Cheap Junk Cell Phone

**Ken** · 02-26-2010, 05:25 PM

Well, yesterday, my LG Voyager, the second worst cell phone ever made, a piece of trash from the get-go, finally died.

So I went to the Verizon Wireless Store and got me the only non-touch screen qwerty keyboard clamshell phone I could find - the LG Env3.

Congratulations, Verizon and LG. I didn't think it was possible to market a phone lower in quality than the Voyager, but you found a way to do it.

After spending the initial 30 minutes waiting for the new phone to be set up, the sales rep said that that phone was defective. So I waited another half hour for another one to be set up. It worked, and off I went.

I got home and began the tedious task of re-entering all my personal preferences and stuff like speed dials and groups, because Verizon's "Back-up Assistant" doesn't transfer that when you get a new phone. After an hour, the little "Searching for Service" appeared on the screen. My battery showed 4 bars, so I went through the ususal routine. Power the phone down and restart. Nope. Remove the battery, wait, replace it, and restart. Nope.

So I call the Verizon Store and some clown tells me I have to call an 800 number. So I do. Then I encounter some insane maze of automated menu options. I press "0" about 10 times and finally get connected to a human being who at least spoke English.

20 minutes on the phone attempting to reprogram, and we gave up. The guy reactivated my old phone (fortunately I hadn't taken a sledge hammer to it yet) and told me to return to the store to get a replacement, which would be #3.

However, this morning, my new phone, although "off-line" was no longer searching for service. So, hoping to save myself a trip back to the store, I called that 800 number and, in 20 minutes, my new phone was reactivated. 4 hours later, it was "Searching for Service" again. So I'll be leaving to go back to the Verizon Store in a few minutes.

Man am I pizzed off!

Believe me - if Verizon Wireless charges me for sending me a paper bill, they'll damn well compensate me for the 5 hours I've wasted trying to get this piece of $hit to work.

Funny thing is, the on-line reviews mention this problem about the Env3. The reviews also mention that the thing frequently powers itself off for no apparent reason, which sucks if you're waiting for a call only to realize that your phone shut itself off. I asked the people at the store about this problem when I called them. Guess what? They said it can happen if you store too many pictures (I have very few) or text messages (I have hundreds) on your phone. So why the hell do they allow you to store so much crap if it will defeat the primary purpose of having a phone?

I swear, the only alternative to this crap is not having a cell phone, because the products they offer are all unreliable crap. At least with Verizon, anyway.

Verizon Wireless and LG - eat &%$*!

**doug1980** · 02-26-2010, 05:30 PM

Yet another reason I'm glad I switched to AT&T. We just purchased 2 Blackberry Pearls and they are awesome. Everyone I know has the I-Phone and have had nothing but problems with them. Besides I hate anything that has a touch screen. The Pearl can do everything I could ever want and tons of stuff I will never use. I hope you get yours working Ken.

**crashdive123** · 02-26-2010, 05:31 PM

I've had a Verizon G'zOne for several years and have never had any problems with it. It even survived an un planned swim last year (camera didn't). The only thing I use it for is a telephone though. I've never sent a text message in my life. Maybe some day I will - just don't have a need for it yet.

**Ken** · 02-26-2010, 05:38 PM

Originally Posted by doug1980

I hope you get yours working Ken.

Thanks, Doug!

Originally Posted by crashdive123

I've had a Verizon G'zOne for several years and have never had any problems with it. It even survived an un planned swim last year (camera didn't). The only thing I use it for is a telephone though. I've never sent a text message in my life. Maybe some day I will - just don't have a need for it yet.

Never had a problem with any of them BEFORE the Voyager. Today, they cram so much junk into the new phones that the software can't handle all of it.

I rely on text messages because I'm in court so often, and I can't answer voice calls there. Now, mASSachusetts is about to prohibit non-hands-free cell phone use while your driving, which is another reason I'll rely more on texts.

All I want is unlimited calls and texts and a non-touch screen phone with a clamshell qwerty keyboard. And the $%^&*@# Env3 is the only one Verizon has. None of the other features are worth a damn, so they can keep 'em.

**Ken** · 02-26-2010, 05:41 PM

I'm leaving for the Verizon Store now. You guys better be around if I need bail money.

**nell67** · 02-26-2010, 05:57 PM

I have $10 can chip in,good luck Ken.

**Justin Case** · 02-26-2010, 06:03 PM

I would be looking for a good Lawyer if I were you

But seriously,, Good luck, I hope you get it fixed,,

**Rick** · 02-26-2010, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by Ken

Funny thing is, the on-line reviews mention this problem about the Env3. The reviews also mention that the thing frequently powers itself off for no apparent reason

Okay, let's think about this. The reviews said the phone was bad and you still got it. You're right 2D. I just can't explain it.

**Ken** · 02-26-2010, 07:30 PM

Okay, let's see how phone #3 - the LAST one I'm gonna' try - works out. Until I'm certain it works okay, I'm not gonna' waste any time setting it up or downloading any of the $150.00 in free ring tones/applications they grudgingly gave me a credit for to compensate me for my inconvenience. It did start to get ugly when they offered me a lousy $25.00 credit, prompting them to become a bit more reasonable.

Originally Posted by Rick

Okay, let's think about this. The reviews said the phone was bad and you still got it. You're right 2D. I just can't explain it.

Look, Twinkie Boy, this was the ONLY model that met the specs I wanted. That's why I got it. I didn't even look at the reviews until after the second one crapped out. And by the way, the reviews on THIS model were no more negative than any of the rest - just different problems with it, that's all.

**Rick** · 02-26-2010, 07:32 PM

Why didn't you ask the folks in the store to swap your directory for you? They should be able to do that.

**2dumb2kwit** · 02-26-2010, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by Rick

Okay, let's think about this. The reviews said the phone was bad and you still got it. You're right 2D. I just can't explain it.

Ya see....and at first, nobody would believe me.

Like my sig line says.....just because I talk slow, don't mean I'm stupid!

**Ken** · 02-26-2010, 08:35 PM

Originally Posted by Rick

Why didn't you ask the folks in the store to swap your directory for you? They should be able to do that.

I did. They transfered all 672 of my contacs flawlessly. I also asked, but they said they "couldn't" transfer:

1. My speed dial numbers; and

2. My contact groups; and

3. My caller I.D. picture associations; and

4. My caller specific ring tones (because they want you to buy the same ones over AGAIN whenever you get a new phone).

So now I have to go through every one of my 672 contacts and reassign speed dial numbers, contact groups, ring tones, and picture associations.

Wanna' know what my ring tone is for my clients? It's "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" by Ennio Morricone.

Wanna' know what my ring tone is for my Sweetie? I'll bet you do.