Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsGlad I bought it...here's why
Reviewed in Canada on April 29, 2023
After my spouse had broken our third 'flip' phone thanks to careless and rough handling, I did extensive research for a replacement cell phone that didn't require a 'hinge' to turn on and off. We share one phone and didn't want or need a 'smart' phone but still needed a modern-day 'dumb' cell phone that had enough features to provide basic necessary functions and didn't cost too much for the device itself or the service necessary to run it. We chose to stay with our existing service provider (Bell Mobility) so I cannot comment on Jethro's service as a carrier, but I'm sure they are good as they are excellent at customer service and seem to truly care, no question about it!
The Jethro SC490 4G phone is sleek and simple. The case we purchased with the phone to store it in when away from home is very nice, does the job of protecting the device and it is easy to quickly insert or remove from the case. Be aware that texting is rather laborious with this model because this is not a 'smart' phone with a keyboard, but we knew that going in and our outside communications aren't text-centric. Mainly we call and physically speak with other humans.
There are a few features I wish the phone had (such as the ability to block numbers that send garbage text messages, as you are able to block garbage phone numbers) and the manual is rather limited in explaining things and seemed to leave out some important information, for me at least, requiring me initially to make multiple calls and/or chats to customer service to figure out certain functions with our new phone. Plus the phone is not very intuitive, in my opinion, but maybe that's just my senior brain not understanding. Overall, though, it was a wise purchase and plenty good enough for two people who don't have much interest in or need of all the bells and whistles of modern day technology; just enough to serve us well and keep it pretty simple.
The absolute best part of this phone, though, is the superior customer service Jethro provides. Ivan, in particular, is extremely helpful, patient and kind. I am able to call or to chat online 7 days a week and always reach a knowledgeable live person, with very minimal wait time. Especially when I first got the phone I was in contact with Jethro for several days running and very, very glad they were there to answer my questions so I could move forward and feel confident in understanding how this device works. Plus each customer service rep seemed genuinely interested in my suggestions for improvements. That, too, is a positive since we all can benefit from one another and there's always room for improvement. I truly feel this is an unusual company in the sense that they actually care about seniors having a device that adequately serves but does not overwhelm the user. Instead of showing off, it's just helping out.
Bottom line: Yes, I would highly recommend this phone for those who want a fairly simple cell phone even though there is definitely some room for improvement with this model. Whether you're a senior citizen or not, it's a great basic device. Nothing and no one is perfect, but Jethro customer service is certainly working toward perfection. The customer service reps have attempted to resolve each question and problem I've encountered with care and concern. They are a great company and I truly believe you can't go wrong buying from Jethro. And no, I am not being paid or compensated in any way to give this review. It's honest and heartfelt and solely based on my individual experience in the 5 months we've owned this phone. I don't know about you, but for me, what wins in this competitive too-fast world, is always, every time, excellent customer service, and in this respect, Jethro wins hands down!