Hot - EARN $10 for buying AT&T Prepaid w/ Nokia 5165 + $50 airtime UPDATE: Deal is BACK!

[jakesnake]

No question that this is an awesome deal for the introductory period.

As for the long term value of this deal, if I looked up things correctly, it seems that the lowest monthy cost for this phone is $16.67/month. I based this on the fact that $25 cards only last 45 days. Is there no lower cost cards available anywhere? Are the $25 cards ever discounted anywhere? If not, then after the introductory period, this phone wouldn't be a deal. I have a Tracfone now and it winds up only being $7.95/month as an emergency phone.

This deal is still a great deal for the intro period though.

Also, anyone have any other plans that you could switch to with this phone after the intro period?

 

[OrlandoTiger]

You are right Jakesnake.This is an awesome deal through the intro period,after that for the emergency/ very low usage customer,there are cheaper deals.Ive been looking into re-use of this phone...Heres what ive found so far.There is a company that will "flash" the phone so you can move it to another provider.I dont know what they charge yet as its not on their site.Another possibility for techies is we could flash it ourselves,but this would require the correct software,im sure its out there but so far what ive seen has been mostly european programs which are for different networks and im thinking probably wont work for us.The other thing is question is what kind of a deal say tracfone or cingular prepaid would give someone who already had a phone ready for their service... Lot of variables there...If anyone has dug deeper into this than I have,speak up.

 

[rage27]

Just called the phone number on the rebate form. The csr said they required a copy of receipt or packing slip. When I asked whether they would accept order confirmation email as receipt, at first he said "Guess so, since this is all what you got." But he wasn't sure. Then he put me on hold and talked to a superviser. After a two minutes waiting, he told me they would NOT accept email. He said I should contact phoneshark since a receipt or packing slip is required not only for rebate but also for warranty.

I have a bad feeling on this now.

 

[jakesnake]

Rage27,

Let us know what Phoneshark says.

 

[OptiMiser]

I called the Nokia rebate center (888-458-4239, talked to Katrina) and got the same story as antmanbee: a printed out email receipt is fine for rebate purposes, and phoneshark is an authorized dealer. (Katrina talked to her coworkers to confirm this-- they had seen the phoneshark name, and phoneshark is an authorized dealer.)

 

[rage27]

I called 1-888-458-4239 again. This time the csr said it's OK to send the confirmation email. The email must include an order date. She also suggested me to write a note stating there's no packing slip. So I think the answer depends on the csr. Anyway, I would send them both confirmation emails and a note saying Kristi (the csr) told me this would be fine.

BTW, the guy said no to me was Wayne or something like that.

 

[beltme]

I received my phone today and like everyone else, no packing slip. I really don't see that as a showstopper. I bought another one on Saturday and expect that phone to arrive next week.

I do have a few questions for anyone who has already activated the phone or for anyone else that has an opinion.

I live in Colorado. My plan is to use the phones on our June vacation in Florida. Timing is a critical factor in activating them late enough so that the 2 $25 cards get me through June 24th.

Here are my questions and observations so far.

1) Is the activation process and the adding of the first card two seperate steps/calls? The reason I ask is that the card you mail in for the 2nd $25 card states 6 - 8 weeks delivery, so if you activate a card at the same time as you activate the phone, there is a good chance that the 2nd card will not come before the end of the 45 day period on the first card. And you can't mail in the card in until you have your wireless number and it apprears that you don't get the wireless number until you activate the phone! If it is a 2 step process, it appears that it is best to activate the phone, send in the mailer for the free card and then wait 15 - 30 days before activating the 1st card.

2) Could I activate the phone and select Florida as my home area so that I can get the lower home rate on the local plan while I'm on vacation? Or do they force you to activate your home area where you actually live? And if so, will the text messaging work while I roam in Colorado if Florida is my home area?

3) When you add additional time, does your new expiration date change to 45 days after the original expiration date or 45 days from when you activate a card? By that I mean, if you activate a card on the 40th day of the current card, do you lose the 5 days from the current card?

Thanks!

 

[MarkM]

beltme,

1) yes it is two seperate steps. I activiated today (need to have phone # to send for free card offer), but have not added my time yet. I can't say for sure how it will work when I do though.

2) when i activated they asked me what area code I wanted the phone number to be in, so I guess what you say then determines your home area.

3) as I understand it 9from reading only), you'd lose the 5 days. Not totally sure though.

BTW, thanks to everyone for their updates on the nokia rebate status, you've been really helpful!

 

[afog05]

Sounds like a good deal to me. I sent phoneshark.com an email and in 5 minutes (really!) they called me and told me that they send u an online receipt, and u use that as your receipt and nokia will accept it. Wow a call in 5 minutes, now that is sevice! im gonna jump on a few, the only thing is it takes 10 weeks to get the rebate? and do you have to continue service for 10 weeks to get that rebate? well the 2 phonecards included should do that shouldnt they? I am gonna jump on this. Will ebates send me cash from them when i use them? Will this phone work with most of the major phone companies? Man guess i have a bunch of questions.

 

[GundamF91]

<< Sounds like a good deal to me. I sent phoneshark.com an email and in 5 minutes (really!) they called me and told me that they send u an online receipt, and u use that as your receipt and nokia will accept it. Wow a call in 5 minutes, now that is sevice! >>



Wow that's quick service, except they wouldn't bother spending 10sec to print a receipt for each order. I wasn't able to call, busy at work. But the outcome seem very encouraging, I'll get a response and a name tomorrow. Thanks for all the info, this is one hot deal if it all works out!

 

[k000]

I think PhoneShark.com representative had joined this board just for the purpose of clearing some doubts, and encouraging people to buy this phone. I think he/she should now act to send everybody a reciept and come clarify thsi issue also.

 

[Devistater]

Just ordered one, kinda hard to pass up an opportunity to make $10

 

[clunk]

Not sure if this will make anyone feel more comfortable ...

I just spoke with Doug Glenn at PhoneShark.com (actually answered the phone ... I had left numerous unreturned e-mail/phone messages) and he stated the following.

- Nokia has allowed the e-mail receipts in the past (Holiday gift card promotion) and will accept them for this curret promotion. I plan to call Nokia's rebate # again and see if I can get a CSR to acknowledge this fact. BTW, Doug said that uif he printed out a receipt (from their automated system) it would look just like the e-mail version.

- I ordered Saturday and the phone went out today (no tracking # on website, but the real ESN is there) so he couldn't cancel the order directly. He told me that if I had too many doubts, I should just refuse delivery and the order would be cancelled.

- He also said (though you'd have to get this in writing for it to mean anything) that if the rebate was rejected, he would take the phone back. Again, that doesn't mean anything, but it will help my case if I need to get AMEX involved in recovering my money due to a rejected rebate.

Not sure if I'm going to refuse delivery or not, but it made me feel a little better talking to a live person. Doug seemed interested in making sure that I was comfortable with the transaction.

Let me know what you guys think ...

clunk

 

[edavid]

Does anyone know how long it takes to get the free phone card? Just wondering if it would be likely to arrive before the 45 days from the first card runs out.

BTW, a Nokia rebate center CSR told me that it takes them 4-5 weeks to process the $50 rebate, which sets the window when they check if the phone is "active".

 

[RadioactiveMagpies]

Just ordered 2, got to chance it sometimes!

 

[malt]

Has everyone else received an e-mail from PhoneShark with a link to a printable "FINAL/OFFICIAL RECEIPT"? Looks like they're trying to settle the debate. I'm impressed, they've been very helpful from the start...

 

[Phunktion]

<< Has everyone else received an e-mail from PhoneShark with a link to a printable "FINAL/OFFICIAL RECEIPT"? Looks like they're trying to settle the debate. I'm impressed, they've been very helpful from the start... >>


I'm sure everyone got the email by now..

I was very willing to use the confirmation email for the rebate but this eases the tension in my mind quite a bit.. kudos to phoneshark for this unexpected action.. very impressive..

 

[GooberedUp]

I think the moderators owe phoneshark an apology. But, whatever, I was skeptical too--still ordered 3 though.

 

[GooberedUp]

<< pricematched at staples.. came to 49.00 after tax and shipping added on. and i can still do the rebate, too..! woohoo! >>



Isn't that higher than the phoneshark price?

 

[MarkM]

<< I think the moderators owe phoneshark an apology >>



The moderators? why?

 

[RadioactiveMagpies]

The moderators tried to protect us from what might be a scam, and
from what it appeared in the beginning it looked like a very shaky deal.
Now we have more info, so its a good deal now. Can't blame the mods for telling
you to look both ways before crossing the street.

 

[MarkM]

NM

 

[JEDI]

can someone do a link to staples.com for the free2go phone?! i cant find it

 

[fouroaks]

I post on the other thread but i will post it here as well.

I am at ease now i emailed them over the weekend and today i received a email with there heading and it also says Final/Official receipt with all the info i will need for the rebate.

 

[GooberedUp]

<<

<< The moderators tried to protect us from what might be a scam, and >>



I'm sorry, I thought I'd thread this whole thread but I'm guessed I missed something. When and where did the moderators try to protect us, and exactly WHAT was it they did???

thanks >>



THere were abunch of simultaneous threads going on at the same time. They (the moderators) chimed in on one of them.

I have no problems with the moderators trying to "protect" us, but I do have a problem with them adding their op/ed pieces. Personally, I like facts and then I like to make a decision. I don't like facts, interpretations and conclusions made by someone else.

Whatever . . .