I happen to be very loyal to my possessions. When I find something that works for me I tend to take care of them and hold on to them. This is why three and a half years after I moved to the US and got a cell phone I still have the same phone. I like it. I took care when selecting it, visiting the store to touch all of the options in person and ask questions about what one would work best in our house (which tends to prevent great reception). I ended up with a very solid LG flip phone, it has great reception, long battery life, works reliably, and is pretty. I know we can “trade up” every year or two if we want to – Den is on his third, for various reasons – but I will glance at the options and ask why I would bother with the hassle if my current phone is working just fine.

The one problem I have had are the keys. I feel like I was born with a QWERTY keyboard at my fingertips, and having to use the T9 function with the letters in alphabetical order results in a slow hunt-and-peck version of typing. I don’t do a lot of texting, but if I were to get a new phone it would have to have a QWERTY keyboard or there’s just really no point in switching.

A couple of days ago I was poking around the Verizon Wireless website to see what options I might have. I peeked at the Blackberries and ooo! They had PINK Blackberries! With QWERTY keyboards! And they were majorly discounted with rebates. The Blackberry Curve was only $100. And it was pink, did I mention the pink? I knew then what I wanted to do.

Of course detailed searching online, a visit to a nearby Verizon store, and talking with a service rep via IM on their website has pretty much sufficiently doused my enthusiasm. We have some Major Issues.

The family plan we currently have is a little more expensive than its the nation-wide counterpart because it includes Canada roaming and long-distance. No extra fees. Anytime I call my parents and talk for two hours (which can be frequently), or visit my parents and use my phone to call my husband or deal with businiess, I don’t have to worry about getting slapped with a huge bill. It’s all included. Needless to say this is very important for us to have.

I asked the Rep online if I could keep this plan and get a new phone. No, we have to upgrade to one of their new plans. Okay, do you have a plan that includes Canada? Yes. How much is the family plan? Oh, we don’t offer a family plan. Just a single plan. ….. What? So basically, their response is, “Sorry, you’re SOL.” According to their online options we can never get new phones, because we would lose our plan. We’d either have to get separate plans (very expensive) or pay per minute for all calls to Canada on top of our airtime (also very expensive). I’m pissed.

Earlier in the day I had gone into the local store to see the phones in person and ask a couple of questions. They have the phones. They also have a family plan that includes Canada. (How the fuck does a local store have it, but Verizon online doesn’t?? That makes NO sense.) The plan happens to cost $10 more per month than what we currently pay. And those Blackberries? The “discounted” price with a new 2 year plan is $199. Holy fuck. That’s a lot more than online. That’s twice what we can afford, and I’m sorry but a new phone is not worth that much to me.

Oh, and all of those costs are not including the $30/month extra we’d have to pay to get email on my Blackberry, which is kind of what I was hoping for. I’m at the bank three and a half days a week with no access to email, which is making it difficult for me to stay on top of client emails, since they usually contact me during business hours. If I want to continue doing that I really do kinda need email access somehow. (This also makes the QWERTY keypad that much more important.)

That’s Verizon’s answer to us: lose the plan and get the cheap phone, or keep the plan and pay out your ass for the phone. I am pretty pissed off.

So I called AT&T. I was told they have an international plan that is just $5.99/month on top of a nationwide plan – which ends up being cheaper than what we are currently paying. They carry the Blackberries, and on the website are even cheaper than Verizon. It’s the same $30/month for email access.

BUT. AT&T only has the silver Curve. No pink!! Sonofa.

Den’s telling me it’ll all work out and that it’s a Christmas gift. Christmas gift or not, I am really struggling to justify the extra expense on a damn phone. Do I really need email that bad? I just wanted to spend like $50 for a cute new phone. How did it turn into a big headache? I think I hate wireless companies.