My 83 year old Mom has a hard time reading her cell phone. So after a visit to the AARP site they make a senior phone with huge keys, medical alerts, and very large text called the Jitterbug. Ordered one under there 30 day return program. The cell reception was poor in her area so it was returned registered mail 5 days after receipt.
The phone itself is quite nice and you can get a lanyard, case, car charger and the keys are huge and the print is readable without glasses. Great for a senior….However!!!
1: Didn’t get an email or any acknowledgement from Great Call saying they had received the phone return and it was being processed. In fact all communication has been from my side and initially they could not locate the return.
2: This phone works on its own network so you cannot use it on a Verizon, ATT, or any other plan just the Great Call plan. This means you cannot add it to a family plan where minutes are shared.
3: They activate the phone the day they mail it to you not the day you receive it and you actually turn it on. So you have used up a week of the monthly billing cycle, even though you have never made a single call while waiting for it to arrive 7 days later..Come on guys!!! Your contract starts the day they mail it as well, so you really do not have 30 days to return it.
4: When you return the phone they want 21 BUSINESS DAYS/ A CALANDER MONTH to inspect the phone and issue a refund…Seriously a month to inspect the phone and issue a refund??? WHY???? Is this mentioned anywhere in your advertising??? NO!!!
5: Yes there is an activation fee, and yes you prepay the first month in advance. Additionally you find out later that this part of your payment is not refunded.
Apparently I am not the only one was has cited issues with these policies. A lot of people are feeling ripped off, or definitely mislead at minimum.
The Great Call Representatives were all very courteous and if you live in a good reception area and are ok with being on a separate payment plan, paying for an unused week of service charges, waiting 7 days to receive, not getting a full refund and waiting a month to get any refund (after they receive it back) by all means buy one.
If you return it do it registered mail signature required.
Hope you read this and clearly understand all the implications.
The Devil is clearly in the Details.