So, you’re ready for a new phone?

My Verizon

So, your phone is getting pretty old. Perhaps you are looking to get a smart phone or your current smartphone feels like riding a tricycle compared to your friend’s new smartphone that is breaking land-speed records and you feel left behind. Maybe you love your current phone, but it is no longer working correctly. Whatever your circumstance, you are ready for new equipment, but are not sure what to do. If you are with Verizon, then the first thing you want to do is dial #UPG [send] (#874) which is airtime free and will send you a free text message with your upgrade eligibility. This works on all Verizon cell phones, but smart phones may take you in to the MyVerizon app instead. One caveat is that cross-line upgrades are pretty common, so if you are on a Family or Share Everything plan another user on your plan may have used yours, which may mean that another line is available for upgrade that you can then use. While we are on the subject of your account, please make sure that you know your account’s billing account password. This is a four or five digit number or a four or five character word, and is completely separate from your MyVerizon password. A good deal of the time the last four numbers of the account owner’s SSN is the password, but occasionally it is a date, the first name of a child, the name of a pet or the last four digits of the main telephone number on the account. Also, if you are not the account holder, you will need to be an authorized user. This can only be done by the account holder. There are two methods the account holder can employ. First by calling *611 from their phone and telling customer care your name exactly as it appears on your photo ID, which is required for all transactions. Second by using MyVerizon. Even the account holder is required by law and Verizon policy to show photo ID in order to make any changes on the account, so be sure to have that with you when you come in.

Now that we have that out of the way, You are ready to come in to the store and get your new phone — almost. Do you have any pictures that you want transferred? Sure, we have a transfer machine that will transfer contacts, pictures, music, and sometimes even text messages, but if you have a lot of pictures or music on your phone, this can take over 6 hours. With pictures, the average is 45 minutes and that is if everything runs smoothly. So, is there a better way? You bet! Simply connect your phone to your computer using the data cable that came with your phone and follow the manufacturer’s instructions how to download your music and pictures to your hard drive. This way you will be certain to keep all the important pictures you want, you can easily use your computer to delete the ones you don’t want or need anymore, and you will be in and out of the store and on to the next item on your agenda quickly and efficiently. This is usually only necessary for smartphone to smartphone transfer as most basic phones hold less than 1GB of data, which only takes about 15 minutes to complete. Now that your pictures and music is safely and securely backed up to your home computer, you are now ready to come in to the store. Transferring the contacts usually takes less than 60 seconds to complete, so no need to worry about backing them up, unless you have it backed up to Gmail or iTunes already.

Google Play Store

Speaking of Gmail. If you have an android phone, your gmail address and password is essential in order to get your apps downloaded to the new phone. Even apps you have paid for will be free to download once you sign in to your original account. If you already know this information without having to look, you are all set. If you are not sure, then you will want to go on your phone from the home screen to Menu > Settings > Accounts. There will be a list of all the email and social networking accounts you have your phone signed in to. We are looking for the one that has the Google icon and ends with @gmail.com. Now, go to http://www.gmail.com and attempt to sign in using that email address. If you have forgotten your password, then click the link “Can’t access your account?” and follow the prompts. Once you have your password recovered, please write it down and keep it in a secure location away from your computer like a wall safe or filing cabinet with a lock. Bring it with you if you think you’ll forget it again. The procedure is similar for an iPhone to get logged in to the App Store, only to recover a forgotten password, you will need to go to iforgot.apple.com and follow the instructions there. If you are unable to recover your own password, then we are unable to help with these third-party vendors. You can attempt to contact them on your own, or cut your losses and we’ll help you sign in with a new account.

But, what phone should I get? I can understand how this is a very important question. Some people know exactly what phone they want. They have an iPhone and they want a the new iPhone or have done some research on their own and know exactly which phone they want. Others, aren’t sure which one is actually better or what would be better for them. That’s where we come in. We have been specially trained in the specifications and benefits of each of our phones. We will make a recommendation tailored to your unique needs and desires that we will discover by conversing with you about what kinds of things you are interested in. You can expect to be greeted as you enter our store. If there is a line, we have comfortable seating for you while you wait. If it will be an extended amount of time, Starbucks is right next door to our Mound Center location, so grab a cup of coffee and settle in while we finish with those in line ahead of you. Good things will come to those who wait.