A tale of two phone carriers

In the last couple of months both my wife's trusty cellphones (hers and her parents') went toes-up (well, Jane's was lost, her parents' phone was broken). So we re-upped both contracts and got replacement phones. Nothing fancy, just the cheap stuff.

Now, this past week she was out in New Jersey taking care of her dad. One day at the doctors office, the phone apparently fell off her wrist and was forgotten - only to be found later seemingly undamaged. The catch was that it had gotten some kind of wallop that left the outside fine, but the battery and screen both broken inside it. Cingular has been less than helpful, and directed me through some skullduggery involving insurance to try and replace it. Instead of a replacement, I am now awaiting a package in the mail consisting of an affidavit I have to notarize and send back with documentation, a bill copy, and a photocopy of my ID. Then, maybe, I will get a replacement phone.

Meanwhile, my Verizon Treo 700p also started having problems this week - turning off seemingly at random and requiring battery removal to reboot. It's battered, mind you - I wear it daily on a holster and go everywhere with it. But last night I called Verizon customer service. She sent me to wireless data support, where after a pleasant conversation I now have a replacement unit winging its way to me via two-day air. No muss, no fuss, no hassles, no deductibles.

I have to buy another phone in the next couple of weeks - a Treo for my employee. Guess which carrier I'm going to use?