Hello...Hello?

I was informed that I was entitled to a phone upgrade on my cell phone contract. My old phone is overdue for an upgrade...it could be an antique in the cell phone world. It runs on coal. I don't want or need all the bells and whistles they stick on cell phones. I don't even want a camera...who needs it? I have plenty of cameras. My phone has a camera and I have over 200 photos of the inside of my back pocket.

Anyway, my phone signal has been breaking up and deteriorating in reception quality. So, I decided to go check out what was available. I am on the low end of the phone spectrum so the options were limited to a flip-phone very similar to what I have and two models that offer more options (like a calendar and alarm) and have a little drawer that comes out with a tiny keyboard. These two models differ only in the quality of the camera and the size of the screen. Since both models had screens larger than what I had I decided on the lesser of the two...with the "inferior" camera.  My phone guy, Ben, was new so it took a while for him to get things worked out. I think all cell phone guys are new because they seem not to know what is going on with their own products.

After it was all over and things were signed and fees recorded, I headed for home. I spent much of the afternoon squinting at the little manual (just the English language part) and trying to figure out the phone. When I did actually get a call, I couldn't figure out how to answer it. 

I suppose that I'll get it figured out in a couple days. This is an improvement, I guess, over my old steam-driven cell phone.


Update - 9/15....Screw it. I took it back and got a phone I can use. I never actually was able to answer a call on that phone.  And the reception wasn't any better than my old phone. I got one I can use and it works fine.  Plus I get some money back.  End of story.


Well, not quite. Further Update (September 22 - the Autumnal Equinox) Why is this so tough? The new phone seems to work fine. Only problem is that I read the user guide which told me I'm supposed to hit the 'send' button when I answer a phone call. That seemed odd to me...this is a flip phone and just opening it up when it rings should be sufficient. So, I ended up disconnecting a few calls before I decided that the user guide was full of crap. I was right all along. So I got that figured out....but now I'm getting weird phone calls from numbers in my area code but there is no one on the line and when I try to call back the phone number is out of service. These calls are originating in Puxico, Jackson ans Ewing, Missouri. No one in those places should even have my cell number. This is political campaign season and I'm guessing that these are robo-calls that can't figure out my cell connection (??). Maybe this will end after the election.