What is it with carriers and contracts?

[mlm1950]

Cablevision, Verizon, and Time Warner all require the signing of a contract...so I am not really sure what you are talking about. Just because you have it bundled with internet/cable, doesn't mean it's not under contract. You can cancel that particular service anytime, but you still require a CONTRACT to get that service with those providers. If you didn't have the other services, you would be require to sign a contract just for the land line.

I have been with Time Warner, for cable and internet, for years, and have never been on a contract. That is one of the things I like about them.

 

[rockstarzzz]

I dunno. Galaxy S3 for example, using Three in the UK.

For a start, here is what The One Plan offers, as well as how much it costs when taken out SIM-only.
The One Plan on Three

?029 Upfront Cost + ?31/mth for The One Plan (with phone included)
Samsung Galaxy S III on Three

?499 Upfront Cost + ?25/mth for The One Plan (SIM-Only)
Samsung Galaxy S III on Three

The use of The One Plan on both is KEY. It means you get the exact same allowance (minutes/sms/data) on BOTH.

By my math, working between the upfront costs plus the DIFFERENCE between the two contract plans.

?29 + (?6x24) = ?29 + ?144 = effectively paying ?173 for the Galaxy S3. Vs ?499 outright.

Damn... maybe I should get my Lumia 920 on contract if Three get it...

So on contract with The One Plan - SGS3 is ?773 at the end of 2 years with the allowance whereas on pay as you go its ?1099? :O

Damn, I must be doing something wrong if I've been on pay as you go all these years!

Other than the freedom of being able to change phones whenever I want and sell old ones off, I am in some kind of loss here!

 

[VagrantWade]

I have been with Time Warner, for cable and internet, for years, and have never been on a contract. That is one of the things I like about them.

Yea, this one is a lie. Time Warner does 2 year contracts and the cancellation is $150 but can be prorated. I know this one from personal experience.

 

[aubreyq]

One thing I forgot to mention regarding CATV agreements or contracts: Satellite TV. I know it's not "cable", but Satellite TV (at least DirecTV) does "lock you in" and you pay a penalty for leaving early. They also have partnerships with cell phone carriers and ISPs in some areas, which locks you in even more if you go along with it. I never did, though. I was in a contract with DTV but I moved and the new home had signal blockage (lots of tall trees) so DTV let me go off the contract without an ETF

 

[1jaxstate1]

Nokia selling their own phones directly is a good move. The experience is much better when dealing with people who have been properly trained. Not to bash anyone who works at AT&T, but I found a lot of the people there misinformed about a lot of things.

I don't know why MS don't have more stores open. We have a apple store where I live. The customer service there is A+. That's a huge advantage.

I am sure that was one of the reasons, plus they had some big argument/disagreement with the CDMA chip maker, and CDMA carriers were growing in the U.S. They also started opening their own Nokia stores in major cities selling directly to the customer instead of through the carrier. We had a Nokia store on Michigan avenue in Chicago until 2009 I believe. I bought my Nokia N8 there.

I am sure there are multiple reasons.

 

[VagrantWade]

Nokia selling their own phones directly is a good move. The experience is much better when dealing with people who have been properly trained. Not to bash anyone who works at AT&T, but I found a lot of the people there misinformed about a lot of things.

I don't know why MS don't have more stores open. We have a apple store where I live. The customer service there is A+. That's a huge advantage.

I imagine Microsoft was hesitant to open many more stores due to the fact that software being sold in stores is becoming obsolete. Now of course they have more hardware offerings so this will probably chance.

 

[Vallos]

Yea, this one is a lie. Time Warner does 2 year contracts and the cancellation is $150 but can be prorated. I know this one from personal experience.

You are correct. I just asked my co-worker, who is a Time Warner customer said that two years ago they started offering customers discounts if they would agree to a contract and along with it the ETF. He empasized that it's offered not forced. Basically it's like the wireless carriers. If you want a discount, you must sign a contract. So mlm1950 is not lying. He/she probably was never offered the discount/contract.

 

[SnailUK]

I dunno. Galaxy S3 for example, using Three in the UK.

For a start, here is what The One Plan offers, as well as how much it costs when taken out SIM-only.
The One Plan on Three

?029 Upfront Cost + ?31/mth for The One Plan (with phone included)
Samsung Galaxy S III on Three

?499 Upfront Cost + ?25/mth for The One Plan (SIM-Only)
Samsung Galaxy S III on Three

The use of The One Plan on both is KEY. It means you get the exact same allowance (minutes/sms/data) on BOTH.

By my math, working between the upfront costs plus the DIFFERENCE between the two contract plans.

?29 + (?6x24) = ?29 + ?144 = effectively paying ?173 for the Galaxy S3. Vs ?499 outright.

Damn... maybe I should get my Lumia 920 on contract if Three get it...

You need to look around dude.

You can get a selction of SIM only rolling one month contracts, with unlimited data and stupid amounts of texts and calls a month from ?12 a month.

Comparing with your one plan, thats (12 * 24) = 288 + 499 = ?787 vs (31 * 24) = 744 + 209 = ?953 thats a ?166 saving by going SIM only

 

[mlm1950]

Yea, this one is a lie. Time Warner does 2 year contracts and the cancellation is $150 but can be prorated. I know this one from personal experience.

I never said they didn't have contracts, but it is possible to get service without a contract. Contracts only came about with all of the bundling of services they have now.

 

[brmiller1976]

AT&T and Verizon landline services are typically sold with 1 year contracts. I had to keep paying for Uverse for a week after I moved out of my old apartment to avoid a $150 ETF.

 

[rockstarzzz]

You need to look around dude.

You can get a selction of SIM only rolling one month contracts, with unlimited data and stupid amounts of texts and calls a month from ?12 a month.

Comparing with your one plan, thats (12 * 24) = 288 + 499 = ?787 vs (31 * 24) = 744 + 209 = ?953 thats a ?166 saving by going SIM only

If you are referring to Giffgaff -I wouldn't really compare that with Three UK! The internet speed is only as good as 2G+ and coverage is total joke! I've tried them for about 10 months and couldn't stand it. I rather pay ?3 more and get unlimited internet, 300 minutes, 3000 texts!

 

[SnailUK]

If you are referring to Giffgaff -I wouldn't really compare that with Three UK! The internet speed is only as good as 2G+ and coverage is total joke! I've tried them for about 10 months and couldn't stand it. I rather pay ?3 more and get unlimited internet, 300 minutes, 3000 texts!

Nope. ?12.90 on 3 UK for a rolling 30 day contract. 200 mins talk, 5000 texts, unlimited data.

 

[palandri]

Nope. ?12.90 on 3 UK for a rolling 30 day contract. 200 mins talk, 5000 texts, unlimited data.

You're going cause a carrier riot in the states with those prices.

 

[larrynj]

I don't understand all the people saying T-mobile is so much cheaper. Maybe that's the case on an individual line but I just priced out a classic unlimited text talk and data for 4 phones is $229 month I'm assuming that's plus taxes, no contract. My AT&T plan with the same thing except for 1400 minutes with roll over that I never use and unlimited mobile to mobile, and contract. With 4 phones on my plan 3 unlimited data and 1 3G and it cost me $235.45 including all taxes. So switching to T-mobile would do nothing but limit my selections of phones.

I have never gotten anything but great service from AT&T



Cell phones are one of the few things that are more expensive in the US.

 

[rockstarzzz]

Nope. ?12.90 on 3 UK for a rolling 30 day contract. 200 mins talk, 5000 texts, unlimited data.

You're going cause a carrier riot in the states with those prices.

I've already got chaos in my house when I read this post out loud!

It's cheap as peanuts, but then again - if you are entering a contract already, why not go on a full on contract where you add about ?10 extra each month i.e. ?240 at the end of the year and get a Nokia Lumia 900? or any other phone for that matter.. Essentially the phone will cost you only ?240 right?

 

[brmiller1976]

I don't understand all the people saying T-mobile is so much cheaper. Maybe that's the case on an individual line but I just priced out a classic unlimited text talk and data for 4 phones is $229 month I'm assuming that's plus taxes, no contract.

A "Classic" plan includes a phone subsidy.

If you buy the phone outright, it's a lot cheaper. I have my mother on my "family" plan and she gets unlimited calls/texts and 2 GB of 4G data prior to throttling (the same as AT&T "unlimited") for $49/month.

I get unlimited talk, text, and data (unthrottled) for $59/month.

An equivalent AT&T plan really doesn't exist for unthrottled unlimited, and for a family plan with 2 GB per user and unlimited talk/text, on AT&T you're paying about $150/month (versus $99/month on T-Mo) -- 50% more. Figuring you purchased two decent devices outright (say, a couple of Radar 4G handsets), you'd be saving $400 over the two-year term.

For four lines on T-Mo, you'd be looking at around $200, versus $240 on AT&T with their 10 GB plan (2.5 GB per line) -- 20% more. That puts AT&T's pricing on roughly the same footing (after device purchasing) as T-Mobile, but you'll never get access to truly unlimited 4G data, and T-Mobile's HSPA+ network is generally faster than AT&T's LTE and HSPA+ (especially in major cities).

 

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

Nope. ?12.90 on 3 UK for a rolling 30 day contract. 200 mins talk, 5000 texts, unlimited data.

Only The One Plan has tethering included. Plus I want more than 200 minutes just in case. I'll stick with the deal I have ATM.

 

[rockstarzzz]

Only The One Plan has tethering included. Plus I want more than 200 minutes just in case. I'll stick with the deal I have ATM.

Is that the only plan with tethering? I think AT&T does apparently better deals on tethering than any other network across the globe.

What would really help is the break out clause in contracts that we used to enjoy in early days when you could end your 2 year contract with longer notice or something with certain handsets. Of course high end handsets won't be included but stuff like Lumia 610, 710 - could do a bargain!

Having said that, I just realised phones4u are doing HTC Radar for ?80! Now that phone easily can be purchased if I am on pay as you go whereas on contract that will feel like a useless purchase!

 

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

Is that the only plan with tethering? I think AT&T does apparently better deals on tethering than any other network across the globe.

What would really help is the break out clause in contracts that we used to enjoy in early days when you could end your 2 year contract with longer notice or something with certain handsets. Of course high end handsets won't be included but stuff like Lumia 610, 710 - could do a bargain!

Having said that, I just realised phones4u are doing HTC Radar for ?80! Now that phone easily can be purchased if I am on pay as you go whereas on contract that will feel like a useless purchase!

I'm talking about on Three UK, the network I am on. Although it comes across to me that you don't like The One Plan, but having researched the UK networks (where I live, there is no AT&T here), I have found The One Plan the best plan for my needs.

HTC Radar for ?80... nice! Like I say, I have the bigger brother. Although at that price it's pretty much a steal!

Breakout clause for handsets like the 710, 610, etc. With say 90 days notice, could indeed work.

 

[rockstarzzz]

I'm talking about on Three UK, the network I am on. Although it comes across to me that you don't like The One Plan, but having researched the UK networks (where I live, there is no AT&T here), I have found The One Plan the best plan for my needs.

HTC Radar for ?80... nice! Like I say, I have the bigger brother. Although at that price it's pretty much a steal!

Breakout clause for handsets like the 710, 610, etc. With say 90 days notice, could indeed work.

I'm on Three, UK as well

I don't really tether so much so I save ?10 by going for ?15 pay as you go

Did you know the Three, UK gives these low-end handsets as "replacements" for ?50 to all the contract customers? You don't need to be insured or anything!

One of my mates using Lumia 800 who lost the phone, not insured called Three to cancel contract and he was offered a refurbished Lumia 610 for ?49.99!