I posted the thread about Bell and Virgin taking pre-orders the other day and I'm the one that is supposed to receive the phone for $235. But Bell called me 36 hours after the deal had been made to try and tell me they couldn't do it.
I've spoken with a few reps and 2 supervisors and now I'm waiting for a manager call back.
A little background:
I called early, was offered a data discount of $415. The rep checked and double checked just to be sure and the order was put through.
Then later on in the day, the option to get the phone off contract had disappeared along with the option to get it on a 1 or 2 year term. So I entered into a chat with a live online rep, and he also double checked and reassured me I was eligible for the discount and able to get the phone. All systems go.
Now yesterday, after work they called me. Telling me they couldn't authorize it. So now, like I said, I'm waiting for a call from a manager.
My main argument is that they entered into a verbal contract with me. I understand their employees made a mistake, but that isn't my fault. I was just there to capitalize. Help me!
Verbal contracts are as binding as written, only harder to prove, if you have a logg over your online chat, copy it and keep it!
Sent from my X10i using xda premium
Tjotte said:
Verbal contracts are as binding as written, only harder to prove, if you have a logg over your online chat, copy it and keep it!
Sent from my X10i using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I decided not to save the online chat I really really should of. But I have another one stating my ability to get the phone on no contract on the day of release.
Did you not receive confirmation of the pre-order? Surely they have to honour it, after checking three times and saying it was OK?
Neville.Holland said:
Did you not receive confirmation of the pre-order? Surely they have to honour it, after checking three times and saying it was OK?
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Click to collapse
I would hope so. But no, I didn't receive an email or anything because the phone was set to go on my bill. But as I stated, there are several notes on my account confirming that I was to get the phone for the discounted price.
This doesn't really surprise me. I've heard people say a lot of bad things about Rogers, but I'm starting to reconsider switching to Bell for the Nexus. As I mentioned in your other thread on Monday, they actually refused to sign me up as a new Bell customer... and now you're having these problems... maybe I should just wait for Rogers to get the Nexus in January...
I just called a Bell store yesterday and asked if I could reserve a handset. They said that wasn't a problem and they just require my name and number. I told them clearly i was going to buy if off of contract and he said that is fine. I proceeded to ask him how many devices I can buy and he said they do not have a per client cap on device sales.
Needless to say I will be at the bell store at 10am on the 8th and buying a few Galaxy Nexuseseses =)
Goat_For_Sale said:
Needless to say I will be at the bell store at 10am on the 8th and buying a few Galaxy Nexuseseses =)
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and selling it to people in the US for a since profit
Goat_For_Sale said:
I just called a Bell store yesterday and asked if I could reserve a handset. They said that wasn't a problem and they just require my name and number. I told them clearly i was going to buy if off of contract and he said that is fine. I proceeded to ask him how many devices I can buy and he said they do not have a per client cap on device sales.
Needless to say I will be at the bell store at 10am on the 8th and buying a few Galaxy Nexuseseses =)
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Click to collapse
Thats all lovely, I just really want them to honor the price they offered. Fingers are crossed.
Tjotte said:
Verbal contracts are as binding as written, only harder to prove, if you have a logg over your online chat, copy it and keep it!
Sent from my X10i using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is a massive misconception. Verbal contracts are *NOT* binding in the same way that written contracts are. Don't believe everything you hear on television.
Secondly, verbal contracts, irrelevant of their legality, can be broken very easily, when it comes to commerce. If the party providing the service (Bell, in this case) decides they don't want to provide the service for the price agreed upon, they can cancel the entire contract. What this means is you would have the right to cancel the transaction (assuming the price has actually changed from the time you agreed upon it) and walk away without penalty.
Now, do you have no assurance at all, in writing, that you were purchasing the phone for that price? Don't you have a pay stub, credit card transaction, or anything? They can't "force" you to buy the phone for the full price if you agreed upon a lower price. Legally, they *do* have to give you the option of cancelling the transaction (once again, if the final price was different from the agreed-upon price).
Now, on to the "verbal contract" misconception. There are 3 parts of a contract, both verbal and written (let's see if I remember their names). Offer, Acceptance, and Consideration.
Offer: Someone offers something. In this case, Bell offers you service for a certain price.
Acceptance: The offer is accepted. In this case, you accepted the offer by agreeing to purchase the item.
Consideration: Something must be exchanged. In this case, it was most likely a charge placed on your credit card. Usually it's a downpayment of some kind, or sometimes just a promise/contract that it'll be paid.
Sounds like only 2 of those have been met...which makes this *not* a verbal contract. Even if the third had been, when the contract terms change (the price), the accepting party has the right to opt out.
hotleadsingerguy said:
That is a massive misconception. Verbal contracts are *NOT* binding in the same way that written contracts are. Don't believe everything you hear on television.
Secondly, verbal contracts, irrelevant of their legality, can be broken very easily, when it comes to commerce. If the party providing the service (Bell, in this case) decides they don't want to provide the service for the price agreed upon, they can cancel the entire contract. What this means is you would have the right to cancel the transaction (assuming the price has actually changed from the time you agreed upon it) and walk away without penalty.
Now, do you have no assurance at all, in writing, that you were purchasing the phone for that price? Don't you have a pay stub, credit card transaction, or anything? They can't "force" you to buy the phone for the full price if you agreed upon a lower price. Legally, they *do* have to give you the option of cancelling the transaction (once again, if the final price was different from the agreed-upon price).
Now, on to the "verbal contract" misconception. There are 3 parts of a contract, both verbal and written (let's see if I remember their names). Offer, Acceptance, and Consideration.
Offer: Someone offers something. In this case, Bell offers you service for a certain price.
Acceptance: The offer is accepted. In this case, you accepted the offer by agreeing to purchase the item.
Consideration: Something must be exchanged. In this case, it was most likely a charge placed on your credit card. Usually it's a downpayment of some kind, or sometimes just a promise/contract that it'll be paid.
Sounds like only 2 of those have been met...which makes this *not* a verbal contract. Even if the third had been, when the contract terms change (the price), the accepting party has the right to opt out.
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Unfortunately, you're most likely correct. I just have to bank on the good will of the manager I'm going to talk to. I will report back once I've spoken with them.
HideYoKids said:
Unfortunately, you're most likely correct. I just have to bank on the good will of the manager I'm going to talk to. I will report back once I've spoken with them.
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Click to collapse
lol not to be self-indulgent, but I'm not just *most likely* correct
Unfortunately, all they were willing to give me was $100 bill credit and 2 free months of my voice plan, for a total of $150. Instead of the $415 I was originally offered.
Related
I walked into my local Sprint store with $600 cash in my pocket anticipating to walk out with a brand new SGS2E4GT at full MSRP without any additional commitment on my contract. (Have you guys noticed the full non contract price for this device is not listed.)
After the sales rep got the device from the stock room, we were ready to set it up with my existing account. After he logs into my account he notifies me that Im not eligable to an upgrade until January. So with a smile, I informed him that Im aware that Im not eligable yet & thats why Im willing to pay the full price for the phone. Then he said, Sorry sir, but effective today, every sprint device is ONLY available at a carrier subsidized price to people willing to activate a new line or those qualified for an upgrade. Which means nobody can purchase a phone at full price & swap it to their current number. (This **** didn't make any sense to me at all.)But any ways long story short, after a few minutes of blah blah blah, I walked out of the store with a brand new GS2, and a 3rd line to my account which I will not use but will be billed monthly $20 plus $10 premium data. Then he had the nerve to remind me that If I swap the new phone to my primary line before 30 days, I will lose my mail in rebate.....
What the hell is hapenning to Sprint????
That sucks. I had no problem getting mine.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA Premium App
Sounds like you went to an indirect retailer and not a Sprint-owned corporate store because that's not true at all.
dizidi said:
I walked into my local Sprint store with $600 cash in my pocket anticipating to walk out with a brand new SGS2E4GT at full MSRP without any additional commitment on my contract. (Have you guys noticed the full non contract price for this device is not listed.)
After the sales rep got the device from the stock room, we were ready to set it up with my existing account. After he logs into my account he notifies me that Im not eligable to an upgrade until January. So with a smile, I informed him that Im aware that Im not eligable yet & thats why Im willing to pay the full price for the phone. Then he said, Sorry sir, but effective today, every sprint device is ONLY available at a carrier subsidized price to people willing to activate a new line or those qualified for an upgrade. Which means nobody can purchase a phone at full price & swap it to their current number. (This **** didn't make any sense to me at all.)But any ways long story short, after a few minutes of blah blah blah, I walked out of the store with a brand new GS2, and a 3rd line to my account which I will not use but will be billed monthly $20 plus $10 premium data. Then he had the nerve to remind me that If I swap the new phone to my primary line before 30 days, I will lose my mail in rebate.....
What the hell is hapenning to Sprint????
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to take it back and go to a Sprint corporate store
dizidi said:
I walked into my local Sprint store with $600 cash in my pocket anticipating to walk out with a brand new SGS2E4GT at full MSRP without any additional commitment on my contract. (Have you guys noticed the full non contract price for this device is not listed.)
After the sales rep got the device from the stock room, we were ready to set it up with my existing account. After he logs into my account he notifies me that Im not eligable to an upgrade until January. So with a smile, I informed him that Im aware that Im not eligable yet & thats why Im willing to pay the full price for the phone. Then he said, Sorry sir, but effective today, every sprint device is ONLY available at a carrier subsidized price to people willing to activate a new line or those qualified for an upgrade. Which means nobody can purchase a phone at full price & swap it to their current number. (This **** didn't make any sense to me at all.)But any ways long story short, after a few minutes of blah blah blah, I walked out of the store with a brand new GS2, and a 3rd line to my account which I will not use but will be billed monthly $20 plus $10 premium data. Then he had the nerve to remind me that If I swap the new phone to my primary line before 30 days, I will lose my mail in rebate.....
What the hell is hapenning to Sprint????
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While I'm aware of their new "no device without a 2 year contract" policy I didn't think it was impossible to replace a phone without a new contract. Frankly it sounds like you got fncked. I would call Sprint and escalate this up to someone that gives a fnck because frankly this is a gigantic load of bull****.
...there is no way in hell that you can't even replace a device on an existing line/contract. If that is true, well, there is NO REASON AT ALL TO STAY WITH SPRINT. (VERY SLOW) UNLIMITED DATA IS NO REASON TO STAY WITH A COMPANY THAT WONT EVEN LET YOU REPLACE A PHONE WITHOUT A NEW CONTRACT.
Even given their new restrictive policies I highly doubt that what you were subject to was actual official Sprint policy--I don't give a **** what they say, they are likely idiots who interpreted the new policy wrong (either for their own benefit or merely out of their own extreme ignorance).
Escalate this as appropriate. This is bull****...and if you find that this is actual official policy please demand the section of the contract that specifies this and LET US KNOW. We will spread the word and take heed which will result in Sprint losing US and EVERYBODY WE HAVE ALWAYS RECOMMENDED GO TO SPRINT. EVERYBODY. Do you hear that Sprint?
...if (and when) you (most likely) find this to be complete bull**** on your Sprint reps part (and I would be sure to post the store number and location here and many other places, store manager name included) I would also demand a form of compensation for having been lied to and tricked into a contract. Nothing extravagant, but, something you find equivalent in value to your time and expense required to deal with this crap.
Yeah, I had no issues getting mine today either and technically my 22 month upgrade was not until april.
Thanks for the input guys, I really felt like I was suckered into signing an extra line which I dont need in order to get the device I really want, even though I was willing to pay full price for it. I will call corporate tomorrow and bring it to their attention. Thank You.
Good luck, hope you get it solved. Definitely sounds like bs to me.
dizidi said:
Thanks for the input guys, I really felt like I was suckered into signing an extra line which I dont need in order to get the device I really want, even though I was willing to pay full price for it. I will call corporate tomorrow and bring it to their attention. Thank You.
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Click to collapse
Go through amazon wireless hit with "no contract phone only" pay then slap that guy for bomboozlein you into a 2 year contract
Question towards this: I get my upgrade the 22nd, what price am I paying?
Sent from my Epic[Fail]4G ;P
dizidi said:
Thanks for the input guys, I really felt like I was suckered into signing an extra line which I dont need in order to get the device I really want, even though I was willing to pay full price for it. I will call corporate tomorrow and bring it to their attention. Thank You.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Make sure you return the device by Sunday so you don't get charged an activation fee. Given the situation you described, you can probably get any charges reversed by care anyway... but to be on the safe side, return it within 3 days to avoid the fee for sure.
That's BS, u got the short end of the stick. So much to talk about here. First of all Sprint is known to make an exception that close out of a 2 year agreement and provide you with full subsidization. At the very least they will provide you with partial subsidization. The reason why they probably don't sell them at full price is because it probably doesn't ever happen because it makes zero sense even with the recent early termination hike to $350 dollars. If you want it right now, process the order overnight on the line in question with overnight delivery from a retailer like wirefly.com and return and close out the new line u purchased. I'm pretty sure they'll give you options to buy without a new line at wirefly. That would be really bad for business if they didn't. I think the return policy is 14 days now and you may suffer a restocking fee for it all. Good luck.
The phone is $499.99 retail on Sprint.com, so you definitely got suckered into a new activation and a nice commission/spiff for the sales person who got to you.
Wow, i remember those days as a cell phone salesguy and the stuff we used to pull, like these (and much worse).
This phone doesn't have a mail in rebate. And remember you can call customer care tell them that they are not allowing you to buy the phone. At least I didn't get a rebate.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk
LordLugard said:
The phone is $499.99 retail on Sprint.com, so you definitely got suckered into a new activation and a nice commission/spiff for the sales person who got to you.
Wow, i remember those days as a cell phone salesguy and the stuff we used to pull, like these (and much worse).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was just going to say this. If u go on sprint.com u can buy the phone without an upgrade for $499.99 so that just shows that place screwed u. Hope u get this straightened out cuz thats bull**** man.
Yeah use the 14 day satisfaction guarantee to tell that store a big **** you.
Just pay the ETF on your old line. Depending how long you had it the most it can be is $200 but since you said your upgrade was in January, it should be a lot less then that even be less then that. In the end you will save more money then buying the phone outright as long as you do not care about getting a new number.....
Then you go go thank the guy in the Sprint store for saving you a ****load of money!
And I thought there were no mail in rebates? Did you actually get a mail in rebate with the phone?
I bought mine for 499 without a problem.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
What a fool. They feed you a spoon of bull **** and you ate it. All over a phone which in a few weeks could be brought on ebay for $350 and some change.
Yeah...I would call and cancel the line...pay the eft and call it even
dizidi said:
I walked into my local Sprint store with $600 cash in my pocket anticipating to walk out with a brand new SGS2E4GT at full MSRP without any additional commitment on my contract. (Have you guys noticed the full non contract price for this device is not listed.)
After the sales rep got the device from the stock room, we were ready to set it up with my existing account. After he logs into my account he notifies me that Im not eligable to an upgrade until January. So with a smile, I informed him that Im aware that Im not eligable yet & thats why Im willing to pay the full price for the phone. Then he said, Sorry sir, but effective today, every sprint device is ONLY available at a carrier subsidized price to people willing to activate a new line or those qualified for an upgrade. Which means nobody can purchase a phone at full price & swap it to their current number. (This **** didn't make any sense to me at all.)But any ways long story short, after a few minutes of blah blah blah, I walked out of the store with a brand new GS2, and a 3rd line to my account which I will not use but will be billed monthly $20 plus $10 premium data. Then he had the nerve to remind me that If I swap the new phone to my primary line before 30 days, I will lose my mail in rebate.....
What the hell is hapenning to Sprint????
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA App
i know there are a couple of phone insurance threads floating around already but i felt like there needed to be a separate one strictly for the people that bought it through the play store...it falls under different warranty and its a different circumstance
for anyone that has/will buy insurance for this phone please list the company, rate (yearly or monthly) deductible, waiting period and if it excludes anything major that we may need (for example some policies dont cover loss only theft)
PLEASE ONLY post if you already own the insurance or have spoken to a rep directly...no speculation or assumptions...it may give people wrong information
i will start first:
i havent bought it yet but i spoke to a carrier rep that told me the nexus from the playstore is now considered "local" since google is selling it directly to the US which is why they will insure it properly
company: ensquared
rate: $58.99 1 year or $99.99 2 years
deductible: $75
waiting period: 30 days, claim can be filed on 31st day
Insurance
I purchased my policy through Worth Ave Group. They are just a reseller (broker) as the policy itself is underwritten by The Hanover Ins. Group out of Worcester, MA.
Details:
Cost: $43.25
Term: 1 year
Waiting period: 1 day (bought coverage yesterday, in effect today)
Deductible: $50
Limit: $399 (per event, not aggregate) What this means is that you could theoretically file a claim for a phone that was spilled on, have it paid for and then a few months later drop it and have it paid for again ($50 deductible each time).
A few things to note:
Does not provide coverage if you simply lose your phone, it must have been stolen and a police report must be filed, if so. Also, if the phone was stolen from your car, there must be evidence of force-able entry: i.e. taken from a car with unlocked doors or open windows = no coverage.
bigmike75 said:
I purchased my policy through Worth Ave Group. They are just a reseller (broker) as the policy itself is underwritten by The Hanover Ins. Group out of Worcester, MA.
Details:
Cost: $43.25
Term: 1 year
Waiting period: 1 day (bought coverage yesterday, in effect today)
Deductible: $50
Limit: $399 (per event, not aggregate) What this means is that you could theoretically file a claim for a phone that was spilled on, have it paid for and then a few months later drop it and have it paid for again ($50 deductible each time).
A few things to note:
Does not provide coverage if you simply lose your phone, it must have been stolen and a police report must be filed, if so. Also, if the phone was stolen from your car, there must be evidence of force-able entry: i.e. taken from a car with unlocked doors or open windows = no coverage.
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Click to collapse
i looked into worth ave group..best price by far...2 reasons why im hesitant to go with them
1. no loss protection (as you mentioned)
2. i was reading the claims q&a and it says for damages you have to bring it to a store first to get it evaluated and it seems like if you can get it repaired they will send you a check for the amount of necessary...and if its beyond repair they will need a letter stating so from the store... all this nonsense instead of being able to simply ship a broken device to them and pay the deductible...are you aware of that?
also...did you ask you them specifically about the device? my main concern is that they say they cover it, then when the time comes they give you a comparable replacement because its an overseas (unlocked) phone
Worth Ave Ins
Yeah, I am not too concerned about the non-coverage for loss as I am pretty good about keeping my phone with me at all times. For the repair issues, I am aware of that disclosure and can live with that, especially when factoring in the cost of the insurance.
bigmike75 said:
Yeah, I am not too concerned about the non-coverage for loss as I am pretty good about keeping my phone with me at all times. For the repair issues, I am aware of that disclosure and can live with that, especially when factoring in the cost of the insurance.
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Click to collapse
i just called them...are you aware that they don't supply you with a device...when you file a claim (and it gets approved) they mail you a check and you have to purchase a new device on your own
not a fan of that procedure
Worth Ave
I'm not too worried about that. I actually prefer getting money for the phone instead of a replacement anyways. There could be a better model/phone available at the time of making a claim which I could then buy.
jdiddy_ub said:
i just called them...are you aware that they don't supply you with a device...when you file a claim (and it gets approved) they mail you a check and you have to purchase a new device on your own
not a fan of that procedure
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Click to collapse
I haven't decided who to go with yet. But, I do prefer this procedure. If they just send me a check for $399 instead of replacing my Galaxy Nexus, then a year down the line, I can get the best phone available for $399, which I'm betting won't be the Galaxy Nexus. Think about that!
EDIT: Bigmike beat me to it, but yea, same point - completely agree with you bigmike.
ra990 said:
I haven't decided who to go with yet. But, I do prefer this procedure. If they just send me a check for $399 instead of replacing my Galaxy Nexus, then a year down the line, I can get the best phone available for $399, which I'm betting won't be the Galaxy Nexus. Think about that!
EDIT: Bigmike beat me to it, but yea, same point - completely agree with you bigmike.
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Click to collapse
agreed...but i feel like since they are handing out money instead of a device they are going to make you go through hell to get it...no one likes to hand over money
2ndly...i have double and triple checked ensquared...they definitely cover the international nexus...i made it a point to distinguish the verizon model and stated that i dont want a SG2 or comparable phone as a replacement because i already have that and thats why im making the switch in the first place..he told me that comparable devices are only given if the customer is rushing them to locate a device ,if its been discontinued or if its not a popular device and you bought it from a small market company or carrier...which google obviously is not...i even got the reps name and a direct line (which i called)
im going to go with them...$59 for 1 year and it covers damage, loss, theft and many other things...sweet deal with a $75 deductible...beats my $7.99/mo and $130 deductible with tmobile
I went through MDPA, it was $70 for the year. No deductible.
http://www.mobiledeviceprotection.com/
No clue on how they are to work with, giving them a try over asurion this time.
Thanks for the info. I was thinking about getting insurance for my Galaxy Nexus but wasn't sure if Google offered any. When you sign up for the insurance through Google, do you have to call up or can you sign up online? Thanks!
Since this thread comes up in a quick Google search, I figured I'd give my .02 cents while I'm in the middle of a claim with Worth Ave Group.
My phone dropped and has a cracked screen as of Sunday. I filed a claim via the website and waited 24 hours. No response. Monday: I sent an email through their website. No response. I called later and got a representative that said they received the claim. After the phone call, I got a reply to my initial claim. Tuesday: I get a 2nd response from the email I sent from their website. My first issue is not only are they not 24x7, but they also take 24-48 hours to respond. The customer service rep says we should wait 2-3 business days for a response. My previous claims with Asurion had a new device on my doorstep by the next day, so this is stark contrast in customer service.
I was instructed to get a quote from a local repair shop. Even though Worth Ave instructed me to go to a specific repair shop, they didn't seem to be aware of Worth Ave's policy. I was not able to get a written estimate nor did they send me the follow-up email they promised me. I still sent an email back to Worth Ave's claim department with the amount quoted. Most likely, I'll have to wait another 24-48 hours for a response on what I can expect next (maybe a repair of my device). If they agree to pay for the repair, reimbursement can take up to 2 weeks.
TL;DR: Don't go with Worth Ave Group if you expect to get a quick turnaround in case of an event. Time is money. Pay a little more for 24x7 service which will ship you a replacement.
I am with Sprint under my dads account. It is a family plan with my sister, my dad and I. Heres my question, I just want to know if I can order safely from Wirefly without any fuse, in other words, they will send me my phone without attempting to change our plan, rise our bill or anything like that. I just want to upgrade my phone to the Galaxy Nexus with the same plan intact, nothing change. The reason I am asking this is because I once tried to order a phone from Amazon (at the same price of a normal upgrade), and they wanted me to get a brand new number and plan.
Thanks for your help.
P.S. I cant believe they are selling this phone for 50 bucks. I am awed ._.
Anyone?
it is only that price with a contract. they will make you sign up for 2yr sprint contract before selling you the phone.
yup confirmed
$49.99
with a new Sprint account
look right under the price tag in small writing
Darunion said:
it is only that price with a contract. they will make you sign up for 2yr sprint contract before selling you the phone.
yup confirmed
$49.99
with a new Sprint account
look right under the price tag in small writing
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, I dont know how I missed that. lol
Thank you.
DO NOT buy from wirefly. There are too many problems with that company to list them all here.
latindor17 said:
I am with Sprint under my dads account. It is a family plan with my sister, my dad and I. Heres my question, I just want to know if I can order safely from Wirefly without any fuse, in other words, they will send me my phone without attempting to change our plan, rise our bill or anything like that. I just want to upgrade my phone to the Galaxy Nexus with the same plan intact, nothing change. The reason I am asking this is because I once tried to order a phone from Amazon (at the same price of a normal upgrade), and they wanted me to get a brand new number and plan.
Thanks for your help.
P.S. I cant believe they are selling this phone for 50 bucks. I am awed ._.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello latindor17: Wirefly can certainly upgrade your phone without changing your plan or the amount you pay every month (provided you’re not on an old grandfathered rate plan the carrier no longer offers, in which case you may be asked to choose a current rate plan – but if that were the case, Wirefly would always contact you for approval before proceeding with your order). Darunion is correct that you will need you renew your contract for 2 years in order to be eligible for the price on the website, but you do not need to get a new number, you may keep your existing number without a problem. There are no other hidden fees or charges, as long as you maintain your account in good standing (and don’t downgrade your plan) within 6 months of your activation date. For more information on this, please see http://www.wirefly.com/about/low-phone-prices/?referringdomain=wirefly&oflag=specialoffer.
obsanity said:
DO NOT buy from wirefly. There are too many problems with that company to list them all here.
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Click to collapse
What? I used Wirefly to get a Galaxy SIII as an upgrade on my T-Mobile account with absolutely no issues. They simply checked to see if I was eligible for an upgrade and once they verified that I was I purchased a Galaxy SIII as an upgrade for $200. They did not screw with my plan at all.
It was much cheaper than going through T-Mobile directly ($379 for the phone at the time) and they shipped the phone extremely fast. I'd use them again in a heartbeat.
** I should mention that I have since sold the Galaxy SIII and reverted back to the GNex because it just wasn't the same. But that's neither here nor there. :highfive:
Wirefly_Kim said:
Hello latindor17: Wirefly can certainly upgrade your phone without changing your plan or the amount you pay every month (provided you’re not on an old grandfathered rate plan the carrier no longer offers, in which case you may be asked to choose a current rate plan – but if that were the case, Wirefly would always contact you for approval before proceeding with your order). Darunion is correct that you will need you renew your contract for 2 years in order to be eligible for the price on the website, but you do not need to get a new number, you may keep your existing number without a problem. There are no other hidden fees or charges, as long as you maintain your account in good standing (and don’t downgrade your plan) within 6 months of your activation date. For more information on this, please see http://www.wirefly.com/about/low-phone-prices/?referringdomain=wirefly&oflag=specialoffer.
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What Ms. Kim said here is exactly why you SHOULDN'T go with wirefly or any other similar service. They make you sign an additional contract, apparently in this case for 6 months, that has NOTHING to do with Sprint. Well, technically it does since it stipulates you must stay with Sprint for 6 months, but this contract isn't with Sprint.
So, if you move, find a better deal, find a reason to terminate without an ETF, etc., you're still on the hook with this company for 6 months. If you like buying through a 3rd party, I think Best Buy and Radioshak both still don't require this anti-consumer tactic.
Wow. I didn't realize that when I did it. Luckily if you plan on sticking with your current contract for more than 6 months this won't effect you (like most people). But it would be quite annoying if you did need to switch carriers quicker than expected.
Good to know.
Morphling27 said:
What Ms. Kim said here is exactly why you SHOULDN'T go with wirefly or any other similar service. They make you sign an additional contract, apparently in this case for 6 months, that has NOTHING to do with Sprint. Well, technically it does since it stipulates you must stay with Sprint for 6 months, but this contract isn't with Sprint.
So, if you move, find a better deal, find a reason to terminate without an ETF, etc., you're still on the hook with this company for 6 months. If you like buying through a 3rd party, I think Best Buy and Radioshak both still don't require this anti-consumer tactic.
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what reason could you find to terminate without an ETF though? as far as i know death is the only exception..and sometimes that doesnt even work
the stipulation (as i understand it) is that you just have to hold your end of the bargain for 6 months (something you already agreed to with your carrier by signing a 2 year anyway)...the reason for the 6 months is because thats the contract they have with the carriers..they recruit or keep customers for carriers and pass on the commission to us (which is why they can sell the phones cheaper)
its not like they are going to kill you if you break the wirefly contract..you just end up paying retail for the phone...as long as you are certain about the phone and plan that you are purchasing i dont see a problem...if you have buyers remorse or you don't do your homework and want to cut the cord..then yeah...you're gonna pay for it..thats kinda what happens when you break any contract (cell phone or otherwise)
i have been researching this company as well...reading customer comments and their fine print..im thinking about upgrading to the Note 2 through them...$300 as opposed to $420 with tmobile ($370 AFTER mail in rebate)
if kim from wirefly is still reading this...the phone is listed as $300 (for upgrades)...do you know what the end cost is gonna be? is it $300? or is there gonna be upgrade fees and tax and my first born?
jdiddy_ub said:
if kim from wirefly is still reading this...the phone is listed as $300 (for upgrades)...do you know what the end cost is gonna be? is it $300? or is there gonna be upgrade fees and tax and my first born?
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Click to collapse
I'm pretty sure no additional tax is charged on top of the listed price. I think T-Mobile charged me an upgrade fee but instantly credited it back to me on my next bill.
Morphling27 said:
What Ms. Kim said here is exactly why you SHOULDN'T go with wirefly or any other similar service. They make you sign an additional contract, apparently in this case for 6 months, that has NOTHING to do with Sprint. Well, technically it does since it stipulates you must stay with Sprint for 6 months, but this contract isn't with Sprint.
So, if you move, find a better deal, find a reason to terminate without an ETF, etc., you're still on the hook with this company for 6 months. If you like buying through a 3rd party, I think Best Buy and Radioshak both still don't require this anti-consumer tactic.
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Click to collapse
Hello Morphling,
Our 181 day rule is based on a contractual agreement that we have with the carriers. We don't get compensated for a sale from the carrier until after this time frame has been met. All 3rd party dealers have a stipulation period that customers must abide by even though the terms and conditions can vary from company to company, this is an industry standard. Let me know if I can answer any questions for you.
---------- Post added at 02:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:16 AM ----------
jdiddy_ub said:
what reason could you find to terminate without an ETF though? as far as i know death is the only exception..and sometimes that doesnt even work
the stipulation (as i understand it) is that you just have to hold your end of the bargain for 6 months (something you already agreed to with your carrier by signing a 2 year anyway)...the reason for the 6 months is because thats the contract they have with the carriers..they recruit or keep customers for carriers and pass on the commission to us (which is why they can sell the phones cheaper)
its not like they are going to kill you if you break the wirefly contract..you just end up paying retail for the phone...as long as you are certain about the phone and plan that you are purchasing i dont see a problem...if you have buyers remorse or you don't do your homework and want to cut the cord..then yeah...you're gonna pay for it..thats kinda what happens when you break any contract (cell phone or otherwise)
i have been researching this company as well...reading customer comments and their fine print..im thinking about upgrading to the Note 2 through them...$300 as opposed to $420 with tmobile ($370 AFTER mail in rebate)
if kim from wirefly is still reading this...the phone is listed as $300 (for upgrades)...do you know what the end cost is gonna be? is it $300? or is there gonna be upgrade fees and tax and my first born?
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Click to collapse
Hello jdiddy_ub,
The carrier will charge you an upgrade fee but this is only paid once on the first billing cycle following the upgrade. The taxes for the service is assessed by the carrier and varies depending on where you live. If you are keeping the same rate plan then your taxes should not be any different then what you are currently paying now. Let me know if I can answer any further questions.
Wirefly_Kim said:
Hello Morphling,
Our 181 day rule is based on a contractual agreement that we have with the carriers. We don't get compensated for a sale from the carrier until after this time frame has been met. All 3rd party dealers have a stipulation period that customers must abide by even though the terms and conditions can vary from company to company, this is an industry standard. Let me know if I can answer any questions for you.
---------- Post added at 02:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:16 AM ----------
Hello jdiddy_ub,
The carrier will charge you an upgrade fee but this is only paid once on the first billing cycle following the upgrade. The taxes for the service is assessed by the carrier and varies depending on where you live. If you are keeping the same rate plan then your taxes should not be any different then what you are currently paying now. Let me know if I can answer any further questions.
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I'm not asking about the tax for service.. i am asking about tax from the cost of the phone
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
Buy it from costco wireless. $39.99 upgrade. No extra etf and they refund the $36 upgrafe fee. 90 day exchange. Dont even think you have to be a member.
Hey guys, long time no post on XDA.
I traded my iPhone 4s and cash for a Galaxy s3, and I tested it with my simcard in it before the purchased (made a call, texted, etc.) and everything worked great.
I promptly restored it (Cyanogenmod was already installed) and wiped everything to get rid of his apps and pictures and stuff. Well ever since I wiped, and I go to make a call, I get this message:
"We're sorry but this device is blocked on this network."
I've googled and some people (on other devices) have said while running Cyanogenmod, their IMEI has changed to a blocked one.
Has anyone else ran into this? Did I by a stolen phone and it coincidentally stopped working after I flashed.
It sucks because my ONLY PHONE I traded to him AND cash. Hating life lol
Hate to say it.... but it sounds like you got scammed. Whenever buying a phone from someone, especially nowadays, you should ALWAYS do so at a brick and mortar location for your carrier so they can witness the sale of the phone. More than likely, after making the sale, he probably called AT&T or whichever carrier used, and told them that his phone was stolen. They blacklist the phone, and send him a replacement.
It ain't over till its over...!
My advice to you,
If you still have the sellers contact info (e.g. phone number, email address, etc...) go to the carrier store where the phone is from and tell them the story.
Although they will likely be less than helpful, get the names and/or business cards of the representatives that talked to you and write down what they say to you.
With that information, the call logs, text messages, emails, other incriminating evidence and public records listed for the contact information you have from the seller, you can take your issue to small claims court. The seller will be required to show up to court otherwise they will default to losing the case and the judge will side in your favor regardless.
Either way, if you go this route, you'll get back the monetary loss you incurred for the phone you traded, the cash you lost and the value of the blacklisted phone you received.
PSA - I have no knowledge or experience in Law what-so-ever and I am providing this advice simply as an opinion based on my observations of processes
Good luck,
Yeah, on the phone with customer support now, and that's exactly what he did.
They are letting me report mine stolen as well and giving me an early upgrade, but I'm out a phone and money on top T-T
Can't trust anyone these days.
mathewrice said:
My advice to you,
If you still have the sellers contact info (e.g. phone number, email address, etc...) go to the carrier store where the phone is from and tell them the story.
Although they will likely be less than helpful, get the names and/or business cards of the representatives that talked to you and write down what they say to you.
With that information, the call logs, text messages, emails, other incriminating evidence and public records listed for the contact information you have from the seller, you can take your issue to small claims court. The seller will be required to show up to court otherwise they will default to losing the case and the judge will side in your favor regardless.
Either way, if you go this route, you'll get back the monetary loss you incurred for the phone you traded, the cash you lost and the value of the blacklisted phone you received.
PSA - I have no knowledge or experience in Law what-so-ever and I am providing this advice simply as an opinion based on my observations of processes
Good luck,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very well written! I would take you as a lawyer any day haha
phuKKah said:
Yeah, on the phone with customer support now, and that's exactly what he did.
They are letting me report mine stolen as well and giving me an early upgrade, but I'm out a phone and money on top T-T
Can't trust anyone these days.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very nice, Way to stick it to him, sucks to be out the money but at least he sint getting off free. Ive had a good long run of great trades on craigslist, but i just got scammed recently, and the Marketplace on xda is closing because of it. Times are changing, and you cant trust people like you use to, sad sad day.
joshyy_rey said:
Very nice, Way to stick it to him, sucks to be out the money but at least he sint getting off free. Ive had a good long run of great trades on craigslist, but i just got scammed recently, and the Marketplace on xda is closing because of it. Times are changing, and you cant trust people like you use to, sad sad day.
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I've only had one XDA Marketplace transaction and it went smoothly. And all the other craigslist transactions I've dealt with went smoothly.
It just kills me that some people can be so awful. This is why we can't have nice things.
phuKKah said:
Yeah, on the phone with customer support now, and that's exactly what he did.
They are letting me report mine stolen as well and giving me an early upgrade, but I'm out a phone and money on top T-T
Can't trust anyone these days.
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Click to collapse
Use your early upgrade and get them to price match Sams clubs 96 cent sale.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium
Intub8 said:
Use your early upgrade and get them to price match Sams clubs 96 cent sale.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium
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Click to collapse
Good idea!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2
Intub8 said:
Use your early upgrade and get them to price match Sams clubs 96 cent sale.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium
Click to expand...
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That's awesome! I wonder if that'd work haha
phuKKah said:
That's awesome! I wonder if that'd work haha
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Click to collapse
It should, I called yesterday and got them to price match. It's getting here Thursday
phuKKah said:
That's awesome! I wonder if that'd work haha
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Click to collapse
It may take some work. I had a HTC one x for 7 weeks and got 3 replacements and had problems with them all. They gave me another early upgrade so 3 weeks ago I bought the s3. Yesterday they refunded me the full amount and charged me 96 cents. I did everything through the Web chat. Good luck.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium
You can still sell the phone on ebay as a "parts only" phone. Just make sure to add in the description what the problem is. I'm betting you'll get $200 or more for it.
Heck, I'll give you $50 right now.
Did you read all the IMEI threads?
I don't know anything about the issue, but I thought some folks were able to resolve it.
mathewrice said:
My advice to you,
If you still have the sellers contact info (e.g. phone number, email address, etc...) go to the carrier store where the phone is from and tell them the story.
Although they will likely be less than helpful, get the names and/or business cards of the representatives that talked to you and write down what they say to you.
With that information, the call logs, text messages, emails, other incriminating evidence and public records listed for the contact information you have from the seller, you can take your issue to small claims court. The seller will be required to show up to court otherwise they will default to losing the case and the judge will side in your favor regardless.
Either way, if you go this route, you'll get back the monetary loss you incurred for the phone you traded, the cash you lost and the value of the blacklisted phone you received.
PSA - I have no knowledge or experience in Law what-so-ever and I am providing this advice simply as an opinion based on my observations of processes
Good luck,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used to do a bit of small claims stuff for a job a long time ago. Let me add a bit of information at least for California. Probably similar elsewhere.
While you can notify the person about the lawsuit and court date any way you want, if the person does not show up, you can not get a default judgement without proving that the other person knew about the lawsuit and court date.
You have to "serve" notice of the claim and court date on the person, which means needing a home or work address to do so. Basically have to prove to the judge that the person knows about the suit and court date. There are rules for who can serve notice and how it can be done. Has to be someone not related to the lawsuit and they have to file an affidavit with the court that they did reach the person and serve the notice. You see this in tv and the movies where the person will hand the papers and say "you've been served". The fee for that person who serves the notice can be included in the claim if it is someone who does it for a living.
The judgement itself doesn't mean automatically getting your money. Collecting on the judgement is a separate thing than getting it. The court just rules, they don't collect. There are several routes to collect, but it takes knowing things about the person. You can garnish wages, or put a lien on their real estate. Or do some other things. But without knowing where the guy works, it is not easy to collect and sometimes costs money to do so.
However, some people will pay upon hearing about the lawsuit. Others will pay it upon hearing about the judgement since it will show up on credit reports. May take some bluffing as well. In this case saying you'd take it to AT&T to support them claiming insurance fraud or something.
Overall, not a pleasant experience, and more time consuming than it seems. But for someone with the time and with enough of a loss, it may make sense.
That's a damn shame, now you gotta take a 2 year contract for no reason. At least he won't be able to use his phone though. Why can't they remove it from the list? Security reasons?
Does this apply to Canada?
I sold a iPhone 4 while still on contract with Fido, called them and told them it was stolen and all I got was too bad lol. I wasn't expecting anything mind you, and a Fido rep actually recommended told me to do this a week prior. I wasnt elegible for a upgrade (too soon on contract). This way, with the cash I made from selling I can pay for the early cancellation penalty, plus have extra for new phone on a new contract. I essentially got a iPhone 4S for free but on a new contract.
I didn't even know carriers helped you out if a phone got stolen. Mine is either in my pocket or in my hands so I don't have to worry about this anyways.
And if this does apply to Canada I will second guess buying from Kijiji or Craigslist. I've purchased so many phones in the past that this has me a little concerned.
Sent from my SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
g2tegg said:
Does this apply to Canada?
I sold a iPhone 4 while still on contract with Fido, called them and told them it was stolen and all I got was too bad lol. I wasn't expecting anything mind you, and a Fido rep actually recommended told me to do this a week prior. I wasnt elegible for a upgrade (too soon on contract). This way, with the cash I made from selling I can pay for the early cancellation penalty, plus have extra for new phone on a new contract. I essentially got a iPhone 4S for free but on a new contract.
I didn't even know carriers helped you out if a phone got stolen. Mine is either in my pocket or in my hands so I don't have to worry about this anyways.
And if this does apply to Canada I will second guess buying from Kijiji or Craigslist. I've purchased so many phones in the past that this has me a little concerned.
Sent from my SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
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you do realize you just admitted to scamming your carrier/the person you sold your phone to right? Even though your scam failed because your carrier was aware of your tactics, it doesn't mean you didn't attempt it.
you are the definition of an @sshole.
wouldnt this fall under theft by deception? I would consider a police report depending on the amount of cash
darkcurrent said:
you do realize you just admitted to scamming your carrier/the person you sold your phone to right? Even though your scam failed because your carrier was aware of your tactics, it doesn't mean you didn't attempt it.
you are the definition of an @sshole.
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Click to collapse
I never scammed the buyer you tart. Whether I told my carrier it was stolen or I gave my phone to my wife it wouldnt make a difference. With the money from selling I bought my way out of my contract and purchaced a new one. The fact that a Fido rep recommended me to do this goes to show this is not scamming
And I never attempted to get a free phone at all. Like I said, not sure if your able yo read properly but my intentions were never to get a free phone for nothing.
Anyways, carry on.
Sent from my SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
I still wouldn't want to do any business with you!
The Librarian of Congress decided in October 2012 that unlocking of cell phones would be removed from the exceptions to the DMCA.
As of January 26, consumers will no longer be able unlock their phones for use on a different network without carrier permission, even after their contract has expired.
Consumers will be forced to pay exorbitant roaming fees to make calls while traveling abroad. It reduces consumer choice, and decreases the resale value of devices that consumers have paid for in full.
The Librarian noted that carriers are offering more unlocked phones at present, but the great majority of phones sold are still locked.
We ask that the White House ask the Librarian of Congress to rescind this decision, and failing that, champion a bill that makes unlocking permanently legal.
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/make-unlocking-cell-phones-legal/1g9KhZG7
I believe this only applies to new phones.. and you have 90 days from the date of the law to unlock your phone without any penalties.
page 16 of the docket: https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2012-26308.pdf
so most of us are okay. but it sucks for people buying new phones. Might be okay on used phones, but I haven't gotten to that part yet.
chances are they'll revise the law in 2 years.
Seeing as T-Mobile is doing away with subsidized phones and the other carriers will probably follow suit much the same as international markets then one would no longer have a need to lock into a2 year contract unless of course there are to be plan discounts. That said there should be no reason for a carrier to refuse to unlock a phone that a consumer is now paying full price for, which is pushing $600 to $700 for the newest high end models.
I certainly don't agree that we should be paying upwards of $700 for something that has a realistic life span of 2 years, i would expect a laptop of the same price to last 5+. However i do agree that if you purchased a phone at a lower subsidized price and signed a two year contract then no you should not be able to Sim unlock it. Now if you pay your early term fees and are clear of your contact them there should be no reason for a carrier to deny unlocking said device.
If you are a person that travels abroad and need an unlocked phone them you should take that into consideration at time of purchase or contact the carrier to deal with it then.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
I'm not sure but can this be posted in other threads without getting in trouble so we can make everyone know about this situation?
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blakdrew said:
I'm not sure but can this be posted in other threads without getting in trouble so we can make everyone know about this situation?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-T989 using xda premium
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Click to collapse
I don't see why not...but whats the point? Everyone should know about this by now, its been mentioned on various websites all over the internet.
Also, no offense to the OP but this petition is pretty useless, I mean, we all know how good petitions (ones pertaining to mobile phones) have worked before. Companies don't pay attention to it, so I doubt Congress will. The whole issue is redundant seeing as whoever wants to unlock their phone, will end up unlocking it, whatever the law may be. Its not like the government will set up random checkpoints to take your phone and make sure its not unlocked. People are just over reacting like they usually do. Its been illegal to download music and movies for a few years now and that doesn't seem to stop the people doing it. The only thing I see the this law harming are the various websites and ebay auctions that make money from unlocking phones. The truth is compared to the old Nokia days, smart phones(some, not all) are pretty easy to unlock.
One of the provisions is if you buy a phone from a 3rd party youre exempt.
My opinion? Its a sad day in this country when you dont have complete ownership of some you purchase.
Today its phones, tomorrow its......?
blackangst said:
My opinion? Its a sad day in this country when you dont have complete ownership of some you purchase.
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Click to collapse
I know. Even the cell phone industry (CTIA) basically admitted in its arguments to the Library of Congress that the reason they want this is purely in order to protect their business model (based on subsidies) and has nothing to do with copyright. It's bizarre to claim that it can possibly be a violation of copyright to use a physical device that you fully own the way you want. And it's pathetic that the U.S. is so far behind the rest of the world in terms of having a rational competitive wireless market.
Again the last two posts even though they stated the point they missed it. The carriers offer phones at a subsidised price to get subscribers to sign two year contracts not because they want to give you a good deal but because they want you to use and pay for their services fort that time. Prior to this law anyone could go and purchase a phone at a lower price and a month later decide to jump ship, sim unlock their phone and go to another carrier or worse stay with said carrier and sell the new phone for a profit. I could feasibly add a line to my account for an extra $5 a month which comes to $120 over two years, get a $600 phone for around $200 sim unlock it and sell it on eBay at the $600 price. That's a $280 profit in my pocket.
So the carriers shouldn't protect themselves from this type of activity.
Don't get me wrong i think all the carriers rape their customers every chance they get and i don't agree with 95% percent of what they do but trying to petition Congress over this is totally dumb. Maybe petition Congress to get reasonable cell phone pricing. Or how about the fact that i pay the same rate in an area with sketchy service as a person that live in Seattle and had great service.
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yeah, but all carriers have ETF's (Early Termination Fees) that you have to pay if you jump ship before fulfilling your contract. That should take care of the subsidized cost of the phone.
mike-y said:
yeah, but all carriers have ETF's (Early Termination Fees) that you have to pay if you jump ship before fulfilling your contract. That should take care of the subsidized cost of the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes if those fees actually get paid. Or most likely someone who is being shady in the first place will just let those fees go to collection and later written off in bankruptcy or simply forgotten about for years and years.
Take me for example, i got my phone for $99 (2 of them actually) and i am very unhappy with T-Mobile but still have 18 months on my contract well my thought is to unlock the phone, jump ship, and worry about the early term fees at a later date which by the way wouldn't be in my name anyway. So really if i break up with my girlfriend then I'm not responsible and i just made a $400 profit. Now i have two reasons not to do all that 1I'm not a shady person and 2 its now illegal.
My point is that all one needs to do is ask the carrier to unlock the phone and if there are no contact obligations then the carrier has no reason not to. The only ones that should have issue are those trying to be shady.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
explodingboy70 said:
Again the last two posts even though they stated the point they missed it. The carriers offer phones at a subsidised price to get subscribers to sign two year contracts not because they want to give you a good deal but because they want you to use and pay for their services fort that time. Prior to this law anyone could go and purchase a phone at a lower price and a month later decide to jump ship, sim unlock their phone and go to another carrier or worse stay with said carrier and sell the new phone for a profit. I could feasibly add a line to my account for an extra $5 a month which comes to $120 over two years, get a $600 phone for around $200 sim unlock it and sell it on eBay at the $600 price. That's a $280 profit in my pocket.
So the carriers shouldn't protect themselves from this type of activity.
Don't get me wrong i think all the carriers rape their customers every chance they get and i don't agree with 95% percent of what they do but trying to petition Congress over this is totally dumb. Maybe petition Congress to get reasonable cell phone pricing. Or how about the fact that i pay the same rate in an area with sketchy service as a person that live in Seattle and had great service.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
explodingboy70 said:
Yes if those fees actually get paid. Or most likely someone who is being shady in the first place will just let those fees go to collection and later written off in bankruptcy or simply forgotten about for years and years.
Take me for example, i got my phone for $99 (2 of them actually) and i am very unhappy with T-Mobile but still have 18 months on my contract well my thought is to unlock the phone, jump ship, and worry about the early term fees at a later date which by the way wouldn't be in my name anyway. So really if i break up with my girlfriend then I'm not responsible and i just made a $400 profit. Now i have two reasons not to do all that 1I'm not a shady person and 2 its now illegal.
My point is that all one needs to do is ask the carrier to unlock the phone and if there are no contact obligations then the carrier has no reason not to. The only ones that should have issue are those trying to be shady.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
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Click to collapse
No, sir, I believe YOU are missing the point if you honestly believe this is about carriers trying to recoup their $$$ from subsidized phones. Seriously? NOTHING in the bill states carriers can unlock phones after a contract is fulfilled, or that they have to. Therefore, after said contract is fulfilled, you STILL own a device you dont have control over.
Do you own a house? Do you have a mortgage? If so, you know that just by paying off the mortgage it doesnt give you any more property ownership rights that you didnt have when you signed the mortgage. Once you've signed it, you legally own it, even though you still owe money on it. Until this overreaching law took effect, it was that way for phones (for the most part).
explodingboy70 said:
Again the last two posts even though they stated the point they missed it. The carriers offer phones at a subsidised price to get subscribers to sign two year contracts not because they want to give you a good deal but because they want you to use and pay for their services fort that time. Prior to this law anyone could go and purchase a phone at a lower price and a month later decide to jump ship, sim unlock their phone and go to another carrier or worse stay with said carrier and sell the new phone for a profit. I could feasibly add a line to my account for an extra $5 a month which comes to $120 over two years, get a $600 phone for around $200 sim unlock it and sell it on eBay at the $600 price. That's a $280 profit in my pocket.
So the carriers shouldn't protect themselves from this type of activity.
Don't get me wrong i think all the carriers rape their customers every chance they get and i don't agree with 95% percent of what they do but trying to petition Congress over this is totally dumb. Maybe petition Congress to get reasonable cell phone pricing. Or how about the fact that i pay the same rate in an area with sketchy service as a person that live in Seattle and had great service.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You forgot an important point in your comment. YOU HAVE TO PAY 20-30USD PER MONTH FOR DATA! Therefore, your cost of adding a line is 120$+20x12=360$. So the profit is not as great as you mentioned.
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What's next? Putting restrictions on oxygen?
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Signed and reposted on Hackforums.
http://www.hackforums.net/showthread.php?tid=3226550
Hope you don't mind.
I linked this thread, and quoted the contents of the OP.
Figure it'd be good to get it out to a broader audience.
45,000 more signatures needed.
Go ahead and put my name on it. I'm too lazy to register, and I don't want a bunch of new e-mails trying to get me sign a bunch of other petitions.
And to the debate: Use an Obama phone, Save your money, and BUY a phone outright. The faster they see that this hurts the big TWO (AT&T, Verizon), it will change.
If you're impatient and want a phone NOW, understand the consequences. You are licensing that phone, and may never own it. And you'll also be advertising for whatever company you go with.
Yes, I know I'm advertising for T-Mobile in my signature. That's because I think they are honest, and very beneficial to the XDA community.
explodingboy70 said:
Again the last two posts even though they stated the point they missed it. The carriers offer phones at a subsidized price to get subscribers to sign two year contracts not because they want to give you a good deal but because they want you to use and pay for their services fort that time. Prior to this law anyone could go and purchase a phone at a lower price and a month later decide to jump ship, sim unlock their phone and go to another carrier or worse stay with said carrier and sell the new phone for a profit. I could feasibly add a line to my account for an extra $5 a month which comes to $120 over two years, get a $600 phone for around $200 sim unlock it and sell it on eBay at the $600 price. That's a $280 profit in my pocket.
So the carriers shouldn't protect themselves from this type of activity.
Don't get me wrong i think all the carriers rape their customers every chance they get and i don't agree with 95% percent of what they do but trying to petition Congress over this is totally dumb. Maybe petition Congress to get reasonable cell phone pricing. Or how about the fact that i pay the same rate in an area with sketchy service as a person that live in Seattle and had great service.
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WELL SAID! BRAVO! This I would support as well as many others!
I have been on this side of things for a long time! I used to live in Seattle, had Sprint and Verizon because ATT and T-Mobile are both very sketchy up there, Verizon is top dawg and since Sprint uses Verizon's towers and is cheaper than anyone else, you get the best phones (imo) and best value, not to mention unlimited data.
That being said, I recently moved to Dallas, and Sprint/Verizon down here are really terrible! I mean Seattle, West Seattle I was pulling upwards of 70mb down and 50-60's up, ridiculous speeds, but made it a lot better when you paid your bill because you felt like you were getting something! Down in Dallas I never saw it go past 10-15mb. Not to mention my signal bars never reached full unless I was under a tower.
Tmobile, my current provider (only for another week or so) is just terrible everywhere. Best I have seen them anywhere is 6-10mb, and I'm sorry but they claim to have better call quality than ATT now, which is horse$hit! Dropped calls, taking over a minute just to start dialing, and when you do talk, lets just say its not good.
I just think that payment plans should be based on where you are at in their coverage area. (If you leave state/town for a trip that's on you). That's like car companies making you pay retail price for a used car same as a new one! Would you do it?
I hope you guys know they unlocking your device is legal. What's illegal is buying an unlock code from online sources. You can no longer just go online and pay a small fee (like $10) for the unlock code. You can call your service provider (T-Mobile as an example) and ask them for the code. (They shouldn't have a problem giving it to you.) Another way of legally unlocking your device is by doing a method like the one in this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2024514
Or you could have someone that knows coding and have then do it for you. (As long as it is not through an online coding site you are good.)
Source: T-Mobile employee and target mobile employee.
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I'm full of great idea's, but don't have the time to create them or learn the coding to create them. If you want to make one of my ideas a reality just message me and I will give you my idea as specific as possible.
ideas:
Spoiler
-launcher/lock screen
-line rider type game where you control the character
-2d fighting game like art of fighting for the SNES
-multiplayer fps where you create your own map with a creative mode (minecraft style)
-roller coaster tycoon style game
-many more!
Just message me which idea you want info on and I'll tell you!
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Well said Ariana....
Service provider must ... unlock the device at any time and at no charge.
At least that's what the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is recommending.
It's warm day in February when I have something good to say about the CRTC but they do finally appear to cracking down on service provider fees, lengthy contracts, and cell phone locking.
I mention this because the title of this thread sounds like the opposite of ongoing discussions in Canada about how North American consumers are paying more than cell phone customers the world over.
More information by search for "Buyer's remorse" and CBC or go to the Canadian governments CRTC website to download a full pdf of current proposal.
(I'd give you the links, but I'm newly registered here