Read my lips: NO...FREE...PHONE!

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

There was a time when you could get a free phone by either activating a new line or upgrading your device after two years.

But that's changed. You see now most of us are walking around with $700 smartphones in our pockets. If you go to a retail store for a major carrier you'll find in most cases those same smartphones cost between $99 and $299 even WITH a new contract.

I've taken numerous calls from customers in one of the two following situations:

1. They don't like their phone, but won't agree to a warranty replacement because they want a different model from what they currently have.
2. They broke their phone, don't have insurance and aren't upgrade eligible for awhile.

In both of these cases, there are MULTIPLE avenues for the customer to get another phone, from buying one at full cost to getting one on an installment plan to buying a lower end prepaid phone and using it.

Or maybe even, if we like them enough, we'll go ahead bump up their upgrade date.

BUT THEY STILL HAVE TO PAY.

The number of customers who can't wrap their head around this is astounding. Our company exists to make money, we aren't just going to hand out high end smartphones like candy.

Look, I get it, I know it sucks to be without a phone. I'm currently in that position. I lost the SIII I had in November, I'm not upgrade eligible until later this year and guess what? Since I can't AFFORD a phone right now, I've gone without for 3 months.

Point being I realize full well that to get another phone, I WILL have to PAY.

Get it through your thick heads SCs: The "Free phone" ride is OVER.

[TheSHAD0W]

Well...

It's difficult to get a free smartphone directly from one of the big companies (and yes, impossible from one of the discount providers). If you go to some of the online secondary retailers, though, they'll often have some of the lesser models available for free. You obviously can't get a Galaxy SIII for nothing, but you should be able to at least find something running Gingerbread.

If you still have a long wait on your contract, you may also want to check Craigslist and ebay for replacement phones. Not free, but they can be well short of $100.

[NecessaryCatharsis]

You obviously can't get a Galaxy SIII for nothing,

I read as on the tv an ad plays for that very deal. My personal tv is too old and crappy picture to read all the fine print at the bottom, but there appears to be about 5 lines worth, however the shiny flashy part of the ad is all about the free smart phones on offer from a particular service provider.

Different countries maybe?

[Gilhelmi]

I admit, I was hoping for a free phone. Not a smart phone, but a basic phone that would make phone calls. Cheapest phone they had was $15 (after $50 mail-in rebate).

But I also understand why there are no more free or cheap phones anymore.

[Racket_Man]

I admit, I was hoping for a free phone. Not a smart phone, but a basic phone that would make phone calls. Cheapest phone they had was $15 (after $50 mail-in rebate).

But I also understand why there are no more free or cheap phones anymore.

I got a new phone about 18 months ago. Now at that time my old contract renewal date had passed by about 2 years. Meaning I had just let the contract continue. Well my phone died.Even though I only got another lower end "dumb" flip phone, I still had to pay like $ 50 for the new weather resistant phone I need. Yeah I got a $20 rebate but still....

[CrappyToHelp]

It's not strange here to get free phones - granted the contracts are extortionate (£74.99/US$123/CA$136 per month for a free iPhone 5S) but it does happen.

[earl colby pottinger]

In the states

I don't understand what the problem is.

In Canada every cell phone I looked at either was expensive or was tyied into long term (2 or more year) contracts.

But in the US I twice have purchased Trac-Phones for $15 each and have found that they do the real job of a phone.

If you have no working phone, why not get one of these instead until you can afford your dream phone. That goes double when I watch one of the court shows and some silly girl friend/relative puts someone on their phone plan.

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

The SIII is getting a little older as far as smart phones go. We're on to S4s, Note 3s, Iphone 5s, LG G2s, Moto Xs and so on and so forth.

I've been checking craigslist regularly but so far I haven't found another undamaged S3 in my price range ($100-150). There have been a few iphones, but I'd much prefer an android device. I may however, just cave and get an iphone until I am upgrade eligible.

You'd be surprised at how many customers get pissed off at the prospect of paying only $20-$50 for a phone. They want it free or no deal.

[cleorose]

We just added a new line and got a free s4 phone. But we also paid for the s3 we have which was $99 at the time. I have the s3 now and hubby took the new phone.

[sms001]

It's an almost perfect supply and demand scenario. While people were willing to settle for lower end phones, the cost of the high-end units was subsidized in various ways. Now that consumers are demanding all the bells and whistles, the underwriting of the costs can be diminished.

Cue EW/SC whines......

[cindybubbles]

I got a free smartphone with a 2-year contract. $45/month with just 200MB of data, though.

[otakuneko]

Save a few more bucks and get a Galaxy S Relay off Amazon. Just like an S3, but with a KEYBOARD.

Okay, okay, not a great keyboard, but good keyboards died with the Sidekick line. RIP, keyboards.

Or just.. forget about this whole smartphone thing... which lately, is an idea that's more and more tempting to me. I find myself missing the elegant simplicity of a flip-phone...

[raudf]

Heh. I had to pay $79 x 3 phones with contract, but these were limited edition Motorola Razor M's. At the time, free ones were still offered, but those were the ones I was warned to "STAY AWAY FROM EVER!!!!" (I have too many friends and family who work for cell phone companies!)

I've been hearing more and more rumbles about carriers doing away with the contract and having people pay for the phone as they go. I'll look at buying my family members and friends a round of the poison of their choice. SCs will be SCREAMING because the free ride will be completely over!

[Jay 2K Winger]

Read my lips: NO...FREE...PHONE!

Ah, I think I see the problem. Let me channel the mindset of a Sucktomer:

Your voice is saying "No," but your lips are saying "FREE PHONE."

Ow ow ow ow ow OWWWW. Don't let me channel the mindset of a Sucktomer again. I have to go recover my sanity points...

[MoonCat]

Tracfones are cheap and plentiful. So are phone minutes. The only down side is that you have to buy new minutes before the time period expires....which means I currently have over 600 minutes on my phone because I don't use it that much, but the time period will expire in April anyway, at which time I'll have to buy more or lose all the minutes.

Probably should not have bought the one that gives double minutes for life. Perfectly serviceable, though. Just not "cool"