Budget Mobile Budget Mobile lifeline phones being given outdated phones that don't work. Customer service provider isn't responsive to complaints. Salinas California
Last January I signed up for a lifeline cell phone through Budget Mobile. They have been putting stands up throughout the city(Dept. of Human Resources, shopping centers etc. ). They were inside of a homeless day center signing up homeless people for their services. I was told I would receive the phone in about 10 days. Well, ten days later, I received my phone. An outdated used Sprint ZTE smartphone. It came with a bad battery. Called customer service and was told they would send me a new battery. In the meantime, I had to charge it twice a day. A few days later, couldn't place a call or receive calls. Wednesday when I took it to the company was told it didn't have a SIM card. So went back yesterday for a replacement phone. It is an Alcatel one touch. Wants to dial to the SIM card. The numbers are so tiny and close together. Tried to place a memory card in it (that was hell). I've been reading the complaints and actually know two people who got phones from them and had to keep going back for phones that didn't work! I need my phone!! My Net10 phone is great but I am low income and need my lifeline phone. These people (Budget are defrauding us the consumer and the government cause they get their money whether we get a phone or not. I don't want to be disqualified from the program just because this company won't do right by its customer.