks like my cheapest option at present would be to just bite the bullet and sign a new contract. Again, this will cost me $18 just to renew my contract. Doing this will save me about $100 off the price of a new phone that has data transfer capabilities. PLUS the cost of the Nokia data cable that will cost me $49.95.
All totaling $118 + Uncle Sam's grubby hand. Yay.
Is it meant for me to have internet access at home? Probably not. If the internet were free, I'd probably be missing the most important piece of the puzzle - a computer.
posted by Puddin' at 12:14 PM
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