Help Insurance/replace Connect for Esteem for $99

[cjinca]

I'm in a bind timewise to make a decision but think I need to accept trade and pay the $99. Due to tragic death of 20 year old, I'm flying to Texas on Wednesday and have to have a working phone. The charging port is shot on mine and phone brain is affected as well (depowers/repowers sporadically or gets stuck in this loop on and OFF charger).

I appreciate any practical input as to whether or not this is a terribly bad idea or not? I am not tech savvy, I am frugal and I've seriously hated having this decent phone which has had horrible battery issues from the start. I'm also on fence about going with different carrier but don't have the time to research and make switch in such short amount of time.

So... my rationale is, I'll be out $100, HOPEFULLY have reliable phone while in Texas and then figure out the rest next month. Just asking for any affirmation or advice... thanks all :banghead:

 

[Rukbat]

1) You can switch carriers in about 15 minutes (plus driving time to the store).

2) The decision of which carrier you use should depend ONLY on which carrier has the best coverage in the areas in which you need coverage. You can find this out in a few hours, bu talking to people in those areas. "Oh, you get bad reception over here?" That sort of thing.

3) I wouldn't spend money replacing a phone I couldn't stand.

4) You CAN do everything but #2 once you get to Texas.

5) My sympathies for the situation in Texas.

(Side note - if your current phone uses a SIM card, talk to an independent cellphone dealer who carries that carrier's phones. You may be able to buy/borrow some old feature phone until you get back. I, as a dealer, did that more than once. Got burned a few times too, by phones that didn't get returned.)

 

[cjinca]

Really appreciate you taking the time to reply, and with such easy to understand info.
I bit the $99 bullet because I couldn't have it hanging over my head. My phone was barely usaable today and I can't afford to be unreachable during this time. And yep, not crazy about putting down more money with MetroPCS phone but... I am relieved to have made decision. Phone arrives in mail tomorrow - KNOCK ON WOOD!

 

[cjinca]

Well, I got phone - LG Esteem refurbished. I went in to store and gal there set up new phone - put my old SD card and new SIM? card.
Huge problem now is using apps. Google Play shows I still have all apps but it only shows LG Connect. I've searched for help and know I'm supposed to be signed into google on phone. I am signed in and google play shows I have a bunch of apps but it acts as if I'm on old phone. There are a few I really need by tomorrow (evernote, dropbox).
If someone can talk me through steps, I'd much appreciate. I'm hesitant to return old phone until I know this is worked out, but they'll charge me $75 buck for not returning it.

also - google play on laptop shows all apps are installed - on old phone. I just turned old phone on and of course it shows SD card is removed. When I click on gmail, all my mail is there. When I click on Evernote, it says I'm not signed in and don't have internet (which I understand).

 

[justenjoy]

Well, I got phone - LG Esteem refurbished. I went in to store and gal there set up new phone - put my old SD card and new SIM? card.
Huge problem now is using apps. Google Play shows I still have all apps but it only shows LG Connect. I've searched for help and know I'm supposed to be signed into google on phone. I am signed in and google play shows I have a bunch of apps but it acts as if I'm on old phone. There are a few I really need by tomorrow (evernote, dropbox).
If someone can talk me through steps, I'd much appreciate. I'm hesitant to return old phone until I know this is worked out, but they'll charge me $75 buck for not returning it.

also - google play on laptop shows all apps are installed - on old phone. I just turned old phone on and of course it shows SD card is removed. When I click on gmail, all my mail is there. When I click on Evernote, it says I'm not signed in and don't have internet (which I understand).

Take your sd card out, Restore your phone to factory settings. (Factory Reset). Install all your apps that you really need, don't have the phone automatically restore the apps, do it manually. If all apps are working well, then consider putting the sd card back in.

 

[cjinca]

Thanks for your advice. It's been a nightmare. I had to leave town the after receiving phone. MetroPCS store set up new phone but it didn't work properly. Once in Texas, went in for help, she did same process and some issues were corrected but not majority. Appears they sent me phone without current update. No GPS, roams to Verizon, very little connectivity, just to name a few. I still haven't returned old phone and now have two days to do so, or I'll be charged another $75. So I'll call insurance today and... ? I really don't know. I think I'd rather ask to return Esteem as they sent me phone not working properly, which wasn't comparable to what I had in the first place - for $99 Think it's time to move on from MetroPCS but still not decided.

 

[MiriamV]

I went from a Esteem to a Connect both phones are now discontinue, I keep going to the store because of problems with the connect, I replace 4 phones (connect) at the metro corp and send to lg twice and still have the problem with rebooting and connection, now I have a f3 in some how I was able to get a credit and got it replace it was not easy and took me 3 months of complaining every 3 days so finally this manager was kind enough to change the phone...

I say go to the corp store and complain every 2 days, (dont pay to your insurance $99 for them to send you the same phone) try to talk and explain to them that this phones are already discontinue and you dont want to pay to have a old phone on the old network, that you would like to know if you can get a credit hopefully a manager can help you..