Carrier phone or unlocked

[Emig5m]

I asked ATT about the activation fee & found out it has been renamed an upgrade fee. The girl I spoke with said they were cracking down on that & she personally was in "employee jail" for waiving the fee's recently. Maybe need to find someone in customer retention if that still exists?

Yea I'm not paying no activation fee....what are they activating? I swap my sims all the time from ATT to unlocked devices and I don't have to activate anything...

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

Yea I'm not paying no activation fee....what are they activating? I swap my sims all the time from ATT to unlocked devices and I don't have to activate anything...

I swap between phones also. With Verizon they charge the activation/upgrade fee up front with the taxes so there's no question the customer knows about it. Customers used to call in when they got their bill, me included, with the activation fee on it and claim they were never told about the fee and get it removed. Verizon changed to up front paying for it to avoid that situation.

Once I pay the activation\upgrade fee on the carrier unit I can swap between unlocked and carrier all I want to with no costs. When I buy unlocked phone is important to use your current SIM card so it won't trigger a fee.

I don't know At&T policy but I did see above that they are cracking down on it. I think these fees are ridiculous and another reason I go unlocked.

Sent from my SM-X800 using Tapatalk

 

[T48]

Are you getting ATT or unlocked?

Sent from my SM-S908U1 using Tapatalk

I was going to get an unlocked phone this year. But the carrier trade in is a no brainer. Maybe the trade in deal is why they're sticking on the upgrade fee? Regardless, I'll keep calling until I find someone to waive the additional fee.

 

[cohoman]

I don't know At&T policy but I did see above that they are cracking down on it. I think these fees are ridiculous and another reason I go unlocked.

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Same with ATT. When I ordered my S23 I had to pay sales tax and the $35 upgrade fee.

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

I was going to get an unlocked phone this year. But the carrier trade in is a no brainer. Maybe the trade in deal is why they're sticking on the upgrade fee? Regardless, I'll keep calling until I find someone to waive the additional fee.

The question is at what point do you decide it isn't worth all the hassle you're going thru to save $35. If a rep said they were wrote up for crediting the charge chances are most reps aren't going to do it. At&T will probably follow Verizon in the future and charge it upfront with the taxes.

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[fuzzylumpkin]

Unlocked. I buy my phone, and then own that phone. No hire-purchase or lease nonsense.

I don't even have a contract for service.

 

[bhatech]

Personally always unlocked and been that way from a long time. I buy phones because of software and hardware from manufacturer. I have zero interest in any kind of modifications that crappy carriers make. Yes you can flash unlocked firmware etc, but I prefer going unlocked model from the get go for any phone I buy. My relationship with my carrier is just paying for cell service and don't want anything else from them.

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[Gdwheel]

Personally always unlocked and been that way from a long time. I buy phones because of software and hardware from manufacturer. I have zero interest in any kind of modifications that crappy carriers make. Yes you can flash unlocked firmware etc, but I prefer going unlocked model from the get go for any phone I buy. My relationship with my carrier is just paying for cell service and don't want anything else from them.

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We think alike!

 

[Suntan]

Unlocked. I buy my phone, and then own that phone. No hire-purchase or lease nonsense.

I don't even have a contract for service.

This. Unlocked phone directly from Samsung, unlimited plan from Visible. No need to look at a confusing VZW monthly bill just to get VZW coverage... worth paying full price for a handset.

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

This. Unlocked phone directly from Samsung, unlimited plan from Visible. No need to look at a confusing VZW monthly bill just to get VZW coverage... worth paying full price for a handset.

As long as your always on Verizon native coverage your good. Verizon has roaming agreements so those areas you will be roaming rates.

Verizon bill and plans aren't confusing. I've looked at visible, to get what I want and need, visible isn't cheaper for me

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[fuzzylumpkin]

As long as your always on Verizon native coverage your good. Verizon has roaming agreements so those areas you will be roaming rates.

Verizon bill and plans aren't confusing. I've looked at visible, to get what I want and need, visible isn't cheaper for me

Sent from my SM-X800 using Tapatalk

I think this is probably one of those areas where living somewhere the size of the UK is a huge advantage.

Then again, I'm pretty sure roaming no longer exists across Europe... I think that even includes us for the time being.

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

I think this is probably one of those areas where living somewhere the size of the UK is a huge advantage.

Then again, I'm pretty sure roaming no longer exists across Europe... I think that even includes us for the time being.

I know my prepaid I had has roaming. Verizon so roads on other carriers, post paid customers just don't pay for it. If you're not a truck driver like I am and don't do a lot of traveling it's not usually a issue.

It still doesn't change that visible isn't much cheaper if any cheaper then my Verizon plan if comparing apples to apples


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[fuzzylumpkin]

I know my prepaid I had has roaming. Verizon so roads on other carriers, post paid customers just don't pay for it. If you're not a truck driver like I am and don't do a lot of traveling it's not usually a issue.

It still doesn't change that visible isn't much cheaper if any cheaper then my Verizon plan is comparing apples to apples


Sent from my SM-X800 using Tapatalk

My giffgaff plan isn't that much cheaper than being on a contract either, but it is a little cheaper and I value not being on a contract. Even if it was a little more expensive I would still take it over the contract option.

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

My giffgaff plan isn't that much cheaper than being on a contract either, but it is a little cheaper and I value not being on a contract. Even if it was a little more expensive I would still take it over the contract option.

If you were in my shoes and traveled the country I think you would see my point. A lot of people don't realize Verizon has roaming agreements yet which with prepaid you pay more on those. One prepaid I used it was 2 minutes per 1 minute of usage.. Basically doubled.

I don't know how visible does this, but visible is same as what I'm paying now as post paid so it really doesn't matter in my situation, I'm better where I'm at.

Sent from my SM-F936U1 using Tapatalk

 

[fuzzylumpkin]

If you were in my shoes and traveled the country I think you would see my point. A lot of people don't realize Verizon has roaming agreements yet which with prepaid you pay more on those. One prepaid I used it was 2 minutes per 1 minute of usage.. Basically doubled.

I don't know how visible does this, but visible is same as what I'm paying now as post paid so it really doesn't matter in my situation, I'm better where I'm at.

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I do see your point. Like I said, it's an advantage of living in a country like the UK. But also the EU just abolished roaming charges, they're not a thing anymore.

 

[Suntan]

As long as your always on Verizon native coverage your good. Verizon has roaming agreements so those areas you will be roaming rates.

Verizon bill and plans aren't confusing. I've looked at visible, to get what I want and need, visible isn't cheaper for me

Yeah, that's how commerce works. Go with what meets your needs best. For me, it's $25 a month, out the door, for unlimited and no hassles.

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

Yeah, that's how commerce works. Go with what meets your needs best. For me, it's $25 a month, out the door, for unlimited and no hassles.

Absolutely. I'm one that reads the fine print and for me to get prepaid the way I want my service I think it was $10 month cheaper for prepaid over my post paid. It's not worth the savings of $10 a month to have pockets of roaming. Not to mention customer service has been horrible for me in the past on prepaid, they already have your money. Then when I add in that I get the Hulu\Disney plus as part of my plan, I get half off connected devices such as my watch or tablet. That extra $10 a month is a bargain..I also have true unlimited data with no slow down possibility. A lot of prepaid don't support LTE watch which I want. So absolutely, it is what the consumer needs and wants.

I see these prepaid advertisements showing low prices and I'm always like yeah I'd love to save that much, then I read the fine print and start seeing different plan options and then see the light.

I guess I should have said it better, when I see someone say they go with a prepaid plan to avoid the confusing carrier plans I don't see any difference in that with the prepaid options. They all advertise the cheap plans and then you have to weed thru the fine print to pick what plan works for you, the prepaid have the confusing plans to pick as carriers do. I don't have a issue with Verizon bill either. It's very well explained and printed on the bill. The bill stays the same month after month unless I change it.

There is no right way or wrong way, do what works for you. I wish I don't travel I might look at other options but I don't see anything in this area that's cheaper for power users like I am.

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