I apologize up front for the quasi rant but I was all for switching carriers, paying an early termination fee and paying more for service (by a decent amount) but Verizon is going to far charging $300 up front. As long as the gold standard is the iphone and they're at $200...everyone has to compete.
Maybe I should tweet this directly to Verizon and not post here. Just wondering if others are feeling the same way.
Yup Verizon charges waaay too much for phones
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
I remember talking my wife into a smartphone, we went to radio shack, as she was on sprint, thought we were gonna get an entry level android and walked out with an epic 4g for $249! I had never seen a contract phone cost so much. Now many Verizon phones are $299. It would be too funny w the nexus hits Sprint if it is $199 lmao
Google partnering with Verizon on the US launch was such a mistake...
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
The sad thing is in a month or two after launch amazon wireless will be selling it for a penny.
Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk
I wonder if you have not been paying attention for the past six months to a year when they've been charging $299 for ALL of their high end LTE smartphones? I'm not saying its a good price I'm just saying no one should be surprised by this at all.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App
matt2053 said:
I wonder if you have not been paying attention for the past six months to a year when they've been charging $299 for ALL of their high end LTE smartphones? I'm not saying its a good price I'm just saying no one should be surprised by this at all.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have been paying attention and it's another Verizon ploy to force the industry into changing. They did this with doubling the ETF and years ago they forced the industry to move from 1yr contracts to 2yrs. I dont remember if it was them or AT&T that first went to tiered data.
$300 (contract price) + $350 (ETF) = $650. The argument was always that the ETF was to cover the subsidized price. Most phones are roughly $500 off contract. They're just milking their customers more and more.
atoy74 said:
I have been paying attention and it's another Verizon ploy to force the industry into changing. They did this with doubling the ETF and years ago they forced the industry to move from 1yr contracts to 2yrs. I dont remember if it was them or AT&T that first went to tiered data.
$300 (contract price) + $350 (ETF) = $650. The argument was always that the ETF was to cover the subsidized price. Most phones are roughly $500 off contract. They're just milking their customers more and more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very true..
That's why I'm planing on getting it at Costco or any other retail store. ($199)
atoy74 said:
I have been paying attention and it's another Verizon ploy to force the industry into changing. They did this with doubling the ETF and years ago they forced the industry to move from 1yr contracts to 2yrs. I dont remember if it was them or AT&T that first went to tiered data.
$300 (contract price) + $350 (ETF) = $650. The argument was always that the ETF was to cover the subsidized price. Most phones are roughly $500 off contract. They're just milking their customers more and more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol no they're not? High end phones release at $600-$700. All but the base iPhone models come out at that price point, as do pretty much every other high end phones. Stop crying about something that, in reality, isn't actually a problem.
Inflation is something that has pretty much never been accounted for in the wireless world. Phones have been selling for about the same amount they sold for in the mid-90s, and yet now people are crying.
Oh, and what are you talking about 1-year contracts? The first 4 contracts I signed with AT&T, 10 years ago, were all 2-year contracts.
$300.00 is in line with the other VZW smartphones with 32GB memory (including the 32GB iPhone 4S).
Id be happy with them just RELEASING THE DAMN PHONE... WTF is the hold up?! Seriously.. this is going to be pointless by the time it comes out.
atoy74 said:
I apologize up front for the quasi rant but I was all for switching carriers, paying an early termination fee and paying more for service (by a decent amount) but Verizon is going to far charging $300 up front. As long as the gold standard is the iphone and they're at $200...everyone has to compete.
Maybe I should tweet this directly to Verizon and not post here. Just wondering if others are feeling the same way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Verizon iPhone 4s is $299 and its NOT LTE. I paid 299 for my EVO 3D and while I regret it now, its the cost of being an early adopter of a top tier phone.
On a larger note:
As I've stated on other threads, this comes down to lack of good competition in the marketplace. I don't want to get all political on this thread, but this is what happens when you have limited competition among carriers. Now when I say "This" I don't mean the price of the phone, I'm referring to the overall cost of being a customer (monthly bills, ETFs, contract lengths, etc). Chances are, the pain of a $299 price tag would be exponentially reduced if that bill you're paying every month was reduced by 25%. We're a heavily consumer driven population and a majority of us on this thread are included in that group(myself included, guilty). We sit here waiting and ranting for a phone to be released. We're basically saying "SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY", while barely coughing at the price. Meanwhile, these same companies spend millions of dollars to lobby our governments to more or less bend laws in their favor (for more on this see "lack of wireless carrier regulation in network neutrality"). I'd also direct your attention to how over a decade ago, many of these companies were paid billions of tax payer dollars to build out a network infrastructure and instead wasted the money on their own interests. Where is the regulation??! Peel the onion back and take a peek. The amount of effort you spend doing so and working for change will gauge how truly frustrated you are. Chances are, you'll read this post, and it might hit a curiosity nerve, but that's where it will end. You'll forget all about it as you continue paying that $100+/month bill and this is exactly what they're banking on. It is a "vote with your dollars" situation what will take you learning about the backside of the system. It will take you educating yourself about the lawmakers taking the money from these companies and ensuring you cast a vote each election season that favors a corporation independent lawmaker (i kind of lol, just thinking of this). While I consider myself a conservative independent, this problem is not an argument of Left or Right politics, this is a real world corporate america issue.
TL;DR - Your rant of high cost is a mere drop in the bucket when you start looking into what is really going on.
atoy74 said:
I have been paying attention and it's another Verizon ploy to force the industry into changing. They did this with doubling the ETF and years ago they forced the industry to move from 1yr contracts to 2yrs. I dont remember if it was them or AT&T that first went to tiered data.
$300 (contract price) + $350 (ETF) = $650. The argument was always that the ETF was to cover the subsidized price. Most phones are roughly $500 off contract. They're just milking their customers more and more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At&t had tiered data for at least six months before Verizon did. Phones are not $500 off contract either. Also, carriers lost money on the $150 etf so can't really blame them there.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
I'm with everyone else saying this shouldn't be surprising at all, they've charged this much for every high end LTE phone thus far. They have no REAL competition in the 4G area yet, so why wouldn't they charge that much? It's called smart business practices. We don't like it, but we are still going to pay it regardless. Can't blame them for milking it as long as they can, aka until AT&T and the rest get a legit 4G/LTE network up and running and wide spread (the handful AT&T has atm is nothing). Once that happens, the prices will probably drop to lure/keep customers around.
BTW, I'm pretty sure 289-299 will be the price regardless of where you buy for the first couple weeks. Costco's price is $289. Maybe Wirefly or someone will have one for $269...but I highly doubt any place is going to be selling it for $199 on launch day or that week.
LTE phones all released at $300 on contract. All new iphones with 32GB of storage also released at $300 on contract. I don't see any problem at all.
hotleadsingerguy said:
lol no they're not? High end phones release at $600-$700. All but the base iPhone models come out at that price point, as do pretty much every other high end phones. Stop crying about something that, in reality, isn't actually a problem.
Inflation is something that has pretty much never been accounted for in the wireless world. Phones have been selling for about the same amount they sold for in the mid-90s, and yet now people are crying.
Oh, and what are you talking about 1-year contracts? The first 4 contracts I signed with AT&T, 10 years ago, were all 2-year contracts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't speak for AT&T but I was a Prime Co/Verizon customer for many years then switched to Sprint. I had many 1yr contracts. Really, was it necessary to call me a liar?
joshnichols189 said:
At&t had tiered data for at least six months before Verizon did. Phones are not $500 off contract either. Also, carriers lost money on the $150 etf so can't really blame them there.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Guys, $500 full price smartphone does very much exist. The Samsung Epic 4G Touch (Galaxy SII, which is an excellent phone) is $499 off contract at Sprint. See link
Evo 3D is $549
Photon 4G is $549
RVDigital said:
On a larger note:
As I've stated on other threads, this comes down to lack of good competition in the marketplace. I don't want to get all political on this thread, but this is what happens when you have limited competition among carriers. Now when I say "This" I don't mean the price of the phone, I'm referring to the overall cost of being a customer (monthly bills, ETFs, contract lengths, etc). Chances are, the pain of a $299 price tag would be exponentially reduced if that bill you're paying every month was reduced by 25%. We're a heavily consumer driven population and a majority of us on this thread are included in that group(myself included, guilty). We sit here waiting and ranting for a phone to be released. We're basically saying "SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY", while barely coughing at the price. Meanwhile, these same companies spend millions of dollars to lobby our governments to more or less bend laws in their favor (for more on this see "lack of wireless carrier regulation in network neutrality"). I'd also direct your attention to how over a decade ago, many of these companies were paid billions of tax payer dollars to build out a network infrastructure and instead wasted the money on their own interests. Where is the regulation??! Peel the onion back and take a peek. The amount of effort you spend doing so and working for change will gauge how truly frustrated you are. Chances are, you'll read this post, and it might hit a curiosity nerve, but that's where it will end. You'll forget all about it as you continue paying that $100+/month bill and this is exactly what they're banking on. It is a "vote with your dollars" situation what will take you learning about the backside of the system. It will take you educating yourself about the lawmakers taking the money from these companies and ensuring you cast a vote each election season that favors a corporation independent lawmaker (i kind of lol, just thinking of this). While I consider myself a conservative independent, this problem is not an argument of Left or Right politics, this is a real world corporate america issue.
TL;DR - Your rant of high cost is a mere drop in the bucket when you start looking into what is really going on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Completely agree and well said. That's generally where I was going with this. The industry keeps trending more and more expensive. I'm saying that I'm drawing the line at $300 phones now. I dont want to end up like Rogers in Canada with 3yr contracts and expensive rates.
Hey you can come to Canada where our phones are between free and $150 on contract for almost every phone. You know if you like three year contracts instead... and having to pay $10 more on your plan for Caller ID and voice mail.
And i mean you guys actually have limits on your ETF they are what $350 and when you get the phones for free on an amazon sale... Our ETF is the price of the discount so if you want a decent device prepare for a $500-600 ETF
Unlimited minutes,
Verizon: $300 + $120 a month = $3180 over two years
T-Mobile: $700 + $60 a month = $2180 over two years
500 minutes,
Verizon: $300 + $90 a mont = $2460
T-Mobile: $700 + $50 a month = $1900
Verizon could give away their phones for free, they are still too expensive.
bleach168 said:
Unlimited minutes,
Verizon: $300 + $120 a month = $3180 over two years
T-Mobile: $700 + $60 a month = $2180 over two years
500 minutes,
Verizon: $300 + $90 a mont = $2460
T-Mobile: $700 + $50 a month = $1900
Verizon could give away their phones for free, they are still too expensive.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True but sadly they still have the largest subscriber base in the country.
Related
are any of you considering instead of buying the unlocked version for 750ish dollars instead just cancelling your current contract and moving to verizon for the supposed 200 dollar contract price?
I'm thinking the Pros so far would be LTE and verizon is currently having their 4GB for the price of 2GB data plan.
I thought about it briefly only because my fiance is on verizon and it would be nice to get a shared plan. However, I am on a very cheap legacy T-mobile plan with unlimited internet. I get anywhere from 5-10mbps down and 2 up in my area. It's not worth it for me.
I hadn't planned on buying the unlocked version at all. I'm currently on AT&T (and ridiculously on a contract...despite not initiating it) and I'm jumping ship when it's released for Verizon. Right now it's like a $230 ETF, but AT&T credited me $100 because it was their miscommunication that entered me onto a new contract, in the first place. Yes, I'll still end up paying $130, but I saved $300 when I bought my phone (I was planning on buying it outright, they gave me the contract pricing but started a new contract).
Pros:
*MUCH* faster internet. I have devices on both networks and the difference is massive from 4-6Mbps and 25-35Mbps (both of which are the average of what I've gotten on both networks)
*Much* better coverage. Inside of the city I have great 3.5G on AT&T. 30 minutes outside of the city things start dropping off *very* quickly.
Better group data connections. On AT&T, anytime I'm in a very crowded area (think baseball or football stadiums) my data connection drops off to nothing. I still have full service, but I get no data at all. This means I get very few texts, if any, and my internet is all but useless. This is the biggest annoyance I have with AT&T, and I've been true for years.
Currently it is cheaper to switch then it is to buy unlocked. I am on AT&T right now and my prorated termination fee is $235. If I switch to Verizon it will cost me the $235 + $199.99 or $299.99 (whatever the phone ends up costing). in other words I will be spending $435 or $535 for the phone vs. 700+ to import it. On top of that I can sell my current phone (atrix) for around $200 (with accessories) which will bring my costs to either $235, $335, or $500+ depending on what I do.
Long story short its currently a better deal to switch carriers unless they release the unlocked version here in the us for ~$500.
If you're switching from AT&T it's probably worth it considering the monthly plans are about the same price If you're switching from T-mobile it probably isn't considering your plan is probably much cheaper.
Obviously you can make your own call on your situation, if you have LTE in your area, if Verizon's voice service is better in your area, or if you have family members on Verizon, etc.
I think the answer is different for each case. There's definitely no 1 answer here.
I was considering doing the same thing until I looked at how much it would cost me on Verizon vs. the cost if I were to stick with my T-Mobile plan.
Right now I'm paying a nice $113/m for:
750 minutes split across four lines, all with unlimited texting, and unlimited data on my phone.
by my calculations, it would be at least $80/m with my student (15%) discount at Verizon for just me, never mind the fact that I would need to pay a $200 ETF and then $200 for a phone. By the time I have my GN in hand it would have cost me $400 to get there to a more expensive plan..
If I were to switch my entire family over to Verizon, it would cost so much more per month, and they would all need to buy new phones - it's not worth it.
Instead, I sold my old nexus one for $150, bought a SGS II for $275 and am currently about to sell it for $520 or so. By my calculations, that takes off about $400 of my GN, bringing it down to about $300 - a very reasonable price for this phone.
The speeds on T-Mobile here in Seattle are pretty awesome as well. I just did a speedtest and got 7mb down (for some reason only 300kb up), while LTE may be faster, the price and battery drain makes it completely not worth it.
Unlocked + $30 PrePaid unlimited 4G T-mobile plan = pure ownage.
I'll be also swapping my HTC Rezound for Verizon's Nexus as it's within the return policy frame. Two Nexi woot
I think it may be worth switching now after reading the comments from that youtube video of the Verizon version of the phone it's listed as having 32GB as opposed to the 16GB for the unlocked version.
I'm ETFing my 2-line family plan with T-Mobile and switching to Verizon. About 4 months ago, the data speeds in my neighborhood dropped from about 2.5 Mbps to 0.5 Mbps. T-Mobile has done nothing to rectify the issue, so I'd rather pay a bit more each month and actually get what I pay for. However, I am not interested in any phone other than the GNex.
And this why carriers continue to rule in the usa because the sheep like subsidies. Vomits.
Sent from my samsung gt i9250 which is in the wrong country.
pukemon said:
And this why carriers continue to rule in the usa because the sheep like subsidies. Vomits.
Sent from my samsung gt i9250 which is in the wrong country.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually they rule because of coverage and devices. tmobile works for some people and doesn't for most which is why it is in the financial quagmire it currently is in.
I think it's totally worth it, and I almost did it. Ultimately, for now I think I will stick with the GSM version, but the lure of LTE is very tempting. Here are the factors you should consider:
1a) Verizon has (much) faster data speeds on their Nexus if you have LTE in your area.
1b) Verizon has slower data speeds on their Nexus if you do not have LTE in your area.
2) Verizon is much better for use in crowds, like at football games where AT&T doesn't work at all.
3) Verizon generally has better coverage in buildings.
4) AT&T and T-Mobile have (much) better international options. Verizon is basically unusable internationally because you will lose your double your data plan if you ever switch to an international plan and/or rent an international phone, even temporarily (and yes, I had something like 4 conversations with various Verizon representatives about this).
I have unlimited data on AT&T, so that plus the international issue (1-2 trips a year) made me decide to pass for now. It's still incredibly tempting, though, so I wouldn't blame you at all. Just do yourself a favor and don't let the carrier subsidy be the deciding factor.
I have to admit, I didn't think of this angle. I still have a contract from AT&T from the original iPhone 4 (sold long ago). I believe my ETF currently is around $180 or so. I bought the unlocked GN two weeks ago and have been loving it, but Verizon's (expensive) network is tempting as is LTE.
But I look at it this way. I don't need more than 5 down. I mean 25-30 would be nice, but I just don't see the need for that type of bandwidth on a phone. Perhaps if I had a tethering plan, but add that in and you will burn through 4-6 gigs/month fast...so then you look at the 10 gig plan, which is a fortune. Next thing you know, your monthly bill for one line is like $130, and that's with only 450 non-rollover minutes and no texts. Not for me.
I have two lines on ATT, both with unlimited data and 200 SMSs. After my company discount, it only costs us $117 after taxes. We have like 4,000 rollover minutes.
I just can't justify it, but I do fully agree Verizon is a much better network than ATT. And then there's the "toss any pre-paid SIM" international angle...
It's just sensible to stay where I am for now. If Verizon ever did an unlimited data promotion again, I'd join in a heartbeat. They already tested the waters with double data, so I'd say it's always possible for a short-running unlimited data promo.
Ball's in your court VZW!
Also if you think the GSM nexus is going to be at this price forever you are nuts. As soon as more supply opens up and other retailers start selling it the price is going to fall rapidly. I'd just wait a month and be perfectly happy buying it from Amazon for much less.
Aridon said:
Also if you think the GSM nexus is going to be at this price forever you are nuts. As soon as more supply opens up and other retailers start selling it the price is going to fall rapidly. I'd just wait a month and be perfectly happy buying it from Amazon for much less.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you consider "much less?" I'd bet it holds above $550 for many, many months.
For reference, the SGSII is still $552 on Amazon. It's been out for quite a while...
I don't think a single person thinks the GNEX will be $750 "forever."
ericshmerick said:
What do you consider "much less?" I'd bet it holds above $550 for many, many months.
For reference, the SGSII is still $552 on Amazon. It's been out for quite a while...
I don't think a single person thinks the GNEX will be $750 "forever."
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
$200 less and no etf is a lot of change.
ericshmerick said:
I have to admit, I didn't think of this angle. I still have a contract from AT&T from the original iPhone 4 (sold long ago). I believe my ETF currently is around $180 or so. I bought the unlocked GN two weeks ago and have been loving it, but Verizon's (expensive) network is tempting as is LTE.
But I look at it this way. I don't need more than 5 down. I mean 25-30 would be nice, but I just don't see the need for that type of bandwidth on a phone. Perhaps if I had a tethering plan, but add that in and you will burn through 4-6 gigs/month fast...so then you look at the 10 gig plan, which is a fortune. Next thing you know, your monthly bill for one line is like $130, and that's with only 450 non-rollover minutes and no texts. Not for me.
I have two lines on ATT, both with unlimited data and 200 SMSs. After my company discount, it only costs us $117 after taxes. We have like 4,000 rollover minutes.
I just can't justify it, but I do fully agree Verizon is a much better network than ATT. And then there's the "toss any pre-paid SIM" international angle...
It's just sensible to stay where I am for now. If Verizon ever did an unlimited data promotion again, I'd join in a heartbeat. They already tested the waters with double data, so I'd say it's always possible for a short-running unlimited data promo.
Ball's in your court VZW!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just found out they are offering Microsoft Employees unlimited data for 20 dollars, so looks like i'm definitely switching over to verizon and just cancelling AT&T
True2TheGame said:
Just found out they are offering Microsoft Employees unlimited data for 20 dollars, so looks like i'm definitely switching over to verizon and just cancelling AT&T
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
...so basically MSFT is incenting their employees to go to VZW for, well, Android phones?
Sounds like a great deal! (/sarcasm)
pukemon said:
And this why carriers continue to rule in the usa because the sheep like subsidies. Vomits.
Sent from my samsung gt i9250 which is in the wrong country.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like options. Sometimes its cheaper to buy outright and other times its cheaper to go on contract if you plan to be with a carrier for a couple years. In the US we only have 4 carriers really, 2 of which are GSM... so we don't switch carriers often and prices are about the same.
Buy now, pay later is the American dream.
G2x - 2.3.7 CM7
Transformer - 3.2 Revolver OC/UV
And another policy change... only the Primary line is eligible for discounts after Feb 1.
http://www.sprintfeed.com/2011/12/s...ing-february-2nd-2012-it-just-might-cost-you/
This comes after removing the discounts on lines 3-5, doubling the activation fees, revamping the Premier program, and then removing the Premier program. Basically my 20% company discount is only good for 1 line, big whoop.
So, let's see... they're "aligning" to what AT&T and Verizon do, but they still have the slow network and 3G speeds. 4G is at least over a year away if I stay with Sprint, Verizon and T-mobile have 4G locally and AT&T and coming soon. Why would I pay the same for slower speeds? Yeah, time to move on.
For those that don't want to read the article linked... sfhub clearly summarizes the article in a simple way...
sfhub said:
STARTING FEB 2nd, 2012 (ie not today, won't show up on today's bill)
Line 1/2 $129.99 => Line 1 $110.00 / Line 2 $19.99
Your NVP discount 10%, 15%, 27%, 28%, etc. will then only apply only to Line 1, no longer Line2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
-Daryel
i really hope they lose big on the iphone.... sounds like another apple induced policy.... lame. unfortunately they will be pushing the cost of a couple VZ lines for me.... i barely use data. Really not seeing the point of staying much longer... sad...
it may be time to reactivate the old bb curve and moment... and sell the Epic 1 and 2....
See ya
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
Cool... Now Sprint has until January 31, 2012 to fix their network issues before a mass exodus occurs ETF free. Now you know what the next change will be, goodbye unlimited.
This would only applying to accounts with multiple individual lines not family plans, correct? I thought they already did away with discounts on the extra lines of family plans.
You have been Epicly Touched by Jesse Buck
I don't know if this will allow for eft-free cancellation.
I love my E4GT, but my wife is not excited about the $220 after discounts that we pay every month. I get 4G in the office, but the rest of the family doesn't. We have 4 accounts in our family plan, and every month the rates go up somehow. My son uses android apps, but doesn't make calls, so i was thinking about the $30 tmo prepaid option. I read something about 2 lines with everything "unlimited" on tmo for $30 each. My agency has a 20% discount which I wonder if it is only for one line or all... But those were prepaid and chances are for discount you need a contract. Sigh. I think no matter what, they have a tight grip on our privates.
I am tired of no 4G coverage, doubled activation fee, removal of premier, required $10 fee for any smartphone, removal of discounts on 3+ lines, and now removal of discount on 2+ lines, increase of ETF and reduction of return/satisfaction window, added fees... Did I miss something??
Is sprint really the best bang for your buck?? I get 4G coverage for tmo and Verizon around my area. Verizon is too expensive, and can't hear anything but bad things about at&t. Tmo is the one nobody talks about.
Anybody got any insight about tmo as a possible migration path if this causes an ETF free contract breach!?
Have buy back from best buy on all my phones. But that would not help me if I were to buy used phones off Craigslist or ebay or some such...
Anyway, I don't want to bug anybody, to each their own. I just hate how powerless we are about all the changes sprint has made, and the cost it hS in our bill at the end of the month.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA App
Read the link...
This actually brings it in line with the rest of their discount policy... They already say they won't discount any fee or service that is less than $20.
Granted it's crummy, but I frankly assumed that the $19.99 was a segregated fee anyway (I don't have multiple lines).
Jesse Buck said:
This would only applying to accounts with multiple individual lines not family plans, correct? I thought they already did away with discounts on the extra lines of family plans.
You have been Epicly Touched by Jesse Buck
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought so, too. I'm still receiving discounts on my 2nd, 3rd and 4th lines though. If speeds don't improve by Jan 31st, sadly I have to say I will probably leave, too. We all know that all of these policy changes just mean more are around the corner.
i360 said:
Cool... Now Sprint has until January 31, 2012 to fix their network issues before a mass exodus occurs ETF free. Now you know what the next change will be, goodbye unlimited.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Discounts aren't typically a part of your contract though, so you'll still have to pay an ETF to leave.
datajosh said:
Discounts aren't typically a part of your contract though, so you'll still have to pay an ETF to leave.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While that could be true, the discount plays a part on why some continue their service, and deal with the reduction of quality service that's been occurring. Now, this will change the price by eliminating the discounts which is why some are still with them. This is an increase that wasn't agreed to, the same as when they jacked up the taxes, and should result as early dismissal. While i'm holding on, if the price gets raised more to match their competitors, without providing the same quality of service, then there's no real incentive to stay.
This effects us on Contract too I used to like sprint
I have a 24% discount
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
But the family plan is so because it was $129. 99 for two lines. That is the plan. Then, you can add extra lines. If you only had a line, then added a second one, it would be shared, but that's not how the plan was inscribed in the family contract. Otherwise, they're saying you could have a one-line family shared plan, for $110 + and $10 for smartphone, way more than their unlimited single plan. The reason why it was a good deal is because it was a bundled 2x$129. 99. The $20 extra lines was just icing on the cake. Prettyuch they are trying to become everything everyone Hayes, to stay "competitive". Are we screwed or are we screwed?
How long are we going to allow them to f°°know us over?
Where does it end? When they declare no more unlimited data? Oh wait they did that with hotshot and mobile devices... And we are still here. Yeah I'm loyal to Sprint, but before we realize it, we are gonna end up paying as much as Verizon for a subpar service (I know, Verizon is way more expensive...)
I have an E4GT, 2 EVO3D, 1 Evo4gshift. Maybe I can get something for them.
My wife is pregnant, and with the costs of medical care in the US, every penny counts.
But sorry for my comments, feels like I'm just looking for any chance to rant.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA App
Jesus farking christ is this another I hate sprint and I'm am leaving thread? Instead of you guys hitting the keyboard with your penis beaters just leave......
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
I had AT&T for about 3 years and was horrified with their services.. The only reason I moved to Sprint was because of a higher corp discount and better reviews from people I knew with Sprint.. Also, AT&T somehow screwed up my contract and my corp discount with them, which was the reason I was able to get out ETF free after 1 year into my contract.
This is definitively a sneaky move on Sprint's part and I won't take it laying down. I usually fight these type of changes and win. I'm not trying to get anything free, I just want to serve my sentence (contract term), without any damn changes on what we agreed... is that so damn hard to understand?
And to those saying this is not a contract change, it is to those of us with the corp discounts. When you receive your corp discount, you have to RE-sign a new 2 yr contract agreeing to receive this discount for the length of your contract.
Here is an example of something similar not too long ago with Sprint:
http://explainthefee.com/2010/09/10/cancel-your-sprint-contract-without-paying-an-etf/
jromankvcc said:
But the family plan is so because it was $129. 99 for two lines. That is the plan. Then, you can add extra lines. If you only had a line, then added a second one, it would be shared, but that's not how the plan was inscribed in the family contract. Otherwise, they're saying you could have a one-line family shared plan, for $110 + and $10 for smartphone, way more than their unlimited single plan. The reason why it was a good deal is because it was a bundled 2x$129. 99. The $20 extra lines was just icing on the cake. Prettyuch they are trying to become everything everyone Hayes, to stay "competitive". Are we screwed or are we screwed?
How long are we going to allow them to f°°know us over?
Where does it end? When they declare no more unlimited data? Oh wait they did that with hotshot and mobile devices... And we are still here. Yeah I'm loyal to Sprint, but before we realize it, we are gonna end up paying as much as Verizon for a subpar service (I know, Verizon is way more expensive...)
I have an E4GT, 2 EVO3D, 1 Evo4gshift. Maybe I can get something for them.
My wife is pregnant, and with the costs of medical care in the US, every penny counts.
But sorry for my comments, feels like I'm just looking for any chance to rant.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OT... but lol autocorrect
id10terror said:
I had AT&T for about 3 years and was horrified with their services.. The only reason I moved to Sprint was because of a higher corp discount and better reviews from people I knew with Sprint.. Also, AT&T somehow screwed up my contract and my corp discount with them, which was the reason I was able to get out ETF free after 1 year into my contract.
This is definitively a sneaky move on Sprint's part and I won't take it laying down. I usually fight these type of changes and win. I'm not trying to get anything free, I just want to serve my sentence (contract term), without any damn changes on what we agreed... is that so damn hard to understand?
And to those saying this is not a contract change, it is to those of us with the corp discounts. When you receive your corp discount, you have to RE-sign a new 2 yr contract agreeing to receive this discount for the length of your contract.
Here is an example of something similar not too long ago with Sprint:
http://explainthefee.com/2010/09/10/cancel-your-sprint-contract-without-paying-an-etf/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't have to re-sign anything. All I did was call them and it was added to my account.
awesomeindeed said:
I didn't have to re-sign anything. All I did was call them and it was added to my account.
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Click to collapse
I had to re-sign an agreement online when I applied the discount.
Not saying the store reps know half the sh!t that comes out of their mouths but I ad an entire store of them here tell me all of these changes (all for the worse) are because of the iPhone. They're all pissed about it and loathe the day Sprint 'signed a contract with the devil' as they put it.
So if I get a 25% discount because of my employer - I won't get it anymore after 2-1-2012? Because that's a HUGE breach of contract if that's true. I kept mine so I know what it says - already had to use it once because I was told I only had one activation fee then got charged all three on my bill.
This is a material adverse, I don't care how it's worded. I signed a CONTRACT for a certain amount and certain discounts. If that changes by 0.1 cent - it's a breach.
id10terror said:
I had AT&T for about 3 years and was horrified with their services.. The only reason I moved to Sprint was because of a higher corp discount and better reviews from people I knew with Sprint.. Also, AT&T somehow screwed up my contract and my corp discount with them, which was the reason I was able to get out ETF free after 1 year into my contract.
This is definitively a sneaky move on Sprint's part and I won't take it laying down. I usually fight these type of changes and win. I'm not trying to get anything free, I just want to serve my sentence (contract term), without any damn changes on what we agreed... is that so damn hard to understand?
And to those saying this is not a contract change, it is to those of us with the corp discounts. When you receive your corp discount, you have to RE-sign a new 2 yr contract agreeing to receive this discount for the length of your contract.
Here is an example of something similar not too long ago with Sprint:
http://explainthefee.com/2010/09/10/cancel-your-sprint-contract-without-paying-an-etf/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ATTs customer service is horrid, but otherwise they're probably my favorite network in the US. I'd never switch because of the insane price, capped data, boot for tethering, throttling grandfathered contracts, etc.
Sprint needs to make their network worth having before they charge more.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
KCRic said:
Not saying the store reps know half the sh!t that comes out of their mouths but I ad an entire store of them here tell me all of these changes (all for the worse) are because of the iPhone. They're all pissed about it and loathe the day Sprint 'signed a contract with the devil' as they put it.
So if I get a 25% discount because of my employer - I won't get it anymore after 2-1-2012? Because that's a HUGE breach of contract if that's true. I kept mine so I know what it says - already had to use it once because I was told I only had one activation fee then got charged all three on my bill.
This is a material adverse, I don't care how it's worded. I signed a CONTRACT for a certain amount and certain discounts. If that changes by 0.1 cent - it's a breach.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It sounds like you personally will still get the discount, but no one else that is on your plan would.
It's short and sweet...http://androidspin.com/2012/02/09/is-the-iphone-a-blessing-or-a-curse-for-carriers-bend-over-and-lets-find-out/. Have a go.
Indrid Cole said:
It's short and sweet...http://androidspin.com/2012/02/09/is-the-iphone-a-blessing-or-a-curse-for-carriers-bend-over-and-lets-find-out/. Have a go.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But it's not fair. I don't even buy apple stuff and they're [inadvertently] ruining everything
Apple is a menace to the tech world.
What I never understood is how carriers don't make a profit until the 11 month mark. Take two Epic Touches at $499 a pop, Sprint eats $300 of the cost if they offer it at $199. Then factor in the cost of a data plan with TEP and the data charge at around $175 for two phones. That equals $1925 in 11 months, minus the $600 Sprint ate on the devices equals $1325. So how are they losing any money? Unless my math is wrong they're making profits only a few months in to the contract based on the plan price alone. Some one explain this because I don't rightly get it.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA App
ccline84 said:
What I never understood is how carriers don't make a profit until the 11 month mark. Take two Epic Touches at $499 a pop, Sprint eats $300 of the cost if they offer it at $199. Then factor in the cost of a data plan with TEP and the data charge at around $175 for two phones. That equals $1925 in 11 months, minus the $600 Sprint ate on the devices equals $1325. So how are they losing any money? Unless my math is wrong they're making profits only a few months in to the contract based on the plan price alone. Some one explain this because I don't rightly get it.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure, it looks like a profit on the phone, and you can argue that. However the company will not consider it a profit until all other costs are covered. Figure it from a business owner standpoint. You have the cost of your store overhead that sold it, the employees hourly pay and commission from the sale, etc.. on a larger scale you have all the other costs you can imagine. Offices, higher ups wages, network maintenance, the list goes on. The "profit" can only be considered a true profit after a profit/loss analysis on a bigger scale. Many preferred retailers use the profit loss analysis approach to their stores when figuring how to pay employees. You have to determine how much it costs to run the business, and how much money you bring in. The difference is your profit or loss. That's why it takes so long to make a profit.
At the same time Didn't Sprint also say that another part of their loss for this past quarter was part of Network Vision as well? It's not just the iPhone for them right now considering they are building out a brand new LTE network.
So are people really saying that when phones are sold to us at a subsidized rate, that carriers actually spent more than the subsidized rate to acquire them initially & HOPE to make up or exceed the difference in the service plan?
I highly doubt it (though I could be wrong). Even when selling the phone at a subsidized rate there is always some type of markup over the initial investment, even if marginal (again I could be wrong)
How much do you think Sprint actually pays per Epic Touch?
I read that Apples subsidized rate was something like 40 or 60% more than other high end phones.
Hahaha apple they wont last long
EL TEJANO said:
So are people really saying that when phones are sold to us at a subsidized rate, that carriers actually spent more than the subsidized rate to acquire them initially & HOPE to make up or exceed the difference in the service plan?
I highly doubt it (though I could be wrong). Even when selling the phone at a subsidized rate there is always some type of markup over the initial investment, even if marginal (again I could be wrong)
How much do you think Sprint actually pays per Epic Touch?
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Click to collapse
very close to the retail price, i promise you. Trust me, it really is a "hope" type business. That's why we worry so much about customer churn.
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squshy 7 said:
very close to the retail price, i promise you. Trust me, it really is a "hope" type business. That's why we worry so much about customer churn.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i guess its kinda like gas... the business can only mark it up so much/state taxes and competitors
but honestly if sprint bought $630 million dollars (if im reading right) on iphones... and didnt get a "bulk" deal from apple (or any manufacturer for that matter) its their own fault....
im not gonna start a business and pay retail on 1000s of products to sell them cheaper in hope that the customer becomes a "regular"
sprint can kiss my ass there is NO way a business would make it in todays economic state if they play the foolish "hope" card
and if all carriers REALLLLLLLLY pay retail for **** plastic devices over seas then looks like i know what im gonna be investing in....
my opinion leave it at that if im wrong im wrong but seriously.... no fortune 500 company (investors/CEO's/ANYONE) would be so careless
its in my opinion its all a lie or atleast "stretched" truths
"I worked at T-Mobile for 5 years. I was the go to guy for Android phones and training. That passion didn't stop even after my departure from the company. I currently moved up from my MyTouch 3G to a Samsung Vibrant. A lot has changed in a very short time. I look forward to all the latest and greatest every time I wake up. "
no offense to the writer but you went from a mytouch 3g to a samsung galaxy s vibrant??!?!?!?!?!?!? lol they BOTH came out last year for god sakes
Can they say the same thing about Android? I am certain there are supporting numbers that account for loss for every device on the market. With so many makes and models of Android available I can imagine that we cost the carriers just as much if not more than the iPhone does. The difference is they aren’t linked to one specific device. Even though the numbers point towards iPhone as the devil, the consumers and the manufacturers are more to blame
Its the discount structure as a whole...
Bear gri11z said:
i guess its kinda like gas... the business can only mark it up so much/state taxes and competitors
but honestly if sprint bought $630 million dollars (if im reading right) on iphones... and didnt get a "bulk" deal from apple (or any manufacturer for that matter) its their own fault....
im not gonna start a business and pay retail on 1000s of products to sell them cheaper in hope that the customer becomes a "regular"
sprint can kiss my ass there is NO way a business would make it in todays economic state if they play the foolish "hope" card
and if all carriers REALLLLLLLLY pay retail for **** plastic devices over seas then looks like i know what im gonna be investing in....
my opinion leave it at that if im wrong im wrong but seriously.... no fortune 500 company (investors/CEO's/ANYONE) would be so careless
its in my opinion its all a lie or atleast "stretched" truths
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any monthly subscription service is the same way. You get people in the door (so to speak) with a loss leader, and then make all your money on the OTHER things the customer buys.
Even if you paid $500 for your ET, Sprint probably wouldn't make a profit straight out on it. Say it cost them $450 to purchase it from Samsung. It also cost something to get it shipped to the store. They have rent and utilities to pay each month. They have a manager and a salesguy to pay. By the time you shell out your $500, they MIGHT be breaking even.
But then you buy a screen protector for $25 and a carrying case for $30. Those two items probably cost them a combined $10. NOW you've made them a profit on the transaction.
Dalmus said:
Any monthly subscription service is the same way. You get people in the door (so to speak) with a loss leader, and then make all your money on the OTHER things the customer buys.
Even if you paid $500 for your ET, Sprint probably wouldn't make a profit straight out on it. Say it cost them $450 to purchase it from Samsung. It also cost something to get it shipped to the store. They have rent and utilities to pay each month. They have a manager and a salesguy to pay. By the time you shell out your $500, they MIGHT be breaking even.
But then you buy a screen protector for $25 and a carrying case for $30. Those two items probably cost them a combined $10. NOW you've made them a profit on the transaction.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah i got it but seriously WTF lol
i mean how does wirefly/letstalk.com get their phones and sell them cheap... do they buy from sprint? or from the manufacturer? ( i know they have their own ETF if you cancel in before a certain period) but my god i wouldnt put my business in customers hand who dont even get a REAL credit check done
sprint and tmobile are the easiest carriers to get into with horrible/no credit and not pay a HIGH deposit or NONE at all... i mean seriously lets give someone with poor credit a contractual obligation for 2 years with hope that they dont just bail and leave us with the bill (like they have done already) and cry about our profit margins and increase the prices/change policies on our current customers to make up the difference.... horrible business ethics... and that is coming from a person that dropped out of college.... a CEO cant figure this out?
or the investors who put their money into a ticking time bomb? i give zero ****s to sprint and there profit margins.... for all i care they can merge with big red or go bankrupt making a deal with apple to buy 30-35 million iphones in the next 4 years was a bad move.... and if they couldnt see that from AT&T after how many years of struggling with the iphone... then they are as naive as Lance Ito (the judge for OJ simpsons murder case)
Freeroot said:
But it's not fair. I don't even buy apple stuff and they're [inadvertently] ruining everything
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
higher termination fees, no multiple purchases of world phones on accounts with spending limits, no more sprint premier... you're right, it ISNT fair to those of us who have been customers for years... ONE of the many reasons i hate apple.
ccline84 said:
What I never understood is how carriers don't make a profit until the 11 month mark. Take two Epic Touches at $499 a pop, Sprint eats $300 of the cost if they offer it at $199. Then factor in the cost of a data plan with TEP and the data charge at around $175 for two phones. That equals $1925 in 11 months, minus the $600 Sprint ate on the devices equals $1325. So how are they losing any money? Unless my math is wrong they're making profits only a few months in to the contract based on the plan price alone. Some one explain this because I don't rightly get it.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
EL TEJANO said:
So are people really saying that when phones are sold to us at a subsidized rate, that carriers actually spent more than the subsidized rate to acquire them initially & HOPE to make up or exceed the difference in the service plan?
I highly doubt it (though I could be wrong). Even when selling the phone at a subsidized rate there is always some type of markup over the initial investment, even if marginal (again I could be wrong)
How much do you think Sprint actually pays per Epic Touch?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i work at a preferred retailer, and i have no idea what the epic touch cost. i CAN tell you though, that the HTC Evo 4G cost my store $375 per phone, with an MSRP of $449.99. we buy ours from a vendor named Brightpoint. i have no idea what brightpoints investment is on these devices, but i believe they are owned by sprint, so it IS possible that they are taking a hit from the manufacturer to me, hoping i sell them. i REALLY hope we arent WAGERING with my employer's future here...
squshy 7 said:
very close to the retail price, i promise you. Trust me, it really is a "hope" type business. That's why we worry so much about customer churn.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, it really is close to retail. the iPhone 4S 16 GB costs my store $645 from our vendor... the MSRP is $650... either apple or brightpoint are bending us over here. in fact, its so bad, that the managers at my store wont sell iphones out of store inventory to upgrades, only to new lines. our franchise gets more commission from sprint for new lines, thus making it more "worth it". i think this is a TERRIBLE idea, you should never treat new customers better than current ones (or am i just too old fashioned? )
Dalmus said:
Any monthly subscription service is the same way. You get people in the door (so to speak) with a loss leader, and then make all your money on the OTHER things the customer buys.
Even if you paid $500 for your ET, Sprint probably wouldn't make a profit straight out on it. Say it cost them $450 to purchase it from Samsung. It also cost something to get it shipped to the store. They have rent and utilities to pay each month. They have a manager and a salesguy to pay. By the time you shell out your $500, they MIGHT be breaking even.
But then you buy a screen protector for $25 and a carrying case for $30. Those two items probably cost them a combined $10. NOW you've made them a profit on the transaction.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
loss leaders make more sense than gambling on the prospect of future business. i think this is probably what is happening. ill give you a hint though. my store's cost for a case and screen protector? >$10
and since sprint REQUIRES we go through a certain accessory vendor, i am led to believe they get kick backs from the vendor (or what would it matter?)
as for the 11 month thing with tmobile, i dont know how sprints works, but i have an idea. when a customer cancels their line from sprint within the first 181 days, our commission is charged back (to the franchise, and then in turn to the salesperson). if its beyond that, franchise gets to keep the commission. if sprint is still losing money at this point, why arent they pulling the commission back? idk, i dont run a bazillion dollar (legit amount) corporation.
thats just my 47 cents.
I had a feeling this would get some plps gears grinding. It did me.
Let's go spam the IPhone boards with this link.lol.
Come on some one do it. I will give ya all my thanks.
Indrid Cole said:
I had a feeling this would get some plps gears grinding. It did me.
Let's go spam the IPhone boards with this link.lol.
Come on some one do it. I will give ya all my thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dude Im going to go over to the iPhone forum to start a thread. Watch ill shoot you the link.
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---------- Post added at 10:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:22 PM ----------
I went looking, I need a link to an iphone forum. Im totally ready to start some trouble...
jasone4gt said:
Dude Im going to go over to the iPhone forum to start a thread. Watch ill shoot you the link.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA Premium App
---------- Post added at 10:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:22 PM ----------
I went looking, I need a link to an iphone forum. Im totally ready to start some trouble...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Inthe find your device box here in XDA type in IPhone.
Do it do it do it do it.
Indrid Cole said:
Inthe find your device box here in XDA type in IPhone.
Do it do it do it do it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL I totally went looking, but there are no iphone forums on xda. None... I even went and googled iphone forums, but the ones I went to, wanted me to start an account before I posted anything. LOL that would have been awesome though
Ok fukit I'm gonna do it. Brb.
You initially save ~$350 upon signing a 2yr agreement, then pay $200 for the device. But, when you pay for it off contract, you pay $550+ and still pay for a phone plan, you're just not locked in.
Now think about it, if you cancel the plan with a contract phone, you pretty much just pay the $350, which in the end adds up to the off contract price (the ETF gets lower, the longer you're in the plan, which in the end is even cheaper). But with an off-contract phone, you can just cancel without an ETF.
So if my logic is correct (please correct me if I'm wrong), why are so many people against signing a 2yr contract with Sprint or another wireless carrier?
I too wonder the same thing. You end up paying an extra $200-250 over the life of the contract.
Cause their stupid ?
Sometimes people just aren't any good with their money, and unwilling to have the patience required to wait it out. They would rather pay a premium for "freedom".
I had the original sero for over 5 years. Just recently imho phones are at the point (sg2) where it is worth the extra $20 to me to own one. Otherwise I kept renewing my contract so they couldn't surprise sex my bill.
hakcenter said:
Cause their stupid ?
Sometimes people just aren't any good with their money, and unwilling to have the patience required to wait it out. They would rather pay a premium for "freedom".
I had the original sero for over 5 years. Just recently imho phones are at the point (sg2) where it is worth the extra $20 to me to own one. Otherwise I kept renewing my contract so they couldn't surprise sex my bill.
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Click to collapse
Off contract, terms of service can change and you go with them. Under contract you are locked in at least for the life of the deal.
I buy all my phones off ebay or craigslist for around $200 - $250 within a month or so after they come out. I have no contract, and paid the same price as someone who signs a contract to get a discount. I get a new phone every 3 - 6 months, which beats having to wait 2 years, and I have a lot of leverage with Sprint because I have been with them for 12 years, and anytime Im not happy, I just tell them to cancel my contract. Its funny how the problem gets resolved when I threaten to leave.
Here is a list of some of the phones I have bought on craigslist: Epic 4g ($175 2 months after released), nexus S 4g ($220 the month it released), Evo 3D ($175 2-3 months after release), Epic Touch ($225 a month after release), 32G iPhone 4S ($225, yes 225 the month it was released)
Before the E4GT I had rarely owned any phone longer than a year and even that was stretching it. I'm a gadget freak, I love new toys and I live my life in a manner that allows me to enjoy them from time to time without putting myself in a financial pinch. I guess the trade off is that I'll keep a car until it's falling apart rather than buy a new one every few years like most people I know. Tech devices, unlike cars, are really sort of over the hill after 2years and I don't like being stuck with old technology.
Also, for me it isn't about not wanting to sign a new contract with Sprint, I've been with them so long and will likely continue with them into the foreseeable future that it isn't an issue. It really is just the wait between upgrades. I dislike having limitations on the ability to stay current therefore I remove them by ensuring I have the money to get what I want, when I want .. within means of course. lol
And for the record, I really wish we could leave off with the comments like "their stupid" (please make note of correct spelling before calling other people stupid, it's they're, not their). That never lends itself to mature discussion and really just reflects poorly on the person using it. Surely you can pull something more agreeable from your vocabulary but if not, there's always an online thesaurus just a click away.
shiftr182 said:
I buy all my phones off ebay or craigslist for around $200 - $250 within a month or so after they come out. I have no contract, and paid the same price as someone who signs a contract to get a discount. I get a new phone every 3 - 6 months, which beats having to wait 2 years, and I have a lot of leverage with Sprint because I have been with them for 12 years, and anytime Im not happy, I just tell them to cancel my contract. Its funny how the problem gets resolved when I threaten to leave.
Here is a list of some of the phones I have bought on craigslist: Epic 4g ($175 2 months after released), nexus S 4g ($220 the month it released), Evo 3D ($175 2-3 months after release), Epic Touch ($225 a month after release), 32G iPhone 4S ($225, yes 225 the month it was released)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Epic Touch a month after release, $225? How?
Sent from my EPIC TOUCH!
I call BS on the iPhone @ $225. Prove it!
Those phones will go for $500+ with good ESNs.
The best phone that my service provider offers is still the CDMA Hero... Unless you want to go with iPhone (whew no lightening from the sky). So i bought E4GT from ebay for cheaper than they would offer with a contract anyway.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA
I don't get the premise or math the first two posters are using. Assuming a $550 off-contract price vs. a $200 + $350 ETF combo for doing a 2-yr stint, where does the "stoopid peeple pay $250" come from. Service rates don't change whether you did a contract or not so what gives?
I came to Sprint in June 2009 for the Palm Pre, switching to an OG EVO in June 2010. Fed up with how Gingerbread totally swallowed up memory on the EVO (causing it to refuse to do anything if it dropped below 10% free space) and after banging my head against the wall for 4 months trying to resolve the issue, I threw down the full $500 for an E4GT in October 2011 and never looked back.
I may've been able to finagle an upgrade price due to the TOS shens Sprint was pulling at the time, but that would've required me to recommit until October 2013 to a phone already 6 months old internationally on a carrier that had been charging my a $10 premium for 4G that I've never used with a tech that was being abandoned in favor of a flavor that may take years to arrive. FTS!
I'm now off contract and am free to go where I want NOW. Too bad all the other carriers are so expensive, but at least they have decent speeds and coverage. It's just not worth the extra $300+ per year they'd cost. Sigh.
DirkBelig said:
I don't get the premise or math the first two posters are using. Assuming a $550 off-contract price vs. a $200 + $350 ETF combo for doing a 2-yr stint, where does the "stoopid peeple pay $250" come from. Service rates don't change whether you did a contract or not so what gives?
I came to Sprint in June 2009 for the Palm Pre, switching to an OG EVO in June 2010. Fed up with how Gingerbread totally swallowed up memory on the EVO (causing it to refuse to do anything if it dropped below 10% free space) and after banging my head against the wall for 4 months trying to resolve the issue, I threw down the full $500 for an E4GT in October 2011 and never looked back.
I may've been able to finagle an upgrade price due to the TOS shens Sprint was pulling at the time, but that would've required me to recommit until October 2013 to a phone already 6 months old internationally on a carrier that had been charging my a $10 premium for 4G that I've never used with a tech that was being abandoned in favor of a flavor that may take years to arrive. FTS!
I'm now off contract and am free to go where I want NOW. Too bad all the other carriers are so expensive, but at least they have decent speeds and coverage. It's just not worth the extra $300+ per year they'd cost. Sigh.
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Click to collapse
Cost would be the same if you pay $350 ETF, but how many people do? Why on earth would you sign a contract factoring the $350 termination fee in?
Let's not forget that using an upgrade triggers the $36 activation fee as well. Conversely, tax is significantly higher when buying off contract (just about identical to the activation fee, so i guess its a wash lol).
quick99si said:
Let's not forget that using an upgrade triggers the $36 activation fee as well. Conversely, tax is significantly higher when buying off contract (just about identical to the activation fee, so i guess its a wash lol).
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Click to collapse
They have always waved that fee for me when I upgrade. Been with Sprint for 11 years.
If you do your timing right as far as early upgrades, etfs, etc, you can easily game the system and save money staying on contract. Even the ceo of TMobile has actually admitted contract subsidies are a loss for the companies, but no carrier wants to be the first to get rid of them.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2
tgruendler said:
They have always waved that fee for me when I upgrade. Been with Sprint for 11 years.
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Click to collapse
Waive the fee just for asking. For four phones.
Ohhhh noes my phone is out of date and...... STILL WORKS. But i continue to pay premiums and stay out of contract so when fees go up as they inevitably do you pay even more.
Cause 200pts in a benchmark or 30 minutes of theoretical battery life is total worth it /sigh
I got an e4gt cause it simply is the best phone, has been the best phone for years and will survive its many years of life in my hands. Had a rumor2 for 2 years, was it super fresh awesome ? No but it's a phone not a status icon.
Moving phones every 3-6 months just shows lack of knowledge and poor habits. Rates will never lower they will only increase, going month to month is a stupid idea unless you plan on leaving the carrier.
My whole family got 4 e4gts for 0.01 on the Amazon deal and we split a family plan that is reasonable to the sero500 we had.
tgruendler said:
They have always waved that fee for me when I upgrade. Been with Sprint for 11 years.
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When was the last time they did this for you? Sprint has taken a hard line on this matter and has been shown to be completely unwilling to waive activation fees as part of the recent "nickel and dime" movement. It has basically become a $36 surcharge to every discounted phone you buy.
My plan (SERO 500) has automatically waived activation fees as a plan feature. I was hit with it when I bought an iPhone last year, and no arguing, premier status, or escalating helped.
http://community.sprint.com/baw/message/393749
http://community.sprint.com/baw/message/388870
quick99si said:
When was the last time they did this for you? Sprint has taken a hard line on this matter and has been shown to be completely unwilling to waive activation fees as part of the recent "nickel and dime" movement. It has basically become a $36 surcharge to every discounted phone you buy.
My plan (SERO 500) has automatically waived activation fees as a plan feature. I was hit with it when I bought an iPhone last year, and no arguing, premier status, or escalating helped.
http://community.sprint.com/baw/message/393749
http://community.sprint.com/baw/message/388870
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Waived 3 months ago on a family 1500 plan. Respect, responsibility, patience comes to mind. 0.01 for 4 phones then they waived the activation, unimaginable deal.
shiftr182 said:
I buy all my phones off ebay or craigslist for around $200 - $250 within a month or so after they come out. I have no contract, and paid the same price as someone who signs a contract to get a discount. I get a new phone every 3 - 6 months, which beats having to wait 2 years, and I have a lot of leverage with Sprint because I have been with them for 12 years, and anytime Im not happy, I just tell them to cancel my contract. Its funny how the problem gets resolved when I threaten to leave.
Here is a list of some of the phones I have bought on craigslist: Epic 4g ($175 2 months after released), nexus S 4g ($220 the month it released), Evo 3D ($175 2-3 months after release), Epic Touch ($225 a month after release), 32G iPhone 4S ($225, yes 225 the month it was released)
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This guy gets it. And he beautifully shattered the argument of contract= money saved. Think outside the box a little and you'll see why not everyone prefers to commit to a contract.
Sent from my Galaxy S II SGH-T989 using xda premium
My E4GT is on Boost.
New E4GT w/ bad esn from ebay: $250
Flash to Boost: $30 (didn't want to mess it up myself)
Boost 3G Data at $0.35/day: $10.50/month
Calls at $0.10/minute: $10/month, if that (I don't need to talk much on my personal phone)
Google Voice for unlimited texting: $0/month
So I pay roughly $20 a month for a great phone, with 3G data and texting. I can change phones whenever I want, moved from a Evo 4G, same Boost set up to E4GT, a while ago. Sold the Evo to subsidize the E4GT. This method has worked well for me the last few years and I can live with the 3G data. Now that Boost will have 4G, hopefully our resourceful community will figure out a way to get the E4GT on it. I just don't see the need to be locked into a contract and pay $60+ a month for talk plus data fees, but to each their own.
shiftr182 said:
I buy all my phones off ebay or craigslist for around $200 - $250 within a month or so after they come out. I have no contract, and paid the same price as someone who signs a contract to get a discount. I get a new phone every 3 - 6 months, which beats having to wait 2 years, and I have a lot of leverage with Sprint because I have been with them for 12 years, and anytime Im not happy, I just tell them to cancel my contract. Its funny how the problem gets resolved when I threaten to leave.
Here is a list of some of the phones I have bought on craigslist: Epic 4g ($175 2 months after released), nexus S 4g ($220 the month it released), Evo 3D ($175 2-3 months after release), Epic Touch ($225 a month after release), 32G iPhone 4S ($225, yes 225 the month it was released)
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What he said.
But I don't buy that often and I don't do quite that well. I take good care of my phones so when I sell it its clean and like new meaning I will sell if for only a bit less (or sometimes more) than I paid for it. I get to change phones when I want.
T-Mobile announced that in the coming months they will end discounted phones with a contract and go the European way and make you pay retail for any phone yet your monthly bill will go down a lot in price. How do you guys feel about this.?
Sent from my SGH-T999
Some people will love it, some will hate it. Here in the states, we are spoiled, do the majority will hate it. If it goes too bad, then they'll go back to subsidies. To keep it during hatred, the other companies will do the same. I don't mind as I buy my own phones even when I was in a contract to try the latest phones. Hey, you win some, you lose some
Sent from my Rooted Gameboy
If they're doing it the way they generally have offered as of late, they may not do a carrier subsidy the way Big Red/Yellow/Blue do, but they'll allow you to do a "handset mortgage", where you can pay a "down payment" when you get the phone and then the loan will be a separate line item until you pay it off, which can be at any point.
I actually prefer this model because it allows you to pay more or less to decrease the amount still owed for your phone and potentially decrease your bill substantially once you're done paying the phone off. It will also allow for quicker upgrades because you won't have to wait two years until your contract rolls around again.
I'm not opposed to this model at all.
Joey
voyager529 said:
If they're doing it the way they generally have offered as of late, they may not do a carrier subsidy the way Big Red/Yellow/Blue do, but they'll allow you to do a "handset mortgage", where you can pay a "down payment" when you get the phone and then the loan will be a separate line item until you pay it off, which can be at any point.
I actually prefer this model because it allows you to pay more or less to decrease the amount still owed for your phone and potentially decrease your bill substantially once you're done paying the phone off. It will also allow for quicker upgrades because you won't have to wait two years until your contract rolls around again.
I'm not opposed to this model at all.
Joey
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If they offer that. Then I'll be okay with that. But I'm not OK with paying 5-600 dollars for a phone...I got more important things to pay for lol. But then again on the bright side the bill per month is gonna drop sooo much
Sent from my SGH-T999
I'm in Charlotte, and the store I went to has already gone through this transition. The plan price went down approximately $30. The down-payment was similar to the advertised price for the subsidized phones, and the monthly payments were $20, for twenty months. Overall, I'll pay $550 for phone retailed to cost $599, with a slight savings on the rate plan.
The big savings come after twenty months, when the phone is paid off. I'm not one to upgrade immediately, so I may save money on the rate plan for 6-12 months before buying a new phone. Where before, even if I didn't buy a phone, I was paying the monthly rate that included the subsidy.
zeekx4 said:
I'm in Charlotte, and the store I went to has already gone through this transition. The plan price went down approximately $30. The down-payment was similar to the advertised price for the subsidized phones, and the monthly payments were $20, for twenty months. Overall, I'll pay $550 for phone retailed to cost $599, with a slight savings on the rate plan.
The big savings come after twenty months, when the phone is paid off. I'm not one to upgrade immediately, so I may save money on the rate plan for 6-12 months before buying a new phone. Where before, even if I didn't buy a phone, I was paying the monthly rate that included the subsidy.
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So u can still get a new phone without paying retail?
Sent from my SGH-T999
ddizzy81 said:
So u can still get a new phone without paying retail?
Sent from my SGH-T999
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Yes and No. ** I do not work for T-Mobile, but this is how I understand things **
EIP has existed for a very long time now and will continue to exist. T-Mobile is simply being upfront with customers instead of building in a subsidy into a rate plan. In almost every case, the customer wins.
Here's one way to look at it. Value Plan + EIP = Classic plan Either way, the upfront costs are similar. In one case, you call it a downpayment, in another you call it a price w/ 2 year contact extension. EIP is typically 20 months, which is better than the 24 months a full blown 2 year extension will be. Again, as far as the initial cost of the phone, the downpayment is essentially equivalent to the previously advertised price of the phone with contract.
This model does a few things from the perspective of a customer. It gives you the option of purchasing phones outright, or opting to get what essentially is a 20 month interest free loan from t-mobile on up to $400 towards the purchase price of a phone. When that loan is paid off, you are left with a nice and small bill for just the services you use, the voice, data, and text services provided by T-Mobile. This opens the door wide open for people to bring unlocked devices over to T-Mobile, and enjoy a low price monthly rate plan. Previously, the best way to do this was to buy an unlocked phone, buy a carrier phone with a 2-year extension, and sell the carrier phone and put that towards the price of the unlocked phone.
This really is a win for pretty much all consumers. People who want a low initial cost can opt for the EIP, people who bring their own devices can choose to do so and enjoy a low monthly rate, and finally people who keep their devices for a long time will enjoy a low rate after they complete their EIP payments.
The only time this is NOT advantageous is if you decide to break the contract prior to the end of the EIP term + value plan contract. For example, if I buy a new phone, start a EIP plan for 20 months, and sign up for a 2 year value plan, I would have to pay a $200 penalty to break the value plan, and also $400 to close out the EIP. Of course, the way to get around this is to sell the phone to repay the EIP.
ddizzy81 said:
T-Mobile announced that in the coming months they will end discounted phones with a contract and go the European way and make you pay retail for any phone yet your monthly bill will go down a lot in price. How do you guys feel about this.?
Sent from my SGH-T999
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as far as i know, t-mobile has already offer $50 contract free service in NYC. that includes 4g network, unlimit calling, texing, web, etc.
I am current simple mobile user, $40 each month, and it is great!
I am sure if ATT, Verizon, don't take any action, most of their customers will walk way.
My contract ends in may...its gonna be a big decision whether I'm gonna leave T-Mobile or not
Sent from my SGH-T999
About a month ago a tmo rep told me they are doing this soon.
O well doesn't bother me lol
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
Yeah its not all that new . Tmobile has been allowing people to break up their payments since they announced their even more plus plans. I think its a great option in present times for those that can't afford to fork out 500$ in one transaction.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
They already have offered this its called the "Value Plans", as apposed to the "Classic Plans" the value plans are only offered at t-mobile stores and since sept they have offered a truly unlimited data option on the value plan. thats the plan i have been on since i joined t-mobile in sept. the gs3 for me was 149.99 down with $20 for 20 months. (549.99) and my rate plan is 69.99 for unlimited everything. The one thing i dont like about the value plan is that even though you are paying full price for your phone in the end you are still on a 2 year contract with $200 early termination fee. and if you dont use all the minutes and want to lower your bill thats a whole new 2 year contract. T-mobile really shouldnt due that to its customers.
Chuckatron said:
They already have offered this its called the "Value Plans", as apposed to the "Classic Plans" the value plans are only offered at t-mobile stores and since sept they have offered a truly unlimited data option on the value plan. thats the plan i have been on since i joined t-mobile in sept. the gs3 for me was 149.99 down with $20 for 20 months. (549.99) and my rate plan is 69.99 for unlimited everything. The one thing i dont like about the value plan is that even though you are paying full price for your phone in the end you are still on a 2 year contract with $200 early termination fee. and if you dont use all the minutes and want to lower your bill thats a whole new 2 year contract. T-mobile really shouldnt due that to its customers.
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Well to be honest they kinda have to keep that early termination fee, because basically if they don't what's to keep you from leaving after you only payed 149.99 for a 800 phone. Even if you still decide to leave you only end up paying about 350. 200 fee plus the 150 you put down. This is coming from a guy who really dislike tmobile I'm just with them because I almost don't pay anything on a 5 line account. Really there's not much difference between classic and value when it comes to buying a phone both tie you to a 2 year contract and early fee.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
Isn't this pretty much the same thing as their Value Plan they've had for some time now? I've been on that plan for a bit over a year now. For me, the plus side is that over the course of a two year period, I'll end up saving roughly $1200 for two lines compared to my previous plan with everything unlimited.
The downside is of course the unsubsidized pricing of all the phones...completely ineligible for any special promotions, as well. If T-Mobile keeps that same plan model, people may find themselves paying for multiple devices at a time if they run into mishaps (theft, damage, etc.). Even with insurance, you'll pay a pretty penny for a replacement but will still be responsible for paying off the original. This would be a big adjustment for a lot of people in many ways, not just financially.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Edit: Chuck beat me to it LoL. I'm so not used to typing novel-length msgs on a mobile xD
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
So how the phone insurance will work, will tmobile offer this option I doubt. I'm not referring manufacturer 1 year but long term one.
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dito33 said:
So how the phone insurance will work, will tmobile offer this option I doubt. I'm not referring manufacturer 1 year but long term one.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
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Good question
Sent from my SGH-T999
ddizzy81 said:
If they offer that. Then I'll be okay with that. But I'm not OK with paying 5-600 dollars for a phone...I got more important things to pay for lol. But then again on the bright side the bill per month is gonna drop sooo much
Sent from my SGH-T999
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LOL...pay now, pay later. do the math. if youre on a classic plan, you still pay full price for the phone, you just pay for it a little a time added onto your monthly bill. so, you are okay with paying 5-600 dollars for a phone...
dito33 said:
So how the phone insurance will work, will tmobile offer this option I doubt. I'm not referring manufacturer 1 year but long term one.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
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Don't see why they would stop offering the extended insurance. If you're going to be paying for you're phone for 2 years you might as well have insurance that also extends the warranty for that long.
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LiquidGlow said:
The downside is of course the unsubsidized pricing of all the phones...completely ineligible for any special promotions, as well. If T-Mobile keeps that same plan model, people may find themselves paying for multiple devices at a time if they run into mishaps (theft, damage, etc.). Even with insurance, you'll pay a pretty penny for a replacement but will still be responsible for paying off the original. This would be a big adjustment for a lot of people in many ways, not just financially.
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Actually the promos DO apply. The last sale was a zero down sale, so you get your down payment back as a rebate. So instead of a $600 phone it's only $400. It's no different than a free phone with a higher monthly payment.
I haven't had a plan for years. If you look you can find a deal on craigslist sometimes ebay