Verizon Wireless launches CDM8975, rugged push-to-talk on the cheap
By Sean Cooper 
posted Feb 23rd 2009 10:39AM
posted Feb 23rd 2009 10:39AM
It's most definitely a hit and miss affair in the push-to-talk realm, and while the (Pantech) CDM8975 doesn't deliver the sexy, it does seem to deliver the lower-end goods. This flip is priced at $99 on a two-year stint and brings a 1.3 megapixel camera, dedicated push-to-talk and speakerphone buttons, memory expandability up to 8GB, Bluetooth, and even stereo speakers. There is a $50 rebate on a 2-year plan, but Verizon seems to have decided that instead of cash, that rebate will come in the form of a debit card and not cash. Perhaps you can pay for the $5 unlimited push-to-talk services, or a case, or to courrier your letter of complaint about getting a debit card rebate and not cash? Available online now and in stores as of March 9th.
Update: As Dustin pointed out, the rebate card can be used anywhere debit cards are accepted.
Update: As Dustin pointed out, the rebate card can be used anywhere debit cards are accepted.
No Sean, that's a Verizon Wireless branded prepaid VISA card worth $50. You can spend it anywhere.
The words "Pantech" and "rugged" should never be in the same sentence.
the $50 rebate debit card is nothing new... and why is the wording there making it out to seem that the rebate card is bad? just like Dustin said - it's a VISA card, accepted anywhere that VISA is. The only difference between the check and the card is you can't cash the card for cash... but what's the point in doing that when you can just use the card???
So is Sean really five years out of the loop or has Verizon really still been sending out checks? Because I know from experience that for at least five years AT&T has been sending the debit cards.
VZW just started sending out rebate cards within the last couple of months. what difference would it really make in the grand scheme of things? also, VZW doesn't send out the rebates. A company they work with called Parago does, and usually they're MANUFACTURER rebates... not carrier rebates. Remember, VZW (and probably any carrier actually) doesn't make the phones and doesn't really make any money from their sales, only from the service.