Hands-on Experiences with the 950XL

[Thallanor]

My assumption has always been that the phone was a lot cheaper, but I've never actually compared. Until today, I did not know that plan pricing was different if you provided your own device. I just checked their site and AT&T does offer BYOD plans, which they claim can you save you up to $300 per year.

I know that purchasing my 1520 outright - my only option since no carriers in Canada sell it - nets me... $10-15 per month, I believe? Of course, that'll vary by carrier.

As for being cheaper buying there, the upfront cost would be, but over time... I think someone else here did the math already. The only other way I could see AT&T offering it cheaper would be if they went the route of the 1520 and sold a model with bits and pieces stripped out, like less storage, no Qi, etc. but I suspect Microsoft will be doing less and less of that as time goes on.

 

[Thallanor]

What OS are you using on your 1520? I find it frustrating that in WP8.1, I can use Cortana in Canada, but not in W10M. (Or W10 on the desktop for that matter.) That shouldn't be an issue with the hardware model though, simply the OS settings.

And of course, I say this just as the latest build of W10M comes out which adds Cortana support in Canada. Oh, the timing...

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Honestly, I have no idea.

So... You don't care if you pay MORE as long as you don't know it? P. T. Barnum and US carriers were right.

 

[B T C]

So... You don't care if you pay MORE as long as you don't know it? P. T. Barnum and US carriers were right.

Thanks for the awesome input.

 

[narv]

What OS are you using on your 1520? I find it frustrating that in WP8.1, I can use Cortana in Canada, but not in W10M. (Or W10 on the desktop for that matter.) That shouldn't be an issue with the hardware model though, simply the OS settings.

Notes for new OS build released today said Cortana works in Canada now.

 

[Thallanor]

Notes for new OS build released today said Cortana works in Canada now.

Yup! I responded to my own post with an update - just my luck that right as I posted that, the new build came out. It's exciting! I do generally like W10M and using the 950XL at the store the other day reminded me of that. I just went back to 8.1 a week or so ago because of a couple bugs. But back to W10M soon! Watched gears never turn? Watched gears always grind? Something like that...

 

[o4komodo]

Holy moly you gotta use the multi-quote feature man.

I find that when looking for harder-to-find settings that it helps to remember that the new W10M Settings apps allows you to type in what you're looking for and it'll try to find it. I don't have my W10M 1520 near me, but in W10 on my desktop, typing "Hello" suggests "Setup iris sign-in" so it might be similar on W10M.

Yeah I found that feature afterword it's very handy and fast.

What OS are you using on your 1520? I find it frustrating that in WP8.1, I can use Cortana in Canada, but not in W10M. (Or W10 on the desktop for that matter.) That shouldn't be an issue with the hardware model though, simply the OS settings.

W8.1 on my L1520.3
I don't know why... all settings are set up for Canadian but Cortana doesn't want to work. Switch it all to USA and it works fine.

I'm pretty certain that this is how it works on the desktop version of Windows 10 too.

Haven't used Windows 10 yet either

 

[Thallanor]

Holy moly you gotta use the multi-quote feature man.

I thought about that afterwards, but by then I had already posted. Whoops! I was generally CTRL-clicking on "Quote" on each post I was interested in responding to, then it sort of got out of control... OUT OF CONTROL!

W8.1 on my L1520.3
I don't know why... all settings are set up for Canadian but Cortana doesn't want to work. Switch it all to USA and it works fine.

Hmm, that _is_ odd. :/ Well, fingers crossed W10M final will work for you.

 

[bugelrex]

Re: Played with the 950XL today, Wow!

I guess this is an example of how Apple is different to MS.
Apple with make sure their demo units are functioning flawlessly so no one gets a negative impression (words spreads quickly). If the software is not ready, they (and most companies) would not dare expose to retail customers.

MS is trying to be transparent, but they are dropping the ball from a "retail experience" standpoint, this is textbook example of how to NOT sell to "joe public"

If its not ready, show by appointment only with a sales rep guiding you. Or heaven forbid have the sale staff "check" the demo units are presenting the devices in the best possible light, pull them off the shelf if they are laggy

 

[Noahma]

Re: Played with the 950XL today, Wow!

I guess this is an example of how Apple is different to MS.
Apple with make sure their demo units are functioning flawlessly so no one gets a negative impression (words spreads quickly). If the software is not ready, they (and most companies) would not dare expose to retail customers.

MS is trying to be transparent, but they are dropping the ball from a "retail experience" standpoint, this is textbook example of how to NOT sell to "joe public"

If its not ready, show by appointment only with a sales rep guiding you. Or heaven forbid have the sale staff "check" the demo units are presenting the devices in the best possible light, pull them off the shelf if they are laggy

the rep at my local store made it a point to say that it was using pre-release software and i would find bugs. He stated that the demo units would be updated when they were released for sale. he said the same thing to the others that were looking at them too.

 

[peachy001]

I am assuming there is no access to the store in the demo units? There is one true battery/heat test that will expose a problem. The Solitaire test. For some unknown reason, Solitaire uses mire battery than the mains can supply. It is the only app I have known to make my 920 worryingly hot. I invite anyone to use any WP device to play Solitaire and try it. Also, if you can, get it on a 950xl, I want to be sure that the liquid cooling works.

 

[Tyrion L]

lets see if my math is good, if not feel free to correct me. its 40.00 / mo. to have a phone on the standard contract. and 15.00/ mo. with a byod. so... on contract you do the 99-199 down and add 960 over the life of the contract. we will use the 99. so thats 1059 over the two years. with byod phone 659 plus 360 for the contract life ( i know, byod is not under contract, keeping things equal) your paying 1019 over the same time saving 40.00

so, its where you want to put the money, up front or spread out. but the benifits for owning the phone over being locked in a contract are high with me. i will buy the phone outright, especially with the crap at&t pulled with the 830

So, are you located somewhere other than the US? I have never seen a contract at $40 including a smartphone, or $15 a month if you bring your own device in the US. If you are in the US, where do you get this contract?

 

[Noahma]

So, are you located somewhere other than the US? I have never seen a contract at $40 including a smartphone, or $15 a month if you bring your own device in the US. If you are in the US, where do you get this contract?

I am in Denver.....
Your making assumptions here. I was stating the monthly cost for the PHONE itself on contract, not including the plan charges taxes and fees. the PHONE on contract with AT&T is 40.00 per month, the PHONE in a bring your own device scenario is only 15.00 per month, then you add in the plan, fees, features ect.

I have four lines, three are BYOD including my 830, my wifes 1020 is on contract.

Our plan breaks down thusly
100.00 mobile share plan with 15gb / mo. (unlimited text and talk)
15.00 Lumia 635
15.00 Lumia 830
15.00 Lumia 920
40.00 Lumia 1020
Totaling 185.00 per month without taxes and fees.
My wife is a university employee and gets a nifty discount here though, which I am not adding.

So my number crunching was for the PHONE ONLY. not including the plan charges. If I add another phone to the plan on contract they would add 40.00 / month until the contract is up in 24 months, if I added the phone as a BYOD they would only ad 15.00 / month.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Thanks for the awesome input.

Just giv'n you some tough love!

 

[Cyril Richard]

I am in Denver.....
Your making assumptions here. I was stating the monthly cost for the PHONE itself on contract, not including the plan charges taxes and fees. the PHONE on contract with AT&T is 40.00 per month, the PHONE in a bring your own device scenario is only 15.00 per month, then you add in the plan, fees, features ect.

Because in the US you pay $15 for the phone when you bring your own device, which means you get no phone? Very nice business model, pure genius!

 

[calfee20]

I didn't realize you had to pay $15 for your own phone on AT&T. I don't understand why anyone would use AT&T instead of Cricket. AT&T owns Cricket. It is their answer to T-Mobile. Bring your unlocked compatible phone and pay $40/mo or $35 if you use autopay. You get unlimited talk & text + 2.5 gigs of data or $50/mo 5 gigs and $60/mo 10 gigs of data all on AT&T's network.

 

[libra89]

I didn't realize you had to pay $15 for your own phone on AT&T. I don't understand why anyone would use AT&T instead of Cricket. AT&T owns Cricket. It is their answer to T-Mobile. Bring your unlocked compatible phone and pay $40/mo or $35 if you use autopay. You get unlimited talk & text + 2.5 gigs of data or $50/mo 5 gigs and $60/mo 10 gigs of data all on AT&T's network.

Some people don;t like autopay. Also, others might not be aware that AT&T owns Cricket now. I had no idea this was the case until earlier this year.

 

[bo_woods]

I didn't realize you had to pay $15 for your own phone on AT&T. I don't understand why anyone would use AT&T instead of Cricket. AT&T owns Cricket. It is their answer to T-Mobile. Bring your unlocked compatible phone and pay $40/mo or $35 if you use autopay. You get unlimited talk & text + 2.5 gigs of data or $50/mo 5 gigs and $60/mo 10 gigs of data all on AT&T's network.

Cricket data speeds are throttled, so that could be a factor. People on AT&T will be getting actual LTE level speeds... Cricket is capped at what I believe is 8mbps

 

[Noahma]

Because in the US you pay $15 for the phone when you bring your own device, which means you get no phone? Very nice business model, pure genius!

I am not even sure of what you are saying. Your not paying for the phone with the 15.00, its the charge for that phone to be on the network
and use voice / text, data charges are separate

I didn't realize you had to pay $15 for your own phone on AT&T. I don't understand why anyone would use AT&T instead of Cricket. AT&T owns Cricket. It is their answer to T-Mobile. Bring your unlocked compatible phone and pay $40/mo or $35 if you use autopay. You get unlimited talk & text + 2.5 gigs of data or $50/mo 5 gigs and $60/mo 10 gigs of data all on AT&T's network.

You pay 40.00 for data, each phone has the 15.00 / mo. charge added to it to be able to use the network and from what I understand have the unlimited text / voice

 

[tedj101]

I didn't realize you had to pay $15 for your own phone on AT&T. I don't understand why anyone would use AT&T instead of Cricket. AT&T owns Cricket. It is their answer to T-Mobile. Bring your unlocked compatible phone and pay $40/mo or $35 if you use autopay. You get unlimited talk & text + 2.5 gigs of data or $50/mo 5 gigs and $60/mo 10 gigs of data all on AT&T's network.

You don't pay $15/month for your phone, you get a discount of $15/mo if you bring your own phone. This is what AT&T is willing to admit is built into their plans for their "buy in" of your phone. (I think it is closer to $20 and AT&T keeps the rest, but that is just my view).

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