Verify coverage first. I just actually switched to AT&T from T-Mobile since T-Mobile has such terrible coverage.
T-Mobile has much better plans but that doesn't help when you can't make / receive a call.
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AT&T Activation Fee for Contract Customers Rising to $45, New $15 Fee for 'Next' Customers
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Verify coverage first. I just actually switched to AT&T from T-Mobile since T-Mobile has such terrible coverage.
T-Mobile has much better plans but that doesn't help when you can't make / receive a call.
I did not know that sprint was foreign owned. It used to be american.
I have been with ATT from the days of Cell One to Cingular to ATT. I also hate comcrap and would love to ditch them. The prices from T Mobile are getting close. Once I can get 100gig plan from under 100 dollars then I can go cell only. but until then it's not realistic. I cut the cable a while ago, but broadband through comcrap for about 60/month. Add my cell cost for 1 phone is about 40/50 (I have a family plan so I am trying to pull out just the cost of one line). So if I could get broadband plus cell for about $100 or so, I would do that. based on my usage at home, my estimate is that I would need around 100gig per month, with only going to about 110 gig to cover the rest of the family. If it was all cellular that would be fantastic as I could take that with me wherever I go (which means I would probably want a little more like 150gig).
I have stated this on several other threads so I am probably sounding like a broken record =====>
Apple needs to open up facetime audio to be able to call any phone number and receive calls from any phone number like google voice. DO this and an ipod touch becomes what I call a wifi-phone (versus a cell phone). This could help push the telcos to fix their pricing.
Apple needs to open up facetime audio to be able to call any phone number and receive calls from any phone number like google voice. DO this and an ipod touch becomes what I call a wifi-phone (versus a cell phone). This could help push the telcos to fix their pricing.
You know Cricket is now owned by ATTI switched to Cricket... enjoying it now until they eventually start screwing over customers
Yeah your broadband situation is really bad it seems
Actually in most of the U.S. Regulations are the issue. I happen to live in an area that originally was supported by a 'Regional Telephone Provider'. Even though the area isn't rural any longer (hasn't been for 40-50 Years), there were regulations set up to 'protect' the regional providers, so as the Big Bell, and the Baby Bells, and the Cable providers, etc. etc. moved in to provide services the outdated regulations lock-out the competition to 'protect' the small regional that is no longer small because it is part of a metropolitan area now. So they have a monopoly.
This is just one example of the multitude of Regulations we have in the U.S. that stifles competition. Just like the original cable infrastructure, regulations were put into place as they sliced up the American landscape to 'encourage' infrastructure build. Now we are paying the price for all of the Regulations.
Some will say lobbiests and paybacks, maybe some, but historically it was to encourage the spred of infrastructure across the great expanses.
My dear friend, there is no competition in the US when it come to carriers or cable companies for that matter. The carriers never actually compete on a 1:1 basis. One will offer $x.xx for 2 GB data, one will offer $x.xx for some other amount of data. Trying to find an apples to apples comparison when shopping for phone/data plans is a futile exercise.
And as for the cable companies, there really is no competition because they have carved up the country to their benefit. Where Comcast has service, you won't find Charter or Time Warner. Where Charter offers service, Comcast and Time Warner are nowhere to be found. If you are lucky, you can get FIOS from Verizon, but even then, there really is no competition. It's not a total monopoly, but it's the closest thing to it.
If you don't understand, just think how we feel? It only makes sense to the carriers.
Hahaha screw AT&T! I dropped them years ago! Every month my bill went up $1 they thought I wouldn't notice. I asked and they give excuses saying its state tax related. Hmmm really? T-Mobile never increases my bill.
Its been a while that I checked and back than it was already not too bad ... definitely going to check it out again, I'm getting tired of AT&T, seems I just run out of arguments why I am still on their network and it seems they don't care about long term customer relations. T-Mobile seems to care a bit more ... and I don't have a contract to wait for to expire since I have payed all four devices on the Next plan in full.
Maybe charge a Switchboard fee every time we make a call or send text?
Hahahaha yeah they gotta pay those operators you know? Lol
As much as I detest the fact that AT&T is raising their activation fees, what's even more asinine is that Sprint charges $36, Verizon charges $40, and T-Mobile charges $15 per line to activate an unlocked phone (although T-Mo is currently "free for a limited time").
I'm sorry, if I'm bringing an unlocked phone to your service and telling you that I'm going to give you money every month in exchange for using your service, you should be thanking me for my business instead of sticking me with an activation fee as soon as I walk in the door just so you can port my number over and hand me a SIM card.
Speaking of T-Mo, I thought John Legere's "Un-carrier" strategy was all about ending the nickel and diming of customers. If that's the case, why is a SIM card from T-Mo only free for a limited time? These activation fees are a classic example of the nickel and diming of customers.
I'm sorry, if I'm bringing an unlocked phone to your service and telling you that I'm going to give you money every month in exchange for using your service, you should be thanking me for my business instead of sticking me with an activation fee as soon as I walk in the door just so you can port my number over and hand me a SIM card.
Speaking of T-Mo, I thought John Legere's "Un-carrier" strategy was all about ending the nickel and diming of customers. If that's the case, why is a SIM card from T-Mo only free for a limited time? These activation fees are a classic example of the nickel and diming of customers.
Its not actually so expensive. There are plenty of mvno options ranging from 35-45/mo for more mins/data than reasonably needed.
There is an odd american aversion to paying for handsets... And instead to financing their phones via contracts and weird obfuscated payment programs.
Its the debt and financing mentality.
What map are you looking at? I compared the coverage maps on AT&T and T-Mobile's sites respectively within the past week and there is no way that T-Mobile has more LTE coverage than AT&T nationwide based on what I've seen. Also, the legend on T-Mobile's coverage map that shows the difference in colors between 4G and 4G LTE is downright deceptive.
I live around Boston so service is fine. T-mobile has wifi calling so I'm not worried about it.
Yes it is that, plus in the earlier days of cell phones here, the phone was usually included when you signed up for cell service. Most people just got one of the free phones, and you only paid extra if you wanted an upgraded phone. Then phones like the RAZR started coming out that were considered more desirable, and people started paying extra, but still there was some subsidy included. So it was a gradual thing.
I'd guess that 9 out of 10 upgrades I've gotten this fee waived, either by asking in the store or calling on the phone and asking. If they say no, I've asked someone else and it's been taken care of. They generally say sure, you're a good customer (I pay automatically electronically so always on time, I don't know if that helps).
Gary
Gary
T-Mobile doesn't have the coverage area of either AT&T or Verizon. Even Sprint has a larger footprint than they do.
Every time I see crap like this from AT&T, I go compare my current AT&T plan to what T-Mobile offers. I have 5 iPhones and 1 iPad on my plan. My AT&T plan is only $4/mo more expensive than T-Mobile (with my $19/mo discount I would not get on T-Mobile), and that's excluding the huge cost of buying new devices to switch. Plus, I'd much rather have 15GB shared than 3GB per line even if the total is roughly the same.
I appreciate what T-Mobile has done to the industry, but they need shared data. And a more straight-forward way of helping me afford to re-buy all new phones. I want to straight-up even-steven swap my existing devices for T-Mobile versions. No cost. No 8-week-later rebates. Or how would I ever stomach the switch?
There are MVNO which use ATT towers or Verizon towers and mirror their coverage.
Activation fee is the biggest junk fee EVER! My account is already activated and an automated system activates my damn phone! IS BS! FU ATT!
If it weren't for the fact that AT&T is the only cell provider for my rural location, I would be switching ASAP. This is just getting plain ridiculous.
2-year contract option is still available. Just not from Apple or any other 3rd party. if you want to renew your 2-year contract, you have to get it done from AT&T store or AT&T online website/app. This sucks because renewing from their online/physical store is a pain.