What if there were no "upgradades" ?

[thebignewt]

Before I left Tmobile about 2 years ago my newest plan had no upgrades, so I would have had to pay retail for my next phone, about $500, instead of the $200 that they subsidized. But my monthly fee was like $25 less and there was no 2 year contract. When I jumped to Verizon a year later for an HTC incredible they actually tried to charge me an ETF claiming my plan never changed, but I told them to prove it and I never paid them. In Europe they pay $500-700 for their new phones up front. Verizon (the king of the fees) just started charging $30 for their upgrade, plus $30 to turn the phone on, $30 to transfer your contacts bla blah. We all know the Verizon fee drill by now. After all what they do now is charge you less up front and you sort of borrow the rest from them and pay it back you still pay retail for the phone in the end.They love typing you up for 2 years so you can't switch carriers when someone lowers their prices (yeah right).
So are we ready to do it like Europe, pay a bunch, maybe keep the phone longer like a car? That would be bad for Apple, they sure want you to get a new one every 2 years.

 

[Wookie Claws]

If the data plans and calling/texting plans were lowered in price then buying phones off contract would make a ton of sense. T-Mobile has that option but they still want you to sign a contract. The contract is the kicker here; if I'm paying full price for a phone then I want a lower monthly fee AND no contract. Why obligate myself to a carrier for no benefit?

So the no contract but pay full price for the phone is great for the consumer but it isn't in the carriers's best interest. I can't imagine VZW making this switch (but I'd love to see it).

 

[TabGuy]

Before I left Tmobile about 2 years ago my newest plan had no upgrades, so I would have had to pay retail for my next phone, about $500, instead of the $200 that they subsidized. But my monthly fee was like $25 less and there was no 2 year contract. When I jumped to Verizon a year later for an HTC incredible they actually tried to charge me an ETF claiming my plan never changed, but I told them to prove it and I never paid them. In Europe they pay $500-700 for their new phones up front. Verizon (the king of the fees) just started charging $30 for their upgrade, plus $30 to turn the phone on, $30 to transfer your contacts bla blah. We all know the Verizon fee drill by now. After all what they do now is charge you less up front and you sort of borrow the rest from them and pay it back you still pay retail for the phone in the end.They love typing you up for 2 years so you can't switch carriers when someone lowers their prices (yeah right).
So are we ready to do it like Europe, pay a bunch, maybe keep the phone longer like a car? That would be bad for Apple, they sure want you to get a new one every 2 years.

If you want a no-upgrade plan then TING.COM is the place to go.

 

[thebignewt]

If the data plans and calling/texting plans were lowered in price then buying phones off contract would make a ton of sense. T-Mobile has that option but they still want you to sign a contract. The contract is the kicker here; if I'm paying full price for a phone then I want a lower monthly fee AND no contract. Why obligate myself to a carrier for no benefit?

So the no contract but pay full price for the phone is great for the consumer but it isn't in the carriers's best interest. I can't imagine VZW making this switch (but I'd love to see it).

When I still had Tmobile in 2009-10 they talked me into switching my plan to the "no upgrade/less per month" version (it has a name). I had signed a 2 year deal about 6 months prior and got a newly released BB 8900 upgrade for about $200. They said the new plan was month to month, no ETF. So I switched to Vzn in 5/10 about a year into the prior contract. I called Tmobile to cancel and they tried to slap me with the ETF. I said no way, you told me last year that I was month to month. They handed me up a notch and she said I was right. I was gonna stiff them anyway but I didn't have to. I mean if all you're getting is the service and no discounted phone why sign a contract? I got this cheapo Tmobile phone for the SIM card last fall so I could use Tmobile's voice over Wifi feature in Europe (I forget the name of that but only Tmob has it). There was no contract involved, I paid in advance for a month and it ended there, I didn't even have to shut it off after a month.

 

[shaytoon21]

Upgradades

 

[tony bag o donuts]

Isn't it 30.00 for new customers for activiation?
30.00 for existing customer upgrade activation?
Always had contacts switched for free if you have a biz acct (I don't) but with cloud syncing and verizon backup if you wanted to it's not even neccessary.
So you pay $30.00 out of $90.00

 

[thebignewt]

Isn't it 30.00 for new customers for activiation?
30.00 for existing customer upgrade activation?
Always had contacts switched for free if you have a biz acct (I don't) but with cloud syncing and verizon backup if you wanted to it's not even neccessary.
So you pay $30.00 out of $90.00

I think I paid $30 to activate the new phone this year as an existing customer. Now another $30 fee to "upgrade". I can transfer contacts myself, but they once did that for free off my BB when I went to Vzn. Now they charge. Heck they charge you like $2 to call information 411.