Vent/ older folks & modern life insanity!

[Fuddy1952]

I have to vent! I understand Covid is a fly in the ointment, however,, we've been here 40 years. So simple then, we had Verizon telephone service. Verizon kept raising rates so switched to Straight Talk, home phones+my cell+wife's cell phones. We bought everything from local Walmart.
Home phone last week we could call out, no calls in...so I tried using my cell...it wouldn't work. I call Straight Talk, I have to buy a new box, and I've been paying for no service!
We're on auto-pay. I call, between last night and today I've wasted 6 hours on phone (transfers, on hold, etc).
We used to have 3 Verizon offices within 7 miles...never an answer! I call corporate and get shuffled around, says hold time over an hour!
If you ever do get a human, they can barely speak English so you can't understand them, then "It's not my department".
I'm 68...is it me or others frustrated with modern life? Things used to be so simple.
All I want is a working home telephone which I wired to garage, horse stable also.
Sorry, had to vent, curious if it's just me.

 

[TractorGuy]

Same age here. Gave up on having a wired phone years ago. When I got in on the Mobley deal through AT&T I gave up on wired DSL.

Wife and I have the no contract phones and get adequate service. Her's is on Verizon and mine is on AT&T. Mine is a $40 Motorola Moto E4 that started on Verizon. I switched it over to AT&T to test their service which is okay but the Verizon seems a little better. When I went to switch it back they made it too difficult so I said the heck with it and left it on AT&T. At that time I switched it to the lowest cost prepaid service they had so I'm now paying $33 per month. I don't use or need much mobile data. For another $10 I could get 8 GB per month but I only use about a 1/2 GB so that doesn't make sense.

Wife had the same phone and service I had but took the rubber protection off of it and broke it. I've dropped mine a thousand times with a simple rubber cover around the back and edges and it's never broken. She was able to buy a replacement Motorola Moto E5 for about $60 direct from Verizon. Other than having to learn the differences in operation it has worked well so far. Her bill is running about $38 per month I think.

The bottom line is ALL the phone/internet/cable providers are in competition to see who can provide the worst service.

If you can get the internet deal worked out I would try to figure which cellular service is best in your area and get two prepaid phones. My phone of choice is the least expensive Motorola I can buy. I've had nothing but trouble from Samsung phones and I'm not going to pay the up charge for an eye phone.

 

[Toyboy]

My wife & myself plus a bunch of our friends have TracFone and have no complaints. 200min card with 90 days service cost $40. If we want more text 1000 is $5
Of course all we do is text and make calls on them. Works fine for us.
We still have our LL though. Not ready to give that up.

 

[rekees4300]

Sorry, had to vent, curious if it's just me.

No it's not just you. Our landline worked well until Verizon sold it to Frontier several years ago. Now it goes out almost every time there is a heavy rain. Takes Frontier up to 7 days to fix it! :mur:

 

[ultrarunner]

I dread having to deal with Phone Companies...

Not being able to reach someone to address problems and the never ending expiration of plans...

I do have POTS copper at Moms... never missed a beat with even the DSL up when EVERYTHING was down during the extended power outages...

Actually had neighbors coming over to use her old rotary dial phone...

Bell Systems built a system without rival with reliability and customer service the cornerstones...

 

[3Ts]

I dread having to deal with Phone Companies...

Not being able to reach someone to address problems and the never ending expiration of plans...

I do have POTS copper at Moms... never missed a beat with even the DSL up when EVERYTHING was down during the extended power outages...

Actually had neighbors coming over to use her old rotary dial phone...

Bell Systems built a system without rival with reliability and customer service the cornerstones...

The Bell Systems were a monopoly, just like the power companies are today. The Cell carriers are in competition. As much as I'm in favor of competition, I wonder if a public service monopoly might be better?

 

[ultrarunner]

The Bell Systems were a monopoly, just like the power companies are today. The Cell carriers are in competition. As much as I'm in favor of competition, I wonder if a public service monopoly might be better?

Yep... but highly regulated at a time when long distance had no other option unless maybe ham radio for voice.

The biggest benefit I would say is the mandate to connect... even rural properties and nearly all the country had phone service.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Well, after me on phone a few hours last night, and 8 hours today!!! looks like I have a resolution. Wife and I will stay with Straight Talk for our Samsung phones, $15.43 each/month. I switched to Verizon for our home phone, $33.20/month (prices include taxes, total cost). Home phone will be wired, so I have about 12 jacks, house, garage, horse stable. It's basic service so only local calls, but I can receive long distance calls ok. To call long distance we'll use a cell phone.
I'll save $20/month on home phone. We don't have WiFi or computer, but that works on cell phones.
Whew!

 

[oosik]

Fuddy - I'm ten years older than you. Simply put - I've tolerated this situation ten years longer than you. I have the latest Apple 11 phone and a real whiz bang cell phone plan. That's just great - because I can now "pair it up" with the electronics on the Taco Wagon. All of this and I use my cell phone less than 20 minuets per month. I try to remember to turn the "thing" on every evening to see if somebody left a message worth returning. I seldom take it with me when I leave the house. If my only access to TBN was via my cell phone....... I wouldn't be here. Keys are too small and so is the screen.

Old habits die hard............

 

[Fuddy1952]

My Dad (rip) was Scottish decent and lived through the Great Depression. We were very close, people say we even look alike and I'm sure I inherited his "frugal"(i.e. cheap ) genes and habits. His clothes were always patched.
I thought my Straight Talk was $15.43/month, but I checked and it's $15.65 (close).
With my el cheapo Samsung I can pair it (Bluetooth) or USB with 3 of our cars, streaming music or use a $19 Canon WiFi printer.
If you haven't already you can download an app "Radio Dismuke", music of 20s-30s.
Even I remember not having a television as a young kid, so we listened to radio. Local station played mostly 40s, some 20s-30s music. You have 10 years more memories than me!
We'll be happier now with our wired phones!