Cellphone Incept Dates (or My Girlfriend’s Phone Buried Itself)
December 6th, 2005 | by amarfresh |
Does your phone have an expiration date?
Less than 2 years ago my lady friend picked up the cute Kyocera SE-47 Slider Phone for Verizon. It’s performance was disappointing mostly due to the poor power management. (ie, the battery sucked.) The battery was recalled and replaced once, which only served to provide false hope that a charge would last more than a day. Even plugged-in the phone would consume battery life at a rate greater than it could recharge itself. Sad.
However I have reason to believe that this phone is only faking its ineptness. Recently the phone stopped “booting” properly. There was no mishandling, nothing out of the ordinary, normal wear and tear. Now upon powering up. the phone displays a picture of a grave, a headstone reading R.I.P, and the words “Re-Initiate Phone”. (see above) Wow. I know she didn’t buy a smartphone, but for this phone to recognize itself as dead and bury itself, I find rather amazing.
The phone is mocking me…
so is Verizon… and so is Kyocera…
For such a screen to be displayed the phone must know that it is dead. Someone programmed this. The phone knows it is broken, and is rubbing it in my face. Nothing I can do. Nothing Verizon can do (that’s what they tell me anyway). A Sad Mac error screen, or even a BSOD, at least displays a cryptic error code. Something which would indicate the source of the problem. Nothing here. It might as well read, “You’re time is up. You’re f___ked. Go buy another phone.”
Did something in the phone “wear out?” If there was a software problem, wouldn’t it have manifested itself on day 1? My Star-Tac worked for 4 years before I went “color”, it probably still does. My Mac from college will still work if I pull it out of my closet.. These devices were built to last, unlike (apparently) some cell phones.
Wake up, Time to Die.
So I wonder. Is this planned? The Kyocera Burial Screen is in the firmware. Their 2-year timer ran a bit quick (b/c she has a few months more until she is elgible for a new phone credit from Verizon.) Incept Dates. Is there a pre-determined life set for these phones?
In the meantime I tried to have my old (Verizon-hyped, early-adopted, early-discontinued, POS) Z-800 phone activated for her. Again I got the VZW screw because now they won’t activate a phone which isn’t E911-capable. (Don’t know if this is policy or law.) Hmmm. They sold us a crappy Kyocera phone and refused to reconnect a phone which I purchased from them previously.
I wound up getting a Motorola e815 and kicking down my (incept date approaching) LG VX-6000 to her. That is another story.
4 Responses to “Cellphone Incept Dates (or My Girlfriend’s Phone Buried Itself)”
By dan on Jun 25, 2006 | Reply
this just happened to my phone as well (also kyocera slider)–the RIP screen or, sometimes a phone icon with a squiggly arrow pointing to a an old apple-style computer icon–with two months left on my contract, just like you. a conspiracy is clearly afoot. i won’t be renewing with verizon, who won’t help me, and i won’t get another kyocera.
By Ishaa Ndiyar on Jun 28, 2006 | Reply
My girlfriend’s phone just did the same thing. Then it came up with a picture of a phone and a computer, with an arrow between them.
The sales guys at the Verizon store kept assuring us that she was eligible for an “upgrade”, where she could get the sale price. But she’d have to extend her plan for two years. I asked repeatedly how this “upgrade” was any different from “buying a new phone at full price.” Finally one guy explained that since hers was not the primary phone on the account, she represented only $9 a month of revenue to them, and that the primary phone would have gotten a $100 credit on an upgrade. Right, thanks.
The “tech” guy at the Verizon store had never seen it, didn’t know what it meant, thought the phone was “prolly” dead and we should get a new one. Could you check please? “Prolly” isn’t very reassuring, and “get a new one” isn’t really tech support. Surely “re-initiate phone” means reinstall the firmware? Surely the little arrow between a phone and a computer means reinstall the firmware?
She just read your post and said “Yeah, mine did that. Yeah, my battery was replaced. Yeah. Yeah!”
So we went to the T-Mobile store… she wanted a Sidekick anyway.
Thanks, VZ.
By Tyler on Oct 17, 2006 | Reply
Same thing happened to me and I thought the exact same thing those guys did it on purpose just so I would pay for a new phone
bastards…
By Steve on Dec 9, 2006 | Reply
I found this on the Kyocera website:
_____________________________________________________________
Solution 10350: Service Required message - All
The “SERVICE REQUIRED” message may be caused by a number of reasons. It
does not represent a single problem or error. In some cases your phone software
may be corrupted which may be addressed by reflashing your phone software. A
“Service Required” issue may also display on your handset as an RIP (
tombstone) or computer icon.
Please return your phone to your Service Provider for evaluation. Your service
provider will be able to provide additional hands-on troubleshooting and assist
you with the processing of your warranty if necessary. In some cases, your
phone’s software may need reflashing to correct the issue. If your service
required issue is hardware related, your phone will need to be sent in for
repair.
If your local wireless provider cannot assist you locally, they can provide
you with information regarding authorized service facilities in your area.
If you cannot locate a service facility in your area, please contact our
Warranty Department by dialing 1-888-236-2746 for assistance.
_______________________________________________________________
I got the same bullcrap as everyone else from Verizon in-store tech support when I went there earlier today. The Kyocera phone isn’t the greatest, but I think the real breakdown is the service I’ve received from Verizon Wireless.