ring-a-ding-ding, Walmart called: it's time for new phone service, of course it is

Last month was the end of the line as far as my patience and T-Family mobile goes. We get our phones through Walmart. I'd rank it with a half star, if anyone asked. 

In general the functioning of the plan/phone service has been fine. I was going to say the service has been fine, but reworded that lest I lead you to believe that their customer service is at all acceptable. Remember when they claimed they couldn't prorate our  monthly bill in order to upgrade Reg and Mini's phones? Preposterous. 

I'm guessing you recall: Reg's phone stopped working except when he was in WIFI, which messed up life in general but really impacted the lease signing, moving into the apartment portion of our Labor Day. I shudder when I think of that stressful mess.

After he moved into the apt, Reg called T-Family  Mobile's 1-800 number. Coach may have been on the call too. I'd bowed out of all things phone-related after I'd given more of my time and energy to the move in process than I care to admit. 

They told Reg he needed a new SIM card. Get one powered by Verizon, they said. Reg went to the store, and no one knew how to locate a SIM care powered by Verizon. Having recovered from my frustration, I helped him select one online at home, and he picked it up the next day. 

This might shock you. It didn't work. 

Now he was driving to another state on the regular, and I was worried how that would go without access to GPS, phone calls, etc. Without WIFI, the phone was useless. He assured me he knew where he was going. He'd done the drive a number of times. 

On Tuesday after Labor Day, I called Walmart a few minutes before Reg was due home. He'd spent one day in Indiana, but had to come home for a neurology appointment.

Me: I summed things up, adding:  He's been to the store three times in the last week and no one knows what to do. I'm coming to the store in a few minutes with him and his phone. Will there be someone that knows something about phones who can help us? 

This guy was leaving for the day. Of course he was, because I'd just spilled the beans to him. He gave me the name of another guy who should know what to do. The other guy's name was Reg. (so not really 'Reg', but he has the same name as my IRL son. I took that as a sign. Not sure if it was a good sign, but at any rate . . . ). 

The two Regs. I'm not
pictured here, because I
was busy gnawing off my own arm, so
 overcome with hunger that I'd
lost my everlasting mind. 

Walmart Reg knew a thing or two. He was like Why a Verizon SIM? Then he selected a SIM that would work. *Here's the Cliff Notes version, because we were there for almost 2 hours. I like you too much to bore you with the details.*

The other SIM card he sold us ALSO did not work, although it should've. Walmart Reg stayed on with the world's most incompetent customer service people trying to figure it out while we all grew old .  .  . well, I was beyond hungry and I do think the process shaved a few years off my life.

At long last after Walmart Reg said This should work. I don't understand, a few dozen times, I called Uncle. 

Me:  Reg that's it. We're buying you a new phone. 

Walmart Reg showed my Reg to the phone selection. He sort of wanted an iPhone. They were a bit more expensive than the android options.

Me:  You want an iPhone? Grab one. I DO.NOT.CARE. how expensive. Let's do this.

Walmart Reg set up the new phone. I tried to return the SIM card or whatever that we'd determined wouldn't work, but that had to be done at customer service. Or course it did. The only additional line I was gonna wait in was one that would feed me something that would boost my blood sugar, so I told Reg he could return that later. 

There it is - the little speck of a SIM card.
Poor Reg ended up losing all his contacts,
although - I still think if Lad stops by he
 can figure out how to find them/transfer
them over. In typical Reg fashion, he's
 unphased by the loss of numbers.

Walmart Reg apologized for all the issues. It made no sense to him. "Sorry you had to get a new phone and that the only iPhone we had was sort of pricey."

Me:  Well, I would've dropped a thousand bucks on this damn counter if it meant we could get outta here, so I count this as a reasonably priced alternative. Thanks for your help.

A few weeks later, I told Reg when he came home for the weekend to take the 'stuff' back to Walmart to return it. He called me. Um, They won't take it back, because it's been more than 10 days. 

Oh, yeah. That's not happening. I drove to the world's worst store AGAIN a few days later. I'd called customer service to let them know I was coming and to let them know that they were 100% gonna be refunding me my money. The end. I marched in, found the guy I spoke to and he returned it. 

Mini gets the absolute worst service while at school. She may as well be abroad this semester, because I rarely get to speak to her. Delilah always hears her own echo when she calls me. My phone still likes to insert '?' between most words. I've held off so long to replace my phone, because I was on the fence about buying an iPhone. I really think I'm gonna stick with an Android. Regardless, a new service sounds dreamy. 

All this to say, the time has come. I'm not sure what service we are switching to, and I hope we can keep our phone numbers, but peace out T-Family Mobile. I think I'll tackle this when Mini is home in a few weeks for fall break. The bonus will be that her phone will work while abroad. And my phone will work while I'm visiting her abroad, because I am banking on that happening. 

Anyone have a carrier they think I should consider? Whose customer service (doesn't have to be limited to phones) is the worst?