feeling humbled and loving tech support!

One of the first rules of happiness is the ability to laugh at yourself!  I consider myself pretty tech savvy  though I do need help from time to time. When it comes to problems with a smart phone the first rules apply....pull battery (providing its a phone with a removable battery), reboot, put in airplane mode briefly, hold power button......then call tech support.

My almost brand new Samsung Note ll failed me when I went to Georgia for the weekend.  I noticed while driving that my signal on the bluetooth in the car was gone.  I got to the hotel and tried all the tricks in the book......sigh....call tech support. The first day after being on wi-fi at my house the phone didn't go back on data by itself when out of range and the local tech reset it when I called him from work. I thought I was dealing with the same problem.

 Now, being in roaming and being a 4G phone, resetting it to the network was going to be a problem.  Well I was transferred to Charles....a roaming tech.  What a brillant guy...we started with looking in the settings......I was thinking to myself, yea right....ha ha shows you what I know.  Im not sure how, but I'm sure I had something to do with it but my Note ll was set on HOME ONLY under data selection....one of the first things I normally do with a new device is go into settings and put everything to my preference.  Not sure how I did it but the tech and I had a good laugh.  He wasn't going to laugh until I did and told him that normally settings is one of my first stops when buying a phone. Without Charles and his knowledge that this happens more often than we "smart" people with our smart phones want to admit, I would have been out of touch all weekend!!!

A friend called me a week or so ago asking to look at her tablet because the internet wasn't working...she had accidentally put it in airplane mode. Of course she knows very little about tech stuff....and apparently I know enough to be dangerous!!!!   

So my advice for this week is.....be humble.....laugh at yourself when necessary, and always be willing to call the great tech support at US Cellular!!!!  

This is why I love this company and being a member of the Customer crew!

Introducing friends to the world of smartphones

In a recent blog I had mentioned having a few people in my life that don't have smart phones yet.  I am still trying to figure out how I lived without one myself.  Not just easy access to all the social media like Facebook, Twitter, and Google plus, but having the world at my fingertips.  We aren't computerized at work and if a client would like some info on an illness or a certain breed of dog or cat...I can whip up a reliable webpage for them before they go home and get the wrong information. Then I email or text the link to them.  To me phone books are obsolete....a co worker and I were both looking up a pharmacy to call in a prescription and I had the number in seconds on my SG3. 

We have a co worker however that hasn't crossed the line yet.  Her name is Sharon and I have a great starter smart phone to present to her before the holidays.  It is the Alcatel onetouch Premiere from US Cellular.  I had my friend Frankenhead help me out with a video as to why Sharon will like this phone!!!  It will make an easy transition for her into the world of smart phones and I bet in no time she will be addicted like I am!

Sharing the love of great phones and service is why Im a member of the US Cellular Customer Crew!!!

Doctors are people too (long but a tribute to the kind of Doc my Dad was)

My Dad was a Doc....back in his day (60's, 70's) the General Practitioner did it all.The GP was just that....now you have different doctors for different needs.  GP's no longer do surgery, ob/gyn, pediatrics, internal medicine, cardiology, emergency care, etc....it is the nature of the beast and Veterinary medicine is starting to go that way as well.  Is this bad?  NO....however, growing up with this kind of doctor in the family, I have a certain expectation from my doctors. My Dad took care of Amish and homebound families as well as the community.  He had a dynamite sense of humor and was a very personable person.  When he retired in the 80's I remember him telling me that between the government and insurance companies telling MD's what and what not they could do, practicing medicine was becoming more about the bottom line and less about treating the patient.  He hated that and was glad to be getting out of the field.

I have had the fortune to have good doctors over the years.....despite the changes in medicine my father complained about.  I had a wonderful GP in Oklahoma that was old school.  He was on call at the ER when I was seriously kicked by a horse....my boss asked him if he was going to prescribe me pain killers....his answer was "no....I want her off that leg for seven days....if she has pain killers she will be working tomorrow"...how funny...I was anyways...but that would have been something my Dad would have said. The Veterinarian I now work for has the same mentality...the clients love him and he is a wonderful boss....but bedside manor is everything.

In Tennessee I had a couple great doctors as well.....they knew I didn't have insurance and helped me out.  I was happy to see Drs that weren't all about the bottom line. A couple of years ago my boss and I picked up CoverTN.  a good preventative insurance and though it has limits has been both affordable and decent.

I am not able to keep this short and to the point..sorry...doctors are not evil....they do care and having families themselves and being tied to the current system...they are human. I had to change GPs due to the one I have used for years wasn't didn't take CoverTN. I miss Dr. Murphey as a GP because she understood my financial situation and still provided good care. But why pay full price out of pocket when I can pay a co pay..... I do get defensive sometimes when I hear people bad mouth physicians. That is due to my Dad being one but my new GP office has walk in hours and have taken care of me just fine.

Getting long I know but a history was important for my point.  In January I had appendicitis....didn't know it at the time but went to my GP office Saturday morning on walk in hours.....they sent me to the ER...the ER doc was great....the CT scan personelle was great......the GI doc on call that did my appendectomy was great....he is now my regular GI guy.  Dr. Rangnekar was and still is a good physician and personable. (and did I mention that great vet I work for....I called in sick and he handled the whole morning single handed....)

Because of the CT scan for the appendix other issues were found.  I always used my GP for annual female issues as well but found myself needing and OB/GYN surgeon.  Dr. Rangnekar's office referred me to Dr. Glover and Bullen.  Not only did Dr. Bullen take me seriously but addressed my concerns and was very interested in doing what was best for me.  That meant sending me to another specialist in robotic surgery who was just moving his practice.  Dr. Bullen had called me twice after hours to keep communication open, personally called Dr. Fields about my case, and that resulted in another great physician caring about my health.  Dr. Fields is a primary surgeon in robotic surgery in this area and he and his team had taught several other physicians around the country.  Dr. Bullen is new to robotic surgery but with Dr. Fields on hand will tackle me and my not-so-easy case....I feel confident about my future surgery with these two on hand.  Dr. Fields is young for his expertise ...in his early 40's....but he is an expert and working with Dr. Bullen to make sure my care is right.

BOTH these guys at the end of a long day, took the time to call me after hours to follow up with my case....I have great faith in them and wish my Dad was still around so I could share with him that there are still good Docs out there despite the direction medicine has gone.  I am about to go through a surgery that could have been more evasive and dangerous without the current Drs taking care of me.  And when Dr. Fields called me tonight (two hours after his office closed and the day before a holiday) he informed me that Dr. Bullen already had dates in mind for my surgery....don't think for a minute that there aren't doctors out there that care!!! Dr. Bullen could have just said "we are going to cut you open and you will need two to three months recovery time".

Sorry so long....and this is my tech blog but being a Dr's kid I feel strongly about having great care!!!!

However did we ever survive before Smart phones!

As a continuation of my last blog on how I have come a long ways from my first cell phone to the wonderful world of smart phones, I often get into conversations with people as to how we ever got along without these little computers/phones!

Not only can we keep in touch with all our social media sites but also find phone numbers, google for information on about anything, pull up maps, get directions, etc, etc.  Our lives are certainly easier since indulging in smart phones.  Plus my friends and I can compare phones and see who's is faster at pulling something up.

However there will probably always be someone that stays in the dark ages.  My boss keeping his almost 10 yr old flip phone I understand...he doesn't text and rarely even talks on it.  My sister on the other hand I don't get.  She is a texting fool on her old flip phone but why have to hold and peck to make words when you can swype or have a great touch screen keyboard?  Not to mention that when she is with me I am being asked to look things up or pull up directions somewhere. She has a camera on her ole flipper but I am asked when on vacation to take pictures and videos so that I can send them to her...NO I see no need for her to indulge a little and get herself a smartphone...LOL.

I tried to get my sister to play with mine but some people are nervous about moving forward.  I know that once she played with one for awhile she would love it.  She has played games on my tablet in the past and she has to fire up her laptop to play her online games.  With a smartphone she would be able to play anytime!  I will continue to show her the way.  But then again she may be afraid of getting my addiction.  I always seem to need something better and faster!  Oh well, you can't blame me for trying.  In texting alone I think she would have a blast once taking that leap!  Then she too would be asking how did we ever survive before smart phones!

Smart phones are just part of why I am a US Cellular Customer Crew member!

You have come a long way baby!

In a recent discussion in one of my cell phone related Facebook groups, we were discussing our first cell phones and where we got them.  Some folks had bag phones for their first but I was a little late arriving to the party.  About nine years ago I left a long time relationship and went back out on my own.  I decided then that a cell phone was a more logical choice than a land line.  There was an authorized agent for US. Cellular in our local Wal-Mart store and my mobile journey began!

My first was an Audiovox digital 1x....woo hoo!  It made and received calls...it might have been capable of texts but I wasn't!  Then I had a very durable nokia that was internet capable but it was costly.  I then entered the world of smart phones which now I change almost as often as my clothes as newer and better models come out. I have had five different ones and a couple of tablets since my first smartphone, the Samsung Acclaim. One could say that I have a slight addiction to new technology!

 My latest is the Samsung Galaxy S3 and I liked it enough to buy two!  I originally bought the 16g thinking I would have more than enough room on it but it didn't take long to venture on to the 32g....with a 32g sd card.

 I will continue to move forward with the newest and brightest as they come out.  Technology moves at a fairly quick pace.  When I got my first phone we still had dial-up internet!  Now I not only surf and email, but share and keep up with friends and family via the internet....both at home and on my mobile devices through US Cellular.  Yes there are other carriers out there but I don't "fix what aint broke" so I will stick with them.

Pictured are my first and latest mobile phones....yes I have come
 a long ways baby from that first device!!!!

Im Jen and Im a member of the US Cellular Customer Crew!

Newer and better, it grows on you

I was one of the many people who pre ordered the amazing new Samsung Galaxy S3 phone.  With the 4G capabilities and coming out of the box with the next Android operating system on it...ice cream sandwich, I was in full anticipation of the phone's arrival!  I skipped a couple of the new phones when they came out to stay with the Motorola Electrify.  I love a lot of the Moto features but this new phone has some new and fun features that enticed me to order it. I even cashed in some belief points to push my upgrade date up.


The first few days with my SGlll it wasn't love at first sight....ok it WAS love at first sight...this phone is sleek, thin, lightweight, and beautiful.......but it wasn't love at first use.  My Moto had some things that I wasn't sure I was ready to give up.  One was being able to go directly to my advanced photo editing apps or make a pic a profile pic for Facebook & Twitter, from the photo itself.  After a few days on the SGlll I decided I could live with the fact that I need to open my apps then choose the pictures I wanted to edit. And I have to admit...the camera on the SGlll takes better pictures than the Electrify.


One of the biggies for me was the email presentation for hotmail.....it was not user friendly at all....but I found away around that too....bookmarked the desktop version.....


There were some other things too but I already forgot.  Every new phone and change of brands has a learning curve......this SGlll just has so many cool things about it that were not on my other phones the learning curve was just a little bigger I guess.  The first few days I kept going back to my moto......now Im doing so less and less....I AM falling in love with this phone just as I figured I would.  Thanks to the few I vented to about it early on....now Im convinced I love more than I miss on the phone.


Some of the great things are with ICS I can now use Chrome for my browser, which syncs with my laptop version. The internet is now more like my laptop.  I love the "swipe of the hand" screenshot feature....the fact that if I am reading a page the screen won't time out because the phone uses its front camera to know when you are looking at it!


I don't think its a lot faster than the Electrify but it will be when 4G hits here (which will be soon) and I have to admit.....it is a good thing US Cellular gives its customers that 15 day window to return phones.  If I had only had two or three days....it would have gone back....now I highly doubt it!!!!


So the moral of the story is......this old dog can learn new tricks and will enjoy her new white phone with its pretty cases.  (still may go to the store and check out the blue SGlll though...) and Motorola, I hope you have a great new phone on the horizon for later......


once again, a happy and proud member of the customer crew signing off. (now where did I put that SGll at)

The Grass isn't always greener...

I know I spend a lot of time bragging on US Cellular but there is a reason for that.  No company is perfect and there will be policies that upset people....you know the saying, you can't please all the people all the time.  I have friends with other carriers so I have spent some time on those facebook pages.  All I can say is wow!


There are upset people and complainers on all the pages but the other pages have some very upset people.  A lot of the complaints are the very same ones on the USCC page but with a couple differences. 


 One is the other companies don't have a social team.  USCC has an awesome team of people to separate out the complainers from those really wanting to resolve their problem.  The social team offers help and support for those that really want it.  I have not seen posts or comments from other companies on their pages...no wonder so many customers are upset, they don't think anyone cares. The one page does get some company comments but they are few and far between and don't have the personal touch (like posting a first name) of the social team.


The other big difference I noticed is on the USCC page a lot of customers offer help and share their knowledge of the company and devices.  One or two people do this on the other pages and they get rude comments back for it.  A couple of us from USCC offered help on another page and the thread either got deleted or the lash back was horrible.  One guy wanted to teach me math!!!!  We didn't even mention being with another company, just wanting to help.


The point is that the complaints are almost the same on all carriers.....so if you are thinking of switching companies over a little thing like "my new phone wasn't release on the exact day they said" or "what is this new fee" or "your tower was out for four hours one day and I couldn't text my best friend" remember to be careful what you wish for.


The difference is huge....the social team is a wonderful group of people and very helpful....other carriers do not offer this on their facebook, and the customers are awesome and helpful as well which Im sure had something to do with USCC starting the Customer Crew.  The other carriers could benefit from this move as well, so with that said I will leave the choices to you....the customer!


Im a proud member of the Customer Crew.......thanks again US Cellular for all you do!!!

Technology is wonderful.  We have come a long ways from the bulky desktop computers, aol, and dial-up internet. And with tablets getting better and better even laptops are working their way out of our lives....though Im still on mine quite a bit.


When it comes to phones I am always looking up.  My Motorola Electrify is a wonderful phone but there is a new kid on the block and US Cellular has started taking pre orders for it before it hits the stores sometime in July.  There have been a few phone releases since my Electrify and I remained faithful to my great phone but then...........the news of the Samsung SGlll......this is our next generation phone and with 4G LTE around the corner here in Tennessee it was an obvious choice for my next phone.


My Electrify has a 1GHz duel processor and is fast....the SGlll will even be faster at 1.5 GHz....and also will be 4G ready once 4G gets here by fall.  As fast as my moto is, the SGlll will even be faster. Plus this will be the first device that US Cellular releases with the next great Android OS on it...Ice Cream Sandwich!  


There are many other features that attracted me to this new device and yes I have pre ordered it.  I am now waiting for its arrival sometime next month!


http://www.uscellular.com/uscellular/cell-phones/showPhones.jsp?type=phones&phone-selector-category=phone-selector-android&_requestid=32718


There are some other great phones to check out if the SGlll is more than you want in a phone!  For me, this is going to be the beginning of another great relationship!  And I used belief points to upgrade sooner than I was able to without!  More reasons to be a happy member of the Customer Crew!

Traveling with US Cellular

A couple of weeks ago I took the Megabus from Knoxville to Washington DC.  Took in some sights and spent some time with family.  Also we went to the Preakness live which was very exciting.  I will write later about the fun times and to discuss the megabus but will say that being in remote parts of VA a lot of the way it was nice to have US Cellular.

The buses provide plug ins and wifi but the connection was horrible.  I was hoping to "netflix" my way to DC and back but the service just couldn't do it and streaming movies uses way too much data.

Not being able to use the wifi I did use data......always had a great connection.  Though I didn't stream movies I was able to use my social media, download another book to read, and use my email....the whole trip.  Not once did I not have a good signal even in some pretty remote areas on the interstate.  On the bus trip back to Knoxville the woman in front of me had a family crisis and was on her phone the whole time...she too had US Cellular and never lost a signal in a time she really needed it.  I did need to loan her a charger however.....I'm always prepared.  LOL.

Thanks again US Cellular for the great service!  A great connection is just another reason that I am a happy member of the Customer Crew!!!!

Me and my Phone!

Getting a new phone is always fun.  4G LTE hopefully will be in our area in a few months but until then I am perfectly happy with my 3G Motorola Electrify!  With its duel core processor I don't have lag and Motorolas are known for great reception which has been the case since getting this phone.   Having a phone you love just makes the android experience even more enjoyable!


I have made another video with my friend FrankenHead to tell you about this phone!

Hope you enjoy and if you don't have the phone you want then contact US Cellular!  You probably will find what you are looking for.  More 4G phones to come later this year!  Can't wait to see what is next!


Jen, happy and proud US Cellular Customer Crew Member

Technical help

I rarely have problems with any of my devices but occasionally one will act up. Most recently my 7" Samsung Galaxy Tablet seemed to be not wanting to connect to the internet when on data. Over a period of a few weeks I noticed I was getting more error messages when trying to use the web. Then it didn't want to connect at all.

I had tried all the tricks, turning it off and on, putting it on airplane mode for awhile then turning it back off, and PRL update. With a battery pull not an option with this tab I felt I was getting closer to a factory reset.

I have always felt over the years that U.S. Cellular had great tech support. I have called 611 in the past and found the help I needed but last weekend I just took the tablet to the Turkey Creek Corporate store in Knoxville TN. Zack has been the tech there for awhile now and he has always been helpful and knowledgable. He came through again!!! He was able to "deregister" my device then reconnect it to the database. My tablet is still under warranty so if I have any more problems it will be sent off to Samsung for repair or replacement. Hoping this is the end of it!

It is good to know that someone like Zack is available to keep us all connected!!!!!

Jen, a once again, satisfied Customer Crew Member!

Battery swap

One of the pluses of having US Cellular is the battery swap. I have used this a few times. If your battery needs changed just find your way to a nearby US Cellular store and ask for a battery swap and they will replace yours with a fully charged battery...at no charge to you!

A friend earlier today was having problems with her Iphone working properly...the Iphone having an irreplaceable battery and the fact she is with a company that wouldn't replace it anyways was a double whammy for her. She talked about needing a new battery and I know with her phone she will need to pay Apple a pretty nice fee for the new one. Not to mention that her carrier won't be able to help her on this one....she will need to go to an Apple store.

I am grateful that if I need a battery I can go into a US Cellular store and request a battery swap and leave with a fully charged replacement. Thank you US Cellular from a happy customer crew member!!!!!

A small company that rocks

The only real disadvantage I can see to US Cellular is that it isn't available to some people in some parts of the country. Of course I have great coverage all over the country but as far as being able to sign with them, there are areas US Cellular isn't available.

I have a friend that lives in one of these areas. She is fed up with her carrier, in fact she is on her second carrier in as many years. I feel for her because she gets the misfortune to hear me continue to brag on mine. When I visit her I have good coverage in a spotty area, when I have a problem (which is rare), it is quickly resolved with a phone call to 611, and I am fortunate to live in Knoxville where we have a great corporate store close to my work. And I know she is tired of hearing about all the great things that come with US Cellular like free incoming, nights and weekends, unlimited texting and media texting, and better data packages. Most carriers offer free mobile to mobile but along with free incoming and unlimited texting regardless of the carrier of the other party? Free incoming even from land lines? NOPE

Yes it is unfortunate that my friend can't get US Cellular where she is at but at the same time there are benefits to being with a smaller company. They know who I am when I walk into my local store, and though people complain about us being last to get the great phones, I think it is a blessing. Let the bugs get worked out before US Cellular offers them!

I am happy that I live where US Cellular is available and love my phone (Motorola Electrify) and tablet (7" Samsung Galaxy) and can't wait to see what comes our way once 4G LTE is in place, which should be soon!!!!!

Proud to be a member of the Customer Crew as well!!!! Have a great day!!!!

US Cellular belief points

I never totally realized how great US Cellular really was until I started listening to people with other companies. A friend and I used to argue about who had better coverage and some areas of the country that she went to were better and some areas I went to were better. However one thing she couldn't brag on was belief points. I don't consider myself a sales person unless I totally believe in what I am selling....so with that said....I love that I can get a new phone pretty much within a year!

Between the incoming free calls, free nights and weekends, free mobile to mobile, unlimited texting and 5 G of data monthly (per line), I had people at least considering changing plans or companies. The belief plan has been very satisfactory to me and can be for others as well.

I have an alter ego that I do video fun with....I now have made a video on using belief points with US Cellular and will do future work with this "alter ego" just because its fun!!! So for now, signing off.....a happy Customer Crew Member!!!!!!

How US Cellular is a social club

Sounds funny I know....to say that a cell phone company is a social club, but thanks to Facebook it has become one. Everyone has things they love about their cell service mainly how having a phone where ever he/she is has opened their world. Seems like where ever I go conversations get started by what kind of phone one has or nowadays tablets. We all seem to muse over how far technology has come in just a couple decades....from phones in a bag, dial up internet and aol, to smart phones and tablets where the internet and friends are a touch away!

I have had US Cellular from day one. My first phone was an ultravox.....I was very proud of entering the wireless world and though there was no internet, I could make phone calls where ever I was! How cool was that! I then got a Nokia....internet capability with EasyEdge but expensive and not very good compared to the computers. Then came my first Smart Phone!!!! The now-not-so-great Samsung Acclaim!

So, back to subject of social media! Once I entered the smart phone world there was no turning back...in about two years I now have had four smart phones and two tablets....but these gadgets are little computers and so sometimes a new user needs help. I started hanging out more on the Facebook US Cellular page....I made a friend or two, then three, then well, I lost count. Groups were formed, some for social, some for phone assistance, some geared more toward tablets...groups even popped up for a particular phone so that if help was needed the experts would be on hand. Oh and my latest smart phone horse in the stable, the Motorola Electrify is the best phone I have had so far...can't wait to see what US Cellular offers next!

People started sharing favorite apps, what kind of case to buy, screenshots, well before I knew it I was wrapped up in a techie world with a totally different kind of friends than my dog or horse friends. I am easily amused so a group of adults with nicknames like duck, chicken, robo chicken, fuzzball, wabbit (we have a couple wabbits), sunshine, and people from all walks of life enjoying themselves on the internet just happened to fit my lifestyle.

The more time we spend together the better we all get to know each other and even sometimes have things in common outside of the wireless world. Friendships have been developed and lives are being shared. Surgeries, weather, new grandchildren, job changes, you name it.

I can't speak for other wireless companies....but US Cellular has brought a lot of people together and the passion we all share for our wireless company says something for the company itself. Thank you US Cellular for being a great wireless company and bringing fellow customers together as friends!!!! That is why I have become a member of the Customer Crew......and proud of it!