Good Evening David:
Once again, I offer my thanks and appreciation to you for your efforts on my
behalf to educate me regarding the best option for an I Phone. I am
certainly considering my options carefully, as I have been without one until
now. Since AT&T is our current carrier; I will start with them.
Unfortunately, I have not heard from anyone else from our group, but
certainly continue to look forward to any input.
Again my thanks, and I will advise as soon as a decision is made on a phone.
Continued all the best, Jim.
From: blind-philly-comp-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-philly-comp-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of David Goldfield
Sent: Saturday, July 21, 2018 1:26 AM
To: blind-philly-comp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-philly-comp] Re: I Phone
Jim,
I'm hoping that others on this list will chime in with their opinions and
experiences. I may be considered an expert when it comes to iPhone
accessibility but, when it comes to choosing a phone carrier, I haven't done
much in the way of research.
First, this article from Wirecutter
<https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-wireless-carrier/> discusses the
pros and cons of various cell phone carriers.
There's a lot of information on this page and it may be a bit overwhelming
but try to process what you can.
I would definitely contact each of the carriers and see what plans are being
offered. One thing to consider is how much data a plan offers you. Data
doesn't count while you're actually using the phone as a phone to make or
receive calls. Rather, it's performing actions like checking email,
listening to a podcast or downloading a book. Certain tasks use more data
than other tasks, such as watching a video. Playing videos or watching a TV
program will consume a lot of data but checking your email usually consumes
very little. Most people with an Internet connection at home have Wifi
capability. In this case, consuming data using your Wifi connection at home
doesn't count against the amount of data you have with your particular
package. My wife and I are on a shared plan, with 6 gigabytes or, as it's
often written, 6 GB of data to be used between us. If I want to watch videos
on Youtube or TV shows I perform these tasks at home. Doing this means that
I use Wifi data, which doesn't count as it does not use my cellular data
through my carrier. When I'm away from home and not connected to Wifi I
perform tasks which use very little or even no data. As an example, when I'm
on the train I might check my email, read the news or access Twitter. These
tasks consume some data but not very much. Reading or listening a Kindle
book or listening to an audio book consumes no data at all, since the books
are already downloaded to my phone. Some carriers will claim to offer a plan
offering unlimited data, but a plan offering a limited amount will save you
money. You might be able to save money by joining a shared data plan with a
family member, as I do with my wife. If you're curious the carrier I've been
with for some time is Sprint. We signed up with them because, at that time,
they offered a much cheaper plan than what we were paying for with Verizon.
However, that particular plan has recently expired and so it's likely that
Sprint may not be the best option for you. However, carriers may offer very
attractive deals for new customers and so Sprint may well offer something
for a new customer which I wouldn't qualify for. Still, it's worth
contacting them, AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon to see what they can offer you.
Remember that, while these phones are very expensive, you can usually pay
them off in monthly installments of 1 or 2 years. You may have to do a bit
of research to truly get the best deal for your needs and, if this is all
new to you, it may seem very overwhelming and you may be tempted to conclude
that this is more drama than you want to go through. I would encourage you
to persevere, however, as the benefits of owning one of these devices far
outweigh the drama in acquiring them.
If you don't feel that you need an actual phone you could consider an iPod
Touch or an iPad. These devices, with a few exceptions, don't make or
receive phone calls. They don't use cellular data, meaning that there's no
monthly fee as there is with an iPhone. The devices are also significantly
cheaper than an iPhone. As an example, the most basic, entry-level iPad is
$329, with the iPod Touch a bit cheaper, though also a lot smaller. With an
iPod Touch or an iPad you have to buy the device outright (in most cases)
but, once you do, you use it connected to your Wifi, with no monthly fee or
concern about data. These devices run iOS, the same operating system that's
in the iPhone, with the same level of accessibility. They just don't
function as a phone. However, if you need the capabilities of a cell phone
then I would pursue the iPhone through one of the carriers I've mentioned.
This response is anything but comprehensive, as there is so much I probably
haven't covered or said enough about but I wanted to highlight the issue of
data usage because I don't want to see a carrier trying to hoist more data
on you than you really need.
On 7/19/2018 11:51 AM, James A Saylor wrote:
I am currently researching the purchase of my first I Phone. My children
are thrilled that their Father is finally attempting to enter the 21st
century. Any guidance as to a carrier such as AT&T, as well as any
recommendation to an I Phone version would be appreciated. My hope is to
take advantage of the latest aps and gps programs. To this end, I am
considering the I Phone eight.
My thanks and appreciation for any and all comments.
Jim Saylor
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