That's the one I have back on page 2. Link doesn't work now but, like I said back then, I'm not happy with battery life, other than that, since my post, I love it. Very durable to say the least.

 

Well, it took a helluva lot of reading, reading, and more reading to find something to fit my budget and what I was looking for in a phone that can be used for texting. I opted for the Nokia C3-00 and ordered it March 23 and received it on March 27th. In addition to the phone I picked up Skin Jelly Case I did find a really cool website called Cell Hut that specializes in unlocked phones and has damn near every phone imaginable for sale. As one review I read stated, don't settle for the lame offerings of your local cell provider. Look around and see what's available.

Anyway, I exported all of my data from the HTC to the Sim card and popped it into the Nokia, inserted the battery and fired it up. Voila -- the battery indicated a 75% charge right out of the box. After a bit of fiddling and even breaking down to skim the manual, I had the phone up and running. Signal strength is amazing and I am happy to report ZERO dead spots in my house and was also able to conduct a phone conversation at my desk with good signal strength -- again, something the HTC couldn't do. The phone is smaller in overall size compared to the HTC but fits well. It will take time to acclimate myself to the keyboard but overall typing and working through the various functions is a breeze. Piggy-backing to local Wi-Fi is a snap and is responsive. The FM radio is crystal clear with no static issues (at my work desk), which was an issue with the HTC at times. The ring tones are L-O-U-D at the highest setting, which is very important. I visited the AT&T store to speak with the tech who has been working with me on the HTC issues and explained new issues that appeared after he had installed a software update a few weeks earlier. He changed my plan and tied my new phone to my account. He was very cool with everything and apologized that the HTC didn't work out. I explained to him it wasn't his fault and that I appreciated his assistance through the process. AT&T won't be able to offer me much of a buyback for my HTC, which I don't care about and might unload it on e-Bay.

After charging the phone overnight Friday, I spent almost three hours talking to my brother on Saturday morning and was impressed that the battery level hadn't even budged. As of this writing (the next day), it still shows a full charge.

 

Well, I'll tell y'all. AT&T sucks *****!!!

I switched to them mainly to save money and did find that I have a ton more minutes and texts (and data) than I had with Verizon for basically the same money.

They ain't screwed me over yet, but this one REALLY pisses me off!!!

My aunt came to visit over the weekend and had a tale of REALLY BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE from AT&T.
She dropped her phone last week and broke it. Went to her local AT&T store (Boca Raton, FL. area) to buy a replacement. Now my aunt is married to a very successful business man, but she ain't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed.
So she explains that she wants a very simple phone, has no interest in data or even texting. Just basically wants her phone to be a phone and the less buttons and gadgets, the better. BUT she has basically the Lexus version of our U-Connect in her car and the phone needed to be able to connect to her car stereo system so she could talk "hands free" while driving. So the guy in the store sells her a basic phone for about $100.

Well she gets home and my uncle tries to connect it to her car system and right off discovers the phone has NO BLUE TOOTH capability, so obviously it's a no go. He instructs her to take the phone back the next day and exchange it for one with Blue Tooth. So she does - WHERE THE SAME SALESMAN (who conveniently didn't remember her saying to him it had to connect to her car stereo system) told her he'd be happy to exchange it - FOR A $35 EXCHANGE FEE!!!

Now this is just 100% WRONG. She explained to the salesperson up front what she wanted the phone to do, HE recommended the WRONG PHONE and the very next day - in the original box with all the original materials - they want to soak her for an exchange fee??? She asked to talk to the manager and the woman came out, heard both sides and told her to read her contract AND the back of the receipt for the phone which stated AT&Ts return policy.

Well, they f*cked with the wrong woman, because my aunt (who is stupid rich) will lose thousands of $$$s to prove a point, left AT&T and went home.

My uncle who co-owns a small restaurant chain (with about 20 business supplied phones - all AT&T. Has now cancelled service with AT&T and told them to sue him for the buy-out. They have donated EVERY phone including my aunt's (who's phone was on a separate, private account) to the local PD and have gone with Sprint for all of their phone needs.

So basically AT&T lost over 20 phone services because they wouldn't exchange a phone that THEY incorrectly told a customer it would do something it would not and then wouldn't do the right thing.

CUSTOMER SERVICE IS A THING OF THE PAST IN THIS COUNTRY!!!

 

^^ Mmmmm, not a thing of the past. Always assume the customer service rep is a complete idiot and know how to leverage your position. The people at my AT&T store jump through hoops to assist the customer and I even told my guy, "Look, I don't care about the contract, break it. If I have to, I will use my leverage that I've been a customer for over 15 years (waaaayyyyy back it was SW Bell) and if I have to get someone's attention I'll threaten to switch providers. In all this time, this HTC is the worst phone I've ever had. Period." He nodded in agreement and very quickly adjusted my account to a different service plan.

Years ago, when I was on dial-up Internet, I couldn't get access and called the provider whereupon some snot-nosed kid basically told me I was up shiat creek. I was livid and called another place in town who had me up and running inside of 30-minutes. I called my original provider and canceled my account. Same kid had a fukall attitude about it. This all happened starting on a Thursday evening and by Monday morning I had the account manager of the original company calling and literally begging me to return. She stated, "What will it take to get you back as a customer" and I almost told her I wanted to witness that kid getting fired and that I could kick him in the nuts. I told her that I appreciated her effort but based on how the C/S treated me that I was done. She let out a HUGE sigh and stated she understood and once again apologized. I think they lost a lot of business over that and did summarily shiat-can that little turd because of it.

 

Well, the Nokia C3 has run its course and I'm back to looking for a rugged cell phone. I hate that consumers in the US are a bunch of brain dead dolts, because their lack of an attention span calls for suppliers to flood the US market with (stupid) smart phones while better phones are difficult to find.

The Nokia has lost favor as it has started to randomly shut down, cross-links texts, and saves typos to the dictionary. I have searched high and low for a way to reset the dictionary with no solution. Not only will it replace a legitimate word with a typo, but it will auto-correct a legitimate word with a different word while I'm trying to hammer out a text with a quickness. The keyboard layout has proven to be too cramped. The gel cover that I have has prevented the battery cover from popping off completely and being lost.

AT&T has zero in the selection of rugged phones that have a QWERTY keyboard. I've been searching unlocked cell phone sites for a rugged, basic phone with a QWERTY keyboard that will work on AT&T's network and my searches have been fruitless.

The only promising candidate has been the Casio G'Zone Brigade; however, that would mean switching to Verizon. The Brigade looks like a great candidate that will endure the abuse I will subject a cell phone to through my regular activities and provide years of service. My girlfriend has Verizon as her provider plus Verizon appears to have better coverage than AT&T across the country.

Any feedback from anyone?

 

AT&T blows and iphones break easy, thats all I got but I think you have already realized these things

 

how about the G'zOne Commando smart phone?

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/s...cmp=Google-PLA

it's water proof and rugged.

 

Whilst not pretending to be waterproof, but nowhere near as bulky, I've had good protection provided to my iPhone by a UAG case.
http://www.urbanarmorgear.com/

 

no...smart...phones

 

then go find an old LG enV2 (VX9100)

standard keys on the face...open and you have a second screen with full qwerty keyboard.

very small and pocket friendly and tough as nails!

I went dirtbike riding and wiped out one time with my old one, and landed on it and it literally got ground out of my pocket by the gravel... keep some deep scrapes in the outside screen and number keys... still worked perfectly, including the screen and all of the buttons.

it hit the floor from waist high drops including concrete floors countless times. fell down stairs, etc... could not kill the thing. thing was like the old school nokia phones.. indestructible brick lol

I still have the thing sitting in my truck I think..

It was a verizon phone...not sure if it was available on other carriers..