Cell Phone Blues

S. Thompson · Post by **S. Thompson** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 11:10 pm

So I finally caved in April and got a cell phone - an Audiovox CDM-8600 to be exact. It's an older phone, but it was well priced and has all the features I need. Well, as of late, it has started shutting down and "rebooting" itself spontaneously.

I am wondering if it is lose wiring or what. And if I take it into Verizon Wireless... will they help me.

I am on a two year contract and I'd like a working phone.

- Fuzmeister

bizzle · Post by **bizzle** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 11:13 pm

If you bought the phone from them it should still be under warranty.

fatheadpi · Post by **fatheadpi** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 11:14 pm

I am on a two year contract

The reason why I'm now with T-Mobile.

I'd think they would help you with your phone, especially if you've got insurance on it.

S. Thompson · Post by **S. Thompson** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 12:16 am

fatheadpi wrote:The reason why I'm now with T-Mobile.

I only know one guy that uses T-Mobile. The rest of my friends use Verizon... since I'm cheap and wanted to call them without using minutes... I chose Verizon...

But, yes, agree with you I do - two year contracts - the dark side they are.

- Fuzmeister

politoe · Post by **politoe** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 9:35 am

your fucked. My gf and me got the same phone back in April. She fucked hers up and didn't put insurace in it. They told her that they couldn't do anything and will need t buy a new phone. We also got the 2 year contract, no insurance though. My 8600 still works great

Vlad Tepes · Post by **Vlad Tepes** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 9:47 am

I would imagine they would help you. I had an LGVX6000 and a year ago, and it quit getting a signal, so I took it to the Verizon store, and they gave me a new one...and I didn't have an extended warrantee. I don't think two year contracts are so bad. I actually just signed my second two year contract with Verizon. I've been happy with the service for over two years, and have no desire to switch. Plus...if you stick with 'em for two years, they give you $100 off you next phone, and thanks to that, I got an LGVX8100 for only $50.

politoe · Post by **politoe** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 9:51 am

So your telling me without it is $150?

bizzle · Post by **bizzle** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 12:21 pm

Well you're in luck if you decide to cancel and go with a different provider.

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview ... erthread=y

Vlad Tepes · Post by **Vlad Tepes** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 12:43 pm

politoe wrote:So your telling me without it is $150?

Yep. With a two year contract the price is $199, and at the time, the phone had an instant $50 rebate. So only $50 came out of my pocket.

S. Thompson · Post by **S. Thompson** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 1:42 pm

Well - I'm screwed. I took it in and they said it was "moisture damage." I believe them and all, it's just weird because I didn't have anything spill on it lately or anything. They said that I could go ahead and buy a new handset, but they couldn't do poop for me otherwise. Needless to say, I was pretty irrate.

I'm going to try and keep the phone going for a while. If things get better (I cleaned the contacts pretty rigorously today), I will keep it. If not... maybe eBay?

- Fuzmeister

politoe · Post by **politoe** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 2:22 pm

Xylene wrote:Well you're in luck if you decide to cancel and go with a different provider.

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview ... erthread=y

Reading from that post, this begins on Oct.1st, right?

sixteen-bit · Post by **sixteen-bit** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 5:47 pm

S. Thompson wrote:Well - I'm screwed. I took it in and they said it was "moisture damage." I believe them and all, it's just weird because I didn't have anything spill on it lately or anything. They said that I could go ahead and buy a new handset, but they couldn't do poop for me otherwise. Needless to say, I was pretty irrate.

That's a pretty common excuse used to worm out of handset repair / replacement. Can they actually prove it's moisture damage?

Post by **pixel** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 5:50 pm

Usually phones have a strip inside of them that changes color when it comes in contact with water.

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 5:51 pm

pixel wrote:Usually phones have a strip inside of them that changes color when it comes in contact with water.

Yeah, it's under the battery.

bizzle · Post by **bizzle** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 5:56 pm

Thomas wrote:
pixel wrote:Usually phones have a strip inside of them that changes color when it comes in contact with water.
Yeah, it's under the battery.

My phone doesn't. It was in the washer. Still works perfectly too!

politoe · Post by **politoe** » Fri Aug 19, 2005 10:49 pm

Take off the batery and check it, and on the phone. It should be red if its moisture damage.

S. Thompson · Post by **S. Thompson** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 1:45 pm

politoe wrote:Take off the batery and check it, and on the phone. It should be red if its moisture damage.

Yeah - he showed me this at the Verizon store and I was like - "WTF?" I honestly don't know how it could've been exposed to moisture.

Regardless, though, the phone's been working fine the past three days or so. I got the ol' pencil eraser trick done on the battery contacts - got rid of some corrosion that was there and it's been stable since.

Although I really have no clue how my phone got wet or moist... I'd make an inappropriate comment after typing that last sentence, but these forums are rated PG.

- Fuzmeister

politoe · Post by **politoe** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 5:08 pm

S. Thompson wrote:
politoe wrote:Take off the batery and check it, and on the phone. It should be red if its moisture damage.
Regardless, though, the phone's been working fine the past three days or so. I got the ol' pencil eraser trick done on the battery contacts - got rid of some corrosion that was there and it's been stable since.

- Fuzmeister

??? Some info on this would be nice.

arrowhead · Post by **arrowhead** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 6:36 pm

S. Thompson wrote:
politoe wrote:Take off the batery and check it, and on the phone. It should be red if its moisture damage.
Yeah - he showed me this at the Verizon store and I was like - "WTF?" I honestly don't know how it could've been exposed to moisture.

Regardless, though, the phone's been working fine the past three days or so. I got the ol' pencil eraser trick done on the battery contacts - got rid of some corrosion that was there and it's been stable since.

Although I really have no clue how my phone got wet or moist... I'd make an inappropriate comment after typing that last sentence, but these forums are rated PG.

- Fuzmeister

So you pulled the old led zepp shark trick on her with your phone? kinky.

S. Thompson · Post by **S. Thompson** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 11:34 pm

politoe wrote:??? Some info on this would be nice.

Basically - any electronic contacts can be cleaned simply with the eraser of a common number two pencil. I do not know to what degree this works, but it does. We used to do it when I worked at Radio Shack for cordless phones and the like.

Give it a try sometime if something you have is working poorly.

- Fuzmeister