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Do you want AT&T, Verizon and Sprint to adopt T-Mobile uncarrier strategy?

  • Yes

    Votes: 203 80.2%
  • No

    Votes: 50 19.8%

  • Total voters
    253

EbookReader

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Apr 3, 2012
1,190
1
Uncarrier strategy is simple

1) Pay for the phone upfront or in monthly installments (paying for the HDTV)
2) Pay for the service (paying for the cable/satellite bill)


Look like it's Sprint that has adopted the un-carrier strategy. 2 down 2 more to go.

nexusae0_upload_thumb.png


nexusae0_support_sprint_easy_pay_thumb.jpg
 

Prise

macrumors regular
Dec 14, 2008
241
0
I'm shocked there's actually 20% out there who think Cell Phones offering to pay our ETFs is a bad idea.

How could it be bad for consumers?
 

jamezr

macrumors P6
Aug 7, 2011
15,833
18,375
US
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/01/24/subscribers-warm-to-no-subsidy-plans/
Mobile Plans With No Phone Subsidies Are Winning Over Customers

This is where the mobile wireless industry needs to go……..buy a phone and be able to use it on any carrier we choose. This will bring true competition to the the wireless space. If i am not mistaken that is how the rest of the world does it. This will bring wireless services pricing down and be great for consumers.
 

sixrom

macrumors 6502a
Nov 13, 2013
709
1
Long term I would like to see all carriers adopt T-Mobile's current practices. I use both AT&T and T-Mobile. The savings that T-Mobile provides is terrific. That plus the fact that are building out their LTE network quite rapidly in many, yet not all areas. In my city it's been completed for the last six months and the speed easily matches or exceeds AT&T. Considering I use 6 to 7GB without throttling, it's a great deal.
 

EbookReader

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Apr 3, 2012
1,190
1
Look like Sprint is steering customers to "no subsidies" plan.

Same with AT&T with its new "no subsidies" Family Plan. $160 a month for 4 lines with unlimited talk, unlimited text, 10GB shared data.


In conclusion, AT&T and Sprint are now BOTH adopting T-Mobile uncarrier strategy. Which basically boils down to separating the cost of the smartphone and the cost of the wireless service.
 

EbookReader

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Apr 3, 2012
1,190
1
Some people in the "know" reports that Sprint will get rid of subsidies entirely sometimes in March.

Taking its place will be 24 monthly installments financing plan that T-Mobile is using.


From a Sprint store.

y5amy6a8.jpg


24 months x $20.84 = $500.16 for the LG G2




AT&T is very likely to follow soon. The Family Plan they announced today is the first step.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57618201-94/at-t-goes-on-the-offensive-with-cheaper-family-plans/
AT&T goes on the offensive with cheaper family plans
The new plans offer more savings with more people, with a family of four paying $160 month for 10 gigabytes of data.


Do you want AT&T, Verizon and Sprint to adopt T-Mobile uncarrier strategy?
Yes 199 80.24%
No 49 19.76%


The question is that when will Verizon join the party....
 

I7guy

macrumors Nehalem
Nov 30, 2013
34,216
23,956
Gotta be in it to win it
Verizon already has joined the party. You can buy a phone on their edge plan. However if grandfathered into a nice cheap plan with unlimited data, it makes sends to buy the phone outright.
 

EbookReader

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Apr 3, 2012
1,190
1
Uncarrier is:

1) Pay for the phone upfront or in monthly installments (paying for the HDTV)
2) Pay for the service (paying for the cable/satellite bill)

Here's the status report:

T-Mobile: all-in (no more subsidy)
Sprint: steering customers toward no-subsidy with Framily Plan
AT&T: steering customers toward no-subsidy with Mobile Share Value Family Plan
Verizon: steering customers toward no-subsidy with their new "More Everything Plan"
 

I7guy

macrumors Nehalem
Nov 30, 2013
34,216
23,956
Gotta be in it to win it
Uncarrier is:

1) Pay for the phone upfront or in monthly installments (paying for the HDTV)
2) Pay for the service (paying for the cable/satellite bill)

Here's the status report:

T-Mobile: all-in (no more subsidy)
Sprint: steering customers toward no-subsidy with Framily Plan
AT&T: steering customers toward no-subsidy with Mobile Share Value Family Plan
Verizon: steering customers toward no-subsidy with their new "More Everything Plan"

Some people may want subsidized plans.
 

QCassidy352

macrumors G5
Mar 20, 2003
12,028
6,036
Bay Area
Under att's new plans, you pay $25 more per line for subsidized phones than for unsubsidized phones ($40 vs 15). Over a two year contract, you're therefore paying $600 more in per month charges, when the subsidy was only $450 (pay $200 up front for a $650 phone).

But, to their credit, the per month price does automatically drop by $25 once the contract is up. So with a subsidized phone, you do end up paying $800 for a $650 phone, but they don't keep piling on after the contract is over.

So I'd say att has made progress in two ways (offering no-subsidy phones and automatically lower monthly rate once contract is up).
 

iPhonemaster5S

macrumors 6502
Oct 10, 2011
356
67
Colorado
Under att's new plans, you pay $25 more per line for subsidized phones than for unsubsidized phones ($40 vs 15). Over a two year contract, you're therefore paying $600 more in per month charges, when the subsidy was only $450 (pay $200 up front for a $650 phone).

But, to their credit, the per month price does automatically drop by $25 once the contract is up. So with a subsidized phone, you do end up paying $800 for a $650 phone, but they don't keep piling on after the contract is over.

So I'd say att has made progress in two ways (offering no-subsidy phones and automatically lower monthly rate once contract is up).

AT&T has made progress but they do have a ways to go, it would be interesting if Verizon will counter with something better. The small improvement they just made with their pricing structure isn't quite enough.
 

T5BRICK

macrumors G3
Aug 3, 2006
8,313
2,387
Oregon
But, to their credit, the per month price does automatically drop by $25 once the contract is up. So with a subsidized phone, you do end up paying $800 for a $650 phone, but they don't keep piling on after the contract is over.

I'm not sure why anyone would be ok with spending $800 on a $650 phone. Why not just use Next or buy the phone outright up front? Either of those options will save you $150...
 

deeddawg

macrumors G5
Jun 14, 2010
12,245
6,393
US
I'm not sure why anyone would be ok with spending $800 on a $650 phone.
Ignorance. Few people ever look beyond the "what do I have to pay today?" and "what will my monthly bill be?" questions and evaluate Total Cost of Ownership.

This was a great setup for carriers. When people didn't upgrade ("why spend $200 on a new phone when mine's working fine?") and kept paying the monthly bill well into the third year and beyond... Carriers were laughing all the way to the bank.

Kudos to T-Mobile for shaking things up.
 
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