helio...don't call it tech support!

[the following is a re-post of a blog from my myspace page. i find it still relevant enough to share here also. enjoy.]

Have you heard of it? Helio is a new "piggy back" phone company. Sort of a boutique style thing. I call it a "piggy back" company because it dosent own its own net work. It leases it from Sprint. So if you get them, you basically are getting Sprints signal with Helios services. Just like if you go with Virgin Mobile. Or Net10, or Boost Mobile, etc. They all lease fromt he big boys - ATT, Sprint, Verizon, maybe even T-Mobile although I don't know who would be that desperate LOL

Anyway, after long consideration and research I decided on Helio. Why? Because for $65 I get 500 anytime minutes, free nights/weekends, UNLIMITED text messages, UNLIMITED picture messages, UNLIMITED internet, MOBILE MYSPACE (which rocks btw), IM (Yahoo/Aim/MSN), and more. Plus even the cheapest phone (The Heat) is HOT. Of course I got the Heat cuz it was FREE during the holidays LOL

As far as the phone goes - LOVE IT! As far as the services and features - LOVE IT! The signal is so-so. Thats not Helios fault. It's Sprints. Not that big of a deal.

What IS a big deal is the technical support AND the customer service. The customer service wouldn't be that bad but apparently Helio is yet another company that outsources its customer service to a foreign country where English is NOT the native language. How does that make sense? I am sooo tired of getting a "specialist" who I cant friggin understand because they cant speak proper english. Then they have the nerve to get frustrated with me because they have to repeat things over. But at least they try to be helpful.

Helios tech support is a whole nother story all together. They just plain suck. They dont know anything! You ask them the simplest of questions, that any "tech" should know, any they put you on hold for 5 minutes to "confer with their technicians". I thought I was talking to a technician?? I've had to call twice now and both times were 40+ minute calls with NO resolution for relatiely minor issues. The first one I figured out myself. The second issue (an overheating battery) their solution was to "find a battery at some store" and they would credit my account. Why should I have to do that? I'm paying them for insurance! They said "Because the phone wasn't dropped or damaged, insurance wont replace the battery...". That is insane. SO because I didn't break my phone, I'm being punished. I swear if I wasnt in love with the Helio services and the phone I break this contract and go elsewhere. I still may if they keep pissing me off LOL

Ranting aside... I do love my Helio. Especially MySpace Mobile. I can do almost anything in Myspace from my phone. I can check my email (Yahoo/Gmail), plus Helio gives me a free email (me@myhelio.com) which works just like Gmail for the most part. I can IM...and not using text msgs either LOL [edit: this is the phone that i mobile blog with :) ] I think later I may upgrade to the Ocean. All the stuff I mentioned is even better on that handset. Dont call it a phone! lol

If you're thinking of trying Helio.. hit me up with any questions. I'll give you the real deal....peace!!