Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Fool me infinity (or how I learned to stop worrying and just pay) - Part 3

Hi all,

In June of 2012, when I decided to part ways with my loving company, I found myself in the market for a mobile phone line again. Luckily, I had this "emergency phone" stashed in my glove box, complete with a SIM card that would save me a whopping $10, and some credited air time.

At least, that's what I thought.

I'm totally guilty of not reading stuff, and when I got my last bill from the wireless company showing me what was cool about pay-as-you-go, I tossed it. I wasn't planning on using my emergency phone, so why should I care what it was about, right?

Turns out that the airtime you buy expires. No biggie, I started back into the world of wireless with a clean fresh slate - no contract, and high hopes to live in a world without data.

I got to work with my contract (read all about that here - it's been non-sarcastically great), I started to shake with the amount of no data access I had. No WiFi to power my fancy PlayBook, no computer to sit at outside the lunchroom (this would be rectified quickly), I felt cut off.

I hastily called my provider, and asked them how much it would be to add the lowest amount of data possible to my plan.  Like a junkie, I raised it twice more, and I was happy.

In early 2013, a firm date was announced for the new BlackBerry Z10 smartphone, and my lust went into overdrive. I wanted one, but to get one at a reasonable price meant signing a contract with a provider. My wife has an iPhone, and her indentured servitude with her alternative wireless provider (not the same as mine - importantly) was nearing a close. I asked her if I could do her the dis-service of giving her my contract if I were to get picked up full-time, and got a work phone again. She agreed because she's the best. I clarified that it could mean her contract not ending for a long time, but she was still cool with it. I signed the pre-order papers, and was a happy dude.

February 5th came, and I walked into buy my new Smartphone, and port my number away from wireless carrier 1. I honestly didn't think that much about the switch - I knew that it was possible to do the port, and that there may be repercussions, but I was invincible. I steamrolled ahead, and when the nice sales associate called my current wireless provider to do the port for me, and it went through, my happiness was maintained.

I admit, that I should have read the fine print, but I didn't.

Leading us to part 4, and the present...

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