Those T-Mobile support people are some of the nicest folks around. Too bad they're so useless. Here's my problem. I returned from Europe with a snazzy new Windows mobile phone available only on the Continent. No problem, as it works on AT&T or T-Mobile's GSM network here in the States. I wanted to avoid AT&T's iPhone-saturated network, which made T-Mobile the obvious choice.

My wife's already on T-Mobile with a Sidekick II, so the family plan saves me a few bucks. The bad news? Compared with the Sidekick, I'll be paying 50 percent more for unlimited Internet access on my smartphone. And I had to sign a one-year contract for the privilege of paying through the nose for that service. But that's all beside the point, which was to rant about T-Mobile's emasculated support.

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I already had a T-Mobile SIM card, so the company activated my phone in minutes. But in trying to add unlimited Internet service, I suffered through a steady progression of cheery reps, only to encounter this Catch-22: Despite the fact that I could make and receive calls, my SIM card number had been deactivated. "We'll fix it," they each insisted, "within 24 to 48 hours. And I'll call you if there's a problem."

T-Mobile reps, apparently, live no longer than fruit flies. Every two-day period came and went with no calls and no Internet access. It's been weeks, and although my voice service works beautifully, nary an Internet bit has been delivered. My only hope is that I just might get voice service for free. But they'll probably end up charging me double for all those service calls.—next: Foleo, We Hardly Knew Ye >