Aug 18, 2022
When you’re looking to buy a new phone, there are a lot of decisions to make. Android or iOS? Large screen or pocket-sized? 5G Play More or 5G Do More? And, of course, buying a new phone online vs in-store?
To help you make your decision, here are the main advantages and disadvantages of buying a new phone online vs in-store.
Buying a new phone online
Advantages
- Since you have hundreds of online retailers to choose from, you’re not limited to your local stores. That means you can browse a much wider variety of makes, models, and colors.
- As you explore the available options, it’s easy to check specs, features, and user reviews for each phone. This information gives you a better idea of what each device is like so that you can find the right fit.
- High-street retailers generally only carry the most up-to-date phones on the market. But online, you can buy second-hand or refurbished phones for much less than their recommended retail price.
- It’s much easier to take advantage of promotions and deals online because they’re easier for retailers to advertise. That means you can save money on your new purchase and perhaps even grab some free accessories.
- You can take as long as you need to research the right phone and add-ons for your usage habits with no pressure from sales staff.
- You benefit from fast deliveries and returns that match your schedule, and you can order from the comfort of your own home.
Disadvantages
- With access to so much information about specs, features, and user experiences, it takes significantly longer to make a choice. And if you don’t like your phone once you receive it, you might experience buyer’s remorse.
- While you have a wider range of choices when buying a new phone online, you might experience compatibility issues between devices and service providers. This doesn’t apply when shopping in-store, as brick-and-mortar retailers only stock compatible phones.
- You won’t receive personal guidance when setting up your phone, which can make it difficult to transfer data or learn how to use it. Instead, you’ll have to rely on online guides, which might not have the answers you’re looking for.
Final verdict
Buying a new phone online means you have much more choice and information. So you’re more likely to find a phone that suits your needs and you might even save a few dollars. But it can take a long time to carry out all that research, which doesn’t even end when your new phone arrives.
Buying a new phone in-store
Advantages
- Since retail staff have a detailed knowledge of their products, their advice makes it much easier and quicker to find the right phone for you.
- Once you’ve bought the one, staff can set up your phone for you to give you a great user experience right away.
- Because you don’t need to wait for delivery, you can start using your phone immediately.
- Verizon-authorized retailers like Russell Cellular only carry phones that are compatible with their specific service provider. That means there will be no compatibility issues that prevent you from enjoying your new phone.
- If there’s a problem with your phone, store staff can offer easy post-sale support to fix the issue. You can speak directly to a real person rather than struggling through weeks of emails and online checks.
- With a physical phone, you can try before you buy rather than relying on images and testimonies that might not reveal the whole truth. That means you can check whether the size, weight, and features are right for you.
Disadvantages
- Stores only carry a limited selection of phones and might not have the model or color you want in stock. If you don’t like the available phones, it can take several days to order the right one in.
- Phones bought from a store are usually locked to that service carrier. This makes it very difficult to change carriers while keeping the same phone.
- Unless you’re willing to travel to another city, you’re limited to local stores. And if you live in a small town, you might have barely any choice at all.
Final verdict
Buying a new phone in-store is often quicker and easier than buying online. Store staff can offer advice on good models, they can set up your phone for you, and you can start using it that same day. On the other hand, you’re limited to local stores and the phones they stock, meaning there are fewer options to choose from.
So what’s the best way to buy a new phone?
Whether you decide to buy a new phone online or in-store depends on your priorities. If you’d prefer to carry out extensive research and find satisfaction with the perfect phone, go for an online purchase. But if you want a smooth, simple experience with straightforward expert advice, in-store might be the best place to buy your phones.
Whatever you choose, you’ll find your ideal phone much more quickly if you decide what features are most important to you in advance. You might want:
- A high-definition camera to take lots of pictures
- Plenty of memory for storing files
- A large screen for watching videos, reading, or playing games
- A long battery life to ensure plenty of use
- A headphone jack so you can listen to music on the go
Buy online or in-store with Russell Cellular
Russell Cellular makes the question of buying a new phone online or in-store easy by offering both options. Our knowledgeable store staff are available to offer friendly guidance and help you through the setup process, as well as advise you on useful add-ons. Online, you’ll find device listings with plenty of useful information, easy access to amazing deals, and convenient guides such as:
- How to transfer data to your new iPhone
- How to trade in your phone at Verizon
- How to use the mobile hotspot on your Verizon phone
Visit our website or drop into your local Russell Cellular store to find your perfect phone today.
Jul 21, 2022
The tireless efforts of America’s healthcare professionals save thousands of lives every year. And over the last few years in particular, nurses and respiratory therapists have given everything and more to make sure we stay safe.
As thanks for their amazing commitment, Verizon is offering discount plans for active nurses (LP, LVN, NP or RN) and respiratory therapists with a valid National Provider Identifier number. That means you could save up to $25/month on your mobile plan, with even more discounts available for entertainment packages and fiber-optic home internet service.
Available Verizon nurse discounts
5G Unlimited mobile plans
When you sign up for a Verizon 5G Unlimited mobile plan as a nurse or respiratory therapist you receive a monthly discount based on the number of phones you have:
- 1 phone: $10/month discount per account
- 2-3 phones: $25/month discount per account
- 4+ phones: $20/month discount per account (reflecting the discounts already applied to accounts with four or more Unlimited plans)
As well as connecting you to the world’s most reliable and responsive mobile network, our 5G Do More, 5G Get More, and 5G Play More plans come with free entertainment subscriptions. That means you can save even more money while putting a smile on every face in the family.
Verizon Fios Home Internet
Fios is a 100% fiber-optic network that brings you the fastest internet speeds around. As a nurse or respiratory therapist, you might qualify for a Fios discount of up to $15/month if you live in a key metro area in a mid-Atlantic or New England state.
Other discounts
In addition to your mobile plan and fiber-optic home internet, you can apply even more discounts to your account with:
- The Disney Bundle
- Disney+ on us
- Mobile + Home Discount
- Monthly Auto Pay and paper-free billing discount
By combining these extra discounts with the money saved on your Unlimited plan, you can reduce your monthly bill to the lowest possible amount.
How to get your nurse or respiratory therapist discount
Getting your mobile and Fios home internet discount is simple. All you need to do is:
- Confirm that you’re eligible for the discount using Verizon’s partner ID.me verification tool.
- Add the discount to your account once you’re sent back to the Verizon website.
You can apply for your discount whether or not you’re currently a Verizon customer.
If you already have a 5G Unlimited mobile plan, your discount will be applied automatically. If you don’t, simply switch to a qualifying plan to save money. (With your massive discounts and 5G connectivity, your new plan will almost certainly be cheaper and better than your current contract!)
Or, if you’re not with Verizon yet, you can get the discount when you sign up.
You won’t see your discount in your shopping cart, but you will receive an email confirming that you qualify. Your discount will be applied to your bill within 1-2 billing cycles, and you’ll continue to save money throughout your Verizon contract.
Upgrade your phone with Russell Cellular to save even more
Your nurse or respiratory therapist discount is a quick and easy way to lower your monthly bills while boosting your connectivity with a 5G connection. But the discounts and benefits don’t end there.
When you trade in your old phone or switch to a Verizon 5G Unlimited mobile plan with Russell Cellular, you can get a brand new 5G phone worth $800 absolutely free! Check out the smartphone deals available on our website to get the cheapest, fastest, and most reliable mobile plan around.
Jul 20, 2022
Unlike smartphones, devices like laptops aren’t able to connect to the internet without a Wi-Fi signal. But rather than risk using an unsecured network while you’re on the go, you can generate your own secure Wi-Fi by turning your phone into a mobile hotspot.
Every smartphone and basic phone from Verizon comes preinstalled with a mobile hotspot feature. Different devices use different names for this, such as:
- Personal Hotspot (iOS)
- Internet Sharing (Windows)
- Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot (Google Nexus devices)
Your mobile hotspot lets you share your network connection with up to 10 devices, which use your phone’s data plan to access the internet. This feature is available anywhere that has 4G LTE service, or anywhere in the US with 5G Ultra Wideband or 5G Nationwide. Your mobile hotspot even includes password protection to prevent strangers from joining your network and accessing your information.
How to use your mobile hotspot
- Go to Settings or Manage Connections, and activate Verizon Wireless Mobile Hotspot.
- Open the App Tray and click Mobile Hotspot.
- Turn it on and an icon will appear in your notifications panel showing that your hotspot is available for connection.
- On your other device, scan for available Wi-Fi networks and click the name of your hotspot. You’ll need to enter your cell phone’s hotspot password. To find this:
- Go to Settings.
- Click Wireless & Networks.
- Click Tethering & Portable Hotspot.
- Check the Show Password box to see your password.
- Enter the password, then click Join or Connect to start browsing the internet.
Mobile hotspot not working? Here’s how to fix it
- Open Verizon’s Device Troubleshooting Assistant.
- Click on your device.
- Sign in with your My Verizon username and password for a personalized solution, or simply click Continue.
- Hover over Data Internet and Connectivity.
- Click the issue you need help with.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to fix your mobile hotspot issue.
Share unlimited data with a Verizon Unlimited Plan
When you turn your cell phone into a hotspot, any device that connects to it uses your data to access the internet. If you use the feature often, or if you connect a lot of devices, it’s easy to accidentally run out of data.
But if you have a Verizon Unlimited Plan, you can use as much data as you want without ever running out or paying extra. That means you never need to worry about using your cell phone as a mobile hotspot.
Best Verizon Unlimited Plans
- 5G Get More: 50GB premium mobile hotspot data, then unlimited lower-speed data
- 5G Do More, and 5G Play More: 25GB premium mobile hotspot data, then unlimited lower-speed data
How to use your mobile hotspot without data
You’ll have the fastest and most stable mobile hotspot experience by using your data for an internet connection. But in a pinch, it’s possible to use your mobile hotspot without data through the Wi-Fi tethering feature.
Wi-Fi tethering lets your device behave as an internet router. Some devices need a physical connection through a USB cable, but most can simply use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.
Android
1) Go to Settings.
2) Click WiFi & Internet.
3) If you can’t see an option for Wi-Fi tethering, click More.
4) Turn on Tethering.
iOS
1) Go to Settings.
2) Click Personal Hotspot. (For some iOS devices, you might need to click General, then Network, then Personal Hotspot.)
3) Turn on Personal Hotspot.
Visit us in-store to find the perfect phone and plan
When you’re ready to upgrade your phone or data plan, our friendly and knowledgeable staff will help you find the perfect match for your usage needs and habits. They’ll even show you how to use the mobile hotspot and Wi-Fi tethering features on your new phone, so you can quickly set up a connection.
Find your local Russell Cellular store online, and drop in to see us today.
Jun 20, 2022
Trading in your phone is a great way to earn account credit towards your next Verizon cell phone or plan. You can trade in a wide range of devices, including:
- Smartphones
- Basic phones
- 3G prepaid phones (active for at least six months)
- 4G prepaid phones (activated with at least the first month paid)
- Tablets
- Netbooks
- Smartwatches
- Mobile hotspot devices
If you’re already a Verizon customer, we’ll credit the value of your device to your account. That way, you can reduce your monthly payments or upgrade your cell phone for less.
If you’re not a Verizon customer just yet, you’re still welcome to trade in your phone with us. You can request PayPal credit, or a Verizon Gift Card to help you start your new contract.
Follow our quick trade-in guide below to save money and protect the environment against waste with our phone recycling scheme.
How to submit a trade-in request
- Go to our Trade-In page.
- Answer a few questions about your phone and its condition so that we can estimate its trade-in value.
- Choose how you’d like to be paid, and how you’d like to ship your phone to us. We can send you a shipping kit, or you can ship the device yourself.
- Accept our Device Trade-in Program Terms & Conditions, and click Complete to submit your request.
How to prepare your phone for shipping
- After you submit a trade-in request, you’ll receive an email that tells you how to prepare, pack, and ship your old device. (If you haven’t received it, remember to check your spam folder.)
- Double-check that the battery, screen, and ports are working, that the glass isn’t broken, and that your phone can turn on and off.
- Back up your content, and save any pictures, contacts, and information you want to keep.
- Disable your Google account and any other linked accounts.
- Clear your data.
- Perform a factory reset.
How to send your phone back to Verizon for trade-in
- If you requested a shipping kit, you’ll receive a box, padded envelope, and prepaid return label for each device you’re trading in. If your kit didn’t arrive, please request a replacement.
- When you’re using your shipping materials, please pack each device securely in its package. Then, print your shipping labels and affix them to the front of the correct packages.
Mail us your old device within 15 days, and we’ll pay you for trading in your phone through your chosen payout method.
Choose your new Verizon phone
Once you’ve traded in your phone at Verizon, there’s no point in letting your valuable credits gather dust. Treat yourself to super fast processing with the Samsung S22 Ultra, high-tech security with the Google Pixel 6 Pro, or crystal clear photos with the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max. Alternatively, browse our online store yourself to discover your next favorite device!
