Samsung Renown U810 Phone, Brown
Posted by adminAug 31
- Dual-network world phone for access to Verizon Wireless’s CDMA network in the U.S., and GSM networks when travelling abroad
- Access V Cast, Music and Video services via fast EV-DO data network; GPS-enabled for turn-by-turn directions; use phone as a modem for your laptop
- 2-megapixel camera/camcorder; Bluetooth for handsfree devices and stereo music; MicroSD expansion to 8 GB
- Up to 5 hours of talk time, up to 320 hours (13.3 days) of standby time
- What’s in the Box: handset, battery, charger, pre-installed SIM card, international plug adapters, global support kit, user manual, quick reference guide
Amazon.com Product Description
A great choice for global roaming, the Samsung Renown clamshell phone enables you to enjoy Verizon Wireless’s reliable CDMA/EV-DO service here in the U.S. as well as access GSM wireless services in more than 200 destinations worldwide for voice and 150 global destinations for data. You’ll be able to snap still images and videos wherever you roam thanks to the 2-megapixel camera, which includes NightShot capabilties that enhance the camera’s capabilities… More >>
Samsung Renown U810 Phone, Brown
If you purchase this phone with a contract from the Amazon site, it appears that you are entering into a contract with Verizon Wireless. In fact, you will be entering into two contracts: one with Verizon and another much more restrictive contract with another company. It’s only when the phone arrives and you read the warning about the possibility of a $250 charge if you first contact Verizon for service, that you realize something is drastically amiss. When I questioned the third party phone rep about this she stated that I should be aware of this from having read their contract. Turns out they sent me an email. You must click on a URL buried in the email which takes you to a site that displays that contract. The first thing that comes up on the screen is a long Verizon Wireless contract followed by a very brief third party contract that is less than comprehensive.
One reason my wife and I purchased these phones for use abroad is because Verizon indicated that I would be able to switch out the SIM card for another – after 60 days of continuous use. The third party agreement makes that a 181 day waiting period or else big $$$ charge. Gotcha! The third party website shows the same phone with the Verizon contract having the capability to connect to Microsoft Outlook – “software provided.” No such capability exists according to Verizon technical support. In fact I was directed to Verizon technical support by the third party phone rep because “We don’t provide technical support.” Huh!?
The phone itself is designed with a major technical flaw. The antenna is located in the back of the hand grip – in fact, there’s a warning message printed on the phone not to hold the phone there while using it. Huh?!
And that final rebate promised – you guessed it – you have to wait 181 days before you can submit it. You only find that out when you go out to the rebate website.
And make sure you get the phones back to the third party distributer within 7 days if you want your money back. And be prepared for half-hour wait times if you call the third party distributor. And be prepared to wrestle with Verizon after you terminate the contract if you get the phones back on time, because Verizon whips out an early termination fee bill much faster than you can imagine. One wonders what their 30-day customer satisfaction policy really means?
This story has a happy ending – believe it or not. After many phone calls and hours of wait time, we got a promise of getting all our money back from everyone – not easily – but nevertheless. My wife eventually bought an unlocked Motorola V197 from Amazon for overseas use with a SIM from Cellular Abroad – a much simpler solution and much more cost effective. I’m sticking with my Samsung ip830W which after two years of use has finally been unlocked by Sprint. Dealing with Telecom Italia will seem easy after this. Buon viaggio!
Rating: 1 / 5
Verizon touts this as a world phone. Indeed, voice and simple text services are functional in GSM countries. BUT, when operating in GSM mode, ALL the data functions are disabled. This means NO email, internet, MMS, GPS, etc… For me, this was terribly frustrating. The phone doesn’t have a very impressive feature set to begin with, but to have it reduced to such basic functionality is really disappointing.
Also, battery life is very short, and the media player interface is ugly and awkward enough to render it unusable.
If you’re thinking of unlocking it and using it around the world (with different SIM cards) as I did, you’ll be disappointed.
Not so happy with this thing!
Rating: 1 / 5
I have had the renown for a year and am fairly happy with it. BUT, that is because I can use it for voice and text abroad with unlocked third-party SIMs. It is good for that.
If you don’t plan to use a phone outside the US, there is NO POINT in getting the Renown. It has a basic feature set and there are much more capable phones available from VZ for use in the US.
As another reviewer points out, data functions don’t work in GSM mode, so if you need internet etc access abroad, this is not the phone for you! (You will need one of the quad-band PDAs or blackberries for that, and for international 3G, the VZ choice is even more limited).
The Renown is good for basic (voice and text messaging only!) in GSM regions. If you keep the Verizon SIM, people can call you on your US number, but you will pay large roaming fees. If you get it unlocked, you can use cheap third-party SIMS to keep costs down, but you will have a different phone number. The savings can be significant, UK to US can cost about 6 cents per min with a local UK SIM, whereas VZ charges $1.29 per minute, or 99cents per minute with an additional cost plan.
If you don’t mind having two phones, the alternative to the renown is to by a cheap prepaid GSM phone in the country you are visiting (some cost about $8 in the UK), and spend your money on a nice US phone for here!
Rating: 3 / 5