Help with replacement phone

[Prinny Mask]

Could someone please tell me how to go about getting a replacement phone, give suggestions to what would be the best replacement to try and get, and the best way to go about it?

I've been reading quite a bit of the forums and my Thunderbolt also has the network issues others have been having on Verizon. So I was thinking maybe I should get a replacement as generally around the second or third replacements seem to not have the problem from what I've read, as opposed to others, and other solutions, only resulting in a temporary fix. But I was also thinking about maybe just waiting. Some phones, it also seems, have the problem fixed after they got updated to ICS, and I'm not sure (if) the Thunderbolt were to be updated that it might also help. But I'm also planning on getting a second phone for work before the end of the year or the beginning of next, so I'm not sure if I get a new phone to simply not bother with my everyday phone and just wait for Verizon to (eventually) have a fix.

I also got my Thunderbolt in March or April as an upgrade so there is no upgrade possibility anytime soon. So, because of that, and the Thunderbolt very quickly showing it's age, if I could, I was thinking of possibly trying to get another phone as a replacement. I love my Thunderbolt, despite it's random restarts and tendency to shock, and amaze, at just how fast it can lose battery sometimes, but I'd like to try something different. It will probably tear my heart in half to do it too. I've read that some people have gotten a Bionic, Charge, Rezound, RAZR, and sometimes rare GNex. But I wouldn't want the first two. I'm unsure about the Rezound and the RAZR, and I would normally go for the GNex, but I was planning on buying one straight from Google, and I have my ups and downs with each phone, so I'm conflicted.

Thanks!

Sent from my ADR6400L

 

[mesocyclonic]

I also got my Thunderbolt in March or April as an upgrade so there is no upgrade possibility anytime soon. So, because of that, and the Thunderbolt very quickly showing it's age, if I could, I was thinking of possibly trying to get another phone as a replacement. I love my Thunderbolt, despite it's random restarts and tendency to shock, and amaze, at just how fast it can lose battery sometimes, but I'd like to try something different. It will probably tear my heart in half to do it too. I've read that some people have gotten a Bionic, Charge, Rezound, RAZR, and sometimes rare GNex. But I wouldn't want the first two. I'm unsure about the Rezound and the RAZR, and I would normally go for the GNex, but I was planning on buying one straight from Google, and I have my ups and downs with each phone, so I'm conflicted.

Thanks!

Sent from my ADR6400L

You should still be in warranty, so if you're having issues you could try to talk a rep into swapping phones for you if it's known issues with the Tbolt that are causing you grief (like random restarts). If you're persistent (and being a long-term customer doesn't hurt), you may get to receive a CLNR Rezound/RAZR/GNex as you mentioned. That would be my first course of action-you deserve a working phone for what you're paying VZW-but it may take a fair amount of time to get one of those phones, including several warranty replacement Tbolts, and has no guarantee of success. If you want to try, though, be nice to any reps you deal with but insist that the problem be fixed. You may have to call back several times-the answer may vary from rep to rep.

If you don't want to do that, you can obviously just buy a new phone at any time at full retail. Kind of expensive, but easy. You mentioned buying the GNex from Google: you can't do that on Verizon because the Google Play GNex is incompatible with Verizon's CDMA network, unfortunately. If you're willing to spend the money and don't want to try the warranty route, this is probably the way I'd go. You can sell your Tbolt on eBay to defray some of the cost of the new device if you want.

As which phone to get new? If battery life is important, the MAXX. If you're concerned about software/hackability, the GNex. But the best overall phone on VZW right now is the S3 if you don't need the MAXX's huge battery or the GNex's timely updates. [Full disclosure: I'm a very happy S3 owner]

You can also buy a used phone from eBay or other sites. This will be cheaper than new, but you'll have to deal with the possibility of getting a phone that was reported stolen to VZW. There are ways to mitigate this (Buyer protection on eBay or meeting at a VZW store to check the phone when buying from Craigslist), but it's a concern.

 

[Prinny Mask]

You should still be in warranty, so if you're having issues you could try to talk a rep into swapping phones for you if it's known issues with the Tbolt that are causing you grief (like random restarts). If you're persistent (and being a long-term customer doesn't hurt), you may get to receive a CLNR Rezound/RAZR/GNex as you mentioned. That would be my first course of action-you deserve a working phone for what you're paying VZW-but it may take a fair amount of time to get one of those phones, including several warranty replacement Tbolts, and has no guarantee of success. If you want to try, though, be nice to any reps you deal with but insist that the problem be fixed. You may have to call back several times-the answer may vary from rep to rep.

If you don't want to do that, you can obviously just buy a new phone at any time at full retail. Kind of expensive, but easy. You mentioned buying the GNex from Google: you can't do that on Verizon because the Google Play GNex is incompatible with Verizon's CDMA network, unfortunately. If you're willing to spend the money and don't want to try the warranty route, this is probably the way I'd go. You can sell your Tbolt on eBay to defray some of the cost of the new device if you want.

As which phone to get new? If battery life is important, the MAXX. If you're concerned about software/hackability, the GNex. But the best overall phone on VZW right now is the S3 if you don't need the MAXX's huge battery or the GNex's timely updates. [Full disclosure: I'm a very happy S3 owner]

You can also buy a used phone from eBay or other sites. This will be cheaper than new, but you'll have to deal with the possibility of getting a phone that was reported stolen to VZW. There are ways to mitigate this (Buyer protection on eBay or meeting at a VZW store to check the phone when buying from Craigslist), but it's a concern.

The restarting issues with my Tbolt have started to occur semi frequently after the latest OTA update, the network problems, however, are a common problem with Verizon's LTE phones lately suddenly dropping 4G, very slow speeds, (at least that one's me, my 4G is about as fast as 3G but it used to be the same as my WiFi, and my 3G rarely cuts out) and just rendering it simply unusable at times.

Buying the GNex from Google, I understand that it wouldn't be on Verizon. I was thinking of getting one just to tinker with. Others were getting just the RAZR, and not the MAXX, and anything will have a better battery then my Tbolt, but I'll be honest, after seeing the screen side by side with a Bionic, I just can't stand the yellowish tint it seems to have. Don't get me wrong, I think the S3 is arguably the best phone available right now, but I like my black slabs

I don't think that I would buy a new phone from eBay or Craigslist because of that concern. I'd rather just buy a phone full price, but I don't have that kind of money right now.

Sent from my ADR6400L

 

[YourMobileGuru]

Check out the RAZR Max it does not have the same tint as the Bionic or the Spectrum (great screen but you will probably want to use a different launcher). The Rezound is also exellent in the screen department and just got ICS.

In the near future (hopefully before Christmas) we should be getting a One X variant (One X+ or whatever) and the Note 2 if you can wait a bit longer and really like large screens.

The GSIII will almost certainly be late to the update game. Every year we hear that Samsung has learned its lesson here and every year we find out we were wrong. If you want relatively timely updates stick with HTC and Moto. Samsung and LG suck in that department.

 

[Prinny Mask]

Check out the RAZR Max it does not have the same tint as the Bionic or the Spectrum (great screen but you will probably want to use a different launcher). The Rezound is also exellent in the screen department and just got ICS.

In the near future (hopefully before Christmas) we should be getting a One X variant (One X+ or whatever) and the Note 2 if you can wait a bit longer and really like large screens.

The GSIII will almost certainly be late to the update game. Every year we hear that Samsung has learned its lesson here and every year we find out we were wrong. If you want relatively timely updates stick with HTC and Moto. Samsung and LG suck in that department.

I meant that the RAZR seems to have a yellow tint. The Bionic looks almost bluish, but it might just be the contrast between the two screens just amplifies the slight differences. I was wondering about the Rezound because it's sorta like a spiritual successor to the Thunderbolt, without a kickstand.

I will probably consider getting the One X+ or the Note 2 for a work phone as I liked how both of the originals sounded but imo Verizon is limited with the variety of its selection compared to AT&T, so that would be great to have those. I just wish there was more Sony besides the Xperia Play. Lately they have been releasing some very nice looking phones.

(All from what I've read) What it seems to me is that HTC seems to take the longest to release an update to its devices, though they generally update more of them than others. They just take awhile. LG doesn't seem to ever update very many. Samsung seems to support more of its older devices. And Moto updates seem to happen without me even realizing. But that's just based on reading news about when certain phones get updated and judging everything loosely. Others who follow more closely probably have a better understanding.

Sent from my ADR6400L

 

[YourMobileGuru]

(All from what I've read) What it seems to me is that HTC seems to take the longest to release an update to its devices, though they generally update more of them than others. They just take awhile. LG doesn't seem to ever update very many. Samsung seems to support more of its older devices. And Moto updates seem to happen without me even realizing. But that's just based on reading news about when certain phones get updated and judging everything loosely. Others who follow more closely probably have a better understanding.

I do pay attention (close attention) and have for the last 2.5 years.

I really dont get where people get these perceptions from... the high profile HTC and Motorola devices are almost always the first updated.

The first phone after the Nexus One to get Froyo was the original Evo 4G, followed close behind by the Motorola Droid and HTC Droid Incredible.

The Evo 3D and Motorola Droid X were among the first to get Gingerbread but the Droid X one was borked which pushed back the updates for the DX2, Droid 2 and others. Thunderbolt got it but later than expected thanks to a borked MR2 update that they had to fix first.

This year the first phones besides the Nexus to get the ICS were the HTC Vivid, some variants of the GSII,, the Razr/RazrMAX, and now the Rezound.

The original Gaxy S phones (Fascinate, Cativate, Vibrant, etc) were promised ICS within a couple months of launch when they came (all were launched with Eclair well after Froyo source was available) and the first of theses didn't get it till the following February, most of the updates were super buggy and never did fix things like the borked GPS, and the Fascinate didn't get Gingerbread till the following December and I dont think the Captivate ever did.

 

[Prinny Mask]

I do pay attention (close attention) and have for the last 2.5 years.

I really dont get where people get these perceptions from... the high profile HTC and Motorola devices are almost always the first updated.

The first phone after the Nexus One to get Froyo was the original Evo 4G, followed close behind by the Motorola Droid and HTC Droid Incredible.

The Evo 3D and Motorola Droid X were among the first to get Gingerbread but the Droid X one was borked which pushed back the updates for the DX2, Droid 2 and others. Thunderbolt got it but later than expected thanks to a borked MR2 update that they had to fix first.

This year the first phones besides the Nexus to get the ICS were the HTC Vivid, some variants of the GSII,, the Razr/RazrMAX, and now the Rezound.

The original Gaxy S phones (Fascinate, Cativate, Vibrant, etc) were promised ICS within a couple months of launch when they came (all were launched with Eclair well after Froyo source was available) and the first of theses didn't get it till the following February, most of the updates were super buggy and never did fix things like the borked GPS, and the Fascinate didn't get Gingerbread till the following December and I dont think the Captivate ever did.

I've only been looking at ICS since I got my phone, so that's really only what my assessment was based on.

Sent from my ADR6400L

 

[Jude526]

I was in the same boat. VERIZON offered me the Rezound. It has been flawless. Will be a week tomorrow I got it.

sent from my Rezound

 

[Prinny Mask]

I was in the same boat. VERIZON offered me the Rezound. It has been flawless. Will be a week tomorrow I got it.

sent from my Rezound

I've seen you quite a bit in the forums as a fellow avid Tbolt lover lol how would you compare the Rezound to the Thunderbolt? Are there some things you miss? I know I'd sure miss the kickstand. Sometimes I just leave it standing up on a table to show it off.

I also have this qualm with cameras. I really like both the cameras on my phone, (yes, in good light even the front facing camera can take some surprisingly decent pictures) and I take all my pics with it. Normally I would try to get the GNex, however, it's only a 5 mega-pixel. Now I know that more mega-pixels does not always equal better quality; it simply means more pixels which would mean better detail, but not all cameras are the same, so a 5mp could essentially take better pictures than an 8. But it's just like a pet peeve that I spent this whole paragraph ranting about.

Sent from my ADR6400L

 

[cgardnervt]

You could never go wrong with the S3! battery life is great and a very powerful device. If Battery life is your #1 then I would go with the RAZR MAXX Or wait for the RAZR HD.

 

[Prinny Mask]

You could never go wrong with the S3! battery life is great and a very powerful device. If Battery life is your #1 then I would go with the RAZR MAXX Or wait for the RAZR HD.

If I haven't got another phone yet, or still working through replacement Bolts, and they release the black S3 in the US, I might think about it. Who knows how long that's going to take though. The RAZR HD also seems tempting, but I also don't know how different overall it would be from the current RAZR.

Sent from my ADR6400L

 

[Jude526]

I love the Rezound. Miss the kickstand on the bolt. But there is a great case from Smartphone Pedia I plan to get. The bolt was awesome but the later two months I had two replacements. Internet in my home wasn't connecting or if did would just hang. Nothing. That was my only real issue. But I had to have a phone that worked and worked all the time.
I was really happy when offered a replacement and it was the Rezound. It has been simply the best. Camera is as good as the bolts. I love HTC. Started with the original Incredible. Came from Blackberry. I sold wireless so I know how to troubleshoot and next step was to try new SIM but tech support said no. OK. Switched me. I love my tablet but am not a Samsung phone fan. I will only use HTC. Sense UI,...........

sent from my Rezound