Wirefly Offering w810i

[Filipp2442]

I am browsing around and i found that wirefly is offering the 810i for 50$ after 2 year contract, but thats what i have a question about why are they the only place offering the phone? Is their some type of catch or is the phone like defective or what.

[Scrumhalf]

Everything I have read about Wirefly (and the web is full of horror stories) is that they are scam artists - there is no end of complaints about them. Caveat emptor.

[Filipp2442]

Hmm really? what are the bad things about them? Their the only website offering the w810i basically and id get that phone since 50$ for 2 year ain't bad.

[Scrumhalf]

Do a google search on Google web/news/groups and you will see how ugly things are. The company that owns Wirefly (I think it is called Inphonic) was if I am not mistaken, sued by either the feds or some kind of class action for mail-in rebate fraud.

I personally think it is not worth the trouble to save a few bucks - if the phone/service works perfectly, you have a reasonable chance of never seeing your mail-in rebate (if there is one), but if something goes wrong with either the account setup or handset, you are SOL big time from what I can tell.

Here are some links below with people being less than satisfied with Wirefly.

http://reviews.cnet.com/5208-7817-0....sageID=1583640

http://www.hardwaregeeks.com/comment...&shownews=4331

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.c...a0f0d1568e1de7

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.c...7608ce5c37b307

[nKrypteD1]

Their rebate program is what's really messed up, the product is probably correct and good, you'll probably wind up paying a high up front cost for it though. Cingular will be offering the w810 shortly, if you can wait another week or two.

[Filipp2442]

I just walked into the cingular store and they are offering the w810i but its 150$ after a 50$ rebate with a 2year agreement. Thats the thing, should i risk wirefly to get the phone for 50$ and get some other phones free ( for my family plan ) or go with cingular and pay about 150$ more?

[mr3d]

I've been using this phone (gotten unlocked through PLEMIX) for a couple of weeks now with Cingular. Both the phone and the service are excellent. But I'd steer clear of any online retailer with as many negative reviews as Wirefly has. IMHO, the extra $100 seems a small price to pay for the extra security of dealing with a local vendor...

[nKrypteD1]

Originally Posted by mr3d

I've been using this phone (gotten unlocked through PLEMIX) for a couple of weeks now with Cingular. Both the phone and the service are excellent. But I'd steer clear of any online retailer with as many negative reviews as Wirefly has. IMHO, the extra $100 seems a small price to pay for the extra security of dealing with a local vendor...

Amen to that, especially if by chance you happen to get a brick phone in your first go.

[BlueRacer]

I recommend you get your phone somewhere else. You'll probably never see your rebate. I have been trying to get my rebates for a many months. They've been running the same recording on the rebate phone number saying they're reevaluating all the rebate submissions for as long as I can remember. No way to get a a real person on the phone. I filed complaints with the FTC and state attorney general's office. I don't know how they get away with this stuff.