Since Verizon no longer offer contracts, is it free to increase prices whenever they feel like it?

[anon(10057381)]

Since Verizon no longer offer contracts, is it free to increase prices
whenever they feel like it? (for customers who are no longer in a
current contract)

 

[Ry]

Since Verizon no longer offer contracts, is it free to increase prices
whenever they feel like it? (for customers who are no longer in a
current contract)

Sure. Like everyone else.

 

[Aquila]

Yes

 

[JoshDunc]

They go raising prices much more and I'll jump off the Big Red ship lol

 

[Almeuit]

As others said.. yep. All the carriers can.

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

But they usually don't raise prices, they just do new plans.

 

[Lodingi]

The good news is you can leave Verizon when ever you like. No more waiting for your contract to expire. The smart move would be to not get your devices through the carrier, if possible.

 

[Aquila]

The good news is you can leave Verizon when ever you like. No more waiting for your contract to expire. The smart move would be to not get your devices through the carrier, if possible.

If anything we should be getting close to the time in the evolution of mobile data when we see prices starting to fall again but if not you've hit it right on the head whoever raises prices first loses how much everyone else does as well.

 

[sulla1965]

Yep it's called free enterprise. A company can charge whatever it likes for its services. The public is under no obligation to pay them. Competition is always best for consumers.

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

The good news is you can leave Verizon when ever you like. No more waiting for your contract to expire. The smart move would be to not get your devices through the carrier, if possible.

You could have left a carrier anytime under contract also, called ETF. Carriers did a great job convincing people no contracts is good for the customer, wasn't to hard when people hated contracts.

$300 for a phone 2 year contract, $350 for ETF which decreases every month. Cheaper then $792 for the S7 edge. People were scared of contracts for no reason.

 

[mike568]

You could have left a carrier anytime under contract also, called ETF. Carriers did a great job convincing people no contracts is good for the customer, wasn't to hard when people hated contracts.

$300 for a phone 2 year contract, $350 for ETF which decreases every month. Cheaper then $792 for the S7 edge. People were scared of contracts for no reason.

I agree with you. Any carrier could raise the rates and you would still be legally obiligated to pay the device off. With a 2 year contract you could leave and they would write off the etf. Now if phone more phone manufuctures would make their phone compitable with all networks and offer manufucture based fiancing like Apple that would be nice.

 

[eshropshire]

You could have left a carrier anytime under contract also, called ETF. Carriers did a great job convincing people no contracts is good for the customer, wasn't to hard when people hated contracts.

$300 for a phone 2 year contract, $350 for ETF which decreases every month. Cheaper then $792 for the S7 edge. People were scared of contracts for no reason.

Which is why contracts are no longer offered. Companies don't want to give big discounts on phones. In the pre-smartphone days, the math was great for companies. Now with big smart phone costs they want out of the game. Our family now saves a ton on our monthly Verizon bill. We have one phone that is about to finish DPP (signed with the old plan and the cost was almost free). Switching to the new plan and getting rid of the discount still saves us more each month. I personally like the fact the cost of the phone is not hidden in the plan. Sure those who always liked having the nice shinny phone every 2 years the new plans make this appear more expensive. It is definitely more expensive to leave if you finance the whole cost of the phone. If you buy phones and don't finance the phone the new plans are great. For our family we find great deals on SWAPPA for 1 year old phones.

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

Which is why contracts are no longer offered. Companies don't want to give big discounts on phones. In the pre-smartphone days, the math was great for companies. Now with big smart phone costs they want out of the game. Our family now saves a ton on our monthly Verizon bill. We have one phone that is about to finish DPP (signed with the old plan and the cost was almost free). Switching to the new plan and getting rid of the discount still saves us more each month. I personally like the fact the cost of the phone is not hidden in the plan. Sure those who always liked having the nice shinny phone every 2 years the new plans make this appear more expensive. It is definitely more expensive to leave if you finance the whole cost of the phone. If you buy phones and don't finance the phone the new plans are great. For our family we find great deals on SWAPPA for 1 year old phones.

If carriers really wanted to get out of the phone market then they should do it. I personally do not think the cost of the phone was hidden in the plans. Carriers are making money on the phones they are selling at retail, probably double..

As far as swappa, eBay or places to buy near new used phones, I think that is going to be more difficult now. The phones are more expensive, people like me that upgraded every year are going to hold onto their phones longer, or at least keep it for back up for the second year, the note 7 recall taught a lot of people the importance of having a back up phone. The fact that contracts are gone, someone can't get that phone for $300 and flip it for $700. The lack of contracts will be the biggest reason your not going to see many new released phones on swappa, and I think that is the true reason behind eliminating 2 year contracts. I think your going to see more phones a year old or older on swappa, once the warranty is over and someone is getting a new phone. Once the phone is a year old, check places out like Walmart, third party outlets, you might be able to get it brand new for same or close to same price as swappa, and its new with warranty.

It will be an interesting ride, the Samsung S8 is getting ready to come out, betting you won't see many on swappa with the contracts gone. You will see a few from buyers that decided they didn't like it after the 14 day deal.

 

[kstoutdog]

I ordered a new MiFi device last week, and it was 50% off with new 2 year contract....

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

I ordered a new MiFi device last week, and it was 50% off with new 2 year contract....

I'm talking phones, they don't do contracts on phones anymore. I just got a Samsung tablet free with 2 year contract.

 

[cbreze]

My Verizon fees have been dropping and my data allotment has gone up so I'm happy about that. I think as competitive as the cell phone service provider business is, that Verizon will stay competitive and we won't see prices going up unless all the others raise as well. Plus as mentioned above we have options to leave anytime we want with no more ETF's . I like this new arrangement.

 

[Law2138]

If carriers really wanted to get out of the phone market then they should do it. I personally do not think the cost of the phone was hidden in the plans. Carriers are making money on the phones they are selling at retail, probably double..

As far as swappa, eBay or places to buy near new used phones, I think that is going to be more difficult now. The phones are more expensive, people like me that upgraded every year are going to hold onto their phones longer, or at least keep it for back up for the second year, the note 7 recall taught a lot of people the importance of having a back up phone. The fact that contracts are gone, someone can't get that phone for $300 and flip it for $700. The lack of contracts will be the biggest reason your not going to see many new released phones on swappa, and I think that is the true reason behind eliminating 2 year contracts. I think your going to see more phones a year old or older on swappa, once the warranty is over and someone is getting a new phone. Once the phone is a year old, check places out like Walmart, third party outlets, you might be able to get it brand new for same or close to same price as swappa, and its new with warranty.

It will be an interesting ride, the Samsung S8 is getting ready to come out, betting you won't see many on swappa with the contracts gone. You will see a few from buyers that decided they didn't like it after the 14 day deal.

I'm not so sure carriers are making much profit on the devices themselves. Manufacturers need to pay their employees, pay other manufacturers for components, allocate resources and funds towards warranty and repairs. Carriers make their money on the services they provide, which is why they push their bloatware into the phone. Some of it is free, but they want you to pay for add-on features and not too long ago, they banked on customers exceeding their monthly data so they can charge $15 per GB.

I agree that having a back up phone is extremely important, and that new phones may not appear on swappa due to lack of contracts.

I'm amazed at how much the S7 and S7 edge dropped in price. Its a great phone and has plenty of life left in it.

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

I'm not so sure carriers are making much profit on the devices themselves. Manufacturers need to pay their employees, pay other manufacturers for components, allocate resources and funds towards warranty and repairs. Carriers make their money on the services they provide, which is why they push their bloatware into the phone. Some of it is free, but they want you to pay for add-on features and not too long ago, they banked on customers exceeding their monthly data so they can charge $15 per GB.

I agree that having a back up phone is extremely important, and that new phones may not appear on swappa due to lack of contracts.

I'm amazed at how much the S7 and S7 edge dropped in price. Its a great phone and has plenty of life left in it.

I don't know who makes all the money either, but someone, some company does. I googled the cost of making the Samsung S7, $255, the most expensive part is the snap Dragon processor at $62.

I don't think contracts cost the carriers to much money, not as much as they would have us believe anyway. I realize there's other costs involved, shipping, packaging and commissions.


Link

http://wccftech.com/samsung-galaxy-s7-255/

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

My Verizon fees have been dropping and my data allotment has gone up so I'm happy about that. I think as competitive as the cell phone service provider business is, that Verizon will stay competitive and we won't see prices going up unless all the others raise as well. Plus as mentioned above we have options to leave anytime we want with no more ETF's . I like this new arrangement.

As long as you don't have device payments, can't leave without paying those off. But yes without payments and contracts you can leave. As I have been saying though, $300 contracted phone and the max $350 ETF, you were cheaper with the contracts.

 

[cbreze]

As long as you don't have device payments, can't leave without paying those off. But yes without payments and contracts you can leave. As I have been saying though, $300 contracted phone and the max $350 ETF, you were cheaper with the contracts.

Yes, I think we we're better off from a consumer basis with contracts and subsidies. As Long as you were sticking around over the long haul you got a new flagship for a couple hundred bucks or so every two years. was a good deal IMO. maybe didn't work for everybody but I think most liked it. Leaving tho with a balance still on your phone might not be a good idea so in that sense it's like an ETF only you get to keep the phone, but will it work on another carrier? Maybe, maybe not.