Customer reviews from Samsung US
Samsung - Stratosphere 4G Mobile Phone - Black (Verizon Wireless)
Average customer rating
3.7
(236 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 236 reviews
5 Stars
83
4 Stars
73
3 Stars
32
2 Stars
19
1 Star
29
71%of customers recommend this product.
(
151 out of
214)
Customer Reviews for Samsung - Stratosphere 4G Mobile Phone - Black (Verizon Wireless)
Customer Rating
2
Not user friendly, features do not work as prescribed
on August 25, 2012
Posted by: Krabipady
from Seattle, WA
Expertise:Intermediate
I have had this phone for nearly a year and since day one it has been an uphill battle getting it to function as it should. First battle was to configure music files retained on MicroSD. The phone did not intuitively format the files and I had to use another service to manual restructure the files into a recoverable format. Then the voice activiation feature did not work as intended. I was suppose to voice activate a text message by identify function: text message, addressee and then message. The best I can manage is to open a new text message then use the voice feature to dictate the message then manually send. After some time, the phone randomly deleted my 16G MicroSD. And for some time now, it'll only recharge if I power the phone completely off even though it will show that the phone is charging while on. Plus powered off, it takes over 3 hours to fully charge. The full qwerty keyboard randomly stops functioning. There are about another 5-6 items I could list, but in general, I've been very frustrated with this phone. On the upside, the display is very good and when the 4G is working right, it has potential. I really like Samsung products, but this phone has been a struggle for me and I cannot wait to replace it.
Pros: Built-in speakers, Bright display, Inexpensive
Cons: Did not meet expectations
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Features
3
Performance
1
Design
3
Value
4
Written by a customer while visiting Samsung US
Customer Rating
4
First Smart Phone - Lots of Features
on September 18, 2012
Posted by: SomewhatHappy
from Raleigh NC
I've had this phone for just over 2 months. I enjoy using the navigation features and being able to browse on the internet. I just received an update for the phone and wish that some of the features I used to have were still there. I really liked the puzzle unlock and puzzle pieces for messaging and calls. Please bring those back. They give the phone character. Also, please provide a way to remove some of the apps that were preloaded. I only use about a third of them and its annoying that you can't remove them. Thanks.
Pros: Bright display, Durable, Realistic color
Cons: lost some features in recent update, too many apps preloaded that cannot be removed
I would recommend this to a friend!
Features
4
Performance
5
Design
5
Value
4
Written by a customer while visiting Samsung US
Customer Rating
3
Can't Wait Til 2Yrs Up, So Can Get RID of this phone!
on September 28, 2012
Posted by: Abby2660
from Cookeville, TN
Expertise:Intermediate
I had very high hopes f/this phone, as Samsung has such an excellent reputation! I'll start by saying I've had this phone a little over a year, & am REALLY looking fwd to being able to smashing it w/a hammer as soon as I can upgrade!
Love features & design, but that's where it STOPS! I've been w/Verizon since early 90's & used their backup since they created it (2000?). Never had an issue, but apparently, this phone (or Samsung?) doesn't work w/it. I don't think it's Vrzn, as all my friends who have different mfg, but r on Vrzn do not have any of the problems I've had.
It drops contacts indiscriminately, whole groups (like Doctors) have dissappeared, til Vrzn suggested I turn off their backup & create a separate gmail acct JUST for my contacts. The problem w/gmail, is when I create a new contact, there is no option to assign it to a group. The tech @ V, said he had that option on his phone, but it was a diff phone. Again, I say others w/other type phones do NOT have this issue w/Vrzn's backup!
Last wk, I got the new update fr/Samsung, now I can receive texts, but am unable to reply. The instant I hit Send, it tells me it failed to send! The V Level 2 tech had me back up everything, then reset to factory default! However, she/I 4got about the calendar and the Memos. I thought that was already in either the SIM card or the SD card, but apparently not, as both of them are completely empty! When we put the info back in, I had a minimum of 5, with a maximum of 10 copies of every contact, & I have over 900 contacts! At this point, the V tech decided to send me a new phone. I begged her to send me a different Samsung phone, but she said, due to the warranty rules, she had to send me the same phone, which made sense. I spent 7-8 hrs, each day for 4 days, deleting all the extra contracts, til my hands were cramping & the battery was hot!
Also, I lost everything in my calendar & all my Memos! I had all our shot records; surgeries, MRIs, xrays, etc. in the calendar. I had copied this info fr/my old basic phone, which sadly was dying, and deleted each one as I copied it, so I'd know when I had everything out of the old phone! This is info I have no way of getting back! I had recipes fr/friends; plant info fr/ several gardening shows fr/which I had made notes of shade vs sun plants w/drought resistant notes, etc. in the Memos. Also, information that I cannot get back
Now, I've been advised not to trust any apps that came w/the phone, but to choose apps fr/Play Store! The idea being that they would be backed up somehow. I'm not sure I trust anything about this phone at this point.
WHAT would I have done if I was working, vs being disabled? I certainly wouldn't have had the time, nor the patience f/any of this.
Love features & design, but that's where it STOPS! I've been w/Verizon since early 90's & used their backup since they created it (2000?). Never had an issue, but apparently, this phone (or Samsung?) doesn't work w/it. I don't think it's Vrzn, as all my friends who have different mfg, but r on Vrzn do not have any of the problems I've had.
It drops contacts indiscriminately, whole groups (like Doctors) have dissappeared, til Vrzn suggested I turn off their backup & create a separate gmail acct JUST for my contacts. The problem w/gmail, is when I create a new contact, there is no option to assign it to a group. The tech @ V, said he had that option on his phone, but it was a diff phone. Again, I say others w/other type phones do NOT have this issue w/Vrzn's backup!
Last wk, I got the new update fr/Samsung, now I can receive texts, but am unable to reply. The instant I hit Send, it tells me it failed to send! The V Level 2 tech had me back up everything, then reset to factory default! However, she/I 4got about the calendar and the Memos. I thought that was already in either the SIM card or the SD card, but apparently not, as both of them are completely empty! When we put the info back in, I had a minimum of 5, with a maximum of 10 copies of every contact, & I have over 900 contacts! At this point, the V tech decided to send me a new phone. I begged her to send me a different Samsung phone, but she said, due to the warranty rules, she had to send me the same phone, which made sense. I spent 7-8 hrs, each day for 4 days, deleting all the extra contracts, til my hands were cramping & the battery was hot!
Also, I lost everything in my calendar & all my Memos! I had all our shot records; surgeries, MRIs, xrays, etc. in the calendar. I had copied this info fr/my old basic phone, which sadly was dying, and deleted each one as I copied it, so I'd know when I had everything out of the old phone! This is info I have no way of getting back! I had recipes fr/friends; plant info fr/ several gardening shows fr/which I had made notes of shade vs sun plants w/drought resistant notes, etc. in the Memos. Also, information that I cannot get back
Now, I've been advised not to trust any apps that came w/the phone, but to choose apps fr/Play Store! The idea being that they would be backed up somehow. I'm not sure I trust anything about this phone at this point.
WHAT would I have done if I was working, vs being disabled? I certainly wouldn't have had the time, nor the patience f/any of this.
Pros: Built-in speakers, Bright display, Durable, Realistic color, Lightweight, physical slideout qwerty keyboard, great speakerphone, mp3 like music player
Cons: Did not meet expectations, nothing but problems f/over a year, incompatible w/verizon's backup assistant, latest update keeps fr/replying to any text msg, all calendar notifications must hv same ring tone, must find app f/things basic phone had built in!
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Features
5
Performance
1
Design
5
Value
2
Written by a customer while visiting Samsung US
Customer Rating
5
Great phone overall
on October 16, 2012
Posted by: alygirl898
from St. Germain, Wisconsin
Expertise:Intermediate
I recently just got this phone and I'm in love with it. Perfect for social media although the value isn't good. I love the 4G LTE! The browser is great, music player is great for me!
Pros: Built-in speakers, Bright display, Durable, Lightweight, social media
I would recommend this to a friend!
Features
5
Performance
5
Design
5
Value
3
Written by a customer while visiting Samsung US
Customer Rating
2
Great phone for 18 months
on December 31, 2012
Posted by: mauison
from Los Angeles, CA
Expertise:Intermediate
Screen cracked but phone was never abused, never dropped. Turned it off for a movie, stuck it in my front pocket, turn it back on, nothing. Verizon called it a pressure crack.
Cons: Did not meet expectations
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Features
3
Performance
3
Design
1
Value
2
Written by a customer while visiting Samsung US
Customer Rating
1
Hard to reccomend when it doesnt work right
on January 21, 2013
Posted by: JENOA1
Expertise:Intermediate
I have had nothing but trouble from this phone for the entire first year i have had it. It freezes all the time, has to be restarted frequently and now when I use it it takes 3 to 5 seconds before anything I click on actually opens up.
Pros: Bright display, Inexpensive, Durable, Lightweight
Cons: Poor quality, Did not meet expectations
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Features
5
Performance
1
Design
4
Value
5
Written by a customer while visiting Samsung US
Customer Rating
1
The worst phone by far from Samsung
on January 31, 2013
Posted by: Misery9377
I have owned MANY Samsung phones and this one is by far the worst I have owned. It is my first smartphone and it is terrible. The screen always freezes requiring to restart. It takes forever sometimes for the screen to load. It also does a double screen thing requiring a restart. Receiving and sending picture messages is awful. Might as well not even bother it takes so long. Uploading photos to fb always freezes the phone too or says its still uploading when it's not requiring a restart again. I feel like I am always restarting this phone and battery life is also terrible. I have always liked Samsung phones, they always had great reception and great features but I already am getting another phone and have only owned this for 4 months.
Cons: Poor quality, Too big, Did not meet expectations
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Features
3
Performance
1
Design
1
Value
2
Written by a customer while visiting Samsung US
Customer Rating
1
Samsung Stratosphere
on February 27, 2013
Posted by: Anonymous
I have had the stratosphere for about a year and in that year I have had to replace it 3 times. Thank goodness for Asurion Warranty. They have made the situation better.
The stratosphere battery life was fine for appx 6 months. Then the battery wouldn't hold a charge. I replaced the battery and had the same issue. Spoke with my Asurion (warranty company) and they stated could be over heating. They replaced the phone. Again, within 4 months, I had the same problem. The warrany company stated to send this back to them as well. Now I am on my 3rd Statosphere and it is happening again. Asurion has contacted Samsung with these issues and all that was said is "have the customer upgrade to the Stratosphere II." Asurion contacted me and told me this. Are you kidding? No way would I go through this again.
Pros: Inexpensive, Lightweight
Cons: Poor quality, Did not meet expectations, overheats, battery life horrible
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Features
2
Performance
1
Design
2
Value
1
Written by a customer while visiting Samsung US