Basic phone obsolete?
AZ8
Contributor - Level 1

Hello everyone.  My elderly parents are in the market for a basic phone. My question is once Verizon converts their network to 4G, will these phones even work?  I live in the smartphone world and it's been awhile since I've held a basic feature phone. So this might be a stupid question.... 🙂 

Thanks.

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Re: Basic phone obsolete?
Tidbits
Legend

They'll still work until they push over to VoLTE(Voice over LTE) and reconfigure their CDMA network.  I don't expect Verizon to do that until 2014 at the earliest as they have not completed their LTE network to cover what they have under 3G.

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Re: Basic phone obsolete?
AZ8
Contributor - Level 1

ok...sounds good.  living in Phoenix, we were the first to get LTE,  just concerned the reconfigure will occur soon since we're already over a year into LTE. guess they'll be ok for awhile. thanks.

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Tidbits
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The Voice of LTE first call happened just recently.  It'll be more time in development to do it now would spell trouble without further testing than a few calls here and there.  I'll give it another year minimum before there has been enough testing to push it out, and roughly another year before they even completely cover 4G where their 3G is.  Then you have to give time to manufacturers to start implementing the new radios and time to get people to get onto the newer devices.

Re: Basic phone obsolete?
AZSALUKI
Legend

also, there are still way too many 3g only devices on their network. it would be a nightmare if they tried to tell all of their customers next year, that they all had to purchase new phones. fyi.....if you haven't checked out the basic phones for a few years, you'll be disappointed in the selection. like you, everyone else seems to be in the smartphone world these days. the last decent model in my opinion was the LG Octane (no longer carried). if i were buying one now, i'd actually find an Envy Touch on ebay.

Basic phone obsolete?
Tidbits
Legend

Yah they are slowly phasing out basic phones with every new contract to move people away from them.

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AZ8
Contributor - Level 1

yeah, that's my concern. but my parents are very non techy! lol so I have my work cut out to find a phone they can understand! heck my dad still calls me when he can figure out the remote!! 🙂

I let them play with my phone....and well, that didn't go over well! lol

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Re: Basic phone obsolete?
AZSALUKI
Legend

ahhh....well if you're talking BASIC basic, then here you go:

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=phoneFirst&action=viewPhoneDetail&selectedP...

it costs a bit more than i think it should, but has good ratings, and i always thought LG's were pretty good basic phones.

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Re: Basic phone obsolete?
AZ8
Contributor - Level 1

great minds think alike! :). that's the one I was eyeing for them!

thanks!

Re: Basic phone obsolete?
lewisr13
Champion - Level 1

Check in store at Best Buy, Target or Costco to see if ti's cheaper.