What is it with carriers and contracts?

[rockstarzzz]

This question is so obvious with answers but is bugging me since this morning. I had to ask you guys.


I am presuming you LOVE what WP8 has to offer. Each of us already has a favourite brand and colour in mind.

Then I see posts by so many members cursing the carriers for not stocking XYZ phone or in ABC colour.

I'm on pay as you go phone. I change my phone when I want to. Never done contracts, but I understand if you are on the verge of your upgrade it means you are about to finish you contract anyway, right? So if your carrier doesn't stock your phone, why wouldn't you move to a new carrier?

Do you choose carrier i.e. network over phone? - I surely don't. Of course won't go to a 2G network if I can get 4G with different shade of Lumia 920, but if your carrier just doesn't stock coloured Lumias, would you not consider a carrier switch?

 

[VagrantWade]

I honestly don't see the point in not signing a contract. I haven't been without a cell phone since I was 14 years old. So 13 years now. I have never had a period where I didn't or couldn't pay my cell phone bill. So why would I not pay 1/3 the price for the phone to just renew my contract?

Also with AT&T at least they have been pretty good about early upgrades. One time I accidentally washed my 3GS just like 6 months after it came out, and they let me get a new one on contract price by renewing it after just 6 months.

Though things are just different in the U.S. than in Europe. Primarily because our country is far bigger so most of the travel people do is within the same country and not across multiple countries like in Europe.

 

[1jaxstate1]

Like the guy above me, I've been with AT&T since the Cingular days. Why wouldn't I sign a contract and get a new device for ~199.

A lot of people don't switch carriers because some like the plans offered by their carrier. Some like the coverage.

 

[Vallos]

The way I see it, so long as there are landlines in homes, wireless companies will continue to have contracts. The major carriers are recognizing the shift from landlines to cell by offering unlimited talk and text as a basic part of their plans. Soon, the majority of people will have a cell in one form factor or another. Contracts at that point will be pointless.

 

[VagrantWade]

Like the guy above me, I've been with AT&T since the Cingular days. Why wouldn't I sign a contract and get a new device for ~199.

A lot of people don't switch carriers because some like the plans offered by their carrier. Some like the coverage.

*OFFTOPIC*

You should be a Jags fan like me you traitor. So you can be forced to feel my misery!

The way I see it, so long as there are landlines in homes, wireless companies will continue to have contracts. The major carriers are recognizing the shift from landlines to cell by offering unlimited talk and text as a basic part of their plans. Soon, the majority of people will have a cell in one form factor or another. Contracts at that point will be pointless.

But don't most people with a land line phone, have that land line under contract with a telecom company? In the same way that we have contracts for Internet/Television as well.

 

[Winterfang]

Good for you Rockstar, we here also have the option to just buy our phone and unlock it. But not everyone has that kind of income.

 

[Vallos]

But don't most people with a land line phone, have that land line under contract with a telecom company? In the same way that we have contracts for Internet/Television as well.

No, land lines are not under contract. They are bundled, but not part of contracts. At least they were not when I had one 8 years ago.

 

[larrynj]

Some people have had a bad customer service experience and refused to ever go back to that carrier. For others may not get good signal, and others are simply hard headed.

 

[1jaxstate1]

I heard Fred Taylor and Mark Brunell are coming back!! LOL.

*OFFTOPIC*

You should be a Jags fan like me you traitor. So you can be forced to feel my misery!

 

[VagrantWade]

I heard Fred Taylor and Mark Brunell are coming back!! LOL.

I'd take Brunell right now over Gabbert.

No, land lines are not under contract. They are bundled, but not part of contracts. At least they were not when I had one 8 years ago.

Are you referring to things like MagicJack? Because even bundled you are still paying for a contract. Every telecom company at least here in the midwest, still has you sign a contract.

 

[palandri]

rockstarzzz, even without asking you, I can tell you are from Europe. It's a totally different business model for wireless carriers in the states.

When WeeBear was a member here, he posted what he paid for wireless service through "3UK" and it made U.S. carriers look like a rip off. We also don't get discounts on wireless service if we purchase a phone outright.

My Wife and I go to France, so i know I can get home internet, home phone, home tv and a cellphone through Orange for like 50 euros, about $65 usd. We pay like $200 for those services here ;
Orange Open, internet-TV-t?l?phone + mobile par Orange

 

[Vallos]

Are you referring to things like MagicJack? Because even bundled you are still paying for a contract. Every telecom company at least here in the midwest, still has you sign a contract.

I have had a land line with Verizon and then with Time Warner and Cablevision. I have never signed a contract.

 

[jmshub]

I live in a relatively rural area. AT&T offer the best service, by far. Verizon is a distant second. So, for me, I will continue to use at&t unless something drastically changes. So with that in mind, I have no problem signing a contract to get a new phone at the subsidized price.

Sent from my SGH-i917 using Board Express

 

[VagrantWade]

I have had a land line with Verizon and then with Time Warner and Cablevision. I have never signed a contract.

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.

 

[crystal_planet]

Some people have had a bad customer service experience and refused to ever go back to that carrier. For others may not get good signal, and others are simply hard headed.

This. The exclusive carrier up here has left such a bad taste in my mouth that I don't ca re if I ever get a 920.

**Sent from my Windows Phone using Board Express**

 

[Vallos]

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.

Perhaps we are getting caught up with the verbiage, "Contract". As you know, carrier contracts lock you in for specified amount of time. If you leave said contract, you are going to be charged an early termination fee. To my knowledge my current cable provider did not have me sign what I signed up with Verizon Wireless. What I signed with Cablevision was that my instillation was complete and that I am now renting their boxes, modem and remotes. Nevertheless, to give you the benefit of the doubt, I just called Cablevision and it seems I actually have phone service, which prompted me to ask if I was under a contract, and they said no. What I have is a limited time of discount for the bundle and if I break the bundle, I would lose the discount.

 

[aximtreo]

I live in a relatively rural area. AT&T offer the best service, by far. Verizon is a distant second. So, for me, I will continue to use at&t unless something drastically changes. So with that in mind, I have no problem signing a contract to get a new phone at the subsidized price.

Sent from my SGH-i917 using Board Express

I agree. Since Verizon so smartly took away my unlimited data status, the need to stay with them is gone. If I have to go with a contract and Verizon doesn't carry the 920, it's off to AT&T for me. I value the phone and what it offers more than the carrier at this stage.

 

[andrelamont]

Things you have to take into consideration

1) Coverage in the areas you need it ( what good is Phone X if you can send/receive a call )

2) Employee Discounts with Carrier X ( US only? ) I have seen some discounts as high as 27% (cough KeyBank ) and switching carrier could remove you from getting these discounts. Maybe Carrier X made a deal with ABC Corporation, but not Carrier B didn't. Also, I know people ( ahem..me) that used to work with a company and AT&T still gives me a discount b/c I used to work with them. If I switch carriers I lose my discount. I could love phone X but not enough to pay an extra $35/month ( or $420/year )

3) In the US the two largest carriers offer users NO BENEFIT for bringing your own phone. They don't lower your bill if you BYOD. TMobile does, but it only has about 33 million subscribers versus 90m+ for AT&T/Verizon. So you could buy a phone X off contract, but it doesn't get you anything except for that phone.

*Now, I could buy a phone off contract for $600 then sign a new contract w/Carrier X and get a $200 iPhone 5 and then sell the iPhone 5 on craigslist/eBay for $400

quick math
+ $600 for off contract phone
+ $200 new contract phone
- $400 sold phone on craigslist/eBay
______________________________
$400 for off contract phone.
​

 

[VagrantWade]

Perhaps we are getting caught up with the verbiage, "Contract". As you know, carrier contracts lock you in for specified amount of time. If you leave said contract, you are going to be charged an early termination fee. To my knowledge my current cable provider did not have me sign what I signed up with Verizon Wireless. What I signed with Cablevision was that my instillation was complete and that I am now renting their boxes, modem and remotes. Nevertheless, to give you the benefit of the doubt, I just called Cablevision and it seems I actually have phone service, which prompted me to ask if I was under a contract, and they said no. What I have is a limited time of discount for the bundle and if I break the bundle, I would lose the discount.

All that probably means is that you are off your contract. As in, you have now exceeded the contract time frame. Which is exactly the same thing in AT&T. I have gone past my 2 years, so I am no longer on a contract.

And your contract is for Cablevision service, not the individual land line service. Which still means you are, or at least were, under contract with Cablevision. Their "$90 a month *For the first year* is a contract.

 

[wpguy]

This question is so obvious with answers but is bugging me since this morning. I had to ask you guys.


I am presuming you LOVE what WP8 has to offer. Each of us already has a favourite brand and colour in mind.

Then I see posts by so many members cursing the carriers for not stocking XYZ phone or in ABC colour.

I'm on pay as you go phone. I change my phone when I want to. Never done contracts, but I understand if you are on the verge of your upgrade it means you are about to finish you contract anyway, right? So if your carrier doesn't stock your phone, why wouldn't you move to a new carrier?

Do you choose carrier i.e. network over phone? - I surely don't. Of course won't go to a 2G network if I can get 4G with different shade of Lumia 920, but if your carrier just doesn't stock coloured Lumias, would you not consider a carrier switch?

Why should I switch carriers just so I can pay an extra $50/mo for the same service? All I want is an unlocked, manufacturer-direct version of my phone of choice that works with my carrier. The manufacturers make those phones, and make them freely available in every other country, so don't tell me it isn't possible to do the same in the US.