Database Develop

Question about AT&T, GPS and Kaisers

I found a Kaiser phone at my house after a party I had last weekend. It had a password on it but no sim card in it. I asked around and none of my friends/anyone we know are missing a kaiser, so I guess this one is up for grabs. I did some research on it and it seems to be a really excellent phone, a significant upgrade from my old, old razr, so since no one has claimed it I thought about keeping it.
My question is if I put my sim card into it, is there any way AT&T can track me down and accuse me of stealing it? If so, I may as well just sell it on ebay or craigslist rather than go through the hassle of defending myself over something that was left at my house.

well considering it was left at your house and if you asked everyone there if they lost it and they said no I wouldn't worry about it.

You might want to consider something really radical, taking it to AT&T and let them track down the owner. If it has a SIM card they can determine who is the owner.

GPS my foot!
a gentleman said:
I found a Kaiser phone at my house after a party I had last weekend. It had a password on it but no sim card in it.
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And this has what to do with GPS?
Seems strange to say the least - who goes around with a phone with the sim slot empty
I asked around and none of my friends/anyone we know are missing a kaiser...
My question is if I put my sim card into it, is there any way AT&T can track me down and accuse me of stealing it?
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Now you have my attention, my advise is to report it to AT&T and hand it in to the Police. Even if your party guests cant remember losing a Tilt at your place, there's no doubt it does belong to someone and that someone will be missing it. Even if that someone has insurance which covers it, the phone will be locked if an attempt is made to use it (at least thats what they do here in the UK) so it's only worth will be as parts but even then they're not your parts to sell.
Put yourself in the shoes of the person who has 'lost' it. If it's an AT&T contract phone, the IMEI number will enable them to track down the rightful owner very quickly and even if the sticker/markings are defaced, that info is within the phones programming.

a gentleman said:
I found a Kaiser phone at my house after a party I had last weekend. It had a password on it but no sim card in it. I asked around and none of my friends/anyone we know are missing a kaiser, so I guess this one is up for grabs. I did some research on it and it seems to be a really excellent phone, a significant upgrade from my old, old razr, so since no one has claimed it I thought about keeping it.
My question is if I put my sim card into it, is there any way AT&T can track me down and accuse me of stealing it? If so, I may as well just sell it on ebay or craigslist rather than go through the hassle of defending myself over something that was left at my house.
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Hmm no offence but this sounds a bit dodgy...why would someone leave a phone which costs around 300 pounds and not try to find it? The first thing I'd do would be to trace back my activities on the day I lost my phone. So you would have me in your house the next day asking if you haven't found it.

True but if it's a kaiser oem and not an actual Tilt, AT&T might not have the info. Taking it to the police is good, also you can put an ad in the paper stating lost PDA but not give what it is to see if real owner calls.

Flying Kiwi said:
And this has what to do with GPS?
Seems strange to say the least - who goes around with a phone with the sim slot empty
.
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Exactly my friend.
Dodgy!!!

I actually found a Sidekick2 at my local Target a few months back just sitting on a shelf in an aisle I was shopping in. I took it up to customer service and turned it in the lady asked me how they would be able to find out who's it was I said call 611 T-Mobile will know.

n3rxs said:
I actually found a Sidekick2 at my local Target a few months back just sitting on a shelf in an aisle I was shopping in. I took it up to customer service and turned it in the lady asked me how they would be able to find out who's it was I said call 611 T-Mobile will know.
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Ok but it had a sim card right???

Esteel said:
You might want to consider something really radical, taking it to AT&T and let them track down the owner. If it has a SIM card they can determine who is the owner.
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I live in the United States. The nearest AT&T store is about 50 minutes one way away from my home, which translates to about $30 in gas to just to turn it in. I stated in the original post that it did not have a SIM in it.
-Arturo- said:
Hmm no offence but this sounds a bit dodgy...why would someone leave a phone which costs around 300 pounds and not try to find it? The first thing I'd do would be to trace back my activities on the day I lost my phone. So you would have me in your house the next day asking if you haven't found it.
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A bit dodgy? I suppose you're implying that you think I stole it. Let me reassure you I did not. It was Saturday night over a week ago, people were drinking, and there were friends of friends who came to the party that my roommates and I didn't know. In an age of dual SIM slots, separate work and personal phones, and college kids who share phones, is it impossible to believe that someone may have swapped the card out and then mistakenly forgot where they lost the phone? It has been over a week and there has been no word from anyone, nor has anyone shown up at my doorstep.
n3rxs said:
True but if it's a kaiser oem and not an actual Tilt, AT&T might not have the info. Taking it to the police is good, also you can put an ad in the paper stating lost PDA but not give what it is to see if real owner calls.
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It is an actual Tilt. Says AT&T on the top right corner. Once again let me stress that spending money to find the owner of this phone is out of the question. At the moment I am $28 short of the money I need to buy a ($158, used) book required to do my homework for college. My solution? I'm basically not eating while going into class super early to borrow a classmate's book to do my homework until I can afford to purchase my own.
As I said before, I live in the United States. If I turned it in to the police here, one of two things would happen:
1.) It would sit on a shelf indefinitely and the cops would snicker behind my back as I left.
2.) It would sit on a shelf until a cop decided it would be a nice upgrade for him.
Either way, if I turned it into the police the owner would not get it back. All I want to know is, if I used this as my own phone, would AT&T care/make a big enough deal out of it that it could cause me legal trouble?

We've got a great mystery on our hands.
Sherlock Holmes​
and
The SIMless Kaiser​
The missing SIM card is the greatest mystery. Who would leave their phone behind without the SIM card? Was the SIM door open when you found it? What state was it in? On or off? What applications were open? Does it have an AT&T ROM?

No justification to keep it or sell it from me.
a gentleman said:
I live in the United States. The nearest AT&T store is about 50 minutes one way away from my home, which translates to about $30 in gas to just to turn it in.
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Do you think there may be other options to notify a company that deals in communications technology apart from a personal visit?
I stated in the original post that it did not have a SIM in it.
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I stated in my post that it does have an IMEI number though and that does allow it's rightful owner to be traced (along with its serial number, any identifying marks/scratches or even fingerprints if it came down to it). Why have you not responded to my post? You asked for advise and I tried to help.
and then re the US Police
1.) It would sit on a shelf indefinitely and the cops would snicker behind my back as I left.
2.) It would sit on a shelf until a cop decided it would be a nice upgrade for him.
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and then
Either way, if I turned it into the police the owner would not get it back
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I think you've been watching to many episodes of The Simpsons. Cheif Wiggum isn't their roll model.
All I want to know is, if I used this as my own phone, would AT&T care/make a big enough deal out of it that it could cause me legal trouble?
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I've already answered that issue so what part of the phone being locked when someone attempts to use it isn't clear? I think you have already decided what you want to do and are now looking for justifications to support that. You're not going to get that from me.

Flying Kiwi said:
Do you think there may be other options to notify a company that deals in communications technology apart from a personal visit?
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Well, I decided to take your advice and call AT&T. The representative basically told me I have two options.
1.) Keep the phone.
2.) Pay to ship it to them.
He refused to answer any questions regarding legality of my use of it. At least I know now that AT&T doesn't care. It's another phone sale for them, after all.
Flying Kiwi said:
I stated in my post that it does have an IMEI number though and that does allow it's rightful owner to be traced (along with its serial number, any identifying marks/scratches or even fingerprints if it came down to it). Why have you not responded to my post? You asked for advise and I tried to help.
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AT&T apparently isn't interested in tracing the phone back to them. They didn't even ask me for the IMEI.
Flying Kiwi said:
and then re the US Police
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You're out of your element, limey. Talk to me when you live in a country whose federal prison system houses over 2,000,000 felons, instead of 70,000. The cops don't give a rat's rainbow ass about lost cell phones when there are real crimes being committed.
Flying Kiwi said:
I've already answered that issue so what part of the phone being locked when someone attempts to use it isn't clear? I think you have already decided what you want to do and are now looking for justifications to support that. You're not going to get that from me.
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You haven't answered a goddamn thing. I asked one simple question. Allow me to reiterate and explain. The police here need proper motivation to take something seriously. If I handed a phone in at the police station, they would likely laugh in my face. However, if some whiny moron comes in and reports a phone stolen and continues pressing the issue over and over with them, and then I turn up using it with my SIM card in it, I'm afraid they'll assume I'm guilty of stealing it when I am not. That is why I asked this ONE simple question that not a single person in this thread has answered. The circumstances of my acquisition are completely moot at this point. All I want is an opinion on whether or not my using this Kaiser could result in legal problems.
The only solutions I've been offered are ways to get the phone back to it's rightful owner. This is not the issue. This will not happen. I have already done everything in my power to try to get the phone back to who it belonged to (notice; PAST-TENSE).
Now allow me to once again make this perfectly clear. Does anyone have any experience with UNITED STATES police regarding their dedication to investigating reports of phone theft, and does my use of the phone in any way give them legal grounds to ASSUME that I am the thief and to cause me legal troubles when I did nothing wrong?
Edit: I just realized that you believe that AT&T locks the phone here. They do not. They do not enforce the blacklist, so should I put my SIM card in, I will be able to use it.

a gentleman said:
Well, I decided to take your advice and call AT&T. The representative basically told me I have two options.
1.) Keep the phone.
2.) Pay to ship it to them.
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So you're telling us they weren't interested in providing you with a freepost address or sending you a prepaid envelope to send it to them in?
He refused to answer any questions regarding legality of my use of it.
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Why, if he said you could keep it (your words not mine), what would be the point unless it could be used. Somethings not adding up here.
At least I know now that AT&T doesn't care. It's another phone sale for them, after all.
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What makes you come to that conclusion? You say you made one call, are you judging all of AT&T on that basis? What makes you think it's another phone sale for them, the person who 'lost' the phone may well be using another old phone until the contract expires or they may have bought a different phone elsewhere to use on the AT&T network.
AT&T apparently isn't interested in tracing the phone back to them. They didn't even ask me for the IMEI.
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Did they say they're not (apparently) interested in tracking the phone back to them or is it just that they cant tell you who the rightful owner is for data protection reasons - you're jumping to a conclusion there which I think is the wrong one. Did you even offer the IMEI to them? It's a pity we don't have the other persons account of how the phone conversation went because there are lots of things here that don't add up.
You're out of your element, limey.
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Do you think from my forum name that I may not be a 'limey' or does anyone currently residing in the UK automatically 'earn' that title?
The cops don't give a rat's rainbow ass about lost cell phones when there are real crimes being committed.
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Over here in limey land cellphone theft is commonly associated with other forms of crime as well so it'd be an unwise police officer who didn't take any interest in such an expensive phone turning up looking to go back to its rightful owner.
You haven't answered a goddamn thing.
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Not one thing eh or could it be my answers just aren't what you were hoping for?
I asked one simple question.
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I think it's reasonable for people to offer advise based on your question even though it may not directly answer all of your question, after all, most of us here aren't lawyers who are trained to provide legal advise.
If I handed a phone in at the police station, they would likely laugh in my face.
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I seriously doubt that. When I handed in a (quite valuable looking) phone I found left on a train seat to the train companies lost and found dept and reported it to the police a few months ago, there was no laughing in my face at all, not even a little bit. In fact all involved were grateful and from what I gathered in my follow-up, the person later came and claimed their phone back.
However, if some whiny moron comes in and reports a phone stolen and continues pressing the issue over and over with them, and then I turn up using it with my SIM card in it, I'm afraid they'll assume I'm guilty of stealing it when I am not.
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Even though you say YOU didn't steal it, how do you know it's not stolen (by someone else)? I wouldn't give you much of a chance if a case went to court for you having possession of a stolen item and you claimed well I didn't steal it and I'd done everything I reasonably can to try and sort it, without having at least handed it into the Police. Is that the sort of legal advise you wanted or is does that conflict to much with your plan to keep the phone or sell it for gain? As for keeping it, you are right I wasn't aware AT&T don't lock phones reported missing but I am aware networks can tell roughly where a given phone is while being used. If you want me to hold your hand and say there'll be no problems if you keep it or sell it, I'm unwilling to offer that. The fact you repeatedly don't seem willing to accept advise that is offered makes me think this is some kind of leg pulling excercise - if it is, congratulations, you've succeded in pulling my leg.

Flying Kiwi said:
So you're telling us they weren't interested in providing you with a freepost address or sending you a prepaid envelope to send it to them in?
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Yes.
Flying Kiwi said:
Why, if he said you could keep it (your words not mine), what would be the point unless it could be used. Somethings not adding up here.
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Perhaps it had something to do with the "This call may be monitored for quality assurance" recording before he picked up?
Flying Kiwi said:
What makes you come to that conclusion? You say you made one call, are you judging all of AT&T on that basis? What makes you think it's another phone sale for them, the person who 'lost' the phone may well be using another old phone until the contract expires or they may have bought a different phone elsewhere to use on the AT&T network.
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I could tell based on the tone of the representative's voice. He couldn't have cared less whether or not the person got their phone back or even if they bought their next phone from AT&T. However, since their former phone was an AT&T product, it is more likely than not that their next will be as well.
Flying Kiwi said:
Did they say they're not (apparently) interested in tracking the phone back to them or is it just that they cant tell you who the rightful owner is for data protection reasons - you're jumping to a conclusion there which I think is the wrong one. Did you even offer the IMEI to them? It's a pity we don't have the other persons account of how the phone conversation went because there are lots of things here that don't add up.
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See above.
Flying Kiwi said:
Do you think from my forum name that I may not be a 'limey' or does anyone currently residing in the UK automatically 'earn' that title?
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Automatically earned.
Flying Kiwi said:
Over here in limey land cellphone theft is commonly associated with other forms of crime as well so it'd be an unwise police officer who didn't take any interest in such an expensive phone turning up looking to go back to its rightful owner.
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Your naivety is actually beginning to amuse me.
Flying Kiwi said:
Not one thing eh or could it be my answers just aren't what you were hoping for?
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Please read before you type. I only asked one question. What you offered was conjecture and nonsense.
Flying Kiwi said:
1.) I think it's reasonable for people to offer advise based on your question even though it may not directly answer all of your question, after all, 2.) most of us here aren't lawyers who are trained to provide legal advise.
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1.) Redundant. Not interested.
2.) Wasn't asking for professional legal advice. Was asking for opinions based on past experiences.
Flying Kiwi said:
I seriously doubt that. When I handed in a (quite valuable looking) phone I found left on a train seat to the train companies lost and found dept and reported it to the police a few months ago, there was no laughing in my face at all, not even a little bit. In fact all involved were grateful and from what I gathered in my follow-up, the person later came and claimed their phone back.
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Haha, once again your naivety amuses me. In America, if you were on fire, most people wouldn't piss on you to put it out (that's a figure of speech, if you couldn't tell. Try to think about what it means.), and would step over your corpse if it meant the slightest personal benefit.
Flying Kiwi said:
Even though you say YOU didn't steal it, how do you know it's not stolen (by someone else)? I wouldn't give you much of a chance if a case went to court for you having possession of a stolen item and you claimed well I didn't steal it and I'd done everything I reasonably can to try and sort it, without having at least handed it into the Police. Is that the sort of legal advise you wanted or is does that conflict to much with your plan to keep the phone or sell it for gain? As for keeping it, you are right I wasn't aware AT&T don't lock phones reported missing but I am aware networks can tell roughly where a given phone is while being used. If you want me to hold your hand and say there'll be no problems if you keep it or sell it, I'm unwilling to offer that. The fact you repeatedly don't seem willing to accept advise that is offered makes me think this is some kind of leg pulling excercise - if it is, congratulations, you've succeded in pulling my leg.
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Your English composition is falling apart. In regard to this part of your ridiculous post, I believe I will take your previous advice in that you are clearly quite unqualified to answer any questions regarding the legality of such a subject. Once again I find myself questioning whether you comprehended, or even read my last post. I am not asking for advice. I am asking for opinions and personal experiences that may shed some light on the question I asked.
a gentleman said:
Does anyone have any experience with UNITED STATES police regarding their dedication to investigating reports of phone theft, and does my use of the phone in any way give them legal grounds to ASSUME that I am the thief and to cause me legal troubles when I did nothing wrong?
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Cmon, don't get so upset. You should have known many would frown upon this so let people give their opnion and don't get so upset.
And IMO, do the right thing and be "a gentleman"
good luck whatever direction you happen to choose.

a gentleman said:
In America, if you were on fire, most people wouldn't piss on you to put it out (that's a figure of speech, if you couldn't tell. Try to think about what it means.), and would step over your corpse if it meant the slightest personal benefit.
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Ha! It sounds proposterous, but it's pretty true...I had a good chuckle on this one.

Dude...wether or not you can use the phone is irrelevant cause the law is pretty clear on how you need to treat lost and found property...if caught using it you are as guilty as if you stole it yourself (going by the strict letter of the law)....so the question you need to ask yourself is wether its worth the trouble....the other thing you need to figure out is why would someone leave a phone without a SIM at your house and not claim it...is there a possibility that the phone itself is hot...(previously stolen and conveniently discarded at your place) my advice : too many variables and if's and maybe's just not worth the trouble ....
EDIT :- And yes its possible to track the phone through the IMEI number in the event the original user wants to do it...

ugh!phone is gone.!someone stole it!!!Help?

OKay so heres the story phone is missing idk how but i set it down on this table in the foodcourt at the mall..i was getting my food..and as soon as i got back to my table it was gone!!!IT SUCKS!I NEED MY PHONE!!
But idk i have something i pay for insurance its 6$$ a month i know i have it cuz i pay for it on my bill and it says can be fixed ...theft,stole,broke,etc.
so theres it it got stolen!
What should i do?can someone help i really want it back!but its hard to find in a mall with billions of people!
Is T-mobile going to recover this?
Can somebody tell me what i need to do?because im not fixing to pay another 400 dollars for the phone.
Thanks
-Lilray979
OKAY IM ANGRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

why would you post this in the forum? this has nothing to do with XDA nor the dream nor q&a.
call t-mobile. if you pay for insurance..you need to call the insurance provider.

korndub said:
why would you post this in the forum? this has nothing to do with XDA nor the dream nor q&a.
call t-mobile. if you pay for insurance..you need to call the insurance provider.
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this has everything to do with the dream
n i only did because it saids questions and answers

lilray979 said:
OKay so heres the story phone is missing idk how but i set it down on this table in the foodcourt at the mall..i was getting my food..and as soon as i got back to my table it was gone!!!IT SUCKS!I NEED MY PHONE!!
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I guess hindsight is 20/20, but don't leave your personal belongings unattended if you don't want them to get stolen.
You could always try calling your phone. You could have tried calling a security guard to assist you if the thief turned up in the vicinity.
But since this occurred a while ago the best you can do now is just to file an insurance claim with Asurion.
Personally, I would be more worried about identity theft rather than the cost of replacing a phone. I suggest you immediately go change your Google Account password.

Did you have GPS and your "My Location" enabled? If so, track yourself down. lol

Find your IME and have your phone permanently disabled. Should be on the box.

lilray979 said:
OKay so heres the story phone is missing idk how but i set it down on this table in the foodcourt at the mall..i was getting my food..and as soon as i got back to my table it was gone!!!IT SUCKS!I NEED MY PHONE!!
But idk i have something i pay for insurance its 6$$ a month i know i have it cuz i pay for it on my bill and it says can be fixed ...theft,stole,broke,etc.
so theres it it got stolen!
What should i do?can someone help i really want it back!but its hard to find in a mall with billions of people!
Is T-mobile going to recover this?
Can somebody tell me what i need to do?because im not fixing to pay another 400 dollars for the phone.
Thanks
-Lilray979
OKAY IM ANGRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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really??? you put your very exspensive phone down in plain sight and walked away from it in a crowded area and when you got back it was gone?? wow i never would have though people could be so cruel, with the economy kicking ass the way it is there should be no reason for anyone to steal anything, we all have enough money to just go out and buy whatever it is that we want. prices are down on everything and my wages are up so i have loads of money in the bank and plenty in cash too.........
oh wait nvm that was all a dream, you screwed up and should have known better than to leave your phone on a table at the mall, no offense but you made a stupid mistake, change all your passwords and call t-mo/asurion

lilray979 said:
this has everything to do with the dream
n i only did because it saids questions and answers
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Come on guys..give the kid a break. Lilray, u asked what u should do, so I'll answer.
Kick ur self in the ass for leaving ur phone on a table in a food court at a mall with hundreds of people. I hope ur insurance laughs at u and refuses to cover on grounds of stupidity.
Oh, and before u unleash a childish and enraged response at me... remember, it won't make u smarter.

uansari1 said:
Come on guys..give the kid a break. Lilray, u asked what u should do, so I'll answer.
Kick ur self in the ass for leaving ur phone on a table in a food court at a mall with hundreds of people. I hope ur insurance laughs at u and refuses to cover on grounds of stupidity.
Oh, and before u unleash a childish and enraged response at me... remember, it won't make u smarter.
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LOL!!my bad its just...i was really hungry n i thought i had my phone in my pocket until i realized it wasnt in there when i got the money out my pocket!LOL
but thanks everybody i will change my password and file that repport on phoneclaim.com

Mi|enko said:
Did you have GPS and your "My Location" enabled? If so, track yourself down. lol
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and no by the way i never did because i read on a forum people said it kills the battery

lilray979 said:
and no by the way i never did because i read on a forum people said it kills the battery
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Do you have any other type of tracking program like Mobile Defense or something? Do you know your IME(or w/e it's called) #?

ThR1LL said:
Do you have any other type of tracking program like Mobile Defense or something? Do you know your IME(or w/e it's called) #?
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I use an app called Pinpoint or something like that. You send a text to your number (you would use someone elses phone or e-mail or something obviously) with just the word "Locate" and it bounces back with the exact location. Unfortunatly the thief will likely notice the text and shut off the phone. However if you keep your phone LOCKED then you won't have to worry about it. Another unfortunate possibility is that the thief will also more then likely pull out your sim.
In regards to the "keeping the gps locate off to conserve battery" do this.
Download and install Locale. Set up a rule with a high priority (move it to the top) that when you recieve a call from a specific number it will turn on your GPS. Then track it down that way. There is also Latitude with Google, Loopt, etc that can give you an idea of where your phone is as long as they didn't clear or wipe your data. But as I said... if you keep your phone LOCKED they can't do that in the first place. Which buys you some time because they will have to research to find out how to wipe the phone. Since most people would use a computer at HOME... you might be lucky enough to track him down there. Just make sure you have a 'black and white' with you and be prepared to give evidence that it's your property. The G1 box has the IMEI and if you don't have that call T-Mobile (if you got it from them) and they can give you the IMEI over the phone.
Hind sight is always 20/20, but you will get a new phone and being careless is a bad habit. And bad habits are hard to break. So you'll likely do it again even though you say that you've learned your lesson. So take precautions next time (if there is a next time).
1) NEVER LEAVE YOUR STUFF UNATTENDED.
2) Have security preventions (such as system lock) on your device.
3) Have some software to recover your device should you not do #1 and/or #2.
I've been doing the theft and investigations line of work for about 6 years and I have caught 8 people and helped recover about 20 lost/stolen equipment. I'm so confident in recovery (as long as the preventions are already in place) that I've risked my Tilt by setting it out as bait just to see if anyone would take it WHERE I WORK. It turned up missing in less then an hour! I tracked it down the next day with the coordinates that it sent me.
It turned out that one of my supervisors found it and took it home. BUSTED! The next day he resigned. So... trust no one. Keep your **** locked, backed up and on you at all times! Even at home! (Caught my girl sneaking through it a couple of times ).

Binary100100 said:
Another unfortunate possibility is that the thief will also more then likely pull out your sim.
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Sim Checker
I love this lil program and it's free, every time i even flash a new rom, it sends me the alerts

lilray979 said:
and no by the way i never did because i read on a forum people said it kills the battery
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next time have your own mind and make a better decision. android gets stolen and you need to locate it, Yes theres an app for that....

It is always nice to see so many helpful people who never make mistakes.
Anyway call your provider and tell them your phone got stolen. That way they can put a freeze on the SIM (and IMEI if you are in Europe). Then deal with insurance and get it replaced. Not a big deal.
Personally I have locale running but would not bother trying to recover a stolen phone. It is not precise enough to track down the phone in realtime. Sim Checker could prove useful but I am not sure it would be worth the effort if the phone is insured. Remote Wipe would be the direction I would go. The hardware can be replaced but the personal info on the phone I would just as soon not get into a stranger's hands.

You still have to pay even if the insurance covers for your stolen phone. That's what i heard? Not entirely sure though. Next time be more careful.. I never leave my phone out of my sight .

"Fantastic" service by HTC Singapore

/rant
First of all, let me say that I really envy the American HTC users who seem extremely satisfied with HTC on that side of the globe. Unfortunately, it seems that even after owning HTC phones for the last 4 years, I havent learnt my lesson that HTC Singapore is truly incapable.
My nexus one started developing an erratic screen and it was to the point where i couldnt even type a message properly without having to power cycle the device to set the screen straight. I called them on the 11th of Aug to send it in (they pick up the devices here from you, so a little kudos there), however, they were unable to supply me a loaner. They said if i sent it for repair in 2 weeks, they would be able to help me out, so I waited. On the 23rd, I called them to check, and lo and behold, the service rep says they have no loaner phones at all, and will not be able to help. I figure what the heck, time to dust off the old winmo touch pro and just send the nexus one in ... the tech promises me a 3-5day turn around. 1 week later I call them up, and the tech tells me they had a problem sourcing screens, and would need to hold on to my phone "indefinitely" ... I asked him if he was off his rocker and since I had work to attend to, I left it at that. I fired off an email at night to their customer service email address, and get a reply that it will be taken care off. Literally the next day, I get an email saying my phone is ready, and it will be couriered to me the next day. I was impressed. Needless to say, when i received my phone yesterday, I was in for a rude shock... (point to note: when I sent in my phone, even the courier remarked that my phone didnt have a single scratch anywhere on it) they had sent me the phone with the screen protector half peeled off (they didnt even have the decency to replace it since they ripped it off, but i figured since they replaced the screen, it was worth it) .. i look around the phone, and there's now a scratch right next to volume rocker. Since it was the same courier who picked up the phone, he told me to send them an email, since he himself recalled there were no scratches ... I told myself for a 6mth old phone, I could live with the scratch .. I power cycle the phone and ...
the bloody screen was still erratic! they had simple reset my phone to factory (which i had already tried, in order to get rid of the problem) and sent it back to me (since i recalled that they said they didnt have the screen in stock anyway) ... so now i am, more than a week with the phone in their hands, and nothing to show for it except a scratched nexus one with a peeling screen protector. to add insult to injury, i contacted them and was told someone would call to rectify the situation ... which obviously no one has now ...
it really sucks because i really enjoy this phone ... i bought 2 - one for the girlfriend and one for myself, and hers works perfectly fine, so i know my screen's just nuts ... now the hard part is getting the "fantastic" guys over @ HTC to fix it again, since they still said they have no loaners at all ... *sigh*
Has anyone ever had any good experiences with HTC Singapore??
if you made it this far, thanks .. i had to rant somewhere .. ><

Mighty long mail. Htc probably lost you somewhere.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App

Sad that the only obviously singaporean post is..... A typical complaint mail.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App

I feel your pain. I've had utterly horrible encounters with HTC Singapore as well. Not just me but a buddy of mine too. We should start a FB group saying what we really think about their support. Maybe that might generate enough negative publicity for them to fire their staff and do a 180.
Best we can do is just not buy their products. I'm already telling my friends to get samsung or motorola phones from now on.

Your sarcy post title doesn't work.

cymru said:
Your sarcy post title doesn't work.
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sorry, but after dealing with htc, i figured "sarcy" would work better than direct. oh well, i guess it was a fail. cant really blame a guy for trying though.

Ha no you did okay. Does seem like they messed you around pretty good though :-(

caysman said:
Sad that the only obviously singaporean post is..... A typical complaint mail.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
let me be straightforward with you caysman - i have no qualms rewarding when service is met or exceeded ... i believe i may be one of the few singaporeans who tips everywhere he goes. whether its a kopitiam, starbucks or your neighbourhood restaurant. i have no problem throwing down $10 for a $50 meal if i enjoyed the service. likewise with the attitude ... i sent caltex a letter commending the guy who pumps gas at my regular station because he always went out of his way to be polite (and if you would like to see the letter, by all means, ask). not every singaporean only complains ... i spent a good sum on an exotic supercar .. the service is immaculate, even though the warranty's been up for more than 3 years. the dealer cares enough about his customers that he will wake up at 5am to attend to a customer's problem if he has to. is it so much to ask that if i buy the top of the line htc cellphone, that they honor their warranty at the least? all i asked was for a functioning screen, i did not root the phone or do anything crazy with it - all it has to do is work fine. i didnt complain till it came back to me in the same condition that i sent it in.
so while your outlook on singaporeans may be pretty poor for reasons unknown to me, it wouldnt be fair to generalize.

Boastful singaporean, where is your grace?
Acting like god, rewarding when you see fit? The arrogance off it all just as you buy your first lambo (novelty still there to boast about it huh?)
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App

Oops you probably have a red ferrari, not a lambo. Pendants usually go for Fs. Enough money to buy the perfect life not knowing that with todays technology,' good enough' is the secret to true happiness.
And u bought the nexus one not for its technology but for its exclusivity. Most of your dumb potters have iphones.
And some in my posts lie the nugget of truth describing the cancer in the world's second richest country.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App

caysman said:
Oops you probably have a red ferrari, not a lambo. Pendants usually go for Fs. Enough money to buy the perfect life not knowing that with todays technology,' good enough' is the secret to true happiness.
And u bought the nexus one not for its technology but for its exclusivity. Most of your dumb potters have iphones.
And some in my posts lie the nugget of truth describing the cancer in the world's second richest country.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well, its painfully obvious now to me ... with you, "cannot win" ... since you have to be right about everything and have your own ideas set in stone - you are welcome to them. but please dont force your ideas of what others would like to do / purchase with their own money. do what you like with your money and perceive everything as you will, but being bitter about it and telling people off because they worked hard to buy certain things just goes to show what kind of person you truly are. if you have any more "useful" nuggets of information, feel free to pm me and spare everyone else your posts. i have no problem debating this matter with you but if you are unable to contribute to the thread, please stop making it go off topic.

caysman said:
Boastful singaporean, where is your grace?
Acting like god, rewarding when you see fit? The arrogance off it all just as you buy your first lambo (novelty still there to boast about it huh?)
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
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Click to collapse
wow, so much hate for singaporean. Did one of them kill your relatives or something? lol

@mokurex I am very familar with the Singaporean people.
@xevilutionx off topic? How did EXOTIC SUPERCARS get into the thread
[all other crap by me deleted. I don't want to fight anymore]

@mokurex: well caysman is probably singaporean / living in singapore, not sure what his game is but oh well.
@caysman: its called an example, since you allowed yourself the opportunity to generalize an entire country / populace based on your beliefs.
again, as you pointed out, no point to argue since you have your ideas and i have mine. think of me as you wish, since its obvious i have nothing i can say that would change your mentality.
@bullyfrog: while the idea of a fb group sounds good, the problem is that HTC may be outsourcing its repair services here... hence the differentiation in levels of service between usa and singapore, for example.

@x You take part in that pathetic singaporean thread at ferrarichat?
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App

again, you're off topic, but i'll humor you. never posted there before, never will. you're more than welcome to check ip addresses if you have the time. i also don't have a customized "vanity" plate (since you have a 1 track mind, im pretty sure you've already assumed this), i just took whatever random number that was issued.
again, its obvious you are bitter about something. stop going off topic, use the PM function if you really have so many burning questions you wish to interrogate me about. stop bringing your political bs here, or move it along to some political thread. jesus christ.

FML! Left my N7 on a plane.

So United has a horrible Lost and found system. I called them less then 30 minutes after walking off the plane. I wanted someone to walk to my seat and physically grab it. Since i was near the rear of the plane and the last one out of my row im pretty sure no other passenger would of grabbed it. All they could do is basically tell me to report it on the website and i "might" get a call. The thing is I know and have talked to a few flight attendants and it seems like a lot of the time there co-workers hide the stuff and keep it for themself. So instead of united actually doing a physical check it is pretty much as good as gone at this point. I really have no faith i will get it back. It was a flawless N7 16gb too!. Doubt I will buy a new one to replace it even though i really loved the device, I just have too much other things going on to afford it atm. So if I dont get a call/email in the next few days, it was nice being a part of these forums and loved the vibe here.

That sucks. Hope you able to get it back. Good luck!

This reminds me when I lost my old GBA case on a plane. It had so many good games in there, and the GBA itself. I still had my SP case though, that had the SP and games as well, so I didn't lose everything.
I miss you Nightmare in Dreamland.
Anyway, sorry to hear about losing your Nexus.

omg that is so sad. i almost cried reading your post.. I would hate to loose mine right now . It will come in handy starting next week. Wed i have to have a bicep tendon surgery..
boohooo
i so hope they do the honest thing and get it back to you

Get a case or sleeve that you can tether to your bag, belt, etc. Also, Case Logic LNE07 comes in red so it's hard to visually miss it.

Scythe024 said:
So United has a horrible Lost and found system. I called them less then 30 minutes after walking off the plane. I wanted someone to walk to my seat and physically grab it. Since i was near the rear of the plane and the last one out of my row im pretty sure no other passenger would of grabbed it. All they could do is basically tell me to report it on the website and i "might" get a call. The thing is I know and have talked to a few flight attendants and it seems like a lot of the time there co-workers hide the stuff and keep it for themself. So instead of united actually doing a physical check it is pretty much as good as gone at this point. I really have no faith i will get it back. It was a flawless N7 16gb too!. Doubt I will buy a new one to replace it even though i really loved the device, I just have too much other things going on to afford it atm. So if I dont get a call/email in the next few days, it was nice being a part of these forums and loved the vibe here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
United Airlines is the worst. From the most cramped planes with the worst seats in the industry, to the worst customer service there is. I used to fly Continental exclusively, but since the merger, no more. Good luck.

Any chance you had Lookout or some other tracking service installed? Sucks man. My wife is a flight attendant and she has turned in several Kindle's and what-not in, so perhaps there is a chance. Best of luck!

ExploreMN said:
Any chance you had Lookout or some other tracking service installed? Sucks man. My wife is a flight attendant and she has turned in several Kindle's and what-not in, so perhaps there is a chance. Best of luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes i have lookout installed.

You never know, I found someone's kindle on a Southwest flight and took it right up to the counter. They said they had already hear from the passenger and knew whose it was. Messing with other people's gadgets is bad mojo.

Scythe024 said:
yes i have lookout installed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you tell if it's still at the airport? If yes, that is a very good sign that it's probably been turned in (and someone turned it on and connected to wifi...but lets hope that was in an effort to identify you for good reasons). If it pops up online anywhere outside of the airport...it's pretty much gone. Hopefully you changed all your passwords to all your accounts too...notified any credit cards you have tied to any of those accounts, etc.

ExploreMN said:
Can you tell if it's still at the airport? If yes, that is a very good sign that it's probably been turned in (and someone turned it on and connected to wifi...but lets hope that was in an effort to identify you for good reasons). If it pops up online anywhere outside of the airport...it's pretty much gone. Hopefully you changed all your passwords to all your accounts too...notified any credit cards you have tied to any of those accounts, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it wasnt able to locate it which leads me to believe it wasnt turned on and connected to wifi. I had google wallet active on there but no credit card tied to it, just the $10 that came free.

Scythe024 said:
So United has a horrible Lost and found system. I called them less then 30 minutes after walking off the plane. I wanted someone to walk to my seat and physically grab it. Since i was near the rear of the plane and the last one out of my row im pretty sure no other passenger would of grabbed it. All they could do is basically tell me to report it on the website and i "might" get a call. The thing is I know and have talked to a few flight attendants and it seems like a lot of the time there co-workers hide the stuff and keep it for themself. So instead of united actually doing a physical check it is pretty much as good as gone at this point. I really have no faith i will get it back. It was a flawless N7 16gb too!. Doubt I will buy a new one to replace it even though i really loved the device, I just have too much other things going on to afford it atm. So if I dont get a call/email in the next few days, it was nice being a part of these forums and loved the vibe here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you bought it with a credit card you might have some buyer protection like, replacement for stolen or broken items. I buy everything with American express, I have a 90 day window in which they will replace if lost, stolen, broken, etc.... Plus they extend any warranty an additional year...
Visa has something like this on a few of the cards...

Scythe024 said:
it wasnt able to locate it which leads me to believe it wasnt turned on and connected to wifi. I had google wallet active on there but no credit card tied to it, just the $10 that came free.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you need to input your passcode anyway, unless you have it stored in your tablet for someone to find out

I am really surprised that Google doesn't have an easy way to register our devices. Every Android device has numbers associated with it that can't be changed. The MAC addresses for both the WiFi and Bluetooth interfaces are unique, so every device that has either of these radios could be identified. It should be part of the OS that these tablets can't install any software if the registered owner reports it lost or stolen. If the device has cameras, a picture should be taken when it's connected to the internet. These pictures could be retrieved when a valid case number or subpoena is provided. At least a warning should appear on the tablet saying it has been reported lost or stolen. Make it a pain to use a misappropriated tablet.
Yes, I know there are programs out there that do this for you, but they are easily circumvented by doing a full factory reset of the device. Come on Google! Take a bite out of crime!

Jroyd said:
I am really surprised that Google doesn't have an easy way to register our devices. Every Android device has numbers associated with it that can't be changed. The MAC addresses for both the WiFi and Bluetooth interfaces are unique, so every device that has either of these radios could be identified. It should be part of the OS that these tablets can't install any software if the registered owner reports it lost or stolen. If the device has cameras, a picture should be taken when it's connected to the internet. These pictures could be retrieved when a valid case number or subpoena is provided. At least a warning should appear on the tablet saying it has been reported lost or stolen. Make it a pain to use a misappropriated tablet.
Yes, I know there are programs out there that do this for you, but they are easily circumvented by doing a full factory reset of the device. Come on Google! Take a bite out of crime!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Someone on another thread said that somebody sold them a Nexus 7 that was apparently known to Google as stolen, and I guess Play access was disabled or something, I don't know the exact details though...

An app is only easily removed if it is loaded as a user app. If it is am system app a standard reset went be enough. On the other hand maybe they will be smart enough to take it further.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

A very similar thing happened to me on a BA flight inbound to heathrow years ago. On that occasion i left a case containing some sennheiser noise cancelling headphones and an ipod nano in the seat pocket. I realized just a short distance from the gate and went back but they wouldn't let me back on. They never found for me either. I was eventually told that "I think someone has add it mate".

Jroyd said:
... If the device has cameras, a picture should be taken when it's connected to the internet. These pictures could be retrieved when a valid case number or subpoena is provided. At least a warning should appear on the tablet saying it has been reported lost or stolen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have my devices set to take front and rear photos on evey boot and on multiple incorrect passcodes which are uploaded staight to dropbox and google plus. They also text each other with gps coordinates on every boot. Again, this is only useful if the thief doesn't factory reset or flash a new rom.
I wonder if devs could implement a passcode for cwm et al to secure the flashing process?
Sent from my GT-P7500 using xda app-developers app

goto play.google.com and install plan B remotely, youll be able to track it once it's online, as long as it's still tied to your google account
---------- Post added at 06:15 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:14 AM ----------
drhunter said:
I have my devices set to take front and rear photos on evey boot and on multiple incorrect passcodes which are uploaded staight to dropbox and google plus. They also text each other with gps coordinates on every boot. Again, this is only useful if the thief doesn't factory reset or flash a new rom.
I wonder if devs could implement a passcode for cwm et al to secure the flashing process?
Sent from my GT-P7500 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This was discussed before but i think they said they couldn't because it could lock you out of your device

Slate on a plane!!
Sorry, just had too
I read on Google's help pages that they can remotely lock a device so might be worth calling them. If someone can't use it they might put it back in lost property or something.

I work in tech support for a major US carrier...Wow some people...

Does anyone else here work in the technical support or any cellular related fields whether it's retail or customer service? Some people are really freaking ignorant of the technology or absolutely stubborn when it comes to how phones and service works. I am tired of people demanding a new phone when every little thing happens. Does a car dealership replace your current car with a new one when it's under warranty? No they fix the problem with the car. It's not my fault you moved and you don't have coverage at your new house. When you got your phone we gave you a grace period to try it out and determine if coverage is good enough where you live. Moving doesn't give you a new grace period. You're not under contact anymore so if you want to leave us...pay off your device and go. I'll even help you unlock it once you've paid it off. Backups, backups...holy sh*t freaking backup your data people. When an application wreaks havoc or you got ad bots or whether something software related fails you might as well be prepared to hard reset your phone. No, you're not getting a warranty replacement without doing that step first. You're gonna have to transfer your data either way so back your sh*t up. It's not my responsibility to ensure your pictures and contacts don't get lost. Take some responsibility for your data and educate yourself on how to save it. Warranty is not an upgrade path either. Don't ask for a different color or model. That one year by the manufacturer is for the exact model. We (the carrier) are nice enough to take care of the warranty on behalf of the manufacturer. You think Samsung or Asus will send you an upgraded or different device? Take it up with them. Don't whine and cry because you can't scam warranty and insurance for an upgrade. You want a new phone then pay off the one you have or buy it at full price.
Anyways just had to vent. Working in technical support is actually a lot of fun and I really enjoy educating and teaching customers how to use their devices and explore the world a smartphone has to offer. However the amount of rampant stupidity and unreal requests are absolutely absurd.

Tell me about it. Every. Single. Bloody. Day.
I truly, truly believe there should be a driving license for using a smartphone. The amount of people who have no idea how the device, the one that they entrust their entire lives to, actually works is damn near astronomical.
"My WiFi doesn't work. What did you do to it?!?! *insert expletives filled capslock rant about fraud and scammers*" To a provider that doesn't supply landlines, only mobile. About 80% of the people apparently don't know the difference between WiFi and Mobile Data.
Had this gem last week: Someone opened the charger flap on the S5, and the thing broke off. He bend down to pick it off the floor, and dropped the phone instead. Screen cracked, phone dead. Now that customer is demanding that the provider covers the repair costs of the dropped phone. He claims it wasn't his fault that the phone dropped, it was the fault of that broken off flap, and so it should fall under warranty.
"How do I view the photo I just took?" Why are you even using a smartphone?
This also happens about three times a day:
"My phone doesn't work." No other information, just that.
"Sir, which brand and model is your phone?"
"It's an iPhone."
"Which one?"
"An S4."
"Uh, sir, an iPhone 4S or a Samsung Galaxy S4?"
"Aren't they all the same?"
And then there's these people:
"I have a bill here for 300 quid of additional, out-of-package costs. I was calling a friend and forgot to end the call. You should've ended it for me. I'm not paying that."
Oh, and the amount of people referring to 4G as G4.... -.-

On the other side of that coin, I hate talking to the CS reps of ANY technology company.
"I need you to reprovision my data because your system thinks I have an iPhone and it's messing with my data"
"Sir, may I ask have you restarted your phone?"
and I have to go thru like 12 different times telling him to please do what I asked in the first place.
Or I walk into a T-Mobile store and the rep is telling me I can't use a verizon phone on the network, because it's verizon.
"But the phone comes unlocked, just give me a SIM card"
"Verizon is CDMA blah blah"
And I get to argue with the guy for an hour about how things actually work.
Or even worse when I try to get a warranty replacement device. No I don't want to restart my phone or factory reset it, or put in my Google Account login information again, or try a new SIM card, or anything like that.
The device is broken, I know about phones, just replace it and let's get on with it!
So trust me it's very frustrating for us consumers too...

Yep, definitely frustrating for consumers.
I have a phone that runs on unknown network bands, can I test a sim (i would pay the $2 if required)?
Nope, you are already on the best network.
But yours has different frequency bands
*Blank stare* Umm your already on the best network for reception
*Walk out knowing I could do the job better*
Sent from my fake galaxy note 4, now revived from the dead, again!

You do realize that the shop assistants are hired for their sales skills, not their knowledge of the product, I hope? All they receive is Sales training, not product information nor technical training.
Most of them couldn't tell an iPhone apart from a Samsung if their lives depended on it. Going to those monkeys with a tech question is like asking a 5 year old about String Theory. It's pointless.
You might as well walk into IKEA's storage section with a question about network frequencies. You're statistically more likely to find people with tech knowledge there than behind the counter in a provider shop. :laugh:

ShadowLea said:
You do realize that the shop assistants are hired for their service skills, not their knowledge of the product, I hope? All they receive is Sales training, not product information nor technical training.
Most of them couldn't tell an iPhone apart from a Samsung if their lives depended on it. Going to those monkeys with a tech question is like asking a 5 year old about String Theory. It's pointless.
You might as well walk into IKEA's storage section with a question about network frequencies. You're statistically more likely to find people with tech knowledge there than behind the counter in a provider shop. :laugh:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is the B&M guys, the "service technicians" on the phone, the "specialists" on the phone, the guys in chats etc.
I have never had someone who knew enough about networks, bands, actual device specs etc, talk to me from any portion of any phone company.
And I've been on every phone network...

orangekid said:
This is the B&M guys, the "service technicians" on the phone, the "specialists" on the phone, the guys in chats etc.
I have never had someone who knew enough about networks, bands, actual device specs etc, talk to me from any portion of any phone company.
And I've been on every phone network...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From what I know in the EU, you never actually get to speak to the Tech guys when you call in. It's still only a Customer Contact employee. They contact the Tech department on an internal line, but the tech lads never speak to customers. Don't know if the US system is different (probably not).
Oh I've met my fair share of the technologically handicapped in the shops, too. One shining example is the idiot who told me, in 2013, that I shouldn't use Android because it was still a Beta version, and thus I would be at risk of viruses. :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

ShadowLea said:
Oh I've met my fair share of the technologically handicapped in the shops, too. One shining example is the idiot who told me, in 2013, that I shouldn't use Android because it was still a Beta version, and thus I would be at risk of viruses. :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:
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Click to collapse
Unfortuneately they hate Windows Phone to, which is a shame because aside from apps, it is the second best operating system (beats IOS by a mile)