Mars23 said:

heh heh, i hate to be the bearer of poor news but those are some damn tricky plans to get onto. about two years ago there were about 4 of us in the centre going SERO crazy changing people to it. but Sprint caught on and built a new system that actually makes it impossible for agents and supervisors to apply them. unfortunately the only two divisions that can now do it are the Sero group which REQUIRE new activation or new line of service or the cancellation/Retention team. if you go the cancellation way though you have to hope for an agent thats willing to do that as they can get trouble for it as well but they do have the ability if they can justify saving a customer with it. Some of the retention agents aren't there to retain though. I warm transferred a few times over and the agents were way too happy to cancel the account entirely. Best bet is talking about cancelling because a friend got a sero plan and you feel mistreated. doesn't always work though. sorry

Daznym17 said:

Thanks for the info. SERO everything plans are the same cost as the everything plans for everyone now anyway. Seems like Sprint is trying to move people towards those plans.

Well since we are on the topic of mobile phones, I'd love to hear what you would advise me on the following questions:

Since I'll be relocating to the US [from Moscow] in August I plan to buy a new smart phone over there [and obviously sign up with a local provider - in Boston].
I want a Nokia smart phone with a Verizon service. Is that possible? Does Verizon support Nokia? I don't see any Nokia phones on their website.
I've sent two emails to Verizon's 'Contact us' on their site, and there is not a peep from them - which doesn't bode well..

If I can't get a Nokia, I'm thinking about getting the lastest iphone - which one do you think is the best of the two? - pluses/minuses?..

If I can get a Nokia - which one would you recommend, which one is the best of the best in their current series [regardless of price]?

Thank you in advance everybody!

Mars23 said:

Sorry guys, but what is a SERO plan?

horatio said:

Good question, I don't like to have to pay too many other fee's for the features.
I'm sure the internet usage will cost a bit more a month.

Mars23 said:

I love the touchscreen feature, my current phone has that feature, but is your phone all touchscreen?... no buttons at all?

at the link, watching the iPhone in comparison,
the hand on the iPhone side didn't know how to use the video feature...

Flo6 said:

Verizon does use Nokia phones (just search www.verizon.com for "nokia". I do not see the N95 however which is a very popular model right now.

wildgoldenhoney said:

It's a Sprint Employee Referral Offer plan. They were very cheap, but seem to be going up in July. www.sprint.com/sero

wildgoldenhoney said:

Currently everything plans are

69.99 = 450 minutes, unlimited TXT and data.
89.99 = 900 minutes, unlimited TXT and data
99.99 = unlimited everything

Thanks a lot, Mars, I've found them! But if the N95 is popular right now in the US - do you mean people use another service provider for it? - which one would that be?... I don't know anything else apart form Verizon and Sprint.

Mars23 said:

Flo6 said:

From what I can gather in a quick search, it is sold "unlocked" so any 3G carrier (most US carriers) could activate it. Seems like a nice phone but it is $750.00.

http://www.pmptoday.com/2...ble-in-us/

Nokia has announced the availability of the N95 multimedia computer in Nokia Flagship stores in the U.S. (you can also purchase it online or in select wireless retailers. “The Nokia N95 easily replaces a number of single purpose devices with a well designed package that encompasses a fast and powerful multimedia computer,” said Bill Plummer the Vice President, Sales & Channel Management, Multimedia, Nokia North America. “The Nokia N95 is a personal, powerful and connected device that is optimized for music, video and to conveniently access anything on the World Wide Web.”

There has been a long waiting list for the N95 and we can only hope that this limited release will give Nokia enough breathing space for the full distribution of N95s in the very near future… Winston Wright, head of Nokia Retail Operations, Nokia Americas:

“It was a great feeling to be able to open the doors on Saturday for some very enthusiastic Nokia customers, who have been anticipating this day for months. We are now able to respond to consumer demand by selling the desirable Nokia N95 with a full US warranty and localized customer support, and with customers driving in all the way from Delaware and Massachusetts; we know this is the right way to go.”

The N95, however, is not completely localized for the U.S. 3G UMTS market with its 2100Mhz UMTS support. The States UMTS networks are in 850 MHz and 1900 MHz bands. (We’ll keep you informed on the N95’s 3G situation). But, of course, N95 users will get the WiFi connectivity but the 3.5G HSDPA on the U.S.’s WCDMA networks is also stuck on an incompatible 2100Mhz.

The N95 purchases for a rather pricey $750 without a carrier signed up to offer subsidies. With the N95’s current 3G UMTS compatobility problems, one possible U.S. carrier that may be able to solve that problem for Nokia and lessen the burden on consumer’s wallets is T-Mobile, which has bought the rights to that spectrum from the FCC last year.

Thank you Mars, that was very useful.
I'm rather technologically challenged - I'm not sure I know what pluses/minuses an 'unlocked' phone has... but anyway, I'll check with them.

The N95 looks like a nice little toy... but I still hesitate about going for a Nokia or the iPhone. I don't even know how exactly they differ, I might be comparing apples & pears.
Nokia, iPhone, Nokia, iPhone.... I'm torn between the two...

Mars23 said:

I just bought the LG Dare from Verizon and it kicks ass!!!

I think its soo much better than the iphone.

Well, guys correct me if I'm wrong but judging by this thread's initial post and some responses, it looks like the iPhone in the end is more about a status/fashion statement than any particularly outstanding technical features it has. I didn't realize how many models/makes surpass it with their own capacities.

hmmm... maybe I should forget about the iPhone and go for a Nokia...

amorbella said:

Me too. I absolutely love it and haven't given the iPhone a second thought quite honestly.

3.2 megapixel Camera/Camcorder Schneider-Kreuznach lens
Smart pic/Panoramic views
On board image editor (zoom, crop, rotate, add frames, write over images, etc)
On board equalizer for music player
VCast music with Rhapsody (soon to be ota sub.)
8 GB external memory
USB mass storage
text, pix, video and voice messaging
GPS

And on Verizon's network....

I got this last week!

ZombieKitten said:

Isn't that the Nokia Roadkill version?????

amorbella said:

That looks like a hot phone, but the first time I pulled up CNN live on my phone, I was SOLD. I love this little gadget.

Amaxx said:

it WORKS even

Anybody has anything to say about the Nokias? The ones in the N series? - I've no clue which one to pick. Like Mars said the N95 is cool but kind of pricey. Any recommendations on the best of the N series would be welcome.

Btw, are Nokias popular in the US?? I have a feeling there aren't...

Flo6 said:

My advice wold be to wait 'till you get here, then ask the locals about the best service. Base your phone decision off of that. Nokias used to be about all you saw, but anymore thay have been overtaken by Sanyo, LG, and Samsung. The iPhones are decent too, but Apple keeps milking people for more money instead of just releasing a full featured model.

ZombieKitten said:

But does it smell like dead Possum though!

abierman said:

I want one

That's wise advice, Mars, thanks.
I'm quite keen on the Nokia N95 8GB - and by 'popular' I meant which one is recognized to be the best quality-wise. But as far as far as what's 'in'/trendy at the moment, I don't care.
And I agree about Apple - they seem very clever business-wise. But the technology is not following as fast, it seems.

Mars23 said:

"iPhone killer"? You guys are funny.

Flo6 said:

No, the iPhone is about the total experience, which is greater than the sum of its parts. Notice how Samsung basically copied as much of the iPhone as they could, but then jammed it with extra features. This is exactly what happened with the iPod and all of those "iPod killers." Those "knockoffs" are great for the few people who actually really need or want those features, but the vast majority of people would readily sacrifice some features for a better overall experience. Apple seems to be the only company that understands this.

iPhone killer

I'm so sure.



I have Sprint, and I actually like their service. Been with them for 7 years.
And I saw the commercial for this in England last week. Looks really cool.

Is the web browser desktop class like the iPhones? I'm torn. I would rather have an iPhone, but that's cause of the overall look and feel, and of course, the fact that it's Apple. Look, you just can't look cool anymore without an Apple product. Image is everything ok?

But on Windows systems, I can actually get a decent GPS program on those.

Imago said:

The current browser is gimped, which I do not like, but Opera mini is being ported to work on the Instinct now.

GPS offers maps, pinpoint location, and turn by turn directions, all by voice. Just say where you wanna go and it takes over.

Last night we put it through the paces with an iPhone, it is faster in all the matching features, and has more. Until Apple stops fucking their loyalists and releases what they are capable of, it is a great alternative.

Mars23 said:

I got curious, so I did a little research. Apparently, this phone doesn't let you view HTML email (which is sadly here to stay), doesn't have Wi-Fi (WTF?), and (surprise, surprise) doesn't support Macs.

'A better overall experience' - yes well, wouldn't that be something as impractical and impalpable than the status/fashion statement I mentioned?.. That was pretty much the point I was trying to make.

I personally want concrete technical features in a phone - but obviously each user decides for himself/herself what he/she is looking for in a phone.

AlexdeParis said:

To be frank, this 'cool' factor in choosing a cell phone [or anything else] personally makes me

As I'm not based in the US, I don't quite grasp it when people say 'image is all' and devote so much time/effort/money to it. I don't understand the extend to which it's important over there. I mean, what does it determine? Some people won't talk to you because you have 'the wrong' make of phone? Will you be missing out on social/professional opportunities? It's hard to believe something so insignificant as a technical device could have such repercussions.

As far as I'm concerned, after informing myself, my decision on a cell phone [and everything else] starts and ends with what I want and what I like. And I couldn't give a d..n* about what's cool and what's not.
What's that for an image?...

[and please note the 'personally' at the beginning: I do understand that fashion/appearance is an art like any other one and that there are plenty of people interested in it.]