Monday, June 23, 2008

The ordering experience

Jitterbug is a product of Great Call, Inc., a virtual network operator (VNO). It can be purchased online at the Jitterbug Web site or by toll-free phone call or at some local stores. In East Lansing, it is available from a hearing aid store, a good match to the target demographic.

I bought mine online. The Web purchasing experience was above average. The order process has five steps. The pages have a step tracking bar at the top. The steps: Customer Info, Select, Phonebook, Review, Print are clear and logical.

You choose color -- white or graphite, accessories, annual or monthly service, minutes, voicemail or not. Enter a few names and phone numbers that will be stored into the phone, so it's ready to use when it arrives. Enter credit card info and shipping choice, then confirm and print. An e-mail receipt arrives shortly.

The phone costs $147, plus $35 activation fee, $10 shipping, and taxes. For me, in Michigan, the total was $195.66. Two days later the FedEx truck delivered it to my door.

The are no contracts, no special prices. As with all wireless services, you must be careful to choose an appropriate amount of minutes, either monthly or "add-on" prepaid. But it can be changed anytime.

Jitterbug is all about keeping it simple.

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